The Sheep Factor

Most images used for discipleship are of solitary
 plants. This is unhelpful. Discipleship is supposed
to be  done in community

What’s in a word? Discipleship. This is THE  word for the church – the most important thing – yes, I am going to say it and you know how much I love mission – discipleship is more important than mission! I was with 15 other church leaders the other day and all of us were wrestling with the issue of how we make disciples and how we make help disciples make other disciples. Discipleship is the practice of following Jesus – so what we’re saying is how do we make followers of Jesus that make more followers of Jesus? How do we create churches where Christians have it built into them to pass it on?

More and more thinkers and church leaders are waking up to the staggering realisation that most don’t know how to do this. Wow! That’s what has been behind the huge challenges we have faced these past 4 years as we've tried to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus (as opposed to the traditions of the church). We had some great old friends to stay a few weeks ago, Geoff and Caroline Shave. We know them from our church in Newcastle 20 years ago, and now they’re with Agape, doing a student ministry in Namibia. They spoke brilliantly at our church a couple of years ago about the difference between growth by addition and growth by multiplication. We too had the same conversation about making disciples that make disciples, and realised God had been teaching us both about the same thing. We had so much to learn from them and they were really interested in what we were trying to do and very supportive too.

What we’re going through – is the beginning of something wonderful. It has to be  - because we’re rediscovering the essential beauty and simplicity of Jesus’ ways. Whatever we do in 2014, it has to be about discipleship and nothing else: being better disciples and making better disciples. Following Jesus with everything we have and are, and passing that on to others. What has Jesus taught you this year? What are you better at in following Him? Who have you discipled this year? I ask this to myself too, and receive the challenge to myself first. I pledge myself to helping others be better disciples and make better disciples. It may get me into trouble. It may upset the apple cart a bit. It may offend some – if it does then it’s only because the gospel of Jesus tends to do that.

Spotted in TFL Tube window!

Speaking of following, have you seen the sheep around Morden? Messy Church’s brilliant sheep hunt is going on – 40 woolen sheep placed in different shops and businesses around Morden for the children to spot and write down and then post through our sheep letter box. Love it. Well done Messy Church for creating loads of opportunity for discussion. They've even been seen on Twitter!

One last tip. If you’re feeling the pressure of the month and feeling down, try skipping. I found out by accident last week that if you skip along (not with a rope, just the walk/skip thing) it’s very hard to do it and not grin. Have a go. Does it work for you?