Joining Jesus - Show Me How-3

 Mission Focus, Purpose

Challenges, Direction

These are all topics that churches 

wrestle with and make plans 

for and meet about, and then meet some more.

One of the things we know about millennials - 

they don't do meetings.

So they are not only missing 

from our churches but they are missing 

from the conversations 

about why they are missing.

Greg Finke's work with Dwelling1:14 

offer these great questions for conversation starters:

1. What is the mission of God, according to God?
2. How does God intend for us to participate in His mission?
3. In the gospels, what is Jesus’ goal for those He is discipling?
4. According to Jesus, what is a disciple and what does a disciple do?
5. In the gospels, what process does Jesus use to train His disciples?
6. How can we optimize our congregational groups and gatherings to accomplish Jesus’ discipling goals?

 These questions bring time together

 looking at the right things-

how do disciples make disciples?

It is not about budgets, 

attendance, weekly offerings,

and leaky roofs.

Those all need to be dealt with but,

 they are not the MAIN THING.

 What I really appreciate reading

 in Greg's book- Joining Jesus - Show Me How

 or his blog at dwelling114.org

is that I can actually imagine Jesus

 sitting around and talking with his disciples

using these very questions.

It is Jesus Discipleship Class 101.

And I am reminded how many times

 Jesus had to go over the lessons with them,

 repeat the main point, 

and review when they failed the test.

Simple enough..

go and make disciples.

Joining Jesus- Show Me How-2

For some time now I have been asking people-

"Who are you discipling?

Who is discipling you?"

Not very often I get an answer.

Turns out that is a simple door-opener

 for thinking through this process 

of discipling everyday missionaries.

Mulling more thoughts from 

Joining Jesus - Show Me How by Greg Finke.

 So, what is the mission of God?

"To redeem and restore all things through Jesus.

And we get to help.

 It's what we were made for and saved for.

Discipling, then, is the means 

for showing the people of God 

how to participate in the mission of God

 as a daily lifestyle."

Well, that is a mighty big plan. 

And I am feeling pretty inadequate.

Best left for someone else to do.

Except for that Great Commission thing-

Go and Make Disciples.

SO, how does this Really happen?

Greg Finke summarizes-

"To become redemptive in the world 

with Jesus we need to become more loving like Jesus. 

He restores us to the abundant love

 of the Father through baptism 

and he trains us to give away that love

 to those who need it so badly."

Ok, easy enough.

Right? Well, except....

100 excuses.

I know how to do church,

but mystified by this discipling thing.

So, surely we get clues for this task

 by watching Jesus, right?

Finke summarizes Jesus' teaching plan-

imitate him.

"It looks like relationship-

intentional time together,

 unhurried conversation about real life and Jesus-

 and the kingdom comes."

That doesn't sound like a theology degree,

or binders full of studies and studies.

Pretty sure, 

this is a jump right into the learning lab,

without credentials,

kind of sending.

But, Jesus equips his ragtag, ill-equipped lot 

with the power of the Holy Spirit.

  This driving force, 

for the sake of all of His missing children,

is a game-changer.

And I'm game. 

Joining Jesus - Show Me How-1

Thinking some things through these days.

How to put into practice - 

discipling settings.

 How did Jesus work 

with His disciples?

Reading Joining Jesus- Show Me How

by Greg Finke.

He states that there are

 5 Lifestyle Practices of Jesus.

1. Jesus remembers his true identity and mission.

(our baptism invites us 

into this relationship and mission)

2. Jesus seeks the kingdom.

He looks for the good that the Father

 has prepared in advance for him to do.

3. Jesus humbles himself.

He submits to the Father's timing

 and purpose in the moment.

4. Jesus freely gives.

What He has received from

 the Father He offers to others.

5. Jesus shows others how to do the same.

So, if we are to imitate Jesus, 

how can we pray to be ready

 to what Jesus may be up to today?
What do you see the Holy Spirit
 doing in your life right now?