Indwelling Discipleship– Back to the Future : Part
1.
Murray Brown
There is a lot being written today about emerging patterns
of church and youth ministry. Much of it is insightful and
helpful as we seek to discover ways of being effective in
mission to youth. However sociology is only one aspect of
a youth ministry philosophy (see “Philosophy of Youth
Ministry” YouthTRAIN 2004). In this first of a two part
series I want to focus on a theological emphasis in discipleship
that has been somewhat neglected – one that is rooted
in the practice of the early church and is sociologically
relevant to today’s emerging culture.
Four Patterns of Discipleship
If we examine youth ministry practice today, there are four
broad approaches.
The first is Biblical Discipleship, which sets out to equip
young people with an in depth understanding of scripture.
It focuses on theology, scripture memory, and an understanding
of the Biblical teaching on the many life dilemmas and questions
young people face.
The second is Missional Discipleship, which seeks to involve
young people in Christian service as a means of growing and
strengthening their faith. Features are an emphasis on spiritual
gifts and involvement in evangelism and mission.
The third is Relational Discipleship, in which faith is modeled
to the young people and “caught” by them. This
is commonly done through mentoring and small group care and
accountability.
A fourth approach is Indwelling Discipleship in which there
is an emphasis on the presence of the indwelling Christ and
the role of the Holy Spirit in discipleship. Young people
are given an awareness of Christ’s presence within and
learn to commune with Him and discern his leading.
My Contention
It is my contention here that while all approaches are valid
and necessary, the approach that is most lacking and is most
needed in this emerging generation is Indwelling Discipleship.
This approach is no replacement for the other three; in fact
it under girds them and is foundational to them. Without it
the other three contain potential weaknesses and liabilities.
Biblical discipleship risks shaping a faith based solely
in what we know. As our young people develop their ability
to reason and become exposed to differing philosophies they
can face debilitating doubts and uncertainty.
Missional discipleship breeds a faith based on what we do.
It can lead to a performance based faith or a faith based
on our ministry identity (youth leader, worship team member,
etc.) Once a young person forsakes these roles, a significant
part of the spiritual identity they have developed is gone
and emptiness can follow.
Relational discipleship is based on who we know. When a young
person moves to a new location, or significant spiritual influences
are no longer present, the result can be a decrease in spiritual
growth through not having adequately developed their own sense
of spiritual identity and their own inspiration and motivation
for growth.
Let me emphasise again, I am not advocating a departure from
any of these approaches. The Bible gives us an objective means
to avoid subjective spiritual error; spiritual service gives
opportunity for young people to rely on God and be used by
Him; role modeling gives us people who will inspire and encourage
us to grow while offering correction.
Instead I am advocating a commitment to indwelling discipleship
as the key to overcoming these potential difficulties. A young
person who has developed a vital and real relationship with
the indwelling God, will not, and cannot be swayed by intellectual
doubts and difficulties. Their spiritual identity will not
be bound up in what they do but on a real experience of Christ
within. And while others may contribute to their growth, when
these people are no longer part of the young person’s
life, the One they have learnt to trust and rely on will still
be present within. In short, theirs will be a faith based
not on “who they know” but in “Whom they
know”.
So indwelling discipleship should not be divorced from the
other three. It is foundational to them and provides a framework
in which Bible study, service and role modeling can take place.
Indwelling Discipleship and the Emerging Generation
The indwelling approach to discipleship makes sense for this
generation. They are an experiential generation who believe
(rightly) that spiritual reality is not just something that
is grasped at an intellectual level but at a level that engages
the mind, will and emotions. The indwelling approach helps
young people to experience and enjoy a relationship with the
living God through its emphasis on worship and contemplation.
They are also an experimental generation. They expect (again
rightly) that faith will have a real and discernable impact
on their lives – that it will “work” on
Monday as well as Sunday. Indwelling discipleship reminds
the young people that the same Christ who is with them at
youth group and church, enters with them into home and school
life every day of the week. They can commune with him and
draw strength from him as they cope with daily life.
They are a lonely generation who hunger for intimacy and
love. They hear that God loves them and yet they struggle
to come into an experience of that. They hear that Christianity
is about relationship rather than rules, and yet at times
our efforts at discipleship communicate the opposite.
Finally they are a spiritual generation with a hunger for,
and an openness to, the spiritual dimension, yet too often
they see Christianity as a cerebral and somewhat bland experience
compared to the spiritual “reality” they find
through other sources.
Is It Biblical? Some Discipleship Dilemmas
Indwelling discipleship may seem like a good idea, but is
it Biblical? Consider the following “dilemmas”:
The early church, whose effectiveness in discipleship is
so often presented as a model for today, had no New Testament
– only the Old Testament; and even then few were able
to read. The biblical discipleship we know and advocate could
not work on its own.
On the Day of Pentecost 3,000 men were saved. Jesus had modeled
a pattern of discipleship that saw him invest His life in
just 12 men. Outside of this core it seems there were others
– up to 120 who followed Him closely. Why then did God
not save 144 (12 times 12) or at most 1440 (120 times 12)
on the Day of Pentecost so that Jesus’ plan could be
copied? Instead He saved 3000 men and the disciples had a
problem. The relational approach to discipleship alone would
not work adequately. Instead of following a pattern they had
to now consult their Master who now dwelt within them through
the Holy Spirit.
When Paul went on his missionary journey and planted churches
he was only able to stay in one place with the new believers
for a relatively short period of time before persecutors followed
close behind, causing him to have to move on to another town
or city. Later he would revisit the town, discover the church
had not only survived but was thriving, and appointed leadership
(Acts 14:21-23). The questions that intrigue are, what did
he teach them over those few months that led them to survive,
and why he did not appoint leadership before moving on so
that the church could be organised into a missional body and
missional discipleship could be effected?
My suggestion is that the answer to all these questions is
indwelling discipleship. New believers were taught an awareness
of the indwelling presence of Christ and looked to Him in
quite practical ways as their teacher, guide, comforter, convictor
and friend.
Is It Biblical? What Did Jesus Promise?
As youth workers we are familiar with the Great Commission
and no doubt use it for our own motivation and the motivation
of our young people to be involved in mission:
18 Jesus came and told his disciples,
“I have been given complete authority in heaven and
on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have
given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even
to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).
Yet for a long time I failed to note the significance of
the last half of the final verse, seeing it as some sort of
“close of gospel benediction”. Yet the promise
of Christ’s indwelling presence is in fact the key to
the Great Commission. It is an awareness and appropriation
of the fact of His indwelling presence that provides us with
the inspiration and direction we need to both grow as disciples
ourselves and to make other disciples. What Jesus is saying
is, “make disciples with a practical awareness of this
reality… I am with you”.
Such a thought would not have been new to the disciples.
Jesus referred often to the coming gift of His indwelling
through the Spirit, as we see in numerous places in John’s
gospel such as:
22 “I have given
them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be One, as
We are— 23 I in them and You
in Me, all being perfected into One. Then the world will
know that You sent Me and will understand that You love
them as much as You love Me. 26 And
I have revealed You to them and will keep on revealing You.
I will do this so that Your love for Me may be in them and
I in them.” (John 17:22,23,26)
Is It Biblical? What Did Paul Teach?
As we reflect on the many writings of Paul it might be interesting
to come up with a sentence or two that summarises the main
thrust of all his teachings. Or perhaps we might regard the
following verses as Paul having already done this for us:
25 God has given me the responsibility
of serving his church by proclaiming his message in all
its fullness to you Gentiles. 26 This
message was kept secret for centuries and generations past,
but now it has been revealed to his own holy people. 27
For it has pleased God to tell his people that the riches
and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. For this
is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance
that you will share in his glory. (Colossians 1:25-27)
Perhaps in those brief months that Paul had with the new
believers, this was the message that he constantly preached
to them: that Jesus Christ lived in them, and that his presence
was not mere theological fact but a practical reality that
brought not only assurance but the means by which to live
the Christian life:
I have been crucified with Christ. 20
I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live
my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:19b-20)
Such was the centrality of the indwelling Christ to his own
life that it became foundational to the prayers he offered
for those under His care:
14 When I think of the wisdom and
scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to
the Father, 15 the Creator of everything
in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray
that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give
you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. 17
And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in
your hearts as you trust in him. (Ephesians 3:14-17a)
The Implications
Accepting the theological position that indwelling discipleship
is foundational to discipleship has significant implications
on the way we do youth ministry with this emerging generation.
Not only does it affect our general approach to discipleship,
it also affects how we approach Bible study, worship and counselling.
In part two of this article to be published soon we will
explore the practical implications of indwelling discipleship.
- Murray Brown is the Director of YouthTRAIN
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