4 X 4 Discipleship and the Next Step

At the Synod Kaleidoscope, the Rev. Dr. Mike Johnson shared his research into the phases of discipleship as a continual journey, expressing one’s values and character, rooted in Biblical and theological tradition, encompassing all of life for each and every Jesus follower. Extensive research suggests a variety of ways to conceive this journey, but a simplified overview suggests of a four-fold path:

·         Exploring (infant) or stranger to Jesus

·         Growing and Serving (child) or friendly with Jesus

·         Journeying Deeper (adolescent) or close friend of Jesus

·         Abiding in Christ (adult) Jesus is a confidant and constant companion

One question with which we must wrestle as teaching elders and ruling elders is what these distinctions look like and what they suggest for our ministries. What, for example, is the difference between being friendly with Jesus versus being a close friend versus having Jesus as one’s confidant and constant companion? Mike suggests the following distinctions:

·         Friendly with Jesus: I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. I pray and/or read Scripture once in a while. I think about God sometimes and ask God for help when I really need it.I participate in an occasional service project.

·         Close friend of Jesus: I am trusting more in Jesus. I work at reading and meditating on Scripture and praying on my own and/or with my family. I am taking steps to grow spiritually, like participating in a small group. I am committed to regularly serving others.

·         Jesus is a confidant: I find it hard to remember or imagine what life would be like without Jesus as my Savior, Lord and constant companion. I have been part of a small group for some time, am leading a group. I am willing to respond to the nudge of the Holy Spirit, even when He nudges me beyond my comfort zone. I participate in relationships of compassion and justice.

A major research project conducted on over 10,000 congregations, the Reveal study, suggests that as much as 60% of a typical congregation’s members are friendly with Jesus, with the remaining 40% of the congregation divided among being strangers, close friends or confidants. That 60% of our members are merely friendly with Jesus, to me, is somewhat surprising, mildly discouraging, and yet also energizing. I love a good challenge! It suggests to me that our ministries must invite people toward taking the next step.

What is “the next step”? The next step is the growing edge of faith that invites one a wee bit deeper into reflection on Scripture, a hair’s breadth wider into compassion for others, or a whisper louder toward expressing faith in public realms. The next step invites vulnerability in sharing, contemplation in prayer, a generous heart toward others and courageous honesty toward self. The next step is hearing Jesus’ words “Repent (turn away from brokenness, turn toward the living God) for the Kingdom of God is at hand (closer than our own breath!) as longing and desire.

And as invitation.

Getting fired up for the Lord,

Brad Munroe

4 x 4 Discipleship

The late, great Dallas Willard once wrote that the majority of Christian leaders (that’s you, teaching elders and ruling elders…and me) do not have a plan the fulfill Jesus’ commission to his followers: make disciples. We may have a desire to do so or a whimsy, but no plan.

            What is your plan to make disciples?

We had a beautiful time at the Synod Kaleidoscope talking discipleship under the tutelage of Dr. Mike Johnson from Ascending Leaders, a consultancy ministry to congregations and seminaries. Mike brought forward a tsunami of research that has been conducted the last few years that discusses discipleship as a 4 x 4 journey. In Mike Johnson’s world, one does not simply declare oneself a disciple, one lives ever deeper into discipleship.

Mike helped us see discipleship as a 4 x 4 journey. The “first four” of discipleship is that it is characterized as C.O.R.E. –Continual, Ours, Rooted, and Encompassing. Let’s take a closer look at these building blocks of discipleship:

·         Continual: discipleship is an ongoing process, a journey, life-long.

·         Ours: discipleship will conform to the values and character of your ministry.

·         Rooted: discipleship will reflect our Biblical roots, theological tradition and historical practice.

·         Encompassing: discipleship is for all, for each and every one, not just “super Christians.”

Mike’s next observation is that these Core Four characteristics are balanced with the reality of a four-fold journey from infancy to mature believer. Let’s take a closer look at this four-fold path:

·         Exploring (infant): this might be seen as the “pre-believer” stage of spiritual life.

·         Growing and Serving (child): this is the stage of learning doctrine, Christian practice and custom; it is estimated that 60% of our congregations live here.

·         Journeying Deeper (adolescent): this is an intentional move toward greater intimacy and intentionality in one’s relationship with God.

·         Abiding in Christ (adult): this is the life of self-sacrifice, of losing one’s life that one may find true life.

In the coming weeks as we move toward the holidays, I plan to unpack some of what it means to live 4 x 4 discipleship. What is the difference between the Growing and Serving phase and the Journeying Deeper or Abiding in Christ phase of one’s journey? What is the significance of how we shape and structure our ministries if 60% of our congregants live in the Growing and Serving phase? What catalyzes movement toward deeper maturity?

I leave you with these questions: where are you in your own journey of discipleship? How are you living a discipleship that continually seeks God’s Spirit, that expresses Christ’s character and is rooted in the rich history of Christ’s Church? How are you encouraging others toward the kind of discipleship that is CORE and which leads to abiding in Christ?

Do you have a desire, a whimsy, or a plan?

Can’t wait for the election to be over,

Brad Munroe

Presbytery Mission Funding: A New Future

Given the new wineskin of the Presbytery of Grand Canyon – less churches, decreased funding, enormous budget deficit – new wine of vision and mission is required. To confront the challenges before us, your Resources Committee and Leadership Team are proposing specific adaptations in the way we fund our budget.

The key philosophical decision is to use the dismissal and dissolution funds from churches departing the presbytery toward creating two endowments: a mission endowment and a connecting endowment (for operations). These endowments will help minimize the amount of budget deficits incurred by the presbytery. In addition to creating these two endowments, the Resources Committee finds it necessary to propose a budget that is decreased from previous years; further, this budget will be bifurcated into mission and connecting budgets.

Yet another key philosophical decision made by the Resources Committee and affirmed by the Leadership Team is to bifurcate the mission budget into fixed and variable accounts. Based on input received from members of presbytery at the March meeting and through subsequent surveys, the fixed accounts will be directed toward Native American ministries. (A fixed account in this context is a line item that is set by the Resources Committee as part of the annual budget.)

The variable accounts of the mission budget will be based on a Mission Funding application that can be found on the presbytery website (click here or visit the Resource Committee page on the  Presbytery website). Prior year mission partners are invited to apply for these competitive grants, and decisions about available funds will be made by the Congregational Resourcing Team. The variable accounts are open to all, including churches, based on the following categories of ministry:

·         Congregational development and collaboration among congregations

·         Starting new worshiping communities

·         Supporting regional programs

Our current mission partners have been apprised of the above changes in the way will fund mission together as a presbytery. In addition, I invite your congregation or ministry to consider writing a Mission Funding application. Applications are due November 15, with grant awards made at the December Congregational Resourcing Team meeting.

Together in Christ,

Brad Munroe

On Being Presbyterian: Communion, Community, Compassion

At General Assembly in Portland I visited the Presbyterian Mission Agency booth to chat up my national level colleagues (and for the bling, of course: free pens!). Interested though I was in hearing what GA folk had to say, I did not have a high level of expectation; “Meh,” I thought, “it won’t hurt me to listen.” I am so grateful I listened and am now chagrined and humbled by my former attitude.

Do you know the three mission values that define and drive Presbyterian Mission Agency efforts? In case you don’t, let me share them with you:

1.      We share the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

2.      We address the root causes of poverty.

3.      We engage in ministries of reconciliation.

What mission values define and drive your church’s efforts? Can you name them? Can your people name them? And if your answer is yes to these last two questions, do your mission values create energy, enthusiasm and love?

In Pueblo, Colorado I once proposed to our Session that our values should be “Communion with God, Community with one another, Compassion for the world.” (In case you hadn’t noticed, I like alliteration ;-)  The Session politely decided on the statement, “In the heart of the city, we have a heart for hospitality, healing and hope in the name of Jesus Christ.” This statement both better reflected our heart and passion and my love of alliteration was satisfied; more significantly these mission values energized our efforts, creating enthusiasm even as it focused our love.

As I reflect upon the work our mission partners do on the border, with immigrant communities, and with student and young adult populations, it strikes me that the mission values that drive and direct our presbytery mission mirror the mission values of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Historically the Presbytery of Grand Canyon supports our Native American churches by providing insurance and through the work of Martha Sadongei and Norma McCabe, our Native American consultants. In addition, we have also supported Hispanic ministry, regional youth and young adult ministry, ecumenical ministry and special projects proposed by local congregations.Perhaps our mission values should say, “In the heart of the Desert, we have a heart for molding the hearts and minds of youth and young adults even as we seek to express and embrace the reconciliation of all peoples through Jesus Christ.”

Our mission partners need our help! Each of our mission partners are financially fragile; ministering with and among economically vulnerable folks usually requires outside support, so must we take the lead in providing the kind of funds required for them to continue their Jesus’ work.This stewardship season, please remember our presbytery mission partners in your congregational and personal giving. Our giving makes mission happen!

Grace and peace,

Brad Munroe