The mission of Jesus was varied, surprising and comprehensive. It was about reconciliation with God so that all of creation would be restored to God’s intended purpose. The Gospels picture Jesus preaching, teaching, performing miracles, embracing broken people, extending grace and forgiveness to sinners, and offering compassion and care to the hurting and wounded. These moments in mission from the life of Jesus can be summed up in two essential tasks that defined Jesus’ ministry: inaugurating the kingdom of God, and forming disciples through whom the mission would be advanced after his death.
God’s mission in the world—overcoming alienation and the healing of creation—depends on the formation of disciples, who announce the good news of God’s reign through their words and deeds. Jesus’ methodology in forming disciples was to gather a few people (12) around himself with whom he shared intimately, provoking questions with his actions, and offering interpretation through his teachings.
Today, the church continues this task primarily through intimate groups of followers of Jesus who gather around the word and open themselves to the Holy Spirit in search of a fuller understanding of God’s purposes and call in their lives. Amidst the many challenges the church faces in our times, one of the great consolations for me is the evidence of a renewed appreciation of the importance of forming disciples. I praise God especially for two important trends that are transforming the church.
First, I am heartened to observe that in recent decades we have moved beyond putting the emphasis merely on making a decision for Christ. I am encouraged to see an expanding commitment to growing disciples who follow Christ in every facet of their lives.
I recently attended a conference that annually gathers more than 5,000 church leaders engaged in evangelism and church planting. The theme of the conference was “Discipleshift,” an acknowledgement that the focus needs to be on more than “inviting decisions for Christ,” or planting churches with impressive attendance figures. The call was for developing disciples who make a difference in the world.
Second, I am thrilled to see the church recognize that we have impoverished our witness by allowing
a split between theory and practice. In the early experience of the church, Christian formation was conducted within the context of the local congregation. In later years the model for Christian formation became abstract. Christians started to study “about” issues of practice rather than engaging with the biblical text in the context of a community that was seeking to be faithful.
The examples shared in this issue of Beyond confirm that discipleship formation that equips us for the life and witness that God intends for us is best reflected in a dynamic interplay. This interplay happens when we:
- Immerse ourselves in the biblical text.
- Begin intentional engagement through relationships of accountability supported by mutual encouragement.
- Maintain an openness that anticipates the Spirit speaking through our counterparts in this conversation.
As representatives of Mennonite Mission Network spoke with mostly urban pastors, we heard them saying that preparation for mission must be preceded by discipleship formation. Out of what we heard, we sensed a call to resource the efforts of those who are investing their lives in helping those who choose to follow Jesus.
Thank you for your part in developing disciples who are equipped for God’s mission in the world— your support is critical and makes some of the stories told here possible.
