DISCIPLESHIP

     I came across another article in Relevant Magazine (introduce to me by son Luke, so that should give you a good idea of the type of Christian magazine it is) that caused me to pause and think....this is Missional Committee material.  This is what we have been talking about.  I'm not going to repost the entire article by Francis Chan (A Time to Make Disciples), but I will quote some of his more 'relevant' passages!
     Chan begins by referencing the death and resurrection of Jesus and the impact on the disciples, and then continues....

• "But once again, Jesus surprised everyone.  Instead of telling them that He would immediately transform the Earth, Jesus gave His disciples one final command and then ascended into heaven.  
• Essentially, He told them it was their job to finish what he started.  'Go and make disciples....'
• Many read these words as if they were meant to inspire pastors or missionaries on their way out to the mission field.  Have you ever considered that maybe Jesus' command is meant for you?
• Somehow we have created a church culture where the paid ministers do the 'ministry' and the rest of us show up, put some money in the plate and leave feeling inspired or 'fed'.  
• We have moved so far away from Jesus' command that many Christians don't have a frame of reference for what disciple-making looks like." 

This next part is what really brought the missional group to mind as we talk 'programs':

• "For some of us, our church experiences have been so focused on programs that we immediately think about Jesus' command to make disciples in programmatic terms.  We expect our church leaders to create some sort of disciple-maker campaign where we sign up, commit to participating for a few months and then get to cross the Great Commission off our list.  
• But making disciples is far more than a program.  It is the mission of our lives.  It defines us.  A disciple is a disciple-maker.  
• So what does the Great Commission look like?
• It's incredibly simple in the sense that it doesn't require a degree, an ordination process or some sort of hierarchical status.  The concept is not difficult.  But the simplest things to understand are often the most difficult to put into practice.  
• Realistically, the task requires a lifetime of devotion to studying the Scriptures and then investing in the people around us. 
• We are never really 'done'."  

What is our next step as a community to INVEST in the people around us, all the while we continue to learn ourselves?  

Relevant Magazine.  Francis Chan.  "A Time to Make Disciples".  Jan/Feb 2013

KINGDOM LIVING from the MIDDLE OF NORMAL

     I recently read an article from Relevant Magazine with the above title.  It was filled with some great material about intentionally living a Christian life from wherever your circumstance, job, position.  Not all are called to overseas mission or service in the church.  The world needs businessmen and women, teachers, plumbers, and workers!  But we CAN all live a life in the Kingdom of God!   I didn't want to forget what I read, and by posting it here, perhaps I can share it a little as well!  These are practical, doable suggestions!

EXCERPTS from Kingdom Living from the Middle of Normal, Kelli B. Trujillo, Relevant Magazine, Sept-Oct 2012.

What can it mean to live with intention inside that seemingly mundane calling - to embody the radical values of Jesus' Kingdom in the context of everyday life?

Each day, every single person is faced with countless decisions that may seem small or insignificant, but these choices provide endless opportunities to embody Biblical justice. ... Choosing justly when presented with small, daily choices can transform our inertia into purpose and our malaise into mission, rendering the mundane miraculous. 

Slim Down to the Essentials

1.  Live a life of simplicity, resisting the lure of consumerism, intentionally living on less rather than seeking to have more.

2.  Embrace the three R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle  ("God honoring stewardship of the created world can transform the mundane act of taking out the trash into a spiritual act of worship, obedience and justice!")

3.  Approach Time Counter-culturally - Slow Down Intentionally!  A hectic life pace can spiritually distract us from the needs of others and leaves little time to shift the focus from ourselves to others. 

Give Unto Others

1.  Sponsor a child.  A powerful way to pursue justice, combat poverty, and make a difference in a real person's life (and often their community as well!)

2.  Donate your 'stuff'.  Donate rather than sell.  Look for mission opportunities in where you donate.  

3.  Give your time.  Investing time in people can have an impact infinitely greater than just giving money to try to solve a problem.  Develop relationships with those in need. 

Be Wise About What You Buy

1.  Choose fair-trade goods.  Though fairly made products can at times be more expensive than their cheaply produced counterparts, the price you pay for fair-trade goods reflects the value of choosing to pay workers a dignified, living wage. 

2.  Research product supply chains.  Most of us do not see human slaves, but we do interact with clothes, food, and other products that may have been produced with forced labor.  Consult web sites such as Free2Work,org, Purchased.org, BetterWorldShopper.com, and ChainStoreReaction.com.  Start small and pick one product line to change at a time.  

3.  Be selective of what you eat. Buy locally grown produce, supporting family farms.  Eat in-season produce. 

Pray Your Way Forward

Ultimately, a life of Kingdom intentionality is born out of prayer, not personal initiative - out of God's transforming work in your soul, not your own determination. When you are connected to God in prayer, you can sense God's nudging toward specific people, needs or ministries. 

"When I pray this prayer (Your will be done), God points me toward some small thing I can do to make this world a little more just and a little more merciful."  (Ludwig Brandenburg)

Give of Yourself

Your seemingly small decisions to simplify, give, buy and pray coalesce to form a way of being - to build a life that is truly just, profoundly merciful and center on walking humbly with God, right there in the middle of normal.  

"From a theological perspective, nothing is wasted in the Kingdom of God." (George at TradeasOne).  Small sacrifices we make will be the building blocks of the new creation.