Discipleship

"If the church would revisit the biblical teachings on discipleship it would revive its life and many of its problems would be rectified. Note that simply teaching the Word is not all there is to discipleship. There must be personal involvement, practical training, practical experience and positive role modelling" 

 - Revd Gaspar Kassanda, Diocese of Mara, Tanzania, in his dissertation on the crisis of discipleship in East Africa, George Whitfield College, November 2005

LOOKING FOR THE IDEAL CHURCH

'These then are the marks of the ideal church - love, suffering, holiness, sound doctrine, genuineness, evangelism and humility. They are what Christ desires as He walks among them.'

John Stott-Basic Introduction to the New Testament.
Eerdmans 1964, p 163-164

The character of God in the Old Testament

According to the Old Testament, the character of God
is gradually and progressively revealed,
unfolding in the events of the history of the people of God

 

Introduction

In the first three chapters of Genesis –the Prologue-we are introduced to the main themes of the Bible concerning the nature and purposes of God.

In Chapter 1 God is the great ALMIGHTY GOD; an all powerful God who can bless all mankind. God is the CREATOR eternally creating and sustaining all that is by his word of command;  he loves what he is making ; it is good. God makes humans both male and female ‘in his own image’.  Mysteriously we know God is beyond gender though we cannot call God ‘it’ and we never resolve this mystery of who God is. There is an indication in 1:26 of more than one person.  God is SPIRIT who ACTS and creates through his WORD for he speaks creation into being.

In Chapters 2 and 3 God creates humans to be in relationship with each other but also with God. Like a parent he takes these infants, teaches them and leaves them space to grow. They immediately fall down as infants do and have to learn that he loves them but expects obedience as well as their love in return. They have to leave their garden ‘womb’ and grow up. The formation of God’s people in the Old Testament moves on through a family, a tribe, village people, and nation.

The Family

Abraham and Sarah are chosen to begin God’s family. The God of Abraham is God Almighty who has a love and purpose for ALL nations. This God of Abraham and his successors is central to the identity of the Jewish people- they are God’s chosen, they are children of Abraham – although they may sometimes forget that God’s intention is to bless ‘all nations’ through them. (Gen 12:3) Abraham and Sarah discover a very different God from all those known in their culture; one who acts, who is not limited to a location, who relates to people, is powerful, loves them, keeps promises, is holy and to be obeyed and who also forgives when they fail.

The Tribe

The tribe of Israel grows through their adventures and suffering as slaves in Egypt and the escape and wanderings led by Moses in the desert. They know God as their Saviour, who despite their continuing disobedience rescues them, shows his love and care for them by providing food and water and leading them to the promised home; God is there for them night and day. He is the living God – Yahweh -holy, strong and powerful. 

They also learn that they must face up to the demands of God’s justice; the Torah, particularly the commandments given through Moses show them the kind of moral behaviour God expects of them.

The Village People in the Promised Land

As they move from their nomadic existence to be settled as farmers cultivating land and trading with other communities, the tribes continue to learn that their God is still Yahweh who expects their love and obedience. This faith is continually tested as they relate to other peoples and compete for land and power. With the Judges and then their Kings their dependence on Yahweh, the Covenant and his law draws them together to recognise themselves as a Nation chosen by God.

The Nation

Israel continued to learn through the process of relating God’s love, justice and power to their story as they were buffeted by the conflicts with more powerful neighbours. When God seemed absent they were often unfaithful, and needed to turn back and seek God’s forgiveness by his grace. God was in control of their history even in the bad times. He is also acting in love for their good, but that does not mean they will win power over other peoples or even over their own destiny.

Finding God in later history

Many of the themes described in Israel’s history, especially in the story of the Exodus are worked out in the experience after they became the nation of Israel. It was through the prophets that God spoke to them and reminded them of their Covenant with the only Living God whom they knew as Yahweh. The prophets reminded them that God’s purposes are for all nations through them.

The names of God

Two Hebrew words are translated ‘God’ – EL ‘The Deity’ meaning the ‘power and distinctiveness of his divine nature’ and ELOHIM plural in form but meaning ‘the One who completely possesses all the divine’. A third word ADON describes God as ‘Sovereign’ or ‘Lord’ pointing to his divine authority and executive rule.[i]

A special name YAHWEH is used where God is known not just by name but more intimately in fellowship.  God identifies himself as he who saves his people, overthrows his adversaries and is holy. The Holiness of God works out through the holy redemption and holy wrath of the Passover.

God is not just a God of Israel, he also relates to individuals; he loves them and wants to be loved. Within his chosen people he is the God of the individual: ‘my beloved’ (Isaiah 5:1), ‘the God of my salvation’ (Psalm 18:4). ‘The richness of personal awareness of God in the Old Testament  is hardly better seen than through the wealth of metaphors  for the God who was known and loved in daily life.’[ii]

Conclusion

Despite the uncertainties and conflicting stories recorded by many writers the story of God with his people unfolds in the Old Testament. Although he may seem to have left them He is never far from them.

---

[i] J.A. Motyer The Names of God in the Lion HANDBOOK OF THE BIBLE

[ii] J.A. Motyer ibid

Many of the metaphors he lists are from the psalms

ROCK                                      a title stemming from Ex 17:1-7; see Deut 32 also
SHEPHERD                             Ps 23:1
SHIELD.STRONGHOLD          Ps 18:2
LIGHT                                      Ps 27:1
STRENGTH                              Ps  28:7
REFUGE                                  Ps  37:39
SUN                                         Ps 84:11
FATHER                                  Ps 89:26,  Is.63:16
MOTHER-BIRD                       Ps  91:4  compare Is.31:5
HELP                                       Ps 115:9                                                                               
SHADE                                    Ps 21:5
PORTION                                Ps 142:5
SONG                                      Isaiah 12:2
REDEEMER                             Isaiah 41:14
 WARRIOR                             Isaiah 42:13
POTTER                                  Isaiah 45:9
HUSBAND                              Isaiah 54:5
FOUNTAIN                             Jeremiah 2:13
DEW                                       Hosea 14:5
LION, LEOPARD, BEAR         Hosea 13:7-8 

Are we in a religious fog?

'Consider this one piece of evidence: millions of people who have spent years attending church, and yet don't know God. Their heads are filled with stuffing about Jesus, but they do not experience him,---.There are millions more who love Jesus Christ but experience him only occasionally, more often stumbling along short of the life he promised, like Lazarus still wrapped in his grave clothes'. 1

I've met one or two of them. The women in their eighties who have been to the same church for 50 years and don't know why -'Well it was the respectable thing to do then'. The one who first told me this, said that she went to that church because her friend did. The friend had long since gone but someone gave her a lift so she might as well go. Another threw her hands in the air saying 'Oh I wish I had some teaching!' (She took happily to large print Bible reading notes). One said 'I thought it was time I tried to read the Bible so I started with 1 Kings but made nothing of it' (She found W Barclay's commentary on John's Gospel instead!). In a church of a non-liturgical tradition one confided 'Well we've heard all this before haven't we?' Week after week, year after year they listen to sermons- and that's it!

I think it was Dallas Willard who said that the church exists for the Spiritual Formation of its members but few have developed an agenda to achieve this. Another preacher referring to Peter's questioning a Christian group about whether they were baptised with the Spirit or only had the Baptism of John suggested that far too many churches had stuck at water baptism only.(See Acts 19:1-7)

Pointing out that it was the religious leaders who opposed Christ violently, Eldredge quotes the 'Scottish prophet George MacDonald who asks "How have we learned Christ? It ought to be a startling thought that we may have learned him all wrong.--That must be far worst than not to have learned him at all: his place is occupied by a false Christ, who is hard to exorcise." Hard to exorcise indeed, because religion gives the impression of having Christ, while it inoculates you from experiencing the real thing. Most wicked. If you want to destroy an economy, flood the market with counterfeit bills.' (1p.8-9)

My Grandparents were respectable chapel goers for most of their lives, although Grandmother, once widowed, went and got herself confirmed in the Cathedral and then took her rightful place in the second front pew of the Village Church behind the Vicars wife ! My Mother grew to hate the whole thing as hypocrisy and pointless, and never went near a church until the end of her life when I think she found Jesus on her deathbed.

 Church leaders who never learned Jesus themselves have much to answer for.

1 Eldredge J  BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW  experiencing the playful, disruptive, extravagant personality of Jesus.

How do we know whether the Holy Spirit is in the Church?

We were studying Acts Ch2 and thinking about the differences between the first church and ourselves. Do we receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism or does He come separately as it were? We do receive Him at Baptism but that is only the beginning of our journey with Christ and many of us go deeper, receive more as we ask or need, in order to follow
where He is leading us.

He also gives gifts to us either in the Church or to those He is calling in. Indeed we sometimes hear of individuals or even groups who are found by God, like the the man, who told his story on the BBC programme Songs of Praise. He was in a prison cell, knew he was in the pit and could sink no lower. Seeing a Gideon Bible (but not opening it) he yelled for help from the God he did not know -and received the gift of tongues and a new peace. It was a Christian Social Worker who told him what was happening! What seems clear is that it is God's initiative not our own, and often it is only when we acknowledge our weakness that we receive. We thought about what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12-14 and found the emphasis is not 'tongues' which is often rather a contentious issue and that many people exercise the gifts not in a Sunday Service but in daily life, and in small group meetings, and these are often quite humble but important, like hospitality, sharing a meal with others as Jesus did.

So how do we recognise the presence of the Spirit in the Church? Not by the style of worship, piety, religious language, 'contemporary worship' or any other ways of working along with contemporary culture, but 'by how we love each other'.

 I was in Bradford in 1966 when the Renewal movement was well underway and went to the local church. It seemed the same service as I was used to- kind of middle of the road evangelical Anglican - but there was  warmth and perhaps joy hovering there. I was welcomed at the end of the service by a couple, and when I commented on this they invited me to their home group where indeed the Spiritual gifts were recognised, and they informed and indeed educated me about what was happening, for they were mature in the Spirit. Not everybody was so aware in that Church but the love of God was around and within us.
So perhaps mission is happening when we live in God's love--?

Hanging on to the 'elbow of God'

Praying for the Transformation of the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit--starts with me! Sadly I accept that it is no use grumbling I have to get on my knees-and they're creaky!
Todays meditation from CDP was about zeal

'BE PATIENT AS FAR AS IS COMPATIBLE WITH ZEAL
Zeal is defined as ardour, energy, fervour. Patience s well and good, but not if it swamps zeal and extinguishes direction and energy. Where it is not possible to direct that zeal into action it can be channelled into urgency of prayer, grasping the right arm of God by the elbow to reach and open doors of opportunity fastened tight shut by our prayerlessness.
When zeal abates or evaporates we need to discern whether we were wrongly counselled to 'have patience' or whether the original fervour was misplaced or immature and would have energised some misdirected scheme embraced in rash enthusiasm.It still remains true that it is easier to alter the course of an already moving vehicle than to 'push-start' one that has forgotten how to even let its engine tick over. We need hearts consumed with passion to activate the coming of the Kingsom, that will not rest until its brightness appears as the noon-day sun'

Churches learning to pray?

I've just discovered the website of Selsdon Baptist Church in Croydon ( I was actually on a Roy Searle website and he has been speaking there recently). The name leaped out at me because my earliest memories are of living in Selsdon and my baby brother being Dedicated there. I disgraced myself by yelling because they gave my parents hymnbooks but not me- I couldn't read but was furious at being ignored. Quite humbling to realise why I remember the occasion so well!
Anyway I was interested to explore the way the church is growing. It struck me that if I was still a local I would be glad to join them for they seem to be alive in the Spirit and particularly place prayer at the centre of their life as a church family. This is what they say on the subject.

Prayer as part of Sunday services

Each Sunday worship service contains some elements of prayer within it. We have prayers of praise and worship, reflective prayers, time for open prayer, meditation prayer, silence for prayer, prayer of confession, intercessory prayers, pastoral prayers, healing prayer, personal prayer, liturgical prayer .... and lots of other prayers too. Because each service is different, no service will have every form of prayer within it. Some prayers are taken by the minister, some by members of the congregation who have prepared them in advance, and some are spontaneous. In a church service, we enjoy a variety of forms of prayer.

Private Prayer

Prayer that is confined to church on Sunday is not an adequate diet of prayer for an active Christian. We assume that people, in their own ways, and using their own patterns, will have a life of prayer that happens in the week, and not just on Sundays.

Selsdon Baptist at Prayer Together

Each month on the 3rd Sunday, we have a prayer event for the whole church entitled 'Encounter', at 6 15 pm.

There is a prayer room at the church which is used on Sundays for prayer before services and can be used at other times by anyone else on request.

Prayer in Homegroups

The church operates a system of home groups, and people are strongly urged to find a homegroup that suits them. Prayer is a vital part of the homegroup meeting and each group will make time for prayer during their time together. This is a good place to start praying with others in a small group.

Prayer with the Ministerial Team

We believe in fulfilling the injunction of James 5:14, so we are happy to respond to any request to visit a person and pray for them, whatever their circumstances. All you have to do is ask. Requests for prayer can be totally confidential, and if you need that assurance then all you have to do is ask.

The Prayer Chain

We operate a prayer chain which mobilises a number of people to pray should a situation or emergency arise that needs covering in prayer. All that has to be done is to phone the prayer chain leader (the office will pass on your request) and this request will be phoned through to a number of people who will pray with you about the request you have made.

Prayer after a Church Service

At Addington Road, we give people an opportunity to have someone pray with them after a morning service. A person may feel 'spoken to' by the service that has just finished, or may have concerns about themselves or someone else that can be brought to God in prayer. It may be that a person is facing some challenge in the coming days, such as a visit to hospital or an interview. All these, and any other topics, can be prayed for and we are offering a team of people to pray with individuals who ask it after the morning service. At Addington Road, those available to pray with people will be at the back of the church after the service wearing a 'Prayer Team' badge.

Prayer Diary

Most months we produce a prayer diary, identifying a specific topic for prayer each day. This is produced as a printed leaflet, available from church at the beginning of the month. An electronic copy is also available on the website, at the top of this page

Praying before services in the Addington Road Sanctuary

It has been traditional for some time for the leaders of the church and those involved in leading the service to meet in the prayer room for 10 minutes before the service to pray. We now want to extend that invitation to EVERYONE, so that now anyone is welcome to come into the prayer room, for 10 minutes before the service starts, to pray for the service and those involved in it. Any time you are free, come in and share in prayer.

And so on

Prayer does not stop here. So much of what we do as a church involves prayer. Most meetings include a time for prayer, Church Members' meetings have prayer times in them, and many pastoral conversations end up in prayer. Prayer is almost as natural for a Christian as conversation, and prayer will therefore be an important element of almost everything we do'

SBC