Write About Now

As luck would have it, I was racking my brain for a blog topic this morning when an email from my new friend Kevin Brimner popped into my inbox. Kevin is the Spiritual Formation Pastor at Owensboro Christian Church, and we met at this year’s NACC planning meetings in Louisville.

Owensboro is looking to revolutionize its approach to discipleship, and, like many churches, is grappling with how. Kevin wrote:

What about our culture and/or temperaments tend to make us think programs equate to discipleship? And while programs seem to be necessary for movement, how has anyone effectively used mentoring on a large scale with great success (if that’s at all possible on a large scale?)

There are many who would feel great having a spiritual formation process spelled out that we can guide everyone to, which is great and much needed instead of aimlessly trying to hit the target. And a part of me is one of that “many.” But another part is wanting so much more than a program can even begin to touch. I guess I’m looking for more of  a sure thing or guarantee; that in 12 months we will be able to point to a clear picture of life-change as a direct result of the programs. Clearly there has to be room for the Spirit to work.

Okay, so that’s where I’m at or not at depending on the glass being half full or empty. Loving the work because it’s tied to a cause.

I’m not a Biblical scholar, but I see his point: neither Jesus nor the early church we try so hard to emulate had step-by-step programs to help people grow into true disciples. It was more relational and organic, to use two of the buzzwords. But those buzzwords, by definition, also mean a less organized and less quantifiable process. We don’t like unorganized and unmeasurable in America, especially in our large corporations or the megachurches modeled after them.

But what should we measure? We all know that many churches, of all sizes, are full of people who attend services but know little about their faith, rarely give money or time to the mission, and still require spiritual milk. So do these areas become the starting point? Have we meaningfully grown from wide to deep if a certain percentage pass a Bible knowledge quiz, begin tithing, join a small group, or find a place to serve? Isn’t it possible to do all those things and still remain spiritually immature? Then how do we evaluate maturity, and what are some basic steps–programs, even–to get people moving that direction?

Let’s tackle this one together. Leave a comment with your thoughts, and I’ll see if Kevin will drop by here and continue the dialogue. I don’t have the answers, but I do know these questions are some of the central ones facing our growing churches.