The elders of FBC are currently leading about 40 members of the church through a discussion of The Trellis and the Vine.  As elders, we found the book so helpful and clear that we wanted to share its insights with our people.

I just learned that Tony and Col, authors of the book, are posting a series of podcasts discussing issues related to the book.  Thus far there are two discussions posted:

Trellis & Vine Talk 1–Not About Small Groups

In this first episode of Trellis & Vine Talk Tony and Col discuss—amongst other things— why the ideas in The Trellis and the Vine are not about small groups and one-to-one. Listen to it here, or download the file to catch up on it later.

Trellis & Vine Talk 2–Who Is Your Sheep?

This is the second episode of Trellis & Vine Talk, in which Tony and Col discuss discipleship gurus, what (or who) exactly is a lay pastor, a shepherds heart, and ministry of the word. Listen to it here, or download the file to catch up on it later.

Thanks to The Briefing for posting these!  Enjoy!

Yesterday, we began a new series of sermons on the Lord’s vision for winning the world through making disciples.  We tried to ask and answer the question, “What is a disciple?” from Mark 1:14-20.

Last night, I decided to do a few minutes of reading before turning in to bed.  I picked up a book on discipleship that former attenders gave me as an encouragement and gift.  The book is called Tally Ho the Fox: The Foundation for Building World-Visionary, World-Impacting, Reproducing Disciples by Herb Hodges.  I don’t know brother Hodges or the book, but I was gripped by his opening paragraph:

The typical Christian church in America has a giant undeveloped “labor pool” in its membership.  The typical Christian is unemployed as far as Christ’s standard of employment is concerned, and the typical employed Christian is often “under-employed,” spending much time and effort in activities that show very little result in reaching and building people.  The typical Christian church meets Sunday by Sunday in an “auditorium” and its members are individual “auditors” forming part of a listing “audience.”  In short, the typical church is jammed with “pew potatoes” whose only intent is to come to church, listen to a sermon, and go away, hoping that this course will help to privately smuggle their souls to heaven and help them to have a reasonably comfortable life on the way.  Any resemblance between this lifestyle and the Christian life pictured in the New Testament is purely coincidental.

I trailed off to sleep a couple minutes after reading this, but not before I felt a renewed sense that I want to be fully employed in the work of Christ in making disciples.

HT: Challies

A new survey of Americans’ knowledge of religion found that atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons outperformed Protestants and Roman Catholics in answering questions about major religions, while many respondents could not correctly give the most basic tenets of their own faiths.

Find the full article here.

What is the state of the church if even “the most basic tenets of the faith” cannot be explained correctly by its members?  It’s bad.  All of God’s men must return to a faithful teaching of the truth in all of its biblical, systematic, and historical categories.

This result points to a painfully obvious fact: The church at large simply isn’t producing the kind of Christian capable of sustained, deep, rigorous, joyful, applied, and life-changing meditation, thought, and worship needed in this ever-changing world.  We need more thinking and feeling Christians who believe God.

Open forum: If you’re in a church where your knowledge of the faith if growing, give a positive shout out to your pastor and congregation in the comments section.

Lig’ Duncan has begun what looks like it will be a very helpful series of posts on an evangelism training opportunity they used at First Pres, Jackson called The Gospel Course.

In the first post, The Gospel and the Local Church, Lig’ talks a bit about what he hopes to see of a “gospel culture” in his local church.  He writes:

By [gospel culture] I mean: [1] that your whole congregation would be able to articulate the Gospel, personally, in a compelling and understandable way; [2] that your whole congregation would understand the importance and necessity of their lives, their prayers and their participation in Gospel witness; [3] that your whole congregation would deeply care about conversions (and I would lay stress here, that we are talking about real conversions, not numbers; disciples, not decisions; changed lives, not merely prayed prayers); [4] that your whole congregation would earnestly and regularly pray for conversions, talks about their own conversions and the conversions of others, and put a priority on people coming to know God; and [5] that your whole congregation would be excited about the Gospel itself, and not simply about a method of sharing the Gospel, or a training program.

The Gospel Course is the practical, applied approach that they’ve began at First Pres.  Here’s how Lig’ describes the effort:

To this end in my own congregation, it was my joy this last autumn to spend thirteen weeks of Wednesday nights, meeting with about 115 of our members, in what we called “The Gospel Course.” The aim of our study in the Gospel Course was (among other things), to provide participants with: (1) a fuller understanding of the Gospel; (2) an opportunity to hone and articulate their Christian testimony; (3) an opportunity to be instructed in, observe and engage in Gospel conversations; (4) a simple, biblical, outline of the Gospel; (5) encouragements and helps to share (or more effectively share) the Gospel; (6) an opportunity to help better the evangelism equipping of our congregation; (7) the opportunity to see how all pastors of the church are involved in gospel witness; and (8) encouragement and instruction on how to engage others in the church in this Gospel culture.

The second post takes up the questions “What Is Evangelism and What Is the Gospel?”  The training adopts J.I. Packer’s excellent definition of evangelism.

Evangelism is – To bear witness to Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that [1] people may come to put their trust in God, through Christ; [2] to acknowledge Him as their Savior; and [3] to serve Him as their King, [4] in the fellowship of His Church.

Duncan unpacks the benefits of this definition and goes on to talk more about the question, “What is the gospel?”  Read the entire post here.

Without question is Stephen Smallman’s The Walk: Steps for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus.

I’ve been casting about for a while looking for that “perfect book” or resource to use with either new Christians, people who’ve been Christians for a while but don’t seem to be growing, or people who are not Christians but are willing to consider the claims of the gospel. Obviously, there is no “perfect book” or resource out there, and no one who uses the perfect book–the Bible–perfectly. But Smallman’s The Walk is easily the best I’ve read.

There are several reasons I found Smallman’s book so helpful:
1. It’s clear. The book isn’t loaded with theological jargon or Christianese, even though it fluently uses distinctively Christian terms and ideas. Smallman describes his approach as “discipleship for dummies,” taking its cue from the popular series of introductory books on all kinds of topics.  But, the book manages to be exceedingly clear without dumbing things down.  That’s no easy balance; but Smallman pulls it off.  It’s vital to immerse people in the language and ideas of the Bible, but sometimes we immerse them into mud rather than crystal waters. Smallman writes well and helps the reader understand.

2. It’s gospel-centered, gospel-driven, gospel-motivated–choose your favorite “gospel + adjective” combination. In other words, Smallman never leaves the gospel of our Lord. He works his way through a deeper and deeper spiral into the riches of the good news. Smallman is clear that the gospel isn’t merely something that saves sinners, it’s also the message and power that spurs growth, obedience that comes from faith, mission in the world, and eternal hope. He turns the gospel like a jewel, refracting light and colors with each angle.  The reader keeps drinking in gospel light, and it’s satisfying to the soul.  If you want something that not only explains the gospel but also helps people apply and live in the good of the gospel, this should be among your resources.

3.  It’s clear about conversion.  The middle chapters of the book prompt the reader to consider the Bible’s teaching about conversion.  Smallman helps the reader understand how it is a person is converted.  So much confusion exists about how God raises dead men to life that many people who are Christians doubt it and many who probably are not Christians assure themselves they are.  With the skill of a seasoned pastor, Smallman explains the Bible’s teaching and helps the unconverted and the converted see the necessity of the new birth, conversion, and thinking biblically about these issues.

4. It’s focused on discipleship. The book maintains clear focus on following Jesus.  It’s not about decisionism, or merely about theological knowledge.  It’s about joining the Savior on mission, honoring Him with our lives as we live under His loving rule.  Smallman nails the point: there is no such thing as a “Christian” who is not a disciple.  And there is no “disciple” who is not a follower of Jesus in all that Jesus provides in the gospel.

5.  It emphasizes the importance of the local church.  Here’s a book on Christian discipleship that does not lapse into individualism and self-centered spirituality.  The second chapter in the book is entitled, “Do I Have to Go to Church?”  Smallman answers with an emphatic “yes.”  I think Smallman makes a biblical and compelling case for why the local church is crucial for solid spiritual growth in discipleship.  So, Smallman paints a picture of a disciple living in community and working to make other disciples, a picture of our dependence upon one another to live the life Christ calls us to in the word.

6.  The Walk also keeps the reader in the Bible.  With new believers, or persons needing renewal, it’s imperative to keep them drinking from the Scriptures.  But such persons need guidance in the Scripture and a sense of the whole of the Bible.  Smallman accomplishes that by placing in each chapter 2-3 places where persons have to put down his book to pick up God’s Book.  The Walk takes the reader through the Gospel of Mark, the book of Romans, and parts of Acts.  With the Gospel of Mark, Smallman focuses on “the beginning of the gospel”, it’s definition, and the basics of discipleship.  With Romans, Smallman explores the benefits of the gospel: justification, sanctification, adoption, and glorification.  Also, Smallman uses Romans to explore the “obedience of faith” the gospel requires before moving to Acts to consider our calling to be disciples who make disciples.  By the time the reader or small group finishes the 12 chapters of The Walk, if they’ve been faithful with the assignments, they’ll have read through Mark and Romans several times, being helped with the discussion in the chapter.

7.  The Walk introduces people to history and biography.  The book includes little vignettes of Christian biography on men like Martin Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Chuck Colson, and others.  These biographies tend to “show up” as illustrations in subsequent sections of the book.  Again, those new to Christianity or Christian history receive clear introduction to key figures and then learn how their work and lives were important for the faith.  None of this is “heavy” history, just brief snippets that inform.

As I read this book, I kept thinking, “This is the perfect companion for The Trellis and the Vine.  If The Trellis and the Vine is the best recent work I’ve read on the disciple-making ministry for church leaders, then The Walk is the best recent work I’ve read for making disciples and helping every church member see this calling from the Scripture.”  This book will repay careful reading.

Here are the contents for the book:

Introduction: Meet Titus

Part One: The Basics

1.  What Is a Disciple?

2.  Do I Have to Go to Church?

3.  Learning to Read the Bible and Pray?

Part Two: Discipleship Through the Gospel

Step One: Know the Gospel Itself

4.  The Gospel of God

Step Two: Know How You Came to Believe the Gospel

5.  The Call to Salvation and Discipleship

6.  Conversion

Step Three: Know the Benefits of Believing the Gospel (gospel doctrines)

7.  A New Record: Justification

8.  A New Life: Sanctification and Adoption

9.  A New Future: Glorification

Step Four: Live a Life that Flows from the Gospel (gospel obedience)

10.  Faith Expressing Itself in Love

11.  The Gospel Changes Everything

Part Three: Following Jesus on His Mission

12.  Disciples Making Disciples

A Final Word to New and Renewed Followers of Jesus

Appendix A: Further Reading and Resources

Appendix B: “Sirs, We Would See Jesus”–A Fifteen Week Reading Plan to Introduce the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ

Appendix C: A Word to Disciples Who Are Involved in Making Disciples

I’m back in Cayman and back in the routine of prayer, teaching, shepherding, and study at FBC.  There’s no place like home.  I can completely identify with this pastor’s feelings about being away and coming back to the church he loves.  I feel the same way.

But going away sometimes stirs the pastor’s soul as he sees the work of the Lord in other places and among other people.  That’s how I felt at The Legacy Conference–stirred.  Actually, I felt as if I were standing on two thin, cracking plates of earth with molten lava bubbling and threatening to erupt beneath me!  My heart was made glad and hopeful for reformation and revival among so-called “urban” young people.  Here are just a few reflections from the time at The Legacy.

1.  Marriage

I was totally delighted at the celebration of marriage and family at The Legacy.  Given the conference name, such celebration was completely appropriate.  From the planned workshops on “Safeguarding Your Marriage from Divorce,” “Relationship Matters,” and “Igniting the Passion for a Radical Revival of Purity” to young married couples honoring their spouses before they spoke/performed and cruising the halls with babies in strollers, it was an awesome display of biblical love and commitment.  I never saw this growing up.  Now to see young people so committed to marriage and family just floors me with joy.

2.  Truth

This generation of folks were hungry for truth.  There was nothing light or fluffy or goofy about the teaching and conversation at the conference.  That doesn’t mean the place was cold or academic or weird.  It was very warm and loose and happy, but the attendees all cared deeply about the truth and looked to feed on the truth.  The lyrics in the music, the themes in the spoken word performances, the content of the workshop–everything–communicated the big truths of God, the gospel, and discipleship.  The conference focuses on disciple-making and that was evident in the emphasis upon sound teaching.

3.  Diversity

When I was growing up, “urban” was code for inner-city African American and a few Latinos.  If this group is the measuring stick, “urban” now means African American, Latino, Asian, White, young, old, dread, shaven, tattooed, dockers and everything in between.  I was “geeked” sitting in a workshop with 14-year olds feeding on the same meat.  It was awesome to interact with a father in his 30s, shaved and tattooed head, attending the conference with his daughters and a couple of their friends.  Man, it was a taste of glory.

4.  Gifted

This coming generation of young people must be among one of the most gifted of any generation.  If you can, get a cd of the performances.  Visit some of the artists’ websites and meditate on the lyrics of their songs and poetry.  Those coming behind us are more thoroughly informed theologically and spiritually serious than most of us ol’ heads were at that age, and they’re combining that with significant artistic ability that spreads the truth into corners of the world we never reach.  God has a generation and a remnant that has not bowed the knee to the baals of the world, and they’re gifted.

5.  The Church

It was incredible to see the emphasis that the conference placed on the centrality of the local church.  Teaching about the church permeated the conference, and many of the attendees seemed to genuinely love the church.  You could see that in the positive comments about the church, but also in the longing and hunger for their churches back home to be healthy and strong, to be gospel-driven places of deep community.  And they weren’t talking about your grandmother’s church; they were talking about biblical assemblies duly organized and focused on making disciples.  Awesome.

6.  Humility

Nobody sought praise for themselves.  The conference theme was Solus Christus (Christ Alone) and everyone modeled the humility that that theme requires.  No one pointed to themselves.  Everyone pointed to Jesus.  No egos, no competition, no glory-seeking.  Just deep humility born of the conviction that all we have is Christ.

I come from The Legacy Disciple-Making Conference hungry to be in continuing fellowship with these brethren from all over the States, Canada, and a couple countries over seas.  These are God’s people and I’m thrilled to be one of them.  And the fact that it’s hip hop makes it all good… fa rizzle!

I pray that thin crust of earth gets shattered into a million fragments from the erupting lava of revival that this movement can be!  Please pray with me.

Today in “Shepherd’s Notes,” Mike Bullmore, Senior Pastor of Crossway Community Church in Bristol, WI, takes a look at the role of discipleship in the local church. In many respects, emphasis on faithful discipleship has diminished in recent times. Mike gives us good things to think about here.

At the New Life conference, I had the privilege of preaching Matthew 28:16-20.  During the sermon, I asked how many folks could raise their hands to indicate that they had either (a) been intentionally discipled by an older Christian who taught them to obey Christ, and/or (b) they were actively discipling someone else.  I suspect that I could enter most churches today and very few hands could be raised in answer to that question.  We had a wonderful time reflecting on the Lord’s commission to make disciples who in turn make disciples.  It’s not something I’ve seen very much of in an urban context.

Well, today, in God’s providence, my boy Shane sent me this short from an artist named Pro.  It’s a fun look at the discipleship he received at a church in Memphis where young brothers were serious about following hard after the Lord.  It’s twenty minutes well spent.  May this tribe increase!

PRo presents Redemption [The Short Film] from Reflection Music Group on Vimeo.

Brian Croft offers some insightful things he’s done to not only eat and live healthier, but also to get to know some members of the church and community he wouldn’t have otherwise.  Good brief read.

Jesus is the sole and authoritative Head of the church.  The church belongs to Him, and He leads the church as it’s only Sovereign and Captain.  But how exactly does Jesus demonstrate His headship?

First, Jesus demonstrates His headship through His word.  By His word He commands, limits, corrects and guides His people.  His sheep know His voice and they follow Him.  His voice is heard in His word.

Second, Christ exercises His authority and headship through leaders.  Jesus through His word ordains that the local church know the blessing of under-shepherds.  Christ himself is the Chief Shepherd, but He delegates the shepherding role with qualified, godly men called to also shepherd.

Jesus demonstrates His headship in the church in at least one other way.  He uses the congregation to administer His will.  We see this in a couple of ways.

The Congregation Worships

Perhaps this is too obvious to state, but each time the congregation assembles and offers praise to God by reading His word, offering prayers, and giving attention to His word, the congregation not only submits to but participates in the exercise of the Lord’s headship.  To worship Jesus as Lord is both to honor His headship ourselves but also to call and encourage others in such submission.  When Jesus proclaims that “all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto me” (Matt. 28:18), we’re meant to see a reference to the gathering of the nations prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14:

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.  He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Every call to worship in a public gathering of the church, every act of missions and evangelism, is an exercise of Jesus’ sovereign authority through His people.

The Congregation Provides

When we speak of the headship or authority of Christ, we must keep in mind that Christ is Head of the church not as a tyrant is head of a country but in the way a loving husband is head of his wife (Eph. 5:25-33).  In other words, Jesus’ authority is married to His sacrificial love and care.  So, we might expect that exercises of His authority would be manifested in acts of love and mercy.  And we might expect that such headship would be extended through His body, the church, covering both spiritual and material needs.

Indeed, the Bible is replete with commands and exhortations to the church to provide spiritually for its members.  We see this form of headship pictured in Paul’s use of the body image in Eph. 4:11-16.  We are all to grow up into the Head, which is Christ, and we do so as each part of the body “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”  Moreover, the Bible requires the congregation  provide for the material needs of its members.  We’re called to give and share to such an extent that there is no need among us (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32, 34-35; Rom. 12:13; James 2:14-16; 1 John 3:16-18). Such provision is how Jesus uses His authority and demonstrates His headship through the congregation, by loving providing the spiritual and material needs of His people.

The Congregation Disciplines

Finally, Jesus demonstrates His sole and final authority in the congregation by calling the congregation to discipline its members.  Galatians 6:1-2 charges all those who are spiritual to gently restore those who are wandering in or toward sin.  And in places like 1 Corinthians 5 and Matthew 18:17, the congregation takes the final action in implementing corrective love.  By acting to remove unrepentant members or to restore those who have fallen, the congregation upholds the order that Jesus commands of His church.  The congregation acts under the authority of Christ, defined and limited by His word and motivated by His love, to advance and promote the way of life required of those who follow Jesus as Master.  In this way, the entire congregation participates in teaching disciples to obey all that Jesus commands as Christ himself keeps His promise to be with them until the end (Matt. 28:19-20).  Whenever a congregation humbly, gently, and lovingly disciplines a member, Jesus exercises through that church the headship and authority that belongs to Him alone.

Conclusion

In the same way that my head (thoughts, intents, etc.) expresses itself through movements of my body, the Lord Jesus expresses His headship through His spiritual body, the church.  If we want to see how Jesus exercises authority in His church, we must learn to look at the church as an appendage that carries out His will to love, lead, provide for, and correct.  As the body complies with the Head, it not only lives under the Head but also becomes an exercise of headship.