Discipleship Pathway
A discipleship pathway isn’t what we normally think. Aim for the right destination — a destination that looks more like a daily journey.
A pathway is a road from here to there. Steps from where you are to where to want to be. Discipleship pathways are often presented as a set of classes, groups, studies, activities, and practices that develop new believers (or even nonbelievers in some cases) into mature disciples of Jesus. All of these can be helpful but they should not be confused with discipleship.
Discipleship is being trained by Christ. Disciples are becoming better learners-followers-imitators of Jesus.
Jesus gave us a discipleship pathway. He said:
“If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
Whatever helps you walk this path with Jesus — a path of self-denial and self-sacrifice — is helpful indeed. But the next step in your discipleship isn’t a class. It’s a step with Jesus toward Christlikeness.
Unsettled
Not everything in life is clearly settled. Still we work for unity in the Body of Christ.
“Now food will not bring us close to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.”
How were disciples to approach food offered to idols? According to another’s conscience, not their own. Eating meat offered to idols means nothing to a follower of Christ with a strong faith. But it could be a stumbling block to an unbeliever or someone with weak faith. The life of a disciple in this world is full of mysteries and paradoxes. God makes room for honest disagreements and differences of interpretation. These are wonderful opportunities to extend grace and preserve our unity in Christ.
The Kingdom is like…
We resort to metaphors, analogies, and word pictures to describe the Magic Kingdom. Jesus did the same when describing God’s Kingdom.
A friend and colleague of mine is a Magical Vacation Planner for Disney. Have a discussion with her and you will hear something like “The Magic Kingdom is like…”. She is trying to describe another realm in the best way she can, knowing all along that you need to experience it for yourself.
So much of what Jesus talked about was “The Kingdom of God is like…”. Through parables, conversations, even rebukes, Jesus described a realm that he is inviting us into. And, like Disney, all of the descriptions fall short of the lived experience.
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