Disciple-Making Days 1 & 2

One of the things I love about being at a church conference is how it makes the word "connectional" feel so real. We often hear about the PCUSA being a "connectional" church, but the word only truly comes to life for me when I am in a room filled with people from all over the country, of many different races and from many different cultures, all worshipping the same God. This week we've had many opportunities to do just that, and I've felt the relationship we share in our prayers and praise.

Relationship and connectivity are the common threads that tie together the sessions I've attended. Regardless of the specific focus of the workshop or keynote, the message is about building relationships - within our own congregations and reaching out into our communities.

In our workshop on disciple-making, we began by looking at the relationships Jesus developed, and how his teachings always called followers to action: Go.  Make.  Baptise. Teach. Observe. Remember. BEING a disciple means DOING.

Workshop leader Scott Weimer (pastor of North Avenue PC in Atlanta), guided us through some key words in discipleship, as found in the stories told in the Gospel of John:

• Follow (Jesus' first words)
• Time (together, with God)
• Born Again (Nicodemus - what must I do?)
• Healing/change
• hunger/thirst
• believing/trusting
• Obey
• Sin no more
• Truth (Jesus) sets you free
• Abiding in Jesus

We came back to these later in the day when discussing the five leadership principles that his church has adopted:

1. Model The Way
2. Inspire a Shared Vision
3. Challenge the Process
4. Enable Others to Act
5. Encourage the Heart

I look forward to sharing more details on these principles, and how North Avenue has implemented them. What's really exciting is that these principles, and the concept of relationship-building, are tools and truths that apply to all ministry. As Gethsemane delves deeper into the calling to plant a new Spanish-speaking ministry, and as Andy and the team of discerners continue to pray and seek divine guidance in planting a new faith community, we can learn from others who have followed their visions into new ministries.

Yesterday afternoon my workshop group heard first-hand stories of how faith communities have been revived, or sent out to "birth" new communities. Time after time we were reminded that the steps taken by these groups will not work for everyone, but that in building our relationship with Jesus and following His lead, we will find the way to Go, Make, Baptise, Teach, Observe and Remember.