"And what’s the point of evangelising people if you’re not ready to disciple them once they’re converted?"
Ah, this is such an important point!
I have said to myself and others for a long time that Jesus didn't say "go out and make converts", but "go out and make disciples". So surely we need to have systems/habits in place for deep, intentional, and prolonged discipling - but rarely do we find active discipling going on. And we are stunted and deficient because of the lack.
And one other thought, I recently wrote about our culture's love of speed and how this has infiltrated almost every part of our lives. I think this has also influenced and permeated into our mindset on evangelism and discipleship.
Evangelism can be done at economies of scale (think big rallies) and can be done quickly (street preaching, evangelistic conversations, tract giving etc). Getting someone to "make a commitment" (I dislike this phrase - a lot) can be relatively quick, easy, and somewhat painless. And then often there is no one to disciple them. But if this is our approach, we are setting people up to fail (as the stats from those still following Jesus a year on from a rally show).
We are dealing with people, blood-bought people, not projects. Therefore we should be willing and able to spend the necessary time and energy to disciple converts on their "long road of obedience" and in the "muck of life" (to borrow titles from two books!). Character, virtue and Christlike formation takes time - a long time. Perhaps in our infatuation with speed we have forgotten this, or pushed against it?
I read that post on speed Hadden - thought it was very helpful. I pondered as I read it how, when the ancients pondered the possibility of machines that could carry out the work of slaves, I don't think they ever tended to imagine said machines would do such work in incredible speed - only that they'd perform the same task.
I'm sure the infatuation with speed is, at a basic level, a mere human impulse. Abraham surely has something of that going on when he lies with Hagar - he wants an heir NOW.
But yes, I'm sure this is exacerbated by how digital technology totally undercuts delayed gratification. Our brains are physically less wired for it than they used to be.
I think too that the programmatic nature of much church ministry now, which necessarily reflects programmatic training regimes in, say, office work, gives us an unrealistic sense of a reliable "production line" of discipleship - in itself, a technologised image!
Praise God for you brother. Looking forward to more of this!
"And what’s the point of evangelising people if you’re not ready to disciple them once they’re converted?"
Ah, this is such an important point!
I have said to myself and others for a long time that Jesus didn't say "go out and make converts", but "go out and make disciples". So surely we need to have systems/habits in place for deep, intentional, and prolonged discipling - but rarely do we find active discipling going on. And we are stunted and deficient because of the lack.
And one other thought, I recently wrote about our culture's love of speed and how this has infiltrated almost every part of our lives. I think this has also influenced and permeated into our mindset on evangelism and discipleship.
Evangelism can be done at economies of scale (think big rallies) and can be done quickly (street preaching, evangelistic conversations, tract giving etc). Getting someone to "make a commitment" (I dislike this phrase - a lot) can be relatively quick, easy, and somewhat painless. And then often there is no one to disciple them. But if this is our approach, we are setting people up to fail (as the stats from those still following Jesus a year on from a rally show).
We are dealing with people, blood-bought people, not projects. Therefore we should be willing and able to spend the necessary time and energy to disciple converts on their "long road of obedience" and in the "muck of life" (to borrow titles from two books!). Character, virtue and Christlike formation takes time - a long time. Perhaps in our infatuation with speed we have forgotten this, or pushed against it?
I read that post on speed Hadden - thought it was very helpful. I pondered as I read it how, when the ancients pondered the possibility of machines that could carry out the work of slaves, I don't think they ever tended to imagine said machines would do such work in incredible speed - only that they'd perform the same task.
I'm sure the infatuation with speed is, at a basic level, a mere human impulse. Abraham surely has something of that going on when he lies with Hagar - he wants an heir NOW.
But yes, I'm sure this is exacerbated by how digital technology totally undercuts delayed gratification. Our brains are physically less wired for it than they used to be.
I think too that the programmatic nature of much church ministry now, which necessarily reflects programmatic training regimes in, say, office work, gives us an unrealistic sense of a reliable "production line" of discipleship - in itself, a technologised image!