Discipleship as Discernment – Part 2
I have been fiddling around with the premise that
life transformation requires a genuine encounter with Christ.
I know, you’re
thinking, “duh!” Everyone knows that. The reality, however, is much of what the
church proffers as the best of discipleship practices are built around the
concept that if we educate people enough, they will experience
transformation. It is the “educate people unto obedience” maxim. It
was the mantra of the movement that I came out of. I can hear in the back
of my head right now the founder’s foundational cliché, “Just teach the Word.”
The upshot of that was, the community of faith essentially became a teaching
center. Of course, in these communities, many other things took place –
mission, small groups, and member care – but, the main show was the Pastor
giving a sermon. It is like that cog of an entire week was built around a 30-45
min dispensement of God stuff from the professional. Sorry, I am letting
my cynicism loose a bit, but this approach almost enshrined the local pastor as
a localized protestant pope. The mentality entrusted almost an “ex
cathedra” type authority because “he” was the purveyor of truth from God’s
Word. He had special status.