HEALTHY CHURCH: 5+1 Discipleship Spaces

      Disciples are followers and imitators of the one they are following. A disciple of Jesus Christ is someone who is being with Jesus (relational), becoming like Jesus (transformational) and doing what Jesus did and is doing (commissional). The church is to be a gathering of disciples who are “the people of God, saved by the power of God, filled with the presence of God, for the purpose of God.” Unfortunately, it is far too easy to focus only on those already coming and become unconcerned for those far from God. Discipleship is relational, and we need to work harder once again on building relationships with nonbelievers.

      In Made for More, Todd Wilson and Rob Wegner stated, “The role of the local church is to be the mobilizing home base. This empowers all disciples to discover their personal calling, then deploy them to express the fullness of Jesus into every corner of culture and every sphere of society.”

      Lee Strobel, the author of The Case for Christ, recently posted this while in the airport: “Leslie and I are at Gate E16 at Bush Airport in Houston. Stop by if you’d like to chat about Jesus. Spiritual seekers and skeptics are welcome! We’ll buy the coffee.” That is striving to reach out to “every corner of the culture” and into “every sphere of society.”

      Churches have created moments for decisions, but are we creating pathways for making disciples? Church culture, if it is not very careful and intentional, will create immature “deciders” instead of mature disciples. You pray a prayer and move on, primarily on your own. Have you mapped out a pathway of how your church will intentionally and systematically move people from spiritually dead to spiritual infant, to spiritual child, to spiritual young adult and on to spiritual parenthood? Does your disciple-making pathway put disciples of Jesus in ongoing, consistent, loving relationships with those who are yet to be saved?

      Discipleship is commissional (the +1). Jesus’ disciples are to actively do what He called them to do — be “fishers of men.” What is your plan for teaching and showing other disciples how to do everything Jesus commanded? You cannot lead people to a place where you have not been and do not plan on going. You must lead by example because you normally will not lead people to do what you are not doing yourself. Making disciples implies that you are making them from scratch and not just reteaching, reorganizing and retraining those who have been in the church for years. Create relational space in your life for nonbelievers (the +1).

      Here are the other five biblical spaces the Scriptures describe:

         • Divine Space — This is illustrated by the relationship of Jesus with the Father (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; John 5:19). This is learning to abide in Christ through silence, solitude, sabbath, fasting and other spiritual disciplines. This daily walk with Christ is imperative because your external life is always the outflow of your internal life. Yesterday’s manna will not sustain you today.

         • Transparent Space — This is demonstrated for us with Jesus’ relationship with Peter, James and John (Luke 9:28-36; Mark 1:35-45; Matt. 26:36-38). This “transparent space” is where the beauty of God’s truth is driven even deeper into the hearts of disciples. The individual who was spiritually dead becomes a spiritual infant and requires someone who is ready to show them what they need to know and learn. If you are not careful, your ministry could easily produce spiritual orphans if you do not create spaces where basic Bible truths are taught, demonstrated and lived out. Discipleship requires a more mature disciple who is ready and prepared to share with the new disciple their life, biblical truth and the godly habits they need to learn, build upon and exercise daily. The goal is that every disciple of Jesus will make disciples for Jesus who obey all that Jesus commands. Sadly, this is not what we normally see or focus upon. Disciple-making disciples are seen more as the Ninjas (Green Berets) of Christianity. Yet, II Tim. 2:2 clearly states, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” What better way to learn to pray than to have a prayer partner? What better way to learn how to share your faith than to have someone who knows how to show you in real time?

         • Personal Space — This is focused on the biblical group size of 12 (John 13; Matt. 8:23-27; Mark 8:27-33). This is your small group ministry where a close community is built by studying the Scriptures together, planning ministry service projects together, fellowshipping together, practicing the “one anothers” together and doing life together. Small groups are the “first responders” to everyone’s needs. They often know about the challenges and struggles of those in the group sooner than a pastor, deacon or another leader. This enables the leaders of the church to know that everyone is being cared for and loved.

         • Social and Public Spaces — Social (around 70) and public represents Jesus and the crowds. According to several surveys, most churches put the majority of their energy, time and resources into these two spaces. They are good and needed spaces, but do not make the mistake of believing these spaces can accomplish more than they actually can. Do not accept the lie that just because your crowd is growing, Jesus’ mission is being accomplished. The beauty of understanding all five +1 spaces and their purpose is being aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

      Evaluate how you can improve and make more disciples by connecting each space to the next. Ask great questions about what you are doing well and where you need to improve in each space. How can you train and model disciple-making by focusing more on the relational space with nonbelievers? Do you have clear next steps to help disciples thrive and flourish in all six spaces? Following Jesus is not an achievement but rather a process and a journey!