HEALTHY CHURCH: Customized Discipleship
Customization is defined as “a modification made to something to suit a particular individual or task.” Much of our discipleship process and pathway is designed to be an almost “one size fits all.” It is understandable because of our strong faith in knowing the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. There are times, however, for a distinct and particular application of the Word of God into an individual’s life. This is not modifying the Word of God because it is settled in Heaven forever, but instead, it is the application of unchanging truth to where the believer is in their spiritual journey.
In Bible hermeneutics, the first step in understanding the Scriptures is observation. This involves accumulating as much raw data as possible on the passage by answering five “W” questions — Who, What, When, Where and Why? As you study the text, make sure to take copious amounts of notes. The second step is the interpretation phase, which involves discovering the meaning of the passage. It is important here to note that any Scripture passage can have only one meaning but many potential applications. That is why knowing the history of the passage is so critical, along with the cultural and literary barriers that come with the territory. One rule of thumb is always to take Scripture as literally as possible.
Then, there is the application of the Scripture, where customization becomes a reality. What is that passage to you, and how do you apply it to your life? A great rule of thumb here is to always distinguish between descriptive and prescriptive passages and not to misapply Scriptures by trying to make them fit where they do not. Application, though, is grossly overlooked because the focus of discipleship is not knowledge but obedience to what God is showing you and teaching you. The examples of over-taught and under-exercised are too plentiful to mention, but here are a couple of statistics that reinforce this issue:
Christians say they believe in the power of prayer, yet the average focused prayer time is two minutes a day. Church members stress the importance of tithes and offerings, and only 2.4% willingly give back to the Lord. Discipleship is spoken of as a core value, but only 1% of all believers say they have ever been involved in an intentional discipling relationship. Something must be done about this, and my friend Steve McCoy (Small Circle Discipleship) stated that “God uses leaders to move predicaments to solutions.” He tells us that a part of the solution would be to add the small circle to the two primary circles we rely on for spiritual growth.
The large circle is the worship gathering. It is important and has its place, but this is a common space where most relationships are very casual and can be somewhat shallow. Preaching the Word is crucial to the spiritual health of the church family and is not to be forsaken. A large group does not guarantee that worship occurs.
The other circle is the middle circle, representing your small group ministry. It also has an important purpose and place. Now, you are able to clarify the expectations of living out your biblical values with sound teaching and interaction. This space is more personal, and close relationships are built.
The small circle is one-on-one discipleship, and this space enables you to customize the Scriptures to the disciple’s needs and be able to practice confidentiality. Even if you do not consistently have a one-on-one discipleship system in place, there needs to be a space for these one-on-one conversations to occur. Please notice the difference that a one-on-one conversation had in the lives of the woman at the well, Nicodemus and Peter when Jesus asked him if he loved Him. Remember that what you teach must be modeled, and who you teach needs to be coached. This space enables you to mentor and customize the Bible to their life.
The one-on-one model is vital to being able to dig deeper into issues where the disciple is struggling. You can zero in on what they need and how you can help them. Customization enables you to make a better diagnosis to make the prescription more personalized and effective. Spiritual growth needs to be pictured as a farm and not a factory that requires a lot of personal touches and nuances. You are better able to practice Eph. 4:15 by speaking the truth in love up close and personal. This also provides a space and mechanism where the confession of sin (James 5:16) and individualized prayer can be carried out.
The small circle opens the door for accountability not just to be aspirational but to become an actual value. The goal is not information (knowing facts or being able to do well at Bible trivia) but rather for life transformation to occur in the disciple’s life. Building strong relationships takes time, and you need to slow down because it cannot be forced. The goal is to discover that transparent space where you and the person you are discipling can find a table for two. Enjoy fellowship together and speak into one another’s lives. It can easily take six months before someone feels safe enough to be completely open and transparent.
All three circles are important to a disciple’s spiritual journey. The large circle represents corporate worship and is the common ground where people know one another in a casual way. The middle circle is your small groups, where you can clarify your values and expectations for spiritual growth. This is where the group begins building close relationships. The small circle is the one-on-one discipleship where you see the Jesus to Peter, and the Paul to Timothy conversations taking place. This is where the most customization can occur as a coach, mentor and disciple-maker builds a strong, confidential relationship of trust and attachment.
Consider adding the customization (small circle) mechanism and element of a table for two where the disciple-maker can speak more directly into the challenges, difficulties and questions the one being discipled is experiencing. This can be done over a cup of coffee, a meal or even an event where you can spend quality time together to speak into their life. “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Prov. 27:5-6).
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Larry Barker
Director of Church Planting and Church Health Larry Barker submits a weekly column titled, Healthy Church Solutions, designed to strengthen and encourage the local church.
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