My Family still has my great grandfather’s apprenticeship indenture, dated 1897. He was to live with his master, work six days a week, to abstain from strong drink and was forbidden to marry. A tradesman of old was formed by socialisation, modelling their life on their master’s: embracing their values while developing their skills and absorbing their knowledge. It’s the same process that formed the great artists of the renaissance like Leonardo and Michealangelo.
Jesus first requirement of his newly-appointed apostles was to be with him – for his thinking, his values, his life to rub off onto twelve young men.
Socialisation is more powerful that education. Socialisation works by immersion in a way of life. It’s how we learn nearly all of the foundational understanding and behaviours that allow us to participate productively in society. The Celts and the Wesleyans instinctively knew this, and built their communities around people observing and participating in prayer, repentance and renewal as a way if life, not just a weekly ritual.
Paul was accompanied by a band of apprentices as he travelled, and lived his life ‘out loud’ before his fledgling churches. He implored then to “…imitate me as I imitate Christ.”
To socialise others in the ways of a disciple, I must be a growing disciple myself: on a constant journey toward Christlikeness and toward fruitfulness in his kingdom. Beyond providing an example of piety and maturity, I need to share the inner workings of my effort to cultivate a life dedicated to the ways and mission of Jesus. My ‘apprentices’ need to observe my struggles and setbacks as well as my triumphs. Jesus invited his inner circle to watch with him during his travail in Gethsemane.
The people we’re discipling need to see our discipleship – our engagement with the scriptures, our being challenged to constantly shape our thinking, priorities and behaviours toward those of Jesus. People engage in a life of repentance and renewal primarily by being present with those engaged in a life of repentance and renewal.
Jesus did this by prioritising time with a small group of twelve and a very small group of three. He let them get a close look at his life of prayer, simplicity, suffering and compassion. He gave them the inside word on his parables and expected more of them than he did of the punters in the crowd.
So much of our ministerial time is spent in the service of the many, usually with a focus on comfort and reassurance. Jesus seemed to place more importance on the formation of the few, with a greater emphasis on challenge and obedience. While the sermons over which we labour and the pastoral care we undertake are important, let’s face it – if sermons and pastoral care were going to save the world, it would be saved by now. Doing more of the same will get us more of the same.
While you may not have capacity to disciple an inner circle of three and a wide group of twelve the way Jesus did, are there one or two that get to see the inner workings of your life and ministry? Are there six or seven in whom you’re intentionally and personally investing with a view to developing their maturity and ministry capacity? Are you immersing them in the life if a disciple, or merely teaching them a curriculum?
Next article we’ll look more at challenge vs support. To think more deeply on discipleship and disciple-making, sign up for this short online workshop on August 5th: https://pathways4mission.com/product/the-discipling-minister-online-workshop/