There is an aspect of God’s character in scripture that we all need to consider, for ourselves and as we come alongside others. It’s one of those things that doesn’t feel right actually, and it is one aspect that perhaps we’d like to avoid thinking about. Yet it is there and we need to consider it.

I first was prompted to reflect on this a few years back in reading about Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 32:31

However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.

Did you hear that? “God withdrew from Hezekiah.” What does this mean? How are we supposed to “apply this to our lives today?”

I recently saw it in Hosea 5:6

When they come with their flocks and herds to offer sacrifices to the Lord, they will not find him, because he has withdrawn from them.

“He has withdrawn from them,” even though they are still going through the spiritual motions of sacrifice.

Is Jesus perhaps referencing this in a conversation with his disciples in Matthew 13:11?

He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

A few questions come to mind for me.

First, is this true? I want a God who always comforts me, who will “never leave more nor forsake me.” and who “will be with me always, to the very end of the age.” I want the God who, through the Holy Spirit, has sent me “the Comforter.” Surely God won’t step away from me to “see what is really in my heart” will he?

Second, as we embrace our discipleship journey and also walk alongside others, it is so important to not create a God that we believe is “appropriate”, but to actually follow and worship the God who is. This will often leave us with tensions, trying to bring two sets of scripture together that appear to contradict each other.

And finally, is this me? Have I been so distracted with what I want life to be all about that God has decided to step away and “see what is really in my heart?” How would I approach this conversation with someone that I am discipling? Is this too bold?

This kind of thinking can either scare and confuse us, or it can move us to a place of divine reflection, times of solitude, allowing our minds and spirits to slow down and be available for God to speak. We need it for ourselves, and we need to lead those we come alongside to enter into the same.

Let’s be people who are willing to embrace all aspects of the scriptures as they reveal who God is fully.

For the kingdom.

As I continue to engage in conversations about discipleship with church leaders around the world, it dawned on me, as I was wrestling with this question of discipleship with an African leader, that churches can’t disciple people, at least not in the deepest sense.

Oh, they are a piece of the puzzle for sure, and they can create programs that can be a component of someone’s discipleship journey. Yet they can’t disciple people.

People disciple people.

And until we fully admit this as a reality as church leaders, we will continue to create “discipleship tracks” to funnel people through and declare that we have done our job. Now it’s up to the person we took through the process to “get it” and live as a follower of Jesus, a disciple.

So how are we doing with this? Why does the discipleship conversation continue in such strong ways at this time? I know for me it is “the” conversation I’m encountering whether it is with pastors in North America, Europe, Africa or the Middle East. It’s seems like everyone is looking for the “silver bullet”, the method for today that they can implement and guide their people. But perhaps we are having the wrong conversation, asking the wrong questions, or maybe even avoiding the obvious.

Now I’m not holding myself up as the model of full understanding. I was a Pastor of Adult Discipleship, and I created the track for discipleship. I read the books and went to the conferences. I also wanted the “quick fix”. Surely we can find a solution to this “problem.”

Yet here is the reality we must state as true, churches can’t disciple people, people disciple people.

I have written extensively on this in this blog over the years. It is something that I have engaged in since I was in my early 20’s. I was discipled personally by Luch Del Monte. He guided me for 3 years while in university. And then he told me to do likewise. I assumed I had no choice so I’ve done this now for over 30 years, coming alongside a couple of guys for a two year journey.

Isn’t it interesting that we talk about wanting to make disciples like Jesus did, to follow the example of the New Testament. And then we embrace the North American model of efficiency and attempt to create a system to move people through. Let’s admit that it isn’t working.

Again, the programs and seminars that churches create can be a piece of the journey. But unless we choose to adopt the beauty of life-on-life discipleship, of one person coming alongside another, or perhaps 2-3 three others, then we will never achieve what we believe is required of Jesus command to “go and make disciples.”

Senior pastors, your congregation will do what you do. If you are not coming alongside 1-3 people regularly over an extended period (2 years) of time and modelling this, then those you care for will most likely not do it either. Your church services and programs are a piece, but your church and its programs can’t disciple people. You must disciple people, up close and personal. And then teach your congregation to do the same. 

Never believe that you can short circuit the process. It is long and personal, and extremely beautiful, and at times frustrating – we are all broken people after all. May this become our reality.

For the Kingdom.