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.

• 

I’ve been pondering the idea of tithing. Now I know that as soon as I say the word tithing, many, if not most of you will think about money. You can think about scriptures that talk about giving God the “first of your fruits.” Now this is all good. Personally, before anything else is spent, I have found that there is no greater spiritual rhythm for me than my tithe being given on the first of the month, no opportunity to reflect about whether I should do it or not, it just is.

Yet as I have reflected on this, I have begun to think about this in the broadest sense possible, something I am calling “A theology of firsts.” What would it actually look like if I tithed the first of everything.

Let’s think about this.

The first moments of my day – a tithe of worship and reflecting on who God is and what He may want to reveal to me for the day ahead.

The first conversation of the day with my spouse and/or my kids – to make it not about me but about them. To speak words of encouragement, to build them up.

The first thing I do when I get to work – to offer the first 30 minutes to God and what he is doing in those that I have responsibility for. 

The first 20-30 minutes when I return home from work – offered as a tithe to my family, to hear about their day and enjoy the beauty that can come from family.

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Romans 12:1 MSG

The first part of my vacation, offered as a tithe. The first day of each month. The first month of the year. The first minutes arriving at a party – seeking to serve others and not to be served. 

I’m still pondering this and thinking about how I could live this out. We must always remind ourselves that a relationship with God is not a set of rules but a way of living. It’s easy to live by a rule of financial tithing, giving your “first fruits”, but what if it means so much more than that. What if it was much more encompassing, more beautiful.

You may recall Jesus words: 

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.  Matthew 5:21-22

Could we look at a Theology of Firsts in a similar way.

“You have heard that it was said: tithe of your first fruits. But I tell you, give the first of everything, and every situation and circumstance. For in this way you honour your Father in heaven.”

What would it look like if we adopted a Theology of Firsts? How would our relationships and communities be changed?

For the Kingdom.