The Pathways Question
Things are heating up around ACU – we are having our annual “Summit” which is sorta like a wannabe Lectureship in the Spring. Richard Hays is coming to speak which should bring on some interesting thoughts. And I’m really looking foward to my good friends Chadd Schroeder, Ben Cheek and others are presenting their discoveries on the Pathways Project – a multi-year, multi-continental conversation on incarnational community.
Their ongoing question: how do we bring someone to a commitment in Jesus Christ (many churches have become effacious in this regard in American history), and then how do we move them past a simple decision for Christ to a healthy leader in an incarnational community – fully capable of reproducing his own missional leadership in others? This second question has been entirely neglected by most churches in our age.
You can find times/places for this here. And some written thoughts from Ben here.
Is it even possible to “move them” at all? I believe it is something we can do, since Jesus told us (not to make converts or church goers, but) to make disciples of all the peoples by baptizing AND by teaching them all the ways He showed us.
But have we ever taken this command seriously? What is it like to do this? How do we “teach” in a way that people will actually learn? What kind/whose of a disciple are we making? Many have tried to ask this question, and many have gone down unhealthy roads.
But the question must be asked.
I’m looking forward to hearing what God has shown them.
