Christian Formation Principles from Christ’s Ministry
This section presents Christ’s model
of Christian formation. The Christian formation process he modeled was designed
to effect obedience and transformation of lives. Based on Scripture, it depends
on the Holy Spirit and prayer, is relationship oriented, and works best in the
context of a community of believers. Christ’s ministry provides principles and
a pattern for Christian formation. Robert E. Coleman shows how Christ
facilitated the spiritual development of his twelve selected followers (Master Plan of Evangelism.). The following are among the important principles for
a facilitator to know.
Selection and envisioning. Jesus called the disciples into a small
group, clarified why he was calling them, and what they would become. The terms
and outcome of the relationship were clear from the start. Development of
leaders for public office will not happen fortuitously without intent for it
and commitment to it (Matt.4:19; 3:19; Mark 3:13-19) By selecting the twelve,
Jesus established both the disciples’ and his own commitment to the process of
Christian formation (Acts 20:31; Col. 1:28-29). He took great care and depended
on God for his choice as shown by his praying all night (Luke 6:12-13). “It is
much easier to ask a man to come with you than to ask him to leave if you learn
much to your chagrin and sorrow, that you have chosen the wrong man”(Eims 29).
Coaching how to serve in a team. “Jesus appointed the twelve
designating them apostles that they might be
with him” [emphasis mine] (Mark
3:14). Their presence in his daily activity was so that they could learn from
watching what he did and how he did it. They would also get to hear what he
said, what he taught, and how he taught it. He did this with humility as
demonstrated by washing their feet (John 13:1-5). They also learned to work
together in a team of diverse personalities and backgrounds. Jesus sent the
twelve disciples in twos (Mark 6:7-12). When he delegated this particular
exercise to them he gave very clear instruction on what they should take and
how they should dress for the journey. When they returned they gave an account.
Instruction. Jesus instructed his followers using different
methods, for example, parables, proverbs, and other figures of speech (Matt.
5-7). He instructed them in the areas of attitudes they had towards the world,
the fulfillment of the law, giving to the needy, and prayer. They followed the
Old Testament pattern of teaching:
The overall picture we get from
the Old Testament is not one where spiritual training is relegated to one
compartment of family or congregational life. Everyday was an opportunity to
teach and every situation a classroom. (Koessler 165)
He taught them incrementally beginning from what they
already knew.
Succession and multiplication. Jesus did not only give the Great
Commission, but during his ministry on earth he demonstrated how to accomplish
it through God’s love, power, and the strategy. When his time and task was
finished (John 7:4), he handed the responsibility of leadership to the apostles
whom he commissioned and released to continue the work of teaching and
developing others (Matt. 28:18-20). The work did not die with him. Whatever
Paul taught he wanted to be as transferable as possible so that it could be
passed on to others (1 Thess.1:7, 8; 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:2).
Prayerfulness. Christian formation is cooperation with the work of
the Holy Spirit to transform lives. Jesus did not do much public ministry until
he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22). Jesus depended on God as
evidenced by how he prayed often for a powerful ministry. The way the gospel is
shared determines the kind of disciples that are produced.
Christian Formation Phases
Varied models of Christian
formation witness the emergence of common elements that can lead to discerning
a generic model to be adapted to the area of public leadership.
Christian formation is a journey
from new birth to maturity. Individual believers and communities must never
stop learning and growing to be more Christlike. The doctrine of salvation,
particularly the notions of calling and the transformative process of
sanctification, are important to understand. Christian formation is about being transformed into the image of Christ
and following after Christ. (Rom. 8:29). Literature summarizes the
Christian formation process (e.g., Odgen, Obed, Adsit, Watson) into four phases
that follow each other. These include sharing Christ, incorporating new
believers into the church community, teaching, caring for new believers so that
they grow in their faith (Acts 2:42-47), training, and equipping growing
believers so that they can serve in the church and the community; then finally,
releasing them to pursue God’s call while continuing to provide ongoing
support.
Figure 2.3. The main Christian formation
phases evident in literature.
The process facilitates the
progressive growth of a believer from being a new disciple (justification)
through winning and incorporation, to being a growing disciple (sanctification)
through care and teaching, to being a maturing disciple (service) through
training and equipping. The formation process is not linear, but requires a
main thrust and dominant activity throughout which the facilitator needs to
give attention. The activities of each component, for example, caring,
teaching, and involvement in ministry, happens in all phases. Being a disciple
is a lifelong process in which one can become a maturing disciple but cannot
graduate from being a learner.
Three literature sources (Obed;
Adsit; Anderson )
contribute to the identified phases and their requisites. The process of
Christian formation involves teaching basic doctrines, disciplines, character
qualities, and ministry issues. McIntosh describes the Christian formation
process as finding, keeping, and building new believers. He states that “life
giving churches make disciples by finding the lost, folding them into the body,
and building them up in the faith” (62). These three aspects correspond to the
summary (see Figure 2.3) with building
including what happens from caring and teaching to active service. Keeping is also referred to as enfolding
and embracing; assimilating, or bonding, and is helping new converts become
responsible members of the community of believers. Keeping was so important to God that Jesus, in John 17, accounts
for it when he says, “I kept all you gave except …” As already alluded to in
Acts, new believers were added to their number (Acts 2:41; Rom. 6:3-11). Bonding is uniting with, and primary bonding is to Jesus.
Relationships in a community of believers are vital for spiritual growth. Acts
2:42, 47 states the community was devoted to fellowship and the Lord added to
their number. Bonding new believers to a local church is the basis for a new
way of life (Rom.
6:3-7; Col. 2:8-15; 1 John 1:1-3).
Obed (334-35) identifies three
Christian formation stages. The first two are deliberately carried out within
the local church and the third is left for the disciples in compliance with God’s
will for them.
Level of ascertaining new birth (Acts 3:19-20). At this level the
facilitator ensures that the disciple has received Christ’s redemptive offer
and lay for him/her a good foundation for growth in Christlike character.
Elementary principles such as are given in Hebrews 6:1-2—repentance from dead
works, faith in God, doctrine of baptisms (water, Holy Spirit, suffering),
laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment are
included. First steps for scriptural growth as found in Acts 2:42-47 are also
contained in these principles. Jesus laid a foundation for his followers in
Matthew 5-7. Obed suggests the need for immunization against the hazards of
culture or personality peculiar to a disciple that threaten their health and
growth if not addressed (e.g., Titus 1:16).
Level of acknowledgeable Christlikeness. At this level, the
foundation laid in the nature of the life of a believer is consolidated and the
focus is on the acquisition of demonstrable skills for doing God’s work.
Scriptures that guide topics to be covered are 2 Peter 1:5-7, Hebrews 5:14, and
Mark 3:14. Topics covered include the cost of Christian formation, gifts and
calling, leadership empowerment, understanding and exercising spiritual rights
and dominion, and kingdom change agency that prepares believers for roles as
effective change agents in the “marketplace.” What is done at this level takes
the disciple to full age maturity. Features of spiritual maturity include those
found in Ephesians 4:13-16.
Level of full age maturity. At this level the believer is
established in Christ, equipped for ministry, and has reached a stage of “heightened
righteous self drive and a Christ focused self monitoring life style” (Obed 58).
Believers at this stage set their hearts on the pursuit of higher goals. They
are reliable to take care of themselves spiritually, to grow more
independently, and are expected to “express themselves as true
believer-change-agents anywhere they are found” (Obed 336). For Jesus Christ’s
disciples, this growth came after his resurrection (Mark 16:15-18). This level
is when the disciples are released (Acts 1:7-8).
Adsit (9) concurs with Koesler (75) who makes the following
assertion:
Spiritual growth is progressive.
It moves from infancy to adulthood. We shouldn’t be too surprised, then, to
find a range of spiritual levels in the church. The church’s strategy for
Christian formation must take this into account by providing a range of
opportunities for believers at every level of development. (see also Heb.
5:12-14, 6:1-2)
Adsit effectively
uses in detail the allegory of a child’s growth to maturity to illustrate the
stages of a disciple’s spiritual growth and how his relationship with the
facilitator ought to change as growth takes place.
Baby-child stage. Adsit identifies the main needs of a baby to be
protection, love, and basic knowledge. A baby has an appetite for learning and
doing. The need of a child is for consistent, strong guidance. At child stage,
motivation has slowed down. A stronger hand is needed to ensure discipline and
accountability. Children need attention and example. They need to be taught basic
fundamentals for surviving and growing as a child of God in a fallen world. They
need to know that certain behaviors are desirable and others are undesirable.
Lay a firm foundation for a lifetime of service.
Adolescence stage. At this stage the disciple is zealously asking
questions about life and learning to manage peer pressure. They are finding
their own identity and making more decisions. They need role models that teach
of family life and life in general (Tit. 2:4). Their main needs are strength,
experience, and responsibility. They should have room to practice life lessons
and experience an increased responsibility load lest he/she remain a baby.
Responsibility will give wisdom, experience, and a sense of fulfillment.
Adult stage. Adsit emphasizes that this level is for putting into
practice what was learned. At this stage individuals have grown up enough to protect and provide for themselves.
Disciples now know that the strongest line of dependence is upon the Lord
rather than people. They love the Lord deeply. They are independent but also
interdependent in fellowship with others. They have become nurturer and
cherisher of spiritual babies: nourisher, protector, provider, interceder,
teacher, discipliner, encourager, advisor, and upholder of others. Their main
need is self-discipline and leadership. They need a mentor or adult facilitator
to encourage them; otherwise, the tendency is to retreat to being uninvolved
(Heb. 10:24). This view balances Obed’s opinion that says the full age maturity
disciple has heightened self motivation to look after themselves, grow, and be
spiritually productive.
Level of understanding foundational issues. At this level the main
issue is understanding one’s identity in Christ (Col. 2:10). The conflict areas
are the lack of assurance of salvation, a darkened understanding, fear,
rebellion, and rejection. They grow to know they are God’s children, to have a
renewed mind, freedom from fear, to be submissive to God, and to know they are
accepted. Understanding of God plus right relationship to him equals mental and
spiritual health, knowledge of God and new identity. If the enemy can keep them
from knowing their new identity then he will keep them from their inheritance
in Christ (232).
Level of addressing maturity issues. At this level the aim is to
build up maturity in Christ (Col. 2:7). Areas of conflict are walking in the flesh,
having a wrong life philosophy, anger, anxiety, lack of self control, and
inability to forgive. They grow in walking in the spirit, correctly handling
God’s word and embracing his world view, joy, peace, patience, and self
control.
Level of addressing daily walk and work issues (Col. 2:6). The areas of conflict are insensitivity to the leading
of the Spirit (Heb. 5:11-14), pride, discouragement, lack of discipline, and
selfishness. The goal is to “help believers to function as believers in their
homes, on their jobs and in society, [encouraging the] [p]roper exercise of
spiritual gifts, talents and intellect in serving others and being a positive
witness in the world” (author? 238). The growth at this level produces the
ability to be led by the Holy Spirit, capacity for every good work,
contentment, discipline, and brotherly love.
REFERENCES
Adsit,
Christopher B. Personal Discipleship: A
Step by Step Guide for Leading a Christian from New Birth to Maturity. San Bernardino , CA
Anderson, Neil T.
Victory over the Darkness: Realizing the
Power of Your Identity in Christ. Ventura ,
CA
Coleman,
Robert E. The Master Plan of Evangelism. Grand Rapids , MI.: Revel, 1993.
Eims, Leroy. The Lost Art of Discipleship. Grand Rapids , MI
Koessler, John. True Discipleship: the Art of Following
Jesus. Chicago :
Moody, 2003.
McIntosh, Gary L.
Biblical Church Growth: How You Can Work
with God to Build a Faithful
Church Grand Rapids , MI
Obed, Uzodinma. Transformational Discipleship and the 21st
Century Church. ADM Ibadan ,
Nigeria
Ogden, Creg. Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building
Your Life in Christ. Downers Grove ,
IL
No comments:
Post a Comment