Faithful Discipleship in a Changing Church Landscape

 

Summary

In reflecting on the journey of church history and our role within it, I am reminded of my grandfather's workshop, where I learned the value of patience, practice, and precision. Just as he guided me with care, God invites us, despite our imperfections, to partner with Him in His grand creation and redemption project. From the very beginning, humanity was given a mandate to steward creation, a task that remains unchanged despite our failures. This divine partnership is a testament to God's enduring love and faithfulness, calling us to be signposts of the new creation through our lives and actions.

Throughout history, the church has experienced both triumphs and failures in fulfilling this mission. The only perfect being in the church is Jesus Christ, and the rest of us are flawed individuals striving to follow His example. Despite our shortcomings, God's steadfast love and faithfulness endure, using us to build His church against all odds.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, three cultural ideas have significantly shaped the church: size, comfort, and platforms. The Church Growth Movement emphasized numerical growth, leading to a myth that bigger is always better. While this brought many to faith, it also fostered a shallow focus on quantity over quality. Similarly, the pursuit of comfort and convenience made faith more accessible but sometimes obscured the challenging nature of true discipleship. Lastly, the rise of platforms and celebrity culture created a myth that louder is better, often overshadowing the quiet, faithful servants of Christ.

Despite these challenges, the mission remains unchanged. We are called to be a faithful church, committed to the mission Jesus gave us, not distracted by myths. Our task is to be a community of disciples partnering with God in His redemption plan, serving as a foretaste of the new kingdom. As we move forward, let us focus on being faithful where we are planted, with the resources and people God has given us.

Key Takeaways:

1. Divine Partnership: Despite our imperfections, God invites us to partner with Him in His creation and redemption project. This partnership is a testament to His enduring love and faithfulness, calling us to be signposts of the new creation through our lives and actions. [42:50]

2. The Myth of Size: The Church Growth Movement emphasized numerical growth, leading to the myth that bigger is always better. While this brought many to faith, it also fostered a shallow focus on quantity over quality, highlighting the need for deep, patient spiritual formation. [49:48]

3. Comfort vs. Discipleship: The pursuit of comfort and convenience made faith more accessible but sometimes obscured the challenging nature of true discipleship. Being a disciple of Jesus requires daily commitment and sacrifice, not just a one-time decision. [56:47]

4. Platform and Influence: The rise of platforms and celebrity culture created a myth that louder is better, often overshadowing the quiet, faithful servants of Christ. True influence comes from living a life of genuine discipleship, not from fame or recognition. [01:04:17]

5. Faithful Community: We are called to be a faithful church, committed to the mission Jesus gave us, not distracted by myths. Our task is to be a community of disciples partnering with God in His redemption plan, serving as a foretaste of the new kingdom. [01:11:10]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Grandfather's Workshop and Lessons
- [02:00] - God's Invitation to Partner
- [03:30] - The Unchanging Mandate
- [05:00] - Church History: Triumphs and Failures
- [07:00] - The Perfect Head: Jesus Christ
- [09:00] - Cultural Influences on the Church
- [11:00] - Idea One: The Myth of Size
- [13:30] - Idea Two: Comfort and Convenience
- [16:00] - Idea Three: Platforms and Influence
- [18:30] - The Call to Faithfulness
- [20:00] - Looking Forward: New Creation Life
- [22:00] - Global Christian Event: Gather 25
- [24:00] - Invitation to Evening Service
- [25:30] - Closing Song: God's Faithfulness

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 1:26-28
2. Matthew 28:18-20
3. Psalm 100:5

#### Observation Questions
1. What role were humans given in Genesis 1:26-28, and how does this relate to the concept of divine partnership mentioned in the sermon? [42:50]
2. According to Matthew 28:18-20, what specific instructions did Jesus give to His disciples before ascending into heaven? How does this relate to the church's mission today? [45:15]
3. How does the sermon describe the impact of the Church Growth Movement on the church's focus and priorities? [49:48]
4. What are some examples given in the sermon of how the pursuit of comfort and convenience has influenced the church's approach to discipleship? [56:47]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of divine partnership in Genesis 1:26-28 challenge the way individuals view their role in God's creation and redemption plan? [42:50]
2. In what ways does the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 serve as a reminder of the church's ongoing mission, despite cultural influences and challenges? [45:15]
3. How might the myth that "bigger is always better" affect the spiritual depth and quality of a church community? [49:48]
4. What are the potential dangers of prioritizing comfort and convenience over the challenging nature of true discipleship, as discussed in the sermon? [56:47]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your personal understanding of divine partnership. How can you actively participate in God's creation and redemption project in your daily life? [42:50]
2. The Great Commission calls us to make disciples. Identify one person in your life who you can intentionally disciple or mentor in their faith journey. What steps will you take to begin this process? [45:15]
3. Consider the myth that "bigger is always better." How can you contribute to fostering a community that values spiritual depth over numerical growth? [49:48]
4. In what ways have you prioritized comfort and convenience in your faith journey? What changes can you make to embrace the challenges of true discipleship? [56:47]
5. Reflect on the influence of platforms and celebrity culture in your own life. How can you shift your focus to appreciate and learn from the quiet, faithful servants of Christ in your community? [01:04:17]
6. How can you and your small group commit to being a faithful community that partners with God in His redemption plan, serving as a foretaste of the new kingdom? [01:11:10]
7. Identify a specific area in your life where you can demonstrate God's love and faithfulness as a signpost of the new creation. What practical steps will you take this week to live this out? [42:50]

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Partnership in Imperfection
God invites us to join Him in His creation and redemption project, despite our flaws. This partnership is a testament to His enduring love and faithfulness, calling us to be signposts of the new creation through our lives and actions. We are reminded that from the very beginning, humanity was given a mandate to steward creation, a task that remains unchanged despite our failures. This divine partnership is not about our perfection but about God's grace and our willingness to participate in His work. As we embrace this calling, we become living testimonies of God's love and the hope of the new creation. [42:50]

"For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." (1 Corinthians 3:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively participate in God's creation and redemption project today, despite your imperfections?


Day 2: The Myth of Size and True Growth
The Church Growth Movement emphasized numerical growth, leading to the myth that bigger is always better. While this brought many to faith, it also fostered a shallow focus on quantity over quality. True spiritual growth requires deep, patient formation, not just an increase in numbers. The challenge is to focus on nurturing genuine discipleship and spiritual maturity, rather than being distracted by the allure of size. As we seek to grow, let us prioritize depth over breadth, ensuring that our faith communities are rooted in strong, authentic relationships with God and each other. [49:48]

"And he said, 'With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.'" (Mark 4:30-32, ESV)

Reflection: How can you contribute to the deep, patient spiritual formation of your community, rather than focusing on numbers?


Day 3: Comfort vs. Discipleship
The pursuit of comfort and convenience has made faith more accessible but sometimes obscured the challenging nature of true discipleship. Being a disciple of Jesus requires daily commitment and sacrifice, not just a one-time decision. True discipleship involves embracing the challenges and discomforts that come with following Christ, as we are called to take up our cross daily. Let us not be swayed by the allure of comfort but instead commit to the transformative journey of discipleship, which requires perseverance and dedication. [56:47]

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'" (Matthew 16:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can embrace discomfort for the sake of deeper discipleship today?


Day 4: Platform and Influence
The rise of platforms and celebrity culture has created a myth that louder is better, often overshadowing the quiet, faithful servants of Christ. True influence comes from living a life of genuine discipleship, not from fame or recognition. The call is to focus on being faithful in the small, everyday moments, trusting that God sees and values our quiet acts of service. Let us seek to influence others through our authentic witness and humble service, rather than striving for visibility or acclaim. [01:04:17]

"Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'" (Jeremiah 9:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: How can you use your influence today to quietly and faithfully serve others, without seeking recognition?


Day 5: Faithful Community
We are called to be a faithful church, committed to the mission Jesus gave us, not distracted by myths. Our task is to be a community of disciples partnering with God in His redemption plan, serving as a foretaste of the new kingdom. As we move forward, let us focus on being faithful where we are planted, with the resources and people God has given us. This involves nurturing a community that reflects God's love and grace, and actively participating in His work of redemption in the world. [01:11:10]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you contribute to building a faithful community that reflects God's love and grace today?

Quotes

"I was thinking about this this week because as we've been journeying on this series about church history, it occurred to me that despite knowing that we are imperfect, despite knowing that we quite a lot of the time don't know what we're doing, despite knowing that we're pretty terrible at following instructions a lot of the time, despite knowing that we will put dents and scratches and holes in the wrong spots, our God still deeply desires for us to play a part and partner with him in his creation redemption project." [00:40:31] (54 seconds)


"You know, right at the very start of the Bible in Genesis, we read that God created humankind in his image and that he gave us a job to do. It says they will reign over the fish in the sea and the birds and the livestock and the wild animals and the small animals that scurry on the ground. They will reign. The message version says they will be responsible for." [00:41:29] (32 seconds)


"That mandate that we were given by our Creator has actually never changed. It has never changed. And that is why we have a part to play. That is why God wants us to participate with Him, together with Him, in this redemption plan for all of creation. We still have to rule over creation, as we were taught to. And designed to do." [00:42:18] (32 seconds)


"And we have to provide the rest of the world, the rest of the people in our world, with a signpost, a billboard, a teaser, a small foretaste of the new creation to come. We have to demonstrate by the way that we live our lives and love one another and love God, what it looks like to live." [00:42:50] (28 seconds)


"And teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. And so, for the 2,000 years since Jesus said those words, roughly, the church, disciples of Jesus, have been trying to figure out how to do this." [00:44:09] (22 seconds)


"And there have also been times when the church has been really rotten at this. And actually had a very negative effect on the world. And, of course, times everywhere in between. The church, we have learnt over the last few weeks, is made up of normal people. The only perfect person in the church is at the head. Jesus Christ." [00:45:00] (27 seconds)


"Somehow, in the mess of all the great decisions, and all the terrible decisions, and all the decisions in between, Our faithful, merciful, kind, generous God who loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son, has used His people to build His church. And just as Jesus promised, the gates of hell..." [00:46:42] (25 seconds)


"And believing this myth that bigger is always better caused some bad outcomes, one of which was a new level of shallow focus in the church. This idea that bigger must always be better caused this kind of idea and caused us as the Western church perhaps to focus on a production line, getting a production line of people who would just accept Jesus with a decision and then move them on and we'd go to the next person." [00:53:50] (36 seconds)


"And we'd create this production line of decision makers for Jesus instead of creating a community that would foster the long, the patient, and deep life transformation work of the Holy Spirit. Steve Carter, a pastor, a pastor, I really like, he says, you cannot microwave spiritual formation. That's good, isn't it?" [00:54:25] (34 seconds)


"And the church has perhaps focused so much in recent years on how easy it is to invite Jesus into our lives that we've hidden perhaps the inconvenient truth that being a faithful devoted follower of Jesus for the rest of your life is actually really hard. Think about some of the things that Jesus had to say about following him then he said to the crowd if any of you wants to be my follower you must give up your own way take up your cross daily and follow me." [00:56:47] (37 seconds)


"And we seek to build as big a platform for our Christian brothers and sisters and ourselves as we possibly can. And conversely, perhaps we have paid less and less attention to the quiet, unknown, unassuming, faithful servant of Jesus who sits at the back, who could probably teach us more about being a disciple of Jesus than any celebrity could on any platform. And yet, our attention is on the platform." [01:06:42] (46 seconds)


"And despite the fact that throughout history, humanity has constantly moved forward a few steps and back a few steps, God continues to desire a partnership with us. As we wrap up this series and we wrap up this morning, here's a quote from an Australian pastor, theologian, ecclesiologist, someone who studies the Church, Mark Glanville, which I think something sums up very nicely and something that we can ponder on as we move into the future." [01:09:54] (39 seconds)


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Transcript
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