The invitation of following Jesus together as a community is both daunting and exhilarating- sometimes both in the same moment. We know the discipleship journey is full of twists and turns- but over the last 15 years of sharing formation, community, and mission as a network of MC’s- we’ve been able to decipher a few key convictions of every leadership team and MC who has faithfully and fruitfully carried out their calling to be and make disciples of Jesus. These are simple, they can be seen all across the pages of Matthew (if you are tracking with Missio), and we want to share them with you.
Every single faithful leadership team and community we’ve had the joy of serving with seems to have at least the following five things in common. Each of these is held within the context of staying connected themselves in a community of grace and truth, curating an environment of obedience, and delves into daily discipleship practices themselves.
Disclaimer: These are convictions not ingredients. You can’t just grab the words off the shelf throw them into a MC, stir them around and hope faithful disciples emerge. They have to be held at a gut level and acted on regularly.
We want to disciple people as they receive the good news of the kingdom and then continue to equip them to lead others to do the same. Here are a few of the guiding convictions we’ve seen in every community who has faithfully carried out their unique calling over the last decade and a half.
Each leadership team is committed to:
God's Guiding Grace
In our MC’s, we want to continue nurturing a culture of confidently counting on God's preceding presence, perceiving that Jesus has journeyed ahead of anywhere our feet may step. This could be in mesmerizing miracles, mundane moments of breakthrough, or prior miraculous moments in people's lives. But we are convinced that we join Jesus in what he is up to- not invite him on our discipleship itinerary. His grace fills us and guides our steps as we join him in his work in the world.
Practicing Prayerful Presence
We start with prayer. This isn’t the subtle nuance of our work, but it’s the bold master stroke. We want to continue to prioritize prayer in all of its forms as a paramount practice. Every step, from discovering people of peace to initiating conversations and forming churches, is permeated with prayer. Without it we succumb to anxious activity, but the way of Jesus and ongoing discipleship work seems to be prayerful presence where we are not driven by the insecurities of our MC or missionary context and are able to stay differentiated not avoiding or meshing with other people in their anxiety and fear.
Pivoting From Perfectionism
Matthew has shown us that none of us are perfect and there is no expert but Jesus. We learn, we train, we submit to one another, but we are not perfect. So when teams are willing to let their perfectionism sit on the sideline they often find themselves pivoting to something even more powerful. A deep Spirit dependence. Everyday individuals, empowered by the Spirit can be used in incredible ways. In fact it’s those who are usually considered weak and broken, are those who are propelled into leadership as they witness and submit to the the Spirit's transformative work. We aren’t perfect, and don’t expect our communities to be- but together we submit to the Spirit and his ongoing work in, around, and through us.
Faithful Fortitude Amidst Friction
We hope you understand that there will be friction as you follow Jesus. In Matthew’s gospel we’ve seen the declaration of the kingdom is at odds with the kingdom of this world, the Tempter, the powers of corruption, greed, and deception, AND even man made religion. We’ve seen the practice of the ways of the kingdom as divisive for those who reject Jesus as king. Make no mistake, disciples who set out to follow Jesus in making more disciples should anticipate persecution and friction as part of the discipleship journey. But if we trust the words of Jesus - sacrifices made in faithfulness to Jesus will offer opportunities for further sharing, fostering a resilient spirit in the face of diverse and often painful challenges.
Regularly Repenting and Reorienting in the True Story.
In every faithful and fruitful setting the MC commits to regular repentance and reorientation. We can never assume the gospel, but fight to make it explicit. We continue to “run issues through the True Story”, we explore the narrative and regularly reorient and reshape our lives by what we discover. MC’s that set down roots and mature in health take proactive and ongoing action to joyfully and deeply find their calling in the Story and re-examine their lives (both personal and communal) in light of God’s larger story.
Here’s a final warning and an encouragement.
A Warning: Rust develops quickly. In Arizona we don’t have a huge issue with rust, but where I grew up in NJ if you didn’t take purposeful proactive action with your metal objects- the salt air would inevitablely rust even the most beautiful objects. Sometimes it seemed like rust would settle in overnight and destroy. Rendering what was once beautiful and effective, destroyed with just a little neglect. The same happens with communities who deviate from these convictions in discipleship environments. If we waver from them in conviction and practice, we will soon find our own hearts drifting from abiding, our compassion giving way to cynicism, and our life choices marked by idolatry instead of discipleship.
An Encouragement: This is for everyone. This disciplemaking isn’t just for the elite or those holding theological degrees. Every believer can (and should) be marked by faithful story participation. These 5 simple convictions can be held and practiced by everyone from students to those living in Sr. Assisted living homes. They are simple. They are powerful. They will change your life and by God’s grace your neighborhood or network of friends.
Enjoy the journey my friends.
Kevin