Jump to     PRACTICES Exploring Your Culture Reflecting on Our Own Disciple Formation for Mission The Disciple Formation Guide

Disciple Formation
(Christian Education) for Mission

by MIKE HOFFMAN,
with contributions from Mary Gill and Diane Sadler

Disciple Formation

Lifelong disciple formation in Community of Christ is the intentional shaping of persons in the likeness of Christ at all stages of life. It begins with our response to the grace of God in loving community and continues as we help each other learn, grow, and serve in the cause of the peaceable kingdom. —2007 Lifelong Discipleship Formation Team

Disciple formation is the intentional shaping of persons in the likeness of Christ at all stages of life. Congregations engage in Christ’s mission by equipping persons of all ages to be true and living expressions of the life, ministry, and continuing presence of Christ in the world. —Mission Initiatives: Develop Disciples to Serve

Disciple formation includes, but is much more than, “Christian education.” This article has two purposes:

• To help pastors and congregational leaders as they lead disciple formation in ways that propel the congregation and its disciples into mission.
• To identify Christian education opportunities related to disciple formation, built upon the eight practices of discipleship and mission.

Disciples are formed in faith for Christ’s mission.

The whole point of being a disciple of Jesus is to live out Christ’s mission. Therefore, a critical question for pastors and congregational leaders is: “How can we intentionally plan and develop experiences in the congregation and community that shape disciples in the likeness of Christ and equip them for Christ’s mission? The essential experiences for this type of formation are those that provide opportunities for three things—deepening, equipping, and ministering.

Deepening means growing in relationships with God, self, and with others in community. As growth happens in one relationship; it is enhanced in the others. These relationships are intricately related to one another.

Equipping means helping disciples grow in ability and knowledge. It includes helping disciples discover, develop, and share their God-given gifts, so that all may be aware of the gifts available for Christ’s mission. See Ephesians 4:11–12.

Ministering means growing in service, putting faith into action, and continuing to grow and be shaped into the likeness of Christ. It is the means through which people bear the fruit of their discipleship.

To foster deepening, equipping, and ministering, Community of Christ upholds eight practices of discipleship. Each practice is an opportunity for the congregation to provide education that supports Christ’s mission—our mission!

Eight Practices of Discipleship

Scripture and Theological Study—responsible interpretation and faithful application of scripture and theology. The purpose of this discipleship practice is to ground disciples and congregations in God’s good news as they prepare for and participate in Christ’s mission.

Key Questions:

• How is your congregation’s study of scripture and theology preparing the congregation and its members to serve Christ’s mission?
• How is your congregation currently studying scripture and theology?
• What other approaches could your congregation explore to study scripture and theology?

Missional Encounters—applying a Christ-like response to the needs of humans and creation. The purposes of this discipleship practice are for congregations and disciples to provide ministries directly related to the mission initiatives and to learn by doing.

Key Questions:

• What is your congregation studying that supports your congregation’s mission or that of its members?
• As your congregation reflects on doing missional encounters ask, “How does this activity relate to the life, ministry, and mission of Jesus Christ?” or “What scripture comes to mind after having just participated in a missional encounter?”

Personal Spiritual Practices—engaging people in disciplines which help them connect with or relate to God for renewal and focus on Christ’s mission.

Key Question:

• What personal spiritual practices need to be taught or strengthened in your congregation?

Community Spiritual Practices—connecting gathered people with God and one another through spiritual disciplines to deepen their relationships with others and with God for renewal in and focus on Christ’s mission.

Key Question:

• What community spiritual practices need to be taught or strengthened?

Personal Relationships—developing one-on-one mutually transformative relationships for sharing joys and concerns and for accountability to one another as disciples.

Key Question:

• What relationships does your congregation need to focus on to promote inviting people to Christ and working side-by-side with others in mission?

Shared Experiences in Community—experiencing fellowship and building relationships in Christian community.

Key Questions:

• How is your congregation helping its members know one another, learn about others’ giftedness, become vulnerable to one another and to Christ, and share positive witness of Christ’s mission in the community?
• What learning is needed for intentional relationship-building activities key to focusing on the mission of Christ?

Witnessing and Storytelling—is to hear, tell, and live the sacred story. It includes sharing personal and community stories of God’s grace and the invitation to others to share in the peace of Jesus Christ.

Key Question:

• Would classes in public speaking, storytelling, developing a testimony, or hospitality help the congregation grow further gifts in this area? Help in getting started can be found in the personal witness training resource Vibrant Witness: Who Me? (Order from www.HeraldHouse.org.)

Lifelong Learning—deepening discipleship through specific instruction and training throughout all of life.

Key Question:

• What are some of the subject areas that need attention in the congregation in order to close the gap between the giftedness of its members and the needs in the community?

1. What are ways a congregation can help people learn and grow in the likeness of Christ?
   
   Disciple formation for mission includes many aspects of congregational life and witness in the community beyond what we consider Christian education. Use of the Disciple Formation Guide (www.CofChrist.org/dfg) is one way to explore this question.
2. How can disciple formation become an integral component of discerning and leading a congregation in mission?
   
   When you think about all that shapes us into the likeness of Christ, you realize that disciple formation is already an integral component of congregational life. The challenge is how to be intentional—remember we will be shaped into some image. If we are shaped into the likeness of Christ, we will do Christ’s mission. As a leader of a congregation you have a responsibility to help those in your congregation engage in mission.
3. How can the pastor’s leadership team proactively work with those responsible for disciple formation (Christian education) to ensure alignment with the congregation’s emerging mission?
   
   It is important to be proactive and inclusive in leadership. Those responsible for disciple formation should be on the leadership team for your congregation. It’s important to frequently ask questions to determine if disciple formation (and all areas of congregational life) is in alignment with the congregation’s response to the church’s five mission initiatives.
4. Where can the leadership team find good resources to support disciple formation that leads to mission? How can the Disciple Formation Guide be utilized as a strategic tool for mission?
   
   A good place to find resources for disciple formation is to ask your mission center officers, field officers, and specialists at International Headquarters.
   
   In general, to help determine if a resource fits with Community of Christ identity, message, mission, and beliefs, use the Resource Assessment Tool. It’s available on the Disciple Formation Guide at www.CofChrist.org/dfg/tools.asp.
   
   No single place however, is more helpful for finding good resources than the Disciple Formation Guide (www.CofChrist.org/dfg). Pastors and congregational leaders should become familiar with this important asset. It is updated at least quarterly. Pastors and leaders should not only review it regularly for ideas and resources but submit ideas, best practices, and resources that have been successful in their congregations.
   

The following are only three examples of what you can find in the Disciple Formation Guide.

Disciple Profile
Through reflective responses to key questions, this tool helps individuals of all ages, reflect on and focus their use of discipleship practices. Members of ministry teams, entire congregations, and mission centers can benefit by completing this tool and looking at trends related to practices of discipleship. It’s available for adults, youth, and children. Copies of the forms, a how-to video, and a sample Disciple Formation Service that integrates the use of the Disciple Profile are available at www.CofChrist.org/dfg/tools.asp.  

Disciple Formation Growth Plan
This tool, a companion piece to the Disciple Profile, helps all ages customize and personalize a plan for disciple formation. Individuals set a goal for a specific length of time (such as one month, three months) then write down ways to grow in disciple formation through the practices of discipleship. Use this tool to bring the practices into tangible goals that are personally geared to the opportunities and realities of life. It may be done in groups or in a class. This is also available at www.CofChrist.org/dfg/tools.asp.

Lesson Template
To create specific lessons or a series of lessons based on needs determined through the Disciple Profile or other means, use the Lesson Template. It helps pull together ideas, activities, and resources from the Disciple Formation Guide in a proven method for lesson construction. It can be used for church school classes, retreats, small group study, and age-specific activities. A copy of the form, a sample lesson, and instructions on how to use it is available at www.CofChrist.org/dfg/tools.asp.

 

		Exploring Your Culture
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OBJECTIVE
To help your congregation get better acquainted with its community in order to understand more clearly needs that the congregation may be called to address.

PROCESS
Exegeting Your Culture¹: As your congregation focuses on Christ’s mission and works to determine its response, it’s important to know your community. This practice, adapted from scriptural exegesis [learning about the history, culture, and language relative to a specific scripture], helps your congregation develop a deeper relationship with your community and to discern what God is calling you to do.

Ask your neighbors and people in the surrounding community lots of questions. Anecdotal information about your city, town, or village and its people is unbeatable. Ask them the what, how, and why questions: What do you think is broken in our neighborhood or city? What gets you excited about life? What do you think should be done about economic decline in our city? Why do you drive across town to do _______? Why do you like or dislike traditional Christianity? Adapt questions or create new ones to fit your specific situation. This can be done by people of all ages and across the generations.

Read local, independent publications. Very often the stuff that looks like a waste of time contains some of the clearest voices from within your culture. Get local (not just national) opinions and reviews on movies, books, culture, and politics. These can be studied during church school classes, study groups, groups focusing on discernment, and the pastor’s leadership team.

Gather historical information on your city and neighborhood. How did your neighborhood, community, or city come to be the way it is? What political, cultural, and economic issues have shaped the character and beliefs of your city? Read local authors and histories.

Participate in local art, music, and business. Support local business, go to art shows, and listen to local bands. Examples are endless. Be aware of and part of your community.

As a congregation, discuss what you’re learning. Does any of the learning shed light on what God may be calling members of the congregation to do?

¹Adapted from Jonathan Dodson, “Exegeting Your Culture” (blog), accessed January 14, 2009, http://jonathandodson.org/2009/01/exegeting-your-culture/.

		Reflecting on Our Own Disciple Formation for Mission*
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OBJECTIVE
To help leaders think about their personal formation as disciples and what they may need.

PROCESS
We are being formed as disciples even as we provide leadership for disciple formation for mission. This is especially important as we think about the demands of leading the church, and how leaders must balance career, ministry, family, and other interests. The elements and practices of discipleship that shape community also shape our own lives. Our concern is how each of these is occurring in our own lives. One way we can evaluate our personal growth is to periodically reflect on the following questions:

How has deepening been a part of my life these past weeks?

1. How have I grown in my relationship with Christ? My understanding of Christ’s mission?
2. How have I become more aware of myself as a person—my strengths, weaknesses, struggles, fears, hopes, temptations, avoidances, challenges, and dreams?
3. How have I developed a stronger community in which to share my own faith journey and encourage the journeys of others?
4. How can I go deeper in my own discipleship?

How has equipping been a part of my life these past weeks?

1. How have I discovered new gifts or used old ones in new ways?
2. How is my call being lived out? Is it still vital? Am I sensing a new call?
3. What have I learned that is important to my living as a disciple?
4. What skills have I acquired or improved that increase my ability to live as a disciple?
5. What I can do to enhance my own equipping?

How has ministry been a part of my life these past weeks?

1. How is the leadership role I play expressed in my ministry?
2. In what new ways am I living out my discipleship—at home, in the church, at work, in the community?
3. How has my ministry strengthened my life as a disciple?
4. What can I do to enhance my ministry?

*Adapted from, Jeffrey D. Jones, Traveling Together: A Guide for Disciple-Forming Congregations, (Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute, 2006) 117–118.

		The Disciple Formation Guide
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OBJECTIVE
To help leaders become familiar with the Disciple Formation Guide as a tool for growing disciples.

PROCESS
Ask someone from your congregation to invest some time on the church’s website getting familiar with the Disciple Formation Guide (www.CofChrist.org/dfg). Once they feel comfortable using it, invite them to demonstrate its use to the pastor’s leadership team. If that’s a small group of two to three people, you can sit around a common computer for this. If it’s a larger group, project the guide on a wall or show it on a larger monitor. Be sure to include the pastors/leaders section of the guide in the presentation.

Explore the guide together and talk about its use in the congregation for lesson planning, study groups, or other ways of addressing disciple formation..