Cell Church, Cell Church, Discipleship & Discipleship &

the Great the Great Commission Commission Methodist Cell Church Methodist Cell Church

ConferenceConference

Models of ChurchModels of Church

Create space not life.Create space not life.

Structures are for relationships, Structures are for relationships, not vice versanot vice versa

Are a good servant and a bad Are a good servant and a bad mastermaster

Don’t all work everywhere – Don’t all work everywhere – there is no avoiding discernmentthere is no avoiding discernment

WHY CELL CHURCH?WHY CELL CHURCH?

Mission - Flexibilty for Mission - Flexibilty for mission to the unchurched.mission to the unchurched.

Ministry - The mobilisation Ministry - The mobilisation of every member.of every member.

Discipleship - Christian Discipleship - Christian distinctiveness in a distinctiveness in a consumer society.consumer society.

OUR LONG TERM OUR LONG TERM PRIORITYPRIORITY

‘‘When dealing with discipleship When dealing with discipleship and the related capacity to and the related capacity to generate authentic followers of generate authentic followers of Jesus, we are dealing with that Jesus, we are dealing with that single most crucial factor that single most crucial factor that will in the end determine the will in the end determine the quality of the whole – if we fail quality of the whole – if we fail at this point then we must fail at this point then we must fail in all the others.’ Alan Hirschin all the others.’ Alan Hirsch

The Purpose of Mission Is The Purpose of Mission Is DiscipleshipDiscipleship

The Great CommissionThe Great Commission16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee,

to the mountain to which Jesus had directed to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. them. 1717When they saw him, they worshipped When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. him; but some doubted. 1818And Jesus came and And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. earth has been given to me. 1919Go therefore Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Son and of the Holy Spirit, 2020and teaching and teaching them to obey everything that I have them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.you always, to the end of the age.

DiscipleshipDiscipleship

‘‘The Great Omission from the Great The Great Omission from the Great Commission in which the Great Commission in which the Great Disparity is firmly rooted’Disparity is firmly rooted’

The great disparity between ‘the hope The great disparity between ‘the hope for life expressed in Jesus and the for life expressed in Jesus and the actual day to day behaviour, inner life actual day to day behaviour, inner life and social presence of most of those and social presence of most of those who now profess allegiance to him.’ who now profess allegiance to him.’ Dallas WillardDallas Willard

The Purpose of The Purpose of Discipleship Is To Be a Discipleship Is To Be a

BlessingBlessing

Jesus fulfills the promise Jesus fulfills the promise to Abrahamto Abraham

12:3 12:3 GoGo … and in you … and in you all the families of the all the families of the earthearth shall be blessed shall be blessed

18:18 18:18 all the nations of the earthall the nations of the earth shall be shall be blessed in him (Abraham)blessed in him (Abraham)

22:18 22:18 all the nations of the earthall the nations of the earth gain gain blessing blessing

26:4 and 26:4 and all the nations of the earthall the nations of the earth shall shall gain blessinggain blessing

28:14 28:14 all the families of the earthall the families of the earth shall be shall be blessedblessed

Mt. 28:19 Mt. 28:19 GoGo and make disciples of and make disciples of all nationsall nations

Jesus fulfills the promise Jesus fulfills the promise to Abrahamto Abraham

Gal.3:8 And the scripture, Gal.3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, the Gentiles by faith, declared the declared the gospel beforehand to Abrahamgospel beforehand to Abraham, , saying, ‘saying, ‘All the GentilesAll the Gentiles shall be shall be blessed in you.’ blessed in you.’

Mt. 1:1 An account of the genealogy Mt. 1:1 An account of the genealogy of of Jesus the MessiahJesus the Messiah, the son of , the son of David, David, the son of Abraham.the son of Abraham.

Mt 28:19 Go therefore and make Mt 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of disciples of all nationsall nations

What Is Discipleship?What Is Discipleship?

What Is Discipleship?What Is Discipleship?

‘‘It was in Antioch that the It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called disciples were first called ‘Christians’.’ Acts 11:26‘Christians’.’ Acts 11:26

The idea of being Jesus disciple The idea of being Jesus disciple predates the word Christian.predates the word Christian.

What Is Discipleship?What Is Discipleship?

Mark 3:14-15 Mark 3:14-15 AndAnd he appointed he appointed twelve, whom he also named twelve, whom he also named apostles, apostles, to be with himto be with him, , and and to be to be sent outsent out to proclaim the message to proclaim the message and to have authority to cast out and to have authority to cast out demons.demons.

The heart of discipleship is being The heart of discipleship is being with Jesus, in order to be like him.with Jesus, in order to be like him.

Mt. 10:25 It is enough for the Mt. 10:25 It is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher.disciple to be like the teacher.

What Is Discipleship?What Is Discipleship?

‘‘If I am to be Jesus’ disciple that If I am to be Jesus’ disciple that means means I am with him to learn from I am with him to learn from him how to be like him. him how to be like him. Dallas Dallas WillardWillard

There is no discipleship There is no discipleship without mission.without mission.

There is no discipleship There is no discipleship without mission.without mission.

To ‘be with’ Jesus is not static but To ‘be with’ Jesus is not static but active.active.

It involves following.It involves following.

(And going - being sent.)(And going - being sent.)

There will be no discipleship apart There will be no discipleship apart from the following and going.from the following and going.

If making disciples is at the heart of If making disciples is at the heart of mission, then mission is the essential mission, then mission is the essential context for learning discipleship.context for learning discipleship.

There is no discipleship There is no discipleship without mission.without mission.

This is the calling of ordinary This is the calling of ordinary worshipping Christians, with their worshipping Christians, with their doubts and struggles.doubts and struggles.

Worship and mission are Worship and mission are inseparable, inseparable,

They form the rhythm of church They form the rhythm of church life.life.

Authentic worship leads to mission.Authentic worship leads to mission.

Authentic mission wins Authentic mission wins worshippers.worshippers.

HOW ARE DISCIPLES HOW ARE DISCIPLES MADE?MADE?

How are disciples How are disciples made?made?

As Jesus made disciples.As Jesus made disciples.

‘‘TheThe founding of the whole founding of the whole Christian movement Christian movement waswas initiated initiated through the simple acts of Jesus through the simple acts of Jesus investing his life and embedding investing his life and embedding his teachings in his followers and his teachings in his followers and developing them into authentic developing them into authentic disciples’disciples’. Alan Hirsch. Alan Hirsch

How are disciples How are disciples made?made?

Only disciples make disciples.Only disciples make disciples.

‘‘He commissions his own disciples He commissions his own disciples to go out and replicate themselves to go out and replicate themselves by creating communities of by creating communities of obedience among the nations. … obedience among the nations. … Mission is replicated discipleship, Mission is replicated discipleship, learned through ethical obedience learned through ethical obedience and passed on through teaching.’ and passed on through teaching.’ Christopher Wright Christopher Wright

By ‘Going’By ‘Going’

‘‘Discipleship emerges out of Discipleship emerges out of prayer, study, dialogue, and prayer, study, dialogue, and worship by a community learning worship by a community learning to ask the questions of obedience, to ask the questions of obedience, as they are engaged directly in as they are engaged directly in mission.’ mission.’ Alan RoxburghAlan Roxburgh

By ‘baptizing’By ‘baptizing’

That through the Son, and by the That through the Son, and by the Spirit we will share the Son’s Spirit we will share the Son’s relationship with the Father – which is relationship with the Father – which is the key to his discipleship.the key to his discipleship.

And ‘As members of Christ’s body And ‘As members of Christ’s body they are baptized into his mission, they are baptized into his mission, equipped by the Spirit to make their equipped by the Spirit to make their distinctive contribution to the totality distinctive contribution to the totality of the ministry of the church.’ of the ministry of the church.’ Eddie Gibbs Eddie Gibbs

By ‘baptizing’By ‘baptizing’’’Incorporating people into the Incorporating people into the

community called the Church.'community called the Church.'

’’No mission is imaginable that does not No mission is imaginable that does not lead to people's incorporation into the lead to people's incorporation into the Church.Church.

The disciple follows the Master but The disciple follows the Master but he/she never follows him alone.'he/she never follows him alone.'

’’Disciples belong together in an Disciples belong together in an indestructible fellowship.' David Boschindestructible fellowship.' David Bosch

By ‘teaching’By ‘teaching’

‘‘All that I have commanded you’All that I have commanded you’

The whole gospel becomes a manual The whole gospel becomes a manual for the making of disciples.for the making of disciples.

Much more than compiling a list of Much more than compiling a list of ethical requirements.ethical requirements.

It is an integrated ethical code It is an integrated ethical code fulfilling and going beyond the Law of fulfilling and going beyond the Law of Moses Moses

By ‘teaching’By ‘teaching’

Not ethics aloneNot ethics alone

Word and deed, evangelism and social Word and deed, evangelism and social action, healing and deliverance.action, healing and deliverance.

Baptism is mentioned before teaching, Baptism is mentioned before teaching, but no hint of the ethical implications of but no hint of the ethical implications of following Christ being introduced at a following Christ being introduced at a later stage.later stage.

Evangelism to begin with ethics, not Evangelism to begin with ethics, not treat it as a postscripttreat it as a postscript

COUNTERING COUNTERING CONSUMERISMCONSUMERISM

‘‘The activity of The activity of consuming has consuming has become a kind of become a kind of template or model template or model for the way in for the way in which citizens of which citizens of contemporary contemporary Western societies Western societies have come to have come to view all their view all their activities.’ Colin activities.’ Colin Campbell Campbell

CONSUMERISMCONSUMERISM

Idolatry (Misdirection)Idolatry (Misdirection)

False hope (Seduction)False hope (Seduction)

Counterfeit assuranceCounterfeit assurance

Disciple makingDisciple making

MisdirectionMisdirectionMisdirection services the idolatrous Misdirection services the idolatrous

element of consumerism. element of consumerism.

Misdirection is ‘the advertising Misdirection is ‘the advertising strategy of associating strategy of associating commodities with needs, desires commodities with needs, desires and values that are not directly and values that are not directly related to the given products. related to the given products. Misdirection works by encouraging Misdirection works by encouraging consumers to fulfil more profound consumers to fulfil more profound needs and desires through needs and desires through consumption.’ Vincent consumption.’ Vincent MillerMiller

SeductionSeductionProvides a consumer hope, a Provides a consumer hope, a

consumer promise of the consumer promise of the future.future.

‘‘Consumer desire is not Consumer desire is not focused on particular things; focused on particular things; it is constantly enticed to go it is constantly enticed to go beyond what has been beyond what has been acquired to consider acquired to consider something new.’ Millersomething new.’ Miller

MIMICRYMIMICRY

‘‘You made us for yourself and You made us for yourself and our heart find no peace until our heart find no peace until they rest in you.’ Augustinethey rest in you.’ Augustine

‘ ‘Consumer desire mimics the Consumer desire mimics the restlessness of our earthly restlessness of our earthly pilgrimage.’ Vincent Millerpilgrimage.’ Vincent Miller

AN ASSURANCE AN ASSURANCE MECHANISMMECHANISM

‘‘The deeper underlying human The deeper underlying human need for reassurance need for reassurance concerning the reality of the concerning the reality of the self.’self.’

‘‘A kind of default philosophy A kind of default philosophy for all modern life.’for all modern life.’

Countering Countering consumerismconsumerism

A more captivating motive for A more captivating motive for daily choicesdaily choices

A more powerful set of A more powerful set of character forming habitscharacter forming habits

A proactive supportive A proactive supportive community – cell and community – cell and congregationcongregation

Only through ChristOnly through Christ

Based on his achievementBased on his achievement

Under his authorityUnder his authority

In his presenceIn his presence

ConclusionConclusion

Discipleship lies at the heart of Discipleship lies at the heart of mission.mission.

It is both the object of mission and It is both the object of mission and provides mission with its integrity.provides mission with its integrity.

It has an ecology in which it flourishes: It has an ecology in which it flourishes: consisting of: consisting of:

a life lived obediently in the presence a life lived obediently in the presence of Christ, of Christ,

participation in an interdependent participation in an interdependent Christian community, Christian community,

and active participation in mission.and active participation in mission.

Cell Church, Cell Church, Discipleship & Discipleship &

the Great the Great Commission Commission Methodist Cell Church Methodist Cell Church

ConferenceConference