During the course of my ministry years, study, and reflection, and despite many wonderful things happening across the church generally, we are clearly seeing that the greatest vulnerability for the Australian Church is a weak discipleship strategy – and it affects everything else we do.
I mean no criticism of the Church. I love the Church. Always have. Always will. And I will always serve it as Christ has called me. But I yearn for it to really come into its inheritance as the people of God, and that inheritance is inextricably bound up in the Great Commission …
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
During post graduate studies years ago I researched John Wesley, an Anglican minister who rose to prominence in 18th century England. He was deeply concerned about the state of his church denomination and the gradual introversion that was occurring that saw many Christians turning inward to a personal and private, unaccountable religion that had no regard at all for the mission of the church, especially evangelism and disciple-making. Wesley became a powerful evangelist and theologian and took his ministry to the streets and prisons of England and Wales – to the stranger (the neighbour right in front of him). He outlined a ‘moral pathway’ (his description of the trajectory of the disciple’s faith walk) which necessarily culminates in walking toward the stranger to share Christ. This enabled those who followed him in what became the Methodist movement to imitate him and ultimately providing inspiration for modern Christians to do the same. Wesley’s challenge was in building and shaping highly motivated disciples of Christ who could then make disciples themselves.
This was the one job of the Church as Wesley saw it.
One job.
On more than one occasion early on he had established a small (discipleship) group only to return after ministering all over the countryside to find this group in disarray, and the wheels starting to fall off. He was perplexed to no end. Wesley began to strategise about creating discipleship environments that endured and produced not “almost Christians” but “altogether Christians”, as he would typically say, who were mature followers of Christ, passionate for their Lord and passionately engaged in His work. Fully functioning kingdom operatives who knew how to make disciples.
Well, Wesley succeeded so effectively that England and Wales were dotted with small groups and societies within a decade which were local environments that produced altogether Christians – fully functioning disciples. This became an unstoppable, grassroots disciple movement, which triggered a major revival that stretched coast to coast. It was a remarkable thing and was probably the single biggest occurrence of the period that prevented England from descending into the same horror and violence of the French Revolution.
Wesley’s challenge is our challenge today, too! How do we stop the wheels falling off our best efforts to establish really strong and effective Connect Group ministry settings each of which are disciple-making environments? How did Wesley create such effective environments? That’s the critical issue. The answer lies in understanding how people come to faith, are born again and continue on to become mature disciples. In basic terms John Wesley saw four dimensions to the pathway of effective discipleship, see below …
“Ortho” is what is called a “combining form” word. It is added to another word to provide particular meaning. For example, “fold” can function as a combining form word. When added to “five” to form “fivefold” something else is particularly understood. Ortho is such a word (yes, it is a word). It means (basically) straight; rectangular; upright; correct; aligned and so on. So, an orthodontist works at bringing teeth back into their correct alignment for proper functionality. Likewise, orthopaedics is the correction of misaligned feet and so on, bringing them back to proper alignment and function. You get the drift. “Ortho” is the correct standard or reference point if you like off which all else is measured. Orthodoxy, (from the Greek orthos = straight or right; and doxa = opinion or conclusion) for the Christian, is the right and correct view of Scripture and the doctrines it clearly teaches - and not doctrines invented by human beings which do not reference scripture and therefore contradict it. That would be “unorthodox”, and not “right”, or “proper”.
For the church over centuries, “orthodox” is the term that expresses the idea that certain statements accurately embody the revealed truth content of Christianity and are therefore (in their own nature) the correct and normal standard for the universal church. Wesley measured the rightness of his opinions and their normative value against Scripture and the apostolicity of ancient Christian teachings. His primary source of right opinion was the Bible, and ours should be, too.
Wesley was convinced that proper teaching (orthodoxy), led to a right heart (orthokardia) or right heart attitude before God, and that with right disciplines (orthopaideia ), the right discipleship practices (orthopraxy), would be empowered by Holy Spirit to produce “altogether Christians” – the kind of people that triggered revival! He was right. Wesleyan theologians past - and into the present decade - have adopted this theological language for his four-dimensional pathway. These are terms that Wesley himself never used, but they help us to understand why Wesley’s small groups ministry was so powerful and enduring. Wesley’s groups grew into what became the Methodist Movement – and what a powerful movement it was. These “ortho” terms also help us today in developing the ‘nuts and bolts’ of our Connect Group environments which we all want to be effective in making disciples, not just nice admirers of Jesus.
Here’s my point in this rather heavy read. Without right teaching (orthodoxy), there can be no right heart poised before God in humble obedience. Without a right heart, no right discipline is sustainable, or ability embraced, to live the redeemed life in the way Jesus calls us to. Our journey as a church this year will continue to shape and establish a strong disciple-making culture that produces disciples who live rightly for Jesus and His mission. Yep, it will be challenging at times. But I encourage you to come with me on this amazing journey. Don’t fall for the flood of “unorthodox” teaching spewed out on YouTube, check everything against Scripture – everything! If it won’t bow the knee to Scripture, ditch it, or it will build a stronghold in your mind that is anti-Great Commission, it will be all about you. That’s so dangerous and the wheels will fall off. One job, friends! One job is what we have.
2 Timothy 1:13-14 (NIV)
“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
You are loved.
Ps Milton
[Sources: Essay & Assignment research; PhD Thesis by Dr Michael Duncan; Oxford Dictionary; Theological Dictionary by J R Ensey]