Discipline

Woody Stevens asked the question, "Who are you discipling and who's discipling you?"  Despite the fact that my spellchecker doesn't like the word "discipling", it's a fair question.

In the Nazarene denomination, the vision statement is "making Christlike disciples in the nations".  Unquestionably a worthwhile goal.

Dr. Micheal Henderson points out, "By making disciples, we ensure Jesus' presence."  He said this while pointing to the great commission, Matthew 28:18-20.

Discipleship is important and we get that, but... how does it happen?  Let's momentarily pretend there's a right way and a wrong way in discipleship.  Here's some ways to contrast the two:

1. "We'll just do discipleship from this hour to that hour."  A disciple/mentor doesn't really get time off.  Does this mean that you're always on the clock?  Yes.  Does this mean you're always working? No.  Consider: a mother never stops being a mother, a  husband never stops being a husband, a brother never stops being a brother.  These are roles defined by the relationship (a brother cannot be a brother by himself), the relationship never rests. 
   In choosing to model/follow a way, there isn't room to pick it up and put it down.  Either we follow or we don't (Matt 12:30).  This becomes an issue of loyalty and priority.  In Christianity we do a great disservice in marketing discipleship as anything less than full life and schedule surrender.  To follow/lead in the way, we have to root it relationally, we can't place it as an item on our agenda.
2. "We'll just see where we end up." 
   A disciple-based relationship is one that is with intent and purpose.  Those who you are shaping and that are shaping you are connections that will build in intimacy or crash with apathy.  This is intimacy that is hinged not in sexual areas, but in the deepening trust that allows for vulnerability and correction.  If this isn't nourished, then the relationship stagnates. 
   The first subject to be broached is who is leading and to what end.  Without a clear definition of the mentoring task and goal, the permission will not be in place to accomplish the task.  This is why the first of the 12 steps is admitting there is a problem.  Essentially, if I don't see something about your way that I like better than my way and ask you to teach it to me, you won't have any sway over my thoughts and actions.
3. "We'll do this forever!"
   There has to be understood room for the dissolving of the mentoring relationship.  This doesn't mean the respect and intimacy are abandoned.  I'm not advocating the abandonment of what was learned.  Instead, the point is that there would be room to intently shape and form the disciple and then for the lessons learned to built on by others.
   Example: a youth pastor is expected to disciple the teens in their ministry.  As a teen graduates the ministry, someone else (college professor, boss, church elder) should look to disciple them in the next phase of their life. 
   Just as you wouldn't want a kindergarten teacher to lead the way into the marriage ceremony, other people are needed to shape and inform the life that Christ calls us into.  A more rounded community is needed than 2 people.  This encourages life-giving participation inside an inclusive body instead of small groups of people who grow stale by feeding off each other.