discipleship = friendship

i don't care much for the common definitions of 'ministry'. this common definition includes programs that keep people busy but fail to connect them relationally, large groups of people, large statistics, events, spiritual mile posts like 'salvation' and 'water baptism' and 'the baptism in the Holy Spirit' and involvement in 'full-time ministry', etc., etc.

no, i think real 'ministry' is much simpler and less discernible.

we are commanded to 'go make disciples'. Jesus modeled discipleship as hanging out with a small group of followers for several years even before they really 'believed' and certainly before they were 'saved' or 'baptized in water' or 'filled with the Holy Spirit'. sounds very much like friendship.

so if discipleship equals friendship and we can only be friends with a small amount of people... (we can have many acquaintances though) and friendship can be determined by something as simple as having someone into your home for a meal and conversation, then success in 'ministry' can often be as simple as having friends for dinner. forget the large events and busy, draining programs - we are influenced relationally and seldom corporately. if we are going to do this whole 'going to church' model, than it has got to be simple, it must not keep people busy at the expense of them never having time to build friends. we are to be friends with God, friends with other believers, and certainly friends to people outside our faith community.


we have had several families / couples into our home already in this new position and we are reminded that this is where the rubber meets the road. sunday morning, preaching, music, events, etc. all may or may not have their place, but friendship is the heart of God.

the return

i grew up attending church
sunday morning, sunday evening, wednesday nights, and an occassional special service on another night
uffda (that is scandinavian for wow or whew)

then i became a pastor and practically lived inside a church building

when i went to bible college i had to leave my third year because i was overloaded with church culture. i guess the same thing happened after 15 years as a pastor. i had to get away from church culture and just be the church.

be the church. we don’t ‘go to church’ because church is an invisible distinction of people who believe in Jesus. so all the rest we attach to ‘church’ tends to be superfluous.

i haven’t been attending a religious institution on sundays for five years. upon returning i observed many things that are non-essential to my faith. i’ve always been a non-conformist and as a result i accumulate a lot of questions about why people do what they do (social psychology).

i have a lot of questions after my first sunday back, even if my reggae version of a worship song was well received.

one thing is certain though, the people are warm and kind; i can be friends with these people.
the local 4th of july parade was a really big deal. people were setting chairs out on the street at 7am for a 3pm parade.
the rodeo is a really big deal. all three nights sell out and people crowd in to see brave men and women grapple with large animals – it is a real hoot.