(l-r) Back row: Jack Sauder, Christopher Blake and Slade Lane; Middle: Jeannie Hinrichs, Maegan Luckiesh, Anna Pongo, Jah-Babe Aigbokhan, Mandy Mekelburg, Amanda Ashburn and Margrette Dorn; Front row: Steven Foster, Natalie Bruzon, Melissa Ratter and Carl Dupper
Each year the students of Chris Blake’s sophomore-level editing class at Union College produce the February issue of OUTLOOK. Since our overall theme for 2014 is discipleship, we asked the students to share, through their own experiences, what discipleship means to them.
Following is an editorial written by Chris Blake. To view the print version (designed by Jeannie Hinrichs) see page 4 of the February 2014 issue, available at outlookmag.org/print-issues.
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“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matt. 28:18-20).*
As this is our college issue, let’s all begin with a short quiz.
True or False
1. Worship services are mostly for discipleship training.
2. When Jesus says “obey everything that I have commanded you,” He’s referring only to the Ten Commandments.
3. Jesus often teaches that the best way to determine if someone is His disciple is to inquire, “Are they going to church?”
4. Getting married is more important than staying married.
5. Following God is an absolute pain—a restrictive, rigorous, rule-bound ordeal.
If you answered “False” to every statement, you’re on the True road of discipleship.
Review
Let’s look at these statements more closely.
1. Each Saturday morning, most Adventist churches schedule time for Sabbath school and a time for worship—what many call “church.” Sabbath school time is discipling time. When Jesus speaks of teaching “to obey” (or in some versions “to observe”) He means we should learn by doing—which is, of course, the best way to learn anything. Naturally, this practical, active learning takes place outside of the worship service. Is our Sabbath school doing discipleship training, or are we simply talking about it? “For the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power” (1 Cor. 4:20).
2. Other commandments from Jesus to His disciples include: Be gracious and merciful, even to the undeserving (Luke 6:31-36); Quietly and creatively do good (Matt. 6:1-8); Be born again (John 3:3-8); Continue asking and seeking (Matt. 7:7-11); Beware the clutches of greed and give generously (Matt. 6:19-21, Luke 16:10); Do not worry (Matt. 6:25-34, John 14:1); Be salty, bright, and humble (Matt. 5:13-16); Never fear people (Matt. 10: 26-31); Go directly to offenders—and forgive (Matt. 18:15-35); Follow Me (Matt. 4:19, John 14:21).
3. Though it was His custom to attend synagogue on Sabbath (see Luke 4:16), Jesus chose to place His emphasis on the following: “By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). So what does this love look like? Take another look at His commands listed above.
4. Baptism is getting married; discipleship is staying married. As Jesus proposed in the opening passage, we must do both. Yet what chance of success does a marriage hold if a couple directs 90 percent of their overall efforts only toward the wedding ceremony? Will that marriage thrive? Similarly, what are the chances a church will thrive if most of its time and effort is spent on worship? Have you ever noticed how bickering and infighting stop when people consistently work together on something? What would happen if discipleship took on more than half of our church’s emphasis?
5. “You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11). “For freedom Christ has set us free” (Gal. 5:1). “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22, 23). “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
Go with God. Develop your own tales of journeying with Jesus—to the end of your road, to the end of the age, and beyond.
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Chris Blake is an associate professor of English and communication at Union College.
*Scriptures are taken from the New Revised Standard Version.
