Last week I wrote about the discipleship metaphor of farming. This week my focus is the metaphor of the family.
The love of the Apostles for the people in their churches reveals a strong relational aspect to their discipleship. Paul describes the Corinthian church as his “brothers and sisters” (1 Corinthians 4:6) and also as his “dear children” (4:14). The Corinthians might have had lots of people wanting to teach them about Jesus, but what Paul thought they really needed was for him to be their spiritual father so that they could imitate him (4:15-16). Paul could not physically reach them to do this in person so he sent Timothy, “my son whom I love” (4:17).
In 1 Thessalonians 2, Paul described his team’s ministry to the church in Thessalonica as being like a nurturing mother, tender with her children, “Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” (2:8).
All this goes to show us that discipleship occurs in the context of context of love and care. To disciple another person is not to be an “expert who tells” but a parent or older sibling who intentionally models the way in relationship. This requires us to be vulnerable and intentional. In the same way that healthy families require us to make sacrifices for one another, so do we sacrifice for others in the discipleship relationship — we “share… our lives as well.”
Perhaps you have been a Christian for a long time? Who are you sharing your life with in a discipleship relationship? Who is imitating you? If we build a discipleship culture at Merri Creek, this will lead to the formation of spiritual families with spiritual brothers and sisters and spiritual parents and children. We will look and feel less like a training institution, or a factory, and more like a large household.
Peter Carolane
Senior Minister
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