Discipleship Point and Prayer
FRIDAY'S BIT OF
DISCIPLESHIP
Our training in the world teaches us to protect self, to defend it, to guard its rights, even to tastefully tout its accomplishments. God's wisdom is entirely different. Jesus calls us to lose our lives and promises that when we lose them for him and for the gospel, we will find them. It is not hard to see how this fits with humility. The man who is dying to himself will not pridefully defend his sin. He will be grateful for those who help him see it; he will decide to confess it and expose it, being confident that this will lead to encouragement for all around him.
p.40, The Prideful Soul’s Guide to Humility, Fontenot/Jones
Humility Prayer
Lord God, lead me anew to live under Your wisdom rather than the world’s. Undo my worldly training and keep deepening my Holy Spirit training. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
MISSIO DEI
Discipleship Point
What is the importance of Christ-centered leadership in the embracing of and participation in Missio Dei?
Today we focus on bullets 4-6 (p. 283 of The Great Sending).
To equip, restore, perfect, or repair (καταρτισμός or katartismŏs) God’s people for participating in His mission, strong leadership in Christ is required. This leadership flows from a saving faith in Christ and is driven by Christ’s love for the world. Missio Dei leaders are in relationship with Christ, lead by Christ’s example, communicate Christ’s power and willingly go in the direction Christ points. Factors essential to Christ leadership include but are not limited to:
• Transformative (changing, changed in form, character, or condition; with katartismŏs)
• Collaborative (relational and connecting, working together)
• Missional (always in everything focusing on the Christ- mission, on the mission vision, and not on the system, structure, traditions, institution, or mere performance)
Such Christ-leadership is dynamic! Like a flowing stream, it is always living, moving, carrying, refreshing, changing, generating. It is always in transition and always transforming, moving God’s people from “here” to “there.” The there is the being immersed in the Missio Dei, receiving and participating in Christ’s apostolic authority. See the following Scriptures in your bible or on pp. 282-284 of The Great Sending book: John 7:38, 10:1-16, Psalm 23:1-6, Hebrews 13:17, Ephesians 4:12-16, Hebrews 13:20-21
Discipleship Prayer
Lord Jesus, lead our leaders by Your example so that they (we) operate under Your power and willingly go in the direction You point. So we pray. Amen.