A model of discipleship that is reduced to simply imparting information is a model of discipleship that will accomplish nothing. Discipleship in the Bible is never reduced to simply imparting information, it involves the whole life of a person. To follow Christ, to be His disciple, means to submit your whole person to following Him. A Triperspectival model of discipleship helps us to see more clearly the full scope of Biblical discipleship. Last week I unpacked the Orthodoxy, or normative, perspective; this week I want to examine the Orthopraxy perspective. A Biblical model of discipleship must include a component of practice.
Orthopraxy refers to right practice. It is the component of discipleship which examines the practical life and spiritual disciplines of those who follow Jesus. It is not enough to simply know right doctrine (orthodoxy), we must apply that doctrine to our everyday lives. Jesus, after all, does not say that we are merely to teach people what he commanded. Rather, he insists, we ought to teach them “to obey all that I have commanded” (Matt. 28:20). Helping people develop in their obedience to Christ’s command is true discipleship. We must impart information, of course, but it doesn’t stop there, we must also help growing believer apply that information. Throughout the Bible we see this point reiterated: to be a follower of Jesus requires us to develop certain habits, practices, and disciplines. So the apostle James makes the point that if we do not apply what we learn then we deceive ourselves (James 1:22). You don’t really know what you don’t actually apply. Paul’s commands believers to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph. 4:1). Walking requires a lifestyle of obedience.
The whole New Testament is, in one sense, a testimony to the nature of true discipleship. The authors of the New Testament repeatedly issue commands, imperatives aimed at helping believers further imitate Christ. The authors were not interested in merely giving information to the churches about the gospel, about Christ’s death and resurrection, rather they spoke and urged believers to live in ways consistent to the profession of faith they made. They called them to action and to practice because following Jesus means doing actual things, obeying His commands. To neglect practice in our disciple making is to create students, not followers.
Crafting of disciples, then, requires us to cultivate communities where practical spiritual is part of our corporate life together. The church is the community of followers, and as such those immersed in this community are being challenged and shaped by spiritual practices. Think for a moment about all that the corporate worship service invites us to participate in. We worship, which is not merely about information but involves our whole body: lungs, vocal chords, stomach muscles, and hands. We partake of the Eucharist, involving taste buds, hands, and mouths. We fellowship, which requires us to speak to one-another, pray with one another, and hug one another. Sometimes we hold hands as a congregation, other times we speak words of blessing to one another, “the Lord be with you.” All this is practice that shapes and influences us.
Community also helps us by modeling Biblical habits for us, and inviting us to join in. We are not doing discipleship alone, we are doing together. As I see others share the gospel I learn to do it. From others, and alongside others, I learn what it looks like to study Scripture, to handle my finances, to be a husband and a father. From the community I learn how to love the poor, how to pray, how to fight sin. Their modeling for me and their inviting me to perform these activities alongside them is huge in shaping me as a disciple.
This means practically as a disciple-maker that I need to make sure those whom I disciple are engaged in the community of believers. They need to participate regularly in corporate worship. I also need to invite people to imitate me in so far as I imitate Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). I want those I disciple to spend time in my home and learn how I live with my wife, watch me discipline my children. I want them to listen to me pray, fold clothes with me, and eat dinner with me. I want them to go with me when I visit people in the hospital, when I preach at funerals, when I drive in traffic. In each case they are learning and being shaped. But perhaps even more needs to be said than just watch other believers.
There is a level of accountability that exists within the community. So, for disciple-making specific practical assignments are required, crafted to the individual and the area of needed growth. As my brother struggles with lust I am going to assign him specific homework aimed at demonstrating love to others, utilizing protection software on his computer, and avoiding specific places that spark sinful desire in him. This cannot be accomplished in some sort of “discipleship program,” this is done at the relational and practical level. Crafting disciples requires us to pay attention to the areas of needed growth in one another’s lives and challenging each other with practical exercises aimed at cultivating obedience.
James K.A. Smith writes about the “practiced shape of the Christian life” in his book Desiring the Kingdom. That idea captures well what it means to be a disciple. It means actually following, putting one foot in front of the other and walking in the footsteps Christ has called us to walk in. Discipleship means practice. Anything less than this is not Biblical disciple-making. Christians are called to “obey” all that He commanded, and discipleship is the challenge of teach others how to obey all that He commanded.
Sparrow & Heart Soul Care 