Holistic Disciple Making:
Formation,
Community &
Mission
Recently, I had the privilege to enjoy a conversation with my friend, Gina Mueller, Disciple Making Catalyst for Vision New England, on the topic of:
If you decide to take a listen, I hope it benefits you in some way in your journey with Jesus today. For those who want a quicker skim, here are some key takeaways from the podcast:
Holistic Discipleship Intro
Gina and I discuss how holistic discipleship encompasses formation (who we are becoming), mission (engaging with those who don't know Jesus), and justice (loving our neighbor and making broken things right) (2:05-3:03).
Formation
Focusing on who we're becoming
and practices that we're engaging in
Mission
Making new disciples and
engaging with the people in our lives
that don't know Jesus yet
Justice
Practically loving our neighbor and
actively making broken things
in our world right
Jesus's life exemplified all these components (3:36-4:28); it's a "heart, head, and hands movement" (5:39) that requires the diverse gifts within the body of Christ (5:43-6:08).
Holistic discipleship is
ultimately anchored in a baptismal identity,
where followers of Jesus are children of God
(baptized in the name of the Father),
servants and friends with King Jesus
(baptized in the name of the Son), and
empowered witnesses by the Holy Spirit
(baptized in the name of the Spirit)
We also behold Jesus who exemplified all three of these aspects, always being present with people, ministering justice and mercy, speaking good news, and constantly forming his disciples (3:36-4:28).
Application in Family Life
During the conversation, we explore how the Sullivan family seeks to follow Jesus in Worcester, including the importance of hospitality and making our home a welcoming space for friends in need (7:32-8:09). We discuss leveraging different family members' gifts, such as the "gatherers" who host movie nights for friends of various faith backgrounds, and the "quiet and thoughtful" who observe and reflect (10:16-12:58).
Embracing Imperfection & Rest
Radical hospitality allows guests to see the "mess" and participation in preparing or cleaning up makes them feel more like family (14:49-15:10). And it's also important to balance missional activity with rest, learning to "worship the Lord of the Sabbath" as much as the "Lord of the harvest" (17:12-18:00). One example includes taking annual family retreats to a monastery for quiet reflection (18:02-18:41).
Emmaus City Church Impact
Emmaus City Church tries to embody the B.L.E.S.S. rhythms derived from the Emmaus road story: begin with prayer, listen, eat (breaking bread), share the story, and then move out (20:00-21:08). He discusses how the church practices this through small discipling communities (DNAs), missional communities (City Groups), and larger worship gatherings (22:10-22:31).
Jesus' Big "C" Church in New England
In the final minutes, we take some time to celebrate a growing hunger for God rooted in prayer and dependence, and a greater unity across denominations in New England (23:21-24:29). He also offers a word of caution about the need for deeper discipleship in forgiveness, encouraging believers to avoid developing hardened hearts despite past hurts (24:32-25:56).
Surge School New England
We also highlight Surge School, an eight-month discipleship journey covering the story of God, spiritual formation, the mission of God, and the connection of vocations to God's work (26:17-27:00). The Surge School journey involves personal study, small group reflection, and quarterly large gatherings, fostering intergenerational and inter-denominational learning (27:06-28:20). And I get to share a powerful testimony of a participant finding healing through Surge School, highlighting its unexpected benefit beyond formation (30:32-31:08).
Many blessings of peace and presence,
Rev. Mike “Sully” Sullivan
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