So it's another late night, and I can't sleep, not a big surprise.
So I guess it's time for another blog about the information that's been filling my brain for the past week.
The following are my notes from a seminar given by Brian McClarin, on the topic of "Christian Faith as a Way of Life"

Scriptural Basis - I Cor 13

Question: Do we see "Christianity" (a heavily weighted word) as a
1) System of belief (or)
2) Way of life

Do we envision the Christian faith as working from the individual to the global, or from the global to the individual, or both. Christ came to change the world by changing individuals.

Rome was a tolerant society when it came to religious matters. There were new religions born everyday in Rome, and shrines to all types of deities. The idea of opening your mind to new religious thought was supported in Rome. But Christ did not come to start a new religion, Jesus proclaimed a new KINGDOM.
New religions were fine in Rome, but New Kingdoms get you killed!

In the New Testament, the word disciple is used 261 and the word Christian is used only 3 times. Ephesians 4 calls us to "LEARN CHRIST" to be the "embodiment of Christ". The gospel of Jesus has always been referred to as "The Way".

Historically most Christians have had this view of their Christian faith.

Here the emphasis is on getting the
"self" to heaven. We call people out of
the world and into the church, the
church feeds the self so that the self
can get to heaven.

Notice the separation between the
three circles. The Church is not a part
of the world, the self is not a part of
the church nor the world.

This is disconnect.






The way of Jesus is different.


Here the emphasis is on heaven being
poured into the individual, whose is a
part of the church, which is a part of
the world. Heaven pours into the
individual and then spills out into the
church and the world.

The individual becomes heaven on
earth.

Everything is connected.








So how can we be heaven on Earth? How can we be true disciples of Christ. "If the way of doing an art is lost in just one generation it is lost forever." Apprenticeship is the key. To come along side of a master and learn their skills by watching and doing. This is ELBOW KNOWLEDGE, what you learn by being elbow to elbow with the master.

Some examples of getting elbow to elbow with Jesus are intentional spiritual practice AKA disciplines! "Actions within our power which we do to train ourselves to do things currently not within our power." Like training for a Marathon by running in small distances and gradually increasing. The sermon on the mount is a training manual for the WAY of Christ.

Disciples are formed through practices.

But this is only half of the story

Christ calls DISCIPLES and He also sends APOSTLES.

Christ told us that the greatest commandment was "to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to Love your neighbor as you love yourself." The purpose of personal transformation is social transformation. Your love of God should affect your love for people.

If disciples are formed by personal intentional spiritual practices, then how are apostles formed? Through MISSIONAL practices.
Does Christ's Church have a Mission?
or does Christ's Mission have a Church?

The Church is the community that joins God in His mission.

What good is our religion if this isn't what it is about?

What we need now is not more institutions, we need a movement!

Inspiring thoughts for a late night.