Disciples and Disciple-making (11)
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3.14
The goal of discipleship is to be found in Christ, in knowing Him (Jn. 17.3), becoming more like Him (2 Cor. 3.12-18), bearing witness to Him (Acts 1.8), and, ultimately, seeing Him face to face (1 Jn. 3.1-3). This is not something we can attain on our own. As Jesus demonstrated with His disciples, it takes a community of disciples, sharing in the fellowship of the Lord, to enable each to realize more of the fullness of Christ.
Aelred of Rievaulx understood this, as he wrote in Spiritual Friendship: “And so in friendship are joined honesty and agreeableness, truth and pleasantness, sweetness and will, affection and action. All of these qualities come together in Christ, they are advanced through Christ, and in Christ they are perfected.”
Friendship is an important part of the process of making disciples because as friends grow “into” one another they learn what it means to grow up “into” Christ in all things. But friends will need to encourage one another in their individual journeys in the Lord, exercising all the “one-anothering” obligations true love requires. Thus they may hope, individually and together, to make real progress in knowing, enjoying, and refracting Jesus to the world.
Friendship—especially soul friendship—doesn’t just happen. It’s not the product merely of time spent together. Prayer, focusing on Jesus, sharing together in His Word, undertaking His work and mission together, enjoying the Lord in one another’s company: These are ways soul friends can help us get more into Jesus day by day.
Teaching and learning as disciples
My conversation with Mike McQueen for this week focuses on the nature of teaching and learning—less formality and more “as you are going”. You can listen in by clicking the bar at the top of this letter.
Resources for Shepherds
Some new entries on the Resources for Shepherds page of our website might be of interest. Augustine’s concept of ordo amoris—the ordering of our affections—comes in for two helpful applications (on burnout and the immigration crisis). Read a summary and find links to these two Front Porch Republic pieces by clicking here.
We continue our review of certain of the pilgrims in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Next into the spotlight comes the Parson—a true disciple and servant of the Lord. Read a summary of Chaucer’s description here.
Our current Read Moore series is taking excerpts from the book, The Church Captive. You can find it on our home page, midway down, Monday through Friday. Plus, visit the home page and order a free copy of The Church Captive together with the next book in our series, Revived!
How should believers pray for their churches? This is the question we will explore in our new ReVision series, “Pray for Your Church.” That series begins today (“Submit to the Lord”) under the ReVision section of our website (here). Update your subscriptions by going to the website, scrolling to the bottom, and adding ReVision to your Kingdom reading every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
From The Celtic Revival
Spring is coming, and spring is a wonder-filled time for practicing the discipline of creational theology. All the new life and beauty springing up around us reveals the wisdom, goodness, beauty, glory, and Presence of the Lord to any who will take the time to look and listen. The great Irish philosopher John Scotus Eriugena probably loved springtime. Tomorrow’s Crosfigell will elaborate on this comment from his meditations on John 1:
“Observe the forms and beauties of sensible things, and comprehend the Word of God in them. If you do so, the truth will reveal to you in all such things only He who made them, outside of Whom you have nothing to contemplate, for He Himself is all things.”
– Eriugena, Homily on John 1.1-14, Irish, 9th century[1]
If you’re not familiar with how to practice the discipline of creational theology, I encourage you to listen to this installment of The InVerse Theology Project where I describe this important discipline in more detail.
You can sign up to receive Crosfigell in your email box every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am (Eastern US). Just use the subscription button to update your subscriptions (scroll to the bottom of the home page).
The Brothers in our Fellowship are finishing up their annual revision of our Personal Rule today. Common rules of discipline played an important role in the faith of those who carried on The Celtic Revival for nearly four centuries. Our book, Living to Rule, takes a closer look at monastic rules from this period to discern the disciplines that helped them to “save civilization” (Cahill). You can download a free copy of Living to Rule by clicking here.
And if you’re interested in learning more about Membership in The Fellowship of Ailbe, please do not hesitate to contact me at tmmoore@ailbe.org.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this issue of Pastor to Pastor helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Support for Pastor to Pastor comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1] Bamford, p. 89.
