Spiritual Formation

10 Building Blocks for On-going Discipleship

/ Dennis Griffith / Leave a comment

Following Footsteps

by Stephen Smallman

I went away with our elders for a time apart to re-examine our priorities as a church. The word “discipleship” started as one of many things on a “to do” list, and the more we talked and prayed, the more that word pushed its way to the top of the list.

That was all well and good, but almost immediately the discussion turned into a program — how could the elders begin “discipling” people, and how could that, in turn, multiply discipling throughout the congregation? Before we got too far down that road, I encouraged the group to substitute the phrase “making disciples,” from the Great Commission, for the word “discipleship.” That makes us stop and think biblically and comprehensively about just what Jesus’ mandate should mean in the life of our congregations.

A disciple of Jesus is a person who has heard the call of Jesus and has responded by repenting, believing the gospel, and following Him.

The positive reaction of our elders to the call to “make disciples” is part of a healthy refocus by many PCA churches. The importance of discipleship as a core activity of church life is certainly not new, but it doesn’t hurt to ask ourselves whether this clear biblical mandate has been relegated to a Wednesday-night men’s group, or some such program. Several months ago Presbyterian & Reformed (P&R) Publishing invited me to speak to this question in a booklet for its “Basics of the Faith” series. Here is a brief summary of what I wrote, trying to form a list of key issues to be included in a discussion of “making disciples” in our churches. I hope this serves as a conversation starter that leads to reflection and action on the part of ministry leaders.

1. True believers must think of themselves as disciples of Jesus.

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Living Dangerously

/ Dennis Griffith / Leave a comment

Danger Sign (Black)

One of the dangers of [obedience based Christianity] is that it can lead people to think God owes them a reward for their obedience. Their perspective in life is:

  • ‘If I do certain things, I expect God to come through for me’.   And when He doesn’t, they think: What’s wrong? Why isn’t He doing something to help me, and what can I do?
  • In the opposite direction, some people live in fear that because of their sin, God will punish them…This is a trap.

If we think we earn God’s favor by our obedience or disfavor by our disobedience, we will expect God to come through for us or, at the other extreme, will always be living in fear that ‘the other shoe will eventually drop’.

~ Jerry Bridges, from The Transforming Power of the Gospel

Brokeness, Contrition, and Repentance = Marks of a Growing Christian

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“So Repentance begins with an attitude of brokenness over our sin. But true repentance will be followed by an earnest desire and a sincere effort to put away  the sin we are repenting of – to put on the Christlike virtues that we see missing in our lives. These efforts often seem to be characterized by failure as much as by success. But the frequent failures should bring us back to a broken and contrite heart that mourns over our sin. Brokenness, contrition, and repentance are all marks of a growing Christian, a person who is experiencing the work of the Spirit in being transformed gradually more into the image of God’s Son.”

~ Jerry Bridges, The Transforming Power of the Gospel

Looking Heaven-ward

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

“There are two methods which the Lord graciously adopts, in order to draw our heart away from this present world:

  • The first is by setting before it the attractiveness and stability of “things above:”
  • The second is, by faithfully declaring the evanescent [temporary] and shakable nature of ‘things of earth.’

… Now it is much better to be drawn by the joys of heaven than driven by the sorrows of earth.

The believer should not wait to be shaken out of the present things…There is no difficulty in giving up the world when we have, by faith, laid hold of Christ: the difficulty then would be to hold it.”

~adapted from C.H. Macintosh, Notes on Genesis (1879)

12 Signs of a Transformed Life

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

What does a life transformed by the gospel look like? Well, in some ways that might depend upon what it looked like before gospel impact. Yet, Gordon MacDonald took a stab at describing a transformed life in an excellent article for Leadership Journal.

Below are the 12 marks MacDonald identifies:

  1. Has an undiluted devotion to Jesus
  2. Pursues a biblically informed view of the world
  3. Is intentional and disciplined in seeking God’s direction in life
  4. Worships, and has a spirit of continuous repentance
  5. Builds healthy, reciprocal human relationships
  6. Knows how to engage the larger world where faith is not necessarily understood
  7.  Is aware of personal “call” and unique competencies
  8. Is merciful and generous
  9. Appreciates that suffering is part of faithfulness to Jesus
  10. Is eager and ready to express the content of his faith
  11. Overflows with thankfulness
  12. Has a passion for reconciliation

To read MacDonald’s whole excellent article, click: How to Spot a Transformed Life

Schaeffer’s Theorem

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

Francis Schaeffer was a prophetic voice to Christianity for the latter half of the 20th Century.  His treatises such as Mark of the Christian and Two Contents, Two Realities were excellent primers for Gospel-Centered & Missional Christianity long before either Gospel-Centered or Missional were coined terms.

The premise behind his philosophy has been has been summarized in this mathematical equation:

  • Truth – Love = Ugliness
  • Love – Truth = Compromise

How might this theorem, if lived out, effect the church? How could it impact your life?

the-mark-of-the-christian-francis-schaefferDownload

Fear, Worry, and Our Sovereign God

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

In preparation for a message on Psalm 27, I began reading Ed Welch‘s book, Running Scared.  Penetrating. Convicting.  Comforting.  All of those words are appropriate, at least for me.  For as I have aged I have come to see how fear, often very subtle, effects my thought, actions, and reactions.  My fears may not show, but they are very present.  I have to regularly identify them and subject them to the Gospel.

Perhaps this does not seem to be a topic for you. You may feel you have no fears.  For a long time I would have said similarly of myself – not that I had no fear, but few fears.  But I learned differently about myself.

Interestingly, not long ago I was watching a rerun of the film First Knight, with Sean Connery & Richard Gere, set in King Arthur’s Camelot.  In one scene I overheard an interesting conversation between Connery’s Arthur and Gere’s Lancelot.  Arthur mused:

“A man who fears nothing is a man who loves nothing; and if you love nothing, what joy is there in your life?”

This was not the turning point in my thinking. But I did find it an interesting illustration of what I had learned. And while I do not think that it is necessarily a universally true, I do think it is a question worth pondering.

It may not be universally true because one who loves God with all of his heart, mind, and strength, loves what is good and yet should fear little.  After all, “Perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4.18)   But then, which of us loves perfectly?

But I do think, in a sense, Arthur’s statement is widely, if not universally, true.  There are many who mistake apathy for peace.  It may be that some do not fear because they do not love; And they do not love because they fear fear.  I know that is a dizzying statement. But think of it as the opposite of Franklin Roosevelt’s famous words: “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”  What if people do fear fear?  If one knows that love is often risky, and fears fear enough, could that person not repress love because of fear?

OK. Enough philosophizing… In short, I suspect there must be a reason God says 300+ times in the Scripture: “Do not fear.”  There must be a reason that this is the most frequently repeated command in the Bible.  My suspicion is it is because fear is a near universal component of our personalities in this fallen world. And we would be wise to recognize both our fears and their effects on our hearts and lives.

Above is a video preview of Running Scared, featuring the author, Ed Welch.  His insights and application of God’s Word to our plight are freeing.

Broken-Down House: Living Productively in a World Gone Bad

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

I began reading Paul Tripp’s Broken Down House earlier this week. I had read it before, or rather I should say I skimmed it before, but did not take the time to allow Tripp’s poignant insights to resonate in my soul.  I raced through it last time, getting the general gist, but not digesting much in the way of spiritual nourishment.  That’s a mistake I am carefully avoiding this time through.

In Broken Down House Tripp uses the analogy of a home in serious disrepair as a reflection of our life in this world.  In the video above he introduces the themes he writes about.

How to Spend a Day With God

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

Richard Baxter wrote:

A holy life is inclined to be made easier when we know the usual sequence and method of our duties – with everything falling into its proper place.

In other words, our souls flourish most vibrantly when there is a natural rythm to our lives.  These rythms include our daily and weekly routines and practices, as well as the more occasional. Among the more occasional is just getting away from everything and spending a day with the Lord.  Such times of retreat are vital to the renewal of our hearts, especially if our daily lives are packed with a variety of stresses and/or conflicts. 

But what about the regular days? What about times when you cannot get away?  How do we honor God and find refreshment on such ordinary days? How can each ordinary day be of use toward our spiritual renewal?

I am indebted to Baxter for some practical directions about how to spend a day with God without having to go on spiritual retreat. I have adapted his suggestions below:

  • Sleep

Measure the time of your sleep appropriately so that you do not waste your precious morning hours sluggishly in your bed. Let the time of your sleep be matched to your health and labour, and not to slothful pleasure.

  • First Thoughts

Let God have your first awaking thoughts; lift up your hearts to Him reverently and thankfully for the rest enjoyed the night before and cast yourself upon Him for the day which follows.

Discipline yourself so consistently to this that your conscience may check you when other more common thoughts begin to intrude. Think of the mercy of a night’s rest and of how many that have spent that night in Hell; how many in prison; how many in cold, hard lodgings; how many suffering from agonizing pains and sickness, weary of their beds and of their lives.

Think of how many souls were that night called from their bodies terrifyingly to appear before God and think how quickly days and nights are rolling on! How speedily your last night and day will come! Observe that which is lacking in the preparedness of your soul for such a time and seek it without delay.

  • Prayer

Let prayer by yourself alone (or with your partner) take place before any work of the day.

  • Family Worship

Let family worship be performed consistently and at a time when it is most likely for the family to be free of interruptions.

  • Ultimate Purpose

Remember your ultimate purpose (which is to gloify God by enjoying Him), and when you set yourself to your day’s work or approach any activity in the world, let “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” be written upon your hearts in all that you do.

Do no activity which you cannot entitle God to, and truly say that he is the one who set you about it, and do nothing in the world for any other ultimate purpose than to please, glorify and enjoy Him.

“Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  ~ 1 Corinthians 10.31

  • Diligence in Your Calling

Follow the tasks of your calling carefully and diligently.

Thus:

(a) You will show that you are not sluggish and a servant to your flesh (which seeks comfort, amusement, and ease), and you will further the putting to death of all the fleshly lusts and desires that are fed by ease and idleness.

(b) You will keep out idle thoughts from your mind, that swarm in the minds of idle persons.

(c) You will not lose precious time, something that idle persons are daily guilty of.

(d) You will be proving obedient to God, when the slothful are in constant sins of omission.

(e) You may have more time to spend in holy duties if you follow your occupation diligently. Idle persons have no time for praying and reading because they lose time by loitering at their work.

(f) You may expect God’s blessing and comfortable provision for both yourself and your families.

(g) it may also encourage the health of your body which will increase its competence for the service of your soul.

  • Temptations and Things That Corrupt

Be thoroughly acquainted with your temptations and the things that may corrupt you – and watch against them all day long. You should watch especially the most dangerous of the things that corrupt, and those temptations that either your company or business will unavoidably lay before you.

Watch against the master sins of unbelief: hypocrisy, selfishness, pride, flesh pleasing and the excessive love of earthly things. Take care against being drawn into earthly mindedness and excessive cares, or covetous designs for rising in the world, under the pretence of diligence in your calling.

If you are to trade or deal with others, be vigilant against selfishness and all that smacks of injustice or uncharitableness. In all your dealings with others, watch against the temptation of empty and idle talking. Watch also against those persons who would tempt you to anger. Maintain that modesty and cleanness of speech that the laws of purity require. If you converse with flatterers, be on your guard against swelling pride.

If you converse with those that despise and injure you, strengthen yourself against impatient, revengeful pride.

At first these things will be very difficult, while sin has any strength in you.  But once you have grasped a continual awareness of the poisonous danger of any one of these sins, your heart will readily and easily avoid them.

  • Meditation

When alone in your occupations, improve the time in practical and beneficial meditations. Meditate upon the infinite goodness and perfections of God; Christ and redemption; Heaven and how unworthy you are of going there and yet at the same time how awesome God’s love to you.  Remind yourself of the gospel in its various aspects.

  • The Only Motive

Whatever you are doing, in company or alone, do it all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10.31). Otherwise, it is unacceptable to God.

  • Redeeming The Time

Place a high value upon your time. Be more careful of not losing time than you would of losing your money. Do not let worthless recreations, television, idle talk, unprofitable company, or sleep rob you of your precious time.

Be more careful to escape that person, action or course of life that would rob you of your time than you would be to escape thieves and robbers.

Make sure that you are not merely never idle, but rather that you are using your time in the most profitable way that you can and do not prefer a less profitable way before one of greater profit.

  • Eating and Drinking

Eat and drink with moderation, and thankfulness for health, not for unprofitable pleasure. Never please your appetite in food or drink when it is prone to be detrimental to your health.

Remember the sin of Sodom: “Look, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, excess of food and prosperous ease…” ~ Ezekiel 16.49.

The Apostle Paul wept when he mentioned those “whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their minds on earthly things, being enemies to the cross of Christ” ~ Philippians 3.18-19.  So then, do not live according to the flesh lest you die (Romans 8.13).

  • Prevailing Sins

If any temptation prevails against you and you fall into any sins in addition to habitual failures, immediately lament it and confess it to God; repent quickly whatever the cost. It will certainly cost you more if you continue in sin and remain unrepentant.

Do not make light of your habitual failures, but confess them and daily strive against them, taking care not to aggravate them by unrepentance and contempt.

  • Relationships

Remember every day the special duties of various relationships: whether as husbands, wives, children, employers, supervisors, employees, pastors, church members, magistrates, citizens.

Remember every relationship has its special duty and its advantage for the doing of some good. God requires your faithfulness in this matter as well as in any other duty.

  • Closing the Day

Before returning to sleep, it is wise and necessary to review the actions and mercies of the day past, so that you may be thankful for all the special mercies and humbled for all your sins.

This is necessary in order that you might renew your repentance as well as your resolve for obedience, and in order that you may examine yourself to see whether your soul grew better or worse, whether sin goes down and grace goes up and whether you are better prepared for suffering, death and eternity.

May these directions be engraven upon your mind and be made the daily practice of your life.  If sincerely adhered to, these will be conducive to the holiness, fruitfulness, and peace in your life.

Centering Our Lives On Something

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

“Since we are made to worship, we are always centering our lives on something whether we realize it or not.  It is like a fire hose that is stuck in the ‘on’ position and shooting water out endlessly with great force. We must decide where we aim the hose as the focus of our worship. The idols of our modern world are not necessarily the hand-carved statues of the ancient world.  In our autonomous self-seeking ways, people have instead come to serve or worship the self-erected idols of approval, comfort, and security.  We must ruthlessly inspect the sin in our heart for these idols… so it is vital that [we] get to the heart. As Tim Keller puts it, ‘The solution to our sin problem is not simply to change our behavior, but to reorient and center our entire heart and life on God.’  Therefore, we must go after the nature of the sin by going after its root and not just the fruit of the sin. Oftentimes people repent of sin that is simply the fruit of the idols in their hearts. We must find out the why of the behavior and not just the what”.

~Tom Wood & Scott Thomas, Gospel Coach

From Graced Again

5 Life Changing Gospel Perspectives

/ Dennis Griffith / 6 Comments

There are 5 perspectives from the gospel that, when embraced and frequently pondered, shape lives:

  • The need to recognize that God calls for ongoing and continual growth and change in all of us.
  • The need to understand the extent and gravity of our sin.
  • The need to understand that the heart is central; that behavior and attitude is a reflection of the heart.
  • The need to understand the present benefits of Christ.
  • The need to live a Lifestyle of Repentance & Faith.

Source: How People Change by Tim Lane & Paul David Tripp

Choosing the Better Thing

/ Dennis Griffith / 4 Comments

I really appreciate this thought by Skye Jethani, reflecting on Jesus’ Parable of the Two Sons, passed along to me recently by a good friend:

“What brought the father joy was not the older son’s service but simply his presence – having his son with him…….what mattered most to the father was neither the younger son’s disobedience nor the older son’s obedience, but having his sons with him.”

What Jethani expresses is something I am in constantant need of remembering. When I was younger (and knew a lot more than I do today) I needed to to learn that it is not my accomplishments or anything I could deliver to God or for God that the Father values most, but my delight in him.  Now that I am older, and take great joy in this reality, I need to constantly remember that this is what Jesus described in aother place, to Martha, as “choosing the BETTER thing.” (Luke 10.42)

Our Part in Practicing the Presence of God

/ Dennis Griffith / 4 Comments

Here is a thought worthy to ponder, and a discipline worthy to practice, excerpted from Dallas Willard‘s The Great Omission:

Our part in practicing the presence of God is to direct and redirect our minds constantly to him.  In the early times of our practicing, we may well be challenged by our burdensome habits of dwelling on things less than God. But these are habits – not the Law of Gravity – and can be broken…

Soon our minds will return to God as the needle of a compass constantly returns to the North.