Practicing Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG11

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P R A C T I C I N G C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

mini-pope, ordering people around and acting like they know everything you’re supposed to do and be. Jesus is my Lord, and I don’t want anybody, including my pastor or Bible study leader, snooping around my life, pretending that they are my spiritual mother or father. If you ask me, that sounds too much like a cult or something. It’s simply too dangerous for me.” How would you discuss the biblical perspective of spiritual parenthood with someone like this? What is true in their analysis? What is exaggerated? How would you answer his fears and cautions about this as a strategy for discipling new believers?

“Church-ianity Doesn’t Work.”

Perhaps the most troubling part of a vision that emphasizes spiritual nurture in the context of the local church is the focus on the necessity of the church for spiritual growth. Many people today have a relationship with God through their individual devotional lives and selected teachings and events that they associate with. Many travel from church to church for the “spiritual food” they receive on Sunday morning, but are not a part of any kind of spiritual nurturing environment. Some receive their entire spiritual nurture from a televangelist, or radio preacher, and neither have membership with any local church, although they attend the services of several. What do you make of this kind of anti-local church religion which is so prevalent among so many Bible believers today? What is the root of this issue? Are they correct–is it really not necessary to affiliate with a particular local church, since so much is available over CDs, the radio, television, and different events? Are they correct–is it true that church-ianity doesn’t work ? (Church-ianity to some refers to an unhealthy focus on the necessity of the local church in the growth and fruitfulness of believers). As practicing Christian leaders, we must do all we can to quickly incorporate new believers into the fellowship of Christ, creating an environment where they can be both welcomed and quickly integrated within our church community life and relationships. We must do this as soon as possible, ensuring their care, protection and oversight in the body. In addition to incorporation, we must as practicing Christian leaders exercise spiritual parenthood of new and immature believers in the body of Christ. Godly spiritual parenting neither lords it over nor controls those children under his care, but rather equips them through personal example and teaching, all of which is designed to enable them to live as mature, fruit-bearing

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Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis