Shallow

I was teaching a young adult Sunday School Class one Sunday, when, in the middle of the lesson, one person spoke up. He said that he'd had this same lesson, with basically the same questions, every year of his life, as far back as he could remember. And it was all superficial, nothing deep, nothing that impacted his spiritual life in a meaningful way.

That accusation is being leveled at the American church by a large number of Christian young people. It's not just hollow and repetitive Bible studies, it is a shallow Church. One that lacks true relationships, true concern for growing REAL disciples, and lacks a connection with young people who WANT to connect.

A recent survey done by the Barna Group pointed out that nearly half of all 18-29 year olds with church background never had a close adult friend in their church or parish, never had any experience serving the poor through their church, never had anyone take an interest in their education, and never had anyone point them to the fact that Christianity could actually apply to their "real life."

Now, I'm no lover of the mega-church, and blame that model for some of this, especially the fact that many church relationships are surface level only. But this problem persists in small churches as much or more than large churches. Why?

Personally, I think it's because we've all but abandoned Biblical discipleship in favor of the classroom style discipleship. I have nothing against Sunday School or Discipleship Training classes- but if that is the only type of discipleship available, we're screwed.

We've seen that it is easier to mass-produce Christians than it is to grow Disciples. Classroom style Discipleship has its place, but people need something more personal, more intimate, if we want to really grow deeper in Christ.

Here's what I'm getting at: When was the last time someone more experienced in their faith took time to guide you on a personal level? When was the last time you mentored a newer believer? This relationship is one of the foundational relationships in the early church. Jesus would even take smaller groups aside- James, John, and Peter, even Peter alone. Then there is Paul and Timothy, the model all pastors talk about for discipleship basis.

But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.

-Philippians 2:22

Biblical discipleship looks a lot like first century apprenticeship. A dad taught his son the family business by working closely with him, guiding him either gently or firmly as needed to make him the best he could be. The son did not learn by sitting in a lecture hall, he learned by doing- to steal a phrase from 4-H.

This is Biblical Discipleship. It must be performed not in classroom, or even in a sanctuary. Those places are useful, but real discipleship must happen in coffee shops, on the streets, at service projects, sitting across the lunch table at work, driving in the car, chatting online. Real Discipleship happens in REAL LIFE. Not in a clinical, safe environment. We cannot gripe about the fact that our young people are not sharing Christ if we who are their more experienced brothers and sisters are not showing how to do it. Real time, in the real world.

Until we get that it is the personal and intimate relationship that makes discipleship work, we will remain shallow.

On a closing note, I've laid a lot of blame at the feet of the leaders. The truth is, this personal and intimate thing goes both ways. Leaders need to model it, but disciples need to reciprocate. Leaders must make the discipling relationship a safe place to share- and they must also do the same for the church at large. But the disciples must open the door to their lives as well, if they expect to grow. There are times that the reason a church is shallow is because the people who complain the most about the lack of depth, are they themselves afraid to test the deeper waters of relationships AND faith.