Discipleship is more than transferring true thinking

Thinking and talking about discipleship today with my Pelican buddies.  Without a doubt there is a transference of true thinking that must happen ("teaching them to observe all that I have commanded"). Continuing in apostolic doctrine and correct Biblical teaching is necessary, and something I am unwilling to give up.  I've invested 90% of discipleship energy here (guesstimate).

With such a high investment, how is the yield?  Many are more informed, and just as emotionally deformed.  More are orthodox, and just as joyless.

What is needed?  Another class?  One-on-one?

Does it seem like there are some environments that are more conducive to life and growth?

• AL has been our kid's swimming teacher.  No one encourages more than her.  No one challenges more than her.  She creates an environment for life and growth.  
• Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute in Camrose, AB is an environment for life and growth.  Profound Gospel, Authority of God's Word, encouraging and challenging community, compelling mission is the right combo for dramatic life and growth.
• I'm teaching CH to mow the Hoff lawn.  I set him up for success.  I did the edges, told him clearly what I expected, and told him again gently.  I praised him for doing a fine job, and corrected when he left a little fringe everywhere he went.  He did better than I did on my first mow.  I'm really proud of him.  If he is still doing it this way in 2 years, I won't be so proud.

"Yes" to knowing the right thing.  But, discipleship is more than transferring true thinking.

1. Discipleship that gets at core identity shalom.  I know who I am in Jesus Christ.  I know who my neighbor is in Jesus Christ.  With such confusing and unclear teaching about identity like "I need to find myself" or "I can create myself" we need the clear Biblical teaching "God is the creator and conveyer of your identity: Child of God!"  This would be discipleship that deals with intellectual wholeness AND emotional/relational wholeness.

2. Discipleship that is integrated in community.  Here I can identify my gifts, my assets, my deficits, my place and part in the body of Christ.  Rough edges can be smoothed.  Proud places can be brought low.  Drooping arms can be lifted.  With the profound fracturing of the nuclear family, the family of God must take seriously our call to invite people to belong to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Bible seems to be more a friend to tribal discipleship than individual training.

3. Discipleship that encompasses everything in life, instead of settling for "whatever." The late Robert E. Webber wrote a "last word" urgent call for the church to reclaim the cosmic nature of the Biblical narrative's claim in his book, Who Gets To Narrate The World (IVP, 2008).  Our personal, privatized version of the Christian message is not captivating to many.  But the earliest creed, "Jesus is Lord" extends over all times and all places to all people.  The consumeristic narrative and radical Islam have nothing on the over-arching claim of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: "YOU ARE MINE!"  It is not a "Sunday" thing that you are called to.  It is not a "church" thing that you are called to.  "It is right and salutary that we should in all times and in all places" recognize the universal claim of God.

What's missing?  How do we do it?