As I mentioned yesterday, the value of a "church of two" is that it makes listening to God our "prime directive". And, that listening is both the source and goal of disciplemaking. Here are a few implications...1. CO2s major in modeling. This is always the starting point in making disciples. In this case, my disciple gets to hear on a daily basis what I'm hearing from the Lord. Chadd calls this: "Trying to live a centered life in the sight/presence of others over a long stretch of time." Paul says: "Those things you have seen in me..." (Phil. 4:9)
2. CO2s adapt to the person and the season. This simple tool is equally powerful with brand new disciples or seasoned believers. God speaks to each person according to their God-given design and according to the season of growth they are in. He (not I) knows exactly what they need at this point in their lives.
3. CO2s turn concerns into conversation. "I'm concerned that we are not spending enough time in the Bible" "Well, let's ask the Lord what He wants us to do about that." "I'm concerned that we are not being very missional." "Well, let's ask the Lord what He wants us to do about that." "I'm concerned about this ongoing problem/sin in my life." "Well, let's ask the Lord what He wants us to do about that." You get the picture. CO2s continually direct us back to the Source. Everything flows from there - spiritual disciplines, missional living, community, etc.
4. CO2s create dependency - on Jesus. My daily question to my CO2 partners is: "So, what are you hearing from the Lord?" As Chadd said: Knowing and living as if I know that I am not their answer--that Jesus is their answer.
5. CO2s are transformational. Transformation is never guaranteed. But, by keeping our focus on the heart - my heart, your heart and God's heart - the opportunity for deep and significant change is maximized.
6. CO2s are viral. They are both simple and sticky. Sneeze-able. We've already seen multiplication to four generations in several cases. (See the "Four Generation" posts.) I expect we will see many more stories like this over the next year.
Back to Noah's original questions: "My question is - how is CO2 similar to and different from what we would call "Discipleship"? My growing conviction is that the two rhythms of a CO2 are both the source and goal of discipleship.
Is there a "step 2" for CO2 that leads to discipleship of some kind?" When we start with the CO2 rhythms, the Lord then leads us to a multitude of exquisitely designed "step 2s" (and 3s and 4s and 5s and...). What is fun is to be part of a community that is telling stories about the stunning beauty of His hand-crafted and unique discipleship "program" for each one of us!
Your comments?
John
For me, one of the problems of 'discipleship movements' and 'discipling systems/methods' is the ever present danger of becoming a disciple of the teacher or the author of the manual. But no matter how highly regarded or well meaning they may be this can never be sufficient.
ReplyDeleteInstead we need to become disciples of the one Master and Teacher who really matters - Jesus the Messiah.
One reason I like CO2 is that it tends to help us do just that. By becoming more aware of the Lord's heart we stand some chance of responding to him. And by becoming more aware of one another's hearts we are better placed to encourage and pray for one another in ways that also take us closer to Jesus' best for us.
I'm not sure we need to add 'anything' to CO2. The whole point is that we expect to hear from the Lord directly and his Spirit will 'teach us all things' (John 14:26).
John, I think that the story you (we) are telling about CO2 or the case you (we) are making is very compelling. It resonates with me and my experience over these many years.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be taking me a long time to grasp it at a deep, tangible level--where I really live it day in and day out. But more than ever, I believe that really connecting daily at the heart level with God and with 1 or 2 others with an expectation to hear a word from God that requires obedience is both the beginning place and the end--the source and the goal, as you said, of discipleship.
My desire now is to live that belief with conviction and consistency over a long period of time--to keep my eye on the ball! And to live to tell stories about it!
Thanks for the good discussion.
I've had another thought about a 'step 2' for CO2 to take people forward into discipleship more fully. It's really no more than an extension of VIRKLER, not in terms of what it is but in terms of when it's applied.
ReplyDeleteMeeting daily to check in is good, but to really be a disciple I think I need to be listening and hearing the heart the Lord of much more often than daily!
I need to be attentive all the time. And I need to pay attention to the hearts of those around me more consistently too. A daily CO2 with a particular person is excellent training for hearing the Lord and others all the time.
Maybe we should regard CO2 (and MRT) as bases in our lives from which growing attentiveness can spread out further and further into every part of life.
I doubt if I will be able to focus 100% in this way, but I can intentionally strive to get ever closer. Perhaps the excellent daily and weekly rhythms of attention we are learning can extend down to finer and finer timescales in our lives.