"Participation is a big deal. We believe the more people participating in these sets of activities, with high levels of frequency, it will produce disciples of Christ."
What Hawkins is saying is that if people will have regular participation in weekned worship, classes, small groups and other activities they will become disciples. If there are large amounts of people participating in church activities, then spiritual growth is happening.
What their research has found is that numbers of people participating in church activities does not necessarily equal spiritual growth. What it does is takes people to a certain point in their spiritual growth where they become stalled and want to leave the church.
I believe that Hawkins is right in saying that "Participation is a big deal" for spiritual growth. The major factor is not in the particiaption, but in what people are participating in. Real spiritual growth and transformation happens when people participate in the kingdom. When people are able to live out their faith as authentic Christ follwers, real spiritual growth begins to happen.
Jesus led his disciples to a point of particiapting in the kingdom. When they reached that level of participation they began to grow into authentic Christ followers. Jesus also told his disciples to "Go and make disciples . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Simple Church, by Thom Rainer talks about developing a process of discipleship. Jim Putnam at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho has seen a church grow, as disciples begin to participate in the disciple-making process.
The attractional church has done a good job of growing big churches, but participating in kingdom work (making disciples, serving people and giving to the poor) builds healthy missional churches that allow people to grow in their faith.
So as church leaders we need to provide opportunities for people to particpate in kingdom work. And as Christ follwers we need to begin to live out our faith in authentic ways that honor God.
What are you participating in today that could change someones life for eternity?
1 comment:
Good post Scott. I guess as I watched the video, I sat there thinking that I am a lot like Hawkins in that I constantly look at numbers. I just can't get away from being a numbers guy. As he spoke about stages that people are in, I also found that I am a lot like the stalled Christian. Participating in things at church and having a personal relationship with Christ, but really needing to take my relationship with Him to another level.
Thanks for making me think a bit. It is my hope that I can truly be someone that helps make disciples in our community.
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