44 | Daniel Im on Discipleship & Spiritual Formation in a Post-Everything Age
Jul 4, 2024
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Daniel Im, a spiritual formation expert, discusses the challenges of leading a church in a post-everything world. Topics include developing robust discipleship pathways, the role of pastors in guiding congregations, the impact of the church growth movement, and the importance of community and commitment in discipleship.
Importance of structured discipleship pathways for church growth and spiritual maturity.
Transition from programmatic discipleship to pathway-focused model for self-sustaining spiritual growth.
Deep dives
National Anthem Rendition by Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye's rendition of the national anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles is hailed as one of the best versions ever recorded. The speaker recommends listeners to look it up on Google or YouTube, emphasizing the powerful impact of this particular rendition.
Discipleship Curriculums and Practices
Churches are adopting structured discipleship curriculums like John Mark Comer's Practicing the Way, creating a shared spiritual experience for the congregation through regular spiritual discipline practices. The podcast discusses a multi-level discipleship process, starting with newcomer events, foundational classes on theology and spiritual practices, and progressing to emotionally healthy discipleship courses and membership processes.
Organic Discipleship and Community Spaces
The discussion explores the concept of organic discipleship and the importance of different community spaces for fostering spiritual growth. The conversation delves into private, personal, social, and public spaces, emphasizing the need for a multifaceted approach to discipleship journey, tailored to individual and community needs.
Programmatic vs. Pathway Discipleship Approach
The podcast presents a paradigm shift from programmatic discipleship to a pathway-focused model, encouraging pastors to design structured discipleship pathways comprising first steps, next steps, and ongoing steps for congregants. The shift aims to move beyond merely providing programs towards enabling self-sustaining spiritual growth and maturity among church members.
Daniel Im joins Glenn Packiam to discuss the challenges and opportunities of leading a church in a post-everything world. Together, they explore the historical context of the church growth movement and its impact on church leadership, emphasizing the critical importance of developing robust discipleship pathways and the key role pastors play in guiding congregations toward spiritual growth and maturity.
Learn more about Daniel Im’s latest book, The Discipleship Opportunity: How Can Our Churches Become Stronger, Healthier, and More On-Mission in Our Post-Everything World?