10. The Christian Ghetto: Christian Discipleship in an Age of Social Decay
Apr 19, 2024
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Exploring the decline of intentional disciple formation in the Christian community, focusing on male struggles. Discussion on leadership roles for men, masculine and feminine spiritual approaches, and rethinking church leadership. Reflecting on youth camp impact, male bonding, vulnerability, and male-only spaces. Delving into the link between physical fitness and spirituality in males, and the evolution of male spaces in church.
Rediscovering the art of discipleship is essential in modern Christian communities, especially in addressing the struggles of Christian men.
Gender-specific discipleship is crucial to nurture leadership aspirations positively and avoid dilution of gender roles in spiritual practices.
Male-only spaces play a vital role in fostering genuine interactions, defining masculinity apart from women, and supporting men's development.
Deep dives
Importance of Discipleship in the Christian Community
Discipleship is highlighted as a critical aspect often overlooked in modern Christian communities. The discussion emphasizes the lack of intentional formation of Christians, especially men, which is seen as a price paid in today's context. By reflecting on Jesus' model of discipleship, the need for rediscovering the art of discipleship is underscored, pointing out the scarcity of genuine discipleship practices across Christian communities.
Different Approaches to Discipling Men and Women
The conversation delves into the differences in discipling men versus women, highlighting the emphasis on teaching men to become leaders starting from their families to broader community roles. The distinction in roles and responsibilities for men and women within the church is discussed, pointing out how leadership aspirations should be nurtured positively to avoid the perception of leadership as a chore. The importance of embracing gender-specific discipleship to avoid dilution of gender roles in spiritual practices is emphasized.
Challenges of Egalitarianism and the Need for Organic Discipleship
Egalitarianism within church structures and the rise of professional managerial approaches are critiqued for hindering organic discipleship and personal accountability. The discussion underscores the significance of creating spaces for young men to assume leadership roles, engender a sense of personal accountability, and strive for success within the church community. The contrast between managerial structures and organic discipleship in fostering men's growth and leadership potential is examined, highlighting the need for reembracing traditional roles and hierarchies in developing male spirituality.
Importance of Male Leadership and Role Modeling in Churches
Building oneself up to be the kind of man others aspire to be is highlighted as crucial for leading young men into the church. Emphasizing the role of imitation, conducting oneself in a way that others want to emulate, and focusing on responsibilities within the family are seen as integral to promoting discipleship within the church. Encouraging men to lead their families in worship, teach scripture, and exemplify spiritual discipline is emphasized for fostering positive influences in the church community.
Challenges and Necessity of Male-Only Spaces
The significance of male-only spaces is underscored for providing a comfortable environment where honesty and deeper conversations can flourish among men. These spaces allow for questioning traditional norms and establishing connections to support one another. The conversation delves into how male spaces help define masculinity away from direct comparison to women, enabling men to explore their identities in relation to competence and spiritual goals. Maintaining male-only spaces is viewed as vital for men's development and fostering genuine interactions beyond societal pressures.
For many of us, this online space of politically minded Christians is just that: online. There are frequent discussions in our orbit regarding the whole process of instantiating the things we talk about into real lived spaces. Hoe do we make all of this real? The Christian tradition, going all the way back to Jesus himself, has engaged in this activity called “discipleship.” Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes better, sometimes poorer. Among Jesus’ final recorded words is the command known at “The Great Commission.”
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
We live in a time of social, political and even religious decay and decline. There are many problems in both the broader society as well as the Christian community. Men, Christian men, are struggling. How do we address this as Christians? The wonderful thing about these emergent spaces is that they have fertile places for fomenting new ideas and approaches. You bump into people who don’t accept your tired Christian clichés. They are not afraid to tell you to your face that churches are not friendly or welcoming places for men these days. So what to do about? I invited a few members of the Christian Ghetto group chat to join me to talk about it: The Black Horse, Dr. Ben Braddock, John Slaughter Esq., Athenian Stranger, Ron Dodson and Jon Harris (who joined as the discussion was already underway, and so was not introduced at the beginning).
Enjoy! And please, if you have questions or something to add around this topic of discipleship, especially the discipleship of men, leave a comment and they will get passed on and may become the seed for us to pick this important topic again.
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