Keller on the effect of quick programs on new converts

I am compelled to reflect on my own christian walk as to whether it is a desire to submit to the Lordship of Christ, or if it stems from a desire of seeking my own will be done and demanding that my prayers be answered. Without a weekly exposition of Scripture, and a platform to faithfully apply the principles of the text as a community, we are but a sorry lot - bending the meaning of the original biblical author to try and bring about temporary moralistic behaviour change. Church membership, while it is a new concept to me, seems to be something that I think would be good for me to embark on a journey toward a formation of my heart condition to be more like my Creator's.

From Page 57 of Center Church  

Our truth-allergic, experience-addicted populace wants transformation but doesn't want the loss of freedom and control associated with submitting to authority within a committed community. Many "converts" seem to make decisions for Christ but soon lose their enthusiasm because they are offered quick programs for follow-up and small group fellowship rather than a lifelong, embodied experience of community. Many churches do not even have a process for becoming a member. As a result, converts' lives are often not visibly different from those in the culture around them. The older, more communal processes of traditional churches are better at bringing about a more thorough transformation of life.

Keller on why modern Christians lives lack testimony

I was compelled to reflect about the importance of a formal membership process to a closely knit gospel community.

A person may have said "the sinner's prayer", and perhaps even completely understood the implications of what he had uttered. However, there may be a disconnect between the worldviews of the modern-thinking generation of baby boomers, and the postmodern-thinking millennials. To assume that the youth or young adult will fully trust his assigned church leader/discipler with the respect as the "Lord's anointed" is perhaps an intellectual step of faith.

I believe that I am leaning more toward the practice of discipline to come after formal membership and discipleship, the latter of which goes beyond a structured series of lessons on doctrine. Man-made programs are powerless to make a Christian out of a sinner. We are less interested in being told what the bible says or how we should live, but would be compelled to imitate somebody who models a lifestyle that is synonymous to the faith he professes. I suggest that the cry of every person's heart is for discipleship by an authentic spiritual father.

Furthermore, possibly the way to see the lives of Christians more closely aligned with Christ's lies in a pursuit of the community of the Acts 2 church. Then there probably would not need to be an painful cajoling or arrowing of unwilling members to do anything for the church or for the gospel.


From Page 57 of Center Church

"Our truth-allergic, experience-addicted populace wants transformation but doesn't want the loss of freedom and control associated with submitting to authority within a committed community. Many "converts" seem to make decisions for Christ but soon lose their enthusiasm because they are offered quick programs for follow-up and small group fellowship rather than a lifelong, embodied experience of community. Many churches do not even have process for becoming a member. As a result, converts' lives are often not visibly different from those in the culture around them."

Platt on how Jesus taught and discipled

... when we hear Jesus talk about teaching, we need to be careful not to immediately jump in our minds to the classroom, lecture-style setting we often associate with teaching the Word. Classrooms and lectures have their place, but this is not the pre-dominant kind of teaching we see in Jesus' relationship with his disciples. On the contrary, the world was a perpetual classroom for Jesus and his disciples, providing opportunities for instruction at every moment.

... imagine "going" and leading someone to faith in Christ and then seeing her "baptised" in identification with Christ and his church. Now what? How is she going to learn to walk with Christ daily? If teaching is limited to a select few in the church who are equipped for that, then we will immediately tell this new Christian she needs to sit in a classroom and learn from a teacher. Thus we get the common approach to "discipleship" today- a far cry from the disciple making of Jesus...

From page 99-100 of Radical