Deep Roots April 2009

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relentless
relevant
relational

Deep Roots
Special Postmodern Discipleship Edition
big reach
Into the Funnel: How Do We Know When Postmoderns Are Genuinely Saved?
tion to capture the spiritual hunger that is
isolation from the community. Discipleship appoint-
While many evangelicals have often touted their theological
also accentuated by this shift. We are find-
with the InterVarsity staff worker to study
into our understanding of diversity, and
ments, while not exclusively communal, should be
sophistication concerning conversion with the phrase, "I have
ing it normative in most parts of the country
the Bible every week. Initially, this was a
the laissez-faire approach most familial
normatively conducted with several others who share
been saved, I am being saved, and I will be saved," such sote-
to see consistent and large numbers of stu-
very exciting mark on Brent's schedule but
and academic authorities have taken in
in this spiritual journey phase. The discipler should
riology is about to get a serious challenge. As the culture in
dents coming into community and choosing
after a few weeks, Brent began to be combat-
their lives have placed significant chal-
establish a prophetic and leadership voice in this
America has shifted dramatically in the last decade, so has our
to follow Christ. As exciting as this is, one
ive, wrestles, and resistant. What began as a
lenges before us when it comes to disci-
community but should make space for learning to be
understanding concerning evangelism yet discipleship and post-
of the largest challenges this brings to an his-
place of joy and excitement turned into a bat-
pling postmoderns. In order to establish
done as the group processes together. In the past,
modern apologetic strategies and paradigms have been slower
toric evangelical organization is what to do
tle ground for Brent's soul. Brent began to
a more integrated discipleship approach,
relational equity was obtained through one on one
in coming. We in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA are
with people after they are converted? How
come face to face with the hard teachings of
we need to do more than download
mentoring, teaching, and coaching but such a strong
experiencing an unprecedented uptick in our multi-year conver-
are students who have "been converted" to
Christ and the Bible concerning sex, sexual
creeds and ethical instruction into their
emphasis on intense one on one relationship is for-
sion numbers. We have found that the shift into postmodernity
be "being converted" or transformed as they
identity, dependency on the Spirit verses
heads, we need to also deal with the
eign and will likely lead to suspicion and resistance.
and the associated commitment to global "kingdom-centric"
follow Christ?
drugs and alcohol, the necessity to be kind
spiritual and sociological needs of post-
values and issues has placed our organization in a unique posi-

and honest, and a variety of other personality
moderns. This requires us to simultane-
The overall secularization of our society and
and ethical issues. The staff worker became
ously address a number of things in our
the cultural shift into postmodernity have
confused and even wondered if Brent's con-
time with new believers. Think of time
made our traditional models of discipleship
version was real. "Did we sell him an easy-
spent with a new believer as a funnel by
and apologetics not only ineffective but quite
believism faith or water down the gospel?"
which we pour into their lives a number
honestly often an embarrassment. People
He asked himself. After carefully reviewing
of distinct things. The essential things
coming to Christ and community are
the facts that led up to Brent's decision and
poured into the funnel initially are for-
given a compelling experience with the
the high call to Lordship placed in his call to
mative and will establish a person's life-
Living God and radical exposure to
Christ, the staff worker was convinced that
long trajectory. Though there may be
authentic transformative community and
this wasn't the case. The staff worker de-
other things added or added later, at least
are, with little resistance, coming into the
cided to give Brent C.S. Lewis's "Mere
the following five contributions to a new
Kingdom. After a decision to join Christ and
Christianity," remembering his own first en-
believer's walk with Christ and commu-
community, however, the realities of the nar-
counter with the book and how reading it was
nity should be repetitively addressed
row path begin to threaten the authenticity of
like a second conversion for him. When
through the discipleship process:
the decision and the lack-luster vision often
meeting with Brent, however, he discovered

casted through modernistic apologetics and
the book had little interest to him and even
1.Relational Equity: Postmoderns place
discipleship tools gives the new convert the
intensified his growing resistance to his new
a high value on connectivity, authentic-
sense that they missed something at the
found faith. Brent continues on with Christ
ity, and dependability. They have be-
checkout counter. An example of this is
and the InterVarsity community but on both
come disillusioned with the hopes of
Brent, a third year student who came to Jesus
sides, there is an uneasiness and uncertainty
mere cyber-relationships and are longing
after experiencing Christian community and
that wasn't there even before Brent's deci-
to connect with a transformative commu-
being challenged to give his whole life to
sion. What is happening here? Did Brent get
nity through real, face to face experi-
God during a sex trafficking outreach in the
"converted," and is he "being converted?"
ences. Because of this, relational equity
Midwest. After Brent's decision to follow
The normalization of ramped sexual promis-
needs to be established through the dis-
Christ and join community, he began to meet
cuity, the entrenchment of homosexuality
cipler and the new believer but not in

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Into the Funnel (cont.)
authority positions that do not
They aren't interested in settling
around them first and foremost.
early on in the discipleship proc-
proaching new believer's
have the associated power or
for a religious infrastructure or a
The redemption of the world
ess is key. Regular application
lifestyle and moral convic-
This is not to say that rela-
the relevance of God's
charisma figures behind them.
mere spiritualized worldview-
around them is as important as the
discussion opportunities in the
tions in the same way the
tional equity cannot or should
word and the question of
Whether it is a political author-
they want to hear from God and
redemption of the world inside
context of community will bring
old modernistic approach
not also include some one on
the truth of God's word
ity figure with charisma and
to have him touch their lives.
them so postmodern prayer minis-
such work into focus and help to
did for issues of intellec-
one mentoring and coaching
will follow. For instance,
power like President Obama or
Prayer ministry is the funda-
try should never be entirely fo-
avoid the all too common drift
tual assent and submission.
but this should be an added
the centrality of the tri-
the powerful justice-ethic voice
mental way postmoderns will be
cused on the individual needs of
toward mere activism instead of
This is to say that just as
benefit to group membership
unity of the Godhead,
of rock star Bono, postmoderns
able to encounter God in the
the believer but should include an
discipleship to Christ.
we expected a new be-
to the new believer, not the
while traditionally taught
do respond and respect author-
early stages of their disciple-
outward, missional focus.

liever to eventually come
central thrust of discipleship.
in a theological vacuum,
ity. In discipleship, we need to
ship. In the context of commu-

Finally, we need to recognize that
to understand and submit
Relational equity for the dis-
is the perfect doctrine to
establish our voice of authority
nity, a discipler should make
5.Kingdom Involvement: Disci-
not only have new contours in our
their mind to a good deal
cipler grows as the new be-
help a postmodern be-
and power based on our position
space for God to show up and
pleship and mission should never
society emerged in terms of cul-
of core theological truths
liever experiences his/her
liever understand her soul
in ministry, the presence and
move in power to
be dichotomized. The best disci-
ture and values, but the old re-
after conversion, like the
leadership in the context of
-need for connection and
power of the Holy Spirit, and
continue the
pleship tool has always been and
straints of the Judeo-Christian
doctrine of the trinity, so in
community.
interdependence on other
the relevance of God's word.
redemption
continues to be real, hands-on
worldview have eroded. Because
this new postmodern age

people. Because God is a
We can do this primarily

involvement in Christ's
of this, the typical assumptions we
we expect new believers to
2.Relevant Instruction:
community and she is
through exercising prophetic

Kingdom. From
were able to make concerning
repent and grow into their
It has been a long stand-
created in God's image,
leadership. Prophetic leaders

evangelism to addressing
issues like sexuality, honesty, and
conviction concerning is-
ing mistake to assume
she is also communal.
speak and act on behalf of God

global issues of
the intrinsic value of life can no
sues of sexual identity and
postmoderns are not in-
Since we are connected to
consciously, intentionally call-

injustice and local
longer be made. The boundaries
sexual promiscuity. Evi-
terested in truth; it is just
others at a soul-level, we
ing people to change and action

manifestations of
of social convention aided us in
dence amongst the Corin-
that they are first inter-
have a responsibility to
based on God's call on their

suffering and need,
discipleship in that we could be-
thians to this end is ample
ested in relevance. For
their well being and owe
life. Prophetic leaders tend to

getting post-
gin with general assumptions con-
and if we broaden the is-
the modern, the assump-
them love and this will
speak for God instead of merely

moderns involved in
cerning what was right and wrong
sues out to less controver-
tion was that if something
begin to go to build her
about God. With Brent as an

the work of the
-an appeal to the normative moral
sial sin and worldview is-
were true it may or may
sense of purpose and obli-
example, a prophetic leader at

Kingdom is central.
code or law.
sues like financial steward-
not then become person-
gation to God and others.
one point would say, "Brent,

Kingdom work

ship, one can easily see
ally relevant. For the
The doctrine of the trinity
God is doing a powerful work in

shouldn't be seen as
Very frequently now after a per-
how with all of us God has
postmodern, the first
is relevant, extremely
your life right now. You may

something that occurs
son becomes a Christian, they be-
been, is, and will likely
question is almost always,
relevant, for postmoderns
not fully understand it but you

after a person is rooted
gin to wrestle with a new moral
always be graciously in
"Is this personally or
and needs to come to the
know what I'm saying is true-
process
or grounded in the truths of
code that accompanies the new
process with us.
communally relevant?"
new believer first as such
you need to embrace your
begun at the
Christianity-it is how those
worldview they are adopting that
Once this question is an-
and subsequently all of
doubts and take them to God.
point of decision.
truths get rooted in their hearts and
is at odds with a lifetime of formal
swered, later on the ques-
the glorious theological
God is leading you to face the
Prayer ministry should also be
minds. Finding ways for new be-
education and socialization, par-
tion of truth will come.
nuances and substantia-
core of the decision you made
experiential. Leading postmod-
lievers to do evangelism, serve,
ticularly concerning sex and sex-
Because of this, much of
tions can follow. Disci-
and not to settle for a watered
erns through prayer should
reach out, and apply their gifts and
ual identity. At one event, after
our modernistic disciple-
pleship into the theologi-
down commitment." Brent
never be merely dialogical, but
talents to real needs is as important
speaking I was approached by a
ship tools and paradigms
cal truths of God's word
doesn't need merely endless
iconic. Postmodern prayer
as teaching them the Bible and how
young Latino student who, with
that revolve around help-
and the creeds of the
arguments about the historicity
should include the arts and ex-
to pray for in so doing we connect
tears in her eyes after professing
ing new believers under-
Church can never be ex-
of the Bible and how it is a
periential learning such as the
who God has made them to be and
Christ, asked sincerely, "Now,
stand the truth of God's
cluded from our efforts
trustworthy document, he needs
writing of poetry or the use of
their purpose in community with
what does God have to say about
word will often seem for-
but we do need to place
to be prophetically led into the
symbolic objects to help them
the truths and person of God. Of-
the fact that I'm a lesbian?" Ad-
eign and create confusion.
them first in their "real
Scriptures with a voice of
grasp concepts concerning God
ten for this justice generation, king-
dressing such issues after conver-
Teaching new believers
life" contexts if we hope
power. We've been given such
and his work in their lives.
dom involvement will actually play
sion is difficult for some with still
the truth of God's word
to help new believers to-
power by God in our calling
While fundamentally written for
a significant role in their initial
others disqualifying the conver-
and the beauty of the
day have a world-view
into ministry, through the pres-
evangelism and preaching,
conversion but as they are being
sion due to such evidence of
creeds handed down
change.
ence and power of the Holy
Mark Miller's book,
redeemed, continued involvement
known sin still lingering in the
throughout Church his-

Spirit, and through the rele-
"Experiential Storytelling" can
in community for the Kingdom
person's life. However, the proc-
tory can never fade from
3.Prophetic Leadership:
vancy of God's Word.
be contextualized to develop
will be key to their maturation.
ess of postmodern conversion can
our discipleship efforts
Postmoderns do not reject
4.Prayer Ministry: Prophetic
rich ideas for experiential and
Missional Christians grow out of
and should make room for ap-
but we need to help new
authority as many have
leadership goes hand in hand
iconic prayer. Finally, post-
missional work led by prophetic
believers understand first
articulated-they reject
with prayer ministry. Postmod-
moderns typically have a deep
leaders and to set this as a prece-
erns are mystically hungry.
desire to change the world
dent at the point of decision and
R. York Moore
National Evangelist
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA
PO Box 87753
Canton, MI 48187
All articles, unless otherwise noted, are written by R. York
313-610-7860
Moore and are intended for internal use within InterVarsity
Christian Fellowship USA. Free distribution and duplication
york@tellthestory.net/www.tellthestory.net
are hereby granted.

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