Missionary Discipleship: More than Church Buzzwords
Pope Francis talks a lot about discipleship, and even more so of missionary discipleship. But what does that mean? In the reality bites, keep it simple, summarize it for me culture we live in, what’s the 10 cent version? In real life, how do we translate the “new buzzwords.”
I think it’s pretty simple, and yet we try to complicate it. Let me share my two cents, okay make that ten cents, version.
In one of Matthew Kelly’s talks, he says the saints were real people who modeled the life of Jesus for us. If you were asked how you model the heart, hands and life of Jesus for others, how would you answer? And, if your answer is, “I go to church on Sunday as often as I can and donate to the collection basket,” is that discipleship? Is that the heart and hands of our Lord? Oh, I know the answer, “I never miss Sunday church and volunteer as an usher, a greeter, and sing in the choir.” Getting warmer, that is, if Jesus wanted the Apostles to spread the good news to the currently faithful, and only within the walls of your church. The key here is modeling Jesus to others.
Yeah, I’m with you, when you say no to walking around the neighborhood with pamphlets knocking on doors. And I’m not one to casually ask someone if they believe what I believe. Or easily discuss my prayer life or dwell deep into theology. But, am I willing to put the church picnic sign in my yard, wear my church T-shirt to the farmers market, or help serve the homeless shelter meal?
When Pope Francis talks about caring for and helping others, he’s asking us to be bold enough to set aside our differences in religion and look beyond the walls of our church at the great big world around us. And if we can’t fathom how to care for the world, maybe we could start with our neighborhoods, our cities or towns. Our opportunities to improve the lives of those less fortunate are endless.
I confess I’m a good one for throwing money at a cause and calling it benevolence. I participate in all the fundraising, reverse collections, and giving tree charities in my congregation. I buy the Girl Scout cookies. I do the 5k walk for cancer research, and proudly wear their T-shirt. These are all good ways of giving back, yet is it enough? Does it speak the words and works of Jesus? Will I proudly wear my religion on my T-shirt?
Maybe Pope Francis is suggesting we proudly display our faith the way we display our flag. Maybe he’s saying, we needn’t be afraid to get our hands dirty to help others know we care. And when the opportunity arises to talk about how you’re church got involved in a community service project, you’ll model to others how your faith affects your actions.
And maybe, just maybe, the more often you and your church community are out in your “parish mission field,” you will impact changing hearts and minds, leading others to the kingdom of God.
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Photo from BuzzFeeds, social experiment of a staffer.
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