An army of one

The army has commercials that describe each recruit as an army of one. Supposing you are so well trained that you can operate virtually unsupported. It reflects the American ideal of being your own person and pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. How debilitating this view becomes to the church.

The power of the church is Christ empowering the body to support each other. Rarely do we find this situation in church. We strive for bigger buildings with higher attendance and more programs to keep the flock occupied. How can we support each other when we don't know each others? In a worship service of 500 people I can't possible have that many connections to the people around and yet, we call that community.

We need to return to the power of the church. When we are small enough that we really can know each other and be intimately involved then we can begin to exercise the power. Being a small group allows a community to bring people into an environment that can nuture them into spiritual maturity. These communities are ones that emphasize discipleship.

The model for discipleship is Jesus. Jesus choose twelve to disciple and even he lost one. If Jesus found that twelve was the optimal size group for him to disciple, how can we suppose to do 100's or 1000's? Discipleship is not about numbers, it is about creating individuals who are firmly grounded spiritually, theologically, emotionally and physically. It is creating a whole person who is growing in knowledge theologically and spiritually and who can take what they have learned and duplicate it in their own lives and disciple another.

And so, we create an army of one that is being discipled while they are discipling. An army of one that is prepared and supported by the body which takes it fight out into the world demonstrating its power.

The church is desperately in need of disciplers. We have plenty of programs that entertain but rarely prepare Christians to be in that army. We need to quit wasting our money on buildings and programs and spend it on the only thing that really matters: people. In the end will it matter what programs we had or real estate we own? No. Only people will be left for the judgment and then we will be judged for our stewardship. Will we be rewarded for the buildings we build or the people we disciple. Matthew 25 gives a great picture of what judgment will be concerned with.

Are we creating a vibrant army that takes it's battle out into the world or are we creating a monastery in which we can hide from the world and be comfortable and entertained? The commander is calling....