Choose the Life

I just finished Choose the Life by Bill Hull today and found it to be a refreshing and challenging read. Bill talks about the state of "non-discipleship" Christianity within our churches where faith is more of an agreement than a commitment to follow Jesus with our entire lives. And because of that, people in the church remain unchanged but think they are Christians because they've agreed with a theological statement. In the spirit of Bonhoeffer, Hull states that "the trouble with our evangelism is that we have made it so easy to enter the Christian life that we miss the repentance, commitment, and regeneration that provide the power to live the Christian life."

Inspired by Dallas Willard, Hull says that the spiritual disciplines have no value in and of themselves for discipleship. If the idea is to produce depth for depth's sake, it is self-indulgent and births pride, the king of sins. "There is no virtue in spiritual exercise without a reason, and that reason is the Great Commission; it is, as we have already considered, losing ourselves in the mission (Luke 9:23-25)".

Another interesting quote is in the context of speaking of myths that exist within our faith. The myth he is speaking of is that "Religion is a private matter." "Churches will exhort members to let their lives speak but won't ask them to say anything or take a stand. one of the most arrogant things a person can say is, "I will let my life speak for me." As Sam Shoemaker used to say, "that is too much about us and too little about him." Pg. 113

Finally, here is a quote for all ministers! This is a tough one. "When our daily self-worth and the measure of our effectiveness come primarily from the reaction of those with whom we work, then we are finished as Christian leaders." He actually quotes this from R. Rodin Scott. This is so true and so difficult to live by. One thing i have noticed in the last five years is that many people get convicted of something or influenced by someone in their life and out of this experience sparks a passion. That is all good! But many of those people think their passion should be yours and the churches passion and if the church fails to act on their passion, then they are failing to be Christian! Everyone has an opinion on what the church should be doing. But very few people are willing to actually take the next step and do it.

Hull gives a needed reminder that the job of the church is and always will be the Great Commission. We are to make disciples. That is the mission of the church! Jesus explicitly told us what we are to be doing! His mission far surpasses the rabbit trails that people can lead you on! More could be said on this, maybe later.

There is a marked difference between Christians and Disciples. Jesus called us to make disciples, religion calls us to make Christians. There are probably more Christians in our churches today than Disciples and that is apparent from the lack of any considerable behavioral difference between those who call themselves "Christians" and those who don't. For more depressing facts on that see pretty much any George Barna book!

I highly recommend Choose the Life to discover some ways of refocusing our attention on the Great Commission and making disciples that will live in the way of Jesus.

Oh, and if you are unclear of what Bill Hull might mean when he says disciple he defines it like this (which I like):

Believe what Jesus believed (transformed mind)

Live as Jesus lived (transformed character)

Love as Jesus loved (transformed relationships)

Minister as Jesus ministered (transformed service)

Lead as Jesus led (transformed influence)