寫給2/14收到「情人節快樂」的您

今年，我想預祝各位：「情人節快樂」。那天剛好是團契職員退修會（唔好估係邊個咁浪漫選哪個週末，我們是一齊決定的。一邊過情人節，一邊退修，是不一樣的浪漫🫰🫰）。

我最近想到團契的情況，是時候鼓勵大家贖回在恩典中的「戀愛腦」。我確實不敢扮專家，所以帶著頭盔說說牧者的心底話。希望這些有關男女感情的小小提議，對你有一點點幫助。我想了一下，大概整理了感情路上的十二個中途站。我刻意用《中途站》（Mid-point Station) 原因是感情這回事，可真的要由天決定，說不定那一天列車來了，列車延遲了，甚或列車走了，又會再來。我想說的是，無論我們身處在那一個中途站，在那裡都有足夠的恩典。而且從神而來的恩典，對《普通的人》來說可真的是「...欠缺裡沒有還是夠」。

感情路上的中途站： 1. 大膽禱告 2.細心觀察 3. 小小嘗試 4. 大方得體 5. 穩中求勝 6. 不要驚動 7. 心理準備 8. 談婚論嫁 9. 婚前輔導 10. 夢中婚禮 11. 相處之道 12. 生兒育女

以下是根據聖經原則與牧養經驗，為你們預備的12點小小提議：

1. 大膽禱告

把心裡的說話輕輕的放在禱告中。讓神的靈引導你的情感與選擇。禱告不是只求「成就我的心願」，更是求「成就神在我們生命中的心意」。愛本身就需要很大的勇氣，所以大膽向神禱告吧。孤單的保羅也這樣鼓勵你：「應當一無掛慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，和感謝，將你們所要的告訴神···」（腓立比書4:6）。

2. 細心觀察

同時，你其實可以在團體的互動、服事的機會、平常相處中，觀察對方的生命品格、信仰追求、待人處事，而非只看外表或感覺。觀察他/她是怎樣與神、與人相處的，有吸引到你的地方嗎？

3. 小小嘗試

從群體中一點一滴的交往起，到合適時以朋友的身分交流（如小組後用餐、討論事工），以認識彼此價值觀、興趣與信仰體會。保持自然，不給對方壓力。

4. 大方得體

交往過程中，留意自己的言行。給對方一個從心而發的尊重、誠實、大方的感覺很重要。弟兄要大方，姊妹要得體。在公開或私下場合盡量保持一定的健康界線。

5. 穩中求勝

感情需時間扎根於真理與信任。不急促推進，而是在穩健的步伐中，確認彼此是否適合同行一生。感情需水滴石穿的那樣耐心培育。

6. 不要驚動

在尚未清楚確定關係前，不必急於公開或讓團契關注，以免給對方或團體帶來壓力。給予彼此安靜尋求神的空間。真的「不要驚動、不要叫醒我所親愛的，等他自己情願。」（雅歌2:7）

7. 心理準備

認真思考婚姻的意義與責任，包括捨己、包容、犧牲與委身等前提後。問自己：我是否預備好，願意愛一個不完美的人，並在基督裡承諾一生扶持他/她？

8. 談婚論嫁

若清楚神的帶領，可進入婚姻的討論。包括未來的生活方向、信仰、財務管理、居住安排等實際考量，並尋求屬靈長輩與家人的意見。

9. 婚前輔導

盡可能提前參加教會或機構的婚前輔導。這不是「考試」，而是幫助你們在真理的基礎上，建立健康溝通、衝突處理與屬靈合一的重要步驟。

10. 夢中婚禮

籌備婚禮時，焦點不在排場，而在於在神與人面前立下盟約。讓婚禮成為見證福音、感恩與分享愛的場合，榮耀神而非滿足自我。

11. 相處之道

婚姻是每日學習「彼此順服」（以弗所書5:21）的功課。持續溝通、彼此饒恕、共同禱告、一起事奉，讓基督成為一家之主。

12. 生兒育女

若神賜予子女，當按聖經教導養育他們，並在教養中彼此支援。兒女是神的賞賜，也是責任，需在愛與真理中建立家庭祭壇。

最後，我真心認為獨身、感情、婚姻、兒女等，都是神所賜的，是塑造我們更像基督的人生旅程的一部分。無論你在哪個「中途站」，願你以「團契生活」為滿足，以「愛神愛人」為目標，以「真理引導」為明燈。若有需要，我樂意陪你一起尋求、代禱與輔導。願神賜福你，與祂的關係，如溪邊的樹，按時候結果子，葉子也不枯乾。（詩篇1:3）

在愛中同行，

愛你們的牧者

靈性帶動的生活： 「衣」食住行

靈性帶動的生活：「衣」食住行

「衣」在基督裡作新人，不斷的更新「脫下」「穿上」：比方每晚「脫下」 牙垢，「穿上」牙套，「脫下」外套（包括一切阻礙聖靈如微風感動心靈的自我保護機制），「穿上」內衣（接受自己的本相，坦然無懼來到施恩座前，在聖潔的主面向誠實剖白，亦不覺羞恥）。

 

靜「思」明「辨」¹

早上晨更後，小小體會。靈修是把客觀的真理，經過屬靈操練的轉化，成為主觀的經歷。這個過程往往需要群體和個人的付出和堅持，選擇過一種「靜」「思」「明」「辨」（平靜，深思，開明，分辨）的敬虔生活。

1. https://pedia.cloud.edu.tw/Entry/Detail/?title=思辨

https://www.facebook.com/peter.lok.5070/posts/10166046592720627

 

有待探索的主題：從「思辨實在論」到「思辨式關係實在論」

Christian Leadership: Tensions within the Soul

Adopted from Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Barton, p.27.

With reflection on the seven tensions within my soul:

“There is the tension between what the human soul needs in order to be truly well and what life in leadership encourages and even requires.”

This resonates with some Chinese sayings, 人在江湖 身不由己，在朝不如在野. 

“There is the tension between the time it takes to love people and the need for expediency.”

It’s especially true with a relational leader because things that touch the soul is slow.

“There is the tension between knowing how to “work the system” and entering into trustworthy relationships characterized by trust and a commitment to one another’s well being.”

In ministry, we are called to love people nor programs. When the soul values people first, programs will come.

“There is the tension between the need for an easy discipleship process through which we can efficiently herd lots of people and the patient, plodding and ultimately mysterious nature of the spiritual transformation process.”

Jesus’s way of discipleship is counterintuitive, high efforts, time consuming, sacrificial, costly, intimate. Yet, true disciples rejoice in the plodding. 

“There is the tension between the need for measurable goals and the difficulty of measuring that which is ultimately immeasurable by anyone but God himself.” 

This one is hard to say if you’re a hired pastor, you’re expected and wanted to do both. That’s the tension. 

“There is the tensions between the organizational hierarchy where all the power dynamics this creates and the mutuality and interdependence of life in community to which we as Christians are called.”

I like the analogy that human body is organic with many organisms, so does the body of Christ. One cannot live without the other. It’s a good in-tension (intention).

Reflecting The Contemplative Pastor

It is delightful to have conversation with different pastors on our sabbath day sharing about the art of pastoring.

Two thoughts resonated with me when I woke up this morning: contemplative and subversive. Only a contemplative pastor can inspire another pastor to be contemplative, so as only a subversive pastor can pray and live alongside the congregation subversively. 

Contemplation helps me to see that God is present and active in any given person, situation, or problem. “My job is not to solve people’s problem or make them happy, but to help them see grace operating in their lives” (3; emphasis added). Being a contemplative pastor set me free from being too rigorous or relaxing, and becoming more relying on his grace. It opens my eyes to see God’s works in my life and ministry. It allows me to receive Christ’s costly grace and letting it does its work to transform me into his likeness. 

Being a subversive pastor is to live with people at church and community with an open-eyes prayer. This subversive spirituality creates a mentality to “take on the coloration of the culture” while committing to Christ by “working quietly, hiddenly, and patiently” and “planting suspicion that there is something beyond what the culture says is final” (11). Pastor always thinks in terms of people, place and relationship, rather than program and planning. Instead of setting borders and boundary in ministry, a praying pastor immersed in the parish and the surrounding community. In this earthly locality, praying pastors alongside praying Christians subvert the secular cultures with sacrificial love, justice (faith), and hope. A subversive spirituality that is scriptural and prayerful are nothing fleshy but central to our family life, go to work, and worship as a church body. Slowly but surely, “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. 

These two pages speak into my prayer life as a pastor with the church. God reminds me that even in revival prayer, what all we can do is to receive grace and participate in the presence of Christ contemplatively and subversively.

10.1.20 與己與人的對話：再思「捨己」

話說上個星期主日學後，與幾位朋友分享交流有關如何「刻苦己心」與「拆下框框」的捨己操練。在尋朔「與己對話」的過程中，想起一位以往神學院的輔導學教授（Dr. Pablo Polischuk)。他提供了一個聖經的人論框架，幫助我們更清楚認識「自己」。希望略略介紹，整理，應用在「與己對話」的操練中。

簡單來說，他指出三個非常重要的真理，有關「imago Dei」和「relational self」。人是按着神的形象（formed）而做，在一個失落(deformed)與重拾(reformed)神的形象的過程中(transformed)效法基督的樣式(conformed)，最終得贖的人會成為神榮耀的形象(glorified form)。

(在他著作中有較詳盡的解釋）

除了創世紀多處經文提及人處於「失落」deformed，「救贖」informed/reformed，和「更新」transformed 的過程中。靈性追求者在「與己對話」中不斷在基督裡禱告，認識神，認識自己，拆毁重建，脫下穿上，效法基督。

默想：

神就照着自己的形像造人，乃是照着他的「形像」造男造女。 (創世記1:27 和合本)

我心裏柔和謙卑，你們當負我的軛，學我的「樣式」；這樣，你們心裏就必得享安息。 (馬太福音11:29 和合本)

他要按着那能叫萬有歸服自己的大能，將我們這卑賤的身體改變「形狀」，和他自己「榮耀的身體相似」。(腓立比書3:21 和合本)

靜觀：

我有哪些「己」和「框」需要「斷，捨，離」？

9.30.20 與神與己「對話」

早起真好，有點私人空間來禱告，安靜，默想。趁最近的領受還記憶猶新記錄下來，不然跑掉了無法追溯。從昨天起回顧。

9.29.20 是在西宣服侍的一週年，盡是恩典的回憶。頭一年所建立的友誼和默契，所領受和分享的信息，所參與和帶領的活動，經歷到神的同在和能力，願榮耀歸於祂。感謝主昨天為我安排了特別的慶祝活動。天未亮，自然醒來身心舒暢，享受寧靜禱告敬拜，然後自行錄製了一段「主禱文四部進階默想」。之後重溫與教牧同工一起研讀的屬靈書籍。這是我們第一次透過經典作品來分享，體會到我們不但是同工更是同伴同學，深入探討靈性的階段理論和觀察。接著，與四位來自不同團契的禱告勇士，為個人和教會復興禱告。特別經歷到聖靈帶動我們有彼此開聲認罪，猶如來到施恩座前。下午，安排團契會議，與牧師談及靜觀，和預備今天與家人去露營，慶祝中秋和住棚節。

9.28.20 在猶太曆法中為最神聖的日子，贖罪日。前天我在主日學中分享這日子如何幫助我們操練「與己」的關係。大祭司每年一度進入幔內，用羔羊的血，代人贖罪。當我越認識上帝時，我越認識自己，在默想經文時特別留意到「贖罪」與「捨己」的關係。深深體會「己」因耶穌的寶血而被贖。「己」如今能進入幔內，全是恩典。操練「捨己」主要目的是效法基督，大祭司「捨己」以致我「得贖」也成了祭司。 其次，操練「捨己」就是脫去舊人，穿上新人。「捨」去「己」的歪念，邪情，驕傲；透過禱告放下自己的想法和雜念，以致基督成形在心裡。

默想：

「七月初十是贖罪日；你們要守為聖會，並要刻苦己心(原文 `anah  有虛己，禁食，受苦等意思），也要將火祭獻給耶和華。 (利未記23:27 和合本)

耶穌又對眾人說：「若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，天天背起他的十字架來跟從我。 因為，凡要救自己生命（靈魂；下同）的，必喪掉生命；凡為我喪掉生命的，必救了生命。 (路加福音9:23-24 和合本)

所以，我奔跑不像無定向的；我鬥拳不像打空氣的。 我是攻克己身，叫身服我，恐怕我傳福音給別人，自己反被棄絕了。(哥林多前書9:26-27 和合本)

靜觀：

我與神的關係如何，與「己」的關係如何？

INTEGRATING THE GOSPEL OF JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION TO THE PRACTICE OF RELATIONAL DISCIPLE FORMATION

(In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course IE 708, Spiritual Formation and Intercultural Disciplemaking at Western Seminary Portland) 

 

Introduction: 

One Gospel in two Aspects

 

The Protestant Church, since Martin Luther (1483–1546) has emphasized the reformation of the doctrine of justification. His contemporary, Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), has led the counter-reformation by co-founding the religious order called the Society of Jesus to emphasize the transformation of the spiritual life. In the past decades, similar theological debates have sparked on the nature of justification. Tom Wright (1948-) has popularized the New Perspective of Paul in an attempt to lift Paul’s writings out of the Lutheran-Reformed framework and interpret them based on what is said to be an understanding of first-century Judaism. This paper attempts to integrate two aspects of the Gospel—justificationand sanctification­—and applies them in the practice of Relational Disciple Formation in the context of a local Chinese church. 

            My proposed dissertation’s title is Relational Disciple Formation: Integrating Intercultural Education in a Chinese Church in America for Diaspora Missions. One of my research questions is, “What are the scriptural and theological foundations upon which a Relational Disciple Formation should be based?” Here are some key definitions that I proposed to guide my research:

Disciple: a person who is called to follow Jesus, being transformed by living out the Gospel, and intentionally making disciples among all people by participating in themissio Dei.[1]

Relational Disciple Formation Model:an interdisciplinary discipleship model that is based on Enoch Wan’s Way of Integrative Research (“STARS”)[2]and Gary Parrett’s A Basic Catechetical Design[3].

 

Table 1Relational Disciple Formation Model

	Relational	Disciple	Formation
Scripturally Sound	Faith Reconciled to God & neighbor (Eph. 2:14-18)	Hope Hearing & believing (1Co. 15:3)	Love  Receiving the gift of the Spirit (Gal. 3:2)
Theologically Supported	Teaching The Truth	Transforming The Life	Training The Way
Analytically Coherent	Catechetical The Creed Relational Paradigm	Christocentric The Decalogue Transformative Learning	Contemplative The Lord’s Prayer Spiritual Disciplines
Relevantly Contextual	Local Church, Fellowship & small group	1-on-1, micro group	Retreat & Spiritual Direction, formation class
Strategically Practical	Teaching & Preaching the whole Gospel	Equipping discipler & developing leader	Modeling & Mobilizing for diaspora missions

 

Intercultural Discipleship: an intentional relationship whereby the discipler guided by Christ to make disciples among all people by modeling the knowledge, attitudes, and skills as a follower of Jesus; motivating and mobilizing the disciples towards transformative change and ministerial fruitfulness in a cross-cultural context.[4]

Intercultural Spiritual Formationis an intentional way of life in the presence of the Triune God and other spiritual companions. The formation practices enable an inward movement to appreciate the Imago Deiin different cultures. Then followed by an outward movement to participate in the Missio Deiwith Global Church through a local church. 

 

Relational Disciple Formation Paradigm: an integrated framework from Enoch Wan’s Relational Realism, Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, and Esther Meek’s Covenant Epistemology, for the practice of discipleship.[5] 

Relational Disciple Formation: the process of a growing relationship with other disciples in living out the Gospel of Jesus primarily through vertical-relationship to the Triune God and secondarily through horizontal-relationship within the context of the Church/church in unity, mutuality and reciprocity.[6]  

 

Problems faced in Teaching Justification and Sanctification

 

This is my first attempt to do a small-scale action research[7]at my local church. I taught a two-parter to the adult Sunday school on July 26 and August 2, 2020. As a researcher, I encountered some cultural and worldview challenges. The Sunday school classes normally teach the Bible with limited integration with theology, spirituality, practical ministry, and missions. Some believers have mistaken justification and hold a “lay back” attitude when it came to sanctification. When those doctrines are forgotten, the Gospel has little impact to the well-off lifestyle, Easy Believism, and Cheap Grace. Chinese people were afraid of losing face and that has hindered them from putting down the old self-identity and taking up the new self-identity in Christ. Some are pragmatic and do not want to talk the talk, without also walking the walk. They either think theology is irrelevant, too difficult to understand, or too hard to put into practice, so they simplify it, or simply do not speak of it. Cultural ideologies, such as Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, have a heavy influence on Chinese daily life. Those worldviews prevent the Gospel from transforming the moralistic or self-justifying heart. Many believers do not recognize the enemies of the Gospel namely, legalism, moralism or moral therapeutic deism, hedonism, liberalism or relativism, dualism, and anti-intellectualism. These examples are not exhaustive. There are practical problems related to the practice of discipleship and spiritual formation about which I conversed with a student after class for more than an hour. My reflection after teaching this series is that in order to have a Gospel transformation in a Chinese church, the cultural counterfeits of the Gospel cannot be underestimated or ignored, and instead must be identified and countered with grace and patience. 

 

First Aspect of the Gospel: Justification

The doctrine of Justification answers at least three practical questions that every disciple should ask, “Who performsthe work of regeneration? What is the nature of the changebrought about by regeneration? What is the continuing purpose of regenerationin one’s personal life?”[8](emphasis added) 

First, the Holy Spiritworks in an effective way by the saving grace to enabling the elect to respond in repentance and faith.[9]The conversion of an unbeliever is twofold: repentance—turning away from sin,[10]and faith—turning toward Christ for salvation.[11]

Second, God regeneratesthose that He saves by His spirit so they can repent and believe in Jesus.[12]Genuine repentance is followed by justification which is “an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins,[13]and accepts us as righteous in his sight,[14]only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us,[15]and received by faith alone.[16]”[17]And justification is immediately followed by adoption[18]whereby we become the children of God and receive the privileges of sonship.[19]

Third, the purpose of regeneration is that God would give the believer a new life from above, thus making him dead to the flesh and alive to the spirit.[20]A believer growsby gracebut also through faithbecause “true saving faith involves the commitment of the whole person to Jesus Christ.”[21]Thus, regeneration creates a liturgical and ethical life with orthodoxy (right belief), and orthopraxy (right behaviors) in the Christian living.[22]

The Alliance, where I serve as a minister, affirms that justification is God’s grace in counting people as righteousness by their faith that is manifested in their heart and life.[23]God promises that he revives the spirit of the lowly by giving them a new heart and a new spirit, transplanting the heart of stone with a heart of flesh.[24]Those who believe in Jesus’ name are born again of the Spirit.[25]Apostle Paul made it clear in Romans that “none is righteous, not one” because no one can be justified by keeping the law.[26]Paul continued with the good news, “for all have sinned, now justified by his grace through the redemption in Christ, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith”.[27]In other letters, Paul used “justified” in simple past tense in which believers are compared to “new creation” “the sons of Abraham” and “the man of faith”[28]. The first three chapters of Galatians argue that we cannot be justified by observing the law, but the following three chapters verify that we can be justified by faith and live by the Spirit. Justification gives a disciple assurance of salvation which is given graciously by the Lord. 

 

Second Aspect of the Gospel: Sanctification

While justification pertains to a disciple’s righteous standing and reconciled relationship with God, sanctification pertains to a disciple’s righteous living and growing relationship with God. There are several important theological questions related to sanctification, 

What is the practical significance of sanctification to the Christ-follower’s lifestyle? What is meant by positional sanctification and progressive sanctification, and how is “crisis” connected to the two? What does the Scriptural phrase “dead to sin and alive to God” mean, and in what way is this true for the believer? What is meant by the phrase “the indwelling Christ?” What are scriptural evidences of a sanctified life?[29](emphasis added)

First, as disciples of Jesus we are new creation in the image of God, and we have died to sin and live unto righteousness in Christ through faith and obedience, in witness and ministry, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Second, positional sanctification is the disciples’ relationship with God made perfect by the blood of Christ. Progressive sanctification is the process of a Christian’s growth that will lead to a holy relationship with God. To designate sanctification as a crisis is to emphasize that it is not just a gradual reality in the life of the believer but is also an instantaneous work of God received by faith. Third, “dead to sin and alive to God” describes a sinless perfection that is first a relational matter, then a functional matter. Perfection of sanctification is occasionally called “definitive sanctification”[30]in the Reformed Church.[31]When a sinner saved by grace, experiences Christ's vicarious atonement, he no longer lives but Christ lives in him. Thus, the person can obey Christ's commands and overcome sins progressively. "Fully dedicated" to the will of God by loving Him and others is the result after being filled with the Spirit. By the Spirit and the truth we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God,[32]and have died to sin in Christ[33], and live unto righteousness[34].”[35]The key to grow in conformity to the character of Christ is through the salvific grace of Christ’s works and words, personal faith and obedience, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

The Alliance has a threefold emphasis of sanctification that the founder A. B. Simpson elaborated as: separation, dedication and infilling of the Holy Spirit[36]. It is also articulated in the C&MA Statement of Faith, “It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, thereby being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God”[37]. Gordon T. Smith, president of Ambrose University College, has sought to address several critical tensions in the theology of sanctification within the C&MA in which he concludes the paradox as, “the tension between Scripture and tradition; the tension between crisis and process in sanctification; a tension between an Augustinian notion of sin and the more optimistic, Wesleyan view of grace that is at least implied in Simpson’s writings”[38].

 

Integrating Justification and Sanctification for Gospel Transformation

            Both justification and sanctification explain the doctrine of salvation that is by the grace of God, not by individual’s works. The Catholic Church teaches that salvation, “is maintained by doing works of love and receiving Penance and the Eucharist”[39]. Therefore, Luther protested that we are saved by grace alone when God imputes his gift of righteousness to us through faith alone (sola fide) in Christ alone. Luther’s doctrine of salvation does not go contrary to the Catholic Church except, “Good works are the inevitable result of true faith, but in no way the basis of our right standing before God.”[40]To Luther and many protestants who reject the Catholic’s soteriology, it was not just a doctrinal division but a departure from the Gospel. 

The Gospel is an epic event that have taken place in the believer’s life “facts impinge on the person whose relationship with God has been fundamentally changed by the story.”[41]Simon Chan, the author of Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life, says that at one level sanctification is a fruit of justification, “The one who is in right relationship with God will bear the fruit of righteous living.”[42]But then he also says that this changed relationship does not automatically transform itself into a changed life. He adopts Helmut Thielicke’s view that the “imperative”is not the means to make us more holy but as the “condition that makes it possible for grace to be fully operative”[43]

The following chart and analytical comparison summarizes my effort to integrate justification and sanctification from a relational realism paradigm and the dynamic of grace in the disciples’ life.

Table 2Integrating Justification and Sanctification

Justification (righteous standing by grace)	Sanctification  (righteous living by grace)
First inside	Then outside
From inside	To outside
Both inside	And outside
Without inside	No outside
Already	Not-yet
New identity (never changes)	New Life (Continually renews)
As a starting point (initial love, from faith to faith)	As a life journey (destined, wholly Holy)
The work of the Triune God	The work of the Triune God
Communal Confession: believing, belonging	Communal Growth: being, becoming

 

Justification (A) vs. sanctification (B)

1.     (A)   and (B) both explain the Gospel of salvation where Christ alone has accomplished, and we received and participated by grace through faith

2.     (A)  is not (B), and (B) is not (A)  

3.     (A)   must exists before (B)

4.     (A)   leads to (B)

5.     (A)   and (B) coexist

6.     (A)  emphasizes the starting point and action while (B) emphasizes the continuous process and result, both are the aspects of the Gospel from God’s foreknowledge, of God’s work in his people, and require people’s faith, and lead to changes in life, identity, belief, behavior, character, relationship, ministry, and missions. 

7.     (A)   and (B) supplement to each other, balance each other, and complete each other

 

The Gospel and the Practice of Relational Disciple Formation

What follows is my research proposal to bring the Gospel into the practice of Relational Disciple Formation. This model of discipleship has been passed down to me by my former pastors, Rev. Johnny Chan and Rev. Wing Lam, at Grace Chinese Alliance Church. They have both received Ph.D. degrees from Biblical Studies and Missiology. Pastor Chan discipled me for more than two years in weekly one-on-one meeting, and in years of teaching. Pastor Wing taught the Old Testament Survey and Pauline Theology which have become my formational building blocks. I have seen and practiced what they taught in my own ministry and discipleship. 

Besides the model of discipleship that I shadowed from my pastors, I learned the model of catechesis from Professor Gary Parrett and Steve Kang personally when I was in their class at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. In Grounded in the Gospel[44]and Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful[45], they made a convincing case that catechesis is a very biblical way of making disciples. Gary Parrett is passionate and insightful about Christian formation and catechesis. He emphasizes that to make disciples is a process of passing down the gospel from generation to generation in the community of a local church as the workmanship(Poiema) of God[46]. The purpose of catechesis is to bring all believers to the Truth, Life, and Way of the Gospel[47]. I believe catechesis is a holistic way of teaching and forming of disciples in the head, heart, and hands. 

Pastor Wing has successful implemented Parrett’s 4-G (Grounding-Growing-Giving-Going)[48]in a discipleship training system^[49]. I adopted his framework and modified the reading materials and requirements to create a new model for Relational Disciple Formation for the local Chinese church where I am serving. 

 

4-G Relational Disciple Formation

 

In the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20), Jesus only has one command—μαθητευσατε (to make a disciple, to train in discipleship) of all people. This is the task of the church—to make disciples. Discipleship is a relational process in which a trained discipler (Paul) teaches, nurtures, and walks alongside new disciples (Timothy) on a regular basis. The essence of discipleship is to make disciples a few at a time and to focus on life investment, multiplication, and accountability[50].

Discipleship Stage I—Grounding (1^stYear) One-on-One

 

The purpose of this stage of discipleship is to build a personal and intimate relationshipwith new disciples, to re-confirm and re-clarify their decision to follow Christ, and to teach them the essential truths of Christianity (e.g. Assurance of Salvation, Bible Reading, Prayer, etc...). The relationship between a discipler (Paul) and a disciple (Timothy) is the key element in this stage. If a solid relationship is formed, the life of the disciple will be transformed more easily. Real accountability will bring spiritual formation and growth. Moreover, in this stage of discipleship, a new disciple needs an example to follow—the embodiment of the Truth. In this stage, the nature of discipleship is one on one.

Table 3Building Relationship for Disciple Formation

Discipleship Materials: ·      The Purpose Driven Life (Warren) [40 Days] ·      Spiritual Disciplines Handbook (Calhoun)[51]  [7 months] Devotional Materials: ·      My Utmost for His Highest[52](Chambers) / Practice of the Presence of God[53] (Lawrence)  Deepening Materials: ·      How to Read the Bible Book by Book. (Stuart & Fee) It is a helpful guide to assist reading through the Bible. [9 months]

Personal Formation: ·      Read through New Testament and assigned reading materials ·      Develop a prayerful life with Psalm & Spiritual Disciplines Handbook ·      Keep a weekly journal for sharing   Community Formation: ·      Weekly 1 hour one-on-one meeting  ·      Participate in worship, Sunday school, fellowship, and personal evangelism

 

Discipleship Stage II—Growing (2^ndYear) Micro-Group

 

The objective of this stage of discipleship is to build a firm foundation for holistic growth—a balanced relationship with God, others, and self. This stage helps new disciples understand different stages of experiencing God in real-life circumstances. In this stage, the nature of discipleship is in small group setting. This small group is made up of 3-4 people. At the same time, if possible, some disciples who are in this stage will learn how to be a discipler (Paul) and start a discipling process with a new disciple (Timothy). 

Table 4Helping Disciples to Transform Relationally

Discipleship Materials: ·      Discipleship Essentials[54] (Ogden)[12-18 months] Devotional Materials: (recommended) ·      Pursuit of God[55] (Tozer) /Celebration of Discipline[56](Foster) [3 months] Deepening Materials for qualified disciplers: ·      Transforming Discipleship (Ogden)  ·      How to Read the Bible for all Its Worth (Stuart & Fee). It’s helpful to interrupt different genres.

Personal Formation: ·      Read through Old Testament and assigned reading materials ·      Develop a wise life with Proverbs and Celebration of Discipline ·      Keep a weekly journal for reflection   Community Formation: ·      Weekly 1.5 hr. micro group meeting  ·      Serve in one of the ministry teams: worship, fellowship, short-term mission, or 1-on-1 discipleship

 

Discipleship Stage III—Giving (3^rdYear)

 

The objective of this stage of discipleship is to help disciples, who have gone through Discipleship I & II, discover their God-given gifts and encourage them to develop those gifts in ministry. The nature of this stage is also in small group setting. Ideally, it should be the same group continued from Discipleship II. Discipler will continue to keep disciples accountable and give spiritual direction to each disciple according to their specific needs. Again, disciples who have gone through Stages I & II should be able to start a discipling process with new disciples.

Table 5Forming as a Discipler—Discover and Develop God-Given Gifts

Discipleship Materials: ·      Leadership Essentials (Ogden)[57][12 months] Devotional Materials: ·      Spiritual Leadership (Sanders)[58]/ Every Good Endeavor (Keller) [59] Deepening Materials for qualified disciplers: ·      S.H.A.P.E. (Rees)[60] ·      The Master Plan of Discipleship[61](Coleman) ·      New Bible Commentary [62]

Personal Formation: ·      Study through the Gospel and assigned reading materials ·      Develop an exemplary life from the Epistles of Paul ·      Keep a weekly journal for reflection Community Formation: ·      Weekly 1.5 hr. micro group meeting  ·      Accept one leadership role: worship, fellowship, formation class, short-term mission, or 1-on-1 discipleship

 

Discipleship Stage IV—Going (4^thYear and ongoing)

 

This stage is the last stage of discipleship. Disciples who has gone through stages I, II, & III should be a self-initiating, reproducing, and fully devoted disciple. There is no assigned discipleship material for this stage. But some books are required for Timothy to read and study with Paul.

Table 6Sending a Mature Discipler to Multiply

Devotional Materials: ·      Concise Theology (Packer) [63] ·      Devotional Classics (Foster)[64] Deepening Materials for qualified disciplers: ·      Grounded in the Gospel (Packer & Parrett)[65] ·      Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful (Kang & Parrett)[66] ·      Relational Missionary Training (Wan & Hedinger)[67]

Personal and Community Formation: ·      Continue the above and multiply to others Kingdom Formation: ·      Those who are in stage IV are encouraged to take courses outside of the church. Theological courses are available online or at some extension sites offered by seminaries. ·      Develop partnership with other churches for diaspora missions

 

Conclusion 

This paper does attempt to resolve the theological paradox between justificationand sanctification. The purpose is to see both as aspects of the Gospel and to integrate them in the practice Relational Disciple Formation. My hope is that disciples from different cultures can live in unity as the glorious church that the glorious Gospel has revealed(Eph. 3:4–6). In this research, we look atjustificationas the motivation for discipleship while spiritual formation is the means to sanctification. The Gospel tells us that both justificationand sanctificationare the works of the Triune God. The former is already, and the latter is not-yet, and therefore disciples are living and growing in tension in between. The Gospel points us back and forward to the finished work of God.  

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[1]Adapted and modified from Enoch Wan and Mark Hedinger, Relational Missionary Training: Theology, Theory and Practice(Skyforest: Urban Loft Publishers, 2017), 13.They use 3B’s to describe a disciple as BeingChrist’s apprentice, Becoming like-Christ, and Belonging to Kingdom of God. 

[2]Enoch Wan, “Inter-Disciplinary and Integrative Missiological Research: The ‘What’, ‘Why’ and ‘How,’” Global Missiology English4, no. 14 (2017), accessed August 25, 2020, http://ojs.globalmissiology.org/index.php/english/article/view/2019.

[3]Gary Parrett, “A Basic Catechetical Design (1” (n.d.), accessed August 6, 2020, https://www.academia.edu/24474431/A_Basic_Catechetical_Design_1.

[4]Modified from Wan, Enoch. IE701: Intercultural Education lecture file #2, and Wan and Hedinger, 13.  

[5]This paradigm was developed in my IE 701 Intercultural Education’s research paper entitled, Integrating Transformative Learning in Relational Disciple Formation for Diaspora Mission. 

[6]Adopted and modified from Enoch Wan and Mark Hedinger, Relational Missionary Training: Theology, Theory and Practice(Skyforest, Calif.: Urban Loft Publishers, 2017), 14.

[7]A research that is focused on solving practitioners’ specific problems. It is founded by Kurt Lewin (1890-1947) with the emphasis that research and theory be connected and should lead to action.

[8]The Christian and Missionary Alliance’s Accreditation Interview Study, 13. 

[9]Erickson, 930-931

[10]2 Chron. 7:14

[11]Isa. 55:6, 7, Rom 5:1

[12]Jon. 1:12, 13, 3:6

[13]Rom. 3:24-25; 4:6-8

[14]2 Cor. 5:19, 21

[15]Rom. 5:17-19

[16]Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9

[17]Westminster Shorter Catechism (WSC), q. 33 

[18]I John 3:1

[19]John 1:12; Rom. 8:17

[20]2Cor 5:17, Gal 5:24, 25, Eph. 2:1-10

[21]Davis, 88

[22]Erickson, 946 

[23]Gen. 15:6, Deut. 30:6

[24]Isa. 57:15, Eze. 36:26

[25]Joh. 1:12-13, 3:3-8

[26]Rom. 3:1-20

[27]Rom 3:21-25

[28]2 Cor. 3:3, 5:17, Gal. 3:7, 9

[29]The Christian and Missionary Alliance’s Accreditation Interview Study, 14. 

[30]I had updated my statement of faith in 2019 from continuous to definitive sanctification after reading John Murray’s Definitive Sanctification view, fc. https://www.the-highway.com/definitive-sanctification_Murray.html.

[31]II Thess. 2:13

[32]Eph. 4:23-24

[33]Rom. 6:2-5

[34]Rom. 6:4, 6

[35]WSC, q. 35

[36]A. B Simpson, Wholly Sanctified: Living a Life Empowered by the Holy Spirit.(Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009), 12–24, accessed August 6, 2020, https://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=4904459.

[37]“The Alliance Stand,” accessed August 10, 2018, https://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/doctrine.For supporting Scripture references, see 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Acts 1:8; and Romans 12:1-2. 

[38]“Section 10 - Developments in the Alliance View of Sanctification Reading 3,” accessed August 6, 2020, https://online.ambrose.edu/alliancestudies/ahtreadings/ahtr_s103.html.

[39]Rose Publishing (Torrance, Calif.), ed., Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines: Full-Color Bible Charts, Illustrations of the Tabernacle, Temple, and High Priest, Then and Now Bible Maps, Biblical and Historical Time Lines(Torrance, Calif: Rose Pub, 2005), 175.

[40]Ibid.

[41]Simon Chan, Spiritual Theology: A Systematic Study of the Christian Life(Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 78.

[42]Ibid., 79.

[43]Ibid., 80.

[44]J. I. Packer and Gary A. Parrett, Grounded in the Gospel: Building Believers the Old-Fashioned Way(Baker Books, 2010).

[45]Gary A. Parrett, S. Steve Kang, and J. I. Packer, Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful: A Biblical Vision for Education in the Church(Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Academic, 2009).

[46]Ibid., 28–44.Also see, Eph 2:10. 

[47]Ibid., 132.

[48]Ibid., 362–426.

[49]Wing Lam, “Discipleship Letter 119: 4-G Discipleship,” Discipleship Letter 119, August 29, 2012, accessed January 3, 2019, https://discipleshipletter.blogspot.com/2012/08/4-g-discipleship.html.

[50]Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ, Expanded ed. (Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Connect, 2007), 9–11.

[51]Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us(InterVarsity Press, 2009).

[52]Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest: An Updated Edition in Today’s Language: The Golden Book of Oswald Chambers(Grand Rapids, Mich: Discovery House Publishers, 1992).

[53]Brother Lawrence, Practice of the Presence of God and the Spiritual Maxims.(Place of publication not identified: DIGIREADS COM, 2016).

[54]Ogden, Discipleship Essentials.

[55]A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, n.d.

[56]Richard J Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth(London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2008).

[57]Greg Ogden and Dan Meyer, Leadership Essentials: Shaping Vision, Multiplying Influence, Defining Character(Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Connect, 2007).

[58]J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer, 2017.

[59]Timothy Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work, 2016.

[60]Erik Rees, S.H.A.P.E.: Finding & Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life, 2006, accessed August 6, 2020, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=178651.

[61]Robert E Coleman and Roy J Fish,The Master Plan of Evangelism and Discipleship: Two Books in One Volume(Peabody, Mass.: Prince Press, 2000).

[62]D. A. Carson, ed., New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, 4th ed. (Leicester, England ; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994).

[63]J. I Packer, Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs(Carol Stream, Ill.: Tyndale House, 2001).

[64]Richard J. Foster and James Bryan Smith, eds., Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, Rev. and expanded. (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2005).

[65]Packer and Parrett, Grounded in the Gospel.

[66]Parrett, Kang, and Packer, Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful.

[67]Wan and Hedinger, Relational Missionary Training.