Barnabas File

Is it possible that what we have learned about our faith can get in the way of our faith development?     Much of my Doctor of Ministry research was informed by the work of James Fowler.     Fowler suggested that are stages of faith development which connect to cognitive and emotional development. In his book,   Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning ,  Fowler outlined how individuals construct meaning and trust across their lifespan. Based on research, this framework spans from childhood's intuitive, literal beliefs to mature, self-transcending faith.    One of the things that we must wrestle with in considering Fowler’s model is determining how what we absorbed in the earlier stages of life either contribute to our ongoing faith development or gets in the way. For example, as a child and teenager, I learned a high regard for the Bible, the scripture of my faith.  I still remember passages that co...

When we present our “elevator speech” about coaching, are we drawing the circle too small? In promoting coach training, I have often referred to the process as “an additional tool in your ministry toolbox.” As I talked with a ministry leader recently about coach training for his denomination, I realized that coaching is much more than simply a skill. I needed to enlarge my perspective and see coaching in a new light.   First, it is a biblical approach to developing disciples.  We believe that each person is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and is unique in the sight of God. Because of this, each of us has a special calling, one that can be discerned through interaction with a coach. As believers, we are also commanded to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18, NIV). Entering the life of faith is just the beginning because we are invited into a process of lifelong learning and serving. This journey can be facilitated ...

“How can a coach help someone to grow as a disciple of Christ? Does coaching help in spiritual formation?” As a Christian who is a practicing coach, you have probably been asked such questions. These are big, challenging questions, but in this context let’s limit our discussion to how coaching can be used in the church to develop believers in their growth and service.   When Mark Tidsworth and I wrote  Disciple Development Coaching: Christian Formation for the Twenty-First Century,  we started with one major assumption: people are coming into the fellowship of the church today from many different backgrounds. Some have been believers for a long time, although not necessarily in the faith tradition of their present fellowship. Others come with little or no Christian background, but with many life experiences and exposure to a variety of belief systems. Of course, some are grounded believers with a clear understanding of the Way of Christ. The biggest mistake that a church ...

Sociologist Brene Brown once said, “What we know matters, but who we are matters more."  This applies to our understanding of Christian discipleship.  As Christians, we often struggle with the balance between orthodoxy (right knowledge or doctrine) and orthopraxy (right practice or action). This is the challenge that James presents when he writes, “ But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” (James 2:18, NIV)   Both right belief and right action are necessary in the life of a follower of Christ, but can one get in the way of the other?   Historically, Baptists have been very good at communicating information about the Bible and the faith.  They delight in asking questions of scripture that exegete the text in an attempt to understand the who, what, how, and why of the passage.  We are less open to letting the text speak to us.     For e...

Milt Hughes passed away on November 5, 2024.     Milt made a significant impact on the lives of college students and collegiate ministers not only in the United States but around the world. After effective service as a campus Baptist Student Director in California, he accepted a position as evangelism consultant for National Student Ministries at the Baptist Sunday School Board.    For many of us, he refined the concept of “evangelism.”   In his Share Seminar material, Milt helped us to understand that effective evangelism is not a “one off” of sharing one’s testimony or the Four Spiritual Laws.  His approach began with the formation of the disciple as one whose walk with Christ empowered that witness.   I was preparing to teach Milt’s material on a campus in Arkansas, when I realized the full implications of John 7:38: “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” (NASB...

In leading a session at a church once, I talked about the terms used in the New Testament for the followers of Jesus.    I noted that the word “disciple” is found 263 times in the New Testament and the word “Christian” only three times.     The word “member” is found 45 times in the New Testament, nine times in the Gospels.     Disciple seems to be the term used most often for Christian believers.     As I unpacked the importance of being disciples of Jesus, I received some push-back that the word “disciple” had negative connotations and perhaps another word would work better. I was a bit surprised.     Perhaps it is time to reclaim the word and use it more in our coaching practices with believers.   What is your definition of “discipleship”?  In general usage, a disciple is one who follows the example and teachings of another person.  In the Christian context, a disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ, one who se...

On the evening of this Easter Sunday, we watched Risen, a 2016 film starring Joseph Fiennes as Roman tribune Clavius and Cliff Curtis as Yeshua (Jesus).  Although the film takes a number of liberties with the post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus, I appreciated the way in which it depicted the disciples from a new perspective.  They are a bit uncertain about their future but when they are in the presence of the resurrected Christ they are playful, almost childlike, reflecting the demeanor of a laughing, loving savior.  Of course, in our “social distancing” context, it is good to see on the screen the hugging and joyous interaction among Jesus and his disciples. Easter 2020 has passed, and we have been challenged to celebrate it in ways that we never have before.  No packed churches, joyous choirs, rich pageantry, or family gatherings this year. Even so, we need the message of Christ’s triumph and presence among us even more than in past...

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house   to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” --  1 Peter 2:5, NIV To begin a recent Sunday morning Bible study on this passage, I gave rocks of various sizes and shapes to class members and asked them to reflect on these questions:   ·         What is unique about the rock in your hand? ·         How can a rock become a stone? ·         What can stones be used for? ·         Did you ever think of yourself as a "living stone"? Each person is important in the Kingdom of God with enormous potential to bless others.  The author of the passage in 1 Peter compares believers to “living stones” who are becoming part of the household of God, a holy priesthood.  Each i...

When we promote coach training, we often refer to the process as “an additional tool in your ministry toolbox.”     As I talked with a ministry leader this week about coach training for his denomination, I realized that coaching is much more than simply a skill. First, it is a biblical approach to developing disciples.  We believe that each person is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and is unique in the sight of God.  Because of this, each of us has a special calling, one that can be discerned through interaction with a coach.  As believers we are also commanded to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18, NIV).  Entering into the life of faith is just the beginning because we are invited into a process of lifelong learning and serving.   This journey can be facilitated through a relationship with a Christian coach. Second, coaching is a way of knowing....

A rule of life provides a framework or pattern for a group of believers to walk alongside and encourage each other to pursue those practices that lead to spiritual health and faithful service.    Here are few things to consider as your faith community works together to articulate a rule of life. First, the process requires spiritual preparation and discernment.  Believers become more focused and aligned as they spend time in prayer individually and corporately.  One approach would be to ask those who are developing a rule of life to set aside a specific time every day to pray using Romans 12:1-2 as a guide: I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual   worship.     Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good...

One of the processes we provide through Pinnacle Leadership Associates is called  Making the Shift.   As we talk about the shift from being a church member to being a disciple, we encourage congregations to consider developing a rule of life to challenge participants in their discipleship. A key theme in Jesus’ teaching was the Kingdom or Reign of God.  His hearers often asked him, “When will this come to be?”  N. T. Wright observes, “The crucial question is not so much that of the kingdom’s  timing  as of its  content .” One point where Jesus addressed the content of the Kingdom as well as the conduct of the life of the believer is found in that portion of the Sermon on the Mount that we call the Beatitudes.  This might well be seen as a prototypical rule of life for believers.  Speaking of the Beatitudes in his book  Living the Sermon on the Mount , Glen H. Stassen writes, “All of these are rewards...

Preachers will tell you that the worship experience, especially the sermon, is at the center of Christian discipleship.   Christian educators will argue that worship may get people in the door, but the small group experience of Sunday school or Bible study is where they connect and grow as disciples.     Both have valid points. Worship and Christian formation are the two sides of the coin of Christian discipleship.  If the church is serious about the transformation of believers into disciples, both are necessary. If worship is adoration of God, then it is an essential part of one’s growth as a disciple.  Although worship in recent years has tended toward an entertainment model with the participants as the audience, we need to remember that the audience for worship is God.  Soren Kierkegaard wrote, “ Worship isn't God's show. God is the audience. God's watching. The congregation, they are the actors in this drama. Worship is their s...

What is your definition of “discipleship”?     In general usage, a disciple is one who follows the example and teachings of another person.     In the Christian context, a disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ, one who seeks to practice his teachings and make them a part of her or his life.     Living out the teachings of Christ is generally called the act of discipleship. Several years ago, I joined my colleague Mark Tidsworth in training church leaders to use coaching principles to help others to grow as disciples. We called the process “Disciple Development Coaching.”  Both Mark and I have a rather comprehensive view of what it means to be a disciple. Our concept (and I think the belief of many others) is that discipleship encompasses all of life—not simply our spiritual practices but the way we care for God’s gifts to us, act in our relationships with others, and pursue our vocational callings. In a recent conversation, s...

Church staffing has changed in many ways over the past 50 years.  New positions and titles have appeared to meet real or perceived needs.  In recent years, however, changing demographics and declining budgets have required congregations to reassess positions, add or delete some roles, and rewrite position descriptions. In a recent blog, John Wimberly addressed this trend and provided some suggestions about where congregations should place their staffing emphasis.  His observations are interesting but let me suggest some additional positions to consider. First, most churches would benefit from employing either full-time or part-time a Minister of Missional Engagement.  This person would help the church identify and establish partnerships with organizations who are impacting the community through service or social entrepreneurship programs.  This staff person would connect congregants to these ministries and might also lead t...