Disciples and Disciple-making (19)
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends…No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” John 15.13, 15
The point of our considering excerpts from Aelred of Rievaulx’ Spiritual Maturity is to discover the role that friendship plays in being and making disciples. The Cistercian Order, founded in 1098, established nearly 700 monasteries throughout Europe by 1300. How was that possible? What attracted men to join and propagate this ministry?
Many answers can be given for this, and Aelred’s teaching and example must be included in them. The Cistercians understood the role of friendship in making disciples. Aelred provides an insight to the nature of such friendship: “Four considerations seem to hold especially in the case of friendship: love, affection, security, and delight. Friendship involves love when there is a show of favor that proceeds from benevolence. It involves affection when a certain inner pleasure comes from friendship. It involves security when it leads to a revelation of all one’s secrets and purposes without fear or suspicion. It involves delight when there is a certain meeting of the minds—an agreement that is pleasant and benevolent—concerning all matters…”
These seem like reasonable tests for a friendship. Do we truly love one another, so that we are willing to set aside our own interests if need be? Do we feel deep affection for one another, reinforcing our commitment and deepening our love? Do we feel safe in one another’s confidence? And do we truly enjoy one another?
All these criteria, of course, can be found, to some extent, among friends in the unbelieving world. But when founded upon love for God and held together by Christ’s love for us, then true friendship—which is able to overcome trials, obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments—can blossom and bear true spiritual fruit.
Can we teach for this? Yes, we can, as Aelred and his order demonstrate.
Teaching and learning as disciples
We’re all disciples and we’re all called to make disciples. Mike McQueen explains how this works out in our latest conversation. You can listen in by clicking the link or the audio bar at the top of each issue of Pastor to Pastor.
Resources for Shepherds
In our ReVision series on “Praying for Your Church” we look at the marks of a healthy, growing church and consider that, since Jesus is always assessing the state of our churches, we should probably do so as well. But how? Well, beginning in prayer. Here’s a prayer for healthy, growing churches:
Thank You, Jesus,
that You examine us continually,
encourage us unfailingly,
and show us by Your Word and example
how we must grow to maturity in you
as believers and a church.
Give us clear understanding, Lord,
of what You expect.
Fill us with the desire
to fulfill Your expectations.
And grow us into the joy
that comes with increasing in
knowledge and love for You.
Update your Subscriptions to add ReVision and follow this and other series every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (scroll to the bottom of any page at the website, www.ailbe.org).
Our fall Men’s Bible Study will be on The Ongoing Work of Christ: The Book of Acts and Beyond. You can download a free PDF of this study. Share it with some friends and start a study group of your own.
To learn more about the role of friendship in discipleship and making disciples, download our free brochure on soul friends by clicking here.
From the Celtic Revival
Did you know there are more than 100 commands in Scripture to sing? Singing must be important for a healthy and fruitful walk with the Lord. There’s a lot of singing in heaven, that’s for sure. Celtic Christians looked to the heavens to guide their own singing:
There are many delightful songs, without flaw,
in the great plain of the starry heaven,
many pleasant tunes, many strains of music,
which no reckoning or description can convey.
– Saltair na Rann, Irish, 9th-10th century[1]
Christians possess a rich heritage of songs to glorify our Lord and renew our faith in Him. We should practice singing more than we do, not just during services of worship, but throughout the day. Singing accompanies the filling of the Spirit (Eph. 5.18-21) and can thus tap into holy spiritual power. You can read the article on singing that accompanies the excerpt above by clicking here.
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T. M. Moore
If you have found this issue of Pastor to Pastor helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: We continue reading excerpts from the book, Revived! in our Read Moore column. Why not listen in? Do you ever wonder about what God’s will for you is? Patrick—echoing Paul—makes it clear, as you can see in last week’s Crosfigell. Our current ReVision series, “Pray for Your Church”, teaches us how to pray for the ministries of our church, beginning with worship. And new in our bookstore, our book, The Ongoing Work of Christ shows us how the book of Acts provides a template and footprint for all who take up the work of building Jesus’ Church.
Support for Pastor to Pastor comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1] Carey, p. 114.
