Doing Life Together: a new focus on discipleship
by Donnell Wyche


In order to make sense of the call to discipleship, we need community. To stay on the path of discipleship, we need to form new habits that allow us to draw life from God. We need to shift the focus off of ourselves and place it on others by serving. We also need to revisit our assumptions about Jesus and his vocation and mission.
Discipleship cannot start without a willingness to surrender. And the barrier of our surrender is a fear of what we have to give up in pursuit of our master. The call from John to be baptized would have been offensive for any law abiding and faithful Jew.

And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:4-5)

Jesus was showing us that if we want to be his disciple, we all come to God the same way, through our acknowledgment of our need of God.

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:9 -11)

Having had his calling and vocation affirmed by the Father, Jesus launched into the next phase of his vocation and his mission. He set about gathering a group people to do life together with.

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.  Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Mark 1:16-20)

Just as the trinity is within itself a community, a community of love, Jesus showed us that life is done better together with others. Being in community with others is wrought with its challenges; however, it is in community that we learn to practice the “one anothers”: love one another, be kind to one another, forgive one another, suffer one another, and serve one another.

Jesus didn’t just make the right decisions; he knew how to draw life from the Life Giver. Discipleship isn’t just about learning, it’s also about forming new habits that help us draw new life from God.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. (Mark 3:7-9)

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.  After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.  (Mark 6:45-46)

Jesus demonstrates a life that’s in touch with life Giver. Jesus combined an active engagement in the world with a rich inner life, through spiritual practices like prayer, stillness, silence, and solitude

Some helpful tips…

Community - sharing your life with others:

Visit our small group listing to find a group that might work for you: <http://www.annarborvineyard.org/small_groups.cfm>

Visit our ministries listing to find a ministry to join and serve in:
<http://www.annarborvineyard.org/ministries/ministries.cfm>

Don’t suffer alone, allow someone to help you carry your burdens through Prayer Ministry, a small group, or Stephen Ministry.
<http://www.annarborvineyard.org/ministries/care_ministries.cfm>

Habits that draw life:

A regular Sabbath day where the purpose is to rest (Isa 30:15)

Download or pick up a copy of ‘Improving our contact with God’ <http://www.annarborvineyard.org/downloads/contactwithgod.pdf >

Join the next Introducing Jesus Brand Spirituality class starting Sept 21, 2008
Helpful Books:
Mark for Everyone by Tom Wright
The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero