Starbucks Spirituality
By Josh Reich

A lot of times when we think of discipleship, images of books come to mind. Strategies, step by step programs, manuals and charts are things we use to communicate the idea and measure how we are doing. The problem we run into is that if someone goes through all of the steps and becomes a “fully devoted follower of Jesus,” is that it? We begin to think about discipleship as the finish line. This works well because many churches instinctively look at salvation as the starting line. But what if it wasn’t the finish line?

As humans, and particularly as leaders, we want things that can be measured. We want to know how we are doing, whether we are being effective in our ministries. While this is important, I think we lose the beauty of discipleship and the pace that it takes in a fast-food, get-it-now culture.

I use the phrase Starbucks spirituality to describe what I hope my Christian life becomes in the eyes of other people. I want my spirituality to be something that is a natural conversation at Starbucks. A lot of times in people’s lives, including leaders, Jesus is an add-on—something like a side-order in life. This fits with discipleship: we do the studies and read the devotionals that answer the questions we are asking at that moment.

The Story of God
For many people, the Bible is a book that holds all of the answers to all of their questions. They just need to have the key to open up what it actual means. This creates scary systems when they are played out. There are those who are “educated” who have all the answers, and there are those who are waiting to be told what the answers are. Now before you jump to conclusions, I am a part of the educated group—I went to seminary and I could debate with the best of them.

Here is the problem with the answer book theory. If the Bible is just an answer book, and I go looking for an answer to a problem—say, I can’t stop looking at pornography—most Pastors would say, “Memorize verses about purity, sexual immorality, and spiritual warfare. When you feel the urge, recite those verses and you will win your battle.” What happens if you do this over and over, and you still can’t stop? This is where this approach fails.

When we see the Bible as the story of God that He has been writing since the beginning of time, that we as his children get to be a part of writing, it changes everything. I now play an active part in the unfolding of God’s creation. I am a player in his grand drama. Instead of looking for answers, I now see examples of people just like me who have struggled with the same things throughout history. My story is connected to their story, and they are connected to my story.

Organic Discipleship
If we are connected by our stories, to an overarching story that is holding together all of creation, what was the view of Jesus on discipleship? First off, he didn’t disciple a lot of people. He didn’t disciple the most popular. Instead, he chose the leftovers. He chose disciples whom nobody else wanted. Jesus walked for three years with the same 12 guys. They camped, swam, ate and drank together. They probably joked together, maybe played pranks on each other. They had fun together, and they did life together. They didn’t follow a curriculum or a manual. They walked through each day, sharing what they knew and learning from Jesus. Jesus would stop and say, “Do you see that? That reminds me of a story.”

The Freedom to Be
For many of us, the way Jesus discipled people sounds right and we resonate with it, but we also work in churches where that way wouldn’t work. We need to show that we are worth what we are being paid. We need bigger numbers than 12 in a three-year time period. That won’t cut it. If an elder asked, “Is your ministry growing?” and you answer, “Still have the same 12 from last year, but we are getting deeper,” how do you think that will go over? Probably not well. Unless…

What if there was a way? After all, because we are Christians, we are trying to become more and more like Jesus. What if we could get people to look at discipleship differently?

This is where the idea of leading up becomes so important. Until many of us get better at this, nothing in our churches will change. It is not enough to believe something, and lead the people under you to make changes. You need to lead up and change the minds and thinking of the decision makers in the church, people who are usually above you.

The Journey, Not the Destination
This past year has been a very hard year of ministry for me. Someone I respect a lot was talking with me recently and said something that has stuck with me. He said, “God is more interested in the journey and not the destination.” This is where I think discipleship falls, within the journey. I think discipleship is more of a journey than a destination, because discipleship when we break it down is the Christian walk—becoming more like Jesus, working out our salvation.

I think for discipleship to work in the emerging culture, it is going to take on some new ways. It will take people willing to walk with people through the journey, and be a part of people’s lives. It will be less about going through a book together and more about discovering who God has called us to be in the midst of our everyday lives.

I always tell my small group leaders, you are to be the pastor to your group. And I see the main point of our small groups to live out the value of community. I think when you bring people together and they are sharing their lives with each other, discipleship will become a natural part of that. But we need to see those times less about accomplishing something, and more about being.

About the author: Josh is the next generation pastor at Spring Creek Church in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. He speaks around the country on the topics of worship, leadership and change. He is in love with his two girls (wife and daughter), a passionate Pittsburgh Steelers fan, addicted to 24, and trying to get better at blogging on emergingthoughtstoday.blogspot.com.