Growing as a Disciple

I am reading a highly recommended book by 3D Ministries that deals with creating a discipling culture in a church. Of course, to develop one in a church, one must also develop it in his or her life. Today, the author spoke how we look at our journey in life. We tend to look at our journey as linear. The author suggests that it is linear with circular "detours" along the way. Most of us, myself included, avoid the detours because of the pain or growth involved in them. But those "circles" are the stuff that being a disciple is made of. He describes them as moments when the Kingdom of God "happens."

My understanding of the Kingdom really matches up with his. He is so succinct in his description though, describing it as the intrusion of the perfect eternity of the Kingdom (God's reign) intruding into my imperfect time and space. A good example is when we pray for someone and they are instantaneously healed. The perfection of heaven just invaded the earth and restored someone to health "on earth as it is in heaven." Each one of these events is one of these circles he calls a "kairos moment."

The challenging part of the "detour circles" is that they are happening all the time. They are those moments when God is speaking to us and trying to get our attention, or when God arranges our circumstances to have us minister to someone. The author describes our response as "repentance" (Metanoia in the Greek) which actually means to change our minds. Have a paradigm shift. Change our way of thinking about something to God's perspective.

I am seriously and prayerfully considering enrolling in the 3D Ministries Pastors conference which is actually a "taster conference" in December. It is free except for the cost of hotel and travel. http://www.3dministries.com/pages/page.asp?page_id=133904 This really seems to me to be one of those "detours" toward more growth personally and for the people in my care.