Beloved
The lifestyle of disciplemaking traditionally implies the paradigm of “go”, I purposefully engage with somebody else – to love and serve them – the energy or activity flows from me to somebody else. Nothing wrong. After all – Jesus commanded us to “GO” and make disciples.
Recently I discovered the flipside of the “GO”-paradigm. I was privileged to spend time at Taize – a missional community in France. Started by brother Roger in 1944 as a safe haven for children-victims in the second world war. At the moment 100 brothers live there. To be accepted as a “brother” you have to commit to celibacy and a life of voluntary poverty. The only focus is a life dedicated to Jesus Himself– that’s the reason why they succeed in forming a loving community though they come from vastly different denominational backgrounds – some of traditionally having the biggest possible theological distances between them. Catholics, Protestant, Orthodox, Reformed, Anglican – followers of Jesus and not followers of their theological grip of Jesus. Three meditative sermons of 45 minutes per day – the liturgy consist ONLY of repetitive very short chants / songs, reading of short Bible verses (in many different world languages) and periods of silence for reflection on Scripture – no preaching at all. No announcements or any single person responsible for the order or interpreting what God is saying. Taize trust the Spirit and the process – that Jesus is really present and that the Spirit does His work Himself. I did not walk out of any of these “services” without knowing that God spoke to me. During the day “bible studies” with an international group of followers – the communal desire is to seek Jesus.
Thousands of seekers from all over the world visit Taize – especially teenagers – I shall be hesitant to ever say again that the youth is corrupted – in busy weeks up to 17 000 people experience Taize. We had to apply long in advance to be accepted – due to the demand.
I learned that when you 1. Put your focus on Jesus alone 2. Spend time with Jesus by purposefully turning towards Him often – giving Him the opportunity to change you (the “services) as well as living dependently from His presence 24/7 3. Loving people unconditionally 4. Living the Jesus-values and lifestyle :
The Spirit transforms you into the character of Jesus AND as well as a missional magnet – drawing seekers to you – because in your presence they experience blessedness – filling the gap they were all created with – a desire that can only be fulfilled by Jesus Himself. Exactly like in the gospels where thousands of people swarmed to Jesus – in His presence they feel so loved and blessed – never mind who they really were and their performance in the Kingdom of God.
Where it’s really about Jesus – I experienced another dimension of “GO”. Inside of this “GO” – there is the potential of “COME”. Not to me, but to Jesus inside of me. Stay where you are – live the Jesus life – and the world will come to you.
The prerequisite for my life to say “Come” is that I – my ego, my name, kingdom and theology become less and less. I visited brother Roger’s grave – he shares this with two other brothers – even in death he does not take up too much space!
For sure Jesus is equally present everywhere – I experienced a situation where the border between earth and heaven feels so much “thinner”.
My prayer for myself is that I shall allow Jesus more and more to draw people to Him.
“GO” by allowing God in me to invite “COME”.
Johann Theron