“To passionately learn and then to passionately live.” Perhaps my view of discipleship has taken a turn this past week as I rethink the statement above. Is it false or is it just semantics? Either way—I’m rethinking the score card.
What if my mission in life was to continually learn and continually, passionately, live? What if my life wasn’t graded on the things I do on a daily basis, but on the things I change from day to day.
I think the plan of discipleship that God has for me is scored on a simple foundation–that learning and living never end.
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
I think this is similar to what Paul is saying in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
This concept of a changing score-card is important not only in our personal spiritual formation but to the way we judge “success” in the church as well.
Posteriors in pews cannot be the only evaluation tool because I can think of a lot of interesting ways to fill seats that doesn’t benefit the Kingdom one bit.