The foundation of our practice and training for discipleship and mission is discernment.
And when we say discernment, we don’t just mean making decisions about big life choices. We mean discerning the kingdom of God in the nitty gritty of everyday life. Discerning the activity of God in the normal events of our day.
One of the core tenets of missional theology is that God is already present and at work before we “arrive,” so mission is more about participating in what God’s doing than getting God to do something.
So living missionally is about paying attention to what God is doing, and then offering our bodies as a living sacrifice to participate in that reality. This is how we practice the presence of God. This is how we follow Jesus as disciples.
This all sounds great! But one of the biggest questions people have about this is HOW IN THE WORLD DO WE DO THAT? How do you know what God’s doing in and around you? How do you learn to pay attention and discern this?
For most of us, this takes a lot of time, intentionality and training to learn to do naturally (this is why it’s the main focus of the first year of Gravity Leadership Academy).
Here’s a video of Matt and Ben talking about what it looks like practically to discern what God is doing, using an example from their local church community.
What do you think? Does this sound impossible? Interesting? Scary? Leave a comment below and join the conversation!
P.S. Did you know we do in-depth training for the kind of discernment Ben and Matt talked about in this video? Click here to check it out.
Great video Ben.I think we must always be vigilant to see where God is present.I think the Holy Spirit will guide you to discern that.I am busy with a book called physiognomy.The art of discovering temperament and character from outward appearance.The facial features held to show qualities of mind or character by their configuration or expression.In short a person’s personality gets drawn on his or her face.It is a very interesting study field and can help a lot to understand mankind better.I think definitely a good tool to learn and analyse people better.
Regards.
Still, is it not too easy to confuse our own agenda, informed typically by modern notions of control and success, with that of God’s, whose ways are far beyond ours and are often inscrutable? A healthy dose of skepticism toward technique as a way to know God or his activities in the world is probably in order. “Trust God completely. Seek godly understanding. Honour Him in all you do and how you do it, and He will direct your steps.” (Solomom paraphrased). That’s lifestyle more than method.
Perhaps there is a difference between knowing how God is at work around us and just knowing (trusting) that God is at work even (and perhaps especially) where we least expect him.
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” – Pr 16:9
Totally agree – which is why this discernment isn’t so much a “technique” as it is a posture, a way of being in the world. This is all part of the training we do, specifically because it is far too easy to confuse our desires for control and success with God’s will and activity 🙂
Thank you for clarifying. I would like to explore the idea of a Christian posture vs. strategy or technique. Did Jesus come with a strategy? Did he use a particular technique? Are we not always dangerously tempted to take control or to be in control?
I suspect that one of the ways to be in the world Christianly is to discern how much of the world is in us (in the Church)!
Yeah – a lot of what we train people to do is be suspicious of their own impulses to “make a difference” etc. because the desire to take control is baked into us! I see Jesus using what I’d call “Practices” rather than strategies. Practices that opened up space for discernment, for God’s kingdom to come, etc.
Would love to go on about this but I know you are busy. The Church is in need of a radically alternative leadership paradigm – modelled by Jesus in the kingdom of God. So much of what we do and how we do it is not reflective of the ways or mystery of God’s kingdom. No radically alternative leadership = no radically alternative community = no authentic witness to the gospel. Perhaps spiritual practices can help us find our way back.
Amen Jim! This is basically why we do what we do!
good stuff – in particular the point about each step we take – we take on a different perspective and see what’s next, rather than putting a whole strategy together from day one. Thank you!
Yeah – that kind of adaptive approach has been key for us!
Key point in your presentation… “leave the outcomes to God” and become who the Lord wants us to be. I also am beginning to have clarity that where is God at work, He is at work in the pain of people – mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and relational pain. He is not a masochist though. But with a quick scan in my memory of the gospel accounts, Jesus was present with people in their pain and their grief. Have we left this out in our ministry and mission? Thanks guys for this helpful video! Blessing! Jim
Thanks for the comment, Jim! Leaving outcomes to God has been a MASSIVE paradigm shift for me in my ministry.