Dear Intown Family,

Following on from last week's newsletter, I'd like to offer another thought about "life on life discipleship." At the heart of what it means to be a mature disciple of Jesus is to be so satisfied with all that God is for us, that we don't use others to get what we think we want, nor do we defend ourselves against perceived threats by consolidating power, marginalizing opposition, or beating people over the head with our views (metaphorically, anyway). This may sound like a theoretical problem that might only pop up in a church every once in a while, but I assure you that's not the case. There are all sorts of ways this dynamic creeps into the body of Christ--through insecure leaders, battles over money, an ungodly urgency to build and grow a local church, which can result in being dismissive of, or unkind toward others. Stories have come to your mind, I'm sure.

A healthy Intown Church will be full of healthy disciples who are oriented toward receiving from the Triune God and unreservedly giving him away to others, so that they also will become mature disciples. This might cost us. It might cost us time and a bit of frustration, especially if people do not respond in faith and obedience to Christ. It might require extreme patience, and we might need to get comfortable with the idea of not becoming a big church with a strong online presence. This sort of discipleship is based on loving others and giving our lives and needs and preferences away for the sake of the body of Christ. If this was our aim and the focus of all our spiritual energy, what could Intown Church become?

Pastor Jason