"Centering Discipleship" (E. K. Strawser)

TITLE: Centering Discipleship: A Pathway for Multiplying Spectators into Mature Disciples
AUTHOR: E. K. Strawser
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (224 pages).
 

What is the difference between a regular Church and a Discipleship-Making Church? Of course, most churches will claim to be doing some form of discipleship. The difference lies in the emphasis. Is Discipleship the center focus or is it merely peripheral to the Church? Pastor-Author, Eun Strawser hits the jugular when she points out that most churches tend to put discipleship at the peripherals. By declaring that discipleship is the heart of the mission of the Church, Strawser shows us the way to turning the nominal Church into a discipleship-making Church. This book is about the way to move discipleship from the peripherals to the center of Church life. This calls for a transformation of the Church at all levels. First off, Strawser calls for a shift from programs to pathways, which is a framework for discipleship. This framework is about adopting a life abiding in Christ, to grow in building a discipleship-making community toward fruitful lives that beget others to do the same for Jesus. In brief, it is to do what we can to help others follow and imitate Jesus. The first part is about self-denial followed by some paradigm shifts. We learn the differences between fan vs follower. We learn the emphasis on imitating Christ instead of mere Sunday sermon instructions. The author gives us several differences between what discipleship is and what it is not. This helps us to clear up the foggy Church scene which often confuses actual discipleship with Church activities. We learn about the marks of a mature disciple, which focuses on character, theology, wisdom, and missional living. 

In Part Two, Strawser shows us how to develop a discipleship pathway. There are several interesting ideas here. The part on "From Past Recipes to Local Cuisine" is a creative take on "glocalization." In other words, we need to contextualize a global calling into our local communities. We are reminded of the follies in trying to force down a universal model into our local contexts. Some essential ingredients needed are Full Gospel, True Humanity, Thick Community, Heart for the One, and Kingdom Partnership. The details for each are fascinating reads. Then comes the journey of making these ingredients part and parcel of the whole discipleship paradigm. Part Three looks at the underlying assumptions that anchor the discipleship framework. Things like the need for transformation in our thinking and our theological mindsets. In order for change to occur, we need a change in these assumptions. Sometimes, it requires us to abandon old ways in favour of new ways for the purpose of conforming to Christ's vision of discipleship. Part Four then takes us through various ways to implement our discipleship pathways. It also shows us the effectiveness of ongoing discipleship efforts in the midst of unforeseen circumstances, such as the pandemic. When believers are discipled, they are better equipped to deal with disruptions head-on. The author has an interesting take on the four sociological spaces: intimate (like Jesus' inner circle of James, Peter, and John), personal, (like the original twelve disciples), social (like the mobilized 70 disciples), and public space (crowds). This can be used as a metaphor for any of our environments. She anticipates hurdles along the way and supplies some for us to consider getting prepared for. The three main hurdles are the lack of commitment, a culture of complacency, and limitations with children. Following this, we get a chapter about engaging with the culture. 

My Three Thoughts
First, this is an excellent book on discipleship. With a focus on centering discipleship, one can sense the heartbeat of the author and also the excitement behind the drive. Just like the four sociological spaces of influence in discipleship, the book follows the same pattern to move from the individual to the community, from the community to the neighborhood, and then to the public sphere. The big idea of discipleship can be sensed from start to finish, which is a testimony of the conviction of the author in itself. More importantly, Strawser has given us a powerful and practical framework to kickstart a discipleship pathway. It is also important to remember that it is not simply a program but a map to help us practice discipleship. 

Second, there is a clear guide and direction. This is one reason why I urge readers not to skip any chapters but to progress along, trusting the author to hand-hold us through the journey of centering discipleship. This is not just done with words. The author uses many different ways to help us understand and apply the lessons. Through comparisons, illustrations, stories, tables, and other examples, readers find the concepts constantly clarified for ease of understanding. Thus, the book can be used as a discussion or training guide for discipleship groups. 

Finally, while there are many good ideas in this book, this should supplement the plenty of existing resources on discipleship. It is best used together with books from discipleship gurus such as Bill Hull and Greg Ogden. Of course, the best thing is not simply to compare books and resources. It is to actually practice the art of discipleship. Will I recommend this book for the general readers? Of course. Will I suggest this as a leadership resource? Most definitely. Perhaps, the main thing missing is a form of discussion questions to help readers grasp the concepts better as well as to get people on the same page through an active discussion. Granted that parts of the discussion questions appear within certain chapters, it would be great if the author could expand that to put it explicitly at the end of each chapter or as an appendix at the end of the book. Nevertheless, this is a refreshing treatment of a highly important topic of discipleship. If churches can take this book as a wake-up call, and move the emphasis of discipleship from the peripheral to the central, it would have been worth every cent of this book. 

Eun K. Strawser, DO, is the covocational lead pastor of Ma Ke Alo o (which means “presence” in Hawaiian) non-denominational missional communities multiplying in Honolulu; a community physician at Ke Ola Pono; and an executive leader at the V3 Movement, the church-planting arm of the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Prior to transitioning to Hawaii, she served as adjunct professor of medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and of African Studies at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania (where she and her husband served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship) after finishing her Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Dar es Salaam. She and her husband, Steve, have three seriously amazing children.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.