Discipleship Model III

This is my last post on the discipleship model and why it makes a difference not simply in discipling others, but on our own discipleship.

All of us, for the most part, inevitably fall into one of the three categories: "Head," "Heart," or "Hands." Nothing is intrinsically wrong with any of these categories. In fact, the church needs all three types of folks. Nevertheless, unless you want to walk around with a huge head (getting neck-aches), a huge heart (I'm really not sure of the medical complications associated with a heart too large-feel free to let me know), or huge hands (ruining a potentially lucrative hand model career), you need to examine which category you land. I'm being facetious of course; God calls us to grow in all these areas.

While fishing the other day, my friend and I discussed and confessed where we landed. Both confirmed the other's brief (between casts) self-evaluation. He was more of a heart guy (emotions, emphasis on the heart belief), and I'm more of a hands guy (being very practical, wanting to see how the belief makes a difference). Now that doesn't sum me up completely; I do like studying theology and philosophy, and I do like discussing motivations and heart idols. And all of us have elements of all three; that's how God made us. But clearly, we all do have emphases.

One way to figure out where you tend to land is to look at the books you've read over the past year. What kind do you 'by default' pick up? What kind of books do people need to recommend to you for you to read them? Mercy, outreach, commentaries, cultural engagement? Do you feel you need to grow the most in knowledge, personal devotion, or applying what you know to the world around you? In bible content/theology (head), in your application of the gospel to your heart and life (heart) or in serving others, relationships, mercy, outreach (hands)?

Finally, the best way, is to ask simply to ask someone close to you. Once you figure out where you land, it's good to surround yourselves with resources like articles, blogs, books, and people who can challenge you to grow in areas you may more naturally neglect.

My reading/study has been more balanced than I initially thought (a Piper/Meheny sprinkling-how ironic I chose that word, since both are baptistic!), though it has been tilted in the department of the Hands lately (church models, sociological perspective of young adults and religion, community groups). My next purchase/reading pursuit will probably be Jack Miller's Repentance and the 21st Century man. I haven't picked out my next "Head" reading. First things first though.