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Part 1

The Call

Three major documents of the Church point to forming disciples as one of the principle goals for catechesis and evangelization — the National Directory for Catechesis (NDC), the General Directory for Catechesis (GDC), and Renewing the Vision (RTV).

The U.S. bishops tell us:

Jesus formed disciples by making known to them the various dimensions of the Kingdom of God. He entrusted to them “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 13:11); he taught them how to pray (Cf. Lk 11:2)…. The fundamental task of catechesis is to achieve the same objective: the formation of disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus instructed his disciples, he prayed with them, he showed them how to live, and he gave them his mission. (NDC, 20)

The Vatican tells us:

Faith is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, making of oneself a disciple of him. This demands a permanent commitment to think like him, to judge like him, and to live as he lived (Cf. CT, 20b). In this way, the believer unites himself to the community of disciples and appropriates the faith of the Church (Cf. CCC, 166-167). (GDC, 53)

And:

The disciple of Jesus Christ deeply shares the “joys and hopes, the sadness and the anxieties of the men today” (GS, 1). He gazes upon human history and participates in it, not only from the standpoint of reason but also from that of faith. (GDC, 16)

And the U.S. bishops’ Office of Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth states:

All ministry with adolescents must be directed toward presenting young people with the Good News of Jesus Christ and inviting and challenging them to become his disciples….

We need to provide concrete ways by which the demands, excitement, and adventure of being a disciple of Jesus Christ can be personally experienced by adolescents — where they tax and test their resources and where they stretch their present capacities and skills to the limits. Young people need to have a true opportunity for exploring what discipleship ultimately involves. (RTV, Part Two)

Regardless of what age group you work with, this book offers some thoughts on the call, the challenge, and the differences found in teaching for discipleship.

But what is a disciple? And isn’t a believer the same thing?

Dr. Jeffrey Kaster points out:

The Greek word for disciple, mathetes, literally means “learner” or “apprentice.” The role of the Christian disciple is precisely to be a student or apprentice in the Christian way of life. (Assessing Christian Discipleship in Catholic Youth Ministry, doctoral dissertation University of Minnesota, 2008)

And the Vatican reminds us:

The disciple of Jesus Christ is then ready to make an explicit, living, and fruitful profession of faith. (GDC, 56c)

Note how all these references define discipleship with broad strokes of the brush. This is how it should be. If we are not careful, we unconsciously further define discipleship so that it reflects our specific religious practices and spiritual interests. The recent interest in discipleship has resulted in various portraits of one who displays specific characteristics. I myself once came up with a list of characteristics describing the adolescent disciple. Let us leave discipleship as it came to us without adding more descriptions and characteristics. This is plenty good enough.

Nowadays I urge us to stay with the basic understanding that comes from the root word and the basic descriptions found in these catechetical documents of the Church — allowing for the variety of ways people live out the teaching of Christ.

The important thing that distinguishes the disciple from a believer is that the disciple studies the ways of the One throughout his or her life, and does his or her awful best to live life in accordance with those teachings.

By following the example of his self-giving love, we learn to be Christian disciples in our own time, place, and circumstances. (NDC, 29E; see also Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, 46)

Why Now Is The Time

1. People already believe

Every religion poll in the United States over the last 20 years points to the same fact: almost 90% of Americans believe in God, believe in heaven and hell, and pray.

We are a nation of believers. And while fewer and fewer Americans actively participate in congregational life, they insist that religion still plays an important part in their lives.

Take, for example, the Catholics in America survey conducted in 2011 by researchers William D’Antonio of The Catholic University of America, Mary Gautier of Georgetown University, and Michelle Dillon, president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. That study revealed that three out of four Catholics say the Church is important in their lives. The number is even higher among Hispanic Catholics.

The research found in Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults, by Christian Smith and Patricia Snell (Oxford University Press, 2009), reveals that while religious affiliation decreases among young adults after high school, the percentage of those who believe in life after death increased to 84%. The percentage among Catholic young adults was 88%.

In terms of Catholic identity among young adults:

• 81% say, “I have a lot of respect for organized religion.”

• 72% say, “It is not a big turnoff for me.”

• 77% say they have very positive feelings about being raised Catholic.

• 55% say that religion is not irrelevant to the needs and concerns of people their age.

• 66% say that there are too many religious people who are negative, angry, or judgmental.

• 71% believe many religions are true.

• 61% agree that you don’t have to accept everything about Catholicism (an increase of 8%).

• 79% say you do not have to be involved in parish (up 12%).

• 71% say religion is a private matter and should be kept out of public debates and political issues.

• 49% expect to be attending religious services when they are thirty years old.

• 60% say that it is not important to marry someone of your religion; 14% say it is very important.

Smith and Snell point out, “We see little evidence of mass secularization among America’s young adults except for a decline in regular church attendance” (102).

People already believe.

But according to these two researchers, the young are on “a trajectory” — not something as passive as a path or a journey — but a trajectory being propelled by multiple forces toward an adulthood wherein the influence of religion diminishes, practice of the faith declines, and engagement with the Church is minimal.

They maintain that this trajectory starts early: “It is not that what happens during teenage years and emerging adult years does not matter, it is simply that what matters even more is what happens before the teenage years, which powerfully conditions most everything that happens thereafter” (248).

So let’s go back to the basic question: Can a person be a believer but not necessarily a disciple?

There is a difference between being a believer and being a disciple. A believer accepts some things about the existence and nature of God. A believer accepts a body of truth — most of which cannot be seen.

Being a believer is a strong step, something one should be proud of. And living out one’s religious beliefs is the mark of integrity. Yet a believer is not the same thing as a disciple. One can be a believer but not necessarily a disciple.

Discipleship builds on belief. It is a way of inviting believers to the More. People today already believe. Discipleship is timely because it points believers to the More.

2. Religious faith is a common element of our culture

Flick the television remote and you will see:

• political candidates describing their religious upbringing and the importance faith plays in their lives today;

• winning athletes beginning post-game interviews by “giving Jesus Christ all the credit,” or thanking “God for helping me today”;

• ministers praying over congregational members, some slain in the spirit through the laying on of hands;

• a parish celebrating Mass;

• terrorists’ attacks motivated by religious ideology.

We know the religious affiliations of our celebrities — who is a devout Catholic, a Scientologist, or a born-again evangelical.

Boomers grew up wondering if they would be “Touched by an Angel.” A movie on the passion of Christ came out and millions of Americans from every denomination paid to go see it, even though it was in a language no longer spoken on the planet.

Religion is no longer something only discussed between the pulpit and the pew. It is in the commons of our culture.

3. Spiritual interests are high

Check out any week’s New York Times’ bestseller list and see how many of the top twenty paperbacks focus on spiritual topics. Sociologists tell us that the American people are pursuing spiritual interests at an unprecedented rate.

More Americans than ever actively practice yoga and other forms of meditation as a way to address both spiritual health and physical needs. Hospitals, health care networks, coffee shops, grocery stores, spas, and gyms now pitch themselves as ways to nurture body, mind, and spirit. Not only are we a nation of believers, people are drawn to topics and activities they view as spiritual.

4. The Call of Discipleship unites us

For those of us committed to faith formation, the Call of Discipleship transcends our particular theological interests, doctrinal emphasis, or political issues. It offers us a common purpose that we can all say yes to. It ends the kind of battles we have had with one another when we insist that the catechetical topic burning within our hearts should trump the ones burning in the hearts of others.

Yet, this call still allows each of us to pursue our favorite religious theme, social reform, or moral issue while seeing it as a contribution to a higher goal: discipleship.

The Call of Discipleship doesn’t just unite catechists, it unites believers who come with different religious interests, questions, devotions, and perspectives. The Call of Discipleship provides a common purpose while leaving room for the diverse spiritual interests and practices of God’s children.

5. Intentionality

The Call of Discipleship brings clarity to our work and cleans up the ambiguity found in too many of our current faith formation initiatives. It allows us to distinguish between basic formation and something More.

Teaching for Discipleship honors the necessary work of basic formation and then intentionally builds on it. We will see that it requires a different set of skills and has a different purpose. Some of us are more natural at T4D (teaching for discipleship) while some of us are better suited for the important work of basic formation.

6. Discipleship requires study and application

We know that the root word for disciple is student. By definition, a disciple is someone who studies the ways of the One and lives by them. It is more like a spiritual path than a spiritual level of achievement.

You can’t be a disciple without study. It is a spiritual path one uses to direct one’s life and navigate through. It is the challenging path and a noble adventure that Christ describes. It is a path that requires lifelong learning and constant application. On it, we take two steps forward and one step backward. Sometimes we rest; sometimes we lose our way.

And let us make this clear: it is a path that comes with a cost.

This goes against the trend to develop a basic collection of beliefs early in life — without study — or to form beliefs and then stop studying. This goes against mentally accepting a collection of beliefs without the active commitment to apply them.

7. Places community in context

Newsweek/Beliefnet surveyed 1,000 religious adults who identified themselves as “traditional” or “non-traditional” evangelical, Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist, etc. Approximately 275 were Catholic. Here’s one question:

Which of the following would you say is the main reason you practice your religion (among traditional and non-traditional practitioners)?

	Trad.	Non-Trad.	Total
To forge a personal relationship with God	44%	28%	39%
To help you be a better person and live a moral life	31%	27%	30%
To find happiness and peace of mind	17%	17%	17%
To connect with something larger than yourself	10%	9%	10%
To give your life meaning and structure	8%	11%	8%
To be a part of a community	3%	3%	3%
Other reason	1%	0%	1%
No main reason	5%	19%	10%
Don’t know	2%	1%	2%

We see that the top three reasons people practice their religion corresponds to the vertical, horizontal, and internal dimensions of their spiritual lives. They practice their religion because it mainly helps them improve their relationship with the transcendent God, treat others lovingly, and find peace. (There will be more on these three dimensions in Part Four.)

But how many traditional and non-traditional members of these denominations practice their religion for community? 3%.

I did a workshop on T4D in a diocese recently with the local bishop in attendance. Before the workshop began, I approached him quietly with a request: “Bishop, I could really use some feedback on this stuff. Would you be kind enough to give this material a thorough theological evaluation?” He agreed to do it and said we could discuss it together with his diocesan staff at lunch afterward.

During lunch he pulled out an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket. He had several points scribbled on the back of the envelope. We went through them. (To my joy, they were all positive.)

I asked him about the Newsweek/Beliefnet poll above. His response was immediate:

That’s what I hope people would say! For Pete’s sake, people shouldn’t be practicing their religion for community. They should be practicing it because of their love of God and faith in Christ. Not community!

While spiritual interests and pursuits among people in the United States increases at a record pace, congregational membership is dropping at a record pace. People are not in it for community. Even traditional members of our faith are not in it for community. Yet for the past two generations now, we have made community the focal point of our call to faith.

For the last thirty years, we have emphasized communal participation in our churches so much that it seems to be the principal indicator of faith. Communal participation and active membership seems to be the most important thing. We expect more and more of people as resources and talents of our churches dwindle while the need of our churches increase. We amp up the exhortations. Frustration increases. And so does the exodus.

The people have already voted with their feet. They ain’t coming, ain’t investing, ain’t participating, ain’t playin’.

They are not in it for community, which is all the more reason why now is the time for the Call of Discipleship.

Discipleship is a natural fit for the spiritual interests of the day because discipleship is first and foremost an individual act, not a communal one. At its most basic level, discipleship requires that an individual decide to study the ways of Christ and apply it to his or her life. It’s a path with an easy on-ramp: making a personal commitment.

To me, the bishop mentioned above was echoing the words of Christ, who said clearly, and simply, “Stay in my word and you will be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

But the Call of Discipleship is best nourished and lived out in community. Christ intentionally established the Church as the community of disciples. He called Peter to lead it.

The Call of Discipleship does not dismiss community. It places community in context.

It names the purpose of community.

We believe that discipleship is best lived out within a community of disciples — the Church. After all, “Where two or three of you are gathered, there I will also be” (see Mt 18:20).

The Vatican’s General Directory for Catechesis says as much:

In the Christian community the disciples of Jesus Christ are nourished at the two fold table: “that of the word of God and that of the Body of Christ” (DV, 21). (70)

Jesus shows, equally, that the community of his disciples, the Church, “is, on earth, the seed and the beginning of that Kingdom” (LG, 5), and, like leaven in the dough, what she desires is that the Kingdom of God grow in the world like a great tree, giving shelter to all peoples and cultures. “The Church is effectively and concretely at the service of the Kingdom” (RM, 20). (102)

The Call of Discipleship simply changes the emphasis of our past approach without losing any elements of it. Instead of making community the principal focus from which one might pursue the spiritual life, it makes the individual act of discipleship the focus and presents community as the best way to support that life.

The same two elements of individual decision and communal membership remain — neither is lost. Yet the emphasis corresponds more directly to the spirituality of people today. This is one of the ways T4D is different than our past approaches.

8. Resonates with people’s desire to help others

From tsunami relief to earthquake relief, from donating for malaria-preventing mosquito nets to celebrity-driven causes, from Going Green to Doctors without Borders, the moral imagination of the American people and its children is engaged when they are asked to make the world a better place.

T4D has a courageous and compassionate horizontal focus, not just a vertical or internal one. Author Leisa Anslinger often points out that when her parish in Columbus, Ohio, intentionally switched its focus to discipleship, the staff was able to document how the people responded: volunteerism exploded, donations rose, the number of ministries expanded, and the number of people subsequently engaged in communal membership increased exponentially.

The Call of Discipleship shifts from “support the parish” as the primary expression of the disciple’s charity and compassion. The Vatican tells us:

The community of the disciples of Jesus, the Church, shares today the same sensitivity as the Master himself showed them. With great sorrow she turns her attention to those “peoples who, as we all know, are striving with all their power and energy to overcome all the circumstances which compel them to live on the border line of existence: hunger, chronic epidemics, illiteracy, poverty, injustice between nations … economic and cultural neocolonialism” (EN, 30)….

“The church is duty bound — as her bishops have insisted — to proclaim liberation of these hundreds of millions of people … of bearing witness on its behalf and of assuring its full development” (EN, 30). (GDC, 103)

Over the last eight years I have carved out a phrase that captures and connects the Call of Discipleship as I see it laid out in the Gospel, the documents of the Church, and the spiritual interests of the people. This phrase embodies the Call of Discipleship in a way that makes us touch all the bases on the way Home. Teaching for Discipleship also allows us to stop at any of the four bases and spend time probing the beauty and richness and truth there. Yet no single base captures all of it. T4D intentionally asks participants to touch all four bases on the way Home.

Discipleship …

within a community of disciples …

for the good of the world …

and the will of God.

For Reflection

How have you understood the word disciple?

This chapter lists eight reasons why now is a good time to emphasize the Call of Discipleship. Which one(s) do you agree with most and why?

Which one(s), if any, do you wish you could discuss a bit more?

What additional reason(s) might you want to add?

This chapter concludes with a statement that organizes and frames the Call of Discipleship. How does this sit with you?

Which of the four components have you been emphasizing in your own teaching?

Which might you want to increase your emphasis on?

Make yourself some notes about the one or two things you take away most from this chapter.