Rythms

Making disciples is a central theme in Jesus’ ministry. It essentially boils down to applying Jesus’ teachings found in the Bible. Its goal is the spiritual growth of each individual and personal transformation into His likeness.

Today, if we look around us, despite all our “discipleship” programs, it seems that many people in our mission and our churches are tired, anxious, and sometimes even overwhelmed. Darrow Miller once said that “if the Church does not make disciples of the nations, the nations will make disciples in the Church.”

In a society where depression, stress, and anxiety are constantly on the rise, Jesus offers us a different way of life. He does not merely ask us to be transformed into his image through the teachings he gave, but as we adopt his way of life, he invites us to be rooted in practices about which he did not teach much but which he demonstrated throughout his ministry: prayer, the Sabbath, moments of silence and solitude, fasting, and times of sharing in community around the table. All of this gave rhythm to Jesus’ life. What if embracing this way of life were the remedy for the stress and anxiety that result from the hectic lives we lead today? Even Jesus needed it to protect himself in his busy life.

Jean-Philippe Godin, YWAM Geneva