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
