Do you like The Faith & Work Podcast? Be sure to subscribe! Now available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Spotify.
How can Christians be messengers of the gospel in their context of work? How can churches disciple people to embody Christ's message of redemption in all of life--not just the times we're gathered together? Neil Hudson, director of church relationships at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity and author of Scattered and Gathered, joins us to talk about whole-life discipleship.
Defining whole-life discipleship:
"We recognized is that when you started to talk about discipleship, at least then, people imagined it was about your personal, private life. The way you prayed, the way you read scripture, sort of the spiritual disciplines which you need, but that was it. And then there was the rest of life. What we were wanting to say to people were, that this life, the life that begins with surrender to the Lordship of Jesus and it continues by His working out what it means to live as agents of the kingdom of God has to be worked out in the whole of our life, for the whole of our life."
On the gathered and the scattered church:
"The life of the gathered church, the times when we're together at least in part, equip us, enable us, empower us for the lives when we're scattered...We're living our lives as Christians in a culture that increasingly looks alien for many Christians. And so it's the extent to which our life together enables us to live for the glory of God when we're separated and scattered."
On gospel courage in the workplace:
"Molding culture, being a mouthpiece for truth and justice, standing up when you know things aren't right. And using your influencing, using a position or recognizing there might be a cost to that, but being willing to take a stand. And then finally knowing how to explain gospel. Knowing what it means to be a messenger of the gospel. And I think that those aspects take courage."
Neil's "red dot" illustration of the gathered and scattered church:
Neil's 6M framework:
Learn more about Neil's work at the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity.
Reid Neil's latest book, Scattered and Gathered: Equipping Disciples for the Frontline.*
Join us in Denver on Thursday, Oct. 24, for "Thriving Churches, Thriving Cities."
*–Purchase with purpose. Amazon donates to Denver Institute when you shop at smile.amazon.com.
