Week-long tourist mission trips that have suburban American teenagers staying in five-star hotels and complaining about the food. Missions done more for adventure than out of obedience. The Sunday-school class that passes out American flags and money. Culturally inappropriate choir tours, drama troupes, youth musicals, puppet shows, clowns, mimes in the park. Attractional replications of “what works” back home. One-off [...]

Maybe it’s our affinity for convenience that has led us to settle for marketing-campaign dissemination of information over the long-term disciple-making relationships Jesus modeled with His disciples. But discipleship is not sharing information, public discourse, or debate. It has little to do with the materials we have available, and is not quick and easy. Discipleship is a relationship. In fact, [...]