Keeping Christ Centred

Refreshing . . .
The last couple of months have been pretty intense but in the midst of the stress and chaos of life there were periods of refreshment. Such a one was my experience at the Wycliffe Refresh Conference in May. I had been excited about attending this conference because one theologian who has influenced my study and discipleship was the keynote – Dallas Willard. I first 'discovered' Dallas Willard when I was researching character development in the school system and its implications for the church. Prof. Willard's name was top of the list of references. His writings encouraged me to pursue how character development implemented in our schools might be, needs to be, uplifted to Christ-centered character and discipleship. God calls us to discipleship (“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” Matthew 28:18–20). That is to model and teach the precepts of the Scriptures – teach about the Two Great Commandments, about prayer, doctrine, Christian living and worship. This is our main mission and call – it is up to the Holy Spirit to bring people to an intimate relationship with the Lord through God’s grace.
Prof. Willard reaffirms that it is our knowledge of and faith in Christ that leads us to discipleship. Willard encourages us to do all we do in our daily living taking on the character of Christ - this is what compelled me to study his work. When I was looking at how the character development mandate of the Ministry of Education in Ontario was being implemented in the secular schools I wondered how our children and youth would make the Christ connection in all the good works they were encouraged to be involved.
Willard emphasizes that faith and knowledge are intertwined - spiritual formation and discipleship are to be nurtured within the Christian context - at church and at home. Knowing Christ and making Him known is an interactive experience that involves more than just reading about Jesus. It involves living the life he would have us lead - being Christ Centred in all our thinking, feeling and doing - that is what constitutes good character for Christians.
For Christians the measure of good character is the character revealed to us in Christ Jesus. It is revealed in the Two Great Commandments – to love God with all our heart, mind, strength – our whole being, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. We reveal this to the world through discipleship. This means devoting all our efforts to doing what is good for God, to have our hearts set on what is important to God not to us personally. I think we often fail in this – I feel that I do. Prof. Willard reminds us that Christians are not perfect – just forgiven! Thanks be to God!
Willard says that the character, power and personal guidance of Jesus will lead us into life as it should be in all areas of human existence. This is what cannot be taught in the secular school system as they strive to teach character development for good citizenship. Where Character Development in our schools might lead to good citizenship, Christian discipleship leads us to citizenship in God’s Kingdom - this is where the church can help our children and youth make the Christ connection when they learn about character development in the schools. Discipleship and character stand together intertwined and Willard says – putting Christ first and foremost.