Rom 1 reply 38e: Equipping and mobilising disciples for reformation leadership and service (continuing the response to Patrick White's July 1st Gleaner article)

The last two times (1, 2) we were speaking about reformation as a part of the wider response to the radical secularist, homosexualist agenda represented by Mr White's recent Gleaner article. But the question remains, how can such be mobilised in the C21 Caribbean?

Before essaying on that, let us review where we have been so far:

1: Exposed and rebutted the agenda of willful defiance of God, his creation order for sexuality and consequential sound principles of morality under false colours of law and "rights."

2: Corrected the misleading historical myth that Christian sexual ethics are part of an inevitably losing war of irrational religion against science and reason.

3: Addressed the issue of grounding ethics and morality in the teeth of the rise of evolutionary materialist scientism, which cloaks atheism and amorality in the lab coat, demanding genuflection. 

4: Raised the question that the gospel naturally leads to reformation of lives, communities and nations.

5: Rebutted the "right wing Christofascist, theocratic tyrants" talking point.

Now, obviously, if gospel based reformation is to be spread in our region -- based on the Matt 28:18 - 20 discipling mandate's call that we are to "teach" the nations to "keep" the things Jesus commanded, and if "all things" are to be touched and transformed through the fulness of Christ working through us as the members of the body of Christ (per Eph 1 and 4) -- we must ourselves be transformed by the gospel, we must be capable, and we must be active and effective in our communities in  service, vision and leadership. In more traditional terms, we must ourselves be repentant and transformed sinners touched by the grace and truth of God.  We must be walking in the "straight and narrow" paths of discipleship, sanctification, service, prayer and Godly vision.  And, we must be so engaged in our families, churches and communities in service and leadership that the gracious power of the gospel will peacefully and often imperceptibly spread its way through the whole, even as leaven pervades and changes a lump of dough.

Obviously, this calls for capacity.

Which requires development, with particular emphasis on youth.

That is part of why I have first developed a profiling/portfolio concept for foundations for life for teens and youth more broadly, that can be integrated into youth and mentoring ministries in churches and parachurch organisations:

At foundational level, we see the need to lay a sound Christian foundation and to embark on a life of growing in grace and gracious service. This needs to be multiplied by personal development and mentoring relationships. (That of Paul with Timothy is famous). Nor -- in a region where 60 - 80% of our high school youth finish formal education without satisfactory academics, can we neglect that domain. (For our purposes, mathematics, English Information and Communication technologies and some science or technology areas at CXC CSEC or substantially equivalent levels will be good enough.)

A profiling of the foundation will typically expose weaknesses as well as strengths, and an individualised  bridging programme will be needed to round out the base for further development. This should feed into a life preparation portfolio, which will also round out the young person's life and service experiences.

Apprenticeship or the equivalent leading to a skilled area of capacity, and/or an associate level programme of study should then follow, taking advantage of web based distance modes. Yes, even for those who are going to go on to traditional higher education -- we are now in an era where the college campus is increasingly a deliberately designed spiritual life killing zone for bright but ill-equipped young people from our churches.

The Associate in Arts, Caribbean Christian Service [AACCS] proposal that TKI has championed, includes:

Such a programme -- sample course here on -- would provide a base for capacity, and would enable organised efforts that make advantageous use of people who have been thereby equipped. (For the practical work of organising initiatives, I suggest the MVAT Kit, here. This worksheet, should help to mobilise and motivate.)

So, again, we need to ask the Mordecai triple question: why not now, why not here, why not us? END