Discipleship

The Presbyterian Church is one hapu in the wider iwi of Christian churches – people who seek to follow Jesus Christ, who lived 2000 years ago and who, we believe, is alive and present, willing and able, to shape our lives today.

In July 2017, I visited a Catholic charismatic community in Fulda, Germany, and enjoyed the generous hospitality of their guest house, a former US Army barracks. One of the sisters talked with me about sharing your life with others. In response to the question, “what is the hardest part of being in community?”, she responded that it was the self-awareness and needed growth it provokes.

Spiritual practices – and there are heaps of them – are tools for becoming aware of God within our daily life; they bring out the sacred in experiences that could otherwise seem just everyday.

One Word came about in a faith community that realised that New Year resolutions don’t work. We often use January as an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start over, especially in New Zealand where weeks of summer holidays follow the excesses of Christmas.

The Baptist family of New Zealand churches is a network of 240 congregations who share common beliefs and practices. At the heart of Baptist life are two principles: worship – the honouring of God, and mission – the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Scriptures are a rich resource, not just of good words, but of God words. Although the word to which God leads you for this year will not necessarily be directly Scriptural, the Bible is a great place to start your search.

The one word we discover may be a character trait, a discipline, a person, a spiritual focus, an attribute or a value. As you listen to God in your search for your own Word, look around you for a sign or symbol that carries meaning for your life right now, or for what you hope for.

Many who have adopted One Word for themselves testify to the difference it makes to share their word with others. Some may decide to only tell spouse or family. Others use this tool in their small group. Many have found that sharing their word with a work colleague leads to a depth conversation about what word they might have chosen.

Although a plan is useful – especially for new Christians – it is not compulsory. In fact even daily Bible reading is not essential for a follower of Jesus but down the centuries it has been found to be a useful and life-giving spiritual practice that has been likened to reading the letters of a loved one.