October 7: Two or Three are Gathered

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. (Acts 15:36-40)

We all realize that disagreements happen. And if you think churches (or missionary efforts in this case) splitting apart is new… well, its not! But what really grabs the focus of my attention in this passage is the how it ends. Conflict splits the two of them… and Barnabas grabs Mark and goes one way while Paul grabs Silas and goes another direction. (Of interesting side note… say good-bye to Barnabas because they never reunite and he does not appear again in the Book of Acts.)

What doesn’t happen in this ending?

Neither one goes off alone.

They part ways and even distance themselves from each other, but they do not go alone… which continues a trend of discipleship – it’s a group activity.

In this day and age I will hardly be the first to tell you that many of us think we can go it alone. We all have reasons – rationalizations - but whatever they are, it adds up to my own sense of spirituality (and maybe even study and prayer) apart from anyone other than God.

“I’m not religious, I’m spiritual.”

“It’s between me and God.”

Here is the problem… its not. Paul is as close to a lone wolf as we get in the New Testament and yet he always has someone with him and despite numerous disagreements and differences with the “main church” in Jerusalem he always maintains connection with them. (See Galatians 1 and 2 for examples.) Discipleship just isn’t done alone. Jesus called 12 and sent 70… but even then he sent them in pairs. And of course there is much quoted, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Mat 18:20)

We just can’t do this alone. We need people to hold us accountable, to affirm and support us, to give us companionship. I recently watched a great video from ted.com on where good ideas come from. (Here is a shorter, slightly more fun, version of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU) by Steven Johnson. His research suggests that the idea of the lone genius having a Eureka moment (like Isaac Newton being hit on the head with an apple and grasping the idea of gravity) is mostly a false notion. In fact he tells us, good ideas come from people networking together in ways that their individual hunches can collide together and create good ideas. Discipleship is no different.

We need to collide with one another… theologically, spiritually, socially, fiscally, emotionally… and just about any other –ally besides physically! Discipleship just isn’t between you and God, and its only spiritual. It’s a group project!

What are you trying to keep between only you and God?
Who are you pairing with in your journey?
In what ways are you networking your hunches with others?

Gathering God,
You call us out of individuality to a corporate journey. Help us network and collide with one another that our shared energy and thought may witness good ideas - and good news - to the world. Amen.