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O'Loughlin is challenging one of the most common assumptions about Christian discipleship: that it is primarily a personal or private matter. It is noted though, while personal faith, prayer and moral commitment remain important, his argument is that the earliest Christians understood discipleship first and foremost as belonging to a covenant community. God's covenant was made with a people rather than with isolated individuals, and the language of ekklesia (assembly or gathering) and synagogue reminds us that the Church is fundamentally a community of people rather than an institution or a building. This invites us all to move beyond asking, "How can I be a better disciple?" towards asking, "How can we, together, embody the life of Christ?"

His reflections also encourage a different way of reading Scripture and understanding mission. Rather than treating passages such as the Two Ways or the Lord's Prayer as instructions addressed only to individual believers, they can be read as describing the kind of community God calls into being. The question becomes not simply whether I am living faithfully, but whether our parish together is becoming a community marked by generosity, justice, hospitality and mutual care. In this sense, concern for the common good, the wellbeing of the village, and care for the vulnerable are not optional social concerns but central expressions of discipleship itself. In one aspect, the relational nature of the trinity, and of the majority of the commandments would mean there is reduced opportunity to be “salt and light” for the Christian hermit or recluse. Ultimately, O'Loughlin does not reject individual responsibility; rather, he seeks to restore the balance between personal faith and communal belonging.

For my own context in rural ministry this offers both affirmation but considerably challenges. On the one hand, many aspects of rural church life already reflect a communal understanding of discipleship. Smaller congregations too naturally result in a more intimate gathering for worship (or I would expect that in the majority of cases). Pastoral visiting, supporting isolated neighbours, organising community events, maintaining the church as a place of welcome, and working together with other local organisations are all ways to demonstrate that discipleship is lived through relationships and concern for the common good. The challenge is to nurture disciples who understand themselves not simply as individuals who attend church, but as members of the Body of Christ, whose faith is expressed through shared worship, mutual support and a common commitment to the flourishing of the whole community. Such a vision offers a richer and more biblical understanding of discipleship—one that values both the individual and the common good within God's covenant people.

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Debbie - Thomas O'Loughlin picture map of Charlotte Reihlen

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Debbie - Thomas O'Loughlin picture map of Charlotte Reihlen

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Discipleship is not meant to be lived in isolation; we are called to share, gather, and support one another. Thomas O’Loughlin highlights a strong tradition in which Christianity is understood as both a way of living and a way of dying. He draws on an image by Charlotte Reihlen that contains a number of scenes and Scripture references. With the mind’s eye, the viewer can trace the decisions and choices that shape the path of discipleship. The image is rooted in the early Church and its communities, which fits with the idea that discipleship is not a solitary pursuit but one of belonging to a group. At the same time, the image contrasts a bright, welcoming path that appears easy and enjoyable with another path marked by poverty, darkness, and death. It shows that life is not straightforward. In today’s world, that complexity presents a challenge both for the Church and for Christians, as well as for people in the wider community who have not yet made connections with God. Yet there are also many people in the community who do good, gather others, and raise funds for worthy causes. Millennials, in particular, often place a strong emphasis on choice and may respond to this differently. I wonder how people of different ages would interpret the image and whether each might trace a different path through it. As Christians, we choose to follow a Christ-like way of life shaped by our beliefs and values. We do not always live this out perfectly, but we continue to follow our calling, recognising that the Church today is not always limited to a physical building.

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Personal and Corporate discipleship by Angela Bernard

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Personal and Corporate discipleship by Angela Bernard

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Having read the chapter from Thomas O'Loughlin's 'Discipleship and Society in the Early Churches' I can see as a disciple we also have a part to play in a shared vision. As someone who believes in God as Creator, we are called to imagine the sort of world God desires, and then to work towards it.

What we do day by day “however small it may seem” is part of building up that life together. Our actions are not just personal choices; they contribute to the life of the whole community, the people of God.

This understanding is echoed in Matthews Gospel (Matthew 25). Acts of love ”feeding the hungry, helping those in need” are seen as being done to Christ himself. It is about how people relate to one another, not just how individuals behave in isolation. Is is not simply about personal morality. It is about forming a Christian community that reflects Gods purposes. O'Loughlin makes it clear as we live this out together, each act of love becomes part of a larger picture: a glimpse of the world as God intends it to be.

In my own experience as a disciple in church without an incumbent at my previous parish I was a key figure in sustaining the church community in a time of change, uncertainty and pastoral need. I had been firmly of the view that my previous parish church had much to offer, particularly given its location and potential for mission and evangelism. With this in mind, I felt called to propose the appointment of an Outreach Worker, to be discerned and appointed through the Parochial Church Council.

Although this began as an individual conviction, when it was brought prayerfully to the PCC it became a shared discernment. Together, we recognised this as an important step in responding to the priorities of both the parish and the wider diocese, as we sought to enable others to come to know Christ.

In reflecting on this process, I now see that we might have gone further in involving the whole worshipping community. There was an opportunity to ensure that all regular members of the church were informed, engaged, and able to contribute to the shaping of the role, particularly in identifying the needs and priorities of our local context. Such wider participation would have strengthened our shared sense of calling and helped us to discern more fully how best to serve our community in Gods mission.

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I have never viewed Christianity/Discipleship as an individual pursuit but, having read the assigned chapter by Thomas O’Loughlin for this unit, I have come to the realisation that my vision was still too narrow.

As disciples we are accountable not only to God (although obviously that is our priority) but also to all His creation. Not just the body of believers but to all humankind. We are all called to play our part, according to our unique gifts and talents and everyone’s role will vary but, as O’Loughlin says, we cannot do it in isolation. We are all part of the same body and rely upon one another for our very existence. This does not just apply within our own context of ‘church’, ‘family’ or ‘local community’ which is too limiting a viewpoint but, in the workplace, on holiday, out shopping or wherever else we go. Even when we are spending time with God alone in prayer, meditation, worship and study the Holy Spirit is always guiding us to participate in the work of the Kingdom which is not for our individual benefit but for the good of all. What has become known as the Lord’s Prayer is evidence of this as it uses plurality throughout.

I am extremely lucky to be part of a worshipping community which is very inclusive. In corporate worship we speak in terms of ‘us’ and always encourage, nurture and support one another. God created us to live this way and be in communion with one another whilst valuing each person’s individuality.

I would like to see the words ‘church’ and ‘synagogue’ removed from our language, or at least replaced, because they have lost the intended meaning that would have been understood in the original context in which they were used. By continuing to use terminology that has been associated with buildings for so long, all we are doing is creating barriers and instilling prejudice. We are not defined by the building we attend or the geographical location we inhabit which is why ‘gathering’ or ‘assembly’ seems more fitting, eliminates a culture of ‘us’ and ‘them’ and implies that nobody is excluded. God’s covenant was and is for all His people and has been passed down to all future generations.

I believe that the challenge for us today is to change the perception of a society which has become so self-absorbed and introspective.

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The assigned reading for unit 3 (Thomas O'Loughlin's Discipleship and Society in the Early Churches.) has prompted me to review our 21st century approach to discipleship which I think has been greatly shaped by our Western individualistic mindset. Society put the individual at the centre whereas God's society is corporate and covenantal. The "ye" language in the Authorised Version is there for a reason as it is a plural pronoun.

We need to reclaim the true meaning of the community made up of people that the words like "covenant," "ekklesia" and "synagogue" originally had. For example "church" and "synagogue" refered to people not buildings.

Personally I hold to what you could say was classic covenant theology that sees a continuity between the people of God (Israel) in the Old Testament and the people of God in the New Testament (the Church), an so the challenge is to model discipleship in a corporate way.

My initial review of some of the discipleship "courses" seem to be more suited to the individual and specific demographics - I am yet to find any in the ones I have reviewed that relate to a more corporate discipleship.

I wonder if the use of a modern form of corporate catechesis would be better. I know that in the USA many churches also have an Adult Sunday School class which runs before or after main services is something that could be utilsed in the UK? I will check this out and get back to you all! :-)

I've just found the Adult Sunday School / Catechesis Class being done in the UK. The link below is not my endorsement of this particular church but an example of perhaps a different approach:

https://sheffieldpres.org.uk/catechism-class

PS: I do hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith by the way as well as the 39 Articles and BCP etc ;-)

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