We’re exploring what discipleship looks like in the digital age and how technology has affected our view and methods of discipleship.
In the first post we looked at the ‘I want it now‘ aspect of our culture.
In this post, we’ll look at much we’ve become accustomed to speed.
The Need for Speed
The technological changes have certainly brought speed to our life in many ways. Next day delivery on whatever we order, or even same day. We don’t send letters to companies; we email them and expect immediate answers. Or we chat and get those instant solutions. We don’t have to leave our home to buy anything but get it done within minutes from behind our desks. We rarely wait for anything anymore (except maybe in a doctor’s office and then it annoys us to no end).
Efficiency is the name of the game.
That need for speed clashes with the process of discipleship. Let this truth sink in: there is no efficient way of doing discipleship. There’s no fast-forwarding it or speeding it up. It happens as it happens, according to the speed of the Holy Spirit and the choices of the people involved. And that’s true for our own process of discipleship (becoming more like Jesus) as for discipling others.
One of the most impactful talks I have ever heard was youth worker Mark Yaconelli speaking about ‘slow club’. He talked about the need to slow down and be intentionally inefficient, in order to reconnect with ourselves and with others. He explained how we can’t deeply reconnect with our souls unless we slow down and take the time to listen to ourselves—or with others. Mindfulness if you will, yet at a deeply spiritual level. His talk resonated deeply with me, since I am an extroverted, type-A, can’t-sit-still person.
Slow club is as counter-culture as it gets, since it means deliberately choosing inefficiency. That does not match our culture’s need for speed—a need that has affected us all, me included. If you think you’re immune, just watch yourself when your internet connection drops, or even slow down. Sometimes a power outage is all we need to realize how addicted we have become to efficiency.
Discipleship means letting go of speed. We cannot rush discipleship; it’s a slow process that is inefficient and messy by nature. Disciples grow, then stumble, back slip, and resume growing again. It’s two steps forward, one step back, and a few steps sideways in between.
This is a process where we need to let go of our culture-driven need for efficiency and embrace the messy. The good news is that this may be such a welcome respite for those you disciple, that it will not only bring you closer, but help them in their faith and growth as well. In a fast-paced world where it’s a rarity, slow attracts people. Ironically then, the one thing you can do to try and speed up discipleship is to slow down.
If you find yourself impatient with the pace of your own discipleship or that of others, try to force yourself to embrace the slow. Model Jesus: He spent three looooong years with His disciples in a process that was anything but speedy. It was time intensive, slow, messy, and for all intents and purposes highly inefficient. But boy, was it effective.
In the next and last post in this series, we’ll explore what being connected means in a digital age.
How would you rate your need for speed?
What could you do to become a member of slow club?
[Snail image via Pexels, cc]
zach hord says
Great article! I so agree! I’ve had a few amazing mentors in my life and I’ve always thought they lived life a little slower! As in they took the time to connect with people even when things wouldn’t click as quickly as they hoped.
-zach
http://www.textinchurch.com
Rachel Blom says
What a great example from mentors, Zach! In my experience, connecting with people personally always work better in the end and often even ends up being ‘faster’ because it avoids so many mistakes, miscommunications, conflicts, etc.
Kenny Jahng says
Nice. I call it a CHA CHA CHA faith life. In the ballroom dance, you follow a pattern of steps,
Quick SLOW quick quick SLOW…repeat!
The dance isn’t made by the quick steps, it’s the accentuation on the slow steps. Being intentional. Being measured. Being ready to shift gears and go SLOW repeatedly.
I feel like we forget this too much in our digital dashing lives. Love your article!
Kenny
@kennyjahng
Rachel Blom says
Ha! Love this analogy! And so very spot on. Intentionality is key.