reminiscing on wimber on discipling

John Wimber's definition of "committed" was discipled churchmen and churches. Five measures by which we might know we have reached "discipled churchmen" are:

1. Through their service
2. Through their attendance
3. Through their giving
4. Through their beliefs
5. Through their progressive sanctification

Wimber believed that we have been too willing to allow people in our churches that aren't willing to make full commitments. He routinely challenged leaders to not be lax in this area. He insisted that people ought to be committed to Christ, to His Church, and to His Cause. Less than all three would not due. And then he called for a higher commitment at every level.

The discipling process had three key aspects; the identification process, the recruitment process, and the training process - training should be both formal and informal.

Wimber would say we could recognize prospects because they were the ones that came early and stayed late. They were the ones asking questions and pressing in. And most importantly, we believed that God would show these people to us.

There are always three kinds of people - the spectators (those who simply watch), the participants, and the leaders. The leaders are often those whom people tease, quote, or look to when a decision is to be made. They usually have a crowd around them.

When it came to informal training, Wimber was very big on giving "tests" from time to time to see how committed they really are. He believed in objective evaluations. And one of the key things he looked for in a leader is the "ability to see".

Wimber wanted us to stay within the orthodoxy and orthopraxy of the historic church. He wanted a focus on Jesus and the "main and plain" of Scripture.