You have identified a real issue, a lack, that we have in (at least many of) our Protestant churches. We often have excellent and faithful preaching, and Bible studies, but even after even many years our pastors typically know nothing of most of us personally and we are rarely, if ever, spoken with individually about our spiritual life.
If I can ask, what area of the Carolinas are you in?
I've been looking towards Orthodoxy for some time, and feel more and more certain that I should convert. But my wife is struggling with it somewhat, in various ways.
We are in South Carolina along the coast. If you’re ever near the northern most part (Little River, the middle (Myrtle beach) or the south (Charleston) my wife and I frequently get coffee with people all along the the grand strand
It is hard to even call it protestantism anymore - it is literally now neoevangelicalism that is a mashup of everything you can find within traditional protestantism: people are reformed, provisionist methodists or some such thing. Oddly enough, nearly none of them look to discipleship except the form you mention that risks abuse. I think John MacArthur is the closest with his Lordship Salvation, which practically makes you take on the full yoke of Discipleship as you convert to his flavor of Christianity, which is a burden many people cannot take up initially, even if ideally we would want anyone to go that route when coming into the Church.
My personal opinion is true discipleship runs afoul of what protestantism is all about: rejecting all outside spiritual authority except for Sola Scriptura. If you are engaging in true disicpleship that somewhat implies an acceptance of submission to an outside spiritual authority, and I think protestantism cannot go that route because within its true nature is a deconstruction of authority structures wherever they can be found. Protestants don't even believe - by and large - that Bishops are a real office, so are overwhelmingly guided by the capriciousness of their congregations, who may or may not strictly adhere to something like the WCF if they are reformed, but if the don't it is not like there is much stomach to discipline them for it.
I go to a Protestant church with a strong emphasis on discipleship, but it is very focused on the peer level--especially getting people around your age to come to church with you. I am frequently encouraged to have "discipleship relationships," but not often with a pastor. Usually it's with someone not much older than you. We emphasize confession and "accountability" but I have found that your peers are not the most helpful in sharing how to overcome sin--we just haven't done it long enough.
In short, I think your article is insightful on evangelicalism as a whole. I'm curious to see how else Orthodox discipleship differs (or is similar to) what I have been taught.
This is definitely a topic that needs more in depth attention. For most evangelicals church has become a glorified book club.
You have identified a real issue, a lack, that we have in (at least many of) our Protestant churches. We often have excellent and faithful preaching, and Bible studies, but even after even many years our pastors typically know nothing of most of us personally and we are rarely, if ever, spoken with individually about our spiritual life.
If I can ask, what area of the Carolinas are you in?
I've been looking towards Orthodoxy for some time, and feel more and more certain that I should convert. But my wife is struggling with it somewhat, in various ways.
We are in South Carolina along the coast. If you’re ever near the northern most part (Little River, the middle (Myrtle beach) or the south (Charleston) my wife and I frequently get coffee with people all along the the grand strand
It is hard to even call it protestantism anymore - it is literally now neoevangelicalism that is a mashup of everything you can find within traditional protestantism: people are reformed, provisionist methodists or some such thing. Oddly enough, nearly none of them look to discipleship except the form you mention that risks abuse. I think John MacArthur is the closest with his Lordship Salvation, which practically makes you take on the full yoke of Discipleship as you convert to his flavor of Christianity, which is a burden many people cannot take up initially, even if ideally we would want anyone to go that route when coming into the Church.
My personal opinion is true discipleship runs afoul of what protestantism is all about: rejecting all outside spiritual authority except for Sola Scriptura. If you are engaging in true disicpleship that somewhat implies an acceptance of submission to an outside spiritual authority, and I think protestantism cannot go that route because within its true nature is a deconstruction of authority structures wherever they can be found. Protestants don't even believe - by and large - that Bishops are a real office, so are overwhelmingly guided by the capriciousness of their congregations, who may or may not strictly adhere to something like the WCF if they are reformed, but if the don't it is not like there is much stomach to discipline them for it.
I like “Bapticostalism” as I once read somewhere.
Jesus didn't "practice" discipleship. He's the master, and I'm not.
I go to a Protestant church with a strong emphasis on discipleship, but it is very focused on the peer level--especially getting people around your age to come to church with you. I am frequently encouraged to have "discipleship relationships," but not often with a pastor. Usually it's with someone not much older than you. We emphasize confession and "accountability" but I have found that your peers are not the most helpful in sharing how to overcome sin--we just haven't done it long enough.
In short, I think your article is insightful on evangelicalism as a whole. I'm curious to see how else Orthodox discipleship differs (or is similar to) what I have been taught.