Belong, Behave, Believe: The Collection

For many years, the pattern by which someone becomes a disciple of Jesus has been described with three simple words placed in a distinct order: Believe, Behave, Belong. With this model, the pattern for becoming “born again” is based on the cognitive response of an individual who acknowledged and accepted a certain set of presuppositions. That belief then empowers the individual to maintain a level of moral and social behavior which would identify him/her as belonging to a specific group named as “Christians.”

I have come to observe that the gospel and the practices of our tradition are conflict with this; not the words, but the order.

When Jesus gathers his disciples, he never asks what they believe; he simply says “follow me.” We know nothing of their training in Torah, or how pious they were in offering sacrifices at the Temple. They simply go and join him in the new community he is forming. In that community he teaches and lives those teachings in the way he relates to others. In fact, it is difficult to separate the teaching from the life which embodies the teaching in action. It is only after the disciples are part of this kinetic community that they begin to have an inkling of belief.

This is established pattern of community to which Jesus points, and part of who we are as a Wesleyan community models this.

When an infant is baptized in the United Methodist Church, we assume nothing of the belief of the child who is participating in the sacrament. We would even say that the child is incapable of belief as we know it. Therefore, as they grow, their behavior cannot be guided by belief alone, for they have not been presented with the fullness of that which is proclaimed in Jesus Christ. Because of this, at baptism we require that the parents/sponsors and the gathered community have enough belief to embrace the child as a member of the community and help them develop a pattern of living through their own living.

In the sacrament of baptism, and infant baptism especially, our Wesleyan theology places belonging as the introductory stage of discipleship. Instead of being a rational and cognitive response, belief becomes organic and kinetic.

Here is the pattern of welcome I see emerging within our historical theology. People are:
embraced by the community (in which they) —>
develop a pattern of living within the community —>
living allows for opportunities to participate in the reality of faith —>
participation builds a set of embodied beliefs.

"Believe, Behave, Belong" becomes "Belong, Behave, Believe."

Here are some of the great instances of this same model I have found in my cruising around on the web. If you have others and/or would like to share your thoughts, please do not hesitate to comment. Your voice is important in what we are trying to build here!

A Conversation from our friend Tall Skinny Kiwi.
" We don’t command it of unbelievers, but for them to try out christianity, it involves walking the walk."

A visit to Jacob's Well by Jason Byassee from Christian Century

Mechanics to Organics by Ron Martoia from echurch blog.

Video by Peter Rollins (Author on the sidebar!)




The Great Emergence: What is It? from the Triangular Christianity blog

Behaving Before you Belong or Believe from Hillschurch blog