The Celtic Pattern of Discipleship

1. The Celtic Pattern of Discipleship By Namsik Kim

2. General Question • What is the effective way of evangelism in the postmodern world?

3. Introduction • Patrick, the first missionary to the Irish • The Holy Roman Church (Institutional religious leaders) • Celtic Christian Community • Patrick’s Journey • The Dynamics of the Celtic monastery • Characteristics of Celtic Christianity • The Legacy of Celtic Christianity

4. Patrick’s journey • Reared in northeast England in 4th century • Born as a Celt, reared as a Roman • Patrick as a nominal Christian • At 16, Kidnapped • Enslavement in Ireland for six years • Trained as a priest • Macedonian Call to the Celt • Appointed to Ireland as a missionary bishop

5. Roman Mission Policy • Must be civilized to be Christianized • Must read and speak Latin • Doing the church “the Roman way” • Impossible to reach the Celts

6. Patrick’s Evangelism • Patrick was familiar with their language • Patrick was accustomed to their culture • He implemented team ministry • Patrick’s mission planted 700 churches • Ordained 1000 priests • Within his lifetime, 30 to 40 of Ireland’s 150 tribes became Christian • Patrick restored apostolic ministry to To the unreachable people who were Discriminated against and alienated by Roman Christianity

7. In the First Century • In the First Century, House Churches were The catalyst of evangelization • Early Christians reached the unbelievers • They had fellowship with non-Christians • They opened the door to the Gentiles

8. The East Monastery in 4th Century • against Materialism • Consists of Christian monks • Christian Clan • Unreachable to non-Christians • Pietism regardless of evangelism

9. The West Monastery in 4th Century • Reached the pagan world • lay abbots or abbesses, farmers, scholars, Craftsman • Lay movement • Community-orientation • Individualistic spiritual formation

10. Celtic Monastery for Discipleship • Personal Isolation for personal piety and life problem • Soul friend system, not vertical but horizontal • Small-group movement 1)the concept of people(laos) of God 2) the model of Christ with the Twelve 3) the example of the early church 4) the explicit teachings of Jesus

11. Celtic Monastery for Discipleship • Witnessing based on the Great Commission fellowship and community life equip Christians • Macrocommunity for evangelism Contagious community life Rediscovery of apostolic ministry Reach the unreached sharing faith disciple training

12. Roman way & Celtic way • Roman way Presentation of the gospel decision Fellowship • Celtic way build relationship Fellowship, conversation Invitation to discipleship

13. Characteristics of Celtic Discipleship • Evangelistic faith and practice: The Lorica • Biblical education: reading, studying, copying, memorizing • The Practice of personal piety Exomologesis • Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit • Realistic Trinitarian Doctrine Human Freedom Voluntary obedience

14. Legacy for the Postmodern Church • Postmodern person: Personally focused, politically alienated, philosophically confused, Theologically uninformed. • Left brain user but long to be right brain user • Incarnational approach: love more than authoritative attitude • Develop how to communicate • Develop Dynamic of Small Group • Love to talk with other religions • Soul-friend strategy

15. FOR Revival • appearance of a new generation, • popular apostasy and enculturation, • national affliction, • popular repentance agonized prayer and • the raising up of new leadership and restoration • Reproduction of lay leaders • Horizontal authority

16. Conclusion • The Biblical practice of Koinonia • Freedom and discipline to live as Christians • Open to the secular community • The postmodern person in Christian microcosm • Micro-evangelism through small group • Macro-evangelism through small group