We are called to apprenticeship

We have a building project at Hopes View at the moment to extend our decking. A fine builder who takes pride in his work and seeks to do it all right with every angle perfectly square and level, has just taken on a young apprentice. I would hear the builder constantly teaching and breaking down each step and taking the time to share his skills with this young new apprentice. 

On Friday after one week’s experience the builder came to me and said, “I think I have lost him … my apprentice. He has gone home early with a headache the last couple of days and his father says he doesn’t want to come back, he just doesn’t want to think that hard, or learn step by step, he just wants to be a labourer, to be told what to do and do it and get paid and be done with it.”

I could see this young man wanning as the week went on. This is not about putting young people down, although I do often wonder where their stamina has gone, but it made me think how true it is for so many today.  Just tell me what to do, let me do the bare minimum and just get some money to do what I want with it. 

To be an apprentice today is a good description of the way Jesus discipled his 12 followers. In fact, although the word discipleship is what we use in the Christian world for those who follow Jesus, a more accurate word to describe what Jesus asked people to do in following Him, was to be His apprentice.

The Hebrew word was ‘Talmid’, which simply means a student of a teacher or philosopher. John Mark Comer argues that the best translation for ‘Talmid’ into English today is the word ‘apprentice’.  Today, as also in Jesus’ day, apprentice meant "a mode of education that is intentional, embodied, relational, and practice based,” (p. 11)

This type of “come, follow me” discipleship is not the way I was taught in Bible college. For a long time in church communities it has been a 6-week course, or a Bible study/Sunday school class of sorts. However, apprenticing is the way I have taught my kids and those who I minister alongside as the best way to actually learn.  How refreshing to find a helpful word for it that cuts through the Christianese and gets to the heart of the way Jesus calls us to live, and shows us what Jesus meant when he said, “follow me”.

“Learning wasn’t so much about retaining data as it was about gaining essential wisdom for living, absorbing it from those around him” (p. 11)

 To be an apprentice, you sign up to knowing it will be hands-on, active, physical, practical, exhausting, and yet very satisfying as you can see the results of your handiwork sometimes straight away.   It costs you in every way; emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally. But a good teacher will not leave you alone. You will be doing it with others and alongside others and most importantly alongside your teacher. This is how Jesus ‘discipled’ His followers.

Sadly, there are many who would say they have signed up to be Christians, but few that would call themselves apprentices of Jesus.

Dallas Willard says:

“The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who are identified as “Christians” will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners  - of Jesus Christ. Steadily learning from him to live the life of the Kingdom of the heavens into every corner of human existence”

(The Great Omission, p. xy)

Apprenticeship means proximity, conversation, learning from and listening to the master. It takes lots of time and energy. Apprenticeship means you walk away a different person, with new skills and knowledge that is transformative and changes the way you are doing things and ultimately the way you live. Jesus, the master, is more interested in building you to be more like Him and to do what He did in this world. If you choose to be an apprentice, it will ask more of you than a raised hand, a walk down the aisle, a prayer and an attendance on a Sunday. This is why Willard believes it is the greatest issue today in the church.

The greatest apprenticeship you could ever accept is the one under Jesus. Maybe it would help us all if we called people to become ‘apprentices’ rather than ‘Christians.’ After all, it is what Jesus meant when he said, “follow me”. And apprenticeship requires 'time x's time' in proximity of the teacher. Are you open to becoming an apprentice?