CYBER DISCIPLESHIP
I was surfing the web and I ran across the term cyber discipleship. I searched it on Google and found three or four references. There was very little elaboration on what the concept was. One person was definitely for it. Someone else was definitely against it. I found that odd, since there was no clear definition of the concept. At least, I couldn't find one. But it started me thinking, how would I define cyber discipleship? So I decide to take a pass at defining it. I figured once we have a definition, then we can figure out if we are for it or against it. I started with Webopedia. I consider Webopedia a reliable source. Its not volunteer reliant. Webopedia is staffed by full-time, experienced editors who scan the literature for the latest working definitions. They collect and post these definitions. According to Webopedia, cyber, as a prefix is used to describe new things that are being made possible by the spread of computers. For instance, cyberphobia is the irrational fear of computers. Cyberspace is the non-physical terrain created by computer systems. In fact, anything related to the Internet also falls under the cyber category, according to Webopedia. Next is discipleship. Disciple and -ship. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, disciple is the English translation for the Greek word mathetes. Mathetes means, literally, a learner. We add -ship as a suffix to disciple. According to New World Dictionary of American Language, -ship as a suffix means the quality, condition or state of. Therefore, discipleship means the condition or state of being a learner.
Cyber-discipleship #1One option. I can learn from anyone. Therefore, I could be a disciple of anyone, or I guess, anything. There are disciples of Budda, of Confucious, of Mao, of various yogis and leaders. So one way to interpret cyber discipleship is the condition or state of being a learner of a computer. The computer is the teacher. Somehow I don't think thats what most of us think of when the term cyber discipleship comes to mind.
Cyber-discipleship #2Here is another option. In the Bible, we assume a disciple is a learner of God, of the Lord Jesus Christ. So Biblical discipleship would be the condition or state of learning from Jesus. Now God doesn't need the computer to communicate with me. He can communicate with me when I pray. He can communicate with me through the Bible. Now I could chose to read my Bible on the computer. Is that cyber discipleship? Maybe, but I don't think that is how the term is being used.
Cyber-discipleship #3So, here is yet another option. In this definition, cyber is used to refer to all things Internet and the new possibilities they bring. And the term discipleship is being used to describe the making of disciples rather than the being of a disciple. I think a common interpretation of discipleship is one person helping another person to become a learner of Jesus Christ. Discipleship has now become the skill and process of making someone else into a disciple rather than the skill and process of becoming a disciple. Cyber discipleship would be helping someone become a learner of Jesus Christ over the Internet. We might not ever meet face-to-face but we can help each other grow closer to God. Accountability, encouragement, teaching, helping, exhortation. All part of the discipleship process. All being conducted through cyberspace using the Internet. In some ways higher level of trust is required. You can't read body language or voice intonation. The written word can easily be misinterpreted without the immediate opportunity to ask questions and correct the misunderstanding. Each person must chose to believe the best of the other. Using this definition of cyber discipleship, what do you think? Are you for it or against?
Return to Odds & Ends home page
Posted on November 13, 2008
|
