“In Japanese the word dojo means ”place of the way” and is used to describe a school or practice space for martial arts or meditation. Theoretically, a dojo could be created for any skill or discipline. You could have a knitting dojo, a cooking dojo, a karate dojo — or a Jesus dojo. The important distinction is an active learning environment, where participation is invited and expected.”
“We don’t enter the kingdom of God merely by thinking about it or listening to one another talk about it. We have to experiment together with how to apply the teachings of Jesus to the details of our lives.”
“You can’t learn karate just by watching, and we can’t learn to follow Jesus without practicing to do what he did and taught. Jesus didn’t just communicate information or ideas, but declared, ‘I am the way’ and invited his disciples into a new life that was fueled and inspired by his example, teachings and sacrifice (John 14:6)”
“So a Jesus dojo is a space where a group of people wrestles with how to apply the teachings of Jesus to everyday life through shared actions and practices.”
(Mark Scandrette, Practicing the Way of Jesus, p.15-16)
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This is what I sense is missing in church as we experience it.
We come together, passively listen, then leave… but when do we actively learn, by practicing together.
We are like wannabe artists who come together and look at examples of art, hear stories about artists, and listen to lectures on what makes good art… but we are not given a brush, paint or canvas to try our hand at it.
Our churches are more like art museums (look, listen, enjoy) than like art studios (experience, practice, do).
Jesus’ commission was not to make disciples that listen, but disciples that obey, that do as He did.
What if our church gatherings were more like art studios, where we took up a theme from Jesus’ teaching (forgiveness,prayer, loving enemies, being childlike, taking last position, etc.) considered different ways of experiencing or experimenting with that theme (disciplines or practices), then committed together to trying it.
This is what a Jesus dojo would be, this is what church could be, this is what following Jesus together should be.
See Mark Scandrette’s Practicing the Way of Jesus (IVP) for more details.
Yes,
I like this.
I have often wanted a time to discuss what we have learned in the sermon and to talk about how we are doing from the last weeks learning.
I have changed most by listening to and sharing with other people who are intentional on this journey.