Punishment vs Discipline
GCD Weekly Newsletter 07/25/2022
“I wish someone had told Ms Williams that when I was at school.”
Penny1 was in her mid to late sixties, had been through a long successful career in medicine, and was now retired. I was leading a discussion on intergenerational ministry and somehow we’d gotten onto the subject of discipline. A member of the group asked what the difference was between punishment and discipline and I said, “Discipline’s aim is building up the bearer, punishment’s goal is beating them down.”
Fifty years later Penny was still wrestling with the consequences of a school system which had ample opportunity for punishment but no concept of discipline.
As Christians, we can often view discipline through the lens of past punishments, which means that when hard times come, we begin to blame God, ourselves, or others, before we stop to think about what God is doing through it to build us up. Repentance is the act of turning back to God, God’s discipline is him turning us back to himself.
This week we have two articles to share with you, one of which lays out some of the ways Tom Sumigura was disciplined in the midst of suffering, and another from Andrea Sanborn about the ministry of her son, a man without words, and some of the ways his presence and love silently helps those around him to look back to God.
Last Week on GCDiscipleship.com
The Indispensable Ministry of Disability
— by Andrea Sanborn (andreasanborn.com/@AndreaSanborn)
How do we view people with disabilities in our congregations? Are they to be pitied or appreciated? Are they defined by their needs, or empowered to serve in their own unique way? Our actions on behalf of these—“the least of these,” Jesus called them—are vitally important! But equally crucial are our perceptions.
When God Calls a “Time-Out”
— by Tom Sumigura (tomsugi.com)
During many restless nights, I too began to realize my earnest need for Christ. In pride, I had been trying everything else but prayer, so the Lord kept working on my heart before he would change my situation. Prayer acknowledged my need for help and has made me lie down in the pastures of Christ.
Punishing Heat
You may or may not have heard about the crazy heatwave we had this past week here in the UK, for the first time in recorded history we broke past 40C/104F.
Some of the writers here at GCD were talking about similar experiences around the world and we wondered what the general consensus was from our international readership as to how hot things got last week.
The GCD Writers’ Mentoring Cohort
Every writer needs a community. A team of committed allies to help encourage, sharpen, and spur them on in their craft.
The GCD Writers’ Mentoring Cohort is just that environment. Over six months, a small cohort of writers will be given access to community and coaching to help shape and sharpen the writer, their process, and their craft. Each month writers jump onto a video call with a small group of writers and high-calibre coaches. If you join us you will be equipped to write resources that make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus.
The cohort involves:
Six monthly video coaching calls with the GCD team and a respected, published writer in the Christian book industry.
Monthly feedback and resourcing from the GCD editorial team to help hone and sharpen your voice.
Peer-group community and feedback from other members of the cohort.
Reading and writing exercises to help you become the writer God intended you to be.
Adsum Try Ravenhill is married to Anna and together they are passionate about seeing young men and women discipled within the context of the local church. You can find Adsum through his writing at The Raven’s Writing Desk and alongside Anna as the co-host of the Consider the Ravens Podcast, you can also find Adsum’s articles for GCD here.
Not her real name