Where is the Christ in Christians? American Churches That Don’t Train Disciples Are in the Quantity Business not the Quality Business.
In the United States, and for decades now, people have believed that evangelism is the primary role of the church. It is a wonderful thing to see a lost person come to know Christ. The baptism of believers is always worth celebrating.
But then what?
Oh right, we encourage them to come to church, to join a small group or similar, and do some volunteer work. If used correctly, these are all ways to increase involvement and exposure to the work of the church. With there being so many idle in churches, it may feel like a victory when some decide to do more and it is a step, but it is a baby step. The problem is none of this is good enough and American churches are left with a failing grade:
Here is another sobering breakdown:
Evangelism is important, but discipleship has to be of equal importance!
John Wesley preached at Pembrokeshire, experienced a revival, and then left. His journal had this comment when he returned 20 years later:
“I was more convinced than ever that the preaching like an apostle, without joining together those that are awakened and training them up in the ways of God, is only begetting children for the murderer. How much preaching has there been for these twenty years all over Pembrokeshire! But no regular societies, no discipline, no order or connection. And the consequence is that nine in ten of those once awakened are now faster asleep than ever.”
Whether or not your beliefs completely align with Wesley, his observation is valid. If we are not training people to be disciples of Christ, then we leave them at the mercy of being disciples of this world.
The dangers of nominal Christianity
I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. Ghandi
The first danger is that people are watching Christians, and they are dismissing us as hypocrites, frauds, and poorly behaved. Instead of attracting people, some of us are repelling them. Sometimes, it is so bad, Christians are seen as an example of what not to do.
The second danger starts with this question, “how many who call themselves Christians are actually Christians?” Many have been led to believe that Christianity is an add-on to their life like a hellfire insurance policy or a paradise retirement program. They have learned this by what they have been told and how they observe other Christians living their lives. Everyone that calls themselves a Christian is as an example to unbelievers and fellow believers.
This is why, when a person is born again, we can’t leave them as toddlers in their faith. We need to train them so they can be a proper example. The problem is that most churches do not have a goaled training plan for growing disciples. They have no formal system of taking a new believer and training them to be more like Christ in their everyday life.
A goalless program guarantees:
No clear outcome–without a plan and a goal line to pass, there are no graduates.
Limited accountability–there is no correction if a person wishes to remain idle.
Frustrated newborn disciples-the ones that feel the pull to become more like Christ are left with a DIY program which can be overwhelming initially.
No sense of urgency–there is a lack of burden to minister inside the church and in the community. Training disciples is like training first responders and the more you have, the more you can do.
There is no way to standardize what volunteers believe and what they will teach others. You could have a blind leading the blind situation.
That it is easier to fill your church–teaching people to live sacrificial lives is not a good marketing strategy for US churches since the one down the street doesn’t mind filling up with idle people.
It appears to me that a goalless program will keep guaranteeing the results we have been getting. But I am not sure how many churches have a problem with it. If the goal is to fill seats, then keeping things comfortable and allowing people to be as idle as they want is a good strategy. Telling them that being a member of the church means training just sends them down the street to the church you are competing against.
Jesus never softened His message to make it easier to follow Him. He not only asks us to deny ourselves and face possible persecution for Him. He also tells us to renounce all that we have and make our relationship with God the most important one in our lives Luke 14:25-33. When the rich young ruler began to walk away, He didn’t offer a compromise Mark 10:17-27. You devalue the prize of the Kingdom if you try to sell it cheap and easy Matthew 13:44-46.
I would love it if someone could explain what is so great about filling a church if most are consistently idle and no one is willing to admonish them 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Please do not tell me it is about a budget.
Seminary doesn’t guarantee a person is a mature disciple.
We have an educational path for ministers to become ministers, but that will not, by itself, make someone Christlike. So, you face the possibility in a church that the people responsible for making disciples are not mature disciples yet themselves.
Jesus didn’t invent a revolutionary system of training disciples.
Jesus did a lot of teaching, but He also did a lot of observable work and demonstrated His character and lifestyle. Over time, He increased their responsibility from watching, helping, doing with His help, to doing with guidance, to being ready to take His place. This is what we see used for doctors, teachers, lawyers, as well as cashiers and wait staff.
Dan Spader says it this way in 4 Chair Discipleship:
Moreover, He instructed us to follow His pattern of disciple-making. One of the easiest ways to identify that pattern is to focus on the major challenges Jesus issued to His followers as He developed them: “come and you will see” (John 1:39 ESV), “follow me” (John 1:43), “follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people” (Matt. 4:19), and “go and bear fruit” (John 15:16). I call this model “4 Chair Discipling.” It is a simple and highly transferable model that helpfully depicts the development of a disciple from before he or she meets Christ until the point when they themselves become a multiplying disciple-maker who is bearing much fruit.” -Spader, Dann. 4 Chair Discipling: What He Calls Us to Do (Like Jesus Series) (p. 41). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
The goal is for all of us to show up in our regular lives and be like Jesus.
In my last two blog posts, I have covered the attributes of Jesus and His lifestyle.
These set the bar very high, but fortunately we are not asked to do it all by ourselves. We have the Holy Spirit. While we may fail and sin, we can't let that be an excuse to stop or not to try.
We know the problem. What do we do about it?
It is not possible for me to explain to every church in America that lacks a goaled program they should have a sense of urgency about fulfilling the Great Commission and producing disciples that represent Christ. I can’t force them to adopt a “No Christian Left Behind” program. I can’t make them have disciple guides to make sure that each Christian is getting what they need. I can’t force them to implement an accountability program that covers the entire church and expects each member to be on a path.
If you are not yet a mature disciple, you will need personal accountability and you need to find others to help and join you. You signed up to follow Christ. You cannot use the lack of church structure as an excuse. There are tons of resources out there and your church may not have a specific plan, but if it is teaching you the Bible in context, you are learning. You will see some of what I have used here:
The Holy Spirit will help you just as He helped me and every other disciple.
If you are a mature disciple, you need to be actively helping others in their maturity. You should use what God gave you to fulfill the Great Commission, even if your church leadership is not doing their part.
I am calling for no less than a revival of American churches. We need to be the light that Jesus commanded us to be.
Scripture used or considered in the writing of this post:
Matthew 13:44-46
Matthew 15:14
Mark 10:17-27
Luke 14:25-33
1 Thessalonians 5:14
2 Thessalonians 3:6
James 3:1
Other resources used in the making of this post:
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