Are Churches Truly Making Disciples?

My name is Pastor Andy McAdams and one of my greatest passions in life is helping churches reach people   for Christ, disciple them, and see the church grow as a healthy, dynamic and reproductive church.

Part of the process in becoming a healthy growing church is an honest evaluation of the ministry and where it needs to go. It helps when churches get an “outsiders” perspective of their present ministry process

That term, “ministry process” is key and yet foreign to many churches. The majority of American churches are caught up in doing “programs” rather than creating a process of ministry working together under the “Purpose and Mission” and a process of making disciples.  Programs apart from “purpose” splinters the church, where “process” draws it together.

During the process of gathering enough data to give a fair evaluation of a church ministry, I interview a number of church leaders and always ask the same question. “What is your process to make disciples?”

I almost always receive a puzzled look, blank stare and then a scramble for an answer that places the church in its best light. The most common responses are:

• We preach the Word here.
• Our Sunday School classes are intensely deep in Bible study.
• We have small groups and good teaching classes.

While all of these can be a part of “Making Disciples”, in reality they fall short.

What is discipleship?

As I see it, discipleship is that process whereby a Christian, in obedience to Jesus Christ and His divine strategy for continuing His work, makes disciples (through winning people to Christ and teaching them to obey Christ’s commands) who will in turn also be qualified to make other disciples.

Why Discipleship?

We are commanded to MAKE DISCIPLES

Jesus’ last words to His followers were, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20

While sermons, classes and small groups are great for teaching, they fall short in “teaching to obey.” Teaching to obey means there must be accountability for the disciple from a disciple maker.

The strategy is simple. It involves “going” (literally, as you go), which is evangelism, “baptizing” and “teaching to obey”.

We are commanded to REPRODUCE

When Paul wrote Timothy, he laid out the plan simply, clearly and effectively. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others also.” 
2 Timothy 2:2

The effective discipleship being laid out to young Timothy is a basic process of reproduction and multiplication.
Paul ====>>> Timothy ====>>> Reliable Men (and women) ====>>> Others

It appears from 2 Timothy that discipleship is, one Christian spending time with another, “One to One”, taking the needed time to patiently learn together how to follow Christ obediently. It takes time, it’s a process not an instant formula.  After all, the meaning of the word “disciple” is “disciplined one”. It takes time to learn a discipline and most often someone to mentor the different aspects of each part of that discipline, step by step.

Following this process, which was practiced in the first century church, is almost completely absent in churches today. Pastors and church leaders want to do it faster and easier. Perhaps that explains why less then 15% of American churches are growing and even less through converts. They spend most of their time and ministry efforts in reaching people for Christ by trying to reach the masses and mature them in groups.

Yet, the following possibilities offer a different perspective entirely. If a committed believer disciples three people per year — taking four months with each — and those three reproduced in the same way every year, this would be the result:
YEAR ======== TOTAL
One <<<====>>> 7
Two <<<====>>> 49
Three <<<===>>> 343
Four <<<====>>> 2,401
Five <<<====>>> 16,807

I know this seems is too simplistic, and there are many variables, but I use these numbers to show the possibilities if we only “Make Disciples” as commanded. No matter how you change the above numbers accordingly, you still have to admit that more people can be reached.

The Example of the One Who Disciples

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church he shared the heart of the matter when it comes to disciple making. “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:8. 
It’s about “relationships” and “mentoring”.

It’s easy to teach something from a book, even the Bible. But it’s another thing to take what is being taught and live it as an example to be seen. No doubt, Paul was an example of what he taught. When he warned about idleness, he said, “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow.” 
2 Thessalonians 3:7-9  Now that was a man of action, not just talk.

Over the years I have seen too many leaders that seemed to say, “Do as I say and not as I do.” I always felt that I could never ask anyone in my ministries to do something that I wasn’t willing to do myself. It’s easy to stand behind a pulpit and proclaim the outworking of our Christian lives and yet not live accordingly ourselves. We can preach, “reach the lost and make disciples” and yet sit in the comfort of our study and expect it to be done. Perhaps that’s why it isn’t getting done in most churches. We have to lead out and show the way.

No doubt, “more is caught then taught.” I remember my first job with the Santa Fe Railroad. As an apprentice I was placed with a journeyman that had been with the company for 40 years. This man knew what he was talking about and he knew how to show you what needed to get done. My first day I was told, “Follow this man around, listen to what he tells you and do what he shows you.” As I see it, discipleship is the same thing. Discipling one-to-one is far more then teaching facts. Facts must be taught, but attitude of heart is caught. For example, when teaching someone about the attributes of God, the person you disciple needs to sense your awe of God, your trust and your love for Him and your willingness to obey His commands. When teaching about the Bible, he needs to perceive that you spend time in God’s Word and are obedient to it as well. When you model witnessing, that new follower of Christ must also see your love for those without the Savior and a burning desire within you to be ready to tell them.
Simply put, “You cannot bear fruit in the life of a disciple unless your yourself abide in the Vine. Jesus said, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself” it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” John 15:4-5

The Sacrifice of the One Who Disciples

Following Jesus Christ was never promised to be easy. Jesus did, however, promise to make this lifestyle a fulfilling one, John 10:10. Too many believers enter the Christian life and expect to be served rather then to serve. It is discouraging to hear church people say things like, “This church just doesn’t meet my needs.”  If only people would come to church to meet needs they would soon discover that theirs would be met in response. The scripture is full of examples like this, “Serve one another”, Galatians 5:13, “Be subject to one another”, Ephesians 5:21 and of course “The last will be first”, Matthew 19:30.

Jesus put it in plain words, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”  Luke 9:23. Everyone is confronted with the choice of either living for Christ or living for themselves. Just as Jesus Christ gave of Himself, so we must also be willing to sacrifice ourselves by denying some of our own daily interests and personal desires at times to invest into the lives of others, especially those new in the faith.
We need to be willing to follow Jesus in obedience to His Great Commission to “Make Disciples” (Matthew 28:19-20) by living in unselfish service for others. Making disciples may have certain demands on us including our time, physical and emotional strength, prayer, a study of the Word of God beyond simple devotions, and a willingness to be ready to pay the price.

Back to Basics in Disciple Making

IMPORTANT:  Discipleship materials are important when “teaching the basics” and must always be chosen according to four important areas:

1. Deliberate – material with the sole purpose of one believer reproducing into the life of another believer, to continue to reproduce in someone else.
2. Measurable – material that doesn’t go on forever.  Precise and timely.
3. Reproductive – material basic enough to allow someone to do the same with another upon completion.
4. Relational – material that can be used allowing those involved to build a trusting and caring friendship. Remember, “Ministry grows out of relationship”.

Suggested “Back to Basics” Discipleship Material

The Knowing God Personally Portfolio, by Multiplication Ministries, can be used by one person to help establish a reproducing disciple making process no matter where that person is in their spiritual journey.
Packet includes four lessons:

• Assurance of Salvation
• Experiencing Gods Love
• The Holy Spirit
• Growing in Christ

It also includes a Teaching Guide, Quiet Time supplement with 3×5 cards to teach journaling and memorization.

 After completion it is suggested the disciple transfer these studies and continue their own personal growth with One-to-One Discipleship (9 Lessons) also from Multiplication Ministries.