Word Count:317 – Est Read Time: 90 seconds
What’s New: Barna’s recent survey says 64% of churchgoers claim they’re being disciples – and yet churches continue to stagnate. (Barna.org)
So What: If most Christians were genuinely being discipled, your church wouldn’t be declining; it’d be growing and baptizing new believers. Let’s face the problem: we’re stuck in spiritual stagnation because our definition of discipleship misses the mark (and so does our disciple-making process!). Effective discipleship prioritizes obedience over knowledge.
The Point Is:
Discipleship’s Missing Core: A true disciple is obedient to Jesus’ life mission – making more disciples and training to become more obedient to Christ’s teachings.
Beyond Bible Knowledge: Knowing scripture isn’t enough. Discipleship demands living the “Four Greats”: The Great Invitation (Follow Me), The First Great Commandment (Love God), The Second Great Commandment (Love Others), and The Great Commission (Make Disciples).
Obedience Over Education: Churches focus on teaching but neglect accountability. The gap between what’s taught and what’s lived is why we see no growth.
Mentorship and Accountability: Real discipleship includes someone asking, “Did you live out what you committed to?” without excuses.
And … ?
Discipleship in the early church wasn’t a feel-good Bible study or a theology deep-dive. It was practical, action-oriented, and focused on kingdom growth. The Apostles didn’t debate the finer points of doctrine with every believer – they mentored, modeled obedience, and held others accountable. Baptisms followed because disciples acted in faith and obedience … they didn’t just learn about it.
Today’s church has flipped the equation. We’ve replaced action with endless classes and small groups that leave people educated beyond their obedience. Real discipleship isn’t about filling up notebooks; it’s about filling the kingdom with new believers. We need to prioritize life-on-life mentoring paired with an uncompromising commitment to accountability. Without these, the Great Commission remains a great omission in most churches.
Action! Start an accountability group in your church today – model, mentor, and multiply real disciples. (Need help? Get the Quick Discipleship Blueprint – the tools your congregation needs to embed REAL discipleship in your members.)
