Last week, I wrote a post on “10 Signs Church Members Have Not Been Discipled Well.” That post caught some attention. Today, I want to look at the flip side of this issue. Recognizing that no strong discipleship church is likely to show all these characteristics, here are some changes I’ve seen when churches do focus on this discipling task:
- Worship wars decrease. That’s because good discipleship reminds us that worship isn’t about us or our preferences. Discipleship turns our attention to God—the focus of genuine worship.
- Members naturally turn to the Bible for their answers. They know the Scriptures are their source for living, and they turn there first. They want to know what the Bible says.
- Marriages stay together more often. Devoted disciples of Christ strive for growth in their marriage as a witness to the gospel. They do not give up easily when the storms are raging.
- Churches don’t run off every pastor. Congregations with this history tend to be led by people who themselves have not been discipled well—though they likely would not recognize it or admit it. They see themselves as God’s protectors more than as God’s followers.
- Members are more willing to give sacrificially. Discipled believers understand that all we have is from the hand of God. He is the source of life, and giving back to Him what He has already provided us is a joy.
- Believers naturally evangelize. One of the reasons evangelistic programs don’t always work is that we’re trying to equip people who aren’t really walking with God in the first place. Good discipleship, on the other hand, compels believers to talk about Jesus.
- One-to-one mentoring is more common. And, it’s not always programmatic. Instead, older believers accept their God-given responsibility to invest in younger believers—and they take the initiative to do so.
- The church sends out more believers. The gospel call to come to Jesus is also a call to go our neighbors and the nations. Disciples understand that truth, and they’re willing to say, “Lord, here am I. Send me” (Isa 6:8).
How is your church doing in discipling its members? The work can be difficult, but it’s worth the effort.