I’ve written in the last week about celebrating my 50th anniversary of God’s saving me in 1974. I’m deeply grateful for the church that grounded me in the Word in those days, and I’ll always think of that pastor and congregation with fondness. At the same time, though, I struggled trying to walk with God as a new believer living in a non-Christian home—primarily because my church did not have a systematic, intentional method of equipping believers. Perhaps my reflections will help you consider your own church’s approach to disciplemaking.
Because I wasn’t really discipled as a new believer . . .
- I heard what I needed to do about “spiritual disciplines” like Bible study and prayer, but I didn’t know how to do either one. In fact, I would not have understood the term “spiritual disciplines.” Because my church told me what to do but didn’t teach me how to do it, I failed to get started well.
- I didn’t know what to do with temptation and conviction. I’m sure I didn’t fully understand what conviction was at the time, but I did know when my heart was wounded when I apparently “sinned” against God. I felt ashamed. I lost sleep. I feared judgment a bit. I didn’t know how to say “no” to temptation and walk in victory.
- I didn’t realize it was okay to talk to somebody about my struggles. Honestly, it was decades later before I heard the term “accountability” in any church. Nobody at the time was talking about confessing sins one to another, and the call to help each other follow God fully was not loud. I learned that it’s easy to fall when you’re fighting the battles alone.
- I attended everything the church offered, but without “connecting the dots” for my own Christian journey. I seldom missed church—no matter what the event was—and I truly did learn content those first few years as a believer. What I didn’t realize, however, was how I should apply that content in my life so I could live differently.
- I fell too quickly into the trap of legalism and pride. Because I was so faithful to church, especially having come from a non-Christian home, others regularly commended me. Frankly, they made me feel important. . . . so important, in fact, that I thought I was something. As I learned any content at all, I assumed my positions were always the right ones. Ego reigned.
- I evangelized a lot, but I didn’t know anything about discipling people I won to the Lord. I was stuck as soon as they turned to Christ. I didn’t know enough to direct them to someone else, so I suspect they struggled just like I was struggling. I was faithful to telling the Good News, but all of us regrettably remained baby believers – and baby believers eventually become whiners if they’re never discipled.
Here’s my caution, then. If your church strives to strengthen your discipleship strategy, don’t forfeit an evangelistic focus in the meantime. If improving discipleship doesn’t result in more evangelism, something’s not right.
