About a year ago I was at a conference that was promoted as a growth conference for Christians. One of the speakers pastored a church that was very successful at evangelism. At one point he said that occasionally someone asks him if his church produces mature believers. He responds by saying he doesn’t know if they are producing mature believers, but that‘s not his focus. I sat stunned for a few moments. It’s not often a pastor of a big church all but admits that he isn’t trying to produce disciples of Christ, but rather focus on evangelism. Doesn’t this lead to many Christians being stuck as spiritual “babies”?
Of course this approach flies in the face of the many passages in the New Testament about becoming mature, growing in Christlikeness, or at least growing to the point of the maturity of an elder. God doesn’t want us to remain in the infant stage of growth, just basking in the fact that we are saved. When Jesus directed the disciples to go make “disciples” he didn’t just mean people who converted and went through a discipleship class for new believers. The word “disciple” in the New Testament means acceptance of the teachings of another including the practice of those teachings. Thus, the scriptures are clear that Christian fellowship should have the goal of producing mature Christlike believers.
Unfortunately, it is easier to focus on evangelism than discipleship. It is also easy to forget that churches are supposed to make mature disciples. And it is easier to get a congregation to get excited about evangelism than discipleship. Remember that discipleship is more than just some classes for new believers. Discipleship means bringing everyone to greater maturity. Including the leaders.
This is where evangelism and follow-up often crowd out full discipleship. I had a conversation recently in which my friend pointed out that for several decades American evangelicals have focused on evangelism and youth. Since evangelism mostly targets youth (under 25) our churches became focused on serving that age group. Once someone gains a little bit of maturity they become part of the group in the church that helps they newer Christians grow. This is fine except that it means that the slightly mature believer doesn’t receive more advanced discipleship because that is not the focus.
This results in most churches never producing truly mature believers. (See our post on the Christlike Creed for a description of a disciple.) And some of those who want full maturity get frustrated and go somewhere else or stop attending and just fellowship with friends.
Churches are normally not even aware that their evangelism and youth emphasis is crowding out the process of maturity. They may think they are doing full discipleship because they have adult classes on the Bible or on recovery or on training for ministry but these ministries aren’t actually designed to produce advanced maturity. Where do people actually learn the mature practice of the faith in addition to the doctrines of the faith?
One way to remedy this situation is for churches and ministries and parents to ask themselves two questions:
- Do I have a discipleship plan that includes advanced maturity?
- Is it working?
These are necessary questions if we are serious about making disciples. These questions may lead to a big change in a ministry but the change is for the good of all. It keeps us abiding in God’s mission for the church to “make disciples of all nations.”
Great post – thank you! Before He ascended, Jesus commissioned His DISCIPLES to “Go…” – those with whom He was intimately engaged (and who had spent years learning from Him as they walked alongside Him). We cannot GO until we are SENT – if we do, we are only striving in the flesh (powered by self-reliance), and our efforts fall flat. As Oswald Chambers says, “We are not to make converts, but disciples.” And ONLY disciples are commisioned by Jesus to “Go….and make disciples.”