Recently, Lifeway Research did a study on the level of discipleship of churchgoers. They did this by asking dozens of questions related to Christian doctrine and practice. Their conclusion was that if discipleship were a test, the average churchgoer would pass – barely. In the survey, churchgoers were given a score from 0 to 100 using eight characteristics of discipleship. The average total score was 68.1 (that’s a D), with some factors topping near 80 while others languish in the 50s.
Breaking down the average churchgoer scores:
- seeking God (78.5) - C
- obeying God and denying self (75.1) - C
- serving God and others (73.1) - C
- exercising faith (71.6) - C
- Bible engagement (69.8) - D
- building relationships (64.0) - D
- living unashamed (61.0) - D
- sharing Christ (54.8) - F
Ouch! That hurts.
Of course the 68.1% is an average, so just about half of the people do better than this. On the other hand, the same amount do worse. But that is a very low standard. When the average person would get a D, that means almost everyone is still below average. As Christians, we have got to do better!
There is a problem when it comes to turning this around, however. And the problem is, intentional discipleship training, for most churches, is one of the very lowest priorities. Sure, people learn from the pastor’s sermons and from Bible study classes, but based on the survey, that only gets people to a D.
One of the main problems is that, except for the pastor and the Bible study leaders, virtually all learning people do is passive. They sit and listen as the pastor preaches and as the Bible study teacher teaches. A true disciple of Jesus Christ is not merely a passive learner. To really learn and grow in one’s spiritual life requires a person be active in their faith. That means not only learning things intellectually, but also actively applying the things we learn in our daily lives in a way that accomplishes the work of God in the world.
When it comes to learning, Christians must be active in that they are making a deliberate and intentional effort to grow in their understanding of God and His ways. This certainly does involve participating in corporate worship and taking advantage of Bible study opportunities. But it also means reading books, participating in various Christian ministry training opportunities, then actively applying what has been learned by participating in ministry out in the world.
But learning and being active alone are still not enough. To get at the heart of Christian discipleship it is also essential to focus on “purpose.”
In Matthew 6:9-10, Jesus shared with His followers a model prayer. He began the prayer this way: Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
So, what does that tell us? It tells us that God created the world and mankind for a particular purpose. And those who wish to be considered genuine disciples of Christ cannot be content with merely gaining knowledge and participating in activities to help people. We must do those, of course, but our purpose for doing them has to be in line with the purpose for which God created the world. These verses lay out that purpose – a purpose that is actually expressed throughout the entire Bible. That purpose is:
- to honor God’s name,
- to establish God’s reign, and
- to create an earthly environment where God’s will is obeyed everywhere to the extent that earth reflects heaven.
If the deeds are there but the purpose is not being fulfilled, then genuine Christian discipleship is not being accomplished. Any social or community group can do that. And that is exactly what the Lifeway Research survey is showing. On average, churchgoers are simply not becoming disciples of Jesus Christ.
This is not saying that those people are not Christians. A person enters into a personal relationship with God only by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But entering into the relationship and becoming a faithful disciple are not the same thing. The relationship needs to be actually expressed in one’s life. That said, a lack of interest in doing that could be an indication that a genuine relationship with God was never established in the first place. Those who truly know God will love Him to the extent that they want to be as close to Him as possible – to the extent that they are actively working to make His kingdom come and His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Now that’s something to think about.
Freddy Davis is the president of MarketFaith Ministries. He is the author of numerous books entitled The Truth Mirage, Rules for Christians Radicals, Liberalism vs. Conservatism, and his latest book Shattering the Truth Mirage and has a background as an international missionary, pastor, radio host, worldview trainer, and entrepreneur. Freddy is a graduate of Florida State University with a BS in Communication, and holds MDiv and DMin degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a popular speaker, particularly on the topic of worldview and its practical implications for the Christian life. He lives in Tallahassee, FL, with his wife Deborah.
You may also contact Freddy at Leadership Speakers Bureau to schedule him for speaking or leadership engagements.
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