Elephant in the Church: Identifying Hindrances and Strategies for Discipleship

 

 Introduction

“Nondiscipleship is the elephant in the church.” So Dallas Willard¹ pictures the obviousness and enormity of the problem. Richard Foster agrees, “Perhaps the greatest malady in the Church today is converts to Christ who are not disciples of Christ—a clear contradiction in terms. This malady affects everything in church life….”² Brian McLaren asks, “Why aren’t we making better disciples?…Why aren’t people becoming more holy, joyful, peaceful, content, and Christ-like?…Why are so few of our good Christian people good Christians?”³

Are these observations overly bleak? Thom Ranier’s survey⁴ of members from many churches asked, “What is your evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the church’s discipleship program?” Only 4.6% rated their church’s program either “very effective” or “effective”. Another survey⁵ found that nearly one-fourth of Christians felt that they were sliding backward in their spiritual growth, while 40% felt stagnated. In addition, it found no correlation between the length of time believers had been Christians and their spiritual maturity. After extensive research into the state of discipleship in America, George Barna concluded that though the vast majority of churches have a discipleship program, consistent spiritual growth is rare, and mourned the fact that in their attitudes and actions Christians appear little different from nonbelievers.⁶

That Jesus commanded the Church to make disciples is unquestioned (Matt 28.19-20). Once people become believers, they are enabled by God’s Spirit to undergo the process of transformation into the likeness of Jesus (II Cor 3.18), becoming mature (Eph 4.13), complete (James 1.4), and fruitful (John 15.2, 8). As they cooperate with God, this is a present and continuing process; Paul declares, “We are his workmanship ….” (Eph 2.10). The Bible clearly states discipleship’s command, enablement, and goals. Then what has gone wrong? How has the elephant of nondiscipleship made its home in the Church? Will tweaking existing programs produce mature and zealous Christians? Unfortunately, nudges do not budge pachyderms. The effort must match the size of the problem. Failure to appreciate the magnitude of the problem will only result in inadequate remedies. Without comprehensive change in their approach to ministry, churches can expect minimal results.⁷ The first part of this paper identifies six hindrances to discipleship which the Church must seriously engage. The second part proposes nine strategies needed to move the malignant mammal from our midst. Because the goal is to provide an overview for analysis and dialogue, thorough treatment of each point must await a longer work.

Hindrances

Six areas of hindrances to discipleship exist—two each in the Church, in the culture, and within individuals. Specific hindrances will be mentioned in each area.

Inadequate Goals

In many ways churches in this country have settled for goals far short of the discipling component of the great commission. It needs to determine more appropriate objectives for ministry. Below are listed a number of these inadequate goals contrasted with the correct paradigm for ministry. The adoption of one or more of these goals can hobble the attainment of ongoing spiritual growth.

Growing Attendance vs. Life Change

Churches and pastors tend to equate growth in attendance with success. As long as it increases, ministry appears to be effective. Eighty percent of church growth, however, is simply transfer growth. Bill Hull suggests, “The wrong question for the church is, How many people are present? The right question is, What are these people like?”⁸ The goal of discipleship is not numerical change, but life change.

Decisions vs. Conversions

Churches tend to focus their efforts at getting people to make decisions to respond to Jesus, without realizing that a lasting decision is usually the climax of a conversion process that begins well before the decision and leads toward genuine commitment to Christ and that continues after the decision toward maturity in Christ. Robert Coleman observes that churches have a “spectacular emphasis on numbers of converts…with little or no genuine concern manifested toward the establishment of these souls in the love and power of God….”⁹ True conversion leads to commitment, life change, and involvement in kingdom service.

Sin Management vs. Discipleship

As long as the sin problem has been taken care of through their accepting God’s forgiveness in Christ, many believers feel that they have experienced the essence of Christianity. Willard laments, “The Christian message is thought to be essentially concerned only with how to deal with sin….Life, our actual existence, is not included in what is now presented as the heart of the Christian message, or it is included only marginally.”¹⁰ Lloyd Ogilvie bluntly states, “We have a watered-down, undemanding form of Christianity.”¹¹ Dealing with the sin problem is only the initial stage for growth in discipleship.

Basics for New Believers vs. Lifelong Learning

Most programs and resources for discipleship are simply designed to provide knowledge of basic Christian faith and practice for new converts, rather than to enable the lifelong growth of all believers. A survey of current discipleship programs easily confirms this fact. The Navigators’ 2:7 Series¹² involves three courses of 10 or 11 weeks each. InterVarsity’s Discipleship Essentials¹³ covers 24 lessons at the rate of one per week. The Assemblies of God’s We Build People¹⁴ program involves four lessons in each of four units of study. Needed are more comprehensive approaches that enable ongoing growth.

Information vs. Transformation

Often churches assume that as long as correct biblical information has been communicated, discipleship occurs. Information is only the first step to life change, yet the tendency is to define discipleship as head knowledge rather than thorough-going life change.¹⁵

Compliance and Zeal vs. Maturity

During 30 years in ministry, I have observed that many pastors and churches settle for appropriate outward behaviors and a zealous spirit. If members attend church regularly, accept basic doctrines, avoid certain no-no’s, and serve in a ministry, they are content. If these members tithe, give to missions, and occasionally witness or invite people to church, they are overjoyed. Yet believers can do all of these and still live self-centeredly, endure miserable marriages, and display unchristlike behavior. Churches should not settle for less than continuing growth toward mature discipleship.

Selective Obedience vs. Holistic Discipleship

Depending on their church background, if they are not careful, believers may emphasize particular teachings and practices at the expense of others. Pentecostal and charismatic groups may stress the infilling and gifts of the Spirit, while mainline denominations urge the fruit of the Spirit. Evangelicals promote evangelism; nonevangelicals advocate social concern. Some churches stress doctrinal correctness, others character, and still others spiritual service.

Many practical areas of Christian living, moreover, do not receive adequate attention. In several courses that I taught at seminary, I surveyed the students as to the subjects that their church had taught over the previous two years. Based on the frequency of teaching, the findings indicated that these students received an adequate amount of instruction in most of the areas of spiritual life—such as understanding the nature of God, prayer, temptation, reaching the lost, and spiritual gifts–along with the practical area of family life. Many areas, however, which occupy a huge part of the believer’s thought, time, and energy, only got passing mention. These include work, success, money and possessions, time issues including stress, leisure, entertainment, romantic love, and sex. More extensive surveys are needed to confirm these preliminary results, but I suspect that they reflect the teaching patterns of the church in general. Churches must strive for a holistic discipleship, recognizing God’s call in every area of life.

Defective Strategies

While inadequate goals suffice to sabotage discipleship, widespread but defective strategies compound ministry weakness. A number of flawed approaches appear below along with the correct ministry paradigms necessary to remedy them.

Discipleship by Osmosis vs. Intentional Discipleship

Rather than developing an intentional strategy for making disciples beyond the follow up of converts, many churches rely on discipleship by osmosis, hoping that discipleship will occur naturally as people attend church and absorb the environment. My observation agrees with that of Howard Hendricks, who believes that this only works for very small percentage of people.¹⁶ In order for consistent discipling to occur for the majority of believers, leaders must intentionally plan and work to make it happen.

Over-programming vs. Mission Driven Ministry

Too many good activities and programs arise in the course of a church’s life, each with vested constituents. These continue even when no one remembers their original purpose or they are no longer effective, because “they have always been part of the church” or “spiritual churches do these ministries.” With pride, churches declare that they have something every night of the week. Unfortunately, second and third best crowd out the great commission. The latter is the mission which needs to drive the ministries of the church.

Emphasis on Completing Curriculum vs. Ongoing Nurture and Relationships

Many churches operate under the assumption that if individuals complete a particular course or curriculum, they will be discipled. Underlying this belief may be the desire to speed up the process and avoid the difficult and often messy work of discipling people. Each person learns and implements truth at different rates and in varying ways. Each also has individual issues in their lives which need to be resolved. These processes work best in an environment of ongoing nurture with supportive relationships. Discipleship cannot simply be packaged into a preset schedule and curriculum, with a certificate of completion at the end.

Even as children cannot be raised quickly, growing a disciple takes time. Trying to abbreviate or accelerate the process only results in frustration. Psychiatrist-pastor John White stressed, “Real Christian growth is slow and painful.”¹⁷ This is especially true of the increasing numbers who are saved from dysfunctional backgrounds. A staff member at the Los Angeles Dream Center states, “Everyone wants to go fishing, but no one wants to clean the fish. That’s what we do here. Clean the fish.”¹⁸

Lack of Responsibility vs. Accountability

On one or more occasions per week, committed believers receive biblical teaching and preaching from their churches. Once they step outside the meeting, however, it is usually up to them whether or not to apply what they have heard or studied. Personal and spiritual growth occurs more consistently when believers submit themselves to others, who have come to know them thoroughly and hold them accountable for their actions, attitudes, and growth. Without this relational incentive, growth mostly proceeds sporadically and minimally. Accountability to parents and teachers enable children to learn; it is also the natural way to grow as adults. Psychologists Henry Cloud and John Townsend state, “It’s not rocket science; it’s the way God designed us to grow. Others discipline us, then we can do it for ourselves.”¹⁹

The first step toward ejecting the behemoth of nondiscipleship is to overcome ministry weaknesses by replacing inferior goals and defective strategies with more biblical and effective paradigms. This formidable task requires Spirit empowered change agents who can effect change while avoiding destructive conflict.

Other hindrances remain. Cultural subversion is the next challenge. This involves the seductions of our culture and the subtle misbeliefs it promulgates, which often lie below the radar of conscious awareness.

Cultural Seductions

Society seduces believers with attractive goals that detract their attention and energies from spiritual goals, including growth in discipleship. The nature of these seductions have not changed since biblical times. Jesus summarized them when he taught, “They are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” (Luke 8.14) Often Christian and nonchristians pursue similar goals and lifestyles. The basic seduction is self-centeredness instead of God-centeredness. A summary of consequent seductions follows:

Wealth and possessions             Luke 18.18-25

Ambition and success Eccl 2.4, 9

Power and influence    Mark 10.37, 42

Approval and applause              John 12.43

Comfort and ease         Luke 12.19

Entertainment and pleasure       Eccl 2.10

Busyness and noise     Luke 14.16-20

Cultural Misbeliefs

Besides the obvious attraction of what the prevailing culture relentlessly proclaims to be valuable are the more subtle misbeliefs it continuously promotes. While assenting to biblical truth outwardly, on an unconscious level believers often accept these misbeliefs and live according to them, subverting growth in spiritual living. One such falsehood is that the physical world is more real than the spiritual. As Christians experience “the overwhelming presence of the visible world,”²⁰ they need to see with the eyes of faith that the spiritual “is more real—decisive over the shadow reality of the seen world,”²¹ even as Elisha saw beyond the Syrian army that surrounded him to God’s armies and confidently proclaimed, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6.16 NIV).

Other pervasive misbeliefs include: The present is what is important. Biblical teachings are outdated and irrelevant for today. Spiritual obedience limits our fulfillment. What individuals do, achieve, and accumulate determine their worth.

Can the Church effect major paradigm shifts in the way it does ministry? Can it combat the cultural subversions to the faith and practice of believers? If these challenges to discipleship are not overwhelming enough, the personal issues cited below should convincingly demonstrate the impossibility of fulfilling the great commission by human means without the Spirit’s enablement. Personal issues include misplaced priorities and deficiencies in intrapersonal dynamics.

Misplaced Priorities

Many areas of human endeavor and concern are proper and good, because they are ordained by God. These include work, education, family, leisure, personal fulfillment, and attention to personal problems. If believers are not careful, however, these take priority over spiritual things in terms of focus, commitment, energy, and resources. A study found that two-thirds of Christians felt that they were too busy to give adequate time to discipleship. One-fourth lacked interest or motivation to grow spiritually.²²

Deficiencies in Intrapersonal Dynamics

Because spiritual growth is connected to personal growth, what happens within individuals can thwart the spiritual development God intends. Often growth requires courage, work, and struggle, for changing one’s inner self is a threatening prospect.²³ A number of weaknesses in intrapersonal dynamics are mentioned below.

Limited Self-Understanding

Those who do not understand their emotions, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses will find it hard to grow, for self-understanding is basic to growth. Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck defined spiritual growth as the development of consciousness.²⁴ In contrast, Oswald Chambers remarked on our lack of awareness, “It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We do not know envy when we see it, or laziness, or pride.”²⁵ To grow spiritually, believers need to appropriate resources for developing self-understanding. The experience of God’s love and forgiveness, for example, provide the security individuals need to face the unpleasant realities about themselves. Other resources include the influence of God’s Word, the enabling of his Spirit, and a few believers who know them well and will “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4.15) to them.

Evasion of Truth

People grow when they face the truth about themselves and cooperate with God in dealing with the deficient and defective areas. Confronting our immaturity and selfishness, however, hurts and people often prefer to evade these realities. This can occur in a multitude of ways including denial, rationalization, minimization, and blaming others. By so doing, unfortunately, most people sabotage their own growth.²⁶

Persistent Negative Emotions

Individuals may allow anxiety, resentment, or guilt to dominate their lives. These negative emotions distract their focus, dominate their thoughts, and drain their energies, leaving little time or strength for growth and fruitfulness. They must come to understand their feelings and learn how to deal with them. For example, in an article, “10 Keys to Managing Anxiety,” I summarize ways of managing this emotion.²⁷

Low Self-Esteem

When individuals doubt their worth and competence, they fail to grow to their potential in relationships and abilities. They may doubt that God could love them and use them in any significant way. They can also develop emotional problems²⁸ that further stymie their ability to love God and others. As a result, they fail to serve God as effectively as they could. Peck observes, “There is nothing that holds us back more from mental health…and more from God than the sense that we all have of our unimportance, or unloveliness and undesirability.”²⁹

Addictive Patterns

Unresolved pain and emptiness prompt people to find relief. Substances, activities, material things, or power may provide temporary respite and become addictive. Many engage in addictions that are applauded by society, such as being overly busy, overachieving, being super mom or dad, or inordinately focusing on physical health or appearance.³⁰ Others engage in inappropriate behaviors such as drug abuse, gambling, and pornography. Simply preaching or teaching against these rarely helps, for people are compulsively driven to them for relief. Addicts need to seek help from God, their spiritual families, and counselors, as well as understanding their underlying needs.

Developmental Issues

People’s spiritual nature cannot be separated from the rest of their lives.³¹ Therefore, churches that seek to disciple members toward spiritual maturity must also promote their personal maturity.³² When situations arise in their lives that thwart normal development at some stage, they do not mature as they should. Christians who are personally immature cannot live spiritually mature lives. Educator Les Steele states, “Optimal human development is the correlation of holiness and wholeness.”³³ Developmental problems must be resolved for satisfactory spiritual growth to occur.

Strategies

This brief probing of six areas hindering discipleship illumines for us why nondiscipleship is a disturbing reality in the church. The magnitude and complexity of the dilemma indicate that the solutions will not be simple or quick. In some cases, the nature of a hindrance has suggested the necessary correctives to it.

The second half of this paper proposes nine strategies and related means for ousting the elephant of nondiscipleship. Their goal is to stimulate prayer, thought and discussion among spiritual leaders who grieve the anemic state of discipleship, and who seek the Church’s renewed obedience in fully following Jesus.

Make the Great Commission the Driving Mission

In light of Jesus’ call to make disciples and the tremendous obstacles to discipleship in our churches, in our culture, and within ourselves, to succeed discipleship cannot simply be one program of the church. This would continue the paltry results of the present. Instead, it must become the driving mission. Only then can discipleship assume its proper place of prominence in the ministry of the church.

Overcome Ministry Weaknesses through Paradigm Shifts

In describing the inadequacy of goals and the defects in strategies, the countering biblical paradigms were also mentioned. To make these changes is difficult because human nature prefers the comfort of familiar, even when it is ineffective. Especially when the foundational paradigms for ministry are challenged, leaders may expect rigorous resistance. How many have naively attempted change, only to quit in frustration, antagonism, and defeat. The task calls for change agents who are led and empowered by the Spirit and who know the skills of persuasion³⁴ and how to bring about change in appropriate, gracious, and timely ways.³⁵

Overcome Cultural and Personal Hindrances through Motivation

The ceaseless challenge of these hindrances generates an enormous need for creating and sustaining strong spiritual motivation for discipleship. Most books on discipleship only briefly mention this area, if at all.³⁶ For this reason, this strategy will be explained more fully.

Some leaders try to motivate through duty, guilt, or fear. These only have limited effectiveness for the short term and may eventually drive believers further from following the Master. While duty speaks to more responsible and disciplined Christians, the Elder Son Syndrome may emerge–in which they feel that they must earn the Father’s acceptance and approval, while experiencing little joy in so doing. “These many years I’ve slaved for you….” complained the elder son (Luke 15.29 NIV). Furthermore, duty only motivates people to do the minimum required, and soon most will weary of even that. In light of its strenuous demands, the only adequate motivation for following Jesus is desire.

Never should leaders whitewash the challenges in following Jesus, but they must show its desirability despite the commitment and cost required. Knowing the difficulties, believers must still want to follow Jesus. In the parable of the treasure hidden in the field, the man joyfully sells all he has to buy the field, because it is worth far more. Likewise the pearl merchant who finds the pearl of surpassing value gladly sells all he has to obtain it. (Matt 13.44-46). When people want something badly enough, they manage to find a way despite the obstacles.

What creates and sustains this motivation and consequent commitment to discipleship? In cooperation with God’s Spirit leaders can utilize the following means of motivation.

Vision of God and Kingdom Reality

Through Spirit anointed preaching and teaching and by their lives, leaders need to bring spiritual truths to life and cause them to be greatly valued and sought by believers. These include God’s holiness, love, beauty, and goodness, along with the wholeness he offers as part of salvation, as well as the hope of eternal life. While Jesus warned of the cost of following him, he also shared its desirability: Those who give up what cannot fill the heart will enjoy the bread that satisfies (John 6.35). Receiving the Son frees us from bondage (John 8.36) to enjoy life to the full (John 10.10). Willard advises leaders to ravish believers with a glorious vision of life in God’s kingdom.³⁷ John Piper believes that the greatest impediment to discipleship is the belief that sin makes us happy, while our chief weapon is the conviction that God makes us happier. “The challenge,” he says, “is not merely to pursue righteousness, but to prefer it.”³⁸

This desirability extends to following God’s laws (Deut 4.40, Psa 119.37). They are for our good because they are descriptions of reality. To ignore them brings pain to ourselves and others, diminished living, and eventually destruction. Analogies can be made to the physical realm. For example, walking in front of a moving car ignores the law of momentum and results in injury or death. People rebel when they are told what they should do. (Rom 7.9-10) Instead, they need to realize that to live the best life means living it according to God’s way. When this happens, they are motivated to grow in obedience, for they see that this is the only way to make life work. When believers have that attitude, God’s law emerges as a priceless gift. “At that point,” state Cloud and Townsend, “it is sin that looks stupid, ridiculous, as well as repulsive—which it really is.”³⁹

Joyful Experiences of God

While experience is subjective and needs to be weighed according to Truth, nevertheless those who find delight in their experiences of God find boosts in spiritual motivation and energy. These experiences include times of meaningful prayer and worship, abundant living, wonder, answered prayer, and the fullness of the Spirit. “Fire….” wrote Pascal of his transcendent experience, “Feeling joy, peace…. Forgetfulness of the world and of all save God….Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.”⁴⁰ James Houston encourages us to open our lives to the influence of God’s Spirit and experience “a quality of life that excites, energizes, and enriches us.”⁴¹

Life, Testimony, and Encouragement of Others

Seeing truth lived out in others helps to bring it alive in our hearts. As we see the quality of life of true disciples and hear their experiences of God at work in and through them, we find inspiration for spiritual growth. Also the encouragement and enthusiasm of other believers can motivate those who are stalled in their spiritual lives to resume the journey.

Recognition of Incompleteness

Jesus taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5.3) The poor in spirit are those who recognize their inadequacy and incompleteness. This motivates them to receive God’s rule in their lives and allow him to bring them into wholeness. To confess their neediness opens their lives to the work of his Spirit. Psychologist Dan Montgomery shares, “Slowly, I discovered that God wanted me to admit my secret fears, frustrations, arrogance, guilt, self-absorption, dependencies, and depression. Only then could He guide me to health and happiness.”⁴² Cloud and Townsend assert, “Without poverty, there is no motivating hunger….Poverty drives hunger. You can’t stop a needy person from grasping onto God….”⁴³

The Joy of Growing

Just as Jesus grew intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially (Luke 2.52), his followers should grow in the same ways. Paul writes that Christians need to grow to the “whole measure of the fullness of Christ…(to) grow up in every way into him who is the head….” (Eph 4.12, 15) Growing is not something Christians do simply because it is commanded. But it produces a satisfaction and delight that motivates them to desire even more growth. For those who do not grow experience boredom and stagnation, while those who do grow experience a sense of aliveness, freshness, and excitement. Moreover, when believers fail to grow, they limit their effectiveness for God and their ability to bless others. Growth increases joy, because it increases spiritual effectiveness and the capacity to be a blessing.

Effectively Preach and Teach God’s Word

The next five strategies deal with different means of discipling. Christians are most familiar with the three traditional approaches—the communication of God’s Word, the practice of spiritual disciplines, and involvement in Christian community. Depending on their religious background, they will emphasize one or more of the three. Effective diciplers, however, need to train disciplees in all the means of discipleship.

In this short paper, these means cannot be discussed at length. However, I will seek to do the following: suggest ways of enhancing the traditional approaches; develop an understanding of growth through the situations in our lives; and recommend an integration of spiritual and personal growth. First come suggestions for more effectively preaching and teaching the Word.

Coordinate Themes for Learning

Pastors and churches should consider addressing the same theme during preaching, teaching, and small groups over a period of weeks.⁴⁴ When members hear a different topic each time they attend a church activity, they may receive 10 to 15 messages in a month, each with several points. The number of points per month may exceed 30 or 40. How many will the hearers apply? Probably none. When people are inundated with exhortations, it is hard to assimilate and apply any. Thankfully, some churches are beginning to coordinate their themes for learning.⁴⁵

Attend to Application

Unless believers leave a service or study with an application of the teaching presented–for which they take personal ownership–they are unlikely to develop and apply any afterwards. Unfortunately, however, most published material for Bible studies devote most of the allotted time to learning content, with a brief application question or two at the end. A better approach would be to take time to thoroughly explore possible applications and for everyone to determine a specific application for themselves. Time to do this becomes available in small groups and classes, when the preaching or teaching is coordinated and handled prior to times set aside for application and accountability.

To provide more emphasis on application in preaching, pastors should integrate application throughout the sermon rather than waiting until the conclusion. Congregants remember these applications more easily if they are made into the points of the sermon.⁴⁶

Appreciate the Differences

For greater effectiveness, preachers and teachers of the Word need to recognize the differences that exist in the congregation and communicate accordingly. In this generation many advances have occurred in learning theory, which can help the biblical communicator. Along with cultural differences and varying life circumstances, we need to be aware of generational preferences,⁴⁷ stages of faith,⁴⁸ learning styles, and multiple intelligences.⁴⁹ Based on these insights, pastors and teachers can employ the appropriate styles and methods.

Provide Training and Encouragement in the Spiritual Disciplines

Spiritual disciplines have gradually gained importance in the spirituality of evangelicals over the past several decades. Authors identify and categorize the spiritual disciplines in different ways, yet all agree that their goal is growth in discipleship. They bring us before God to allow his transformation in us. Willard distinguishes between disciplines of abstinence, which free us from involvements that hinder kingdom living, and disciplines of engagement, which immerse us more fully into God’s kingdom.⁵⁰ Siang-Yang Tan and Douglas Gregg appreciate the fact that through the disciplines we can connect with the presence and power of God’s Spirit.⁵¹

Despite such promise, because spiritual disciplines require discipline, the human nature does not favor them. For this reason, they work best when would-be practitioners are meaningfully connected to Christian community, which provides encouragement and accountability for their development.

Create Community through Small Groups and Discipling Relationships

Just because Christians meet together regularly in services, classes, meetings, and small groups does not guarantee that genuine Christian community exists. Indeed, beyond a certain size, the larger the group, the more difficult this becomes. The qualities of biblical community include: acceptance, appreciation, commitment, affirmation, encouragement, honesty, love, forgiveness, modeling, counsel, and correction. Such a strong, supportive relational network spurs growth. (Heb 10.24)

Small groups are the primary means by which churches seek to help members grow spiritually, yet they typically fall short, hindered by the lack of true biblical community, superficial biblical understanding, and lack of application.⁵² If solid teaching is not available at the small group level, churches should consider providing it through other means (Bible class, sermons), and utilize the small group time for meaningful group sharing to build community, and for thorough application and accountability. Small groups can be supplemented by one to one relationships between mature disciplers and disciplees.

Train Believers in Situational Means of Growth

While three major means–the communicating of God’s Word, the practice of spiritual disciplines, and the experience of genuine Christian community—are the focus of intentional discipleship, God’s Spirit also uses the situations of their lives to grow people spiritually. Believers should be taught to take advantage of this avenue of growth, which include: our response to life circumstances, obedience in the face of difficult choices, and honesty in thinking, feelings, and conscience. These less familiar means will receive a fuller treatment.

Responses to Circumstances

Circumstances do not determine believers’ growth, but their attitudes toward them do. Depending on their responses, positive circumstances—such as success, prosperity, opportunities, and fulfilling relationships—can either enable or hinder spiritual growth. Christians can respond with pride, self-sufficiency, and complacency that thwart spiritual progress. Hosea reflected God’s complaint, “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.” (Hos 13.6 NIV) In contrast, humble gratitude for God’s blessings and a servant spirit in sharing these blessings with those less fortunate enables growth.

Likewise, negative circumstances—such as relational and financial difficulties, physical disabilities, and the lack of career opportunities—can either enable or hinder spiritual development. Believers can respond with anxiety, frustration, bitterness, or defeat. They may even doubt God’s love and blame him for their distress. These reactions hinder spiritual development. The alternative is to trust that God will provide the strength, grace, and/or intervention that they need (II Cor 12.9). Meanwhile they hold on to the conviction that God is shaping their lives (Jam 1.2-4) and accomplishing his purposes (Rom 8.28) through the situation. They remind themselves that their goal in life is not to avoid suffering, but to glorify God in every circumstance (Phi 1:18-20). Through these responses they grow.

Tough Obedience

Throughout the Bible, God called on men and women to make hard choices in obedience to him. This includes taking actions that risk present or future well-being (Acts 5.27-29), or resisting attractive choices contrary to God’s will (Matt 4.1-10). Disobedience smothers growth, while obedience spurs it. Acts of obedience form spiritual habits which in turn shape character.

Honest Thinking, Feelings, and Conscience

Believers need to recognize their questions and doubts instead of suppressing them as unspiritual. Out of sight, like termites they gnaw at the foundations of faith. Brought into the light of day, they can be examined. The answers may not come easily or quickly, but the very process of grappling with the issues can clarify and strengthen faith.⁵³ Another faulty strategy is to try to prematurely tie up a question into a neat package of answers instead of enduring the tension of incomplete resolution, which can stimulate growth.

Believing that Christians should not have negative feelings, some believers stifle these before they surface. These submerged emotions can wreak havoc in our inner lives, and may emerge in unhealthy and even destructive ways. The Psalmist boldly expresses a wide range of feelings, including jealousy (10.5), despair (13.1), and violent vengeance (58.6). An omniscient God knows these feelings exist, even when they are not articulated. When believers acknowledge them, however, they can begin to deal with them with the help of his Spirit.

In the face of guilt, humans tend toward denial, suppression, rationalization, minimization, justification, and blame. These self-deceptive maneuvers slam the door on growth. Cornelius Platinga explains, “…when we lack an ear for wrong notes in our lives, we cannot play right ones….”⁵⁴ While evil people refuse to recognize their wrong doing,⁵⁵ guilt can actually be a gift for growth, exposing the areas of deficiency. So an honest conscience promotes growth.

If believers know how to respond to the circumstances, choices, doubts, negative emotions, and guilt that arise in their lives, these can be a tremendous source for growth. Handled wrongly, these situations produce the opposite effect.

Integrate Spiritual Growth with Personal Growth

Above it was noted that spiritual maturity and personal maturity intertwine. Christians do not grow much in one area without growing in the other as well. Hence leaders need to develop approaches to discipleship that foster growth in both areas. (Areas for personal growth were discussed in the section, “Deficiencies in Intrapersonal Dynamics.”)

Develop a Holistic Approach to the Christian Life

Churches must avoid the tendency to focus on certain areas of Christian faith and practice while ignoring others. In general, much more attention needs to be given to a number of areas of Christian living mentioned above. In addition, true followers of Jesus must give attention to the needy, social and economic justice, and environmental concerns. The development of personal maturity through overcoming the personal weaknesses previously cited must also be a goal, for discipleship to be effective. The entirety of our lives must fall under the lordship of God.

Conclusion

Overcoming the hindrances to discipleship in American churches poses an enormous challenge. Recognizing their magnitude and complexity is the essential first step. Discerning their existence in our ministries, in our culture, and within ourselves equips us to combat them, while suggesting strategies for so doing. The proposed strategies provide a basis for prayer, dialogue, and action for leaders, as we seek to oust the elephant of nondiscipleship from our churches.

PR

 

Endnotes

¹ Dallas Willard, Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in Christ (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1998) 313.

²Richard J. Foster in Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, ed. by Richard J. Foster & James Bryan Smith (San Francisco: HarperSan Francisco, 1993). 18.

³Brian McLaren in Leadership, Summer 2003, 38.

⁴Thom S. Ranier, High Expectations: The Remarkable Secret for Keeping People in Your Church (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, l999) 129.

⁵Aubrey Malphurs, Strategy 2000: Churches Making Disciples for the Next Millennium (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications,1996) 24-25.

⁶ George Barna, Growing True Disciples: New Strategies for Producing Genuine Followers of Christ (Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press, 2001) 20, 55, 11.

⁷Ibid., 9.

⁸Bill Hull, The Disciple-Making Pastor (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell), 13.

⁹Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1963, 2001) 36.

¹⁰Willard, Divine Conspiracy, 41.

¹¹Lloyd Ogilvie, God’s Best for Your Life (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1981) June 18 reading.

¹²2:7 Series (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress)

¹³Greg Ogden, Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ (Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998).

¹⁴Michael H. Clarensau et al., We Build People: Making Disciples for the 21^st Century (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1996)

¹⁵Barna, Growing True Disciples, 89.

¹⁶Aubrey Malphurs, Strategy 2000, 25.

¹⁷John White, Flirting with the World (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1982) 129.

¹⁸Pentecostal Evangel, Nov. 24, 1996, p. 25.

¹⁹Henry Cloud & John Townsend, How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals about Personal Growth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001) 125.

²⁰Dallas Willard, Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1999) 217.

²¹Os Guinness, The Call (Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group/ Thomas Nelson, 1998, 2003) 150.

²²Barna, Growing True Disciples, 42.

²³Robert Quinn, Deep Change: Discover the Leader Within (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996) 24.

²⁴M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and SpiritualGrowth (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978) 280.

²⁵Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, 15.

²⁶Cloud & Townsend, How People Grow, 200.

²⁷Stephen Lim, “10 Keys to Managing Anxiety,” in War Cry, April 29, 2000, 14-15.

²⁸Abraham J. Twerski, Addictive Thinking, 2^nd edition (New York: MJF Books, 1997) 24.

²⁹M. Scott Peck, Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Toward Spiritual Growth (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993) 97.

³⁰Robert Hemfelt, Frank Minirth, & Paul Meier, We are Driven: The Compulsive Behaviors America Applauds (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991).

³¹Perry Downs, Teaching for Spiritual Growth: An Introduction to Christian Education (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994) 79.

³²Wilhoit & Dettoni, Nurture that Is Christian, 233.

³³Les L. Steele, On the Way: A Practical Theology of Christian Formation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990.

³⁴For example, see Jay A. Conger, “The Necessary Art of Persuasion” in Harvard Business Review on Change (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1998) 227-255.

³⁵For example, see Alan Nelson & Gene Appel, How to Change Your Church Without Killing It (Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 2000).

³⁶Dallas Willard’s Divine Conspiracy and Cloud & Townsend’s How People Grow, are among the few books that give attention to this matter.

³⁷Willard, Divine Conspiracy, 305.

³⁸John Piper, Future Grace (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1995) 336, 338.

³⁹Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2002) 224.

⁴⁰Blaise Pascal, Pensees and The Provincial Letters, translated by W.F. Trotter (New York: Random House, 1941).

⁴¹James Houston, The Transforming Friendship (Batavia, IL: Lion Publishing, 1989).

⁴²Dan Montgomery, Beauty in the Stone: How God Sculpts You into the Image of Christ (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996) x.

⁴³Cloud and Townsend, How People Grow, 265, 269.

⁴⁴This is recommended in Juan Carlos Ortiz’s book, Call to Discipleship (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1975).

⁴⁵See Barna, Growing True Disciples, ch. 10.

⁴⁶Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Preaching (Conference Tape Series, Saddleback Community Church).

⁴⁷For example, see Gary L. McIntosh, Three Generations: Riding the Waves of Change in Your Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell, 1999).

⁴⁸James W. Fowler, Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1981).

⁴⁹For example, see Harvey F. Silver, Richard W. Strong, & Matthew J Perini, So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences (Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2000).

⁵⁰Willard, Divine Conspiracy, 418.

⁵¹Siang-Yang Tan & Douglas H. Gregg, Disciplines of the Holy Spirit: How to Connect to the Spirit’s Power and Presence (Grand Rapids, MI: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1997) 8.

⁵²Barna, How Churches Grow, 94.

⁵³Philip Yancey, Reaching for the Invisible God (Grand Rapids, MI: ZondervanPublishihngHouse, 2000) 42.

⁵⁴Cornelius Platinga, Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995) xiii.

⁵⁵M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled, 280.

This article was first presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies which was held March 11-13, 2004 at Marquette University, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.