I have been a Christian for twenty-one years, but I had never heard this before! A few weeks ago, I asked a Gen-Alpha about her church affiliation, and her response floored me. She replied, "What is a church?" My shock shifted to anger with the apathy in the American church. How can the church be nonexistent to this girl? This epidemic, perhaps a product of generations of negligence in the church, didn't happen overnight! The American church needs to wake up!
Fifty to eighty years ago, the church began a shift from intentional discipleship to what some have described as consumerism. Pastors entertain itching ears, offering a religious fix, and thus enabling apathy in the church. Eugene Peterson writes how pastors gauge their effectiveness much like shopkeepers in his book, Working the Angles. They worry about keeping the customers happy, luring new faces, and package goods for the greatest gain. The best shopkeepers attract many customers, rake in significant sums of money, and develop splendid reputations with their pew-warmers. George Barna said, what we do to attract people, we will have to do better to keep them.
I would submit that this is why attendance in America's churches is declining; churches are closing their doors every day. We have placed our personal preferences over the precepts of God's Word. "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations..." ( Matthew 28:19). A lack of intentional discipleship is the problem! The church has forsaken the onus to make disciples, placing it solely on pastors. Pastors are not shopkeepers! Pastors are called to equip the church to make disciples ( Ephesians 4:12). Intentional discipleship is the greatest tool to equip Christians to reproduce disciples. This process of disciples-making-disciples is nonexistent in most churches today.
Gallaty and Swain wrote an extraordinary book on intentional discipleship called Replicate. Jesus intended for His disciples to do what He modeled: "Go make disciples." Jesus was more deliberate and relational with His small group, Peter, James, and John. I, too, am in a discipleship group of four who meet weekly and do life on life. Why? Because I need to be challenged, admonished, have accountability, and be encouraged. Replicate explains five MARCS for measuring the success of a discipleship group:
- Missional – Live on mission every day by prioritizing the gospel wherever you are.
- Accountable – Meet weekly to speak encouragement, confess sin, admonish each other, and bear each other's burdens. The goal is always devotion, never duty.
- Reproducible – Create people who take what they've learned and teach and invest in others, thus multiplying.
- Communal – Refuse isolation and be an active member of the body of Christ. Gather regularly for corporate worship.
- Scriptural – Remain faithful to Scripture and commit it to memory.
As a Christian, you are commissioned to make disciples! Yes, as Jesus did! David Livingston said, "If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" I believe the first step is to repent for not making disciples. Then pray about whom God would have you be intentional with. Finally, just do it; go and make disciples!
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