Pastors, Programs, or People: Who Makes Disciples in Your Church?

Jesus commissioned the Church to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), and every church must answer the question, “How will we make disciples?”

A 2019 Lifeway Research survey of pastors revealed a positive outlook on disciple-making efforts in American churches. Around 2 in 3 pastors (65%) feel satisfied with the state of discipleship compared with 47% in 2011, which is likely more than increased optimism. More pastors evaluated their discipleship progress in 2019 than in 2011, indicating that the focus might be shifting from quantity to quality of disciples.

Yet I suspect that fewer churches try to answer, “Who will make disciples?” The 2019 Discipleship Pathway assessment found that while 78% of church members had meaningful relationships in their church, less than half indicated they intentionally dedicate time to help others grow in their faith.

Nearly 60 commands in the New Testament direct Christians to carry out Christlike actions to “one another.” These commands demonstrate the crucial role that believers play in the discipleship of other believers. So who makes disciples in your church, and how do they do it?

The survey of pastors revealed various approaches to make disciples. On average, pastors indicated using six different approaches to make disciples, and the results highlight three dimensions of the answer to who makes disciples. Read More