I’m reading through the New Testament in 2023. On Tuesday I read Matthew 8:1-17. It starts out saying, “Large crowds followed Jesus as He came down the mountainside.” When was the last time you saw a large crowd at your church? I ask because the church represents Jesus, right? Therefore, people should be beating down the doors to get into our church buildings?
Lifeway research reports the average church building seats around 200 but the average number of people in attendance is 65. Research also shows smaller churches continue to get smaller and larger churches continue to get larger.
I heard someone with the Southern Bapt ist denomination share that there is little to no “low hanging fruit” in 2023. In other words, if those 65 people are waiting for people in their community to walk into the doors of that building which seats 200 people, they will be waiting a long time.
The Southern Baptist people also report that when unchurched people do choose to worship on Sunday, they are not going to go to the “small” or average church, they are going to go to the larger church down the street. The revitalization ministry of the North American Mission Board tells us even the unchurched culture knows there is something wrong with a church that seats 200 but is only using about, what, 30% of those seats? Healthy things reproduce but unhealthy things for the most part do not.
I read the other day that a lot of churches are struggling with a leadership pipeline but that it’s not a leadership problem, it’s a discipleship problem. Discipleship is central to our following Jesus and yet discipleship is a real problem in the church. It’s the primary reason large crowds are not fighting to get into our empty buildings.
The result of discipleship should be Christ-likeness. We look like, act like and do things Jesus did and what we know is when they take polls of non-believers, they say they like Jesus they just don’t like His church.
I have a theory that if we took discipleship more seriously, we will be more like Jesus and then these people will start to like the church.
Jesus had something to say about discipleship:
• In Luke 9:23 He said to be His disciple you have to be willing to deny yourself, take up the cross daily. You have to allow Jesus to set the agenda for your life.
• In Luke 14:25-35 He said you have put Him first in your life. Before yourself, your own agenda for a happy life, before your family and your possessions.
• In John 8:31 He said to be His disciple you have to be committed to His teachings.
• Matthew 9:36-38 we are told a disciple is committed to world-wide evangelism.
• Jesus told us His disciples love others the way He loves in John 13:34-35.
• A disciple abides, is obedient, bears fruit, brings honor and glory to God, and has delight in their heart as they live (John 15:7-17).
• In Luke 14:26-27 and 33 Jesus said if those things do not describe us we are not His disciples.
So do you pass the test of discipleship?
Let me tell you about the problem with discipleship. Discipleship is hard, it’s relational, it’s seasonal, it takes time, commitment and vulnerability. It creates growth that reproduces. The finish line is Heaven and it’s worth it. Discipleship is also easy to fake, and most people will never really experience authentic disciple for the most part because playing bingo in the church basement is a lot less complicated.
I’ve got a holy discontent when it comes to discipleship. It seems like we are leaving too much on the table that God intends for us to have. That plus bingo is not my game. If you feel this way hit me up, life is too short to fake it. I’m not satisfied with 70% of any church building being empty on Sunday morning. God’s plan is bigger and better than that. Let’s go!
He told me to tell you that.
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