The discipleship dilemma
All believers are entrusted with the sacred accountability of constructing disciples—however pastors and church leaders have a singular name to assist cleared the path. It’s no secret the church is flailing on this regard. Most church buildings don’t have a disciple-making tradition. In actual fact, most church leaders are simply attempting to maintain up with the ins and outs of on a regular basis obligations and don’t have time to consider the systemic modifications wanted to domesticate a tradition of discipleship—that’s, a tradition the place discipleship is woven into the material of on a regular basis church life.
Statistics reveal the depth of this problem. In accordance with a 2022 examine by Lifeway Analysis, practically two-thirds of US Protestant pastors (63%) acknowledge disciple-making is an space the place they should make investments to turn into higher pastors. Moreover, a 2024 report from Barna highlights that solely 23 p.c of US Christian adults report being discipled, indicating a major hole between calling and observe.
Perhaps you’re asking, like we do, what discipleship truly appears like? Is it a one-to-one (or one-to-few) mentoring program? Is it natural and anticipated in on a regular basis friendships inside the church? Is it completed via Bible research or small teams? Is preaching discipleship?
Each church handles discipleship in another way, and from the place we sit, there’s not one “proper” approach to do it. However any discipleship objectives for a church begin with one factor: the Phrase of God.
So possibly you’re trying on the figures above and asking, how can church leaders rework their communities into vibrant disciple-making cultures? And the way can they do that when confronted with a rising variety of ministry challenges and expectations in our always-on fashionable world?
Three steps can get you began, no matter what mannequin your church makes use of (or intends to make use of).
1. Mannequin what it appears wish to be in Scripture
Leaders set the tone for the congregation. When pastors and ministry leaders brazenly share how Scripture is shaping their lives—via private examine, sermon preparation, or day by day reflections—it alerts to the congregation that the Bible is central to their life and ministry. This authenticity invitations others to comply with swimsuit, making a ripple impact all through the church. Most of the time, studying to do significant Bible examine is caught, not taught.
2. Reinforce it all through your ministries
Discipleship thrives in an setting the place the message of Scripture is constantly strengthened. This implies integrating Bible examine into numerous ministry areas—youngsters’s applications, youth teams, small teams, and past. When Scripture is usually highlighted and mentioned, it turns into a pure a part of the church’s rhythm and tradition.
3. Rejoice tales of progress
Celebration reinforces habits. By sharing tales of people who’ve skilled progress via constant Bible studying, church buildings can encourage others to embark on their very own journeys. Recognizing milestones, reminiscent of finishing a studying plan or beginning a brand new Bible examine group, not solely honors these people but additionally encourages the broader neighborhood to have interaction extra deeply with God’s Phrase.
Empowering discipleship via expertise
Whereas altering the tradition in your church is important, offering sensible instruments can additional empower people of their discipleship journey. Digital assets can bridge the hole between intention and motion, providing accessible methods for congregants to have interaction with Scripture.
To actually embed a Bible-centered tradition, it’s essential to combine each intentional practices and empowering instruments. When management fashions Scripture engagement, repetition reinforces its significance, and celebration acknowledges progress, the church turns into a vibrant neighborhood the place discipleship thrives.
Meet the Logos Bible examine platform
Probably the greatest instruments for that is the Logos Bible examine platform. Logos gives a complete digital library, intuitive search instruments, and customizable studying plans, making deep Bible examine accessible to everybody—from new believers to seasoned theologians.
Listed below are a few of the methods utilizing Logos transforms your leaders’ time in Scripture:
- Seek for solutions on practically any subject: Ask a query and Logos will pull outcomes from the Bible and your trusted books.
- Examine the Bible with specialists: Discover commentaries, Bible dictionaries, and different books designed to extend your understanding of what the Bible says—and what it means.
- Make Bible examine a behavior: Use a pre-made studying plan or create your individual plan tailor-made to particular person objectives and pursuits.
- Put together sermons and classes: Draft talks with instruments designed for Bible lecturers, together with helps for sermon outlines and dialogue questions.
- Dig under the floor of Scripture: Examine particular phrases, passages, and themes, and discover cross references all through the Bible.
By introducing church pastors, workers, and small group leaders to a software like Logos, church buildings can encourage private Bible studying, enrich small group discussions, and foster a deeper engagement with sermons. These instruments are catalysts that take away limitations and empower a extra profound reference to Scripture that’s foundational to a tradition of discipleship.
Embracing expertise, like the brand new providing Logos has for church leaders, can additional assist this tradition, offering people with the assets they should have interaction deeply with God’s Phrase and collaborate extra meaningfully with each other.
Able to dive deeper?
For those who’re desperate to domesticate a tradition of discipleship in your church, now we have a complete useful resource to information you. Obtain our free e book, A Church Chief’s Information to Growing Discipleship That Sticks, and embark on a journey to rework your church’s strategy to discipleship.
