Grace Maricopa

The sermon on May 3rd included some detailed statistics regarding the changing landscape of religion in the United States. My quick research discovered that around 20 states record Islam as the fastest growing religion; however, the total number who identify as Muslims is relatively small. I encourage you to peruse the data captured in The Pew Research Center's Landscape Study for yourself to grasp the full picture. What was most significant to me was discovering that approximately 23% of Muslim growth comes from people who were raised in a Christian home.

These trends raise an important question for the local church. Regardless of how one may explain the data, the conversion rates of Protestants to an incompatible religion are a clear indicator of the challenges the church faces in forming believers through faithful, effective discipleship.

What is Discipleship

Discipleship is a lifelong process wherein the disciple devotes oneself to a teacher in order to learn from and become like them. In the case of Christians, this means that with the help of other Christians and through devoted Bible study, we learn Jesus' teachings and follow His example through the power of the Holy Spirit. Being a disciple begins with accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, and in His lordship, learning, accepting, and applying His teachings across all areas of life. So, being a disciple isn't merely believing in Jesus, but belonging to Jesus as a complete way of life.

Why Discipleship Matters

Discipleship is an essential part of the Christian life. Discipleship helps the believer identify with Jesus, prevents spiritual stumbling, and provides the knowledge of God that equips believers to share and defend the gospel.

The New Testament emphasizes that Christian attitude and behavior should reflect Christ's. In other words, believers are not called to be moral-keeping machines who are outwardly compliant; rather, they are called to be holy, living reflections of Christ in the world.

Why Discipleship Fails

According to William Sailer in Religious and Theological Abstracts, there are eight factors that contribute to churches failing in discipleship (to make disciples): (1) Pastors are diverted from their calling to preach and teach, (2) Discipleship reduced to programs, (3) Narrowing the Christian life to external benefits (prosperity gospel), (4) Viewing discipleship as only for some, (5) Church leaders unwilling to call people into the discipleship process, (6) An inadequate understanding of the church as a discipleship community (seen as missional more than discipling), (7) No clear path to maturity, and (8) Most Christians have never been personally discipled.

I believe that #8 is a major contributor to the weakness of discipleship in many churches. Many church leaders, including pastors, have never been intentionally discipled themselves. Discipleship is a demanding, exhausting work requiring daily faith-walking with people through defeats and victories, which makes the temptation to avoid the work very real. To compensate for the ongoing demand of true discipleship, churches reduce discipleship to a series of courses rather than embracing the life-on-life reality presented in Scripture.

Our Solution

Discipleship at Grace Maricopa takes place within the context of Grace Groups. Grace Groups are, indeed, small group gatherings with an emphasis on fellowship, study, and evangelism; however, Grace Groups are also hubs for discipleship that intentionally foster long-term spiritual formation. Grace Groups are meant to help believers develop genuine relationships with other Christians lead to true life-on-life discipleship.

Grace Groups are more than a Bible study. Grace Groups are small communities of passionate followers of Jesus Christ seeking personal growth, accountability, friendship, support, encouragement, and grace.

Your Response

If you haven't yet, join or start a Grace Group. Especially in a time when Christian formation faces increasing pressures, begin a lifelong practice of making disciples, strengthening churches, and changing communities for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Post tenebras lux,

Pastor Dan | Ps. 46