DiscipleShift opens with a heartfelt evaluation of the current state of the church in North America. The authors, drawing from personal experiences and empirical data, challenge readers to assess whether churches are genuinely fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission—to make disciples, not just converts or church attendees.
The Problem: Superficial Christianity
Many churches today, whether newly planted or long-established, may be busy with ministry activities but are not effectively making disciples. External success—attendance, buildings, finances, programs—is not a true indicator of spiritual growth. The authors argue that:
- Christian behavior is often indistinguishable from non-Christian behavior.
- Most Christians have incomplete theology and a weak understanding of their faith.
- Churchgoers often do not make other disciples.
- Many churches produce cultural Christians instead of transformed followers of Jesus.
The Ineffectiveness of Existing Church Models
The chapter outlines four common church models, each with strengths but also major limitations:
- Educational Model: Focuses on teaching doctrine via classes and sermons. The result? Reliance on pastors, shallow application, and pastoral burnout.
- Attractional Model: Emphasizes drawing crowds with engaging services. It produces decisions for Christ, but not deep discipleship.
- Missional Model: Encourages service and social justice. While outward-focused, it risks burnout and lacks inward spiritual growth.
- Organic/Home Model: Prioritizes relationships and small groups. Intimate but can become cliquish and lack depth or structure.
Common flaw: All these models miss the mark by focusing on secondary functions (education, evangelism, service, fellowship) instead of discipleship.
The Solution: Relational Discipleship
The authors argue that the primary focus of the church must be discipleship, defined biblically:
- Becoming like Jesus (Romans 8:29)
- Teaching obedience to His commands (Matthew 28:18–20)
- Living in intentional, truth-based relationships
Jesus’ method of discipleship—life-on-life mentoring—is emphasized as the biblical model. This was the method used by Jesus, Paul, and early church leaders. It’s described as:
- Spiritual parenting
- Doing life together while pursuing Christlikeness
- Teaching through relationships, not just lectures
Testimonies of Transformation
The chapter ends with real stories of changed lives at The Crossing, a church that embraced relational discipleship:
- Former addicts became spiritual leaders
- A man with a violent past became a gentle trainer of leaders
- Leaders emerged from brokenness into Christ-centered purpose
These stories serve as evidence of the effectiveness of relational discipleship in producing mature believers who reproduce spiritually.
Key Takeaways for Your Bible Study:
- Effectiveness is about transformation, not church size or programs.
- Relational discipleship is the method Jesus used—and it still works.
- Churches need to shift their focus from simply gathering people to growing and multiplying disciples.
- Real life-change happens in authentic relationships that are rooted in truth and intentional spiritual growth.
- Discipleship isn’t for pastors only—it’s every believer’s calling.