Crisis in Discipleship
Recently my friend Peter Meier gave me an opportunity to teach about the crisis of discipleship facing churches in the West. I invite you to watch the slide show and the discussion that ensued.
Why should you invest an hour to hear me out? The following questions will help you evaluate the strength of discipleship in your church.
- To what degree are we producing church attenders or avid disciples who make disciples?
- Do our small groups of believers and/or seekers explore the Word, obey it, and multiply to 4 generations and beyond?
- Are we prepared to survive and even grow amid persecution?
If you recognize weaknesses, watch “Crisis in Discipleship” to learn effective ways to become disciples who make disciples — thereby resolving the Crisis of Discipleship in your circle of believers.
DMM Trek – Log #6
In April, 2021, some friends and I began a long hike. Why? Because as we looked out we saw the discipleship crisis in the Western Church. Our first “destination” was to follow the path of questions known as Discovery Bible Study (DBS). Week after week we explored 15 Bible texts that revealed to us how Jesus — both then and today — makes disciples who make disciples.
It wasn’t a walk in the park. The world, the flesh, and the devil impeded our steps. Yet we were making progress. After five months, we were like hikers after 100 blistering, aching miles on the Appalachian Trail questioning: “Do we go home, or do we continue the next 2,100 miles?”
The Lord convinced us to trek on, as we each apply disciple-making principles in our own context and personal manner.
- Dean looks for Persons of Peace as a shift-manager at a big box store. A former farmer, Dean also is writing about parallels between raising sheep and disciple making.
- With decades of missionary experience in Taiwan, Steve befriends Manadrin speakers in his city. He also directs a ministry in which Christians engage in friendly, casual conversations with immigrants.
- Kurtis and Chad promote Bethany Global University, which equips student missionaries with disciple-making skills. They also help donors — both individuals and churches — to apply such skills in their local harvest fields.
- I seek Persons of Peace through personal relationships. I network with DMM leaders near and far. I also write and teach to motivate and Christians to practice DBS & DMM.
We still meet every couple weeks to report on progress or obstacles, encourage each other, and pray for the Lord’s ongoing guidance and blessing as we trek with Him.
If you would like to invite a friend or two to journey with you toward discipleship that multiplies, here are the 15 texts which launched my buddies and me.
Thanks for tracking our disciple-making trek. God’s richest blessings on yours! To begin your adventure, download and read the free ebook, Disciple Maker: Fulfill Your Destiny in the Disciple-Making Movement Launched by Jesus Christ. While the title is long, the book is short. If you prefer to look before you leap, you can eyeball this synopsis with links to each chapter.
Discovery Bible study does not happen alone. If you have friends who share your dream of guiding others into a vibrant relationship with Jesus, invite them to join you on the trek to initiate a disciple-making movement. Even one such friend is enough to begin the journey.
Here at www.faithtrekker.org I will continue to update you about my disciple-making adventure. Feel free to inform me about yours.