BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — The church flourishes when disciples are being formed. But how do churches know if they’re effectively forming disciples?
The State of Discipleship study from Lifeway Research surveyed more than 2,600 Protestant pastors and more than 2,100 Protestant churchgoers to uncover pastors’ perceptions of discipleship and reveal the levels of discipleship among churchgoers. The report also includes tools to help pastors with discipleship.
In general, pastors have a vague satisfaction with the discipleship happening at their churches but no real way of determining if that is valid.
Half (52 percent) are satisfied with discipleship and spiritual formation in their churches, but only 8 percent strongly agree. Similarly, 52 percent say they have an intentional plan for discipling individuals in their congregations and encouraging their spiritual growth. Additionally, 7 in 10 (71 percent) believe there are ways to measure discipleship in a congregation.
Despite their current satisfaction and belief in measurements, however, just 30 percent say their churches have specific methods for measuring discipleship, including only 5 percent who strongly agree.
“Churches have good intentions and efforts to help people grow spiritually; but without strategy and evaluation, discipleship won’t be improved,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
Since only 8 percent of U.S. Protestant pastors are extremely satisfied with discipleship in their church, it’s not surprising only 11 percent of pastors believe their church does discipleship better than other functions.
Discipleship deficit among U.S. churchgoers
If discipleship were a test, the average churchgoer would pass – but not by much.
In the second half of the State of Discipleship study, Lifeway Research examined churchgoers’ levels of discipleship by asking dozens of questions related to Christian doctrine and practice.
Analysis of their answers reveals eight characteristics that are consistently present in the lives of believers who are progressing in their spiritual maturity –engaging the Bible, obeying God and denying self, serving God and others, sharing Christ, exercising faith, seeking God, building relationships and living unashamed.
Churchgoers were given a score from 0 to 100 overall for each of the eight characteristics of discipleship. The average total score is 68.1, with some factors topping near 80 while others languish in the 50s.
“Pastors know their congregations can follow Christ more closely, but they often don’t know the specifics of what areas of people’s lives don’t align with what the Bible calls us to,” McConnell said. “This research provides a national snapshot of these details.”
Measuring discipleship signposts
When asked about their Bible engagement, most churchgoers indicate they place a high value on the Bible and say they read Scripture regularly, but just 31 percent say Bible reading is a daily habit.
One way churchgoers obey God and deny self is by confessing their sins and wrongdoings to God and asking for forgiveness. And most churchgoers do so regularly, with more than 2 in 6 (44 percent) saying they confess to God every day, while a quarter 26 percent do so a few times a week.
Most churchgoers also say they’re looking for ways to serve God as well as the people in the church and community. Four in 5 (80 percent) say they care for strangers, including 35 percent who strongly agree and 45 percent who somewhat agree.
However, churchgoers frequently miss opportunities to make new disciples by not sharing their faith with others. Less than half of churchgoers (45 percent) say they’ve developed significant relationships with people outside their church for the purpose of evangelism, with only 18 percent strongly agreeing.
When facing difficult circumstances, most churchgoers still trust in God’s love and provision. Some, however, begin to question God’s character and involvement in their lives, and their number has grown in recent years. Currently, 25 percent of U.S. Protestant churchgoers say that during difficult circumstances, they sometimes doubt God loves them and will provide for their lives.
Most churchgoers also look for time to spend with God and regularly find themselves with Him in unplanned moments. Around 7 in 10 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (69 percent) say they set aside time for private worship, praise or thanksgiving to God at least a few times a week, with 40 percent doing so every day.
While the research shows churchgoers are getting better at developing and deepening relationships within their congregations, it’s still not a strength in many churches. Two in 3 (66 percent) say they intentionally try to get to know new people they meet at church.
Some Americans may show up to church on Sunday mornings, while those in their lives Monday through Saturday may never hear about it. Today, 30 percent of churchgoers agree many people who know them are not aware they’re a Christian.
Discipleship in the local church
The data points to a clear and sobering reality: Within the context of the local church, discipleship is widely affirmed but inconsistently defined, unevenly practiced and rarely measured.
Pastors overwhelmingly believe making disciples is central to the church’s mission, yet many lack a shared language, intentional plan or clear indicators of spiritual growth. As a result, discipleship often becomes assumed rather than designed. But healthy churches have an intentional plan for discipleship.
In the latest Lifeway Research report, insights based on the State of Discipleship data encourage pastors and church leaders to slow down, take stock and lead with intentionality. The report will challenge pastors and church leaders to bring clarity to their disciple making strategy.
The State of Discipleship Insights Report also introduces DisciplesPath, a free tool that will walk pastors through a four-step process to discover, discern, design and deploy a custom discipleship strategy to fit their unique ministry contexts. DisciplesPath provides the tools, insight and support churches need to make disciples who live, love and lead like Jesus.
To explore the complete findings, download The State of Discipleship Insights Report from Lifeway Research, and to learn more about DisciplesPath, visit Lifeway.com/DisciplesPath.
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