Inside Today's Church

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The Greatest Failure of the Church

The Church Was Called to Make Disciples, Not Just Gather Them

When you look at the Church's beginnings in the book of Acts, you see something remarkable: people on fire for God and the things of God. They lived as though they had found the answer to life—and they wanted everyone else to know it. (Acts 2:42–47; Acts 4:31–33)

They sold their possessions to provide for those in need. They broke bread together. They cared for one another. They served others. They shared what they had. And above all, they were consumed with a desire to see the gospel reach the world. (Acts 2:44–47; Acts 4:32–35; Matthew 28:19–20)

Now look at much of the Church today, and the picture can seem remarkably different.

We still see people searching for answers. We see people wanting God to fix their problems, improve their circumstances, and make their lives easier. We see people who want to be served rather than serve, who cling tightly to their possessions as though they were treasures, who are uninspired and continually looking for someone to inspire them. (Mark 10:42–45; Matthew 6:19–21; 2 Timothy 3:1–5)

And when it comes to the gospel, many are afraid to speak. (Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:7–8)

Somewhere along the way, we seem to have lost what the early Church had found.

Churches have spent decades, enormous amounts of money, and countless hours trying to identify and fix the problem. They have turned to the latest Christian books and trends, launched classes and small groups, organized outreach programs and missions, and created emotional appeals designed to tug at people’s hearts and inspire change.

And for a moment, it seems to work. People get excited. Attendance rises. Hearts are stirred. There is a renewed sense of energy and purpose.

But eventually, the excitement fades. The emotional high wears off, interest declines, and people begin drifting away again. (Matthew 13:20–21; Galatians 4:15)

Then the cycle starts over.

Yet beneath the changing packaging is the same hope: perhaps this will finally be the thing that works.

The Answer

After years of wondering where we lost our way as the Church, the answer eventually became plain to me. The problem is that the answer is not necessarily what people want to hear.

What is the problem?

You can sum it up in two words:

Grow up.

What Christians—and, consequently, the Church—are failing to do is grow up.

Paul addresses this very problem in his letter to the Corinthians. He tells them that they should have progressed beyond spiritual infancy by now. Instead, they are still drinking milk when they ought to be eating solid food. They have been Christians long enough to be teachers, yet they still need someone to teach them the elementary truths of God. (1 Corinthians 3:1–3; Hebrews 5:12–14.)

And I believe this is still one of the greatest problems facing the Church today.

Too many Christians are content to remain spiritually immature. They want one foot in God's kingdom and the other firmly planted in the world. They want God, but they don't want to surrender the things they love. They want the promises of Christianity without the demands of following Christ. (Matthew 6:24; Luke 9:23; James 1:8; 1 John 2:15–17)

It is like a father telling his child that it is time to put away the toys and grow up, only to find that the child refuses to let them go. The child wants the privileges of adulthood while still clinging to the comforts of childhood. (1 Corinthians 13:11)

That is what many Christians are doing with God.

They hold on to their idols and simply try to add God to their lives. (Exodus 20:3; Ezekiel 14:3; Matthew 6:24)

And too often, the Church allows them to do it.

Instead of challenging people to grow, we accommodate their immaturity. Instead of calling them to repentance, sacrifice, obedience, and self-denial, we continually ask what we can do to keep them interested, comfortable, and coming back. (Acts 2:38; Romans 12:1–2; Luke 9:23; Ephesians 4:15)

We create programs to engage them. We find new ways to excite them. We develop strategies to hold their attention. We try to manufacture the passion that ought to come from knowing Christ.

And when the excitement fades, we do it all over again.

The tragedy is that, in trying so hard to awaken those who refuse to grow, the Church can neglect those who are already hungry for God. (Hebrews 5:12–14; 2 Timothy 2:2)

We spend our energy fanning a flame where there seems to be little fire, while allowing those who are genuinely on fire for God to slowly burn out.

Perhaps the greatest failure of the Church is not that it has failed to find enough ways to attract people.

Perhaps it is that we have become afraid to tell Christians that it is time to grow up. (Ephesians 4:11–15)

The Answer is Undeniable

I believe this is the answer because it is the one thing the Church has consistently failed to do: make disciples who actually grow up in Christ. (Matthew 28:19–20; Ephesians 4:11–15)

Think about it.

If Christians were truly growing in Christ as they were meant to grow—if they were becoming more obedient, more selfless, more devoted, more spiritually mature, and more passionate for the things of God—would the Church really have to work so hard to fill seats, keep people coming, and continually find new ways to inspire them? (Romans 12:2; Colossians 1:28; 2 Peter 3:18)

Would we need another program to create excitement?

Another campaign to bring people through the doors?

Another emotional message to keep people engaged?

Or would a Church filled with mature, Christ-centered believers simply become what the world was meant to see? (Matthew 5:14–16; John 13:34–35)

The early Church didn't seem to need endless strategies to convince people that following Christ mattered. They had become convinced themselves. Their lives were the message. Their love was visible. Their sacrifice was real. Their faith was active. (Acts 2:42–47; Acts 4:32–35; James 2:17)

Perhaps the answer isn't that the Church needs to become better at attracting Christians.

Perhaps Christians need to become better at following Christ. (Luke 9:23; John 14:15)

The End Result

As the Church, we are called to be salt and light in the world, bearing the fruit of the Spirit and showing the world what a life transformed by Christ looks like. But that requires maturity. And I believe this is one of the Church’s primary responsibilities: to make disciples and equip them to grow into mature followers of Christ. (Matthew 5:13–16; Galatians 5:22–23; Ephesians 4:11–16; Matthew 28:19–20)

The Church was never meant simply to fill seats. That was never its burden to carry. In Acts, we see that God Himself added to the Church day by day. The Church's responsibility was to be faithful—to preach the gospel, make disciples, teach the truth, serve others, and send believers out into the world. (Acts 2:47; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8)

The Church was not created to become a hospital where people remain perpetual patients, a social or singles club where people gather for fellowship, or an entertainment venue designed to keep people interested. It was meant to be God's command post—a place where disciples are equipped, strengthened, and sent out as servants and soldiers of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–12; 2 Timothy 2:3–4; 2 Timothy 2:15)

The Church Is Not a Hospital

The Church is not a hospital where people come to remain patients. Christ is the healer. When people are wounded by sin, suffering, doubt, failure, or the brokenness of this world, our responsibility is not to become their permanent caretakers. Our responsibility is to point them back to Christ. (Psalm 147:3; Isaiah 53:5; Hebrews 12:1–2)

The Church is more like a MASH unit.

In war, soldiers will be wounded. When they are brought to a MASH unit, the purpose is not to create a permanent community of wounded soldiers. Their wounds are treated so they can be restored, strengthened, and sent back into the fight.

That is what the Church should do.

When someone is hurting, we don't tell them that the Church is their answer. We point them to Jesus. When someone has fallen, we don't teach them to remain on the ground. We help them fix their eyes on Christ so they can get back up. When someone is struggling, we don't make their struggle their identity. We remind them of who Christ is and who they are called to become in Him. (Hebrews 12:1–2; Philippians 3:13–14; Colossians 3:1–3)

The Church should be a place where wounded people are directed to the Healer, restored by the truth, strengthened in their faith, and equipped to go back into the world. (John 8:31–32; Ephesians 4:12–16; 2 Timothy 3:16–17)

The goal is not to keep people in the MASH unit.

The goal is to get them back into the fight. (2 Timothy 2:3–4; Ephesians 6:10–18)

And that fits your larger argument much better, because you're not arguing for a Church that lacks compassion. You're arguing for a Church whose compassion has a destination: Christ, restoration, maturity, and ultimately service. (Galatians 6:1–2; Ephesians 4:15–16)

But growth is how we overcome these things. (2 Peter 3:18; Romans 12:2)

We don't help people by teaching them to remain dependent on being comforted. We help them by pointing them toward Christ. We walk beside them with love and truth, but we do not compromise the truth simply because it is difficult to hear. (Ephesians 4:15; John 14:6; Colossians 1:28)

Christ is the remedy. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)

And sometimes people don't want the remedy.

They would rather be coddled, comforted, and reassured that they can remain exactly as they are. But that may make someone feel better for a moment; it will not make them mature. (2 Timothy 4:3–4; Hebrews 12:11)

A loving Church should not merely ask, “How can we make you feel better?”

It should also ask, “How can we help you become more like Christ?” (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:28)

Because the goal isn't to keep Christians comfortable.

The goal is to see them grow up. (Ephesians 4:13–15)

Growth

The Church should desire to see the sheep grow into what God has called them to be. A healthy sheep does not resist the shepherd’s leading. If the Spirit of God truly dwells within a believer, that Spirit will move them toward maturity, obedience, truth, and a deeper relationship with Christ. Growth is how that happens. (John 10:27; Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:16–25; 2 Peter 3:18)

When we continually baby, coddle, and accommodate people, we may keep them comfortable, but we do not help them grow. A shepherd who never challenges his sheep to move forward is not loving them well. Sometimes love requires encouragement; sometimes it requires correction. Sometimes we need comfort, but sometimes we need to be confronted with the truth. (Proverbs 27:5–6; Hebrews 12:5–11; Ephesians 4:15)

And there is an even greater danger.

If we never challenge people to become genuine followers of Christ, we may simply teach goats how to look like sheep. (Matthew 7:21–23; Matthew 25:31–33; 2 Corinthians 13:5)

We can create an environment where people learn the language, adopt the appearance, attend the services, and participate in the activities of Christianity without ever surrendering themselves to Christ. (Matthew 15:8; Titus 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:5)

They may become so accustomed to being treated as sheep that they never stop to ask whether they actually belong to the Shepherd. (John 10:26–27; 2 Corinthians 13:5)

That is why the Church must not be afraid to call people to real spiritual growth. Not to shame them, condemn them, or drive them away, but to lovingly lead them toward Christ. (Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 1:28)

Because the goal is not to make goats comfortable in sheep's clothing.

The goal is to see the sheep become mature. (Ephesians 4:13–15; Hebrews 6:1)

The Church needs to return to its fundamental responsibility: growing the sheep. That is the answer, and Scripture makes the call to spiritual maturity clear. We are not called merely to gather people, keep them comfortable, or maintain attendance. We are called to make disciples and teach them to follow everything Christ commanded. (Matthew 28:19–20; Ephesians 4:11–16; Colossians 1:28)

But that raises an uncomfortable question:

What if the problem is not simply that the sheep have failed to grow? What if the Church itself has failed to grow up?

How can a Church produce mature Christians if it has become immature itself? How can it teach spiritual maturity if it has forgotten what maturity looks like? (Matthew 15:14; Romans 2:19–21)

Perhaps before we can expect the sheep to grow, the shepherds must first be willing to grow. (1 Timothy 4:16; 1 Peter 5:2–3)

A faithful Church does not merely grow itself; as it grows in Christ, it develops a desire to see others grow as well. If it stops growing and stops calling others to grow, it risks becoming a faithless Church. (2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:15–16; Hebrews 5:12–14)