– by Corey L. Gaston

Transforming passive church members into purposeful disciples equipped for today’s complexities.

The widening divide between casual Christianity and committed discipleship presents both our greatest challenge and our most important opportunity. While our congregations successfully attract attendees, we often struggle to cultivate mature followers capable of navigating our complex world with biblical wisdom. This gulf between mere attendance and active discipleship threatens not only our present witness but also our ability to offer hope to a world desperately seeking truth.

The Urgent Discipleship Challenge

Traditional pillars of spiritual formation—regular church attendance, rhythms of prayer, digging into the Scriptures, and living for the glory of God and the good of our neighbors—have lost their central place in many believers’ lives. This weakened spiritual foundation leaves Christians ill-equipped to address today’s complex questions about gender, identity, social justice, and truth with biblical wisdom.

Croatian theologian Miroslav Volf captures this beautifully:

As it travels in time and space, the Christian faith needs regular realignments with its own deeper truth; such realignments are termed reformations. Christians, too, and not just their convictions, will need to keep realigning themselves to the authentic versions of their faith; these realignments are termed renewals. I exhort us as Christians to reform and renew our faith so as to lead lives worthy of the calling to which we have been called. If we don’t, the Christian faith may well turn out to be a curse to the world rather than a source of blessing. (Flourishing, 2016)

As societal shifts accelerate, long-standing staples of spiritual formation, like church and community-supported Christian education, have diminished in influence. Research shows that many believers are disinterested or feel too busy to engage in spiritual practices that once shaped their faith. This reality can be disheartening for Christian leaders who pour their hearts into creating spaces for growth, only to see them underutilized, or even ignored.

Many churches have moved away from programs like Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, midweek services, or dedicated Bible studies. Prayer often becomes a seasonal effort rather than a consistent conversation with our Father. A recent Barna study revealed that 62 percent of Christians who are uninterested in disciple making say it would be too much of a time commitment. If we, as believers, lack the commitment to invest in our faith, what future awaits it? What kind of witness will we become to a watching world?

Like a tree needing both deep roots and visible fruit, Christian faith requires both unwavering convictions and their authentic expression in daily life. One without the other leaves us incomplete and ineffective, performers of Christianity rather than practitioners.

Understanding Passive Discipleship: The Comfortable Default

Passive discipleship happens when spiritual growth occurs indirectly through simple exposure to Christian teachings, practices, and communities. Think of it as spiritual growth by osmosis—attending Sunday services, serving on ministry teams, or participating in small groups, expecting that maturity will eventually result. While these activities create valuable opportunities for growing in one’s faith, they’re just the beginning of true discipleship.

Real growth requires more intentional steps such as actively engaging Scripture, practicing spiritual disciplines, and seeking authentic connections in those communities where we expect to be challenged and grow. By understanding this progression, we can better shepherd believers beyond the church walls, transforming Sunday attendance into daily discipleship.

Many Christian leaders have unknowingly settled for this passive approach, mistaking presence for participation and fellowship for formation. While small groups, book studies, or affinity groups serve important purposes, they don’t automatically produce mature disciples. While evangelism invites people to believe, discipleship transforms both conviction and character, cultivating believers who live out Christ’s teachings in every sphere of life.

The Power of Active Discipleship: Living Out the Great Commission

What does active discipleship look like? We find the blueprint in Jesus’ Great Commission:

Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18–20, CSB)

The Great Commission reveals discipleship as a comprehensive process: it begins with evangelism but extends to the ongoing nurture and practical application of gospel truths in daily life.

At the heart of active discipleship are three essential practices:

• Personal Accountability: Believers must graciously hold one another responsible for living in accordance with the teachings of Scripture. This accountability is not meant to be punitive but rather supportive and nurturing. Hebrews 10:25 highlights that being part of a Bible-believing congregation is crucial to our growth. It provides a framework for individuals to gather, worship, and learn together while fostering a sense of community and belonging.
• Regular Scripture Study: This practice blossoms in spaces where multiple generations gather. Like a healthy ecosystem, the interplay between seasoned believers’ deep roots and new Christians’ emerging growth creates fertile ground for spiritual development—a sacred pattern churches must intentionally nurture.
• Mutual Accountability: Like a spiritual safety net, accountability catches believers when they stumble. It’s the answer to Scripture’s mandate to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:1–2) and confess our sins in humility (James 5:16). When we create this culture of openness, people feel safer to voice their struggles and receive grace-filled guidance toward healing and growth.

Build a Culture of Active Discipleship

Beyond evangelism’s initial impact, intentional and active discipleship creates mature believers who live out the gospel daily. Through intentional spiritual formation, we develop authentic disciples who show—not just tell—the gospel’s transformative power.

Dr. Scot McKnight captures the essence of our mission in his book A Fellowship of Differents: “The purpose of the church is to be the kingdom in the present world, and the Christian life is all about learning to live into that kingdom reality in the here and now.” His words invite us to see the church not just as a place we attend but as a people we belong to—a living, breathing reflection of the kingdom of God here on earth.

The Kingdom Impact

Jesus’s declaration in Matthew 5 that we are “the light of the world” finds its fullest expression through active discipleship. As the Spirit sanctifies our churches, this light radiates outward, transforming families, workplaces, and communities.

This is the beauty of the church: We don’t do this alone. Together, we grow into the people God created us to be, walking alongside one another as we learn to love, serve, and reflect Jesus to the world. This isn’t just church work—it’s kingdom work that shapes the present and future of Christian witness.

Corey L. Gaston is an organizational change strategist serving churches and ministry leaders for over two decades. He also serves as principal of Concord Academy and adjunct professor at Southeastern University.
This article appeared in Christianity Today, February 7, 2025