Over the years I have asked people, “Why don’t you make disciples?” I have also asked many pastors and church leaders, “Why doesn’t your church see making disciples as a priority?” As you can imagine, I’ve been told many things as to why people are not making disciples. Although some are valid reasons, others are just excuses. Today, I want to share the four most common responses given as to why people aren’t making disciples.
#1 - Never Been Discipled
Many people don’t make disciples and fail to see disciple-making as a priority in their church or ministry because they themselves have never been discipled. As a result, they don’t see the value of a small group of men or women journeying together for the purpose of spiritual growth. They haven’t experienced the life change and transformation as a group grows together in love for God and for one another. So they simply “don’t know” what they “don’t know.”
#2 - Ignorance Of The Biblical Mandate
Some people fail to make disciples or see it as a priority in ministry because they are ignorant of the biblical mandate. Because disciple-making has not been modeled or emphasized in preaching and teaching, they have not come to realize that God expects them to “make disciples.” Perhaps they have not studied the model of Jesus. They have not come to understand that the ministry of Jesus was primarily accomplished by investing in twelve men. At the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus prayed in John 17:4, “I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” That task was making disciples!
#3 - Don’t Have Time
Many people don’t make disciples because they say that they don’t have the time. Or perhaps they will not commit to the 12-18 months of the D-Group meeting together to memorize scripture, reading the Bible with HEAR Journals, and praying for others within the group. Let’s face it, people are so busy and most feel like they already have too much on their plate.
#4 - Someone Else Will Do It
Finally, people don’t make disciples or fail to see disciple-making as a priority in ministry because they think that someone else will do it. Surely God hasn’t called me to make disciples; I’m serving already in the church in the kid’s ministry or in the student ministry, or perhaps as a Pastor or deacon. Somebody else can do it, I already have a spot.
