Contents:
Discipleship Is Not a Program
by Steven W. Manskar
Church growth and marketing have replaced the historic, biblical call to holiness of heart and life. Joining a church is easier than joining a civic organization such as the Rotary, Kiwanis, or Lions. While the church will accept anyone as he or she is (as it should), it does so irresponsibly. I say irresponsibly because once the typical member joins, he or she discovers the very low expectations of membership. Consequently, he or she learns that there is little or no cost to being a Christian; that church membership means very little because very little is expected.
If you are a Rotarian or Kiwanian who habitually misses meetings, does not participate in or support the organization's mission, and neglects to pay regular dues, you will be visited by a fellow member who will remind you of the commitment you made when you joined. He or she will also inform you that if you are not able or willing to live up to your membership promises, your membership will be discontinued. Very few congregations are willing to hold members accountable to their baptismal covenant for at least two reasons:
- They do not provide the means for keeping the vows.
- Congregational leaders fear that holding members accountable to keeping their promises to Christ and his church will put people off and cause them to withhold their money, thus causing a decrease in income.
Consequently, discipleship is presented as simply another program rather than an expected outcome of church membership.
This reality is a consequence of a deadly misunderstanding of the nature of God and God's grace that says: "It costs us nothing. It is given freely by God. Because grace is free and freely given, God is like an indulgent parent who freely accepts us and forgives our shortcomings." Faith becomes nothing more than assent to belief in God, as God is understood or experienced by the believer. Therefore, all who profess belief in God and take the vows of church membership are regarded as "disciples." This is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called "cheap grace" and John Wesley called "enthusiasm:"
"One general inlet to enthusiasm is, expecting the end without the means; the expecting knowledge, for instance, without searching the Scriptures, and consulting the children of God; the expecting spiritual strength without constant prayer, and steady watchfulness; the expecting any blessing without hearing the word of God at every opportunity."
This delusion becomes a major blockage to grace and puts the future of the church and its people in peril.
I am convinced that most church members want to be disciples of Jesus Christ. They are hungry for a faith that is bigger than themselves.
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Steven W. Manskar is the Director of Accountable Discipleship for the General Board of Discipleship.
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