What does the shape of faith to come look like? Hopefully it looks better the shape of faith at present. Brad Waggoner’s recent book The Shape of Faith to Come paints a somewhat sad picture of the state of modern discipleship within the church. It only further proves the method of rapid conversion, baptism, and church membership without any careful training and loving discipleship has come back to haunt the church.
Waggoner has done a good job of not simply lambasting the church, or of painting a picture that is more bleak than it really is (as some are prone to do these days), but nonetheless the results of his research with Lifeway cannot please any solid pastor. His team interviewed over 2500 protestants from various denominations and various states and found much that is wanting in the modern church. In the category of doctrine many Christians doubt the accuracy of the Bible (only 54% agreed), the exclusivity of Jesus (only 32% agreed), that all men are born sinners (only 56% agreed), that Jesus was sinless (only 54% agreed), that Jesus will return (only 67% agree), and that Satan is real (only 58% agree).
On other fronts the results weren’t much better. Only 20% of the surveyed group said they serve other people on a regular basis. Only 46% believed Christians had the responsibility to share the gospel with non-Christians. Only 28% felt they could comfortably and effectively share their faith with someone else, and over half (57%) hadn’t even shared the gospel in the last six months. In the domain of worshp only 25% of the surveyed group felt that they weren’t just going through the motions at church. All the results alone would be disappointing, but the cummulative total is devestating to the church. It suggests that we, at best, are a body full of immature Christians, and at worst that we are full of non-Christians.
Thankfully Waggoner knows that God’s church will not be destroyed! The gates of hell shall not overcome, Scripture tells us. But what this most clearly means is that discipleship must increase in the church. It begins with each one of us stepping up and taking responsibility for our discipleship and making sure we are growing. Then as we do this we should bring other people along on our spiritual journey to maturity in Christ. Take time to encourage, teach, pray for, and demonstrate discipleship for your fellow church members. Everyone can disciple (formally or informally) somebody else. The church must change this or our impact in the world will grow even more diminished.
Sparrow & Heart Soul Care 