Have you heard the expression, “She’s a mile wide and an inch deep.”? The meaning is most often used to describe a person who attempts to speak on a variety of topics, but has little to no knowledge in any topics discussed. An inch deep referring to the lack of knowledge to provide any substantial contribution to the conversation.
What part of declining trends in the church could be attributed to the lack of depth of discipleship being provided for believers in the church today? Has Discipleship in many of our churches been relegated to a mile wide and an inch deep? I have witnessed many people in churches who could share brief descriptors of God, His Love, and Jesus as God’s Son, even speak with head knowledge of the death burial, and resurrection.
If that head knowledge has not moved to heart knowledge and wisdom, is it anything more than Bible trivial? Bible trivia is great for game night on the topic, but does trivia ever draw anyone closer to Christ?
Not until Disciple making becomes The ministry of the church, rather than a ministry in the church, will we see the impact on the world that Christ commissioned us to carry out. Even when I was a child, Discipleship was relegated to a series of classes on Sunday evening. Discipleship is not a series of classes, a program, a set of events, or even a title awarded to someone meeting certain man-made criteria.
Jesus Christ, God-incarnate, delivered the principles and practices of Discipleship to earth, shared them with His followers, then commissioned them to carry those principles and practices into all the world. Each church must contextualize those practices into their local culture. Not molding into the culture, rather, sharing in a relative, understanding way. The practices of a rural church will have differences from an inner-city church. The principles remain the same, but the practices to carry those out will differ.
The word of God and its principles are truth and are transcendent throughout the ages and all cultures. God gives each church what is needed to grow spiritually and reach their local community. Each person in the church has a responsibility to be an ever-maturing Disciple of Jesus Christ for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. Each one is to be an on-mission Christian, ever-growing, ever-sharing.
When God measures the maturity of a church, He does not count the numbers in attendance or on church rolls. God measures the depth of penetration of His truths into the lives of each member of the church. Depth, not width is what is important in Discipleship. The maturing Discipleship process of a church is measured by the amount of investment made in each person who will also invest him/herself in discipling others.
Would God find you a mile wide and an inch deep in your discipleship following Christ? What is your next step in becoming a more sufficient disciple who invests in other people?
George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.