Discipleship.org, in partnership with Exponential, published the largest study to date on disciple making culture in US churches. A primary finding that resulted from the study, unfortunately, was that only 5% of churches are reproducing disciples—which leaves each of us asking one question… is my church one of the 5%?
To help you understand where your church is, and to help it become a disciple making church, we are releasing a new FREE audiobook of the study—the listening time is around 30 minutes. To download this free resource, click here: National Study: The State of Disciple Making Churches Free Audiobook.
The question at the heart of this study was this: what percentage of evangelical churches in the US have a disciple making culture? We discovered five disciple making church profiles at different levels. These included:
Level 1 – Subtracting From Disciple Making Efforts
These level 1 churches are numerically declining churches and 29% of the churches in the US fit into this category.
Level 2 – Plateaued – Neither Helping nor Hindering Disciple Making
Level 2 churches are numerically plateaued churches. 44% of the churches in the US fit into this category.
Level 3 – Adding Disciples by Church Programs
Level 3 churches are numerically growing churches (by addition) and 27% of the churches in the US fit into this category.
Level 4 – Reproducing Personal Disciple Makers
Level 4 churches are part of numerically growing churches and are characterized as churches reproducing disciples and disciple making – less than 5% of churches in the US fit into this category.
Level 5 – Multiplying Personal Disciple Makers
Unfortunately, the study did not yet find clear examples of Level 5 churches that are statistically verifiable examples of churches in North America that fit into this category.
You can listen to this new FREE audio resource and learn about what it means to be a disciple making church by clicking here: National Study: The State of Disciple Making Churches Free Audiobook
You can download a free 10-minute visual guide of the study here: National Study: The State of Disciple Making Churches: A 10 Minute Visual Guide
You can also download a free eBook copy of the full report here: National Study on Disciple Making in USA Churches
Interested in a free eBook on Disciple Making Metrics? Check out our free Disciple Making Metrics eBook