The Discipleship Gap
Great Commission teaching aims to direct disciples to move their learned information into practical application to grow into Christ's likeness and live out his commands in their daily lives.
In his book Deliberate Simplicity, David Browning highlights a critical danger in most discipleship attempts, saying that "the gap holding back most believers is not the gap between what they know and what they don’t know. It’s the gap between what they know and what they’re living. Many Christians are trafficking in unlived truth. They are educated beyond their obedience.”[1] Christians understand and can communicate their faith, theology, or scripture but fail to live out what they’ve learned daily. The value of the Christian life is not entirely in what we know but in what we do. James emphasizes to the Jewish Christians scattered outside Israel that they should not merely listen to God’s word but actively live it out (James 1:22-25). He clarifies that faith is not just an abstract idea but a visible reflection of Christ in a believer through action. James argues that faith without works is merely empty words, while faith accompanied by action speaks for itself without explanation (James 2:14-19).
Proper discipleship combines correct beliefs with practical application in a disciple’s daily life. Trafficking unlived truths are more dangerous than dealing or trading illegal goods when considering the eternal ramifications for the person circulating biblical truths without personally living them out. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) embraces teaching; in fact, teaching is essential to making disciples. However, the focus is on transforming lives, not merely transferring information. Frank Stagg explains that obedience is the objective behind teaching in the context of the Great Commission, saying, “The teaching commanded involves instruction, but that is not the emphasis. The command is to teach obedience—to observe all that Jesus commanded. . .The emphasis is not upon doctrine or study but upon actual obedience to Jesus’ commands.”[2] Making disciples goes beyond sharing knowledge; it’s about developing life change. Great Commission teaching aims to direct disciples to move their learned information into practical application to grow into Christ's likeness and live out his commands in their daily lives.
Browning illudes to the gap in most disciples' lives as their unwillingness to apply what they know in actionable obedience. Most Christians don't need another Bible study or sermon in their lifetime. They already know enough. They must start using what they already know. Most believers haven’t placed a limit on their commitment to learning, but they have drawn a line where their obedience ceases to avoid interfering with their daily lives. Jesus warns of building on the wrong foundation (Matt. 7:24-29). The foundation of rock represents one who hears and acts on Jesus' words. The foundation of sand represents the one who listens, but the action does not accompany. Jesus emphasizes in a few verses earlier that verbal acknowledgment, ‘Lord, Lord,’ is not enough “but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21b, CSB).
In his letter to Titus, Paul calls those who deny God by their works rebellious people (Titus 1:10); in this context, these were false teachers. Paul says, “They claim to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work” (Titus 1:16, CSB). Their profession to know God highlights the point that “They have theoretical knowledge of God, but practically know Him not.”[3] The works of faith are observable, and the works of the rebellious: “detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.”
Perhaps modern discipleship has emphasized theory over practical application too much. This might explain the gap between what disciples know and how they live those truths. It is hard to misunderstand Jesus’ intention behind his commission to the disciples. He wanted them to replicate the process they had gone through with him—a journey of experiential truths developed through intentional relationships where teaching was practical. When correction was needed, it was provided to align those truths with spiritual growth. To advance the Great Commission, discipleship efforts must seek to eliminate the gap. That first begins by acknowledging that it exists, which should be evident since most Christians “are trafficking in unlived truth. They are educated beyond their obedience.”[4] Second, the church must develop teaching strategies emphasizing the practical application of learned information.
How is true spiritual maturity measured in your ministry context? Why would someone continue to educate themselves in the truths of scripture without wanting to live them? What method can be implemented in discipleship to merge learning with practical application?
[1] David Browning, Deliberate Simplicity: How the Church Does More by Doing Less (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 33.
[2] Frank Stagg, “Matthew,” in Matthew–Mark, ed. Clifton J. Allen, Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1969), 252.
[3] David Brown, A. R. Fausset, and Robert Jamieson, A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments: Acts–Revelation, vol. VI (London; Glasgow: William Collins, Sons, & Company, Limited, n.d.), 518.
[4] David Browning, Deliberate Simplicity, 33.
I feel as some people may view spiritual maturity as more knowledge but I think it’s reflected more on your relationship with God, are you closer with God than you were a year ago, a few months ago, etc, you have to be growing not stalling or stale. Also examining our hearts and asking ourselves “are we growing in love, compassion, and humility?”
I think people tend to just get more knowledge scripturally and not live it out just as the Pharisees did. They knew the Law front and back, back to front and did all the religious obligations and rituals but they missed the whole point of Jesus’s messages. People tend to prioritize outward rules/ laws/ status that they lack inner transformation.
A method that’s been working for me is setting goals of virtues we struggle with, studying into one virtue, and learning what it means for us to live that way, and how we can live in alignment to our beliefs and then taking that into accountability and challenging ourselves to use what we’ve learned and apply it to our everyday lives.
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When Jesus speaks about building on a firm foundation that’s preparation for anything you’re going to build first. You have to put the foundation down. Our God is a God of preparation. He spent six days making the world livable for us before he put us in it. He planned good works for us to walk in before the foundation of the world He chose us. We didn’t choose him.
One of my favorite parts of the Luke chapter 2 Christmas story is Luke chapter 1, and all the miracles he did proceeding the birth of Jesus. He makes a way for us ahead of time. Discipleship is preparation for someone else’s ministry whatever God has called them to so in the teaching we have to model the doing, lead by example so part of discipleship needs to be accountability. iron sharpens iron and when you’re discipling someone you need to either be their accountability partner or help them find one so that when they’re out in the world living their life they’re actually living the truth that they’re learning and not just learning it. , even Satan knows the Bible, but he doesn’t live it.
How is true spiritual maturity measured in your ministry context? by hearing the children testify about what they’re actually doing during the week like going with their parents and helping people in need and actually live out the principles that Jesus teaches us.
Why would someone continue to educate themselves in the truths of scripture without wanting to live them? I cannot imagine not wanting to know more about God and educating yourself through the Bible his word and any other resources satisfies a hunger inside but living what you’ve learned is a different thing because it’s not feeding yourself it’s giving of yourself. it’s sacrificial. I don’t know why anybody would not want to do it Can be painful and we too quickly forget the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. I think if we continue to refocus on that, it would be easy to give and give and give because he gave everything.
What method can be implemented in discipleship to merge learning with practical application? Serving is a great way to live what you learn from Jesus they’re 1000 lessons in every active service going on missions even right here at home starting from here and working out we can learn so much from patience to sharing love to not judging to 1 million of Jesus’s lessons, just by serving somebody else and loving somebody else the way he loves people and a physical, everyday practical kind of way.