According to many different surveys in America, around 90% of Americans believe in God and 86% say they are Christians. I have to ask the question does anyone believe this? I’m not sure I do. I can’t say who is a Christian or not – that is obviously God’s role. But let’s give the benefit of the doubt and say that almost everyone in America is a Christian. Why do we have such crime and immorality then? If there are that many Christians in our country then the problem in America is not evangelism it’s discipleship. What is the difference? Everything. I like the definition of discipleship from Mike Breen.

 “A disciple is someone who, with increased intentionality and passing time, has a life and ministry that looks more and more like the life and ministry of Jesus. They increasingly have his heart and character and are able to do the types of things we see Jesus doing.” – Mike Breen

Evangelism gets people into the Kingdom but discipleship trains them how to live in it. It is quite obvious that if 86% of Americans were over time taking on the life and ministry of Jesus it would be a radically different place. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 to make disciples not converts. How radical of a thought is this?

 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

According to Matthew 18:19 the Great Commission is discipleship not conversion. Interesting. If we changed our focus from making converts to making disciples what are the ramifications, for our nation, for our church? I’m not sure. But this I know, America as a nation needs to be discipled.

These are my thoughts, what do you think?