How Dysfunctional Discipleship Derails the Great Commission Today
- JoannaNg
- Oct 15
- 9 min read
Updated: Oct 18
In a large Christian gathering, a small-framed woman voiced what many felt: ‘Why does church life feel thinner even as our calendars feel fuller?’ Heads nodded across the room. The data echo that frustration: in the U.S., weekly or near-weekly attendance has slipped to about 30% (down from roughly 42% two decades ago), and membership in houses of worship has fallen below 50% for the first time in Gallup’s long-running trend. Pew reports Christians now comprise about 62% of U.S. adults (down from 78% in 2007), with monthly attendance hovering in the low 30s. Canada shows a similar drift: Christians accounted for 53.3% in the 2021 census, and recent surveys suggest the share may have dipped into the low 40s. Against this backdrop—and the shared ache of crowded programs, exhaustion from volunteering, thin formation, and little life transformation—a sharper question presses in: have our church models produced crowds while neglecting disciple-making disciples?
In statistics, a ‘primary unit’ is the distinct entity we measure. A common church model—especially in mega-churches—treats the institution as that primary unit: an incorporated nonprofit with constitutions and buildings, staffed by paid leaders, overseen by boards, and funded through tax-deductible giving. In this institution-oriented church model, pastors function like executives, programs and events are prioritized to attract crowds, and success is tallied by attendance, membership, and donations. The result is lopsided: a spiritual elite—the ‘1%’—sets the agenda while the remaining 99% become spectators or volunteers, serving the institution rather than being equipped in faith and built into spiritual maturity. Such a model may draw crowds, but it rarely nurtures Jesus’ sheep into disciple-making disciples.
By definition, disciples make disciples. Disciple-making disciples are followers of Christ whose lives are worthy of Him—bearing witness to His light. Their faith and obedience in Christ concretely illustrate the transforming power of the gospel. They naturally share Christ with others and, in doing so, become disciple-making disciples. Are these the fruits our churches are bearing? Jesus said, ‘You will recognize them by their fruits’ (Matthew 7:18–20).
The Church Jesus envisioned is radically different from the institution-oriented church model. What Christ focused on in His final forty days showed us His priorities for the Church He died for. He gave no blueprint for building institutions—no constitution, governance model, or bylaws—and His chosen disciples were hardly ‘executive material.’ Instead, His singular focus was the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), organically advanced through Spirit-empowered witnesses (Acts 1:8): lives transformed not by human striving, but by faith in the Word, the Cross, and the power of the Spirit.
These transformed lives become living letters from Christ (2 Corinthians 3:2-3)—not written with ink but inscribed by the Spirit on human hearts—drawing others to Him through the power of the Spirit, manifested in the supernaturally transformed lives of His people, not through institutional programs or events. It is why Christ gave the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11-14): not to control or govern as executive leadership, but for the equipping and maturing of every believer into spiritual maturity – in order that they gain the spiritual competence to do the good works that God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Even practical tasks like food distribution in the early Church required those full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6), underscoring that spiritual maturity was the standard, not organizational skill.
In Christ’s Kingdom-oriented model of the Church, the true ‘primary unit’ is the heart and soul—transformed by the blood of Christ and the power of the Gospel. It has never been the institution.
The glaring misalignment, the phenomenon of dissonance between the institution-oriented church model and the Kingdom-oriented church model, so dear to Christ’s heart, is coined Lopsided Priesthood Syndrome (LPS).
Scripture affirms every believer’s priestly identity: ‘You are a royal priesthood’ (1 Pet. 2:9) and ‘Jesus has made us a kingdom and priests’ (Rev. 1:6). Yet the institution-oriented church model often centralizes spiritual authority in an elite ‘1%,’ who set the agenda for the rest.
For the ‘99%,’ ‘good works’ (Ephesians. 2:10) get reduced to church volunteering—frequently disconnected from their God-given purpose for their lives (Psalm. 139:13–16). The result is a people left uninformed and ill-equipped in spiritual maturity, lacking the core competencies needed to fulfill God’s call on their lives.
If discipleship is the heartbeat of the Church, is the heart still beating?
When LPS becomes established, discipleship falters—and the Great Commission suffers:
#1. Stunted Spiritual Transformation: When discipleship is dysfunctional, the Church, Christ’s body, is not being built up, leaving many in spiritual infancy—lacking discernment, depth, and wisdom. They are untrained to walk by the Spirit; unable to wield Spirit-taught words for a Spirit-empowered life. Many are misled by titles and religious performance, mistaking their platform with power and applause with anointing. In the economy of God’s kingdom, faith is the currency —developed through surrender, tested by tough situations, and anchored in Christ. Faith is paramount, without it, we lack the testimonies and credibility to stand as His witnesses. What remains is a hollow shell—an appearance of godliness without power—destined to crumble when the shaking comes.
#2. Making the Dispersed Church Irrelevant to the World: The institutional mindset defines “church” largely by its gathered mode—typically weekends—while neglecting its mission in the dispersed mode, where believers live out their faith in everyday life. This blind spot squanders Kingdom opportunities in workplaces, homes, and neighborhoods—the very places where God’s people are already sent and strategically placed. Yet, when not being built up in Christ into spiritual maturity, being ill-equipped—they remain dysfunctional as priests of the Kingdom where Christ has already placed them.
#3. The Missed Opportunity to Live a Life Worthy of Christ. Many believers remain unaware of God’s unique calling on their lives. Drifting without purpose, they forfeit the fullness Christ died to give and miss the deep joy of walking in His eternal purpose. One day they could have stood before God and said, “I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave me to do” (John 17:4).
#4. Breeding a Toxic Church Culture. When church leadership mirrors corporate governance, disagreements and differences of opinion often escalate into power struggles, manipulation, and even spiritual abuse. An institution-oriented church model prioritizes protecting institution reputations and avoiding law suits through political maneuvering and the scramble for decision-making power. Accountability gives way to denial, gaslighting, and rationalization—discipleship is displaced by abuse. By contrast, a Kingdom-oriented church model seeks first Christ’s kingdom and His righteousness, serving, nurturing, and protecting the sheep entrusted by Christ, walking in the light with nothing to hide.
The Solution: Priesthood Of All Saints (POAS) — Make priesthood democratization a priority, the Father's business - by building up Christ’s people into spiritual maturity. Then, at Christ strategically placement (Ephesians 2:10), typically at their dispersed mode, being trained how to walk by the Spirit (Romans 8:4); wielding Spirit-taught words (Ephesians 5:17-18) to live a victorious life in Christ, they become His light in dark places, speak His truth in boldness, drawing others to Christ.
The Great Commission demands all hands-on deck – the 99% are just as Christ’s kingdom priests as the 1% -- advancing His Kingdom on earth in different lanes, accordance to His placement in life.
Pivot begins with repentance – turning away from an institution-oriented church model of man towards a Kingdom-oriented church model that is so dear to the heart of Christ. This pivot requires at least four shifts of mindset.
Mindset Shift 1: Regarding the Function of "Church"
From Institutional Playgrounds to Training Centers of Kingdom-priests
Institution-oriented churches often treat the church as the exclusive playing field for God’s work, prioritizing programs and events and mobilizing the ninety-nine percent to serve institutional goals set by the one percent—rather than equipping them to fulfill God’s unique purposes for their lives.
By contrast, the Priesthood of All Saints (POAS) envisions the church as a training center—where leaders feed and tend Jesus’ flock because they love Him, fulfilling His charge: “Do you love me? … Feed my sheep” (John 21:15–17). The aim is clear: every believer is a priest (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6), called to serve wherever God has strategically placed them—their Esther-like assignments.
Carrying out divine assignment well with true Kingdom impact requires spiritual maturity, cultivated through personal and relational discipleship (Ephesians. 4:12–13; Col. 2:19).
Those Christ calls as builders are warned that the quality of their work will be tested. Some build with gold, silver, precious stones; others with wood, hay, straw. On the Day, Christ’s judgment will reveal each work “by fire.” If it endures, there is reward; if it burns, there is loss—though the builder may yet be saved (1 Cor. 3:10–15).
Mindset Shift 2: Regarding the role of the 1%:
From Executive Governing to Spiritual Coaching
Institution-oriented church model runs ministry like an enterprise by the 1%, who operate as CEOs and planners. Metrics like attendance and donations define success. The 99% are enlisted without spiritually being built up.
Instead of positioning the 1% as the key players, POAS churches redefine the role of the 1% as coaches, builders, and spiritual mentors (1 Corinthians 3:9-14) who equip the 99%, the actual players, to grow in spiritual maturity so that they are able to fulfill their Kingdom assignments.
Institution-oriented churches emphasize knowledge transfer through programs. Kingdom-oriented churches prioritize experience transfer through life-giving relationships. Disciplers invite disciples to follow them as they follow Christ. As Paul writes, ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Jesus’ relationship with the Twelve gives us the example to follow.
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care,
watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing,
as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
And when the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
1 Peter 5:2-4
These coaches cultivate a pipeline of disciple-makers. Success is not measured by programs or popularity, but by fruit that lasts for eternity:
the lost are found
the found become disciple-making disciples, as players play to win—trained and released by their coaches.
Christ-approved coaches lay Jesus as the only foundation and build with gold (1 Corinthians 3:11-13). Their joy is the fruitfulness of their disciples bearing fruit of lasting impact.
Mindset Shift 3: Regarding the identity of the 99%
From Church Volunteers to Spirit-empowered Priests in the Assigned Playing Field.
POAS reclaims the identity of every believer. No longer confined to Sunday-only spectators or volunteers, but believers live with purpose—carrying their identity in Christ into their workplaces, homes, and communities as Spirit-empowered witnesses.
Each believer has a race uniquely marked out by God. POAS churches exist to train and equip them to run that race to win. Weekend gatherings are no longer stages for performance, but spaces for building up the body. Witnesses come with fresh testimonies. Their callings are recognized, their burdens supported, and their journeys lifted in prayer.
The Church comes alive in both gathered and dispersed modes—where every believer is a Kingdom priest, and every church a Spirit-led training center, launching transformed lives to transform the people in the world as empowered by the Spirit.
How do we know a coach is good?
By the wins of the players they’ve trained.
And how do we know the players are winning?
When the lost are found and the found become Jesus-loving disciples—right where those players are sent to play with solid training.
Mindset Shift 4: Regarding the "playground' to serve God
From Sacred-Secular Divide to Kingdom Holism.
LPS churches diminish the sacredness of everyday life.
Family, work, and service beyond church walls are often dismissed as ‘secular’ and unrelated to God’s kingdom. This imbalance over-commits believers to volunteer for church programs while neglecting their primary callings—in their professions, in their families as husbands and wives, fathers and mothers—thereby weakening their witness for Christ among non-believers and creating spiritual dissonance in the world.
In contrast, POAS affirms the sacredness of both gathered and dispersed church life. God strategically places believers to fulfill His purposes wherever they are. When this vision takes root, homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods become vibrant fields for Kingdom advance—worked by the players their coaches have trained.
Christ’s Kingdom-oriented church model is to advance His Kingdom on earth through transformed lives—Spirit-empowered witnesses whose faith is built up into maturity by the very functions Christ gave to His Church (Ephesians 4:12-13), then dispersed to shine His light at every corner in the world of darkness.
The Great Commission cannot be fulfilled by the 1% alone; it is the ninety-nine percent, scattered across every sector of society, who carry the gospel where pastors cannot go.
The Church, His Body, is His people. Christ did not die for any religious organizations. An institution-oriented model of church obstructs Christ’s Kingdom ministry, so dear to His heart.
Christ did not die to found religious institutions, but to raise a people formed into spiritual maturity—Kingdom-effective priests called to establish His reign on earth. The Church is the gathered and sent Body of Spirit-filled believers, flowing like living water into the world. As royal priests, mature in Christ and led by the Spirit, they become salt and light—for His glory.
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