By david lyons

In the summer of 2020, the U.S. Navigators partnered with the Barna Group to survey over 2,000 individuals, all seeking to understand one crucial question: Why are so few people engaging in disciplemaking? The results were both revealing and challenging. Here are the top five reasons people gave for not becoming a disciplemaker:

I don’t feel qualified to address hard topics. (39%)
I don’t think I would be good at it. (38%)
I don’t feel knowledgeable enough about the Bible or Christianity. (33%)
This feels like the role of a church leader or ministry professional. (28%)
I wouldn’t know how to begin. (26%)

It's clear that disciplemaking has, for many, become too complex and intimidating. I’ve heard these very concerns echoed from numerous people I’ve attempted to disciple. They see my seminary background, professional ministry experience, and years of Bible study, and they draw a natural conclusion: “I could never do what you do.” This realization is sobering, as it reveals how unintentionally we might be discouraging others from stepping into disciplemaking.

But God is at work! Across the globe, nearly 2,000 disciplemaking movements have taken root and are flourishing. Surprisingly, very few of these movements are happening in North America—fewer than 100, in fact. This has led missiologists to study the factors hindering such movements in places like the U.S. In their findings, they identified what they called "movement killers," many of which, to our discomfort, are common even among us as Navigators.

In response to these findings, my colleagues and I have identified five key shifts[1] that are essential if we are to eliminate these movement blockers and reignite disciplemaking within our own context:

From Relying on Methods → to Practicing Extraordinary Prayer and Fasting
From Discipled by Me → to Discipled by Jesus
From Brokering Knowledge → to Igniting Action
From Individual Effort → to a Shared Journey
From Text-Based Teaching → to Adult Oral Learning

Please don’t misunderstand me—I am a firm advocate for biblical depth. I’ve spent decades diving deeply into Scripture, and I truly value in-depth Bible studies with my fellow Navigators. This foundation is particularly important as we wrestle with difficult issues—like how the Gospel is advancing among people from different backgrounds, including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, those in secular contexts, and LGBTQ individuals.

That said, not every disciplemaking movement needs to be large and fast. God often works through slow and small efforts, which has historically been one of the great strengths of Navigator ministry. But we must be careful not to complicate disciplemaking in ways that Jesus never did, lest we unintentionally hinder the movement of the Gospel.

In response to this challenge, a few friends and I have developed a tool designed to simplify disciplemaking for ordinary people. You can explore it at www.experiencetogether.app. Even before its official launch, nearly 1,000 people were using it. My wife, Renee, and I have witnessed firsthand the transformation of entire families in our neighborhood through this simple tool. It’s accessible enough for a child to engage with, yet deep enough for someone well-seasoned in faith to continue growing. I’ve found that I often grow just as much—if not more—than the people I’m discipling when I use this tool.

The phrase I hear most often, and which brings me the greatest joy, is this: “Oh! I can do that!” Those words—“I... can... do... that”—remind me of the power of making disciplemaking approachable.

Now, let’s be clear: simplifying disciplemaking isn’t a magic solution. The miracle of new birth in Christ will always be a work of God. But when those same individuals turn around and begin discipling others, it becomes an even greater miracle. Our role is to ensure that we’re not placing unnecessary burdens on those God is calling. Let’s keep disciplemaking simple—just like Jesus did—and invite ordinary people into this extraordinary journey. Let’s do this!

[1] You can find these paradigm shifts explained more fully at the Paradigm Shifts link at www.experiencetogether.com.