MAKING DISCIPLES VS. HAVING BAPTISMS

C. Philip Slate

Books about church members who drop out are numerous and scattered over many decades.1 The list is long from both Protestant and Roman Catholic writers and researchers. Our own Flavil Yeakley, Jr. has produced Why They Left (Gospel Advocate, 2014). What reasons are there for doing such studies, however, unless we are willing to do something about what we learn? Given the desire to reduce dropouts, however, what can be done?

It can be a challenge to stabilize and mature new converts, but it is an inherent of the disciple-making process. All New Testament books have for at least one of their purposes that of stabilizing, strengthening, or protecting those who decided to follow Jesus. Paul mentioned his vigorous effort to “present every man mature in Christ” (Col. 1:27). He contended that people need to be so equipped for ministry that they will no longer be “tossed about by every wind of doctrine” but be so nurtured that they will grow up in Christ (Eph. 4:11–16). Later in that epistle he instructed them about spiritual warfare (6:10–20). The writer of the “word of exhortation” (Heb. 13:22) to Jewish believers bemoaned the lack of maturity of his readers (5:11–14) and urged on them the need to “go on to maturity” (6:1ff). Underlying all such passages is the desire both to protect the vulnerable and build them up in positive godliness. Those objectives should continue for all who endeavor to be biblically shaped disciples. Initial conversion, turning to Christ in faithful obedience, is the beginning, not the terminus of discipleship.

One Teacher’s experience. For nearly six decades I have tried to mature new converts in one way or another in two countries and in ten congregations. One conclusion I have reached is that regular attendance alone at both our assemblies and regular Bible classes does not provide all that new converts need. They inform me they are reluctant to ask their most pressing questions in Bible classes, feeling they are the only ones who don’t know that already! Even when they are given to diligent personal study, they do not know what they need to know both to survive and grow. Besides that, several studies indicate that understanding how the church “works,” finding at least a meaningful ministry, and developing a sense of belonging are at least as crucial as knowing more Bible. See footnotes 5 and 9. As a rule, all of these spiritual development components need special, focused attention by more mature Christians if new converts are to remain steadfast in their faith and grow in holiness.

Catechism: Early in Christian history, the church developed “catechism.” That word, often associated with Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and other groups as preparation for “confirmation,” is from a Greek word (κατηχέω; kateecheoo) that appears eight times in seven verses in the New Testament (Lk. 1:4; Acts 18:24; 21:21, 24; Rom. 2:18; Gal. 6:6; and 1 Cor. 14:19). As the contexts indicate, the basic meaning is teaching, instructing, or passing on information. In time it came to be used for formal instruction prior to baptism so the product would not be “wet pagans.” In the late 2nd century the Catechetical School of Alexandria, headed by Pantaenus, and later by Clement and Origin, “addressed itself to the propagation of the Christian faith among the more cultured classes” than to the preparation of basic believers for baptism,2 but the idea of “instruction” was basic. Thus, “catechetical” instruction took various forms, but in all cases, it was recognized in earlier years that being a follower of Jesus involved growth in both understanding and behavior.

There is nothing about the passage of centuries that changes the basic tenants of making disciples, even though changing circumstances necessarily require adjustments in curriculum and methods of such instruction. Indeed, as McNeill has shown, many religions and most expressions of Christianity have recognized their responsibility to “care for the souls” of new converts.3 Malherbe has shown that pagan philosophers in the time of Paul were very deliberate in their efforts to stabilize and strengthen those who had recently undertaken to be philosophers, and that Jews did the same thing with proselytes.4 Both groups had learned that for positive and negative reasons it was imperative to solidify initial decisions about life. Malherbe demonstrates how Paul used some of the same culturally appropriate techniques to stabilize the Thessalonians. It is well known that when people embrace radically new ideas and behaviors, many factors can cause them to feel the tug to return to the old way. The church is remiss if it does not take the initiative to provide some form of deliberate spiritual formation and ministry development in the lives of new converts.

Several years ago, Dr. Gayle Crowe, now with World Christian Broadcasting Corporation, did a Doctor of Ministry thesis on the retention of new converts. He noted that many books existed on why church members drop out, but that few studies have focused on the salient features of keeping converts and helping them to grow. The presupposition of his study was confirmed, that “the convert’s ultimate faithfulness or unfaithfulness is as much a matter of the church’s attitude and actions toward him as his own determination to remain faithful.”5 So much was that the case he concluded the church must bear at least 50% of the responsibility if a new convert reverts or falls away within the first three to five years after baptism. He contended that in order to keep and develop new converts, “churches must first become aware that spiritual growth does not just happen; it requires the assistance of mentors who will guide the way up the spiritual path in a variety of creative ways” (p. 95). How can that be done today? The question-answer method of classical catechisms is now a largely inappropriate way of going about the task. Since that is the case, what are appropriate means of helping?

Among those who really take Scripture seriously, it is common to say, or at least to feel, that strong Bible teaching will provide what the convert needs. Well, yes and no. What parts of Scripture do you have in mind? There is a lot of information in those sixty-six books! Where do you begin with a new convert? Read through 1 Thessalonians and notice how Paul dealt with those new coverts from paganism. He did more than give them Bible lessons. Leaders are to “watch over the souls” of believers (Heb. 13:17). How, then, is it to be done today in the Euro-American area?

Helps and Helpers. I have a list of no less than eighteen books and lesson sets, as well as one filmstrip, designed to instruct and guide new converts.6 Indeed, I produced a little study guide for use in the North American situation,7 seeking to fill in some of the gaps I see in older works. Converts to Christ nowadays bring with them baggage that was not common in the 1940s–1970s. Additionally, there is currently a lot of helpful material on making disciples.8 The big problem seems to be, however, that most churches I know have no realistic commitment to use such helps in working meaningfully with new converts. Where that is the case, the church must accept a significant slice of the blame for the spiritual demise of those “who were once enlightened.”

On the other hand, I have known several people who are most grateful for the focused attention given to them soon after their baptism into Christ. In some cases, it was a specialized class, while in others it was more a matter of individual guidance and mentoring. In addition to understanding the Christian system, if it may be put that way, other factors are known to be important for the growth and development of babes in Christ.9 A church that wants to be obedient to Jesus Christ will have some deliberate and routine means of helping new converts to Christ to survive and thrive.

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1 Kirk Hadaway, What Can We Do about Church Dropouts (Abingdon, 1990); Thom Rainer, Essential Church (Broadman & Holman, 2008); David Kinnaman, Unchristian (Baker Books, 2007) are samples.

2 “Catechetical School of Alexandria” in The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, edited by Frank L. Cross (London: Oxford University Press, 1974), p. 248.

3 John T. McNeill, History of The Care of Souls (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1951) is a standard work on the subject.

4 Abraham J. Malherbe, Paul and the Thessalonians (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987), 36–46.

5 Gayle M. Crowe, “Incorporating New Members into the Local Church: A Study of Methods, Practices, and Attitudes,” DMin thesis. Harding Graduate School of Religion. Memphis, TN. 1986. Page 2.

6 I’ll send an electronic list to those who request it: cpsmissions@gmail.com

7 C. Philip Slate, Risen! The First Forty Days of Your Christian Life (Cincinnati: DeWard Publishers, 2016). I recommend that this elementary introduction be followed by broader and deeper studies.

8 Making disciples has nothing to do with the Crossroads and Boston church abuses. It has all to do with being obedient to what Jesus said to do (Matt. 28:19–20). We don’t abandon preaching or the eldership just because a few people have abused those positions or works.

9 Don Loftis did a Guided Research project at Harding School of Theology that involved interviewing converts that remained and those that left. He found that “understanding the way the church functions” and “feeling a part of the church” were perceived as stronger factors for remaining faithful than Bible knowledge and other factors. Ordinary Bible classes alone, important as they are, might not supply either of those items. Correspondingly, those who fell away cited the lack of understanding how the church functions and the feeling of not belonging as greater factors than lack of Bible knowledge.