Jesus didn’t define church doctrine. He didn’t create church roles or offices. He didn’t walk up and down the beach expounding the Torah, nor did he try to indoctrinate anyone. His purpose was simply to introduce God’s Kingdom through example and discipleship. His approach? Teach, model, test, correct, and send. We should do the same. Yet statistics and experience suggest that most church leaders and pastors don’t understand Jesus-style discipleship or follow this model, often choosing instead to label ‘indoctrination’ as discipleship. Let me share a couple of examples.

My wife and I recently visited several churches to find a new church home after our move last year. Whether a church is active in community outreach and discipleship matters, especially since love and discipleship are the two main things churches should pursue. So I always ask … On one occasion, I poked an elder and asked, “What does your church do for discipleship?” His answer? “We have a discipleship class on Wednesday nights.” Me: “Oh? What will you teach this week?” The elder said, “We’re going to teach people about free will.”

I guess that made sense, since that church’s doctrine is Augustinian Calvinism, which, among other things, teaches that ‘you can only freely do what God wills you to do’—a concept foreign to early Christians and generally contrary to God’s nature. No Church father before Augustine taught such a thing that defies God’s “I will if you will” nature and biblical language like “Choose!” If something so foundational, long accepted before Augustine, now requires deliberate instruction, the task resembles indoctrination more than discipleship.

On another occasion, I was asked to audit a discipleship manual someone had written and shared with me. I quickly noticed that the content was primarily intended to teach students how to be good church members: give, do, be. Given today’s church business model, that makes sense (even though, to be fair, some of the education and training touched on godly principles). The temptation would be to indoctrinate church members to be good members by giving and working, and to call it ‘discipleship.’ But that’s not what God has asked for, nor what Jesus modeled.

In both examples, human desires, doctrine, and performance took precedence over discipleship. There may be nothing malicious or evil at work, and it isn’t necessarily wrong: it’s just not right. Teaching church members to be good members can be helpful, but it doesn’t address God’s commands to love people and make disciples. On the other hand, indoctrinating people to profess things contrary to God’s desires or Christ’s teachings is wrong and unhelpful.

In summary, ask yourself (if you’re a church leader): “Am I equipping my people first and foremost to obey God as disciples and disciple-makers?” Next time, we’ll contrast the seemingly opposing concepts of free will and God’s sovereignty. In the meantime, please prioritize Jesus-style discipleship and avoid confusing it with church doctrine or business!

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley (MDiv; DMin)