Many pastors are looking for the secret to church growth. They have tried various programs and done all they know, yet something still feels missing in the equation.
I was talking with a pastor friend last week who was crushing it with weekend attendance but privately admitted something that hit me hard: “We’re a mile wide and an inch deep.” His church was growing in numbers but not in spiritual depth.
Sound familiar? Maybe you’re in the opposite boat—your core people could teach seminary classes, but you haven’t seen a new face in months.
Here’s the truth bomb: churches that thrive long-term nail both discipleship AND evangelism. Not one. Both.
It’s like trying to breathe with one lung. You might survive, but running a marathon would be nearly impossible.
1. Creating Clear Discipleship Pathways
Let’s be honest—most of our people have no idea what the next step in their spiritual journey should be.
“Read your Bible and pray” isn’t a pathway; it’s a start. A real pathway answers: “I’ve accepted Christ… now what?” with clarity that my 7-year-old could understand.
Your pathway doesn’t need to be fancy. It needs to be CLEAR.
Our church uses a simple “Discover → Connect → Serve → Lead” model. Nothing revolutionary. But everyone knows exactly where they are and what comes next.
Pro tip: Design your pathway with the end in mind. What does a fully-formed disciple look like in your context? Work backward from there.
2. Maintaining Outward Focus
Can I be blunt? Churches die when they start existing for themselves.
I’ve seen too many church plants hit the 3-year mark and subtly shift all their energy toward keeping current members happy. Suddenly every conversation is about carpet color and coffee quality instead of the lost in your community.
Here’s what works: calendared outreach. Not just random events, but strategic rhythms that keep your people engaged with those outside your walls.
Every quarter, our church does what we call “Love Bomb Weekends” where we serve our community in practical ways. Even our most introverted members get excited about these weekends because they’re actually seeing the gospel in action.
Tough question time: When was the last time your leadership meeting spent more time discussing outreach than internal issues?
3. Measuring Spiritual Formation
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” That business principle applies to discipleship too.
But let’s not measure the easy stuff (attendance, giving) and ignore the important stuff (actual life transformation).
Try this: identify 5-7 markers of spiritual growth that matter in your context. Maybe it’s:
- Regular engagement with Scripture
- Serving consistently
- Intentional relationships with non-believers
- Financial generosity
- Accountability in community
Then, create simple ways to track progress. We use a twice-yearly “spiritual health assessment” that helps people self-evaluate where they’re growing and where they’re stuck.
Reality check: Your church will naturally drift toward whatever you celebrate and measure.
4. Equipping Members as Disciple-Makers
The game-changer? Stop seeing your members as ministry consumers and start seeing them as ministry providers.
Most people sitting in your church right now believe disciple-making is your job, not theirs. That’s a problem.
We destroyed this mindset by highlighting ordinary people doing extraordinary discipleship. The stay-at-home mom mentoring younger women. The construction worker having Bible studies on lunch breaks. The teenager discipling friends at school.
Create a culture where the win isn’t just personal growth—it’s helping someone else grow.
Mind-blower: What if every person in your church was actively discipling just ONE other person? Your impact would literally double every year.
5. Building Evangelistic Opportunities into Church Life
Last point, and it’s a doozy. Evangelism shouldn’t be an event; it should be baked into your church’s DNA.
Make your weekend services “guest-ready” without watering down the gospel. Create regular, non-threatening environments where believers naturally invite friends.
Our church does monthly “Discussion Nights” around topics that matter to everyone (relationships, purpose, anxiety, etc.). The content is biblical but accessible, and our people know these are perfect invite opportunities.
Hot take: If your church members aren’t inviting friends, it’s probably because they don’t believe their unchurched friends would connect with what happens in your gatherings.
The Secret Balance Formula
So here’s the real secret: Evaluate your church honestly. Which direction do you naturally lean? Then intentionally strengthen your weaker side for the next six months.
Remember, balance doesn’t mean equal time for both. It means appropriate attention to both based on your current reality.
The healthiest churches I know have this figured out—they’re making disciples who make disciples AND they’re consistently reaching people far from God.
It’s not either/or. It’s both/and.
About the author
Jeff Hoglen, D.Min.
Jeff Hoglen, D.Min., leads ChurchPlanting.com and is the author of Church Planting Done Different. He helps equip pastors and church planters with practical resources for healthy leadership, sustainable churches, and multiplication.
