Winning Souls but Making No Disciples

An honest look at the quiet epidemic in today’s church.

Alright, family… we need to pause for a second and get honest.

Because something is going on in the church, and it’s not small.

It’s loud, it’s growing, and it needs serious attention.

There’s an epidemic in the house of God… and it’s time we talk about it.

We are obsessed with winning souls. And listen, that’s beautiful. Heaven throws a whole party when one soul gives their life to Christ (Luke 15:10 ) That moment is precious.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

We win souls… and then we leave a gaping hole where discipleship and personal intimacy should be.

People give their lives to Jesus, show up on Sundays, attend a few activities, maybe serve — and yet no one teaches them what life in Christ truly looks like. No one walks them through transformation. No one sits with them or shows them the true model of discipleship. And because of this, we’ve created something dangerous: unbelieving believers.

I know — it sounds wild. But look around.

We’ve blended in so smoothly with the culture that you can barely tell a believer from an unbeliever anymore. Same habits. Same moral lines. Same perverted entertainment. Same lustful music. Same fornication, cheating, gossip, unforgiveness, shady business and the list goes on — all wrapped in a “Christian” bow.

The problem?

There was no true transformation.

We came into the church, but we never truly came out of the world.

The Bible already told us plainly, “Come out from among them ( the world) and be separate…” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

But who is teaching us how to actually do that?

Who is modeling it?

Who is shepherding souls into godly habits, devotion, holiness, obedience, discipline, and intimacy with Jesus?

And before anyone asks, “Why are you coming for the church?” — I’ll tell you.

I have three reasons.

1. The Church Has a Mandate to Teach Believers How to Come Out of the World

The church is supposed to be the greenhouse where new believers grow into mature disciples — not a spiritual lounge where we just sit and clap on Sundays.

Yet the average Christian doesn’t read their Bible, isn’t encouraged to study their Bible, and doesn’t know the God they claim to follow.

My favorite line still stands:

“How can you follow a God you don’t know? And how can you know Him if you don’t read His Word?”

If you don’t know His Word, you won’t know His standards.

If you don’t know His standards, you won’t understand His ways.

And here’s the kicker — Jesus didn’t tell us:

“Go win souls only .”

He said, “Go therefore and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19).

Winning souls is only step one.

If we don’t lead them into discipleship, intimacy, and obedience, it’s an incomplete assignment — and an incomplete assignment is still an F.

We cannot pat ourselves on the back because someone repeated a salvation prayer.

That’s the doorway — not the destination.

The church must build systems and structures that emphasize:

• daily personal intimacy with Jesus

• biblical discipleship

• obedience and transformation

• “working out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)

Sunday services alone cannot do this.

Midweek services alone cannot do this.

This requires intentional discipleship — the kind Jesus Himself modeled.

2. The Church Is Feeding Believers Milk… and Calling It Meat

There is a hierarchy in Scripture — spiritual growth has stages.

The Bible says,

“Like newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word…” (1 Peter 2:2).

And later,

“You should be eating meat by now…” (Hebrews 5:12–14).

Just like babies crawl before they walk, believers need foundational teachings before advanced teachings.

But what do we do?

We skip the crawling stage.

We hand out sermons meant for “walking Christians” while the newborns are starving on the floor.

And another problem — oh boy — is our obsession with the hyper grace message. Don’t get me wrong… grace is beautiful. Transformational. Essential.

But if all you preach is grace ( in wrong context), and you avoid topics like:

• holiness

• righteousness

• justice

• obedience

• dying to self

• discipline

• the fear of God

…you create a spiritually sick believer.

A malnourished Christian.

A person living on one vitamin when God provided a whole pantry.

Balance is necessary for growth.

3. The Church Has Made the Minor the Major

We love preaching about:

• marriage

• business

• finances

• kingdom entrepreneurship

All wonderful topics.

All necessary.

But here’s the truth…

How can someone run a godly home when their foundation in Christ is shaky?

How can they build a kingdom business when their spiritual roots are shallow?

We’re trying to teach people how to run before teaching them how to crawl.

Where are the conferences on:

• discipleship

• personal intimacy with Jesus

• surrender

• seeking the will of God

• pruning

• sanctification

• suffering as a believer

• dying daily

• carrying your cross

These are the messages that form a believer’s backbone.

These are the topics that build spiritual endurance.

These are the truths that separate disciples from churchgoers.

If all the church tells people is “come to church, come to church, come to church,”

but never teaches them how to walk with Jesus outside of church, we have a big problem.

The church must create biblical discipleship structures that help believers cultivate consistent, personal intimacy with God — not just attendance, not just activities, not just events.

Final Thought

Winning souls is beautiful. Necessary. Heaven celebrates it.

But heaven also expects transformation.

Heaven expects disciples.

Heaven expects a people that reflect Jesus — not blend with the world.

We don’t just need more Christians.

We need more disciples.

And disciples aren’t made in a moment.

They’re made through devotion.

Through intimacy.

Through teaching.

Through surrender.

Through process.

Through daily fellowship with the One who saved them.

May the church arise to do the full work — not just win souls, but form disciples.

Because that’s the heart of Jesus.

And that’s the only way the world will truly see Him through us.

Music time!

🎵“This Is War” – Sound of Salem

My go-to when I just need to dance, praise, and remind the enemy I didn’t come to play.

🎵“Earthen Vessel” – Theophilus Sunday

This is my mindset right now — just gliding, surrendered, and letting Holy Spirit break out of me!