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Discipleship Deficit Found Among Churchgoers

The Wired Word for the Week of March 8, 2026

In the News

Study Shows Discipleship Deficit Exists Among U.S. Churchgoers. The Roys Report

Discipleship Deficit Exists Among U.S. Churchgoers. Lifeway Research

Church & Discipleship Statistics (2026). Ordinary Movement

Applying the News Story

Discuss what it means to be a disciple, how you can be a better student and follower of Christ, and what you can do to share him with others, as an individual and a church member.

The Big Questions

1. How do you engage the Bible each week, individually and in community?

2. When have you been challenged to obey God and deny yourself? Describe the experience. What was the result?

3. What actions do you take to serve God and others? How do you build relationships in the church? Be specific.

4. When, if ever, have you shared Christ with another person? How did you do it? What was the outcome of this sharing?

5. What do you do to seek God, both inside and outside of church?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

Proverbs 10:17
Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray. (For context, read Proverbs 10:11-32.)

The sayings in the book of Proverbs are attributed to the Israelite king Solomon, who has traditionally been linked to great wisdom. Chapter 10 begins a second collection of sayings, under the heading, "The proverbs of Solomon" (v. 1).

Many of the sayings are written in a form called "antithetical parallelism," in which one line carries a thought that is contrasted in the second line. A good example is, "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence" (v. 11). In verses 11 through 32, the importance of the mouth is stressed in numerous proverbs.

Since disciples are students who follow a teacher and learn from him or her, there are many proverbs that stress the importance of listening to wise speech: "On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found" (v. 13); "The tongue of the righteous is choice silver" (v. 20); "The lips of the righteous feed many" (v. 21); "The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom" (v. 31); and "The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable" (v. 32).

"Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life," says Solomon. This tells us that listening to the insightful speech of a good teacher is not only a way to become wiser, it is "the path to life." A disciple who follows a God-inspired teacher will be enriched in heart, body and mind, and will remain on the path of righteousness in this life and the next.

Questions: Among the characters in Scripture, who are your most influential teachers, and why? What biblical instructions are most important to you on the "path to life"? Why is wise speech so important in shaping a good life?

Mark 1:16-17
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people." (For context, read Mark 1:14-20.)

The gospel of Mark tells us that Jesus saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea. Jesus called for the two to follow him, and "immediately they left their nets and followed him" (v. 18). They left their nets and presumably their families as well. Although the Bible does not say anything about wives for these men, Mark tells us that Simon had a mother-in-law (v. 30). Where there is a mother-in-law, there is usually a wife.

Then Jesus saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were also fishermen, sitting in their boat and mending their nets. Jesus called them and they left their father "in the boat with the hired men and followed him" (v. 20). This probably caused problems, since fishing was a family business and Zebedee could not have been happy to be left holding the nets.

Discipleship can be disruptive, since it involves leaving what we know and walking with Jesus into a new form of service to others. It may mean tutoring an at-risk child, teaching English as a second language, or swinging a hammer with Habitat for Humanity. Service brings us closer to Jesus, who said that he "came not to be served but to serve" (10:45).

A good disciple also leaves the familiar for the unfamiliar, seeking connections with people who do not share their race, religion or ideology. Disciples understand that Jesus did not begin his ministry by talking only with like-minded Galileans. Instead, he and his disciples immediately faced "a man with an unclean spirit" (1:23). Then Jesus "cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons" (v. 34). Instead of staying at home, Jesus said that he would "go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also” (v. 38). When disciples seek connections with others, acting as "fishers of people," they discover that the words of Jesus are true, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near" (v. 15).

Questions: What do you find to be the most disruptive about the decision to follow Jesus? When has Jesus led you into a new type of service to others, and what did you learn? When, if ever, have you sought a connection with a person of a different race, religion or ideology? What were the costs and the benefits of this relationship?   

John 1:35-39

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. (For context, read John 1:29-42.)

The gospel of John is full of invitations that can be used effectively by disciples who want to share Christ with others. In chapter 1, John the Baptist sees Jesus and says, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (v. 29). The phrase "Lamb of God" brings to mind the time when God provided Abraham with a sacrificial animal in place of his son Isaac (Genesis 22:8), and it makes us think of the lamb that was sacrificed as part of the Passover (Exodus 12:3). Here, at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, John points us to the cross. He knows that Jesus is destined to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The next day, John is standing with two of his disciples. As he watches Jesus pass by, he exclaims, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" John has his own disciples, but it appears that he is not really interested in gathering disciples to himself. Instead, he wants to point people to Jesus and invite them to believe in him. This happens when he points two of his disciples to Jesus and they immediately follow him. John's words about "the Lamb of God" are an effective invitation.

When Jesus turns and sees the two following, he says to them, "What are you looking for?" He offers an invitation, not a proclamation. They do not give an answer, but instead say, "Rabbi" -- the word used by Jews for their religious teachers -- "where are you staying?" More than anything else, they want to be in the presence of Jesus. At this point, Jesus does not give them a specific address, but he says, "Come and see." They respond by going to where he is staying and they remain "with him that day."

"Come and see" is an effective invitation, and it is one that we can use in the life of the church. When we invite people to join the worship and activities of our congregations, we lead them to a place where the risen Lord is alive and well, a place where they can come face to face with Jesus.

Questions: What does it mean to you that Jesus is "the Lamb of God"? If you think about what your neighbors might be looking for, what comes to mind? How can you invite them to "come and see" the risen Christ in the worship and activities of your congregation?

Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (For context, read Ephesians 4:31 - 5:2.)

Writing to the followers of Christ in Ephesus, a wealthy port city in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey), the apostle Paul urged them to abandon "all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice" (4:31), and instead to be "kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you" (v. 32). Paul was making a strong contrast between the Gentiles' previous lifestyle and their new identity in Christ.

At the beginning of chapter 5, Paul encouraged them to imitate God "as beloved children." The metaphor of "beloved children" is based on the cultural expectation that children would imitate their parents. As imitators of their heavenly father, the Ephesians were to be kind, tenderhearted, and willing to forgive each other as "God in Christ" had forgiven them.

Questions: How are we, as disciples, to imitate God? What are the particular behaviors we are to practice? Why would such a lifestyle be attractive to those who do not know Christ?

For Further Discussion

1. TWW Team Member Mary Sells knows that weekly worship is the norm for hearing God's Word, but other gatherings can be helpful in equipping people for discipleship. Where else do you find spiritual food? In a world where the demands on pastors are great, how can volunteers provide leadership? What would help you to do a "deep dive" into Bible study and into the practices and teachings of your church? Be specific.

2. Commissioned by a private foundation, "The Great Opportunity" is an independent report estimating that over 40 million young people who were raised in Christian homes could walk away from a life with Jesus by 2050. How can your church help young people to engage or reengage with Christ? What are you willing to do personally, if anything?

3. According to the Barna Group, only 17% of Christians in the United States know what the Great Commission is and what it means. For the great majority of Americans who do not know what it is, see Matthew 28:19-20, in which Jesus says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." How is the Great Commission practiced in your church, if at all? What portion speaks to you? How can you respond?

4. In Mark, Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people" (1:17). In Acts, Paul and Silas said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (16:31). What difference is there, if any, between following Jesus and believing in Jesus? How are your actions and your faith connected in a life of discipleship? Which is more important to you, and why?

Responding to the News

Make an effort this week to engage the Bible more deeply. Try to put God first in your day-to-day life, even if it means denying yourself. Make an effort to serve God by serving others, and strengthen your relationships in the church. Look for an opportunity to invite a neighbor to "come and see" what the risen Jesus is doing in your community of faith.

Prayer

We seek you, Lord God, knowing that you offer us the path to life. Help us to follow where you are leading us, and inspire us to be faithful disciples of your Son Jesus Christ. Nourish us by life in the Christian community, so that we will be equipped to share Christ with others. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Other News This Week

Research Into Paralysis Offers Hope of New Treatments

The Wired Word for the Week of March 8, 2026

In the News

In a new study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, a Northwestern University research team announced discoveries that could lead to significant developments in the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI) that affect up to 500,000 people globally each year.

The scientists, led by Samuel Stupp, who specializes in biomaterials, grew human spinal cord organoids (miniature organs derived from stem cells) in the lab. Then they replicated two types of spinal cord injuries: They cut some organoids with a scalpel to simulate a surgical wound, and used a device causing a compressive contusion injury to other organoids to simulate wounds that might result from a fall or car accident. Using the organoids, the team observed the cell death, inflammation and glial scarring that hinder nerve regeneration and that can lead to paralysis.

Experts say that paralysis is most often caused by strokes (33.7%), damage to the brain or spinal cord due to a car accident, fall, sports injury, gunshot wound or similar trauma (27.3%). Paralysis is also associated with multiple sclerosis (18.6%), and cerebral palsy (8.3%).

Paralyzed people cannot move some or all of their faces or bodies, which are weak; floppy; numb; stiff; or subject to constant tingles, nerve pain, muscle spasms and twitches. They may experience the loss of bladder and bowel control or the loss of sensation, including the ability to feel heat, cold and touch.

Actor Christopher Reeve, famous for playing the role of Superman, became a quadriplegic (meaning all four limbs and torso were affected) after a 1995 riding accident. "Some people are walking around with full use of their bodies and they're more paralyzed than I am," Reeve observed. Other paralyzed persons of note include former White House Press Secretary James Brady who suffered a brain injury from a gunshot wound during an attack on President Ronald Reagan, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, who suffered from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led the nation out of the Great Depression through World War II from a wheelchair despite being paralyzed from the waist down after contracting polio, and Joni Eareckson Tada, who became a quadriplegic following a diving accident in 1967, used her experience to develop a global ministry to lift up persons with disabilities.

After simulating injuries, Stupp's team applied a new liquid therapy he introduced in 2021, called "dancing molecules," which gelled to create a grid or scaffold with "intense supramolecular motion" that reduced inflammation and glial scarring. The neurites (long extensions of neurons that connect cells to one another) of the injured organoids also grew significantly.

"Given that cells themselves and their receptors are in constant motion, you can imagine that molecules moving more rapidly would encounter these receptors more often," Stupp explained.

According to a report from Northwestern, "Compared to injections with slower-moving molecules, formulations with enhanced molecular motion had greater therapeutic efficacy, indicating increased bioactivity and cellular signaling."

The researchers believe the therapy could provide hope for improved treatment of spinal injuries and even potential reversal of paralysis in some cases.

More on this story can be found at these links:

Paralysis Treatment Heals Lab-Grown Human Spinal Cord Organoids. Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine

Spinal Cord Organoids Help Test Paralysis Treatment. The Scientist

Injury and Therapy in a Human Spinal Cord Organoid. National Library of Medicine

Applying the News Story

Greek philosopher Epictetus wrote: "We all dread a bodily paralysis, and would make use of every contrivance to avoid it; but none of us is troubled about a paralysis of the soul." A paralysis of the soul occurs when people are unable to move forward in their faith journey, when they are in a state of spiritual listlessness or stagnation, no longer growing in their relationship with God. Use the news to discuss the causes and possible remedies of spiritual immobility or "stuckness" that keep people from responding to God's call and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The Big Questions

1. How would you define spiritual paralysis?

2. What causes or contributes to spiritual paralysis?

3. What are symptoms of spiritual paralysis? How can we know whether we or others have been spiritually paralyzed?

4. How can spiritual paralysis be mitigated and/or reversed?

5. What tools does our church or faith community offer that provide a way for people to relieve the dryness of spiritual paralysis and reconnect with God?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

Exodus 14:13-16, 30

But Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today, for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground." ... Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. (For context, read Exodus 14:10-31.)

Inventor and best-selling author Orrin Woodward said, "Analysis paralysis occurs when you overthink and underwork."

When Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, Pharaoh's army came up behind them as they faced the sea. The Israelites cried out in a panic, complaining that Moses should have just left them in Egypt, rather than bringing them out to the wilderness to die. They were paralyzed by fear, but instead of encouraging the people to move in faith, he told them, "Stand firm! Keep still!"

When God called Moses to deliver the people out of slavery (Exodus 4:10-13), Moses had hesitated, feeling unworthy, incapable and scared. God responded to his reluctance then by asserting that God would provide everything Moses needed to accomplish what God was calling him to do.

There is an appropriate time for prayer, and an appropriate time to act. "Why do you cry out to me?" God asked. "Tell the Israelites to go forward." You have feet! Use them!

Moses was correct when he said that the Lord would deliver the people and fight for them. But that didn't mean they had no responsibility or power to participate in their own deliverance.

Questions: What caused Moses to hesitate at the edge of the water? What do you think he was waiting for? What is the difference between "waiting for the Lord," which the prophet Isaiah encourages (Isaiah 40:31) and becoming immobilized, unable or unwilling to move ahead when God calls us? What good things have you left undone because you are paralyzed by indecision or fear? How can you overcome that paralysis?

Mark 2:3-5, 11-12
Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child, your sins are forgiven." ... "I say to you, stand up, take your mat, and go to your home." And he stood up and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" (For context, read Mark 2:1-12.)

Early in Jesus' public ministry, he was speaking the word of God to crowds who packed into his home in Capernaum, when some people carrying a paralyzed man tried unsuccessfully to get through to see Jesus. They were determined not to let the obstacles paralyze them, and came up with a plan: They would remove the roof above Jesus and lower the paralytic down into the room.

But Jesus doesn't address the man's physical condition right away. First, he declares the man's sins forgiven. Some scribes who were present questioned why Jesus said that, since it seemed to them that only God had the right to forgive sins (vv. 6-7). But to prove to them that he had the authority to forgive sins, Jesus backed up his words by healing the man of his physical immobility.

On another occasion, a centurion came to Jesus asking him to heal his servant, who was "lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress." Jesus offered to come to cure him, but the centurion expressed his faith that Jesus had the power to heal his servant simply by saying a word. So Jesus spoke the word, and the servant was healed that very hour (Matthew 8:5-13).

Questions: Where do you see yourself in these stories: in the paralyzed persons, in the people bringing the paralytic to Jesus, in the four people doing the heavy lifting, tearing up the roof and lowering the paralytic down, in the crowds hanging on Jesus' words who actually blocked the path to Jesus, in the critics who objected to the way Jesus dealt with the paralytic, or in the centurion? How did Jesus "see" the faith of the people who brought the paralytic to him? How is faith made visible? What is the connection between forgiveness and healing? What might hinder people from gaining access to Jesus when they need help?

Matthew 14:17-21

They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (For context, read Matthew 14:13-21.)

After King Herod beheaded Jesus' cousin and forerunner, John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew to a deserted place by himself, no doubt to grieve. But crowds of people, who also were traumatized by the cruel, callous act of their ruler, followed him, and when he saw them, "he had compassion for them and cured their sick." As evening approached, the disciples asked Jesus to send the people away so they could go buy food for their supper. But Jesus, understanding how important it was for the people to be together to draw strength and consolation from one another in their collective grief, told the disciples, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat" (vv. 13-16).

The disciples, some of whom had been followers of John before they joined up with Jesus, were no doubt at the end of their energy. Their paltry store of five loaves and two fish wasn't enough even to feed their own band, let alone thousands of hungry men, women and children! They were paralyzed by their own exhaustion, but even more by their lack of vision. The very Bread of Life was in their midst, but they failed to see God's manna from heaven.

As Brazilian governor and urban planner Jaime Lerner wrote, "The lack of resources is no longer an excuse not to act. The idea that action should only be taken after all the answers and the resources have been found is a sure recipe for paralysis."

Questions: What should we do when we feel so depleted that we are sure we can't do one more thing for the Lord, or for anyone else, for that matter? What can we learn from the way Jesus handled this situation?

Acts 8:4-8
Now those who were scattered went from place to place proclaiming the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed, and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city. (For context, read Acts 8:1-8.)

After the martyrdom of Stephen, a severe persecution began against the followers of Jesus, who were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Men and women were pulled from their houses and dragged off to prison (vv. 1-3). No one would have blamed the disciples if they had gone into hiding, paralyzed by terror. But that is not what happened.

Instead, they followed Stephen's courageous example and "went from place to place proclaiming the word ... proclaim[ing] the Messiah," which led to the healing of many who were possessed by unclean spirits, paralyzed or lame.

Questions: What gave the disciples the courage to keep bearing witness to the teaching, death and resurrection of Christ, knowing the risks were so high? How could they experience such great joy in the midst of their grief? What can we learn from their example about how to overcome spiritual paralysis?

For Further Discussion

1. Respond to this, from TWW team member Mary Sells: "Spiritual paralysis, to me, usually occurs in a time of desolation, when I feel God is remote and far away, when my hope and trust in God is diminished. Intentional work is required to bring me from that desolate state of mind to accept God's loving, merciful presence in every moment, the joy of consolation."

2. Author and pastor Brian Jennings recalled a time when blinding rain kept him from driving safely on a highway. After pulling over to wait under an overpass for a break in the storm, he proceeded with caution. "In life, there are times that we need to pull over and wait for visibility and clarity," Jennings wrote in his blog, "Paralyzed by Indecision and Fear". "But there are also times that we need to proceed, even if our visibility is limited. Different decisions require different levels of certainty. But I have found that waiting for 100% certainty can absolutely paralyze me."

            Jennings attributed his inability to move forward to the "fear of making the wrong choice." Sometimes, he said, "waiting longer would be choosing to do nothing."

            According to Mason Cooley, professor of world literature, "Fear of trying causes paralysis." 

            American businessman and investor Carl Icahn wrote: "In life and business, there are two cardinal sins, the first is to act precipitously without thought, and the second is to not act at all."

            How do you know when you have enough information to move forward with an important decision, and when you should wait until you have more clarity?

3. Discuss this, from Strength to Love, by Martin Luther King Jr.: "Normal fear protects us; abnormal fear paralyzes us. Normal fear motivates us to improve our individual and collective welfare; abnormal fear constantly poisons and distorts our inner lives. Our problem is not to be rid of fear but, rather to harness and master it."

4. Consider these perspectives on the role of guilt and pride in spiritual paralysis:

            "Judging yourself to be full of virtue paralyzes. Judging yourself to be full of guilt also paralyzes." -- Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho

"There's been times I've been paralyzed by guilt when I've had to work crazy hours or miss a parent-teacher interview." -- Actress Catherine Reitman

Responding to the News

If you're struggling to make a major decision, take a look at these verses: James 1:5; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 73:24; Psalm 25:9. What do they teach you that might remove the spiritual paralysis that is keeping you from moving forward in faith?

Prayer suggested by Romans 8:31; Hebrews 13:5-6; Deuteronomy 31:6; Philippians 4:13

O God, our helper, thank you that you have promised never to leave us or fail us or forsake us. Your presence gives us confidence to choose courage instead of fear. If you are for us, who can be against us? What can anyone do to us? We commit to move forward in the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ, refusing to be immobilized by fear or intimidated by opponents or difficult circumstances. Relying on your Holy Spirit, may we focus on your promises and power, your capability and wisdom, rather than on our limitations, so that we may do your will on Earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

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