The Great Commission Crisis

Decoding the Data on U.S. Church Effectiveness

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." - Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)

These powerful closing words of Matthew's Gospel, known as the Great Commission, represent the non-negotiable, foundational mission for every Christian believer and the collective body of the Christian church. This divine directive isn't merely about securing initial conversions; it's a comprehensive call to make disciples—fully devoted followers of Christ who are nurtured in the Christian faith, transformed by its truths, and equipped to perpetuate this disciple-making process.

However, a convergence of extensive market research and statistical data from highly reputable sources such as the Barna Group, Pew Research Center, and LifeWay Research unveils a challenging reality within the US church. Is the contemporary American church, despite its myriad programs and activities, demonstrably faltering in its primary objective of fulfilling the Great Commission and fostering genuine spiritual growth?

The compelling church trends and statistics on evangelism and discipleship suggest a profound disconnect between the stated mission and observable outcomes. This detailed analysis will delve into the data, explore the symptoms and potential root causes of this crisis, and consider what this means for church effectiveness and the future of the Christian faith in America. The aim is to move beyond anecdotal evidence and engage with hard data to understand the true state of discipleship in church and Great Commission awareness.

The Great Commission Knowledge Gap: A Mission Misunderstood?

One of the most jarring revelations from recent Barna Group studies is the widespread unfamiliarity with the Great Commission itself. If the core mission isn't known, can it truly be pursued?

• A significant 51% of U.S. churchgoers admit they have never encountered the term "Great Commission." This isn't a minor oversight; it points to a systemic failure in communicating the fundamental purpose of the Christian church.
• Delving deeper, only a meager 17% of churchgoers state they are familiar with both the term and its specific biblical meaning. An additional 25% recall hearing the term but cannot remember its exact definition.
• Even when presented with the direct scriptural passage from Matthew 28:18-20, a cornerstone of Christian faith, only 37% of church attendees could correctly identify it as the Great Commission.

This lack of Great Commission awareness isn't merely an issue of terminology; it reflects a potential lack of emphasis on the missional mandate within church teachings and culture. The Barna Group suggests this could stem from churches using the phrase less, possibly indicating a de-prioritization of the work itself, or perhaps that the specific term has fallen out of common parlance, even if the underlying concepts are (hopefully) still taught.

Generational church trends further illuminate this challenge:

• Older generations (Elders born before 1946 and Boomers) demonstrate higher familiarity, with 29% and 26% respectively knowing the term and text.
• This drops to 17% for Gen X and plummets to just 10% for Millennials. This downward trend in Great Commission awareness statistics across younger demographics is a serious concern for the future missionary zeal of the US church.
• Conversely, evangelical Christians show significantly higher awareness (60% know the term, 74% identify the passage), suggesting that denominational and theological emphases play a crucial role in mission understanding.

If the call to "teach all nations" begins with teaching those already within the Christian church about the mission itself, these statistics on evangelism-related knowledge highlight a foundational area needing urgent attention. The Bible itself underscores the importance of such knowledge: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." (Hosea 4:6 KJV). While this verse speaks of a broader knowledge of God, understanding His primary commands, like the Great Commission, is surely encompassed.

The Discipleship Disconnect: Are We Truly Making Followers?

The Great Commission explicitly commands the making of disciples. This is far more than church attendance; it implies a deep, transformative process of spiritual growth and obedience. Yet, data on discipleship in church reveals a chasm between perception and reality.

• Perception vs. Reality in Church Effectiveness: An overwhelming 92% of churchgoers believe their church does a "good" or "very good" job of helping them grow spiritually. However, Barna Group research found that only 1% of senior pastors believe today's churches in general are doing "very well" at discipling new and young believers. When rating their own churches, pastors are slightly more optimistic, but still, only 8% give a "very well" rating. This stark disparity suggests a potential overestimation of discipleship impact by congregants or a critical lack of rigorous evaluation by church leadership.
• Low Engagement in Discipleship Activities: Despite positive perceptions, actual engagement in activities typically associated with discipleship is surprisingly low. Only about 20% of Christian adults are involved in any formal discipleship activity, such as Bible studies, small groups, or mentoring relationships. Furthermore, 38% of Protestant churchgoers report never attending a small group or Sunday school class, according to LifeWay Research.
• Relationships vs. Intentional Spiritual Growth: While LifeWay Research found that 78% of Protestant churchgoers have developed significant relationships with people at their church, fewer than half (48%) state they "intentionally spend time with other believers to help them grow in their faith." This highlights that while community and fellowship may be present, the deliberate, focused effort required for making disciples often is not. The Christian church must be more than a social club; it must be a training ground for spiritual growth.
• The Rise of "Solo" Spirituality: A significant trend identified by Barna is the inclination towards individualistic faith. Over a third (37%) of Christians who deem spiritual growth important prefer to pursue it on their own. Furthermore, 41% of all Christian adults consider their spiritual life to be "entirely private." This mindset directly challenges the biblical model of discipleship, which is inherently communal and relational, as underscored by exhortations like Hebrews 10:24-25 (KJV): "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." True discipleship involves mutual encouragement, accountability, and learning within the body of Christ.

These figures suggest that while churches may provide opportunities for connection, the deeper, intentional work of making disciples—as commanded by the Great Commission—is often underdeveloped or misunderstood.

Evangelism in Practice: A Muted Witness?

If discipleship systems are weak, the natural outflow of evangelism—the "go" aspect of the Great Commission—will inevitably be hampered. Statistics on evangelism from LifeWay Research confirm this troubling correlation.

• Infrequent Faith Sharing: A striking 55% of regular church attendees in the US church reported that they had not shared with someone how to become a Christian in the past six months. This indicates that personal evangelism is not a regular practice for the majority of believers.
• Limited Scope of Outreach: Among those who did share their faith, the efforts were often limited: 24% had spoken with only one or two individuals. Only about 10% of churchgoers averaged at least one evangelistic conversation per month. While inviting someone to church (55% had done so) is a positive step, it's not a substitute for personal articulation of the gospel.
• Feeling Unprepared and Seeing it as Optional: The Lausanne Movement's "State of the Great Commission" report, analyzing global Christian leader perceptions, found that in North America, only 37% of church members are perceived to feel prepared to share the gospel. Even more concerning, over 50% of North American leaders believe Christians in their region view the Great Commission mandate as optional, rather than an essential component of their Christian faith. This "optional commission" mindset is a severe impediment to church effectiveness in outreach.
• Millennial Reticence Towards Evangelism: A particularly concerning church trend, identified by Barna Group, is that nearly half (47%) of practicing Christian Millennials believe it is "wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes they will one day share the same faith." This highlights a fundamental misunderstanding or rejection of the call to evangelism among a significant portion of younger believers.

The command to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15 KJV) seems to be a challenging call for many within the US church today. These statistics on evangelism underscore the urgent need for better equipping and a renewed conviction regarding personal witness as a core aspect of discipleship.

Eroding Foundations: The Crisis in Biblical & Doctrinal Literacy

Underpinning many of the challenges in discipleship in church and evangelism is a pervasive lack of basic biblical literacy and doctrinal understanding. A disciple, by definition, is a learner and follower of specific teachings. If these teachings are poorly understood, the entire structure of Christian faith and practice weakens.

• Gaps in Basic Biblical Knowledge: Pew Research has highlighted that basic biblical knowledge is lower than many might assume. For example, in past surveys, only 45% of Americans could name the four Gospels. While regular churchgoers and evangelicals tend to score higher, significant gaps remain.
• Widespread Doctrinal Confusion: Ligonier Ministries' "State of Theology" survey, often conducted with LifeWay Research, consistently reveals significant doctrinal confusion, even among those who identify as evangelicals. For instance, the Deep Research summary noted that 43% of evangelicals affirm that Jesus was merely a great teacher, not God. Other concerning beliefs include God accepting worship from all religions (held by 56% of evangelicals) or that human beings are born innocent in the eyes of God (65% of evangelicals). These deviations from historic Christian orthodoxy indicate a serious deficit in foundational teaching and understanding.
• Declining Bible Engagement: Meaningful spiritual growth is intrinsically linked to engagement with Scripture. However, Barna Group’s "State of the Bible" research has shown fluctuating and, in some demographics, declining rates of Bible reading. While around a third of U.S. adults (34% in 2021) report reading the Bible weekly, this is a notable decrease from approximately 45% in the 1990s and early 2000s. Younger generations, in particular, show lower levels of regular Bible reading. This disengagement from the primary source of Christian faith inevitably impacts doctrinal understanding and the ability to live out the Great Commission.
• The Necessity of Sound Doctrine: The scriptures repeatedly emphasize the importance of sound doctrine for healthy Christian faith and practice. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV). Without this "instruction in righteousness" rooted in scripture, discipleship efforts lack substance, and the message shared in evangelism can become distorted.

This crisis in biblical literacy is not an isolated academic concern; it directly impacts the US church's ability to produce mature disciples who can confidently articulate their faith and live according to its precepts, as mandated by the Great Commission.

Tithing vs. Mission: Where is the Emphasis?

The initial query prompting this research touched upon a sensitive but crucial question: Does the contemporary Christian church place a greater emphasis on financial contributions, such as tithing, than on fulfilling its core missional mandate of making disciples?

• High Belief in Tithing: LifeWay Research shows that a substantial 77% of Protestant churchgoers affirm that tithing (giving 10% of one's income) is a biblical command that still applies today. This indicates a high level of awareness and acceptance of this particular doctrine.
• The Striking Contrast in Awareness: This 77% figure for belief in tithing stands in stark contrast to the mere 17% of churchgoers who know both the term "Great Commission" and its meaning. Even if the actual practice of tithing is lower than the belief (with LifeWay reporting around 51% of churchgoers give 10% or more to their church, and a Barna/Compassion study on Christian giving suggesting only 13% of evangelicals tithe), the awareness and affirmation of tithing as a biblical principle are significantly more widespread than for the church's primary mission.
• Interpreting the Disparity: This disparity doesn't automatically prove that church leadership intentionally prioritizes messages about financial stewardship over missional engagement. However, it strongly suggests that teachings on giving have, for various reasons, been more effectively communicated or have resonated more widely than teachings on the specific mandate of the Great Commission. It could also be that the concept of tithing, being more concrete and tied to personal finance, is easier to grasp and measure than the broader, more complex call to make disciples of all nations.
• Generosity as an Outcome of Discipleship: It's crucial to note that many theologians and church leadership experts argue that genuine, cheerful Christian giving is, in fact, an outcome of mature discipleship and spiritual growth. When believers are deeply committed to Christ and His mission, generosity often follows naturally. The issue may not be an "either/or" (tithing or mission) but rather a failure in comprehensive discipleship that impacts both dedication to mission and sacrificial giving. LifeWay itself has published articles arguing that teaching on generosity is essential for funding the Great Commission.

Ultimately, the data indicates that while the principle of tithing is well-established in the minds of many churchgoers, the explicit call and understanding of the Great Commission as the central, driving purpose of the Christian church are far less embedded. This warrants serious reflection by church leadership on how the whole counsel of God, including both stewardship and mission, is being communicated and prioritized.

The Broader Landscape: U.S. Church Vitality Trends

These internal challenges facing the US church concerning discipleship and the Great Commission are unfolding within a broader societal context of shifting religious affiliation and practice. Pew Research Center data provides critical insights into these church trends:

• Decline in Christian Identification: The percentage of American adults identifying as Christian has seen a notable decline over the past few decades, dropping from 78% in 2007 to around 62% in 2024. This represents a significant shift in the religious landscape.
• Rise of the "Nones": Concurrently, those identifying as religiously unaffiliated (atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular")—often termed "Nones"—have risen from 16% in 2007 to about 29% in 2024.
• Recent Stabilization: Encouragingly, the most recent Pew Research data (as of early 2024) suggests that these trends of Christian decline and the rise of the "Nones" may have stabilized in the last few years (since around 2019-2020). Similarly, key religious practices like monthly church attendance (around 33% in-person) and daily prayer (44%) have also shown signs of leveling off after previous declines.
• Generational Gaps Persist: Despite this stabilization, a significant generational gap remains a defining feature of American religion. Younger adults (Millennials and Gen Z) are considerably less likely to identify as Christian, attend services, or engage in daily prayer compared to older generations. This continues to be a major challenge for church effectiveness and long-term vitality.
• Signs of Spiritual Renewal?: Some analyses and specific data points within the broader research hint at a potential for renewed spiritual interest or commitment among certain segments of the population, even if widespread revival is not evident. The challenge for the Christian church is to effectively engage this spiritual curiosity and channel it towards genuine discipleship and understanding of the Christian faith.

Understanding these overarching church trends provides necessary context. The internal weaknesses in Great Commission awareness, discipleship, and evangelism are not occurring in a vacuum but are part of a larger, complex evolution of faith in America.

The Path Forward: Recommitting to the Core Mission

The cumulative data from Barna Group, Pew Research, and LifeWay Research presents a clear, if challenging, picture. The US church faces significant hurdles in effectively fulfilling the Great Commission and fostering deep, reproducing discipleship. However, data is not destiny. These insights should serve as a catalyst for introspection, repentance where necessary, and strategic realignment. The following "Path Forward," synthesized from the implications of the research, offers areas of focus for church leadership and individual believers serious about addressing this Great Commission crisis:

Re-Center and Prioritize Foundational Teaching on the Great Commission:

• Elaboration: Churches must move beyond assuming knowledge of the Great Commission. It needs to be explicitly, consistently, and compellingly taught from the pulpit, in small groups, and through all discipleship channels. This includes not just the "what" (Matthew 28:19-20) but the "why" (God's love for the world, Christ's sacrifice) and the "how" (making disciples who make disciples). Address the "optional commission" mindset head-on by grounding its necessity in Scripture.
• Keyword Focus: Great Commission teaching, understanding Christian mission, biblical mandate for evangelism.

Build Intentional, Relational Discipleship Pathways:

• Elaboration: Generic programs are insufficient. We need clearly defined, relational pathways that guide individuals from new belief to mature discipleship. This involves more than just imparting information; it requires life-on-life investment, mentoring, accountability, and practical application of faith. "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2 KJV). Focus on fostering "Christ-likeness," the preferred term for spiritual growth.
• Keyword Focus: Intentional discipleship, spiritual growth strategies, Christian mentoring programs, relational discipleship.

Equip for Holistic, Confident Evangelism:

• Elaboration: Equip believers not just with methods, but with a deep conviction of the gospel's truth and the compassionate urgency to share it. This involves addressing fears, answering tough questions, and modeling a lifestyle of evangelism. Training should focus on building biblical confidence and understanding, so believers are "ready always to give an answer" (1 Peter 3:15 KJV).
• Keyword Focus: Evangelism training for Christians, sharing Christian faith confidently, personal evangelism methods, overcoming fear of evangelism.

Enhance Biblical and Doctrinal Literacy:

• Elaboration: A renewed emphasis on systematic Bible teaching and foundational Christian doctrines is essential. Churches should provide accessible ways for members to engage deeply with Scripture and understand core beliefs, combating doctrinal confusion and fostering a robust Christian worldview. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).
• Keyword Focus: Biblical literacy in church, Christian doctrine education, understanding core Christian beliefs, Bible study for spiritual growth.

Integrate Generosity as Part of Mission, Not Separate From It:

• Elaboration: Teach financial stewardship (including Christian giving and tithing) not as an isolated obligation, but as an integral part of holistic discipleship and a crucial means of resourcing the Great Commission. Help Christians see the direct link between their generosity and the ability to make disciples locally and globally.
• Keyword Focus: Biblical tithing and missions, Christian giving for evangelism, stewardship and the Great Commission.

Bridge Generational Gaps in Discipleship and Mission:

• Elaboration: Actively listen to younger generations (Millennials, Gen Z) to understand their questions, challenges, and perspectives on Christian faith, discipleship, and evangelism. Tailor approaches to effectively engage them, addressing their concerns (e.g., the ethics of evangelism) and inspiring them with a compelling vision for their role in the Great Commission.
• Keyword Focus: Discipling young adults, engaging millennials in church mission, Gen Z and Christianity, youth evangelism strategies.

Implement Honest and Consistent Evaluation:

• Elaboration: Leadership must move beyond assumptions and anecdotal evidence regarding effectiveness. Develop objective measures and regularly evaluate the health of discipleship processes and the impact of missional efforts. Use this data not for judgment, but to learn, adapt, and improve strategies for making disciples.
• Keyword Focus: Measuring church discipleship effectiveness, church health assessment tools, data-driven church leadership.

The call of Christ in the Great Commission remains as urgent and authoritative today as it was two millennia ago. The data clearly indicates areas where the US church has significant room for improvement. By humbly acknowledging these challenges and strategically re-dedicating ourselves to the foundational tasks of making disciples and teaching all that Christ commanded, we can hope to see a revitalized Christian church more effectively impacting the world for His glory.