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My friend and fellow disciple-making coach Ray Bandi recently told me he’d heard Pastor Bobby Warrenburg share four culture shifts needed in churches if they are to become disciple-making.

• Attendance culture to transformational culture
• Collection culture to mobilization culture
• Competition culture to collaboration culture
• Addition culture to multiplication culture

I will be sharing my own thoughts on these over the next few days.

First: attendance versus transformation

We’ve been talking about transformation, which, after all, is God’s plan for us:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… (Romans 12.2, NKJV)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4.22 – 24, NIV)

But transformation cannot be achieved by having people merely attend events and services. We’ve talked about this before. Here’s another analogy: college students attend football games, but no one is transformed, and no degrees are granted to those who only go to games! College is four or more years of intentional effort, usually in small group environments with requirements and accountability. 

Yet attendance is precisely what most churches major on. Listen to pastors talk with each other, and most of the conversation has to do with Sunday mornings: how many are there, how many services are required, and in what style, etc. The phrase one hears most in church is, “We’re glad you’re here!” One pastor friend used to say, “Give us one hour on Sunday, and your week will go better.” 

I’ve said before that I’m not against Sunday services! Many important things happen there: worship, community (before and after!), basic instruction, inspiration, and motivation. But it’s difficult to impossible to train for transformation in a large group environment. My friend Ron Bennett, whom I quoted yesterday, likens it to golf. He says a church needs the large group on Sunday morning (driver), mid-sized groups (long irons), small groups (short irons) and one-to-one (putter). Attendance at large groups is not enough. As I wrote a few days ago, you don’t learn to play piano by attending concerts!

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)