I was privileged to sit down a few days ago with the discipleship pastor of a large church. His aspirations were noble: “We’re good at getting people involved in worship, but I’m concerned about helping them grow. How can we help the flock do the kinds of things that will make them better disciples?”

A good question, and the answer, with respect to “the flock,” is, “You don’t. You don’t help ‘the flock,’ you help individuals in the flock.”

This is what I wrote about last week in What Makes a Difference? Our friend’s church was trying to disciple “the flock.” I preached, her pastor preached, we made the Time with God Tool available, but it was intentional personal attention that made the difference.

To use a metaphor, I listened to a few minutes of the Lions’ radio broadcast of the Lions/Commanders game where the 12 – 5 Commanders beat the 15 – 2 Lions by two touchdowns. Early in the game those announcers observed that the Lions’ defensive linemen were not beating the Commanders’ offensive linemen. I hardly ever pay attention to those matchups, but these announcers were watching. Their guys were getting beat one-on-one. Individually. The team doesn’t pressure the opposing quarterback, individual linemen do. And when they don’t…

To use another metaphor, the discipleship pastor had heard me play the piano and complimented me on that. I reminded him that I didn’t learn to play the piano by going to concerts! I was taught one-on-one.

We don’t disciple the flock. We find disciple-makers to disciple individuals in the flock. And when enough individuals are discipled, the character of the flock changes.

We exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you… – The Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 2.11, NKJV

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 1.28, NKJV, emphasis mine)