Are We Making Disciples or Just Drawing a Crowd?

Are We Making Disciples or Just Drawing A Crowd? In this episode, Jeff Hoglen challenges church leaders and pastors to rethink how they evaluate success. Instead of focusing solely on attendance and social media reach, he urges us to prioritize genuine spiritual transformation and discipleship. Key topics: The difference between gathering crowds and forming a church Why size does not equate to health or spiritual growth The limitations of traditional church metrics like attendance and giving How to shift from consumer-focused to discipleship-centered systems The importance of authentic community, accountability, and follow-up Leaders' role in disrupting the crowd mentality for deeper spiritual impact Practical steps to assess whether your church is truly making disciples The cost and necessity of challenging church culture to prioritize transformation Timestamps: 00:00 - Rethinking church metrics: From attendance to transformation 00:42 - Filling rooms vs. filling lives: What's the real goal? 01:42 - Size isn't everything: The difference between crowd and church health 02:10 - Attraction vs. mission: How churches form around consumerism or covenant 03:08 - The necessity of real discipleship beyond Sunday service 03:36 - Understanding true metrics: From attendance to spiritual change 04:06 - The findings of the Willow Creek Reveal study on spiritual growth 05:22 - Are people actually growing in their faith? Asking the tough questions 06:19 - Entertainment vs. investment: Building devoted disciples 07:50 - The early church’s focus on community and devotion over production 08:47 - The leadership challenge: Disappointing some for long-term growth 09:38 - Systematic follow-up and accountability as keys to transformation 10:52 - The importance of intentionality over performance 11:04 - Holding the line and aligning church practices with the mission 11:45 - Reflecting on the true measure: How many are being formed, not just present 12:15 - Action step: Have honest conversations about discipleship before next week's attendance report Resources & Links: Churchplanting.com Books by Jeff Hoglen on Amazon Connect with Jeff Hoglen: LinkedIn Twitter Facebook