The future church is focused on discipleship, not membership. Shown below is a helpful set of comparisons between these two models developed by Michael Foss in Power Surge: Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church.
| MEMBERSHIP MODEL | DISCIPLESHIP MODEL |
| Pay dues | Follow the way of Jesus |
| Take care of members | Equip disciples for ministry |
| For members only | For all God’s people |
| Pastor does the praying | Disciples are fervent prayers |
| Bring a guest on occasion | Inviting is a way of life |
| Facilities used by members only | Facilities used for service of all |
| Keep members happy | Make disciples |
| Pastor and staff do ministry | Disciples do ministry |
| Staff controls and takes over | Staff empowers others |
| Boards and committees | Ministry Teams and Task Forces |
| Passive and co-dependent | Active, trained and encouraged |
So What?
Imagine the implications of all disciples of Jesus being encouraged and empowered in a local body of believers focused on discipleship.
Use the chart above and evaluate your own congregation. Are you operating with a membership or a discipleship model? If one or more characteristic of the membership mentality describes your parish, what are you doing to move away from that and toward the discipleship model?