The Disciple Dilemma (Rethinking and Reforming How the Church Does Discipleship)

People are key in every organization, Christian and commercial—yet so many organizations struggle with substantial turnover, inexperience, disunity and crippling brittleness among their people. For Christian leaders and their communities, these symptoms imply that their mission is being eroded, which could be devastating for an individual disciple’s pursuit of Christ. 

Career CEO Dennis Allen takes a look at how very old business practices are impacting people, bankrupting discipleship, and eroding Christ’s influence in the public square and markets. The discipling assignment Christ delivered to all believers requires faithful followers to surrender, follow, team up and replicate that same mission in other disciples, but organizations cannot make disciples. According to Allen, there are not enough pastors in the field or hours in the day for staff and leadership to take on the responsibility of people development in the broader community. 

The Disciple Dilemma explains the realities and limitations of the business environment today, making the case that Christian leaders must restructure their organizations to conform to Christ’s mission. Disciples, living in discipling relationships are Christ’s model to make effective disciples. Yet the traditions illustrated in The Disciple Dilemma explain how people have been derailed from following Christ for centuries, and likewise, derailed the development of making more disciples. Unless leaders understand the dilemma and act, the dissipation of disciples grinds on, producing passivated spectators and disillusioned Nones and Dones.