Eight reasons why the American church is disengaged from evangelism and biblical discipleship …

Across many parts of the globe — particularly in Africa, South America, Asia, and the Middle East — there is an insatiable hunger for evangelism, discipleship, and sound biblical teaching. Church leaders in these regions actively seek training and resources, believing that equipping believers will ignite lasting spiritual growth. Yet, in stark contrast, many American churches face a sharp decline in interest toward these core Christian mandates. Despite the abundance of resources, research shows only four percent of Americans have a biblical worldview, and only 37 percent of pastors maintain a biblical worldview. Alarmingly, 51 percent of American churchgoers are unaware of what the Great Commandment​ is. So why is the American church so disengaged from evangelism and discipleship?

1. Cultural comfort and consumerism.
In affluent societies, comfort and convenience become dominant motivators. Many American Christians approach faith from a consumeristic perspective — seeking programs, worship experiences, or community engagement that caters to their preferences, rather than embracing the hard work of making disciples. Evangelism, especially relational evangelism, demands personal sacrifice and intentionality, which runs counter to a culture driven by instant gratification.

Additionally, the pursuit of personal comfort encourages an inward focus: churches prioritize self-preservation over outreach. This mindset erodes the urgency to fulfill the Great Commission.

2. The rise of secularization and syncretism.
Secular ideologies have heavily influenced American culture, fostering moral relativism and diminishing the sense of spiritual accountability. These pressures contribute to syncretism, the blending of contradictory beliefs, which Barna Group’s 2024 research identifies as the dominant worldview among Americans — including many Christians. Instead of adhering to a coherent biblical framework, most believers absorb and mix philosophies from secular humanism, Eastern mysticism, or postmodernism, producing a fractured, inconsistent (and unbiblical) faith​.

This worldview confusion weakens commitment to evangelism and discipleship, shifting the focus from proclaiming Christ’s message to embracing whatever feels good or socially acceptable. Evangelicals, in particular, are caught in this trend: while identifying as conservative, nearly 64 percent of them display syncretistic beliefs, eroding the biblical mandate to make disciples by proclaiming the Gospel​.

3. Misunderstandings of discipleship.
Many churches in America struggle to define what discipleship entails. Programs and events often take precedence over relational discipleship, resulting in shallow spiritual growth. The Barna Group’s findings highlight that many churchgoers don’t understand the Great Commandment, let alone know how to obey it effectively. When discipleship is reduced to attending Sunday services or participating in church programs, the essential call to personal transformation through relationship with Christ is lost.

This confusion stands in stark contrast to regions like Africa, where the church, despite limited resources, exhibits a fervent passion for both evangelism and discipleship even though the need for trained leaders remains critical​.

4. Fear of rejection and social stigma.
In today’s polarized society, sharing the Gospel is often met with hostility or indifference. Many believers fear being labeled as “out of touch” or offensive, particularly in a cultural climate that prizes tolerance over truth. As a result, evangelism is abandoned out of fear, despite the biblical call to proclaim the message of salvation boldly (2 Timothy 1:7-8).

Interestingly, in other parts of the world, believers are willing to share their faith despite far greater risks, including imprisonment, persecution, and even loss of life. In countries like India, Pakistan, and Egypt, evangelism often comes at a cost, yet Christians embrace it as part of their calling.

5. Over-reliance on programs and vocational ministers.
American churches often rely heavily on pastors and paid staff to do the work of ministry, rather than equipping members to evangelize and disciple others. This has created a passive culture, where church members view ministry as the job of professionals. In contrast, in African and Asian contexts, church growth and discipleship rely heavily on grassroots efforts, with believers actively engaged in spreading the Gospel.

Churches like those in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Philippines thrive because every believer embraces the call to evangelism, not just church leaders. The Union of African Peace Makers, which will soon launch as an all-Africa ministry, reflects this model by planning to equip believers across the continent for relational evangelism and discipleship.

6. The evangelical industrial complex.
For decades, the American church has been shaped by what some scholars call the “evangelical industrial complex,” a system that prioritizes branding, entertainment-driven services, and marketable products over biblical mission. The commercialization of faith — through best-selling books, conferences, and celebrity pastors — has shifted the focus from discipleship and evangelism to building consumer-friendly church models.

This trend has produced a generation of leaders and believers more focused on maintaining their platform than embodying Christ’s call to make disciples​. As the fruits of this system come to full maturity, the result is a church that struggles with biblical literacy, spiritual maturity, and authentic engagement with the lost. Barna’s findings show that even among evangelical leaders, biblical worldviews are rare, with only 37 percent of pastors maintaining a consistently biblical framework for ministry​.

7. Spiritual apathy and decline.
The American church has also become complacent as nominal Christianity — faith by association, not conviction — dominates many congregations. This spiritual apathy is reflected in declining church attendance and reduced interest in making disciples and missions. Without a genuine encounter with the transformative power of Christ, believers lack the motivation to share their faith with others.

In regions where Christians are actively seeking God’s Word and desire training — such as Ethiopia, South Korea, and Brazil — the church is growing despite challenges. These believers demonstrate that a passion for evangelism arises from a deep relationship with Christ, which compels them to share the Good News. As the Apostle Paul writes, “Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life,” 2 Corinthians 5:14. Their efforts reflect the transformative power of Christ’s love, which motivates them to live not for themselves but for Him, driving their commitment to making disciples.

8. Lack of vision and leadership.
Effective evangelism requires clear vision and strong leadership, yet many American pastors are uncertain about how to lead their congregations in this area. Without a clear focus on disciple-making, churches become busy with programs that yield little spiritual fruit. This stands in contrast to movements like the Union of African Peace Makers, which is in the final stages of planning and will soon equip leaders to evangelize and disciple at every level across Africa.

A call to rediscover the mission.
The American church’s disengagement from evangelism and discipleship is not due to a lack of resources but a failure to embrace its mission wholeheartedly. In contrast, the global church — particularly in Africa and other parts of the world — offers a powerful example of what happens when believers are equipped and empowered to live out the Great Commission. As American Christians reflect on the declining state of their churches, they must look to their brothers and sisters in other nations who, despite challenges, remain on fire for God’s mission.

The time is ripe for the American church to repent of complacency, rediscover the joy of the Gospel, and equip its members to make disciples. As Christ Himself reminds us:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” Matthew 28:19-20.

Let us pray that the American church will learn from the faithfulness of believers around the world, rekindle its passion for evangelism, and step boldly into the mission field that begins right outside its door.

Scotty