Five ways the church shoots itself in the foot …

In 2021, mechanical engineer Alan Case (pictured above) traveled to a Nevada salt flat with the singular ambition of breaking the flight archery distance world record of 2,028 yards using a custom-built footbow. While lying on his back and straining to draw the powerful bowstring with his hands and feet, the weapon misfired. Instead of launching the arrow over a mile toward a new record, the projectile struck and shattered a bone in his right foot, immediately ending the attempt and sending the determined archer to the emergency room.

Those who have literally “shot themselves in the foot” tend to be careful to never do that again!

But not the church.

It seems the American church is intent on persistently “shooting itself in the foot.” Here are five ways it is currently doing so when it comes to the church’s mission of making disciples:

1. Ignoring vital opportunities. Non-Christians are often curious about the Christian faith, God, and the meaning of life, but their curiosity rarely meets action from Christians. Lifeway Research and Evangelism Explosion (2022) found that 66 percent of Americans, including many non-Christians, say they are open to a conversation about faith with a friend. Barna’s 2023 “Spiritually Open” study confirms this interest, yet most non-Christians report that Christians they know rarely initiate these conversations. Alpha USA/Barna (2023) also shows that while non-Christians want to explore questions about God and meaning, few Christians step forward to engage them. The result is countless missed chances to the Gospel.

2. Not equipping willing Christians. Many Christians have a genuine interest in sharing the Gospel but are left without adequate training to do so. Evangelism Explosion/Lifeway Research (2022) surveyed 1,011 Christian adults: 93 percent were at least somewhat open to talking with a friend about faith, yet only 38 percent had shared with a non-Christian loved one how to become a Christian in the previous six months. Two-thirds of respondents revealed they weren’t familiar with any methods of telling others about Jesus — they were unequipped. Hearts willing to evangelize without practical equipping leave most opportunities unrealized.

3. Downplaying teaching in discipleship. Many church leaders insist that discipleship is “more than teaching” and elevate the concept of “relationship” above growing in knowledge. While relationship is important, this persistent de-emphasis on biblical teaching has devastating consequences. Fifty-seven percent of U.S. adults are “Bible Disengaged,” rarely or never reading scripture. Among churchgoing Christians, 41 percent rarely read the Bible outside of services, and only 13 percent demonstrate strong knowledge of key stories, concepts, and teachings. Only six percent of Christians hold a biblical worldview, while syncretism — the blending of secular or cultural beliefs with biblical teaching — has become the dominant belief system in America. By minimizing teaching, leaders produce “disciples” who are encouraged to be relationally oriented but remain scripturally, theologically, and doctrinally shallow and spiritually immature.

4. Ignoring the next generation. Gen Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) is spiritually hungry and, according to Barna Group (2025), attends church more than any other generation, averaging 1.9 weekends per month. Roughly 46 percent of Gen Z men and 44 percent of Gen Z women attend weekly, and over half of teens express a desire to learn more about Jesus. Boomers, by contrast, are the generation least interested in discipleship and evangelism. A Barna study shows that 63 percent of Boomers believe their spiritual life is entirely private and they are the least likely to participate in discipleship activities. By failing to actively pass the faith to younger generations, older believers are neglecting a biblical mandate, creating a serious biblical failure that threatens a “natural” continuity of the Gospel.

5. Relying on attractional model and good deeds. Many churches assume that appealing services or service projects will create disciples. Research shows otherwise. Barna studies (2021–2023) consistently find that the attractional model rarely produces new believers: most growth comes from transfers, not first-time conversions, with fewer than 10–15 percent of attendees being new to Christ. Likewise, service projects alone are ineffective. Lifeway Research (2022) reports that 70–80 percent of participants in service-based outreach did not engage in faith conversations, and the conversion rate among recipients was under five percent. Making disciples requires more than entertainment or charity; it demands intentional verbal engagement about the gospel.

The archer who shot himself in the foot on the Nevada salt flat provided a singular, visceral example of disastrous aim. The body of Christ, in contrast, offers a chronic one. The self-inflicted wounds described above are the predictable consequence of a fundamental failure to grasp the gravity of the Great Commission. The data confirms a culture ready for conversations, an emerging generation eager for discipleship, and a world where the Gospel remains the only true answer. The problem is not the resource; it is the tragic reluctance to finally aim true.

Scotty