15-18 Minute Read
The church spent decades trying to become more culturally relevant. But cultural relevance alone cannot produce spiritually mature disciples. Here's why the future of church planting depends on intentional apprenticeship to Jesus.
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For decades, churches have asked a familiar question:
How do we make Christianity more relevant to the people we're trying to reach?
It's an understandable question. Churches should communicate the message of Jesus in ways people can understand. They should recognize the cultures, communities, and lived experiences of the people they serve.
But what happens when relevance becomes the strategy rather than a means of communicating the message?
What happens when churches become exceptionally good at attracting people but struggle to help them mature spiritually?
And what happens when the people attending our churches have been shaped by cultural narratives that a compelling sermon, contemporary worship service, or engaging social media presence cannot adequately address?
These questions point toward one of the most significant challenges facing contemporary Christianity.
The relevance era of the church is over. The future belongs to churches that know how to make disciples.
That doesn't mean cultural engagement is unimportant. It means cultural engagement cannot substitute for spiritual formation.
The next generation of urban churches will need to move beyond asking how to make Christianity attractive and begin asking how to help people actually follow Jesus.
What Was the Church Relevance Movement?
The church relevance movement describes a broad collection of approaches that became especially prominent in American evangelical Christianity during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Church leaders increasingly sought to remove cultural barriers that made Christianity feel inaccessible to people outside traditional church environments.
The changes were visible.
Churches adopted contemporary music, casual clothing, conversational preaching, multimedia presentations, and worship environments designed to feel familiar to people who had little experience with traditional church services.
Some congregations incorporated popular films, television references, and contemporary cultural conversations into their teaching.
Others reimagined church buildings, replacing traditional sanctuaries with environments resembling theaters, coffeehouses, or community gathering spaces.
The objective was straightforward: make church more approachable.
The cultural shift extended beyond Sunday worship
Christian music underwent significant changes during this period.
Artists such as Kirk Franklin brought gospel music into new conversations with hip-hop, R&B, and popular culture. Christian hip-hop artists challenged assumptions about what Christian expression could sound and look like.
Christian apparel and youth ministry environments also reflected the cultural language of the era.
For many people, these developments were meaningful.
They demonstrated that following Jesus did not require abandoning every aspect of one's cultural identity.
That mattered particularly in communities where traditional expressions of evangelical Christianity sometimes reflected narrow cultural expectations.
The problem was not the desire to communicate across cultural boundaries.
The problem emerged when churches began confusing cultural accessibility with spiritual transformation.
A church can remove unnecessary cultural barriers without necessarily developing a meaningful process for helping people become disciples.
Those are two different responsibilities.
Why Cultural Relevance Is No Longer Enough
Cultural relevance can help people understand a message.
It cannot, by itself, transform the assumptions, desires, habits, and values shaping their lives.
This distinction matters because people are not spiritually neutral when they encounter Christianity.
They have already been formed.
Everyone is being formed by something
Human beings are shaped by the environments they inhabit.
Our families teach us what relationships should look like.
Our neighborhoods influence how we understand belonging, safety, and opportunity.
Our economic experiences shape our expectations about money, success, and security.
Our entertainment influences what we admire.
Social media reinforces particular ideas about identity, happiness, influence, and achievement.
And cultural movements provide stories that help us interpret the world.
Consider hip-hop.
Hip-hop has shaped generations of people, including many urban pastors and church planters.
Its cultural contributions are enormous. It has given communities language for struggle, creativity, resistance, identity, and possibility.
But like every cultural movement, hip-hop also contains competing narratives about the good life.
Some celebrate individual achievement, independence, material success, or personal recognition.
Others emphasize community, responsibility, justice, perseverance, and collective liberation.
These narratives influence how people understand themselves and their place in the world.
The same is true of every other cultural environment.
People are being formed long before they enter a church.
This creates a challenge for ministry leaders.
If someone has spent decades absorbing particular assumptions about success, identity, relationships, and happiness, simply making church feel familiar will not necessarily challenge those assumptions.
A culturally engaging worship service may create an opportunity for someone to hear about Jesus.
But it does not automatically teach that person how to live differently.
Attraction and transformation are not the same thing
Churches need to distinguish between two important questions:
Attraction: How do we create an environment where people can encounter the message of Jesus?
Transformation: How do we help people become more like Jesus over time?
Both questions matter.
But they require different strategies.
Attraction often focuses on communication, accessibility, hospitality, and engagement.
Transformation requires teaching, relationships, spiritual practices, accountability, perseverance, and time.
A church may excel at attracting visitors while lacking a clear process for helping them mature.
Another congregation may have modest attendance but demonstrate extraordinary depth in the spiritual formation of its members.
Attendance alone cannot tell us whether discipleship is happening.
A growing crowd is not necessarily a growing community of disciples.
The Future of the Church Requires Apprenticeship to Jesus
If cultural relevance is insufficient, what should churches prioritize?
A renewed commitment to apprenticeship to Jesus.
Apprenticeship describes a relationship in which someone learns a way of life through instruction, observation, practice, and participation.
An apprentice doesn't simply collect information.
An apprentice learns to live and work differently.
This provides a helpful framework for understanding Christian discipleship.
Following Jesus involves more than accepting certain beliefs or participating in religious activities.
It involves learning to live under his leadership and becoming increasingly like him.
Discipleship must move beyond information
Many churches have developed strong systems for communicating biblical information.
They offer sermons, classes, Bible studies, conferences, and digital content.
These resources can be valuable.
But information alone does not guarantee transformation.
A person can understand what Jesus taught about forgiveness without knowing how to forgive someone who has deeply wounded them.
Someone can explain biblical generosity while remaining controlled by fear about money.
A church member can affirm the importance of prayer without knowing how to develop a meaningful prayer life.
Knowledge matters.
But discipleship must connect knowledge with practice.
Jesus did not simply tell his disciples what to believe.
He invited them to follow him.
They watched how he interacted with people, responded to opposition, practiced prayer, served others, and approached suffering.
They learned through participation.
The church must recover this understanding of discipleship as a lived apprenticeship.
Romans 12:2 provides a vision for transformation
The apostle Paul writes:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” — Romans 12:2
This passage identifies an important relationship between spiritual transformation and the renewal of our thinking.
People are continually being shaped by the world around them.
Christian discipleship involves learning to recognize those influences and allowing our understanding of reality to be reshaped by the truth of God.
This is not simply about acquiring more biblical information.
It involves examining the assumptions that guide our decisions.
What do we believe makes someone valuable?
How do we define success?
What do we expect from relationships?
How do we respond when life becomes difficult?
What do we believe God has promised us?
These questions expose the deeper narratives directing our lives.
Spiritual formation helps people examine those narratives in light of Jesus' teaching and example.
For urban pastors, this work is especially important because ministry frequently takes place at the intersection of competing cultural expectations, economic pressures, historical experiences, and community identities.
Effective discipleship must engage the actual lives people are living.
The Cost of Non-Discipleship
Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously explored the demands of following Jesus in The Cost of Discipleship.
His work challenged forms of Christianity that separated receiving God's grace from responding to Christ's call to follow him.
But there is another cost churches must consider.
What is the cost of failing to disciple people?
Pastor and cultural commentator Mark Sayers has used the language of the cost of non-discipleship to describe this problem.
The phrase identifies a reality that many churches experience but struggle to name.
When people are not intentionally formed as disciples, the consequences eventually become visible.
They may struggle to navigate suffering.
They may confuse spiritual maturity with emotional intensity.
They may interpret difficulty as evidence that God has abandoned them.
They may possess religious knowledge without the habits necessary to practice their faith.
And they may become disillusioned when Christianity fails to deliver the life they imagined it promised.
The danger of an incomplete vision of the Christian life
Some expressions of Christianity emphasize continual advancement.
People are encouraged to move from one level to another, from one season of blessing to the next.
The message can create the impression that spiritual growth should produce increasingly favorable circumstances.
But the New Testament offers a more complex picture.
Jesus calls his followers to take up their crosses.
The apostles describe perseverance through suffering.
Christian maturity includes sacrifice, patience, endurance, generosity, repentance, and faithfulness.
There are seasons of joy.
There are also seasons of grief.
There are moments of extraordinary clarity and periods of uncertainty.
A mature Christian faith must make room for all of them.
Spiritual growth is not the absence of difficulty. It is learning to follow Jesus faithfully through difficulty.
When churches neglect this reality, people can enter painful seasons without the theological understanding or spiritual practices necessary to navigate them.
The result is often confusion and disillusionment.
Discipleship prepares people for reality
Consider the relationship between a personal trainer and a client.
A responsible trainer doesn't simply introduce someone to difficult exercises.
The trainer explains the process.
They help the client understand why particular exercises matter.
They establish realistic expectations.
They explain the importance of rest, recovery, and consistency.
And they prepare the client for the discomfort that can accompany unfamiliar physical activity.
When soreness appears, the client understands that the experience may be part of the training process rather than evidence that something has gone wrong.
Christian discipleship requires similar intentionality.
Church leaders should prepare people for the realities of following Jesus.
They should teach people how to respond to disappointment.
How to practice prayer when they feel spiritually dry.
How to remain faithful through grief.
How to resist temptation.
How to navigate conflict.
How to develop patience.
How to recognize the presence of God in ordinary life.
This does not mean treating suffering as inherently good or assuming every hardship is a spiritual lesson.
It means refusing to offer a vision of Christianity that cannot sustain people through the realities of human experience.
Good discipleship doesn't promise a painless life. It prepares people to follow Jesus through the life they actually have.
Why Urban Church Planters Must Stop Making Assumptions
One of the greatest barriers to effective discipleship is something remarkably simple.
Church leaders often assume people understand more than they actually do.
We use familiar religious language without explaining its meaning.
We tell people to read Scripture without teaching them how.
We encourage prayer without demonstrating what prayer can look like.
We discuss the kingdom of God, spiritual warfare, holiness, sanctification, and the gospel as though everyone shares the same definitions.
But many people don't.
Some have little or no church background.
Others have spent years attending church without receiving intentional discipleship.
Still others carry experiences of Christianity that have shaped their understanding of God in confusing or painful ways.
Familiarity with church culture is not the same as understanding the Christian faith.
Start from scratch
Urban church planters should be willing to explain the foundations of Christianity without embarrassment or unnecessary complexity.
This includes helping people understand:
Who Jesus is and what he taught.
What the gospel means and why it matters.
How to read and interpret Scripture.
How to develop a life of prayer.
What repentance and faith look like in everyday life.
How spiritual practices contribute to Christian maturity.
Why relationships and community matter for discipleship.
How following Jesus shapes work, family, money, sexuality, justice, and relationships.
What to expect when following Jesus becomes difficult.
This approach requires patience.
It also requires humility.
Church leaders must recognize that people arrive with different experiences, questions, assumptions, and levels of biblical understanding.
The goal is not to make people feel ignorant.
The goal is to create environments where people can learn.
Make discipleship accessible without making it shallow
Starting from scratch does not mean reducing Christianity to simplistic answers.
It means developing thoughtful pathways that help people grow from where they are.
A new believer may need to learn how to read a Gospel.
A longtime church member may need help developing practices of confession and forgiveness.
A ministry leader may need to confront unhealthy patterns of identity, ambition, or emotional avoidance.
Different people require different kinds of guidance.
But everyone needs opportunities to grow.
Effective discipleship combines biblical depth with practical accessibility.
It communicates the richness of Christian faith in ways people can understand and practice.
A Practical Framework for Discipleship in Urban Churches
The central challenge for church leaders is turning these convictions into a sustainable ministry approach.
At Maroon House, we encourage leaders to think about discipleship through three interconnected commitments:
Vision of Jesus. Rhythm Like Jesus. Action Like Jesus.
These commitments provide a useful framework for designing intentional discipleship environments.
Maroon House Discipleship Framework
1. Vision of Jesus: Help people see who they're following
Discipleship begins with a compelling and accurate understanding of Jesus.
People need more than isolated biblical principles.
They need to encounter the person, teaching, character, and mission of Jesus Christ.
This means regularly returning to the Gospels.
It means helping people recognize how Jesus approached power, money, relationships, suffering, justice, forgiveness, and obedience.
It also means confronting distorted images of Jesus that may have developed through cultural assumptions or religious experiences.
The question: Are we helping people develop a clear and compelling vision of Jesus?
2. Rhythm Like Jesus: Develop practices that support transformation
A vision without practice rarely produces lasting change.
Jesus' life demonstrated rhythms of prayer, solitude, community, service, rest, and engagement with Scripture.
Churches can help people develop intentional practices that create space for spiritual growth.
These practices should be realistic and appropriate to people's circumstances.
A single parent working multiple jobs may need a different approach than someone with significant schedule flexibility.
A new believer may need a simple starting point rather than an overwhelming collection of spiritual disciplines.
The goal is not religious performance.
It is developing sustainable rhythms that support a growing relationship with Jesus.
The question: Are we helping people develop practical rhythms that make following Jesus part of everyday life?
3. Action Like Jesus: Practice the way of Jesus in the world
Discipleship must move beyond private spirituality.
Following Jesus shapes how people treat their neighbors, serve their communities, navigate conflict, practice generosity, and respond to injustice.
For urban churches, this includes helping disciples connect their faith to the realities of their neighborhoods.
What does loving your neighbor look like on your block?
How does following Jesus shape your response to poverty, violence, loneliness, or broken relationships?
What does faithful presence look like in your workplace?
How can disciples participate in the flourishing of their communities?
These questions move discipleship from abstract theology into everyday obedience.
The question: Are we equipping people to practice the way of Jesus where they live, work, and serve?
Discipleship requires more than a framework
No framework can replace meaningful relationships.
Spiritual formation happens over time, through teaching, practice, encouragement, correction, and shared life.
Churches need leaders who model the way of Jesus.
They need communities where people can ask honest questions.
They need environments where failure is met with truth and grace.
And they need a commitment to growth that extends beyond a single class, sermon series, or ministry program.
The framework provides direction.
The community provides the environment where discipleship can take root.
Five Questions Every Church Planter Should Ask
If your church wants to move beyond relevance toward intentional discipleship, begin by evaluating your current approach.
1. What kind of person are we helping people become?
A church's discipleship strategy should begin with a clear picture of spiritual maturity.
Without that vision, ministry activity can become disconnected from its intended outcome.
2. What assumptions are we making about people's spiritual understanding?
Identify the language, practices, and beliefs your church regularly assumes people already understand.
Consider where additional explanation or guidance may be necessary.
3. What happens after someone begins following Jesus?
Examine whether your church has a meaningful process for helping new believers develop foundational Christian practices and relationships.
4. How are we preparing people for suffering and difficulty?
Consider whether your teaching and discipleship environments present a realistic picture of Christian life.
Are people being equipped to navigate disappointment, grief, temptation, and uncertainty?
5. How do we recognize spiritual growth beyond attendance?
Church participation matters, but it should not be the only indicator of discipleship.
Look for evidence of growing love, obedience, humility, perseverance, generosity, reconciliation, and service.
These questions can help leaders identify where their churches are already fostering maturity and where additional intentionality is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cultural relevance bad for churches?
No. Cultural relevance can help churches communicate clearly and remove unnecessary barriers. The problem occurs when cultural relevance becomes a substitute for discipleship. Churches should engage their communities while maintaining a clear commitment to spiritual formation.
What is the difference between church attendance and discipleship?
Church attendance describes participation in a congregation's gatherings and activities. Discipleship involves learning to follow Jesus and becoming increasingly like him. Attendance can support discipleship, but participation alone does not guarantee spiritual maturity.
What does apprenticeship to Jesus mean?
Apprenticeship to Jesus describes learning his way of life through biblical teaching, spiritual practices, relationships, and everyday obedience. It emphasizes both understanding Jesus' teachings and putting them into practice.
What is the cost of non-discipleship?
The cost of non-discipleship refers to the consequences of failing to intentionally form people as followers of Jesus. These consequences can include spiritual immaturity, confusion about Christian beliefs, difficulty navigating suffering, and a disconnect between religious participation and everyday life.
How can a small urban church develop an effective discipleship strategy?
Start with clarity rather than complexity. Define what spiritual maturity looks like, identify the foundational practices people need to learn, and create opportunities for meaningful relationships and guided practice. A small church does not need an elaborate program to begin discipling people intentionally.
How should churches measure discipleship?
Churches can evaluate discipleship through a combination of qualitative and quantitative indicators. These might include participation in meaningful relationships, engagement with Scripture, developing spiritual practices, service, generosity, reconciliation, and evidence of growing Christlike character. No single metric fully captures spiritual maturity.
The Future of the Church Is Formation, Not Performance
The future of the church remains uncertain.
New technologies will emerge.
Cultural expectations will continue changing.
Ministry models will evolve.
And churches will face challenges that previous generations could not have anticipated.
But the central calling of the church has not changed.
Jesus commissioned his followers to make disciples.
Not simply attract audiences.
Not merely organize religious activities.
Not build environments that compete with popular culture.
Make disciples.
This calling requires churches to engage culture without being controlled by it.
It requires leaders who are willing to teach the foundations of faith rather than assume everyone already understands them.
It requires meaningful relationships, intentional practices, and a vision of spiritual maturity rooted in Jesus.
And it requires patience.
Because spiritual formation rarely happens overnight.
The most important question facing the next generation of urban churches may not be how many people they can attract.
It may be whether they can develop communities of people who are genuinely learning to follow Jesus.
The relevance era is over. The discipleship imperative remains.
Listen: The Relevance Era Is Over
In this episode of The Urban Pastor Podcast, Charlie Mitchell explores why cultural relevance is no longer enough and what the next generation of churches must recover.
Listen to Episode 6:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324541/episodes/20056196
Watch the original 2022 teaching:
https://youtu.be/tYj2dmCuonA
About Maroon House
Maroon House exists to provide coaching, care, community, and capital for urban pastors and church planters.
We believe sustainable urban ministry requires more than effective strategies. It requires healthy leaders, meaningful relationships, intentional discipleship, and a commitment to the flourishing of communities.
Explore Maroon House: https://www.bemaroon.com
No one changes a city alone.
