At the end of the day, all the work of conversion of hearts must be directed toward becoming a Disciple. Without this critical piece of direction, the people going through our programs are set adrift without the anchor needed to keep them gravitating toward Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Every Church Program has a shelf life. It runs its course through the members of the parish that take part in it. Once all the willing participants have gone through and the program ends, the people return to the same question – “What’s next?”  

For many, the experience has been so life-giving that they cannot imagine what life could be like without this program. And yet, while the Spirit has worked profoundly through this program, the people still do not understand who they are and what they are to do. Sure they get pieces of the call, but we fail in casting within our parishes the overarching vision.

Why does your parish exist?

Until your parishioners have a very clear understanding of the answer to this question, they will not understand the reasons (nor really search for them) why you do what you do in the parish.

While it is absolutely critical that they re-engage in authentic evangelization, they will quickly realize that conversion is limited by itself and must lead those who encounter Christ into their new identity of a Disciple of Jesus Christ.  

Are you a Disciple of Jesus who happens to work at your job and lives in your family or are you a person who works at your job, lives in your family, and occasionally hangs out with Jesus?

There are a series of questions that the local parish is going to have to wrestle with to become effective in its mission of making Disciples.

• What is the mission of the Church?
• Does your Parish achieve its mission?
• Why or why not?
• Can we alter elements within current programs so they can achieve the mission?
• Is the staff willing to address these questions?
• Does the leadership have a vision for what they must do to correct the problems?

• Are some of the staff unwilling to address the problem?
• Does the parish as a whole recognize that there are problems within the Church?

• Which individuals can see that your parish is not completing the mission?
• How do you bring this reality to the collective consciousness of the parish?
• Do your leadership and people understand what a disciple is and how to make them?
• Is the leadership following the Holy Spirit’s will for solving the problems at your parish?

These are a few questions that parishes will need to begin to address if they want to restore vitality to their faith communities. How can we make disciples if we do not know what they are?