Have You Ever Purchased a One-Size-Fits-All Shirt or Hat?

If you’re like me, you’ve probably realized that “one-size” rarely fits all. More often than not, I find myself outside the “all” category.

When it comes to church discipleship, we’ve taken a similar one-size-fits-all approach for too long. We’ve created programs we hope will fit everyone, only to realize they don’t work for most people. Or at least they don’t work along a complete discipleship pathway for most people.

What do we we realize our pathway falls short? We double down by creating more programs—a buffet approach to ministry.

How’s that working for you?

It’s All About One Thing: PEOPLE

Every church mission statement revolves around discipleship. During my 13 years as lead pastor at Woodstock City Church, our mission was simple: “to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus.” The activity of our church was determined by our mission: to lead people.

We didn’t exist to “lead programs.” Or events, facilities, or experiences. We existed to lead people.

If your church is mission-driven, then people must be at the center of everything you do. That includes your discipleship pathway.

But here’s the challenge: Our churches are not one-type-of-person-fits-all. They’re filled with people from diverse backgrounds, family origins, and life experiences. You’ve got skeptics, new believers, and seasoned disciples all showing up on Sunday.

If our mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus (or however you state it), then we need a strategy that meets everyone where they are and helps them move forward.

The Case for Categorization

The solution is to design a discipleship pathway—not for individuals, but for categories of people with shared characteristics and needs.

In the marketplace, this is called segmentation. For churches, it’s about understanding where people are spiritually and creating intentional steps to help them grow.

Imagine a number line where Satan is at -10, and Jesus is at +10. Every person in your church is somewhere on that line.

What do people need at different points along their journey?

• A skeptic at -1 needs something very different from a seasoned disciple at +7.
• Moving a -3 to a -2 requires different strategies than moving a +5 to a +6.

This is why one-size-fits-all doesn’t work. We need a discipleship strategy tailored to their current spiritual point to move people forward.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Here’s a practical framework to consider. We can categorize people in your church by their faith placement:

Building a discipleship pathway that reaches beyond a -3 (individual believers can reach further back, but organizationally, it’s challenging for a church). However, churches can begin designing pathways once people become curious about faith.

1. Seeker (Curious about faith):

• Need: To feel welcome, heard, and safe to explore.
• Pathway: Introduce them to foundational concepts of faith in low-pressure environments, such as Alpha courses or Q&A events.

2. Student (New to faith):

• Need: Guidance to build a strong foundation.
• Pathway: Offer structured learning opportunities like new believer classes or small groups.

3. Shaper (Applying their faith):

• Need: Opportunities to grow through service and application.
• Pathway: Provide challenges to deepen their faith, such as serving teams or theological studies.

4. Steward (Fully mature disciple):

• Need: To multiply their faith by discipling others.
• Pathway: Empower them to lead through mentorship programs or teaching opportunities.

The Win: Meeting People Where They Are

When you move beyond one-size-fits-all discipleship, you create a pathway that feels accessible and purposeful.

• Seekers feel liked and welcome.
• Students find clarity and build trust.
• Shapers experience growth through love.
• Stewards make an eternal impact as they share.

The first step is understanding your audience—not as a monolith, but as unique groups with unique needs. When you design for the right person, you lay the foundation for transformative discipleship.

In our next post, we’ll discuss the Right Message—stay tuned.

Next Steps

Ready to start?

✅ Download the 5 Rights Assessment Worksheet to evaluate your current programs.
✅ Contact me for coaching or a workshop experience to help your church embrace a people-centered approach.
✅ Are you confident that your church is effectively making disciples? Learn more about our Discipleship Accelerator here.
✅ Take this Church Discipleship Assessment to discover the strengths and weaknesses in your current pathway.

Programs alone won’t change lives. But a people-first mission? That’s how we’ll make disciples.