Are our churches actually making disciples, or are we just barely passing? Brian Upshaw and Drew Dabbs dive into the latest LifeWay Research findings and discuss how pastors can move their congregations from a ‘D’ average to vibrant, Great Commission impact.


The latest State of Discipleship study reveals a startling disconnect in the pews: while churchgoers score high on “seeking God,” they are failing in Bible engagement and sharing Christ. Drew Dabbs, discipleship ministry strategist, points out that while “Ds get degrees” in college, a “D” average in discipleship suggests that many believers lack the practical tools to study the Word for themselves or engage their culture with the gospel. The conversation highlights that the desire to follow God is present, but the systems for equipping and reproducing disciples are often missing.

To address these gaps, Dabbs and Brian Upshaw highlight the upcoming Disciple-Making Conference on Feb. 24 at Hickory Grove Baptist Church. This event is designed to move beyond theory by featuring local practitioners who are effectively building cultures of evangelism and leadership development in diverse contexts. Whether it’s understanding new Gen Z trends or learning how to turn volunteers into leaders, North Carolina Baptists have the resources available to help their churches “raise their grades” and thrive on mission.

Listener Bonus: Listen for a special code to receive $5 off your registration! Register at disciplemakingconference.org.

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Podcast highlights:

  • “One of the grades that stuck out to me was the fact that there was actually a ‘D’ in Bible engagement, but the highest grade was in seeking God. So there seems to be some disconnect between seeking God and how the Bible is God’s Word to us and how we can actually discover His will.” (02:36)
  • “It seems like the desire is there, but the follow-up in the Word of God is not. As leaders we need to be intentional in helping people not just learn how to hear the Word, but what does it mean for them to study the Word for themselves? What does it mean for them to understand what it’s saying and enjoy being in God’s Word?” (03:26) 
  • “We’re hearing there’s a need, and we’re seeing pastors desire to meet that need. Our role is to come alongside them and help them with that, any way that they need us to or want us to, and ask us to.” (04:55)
  • “One of the things you see in the research that’s recently come out is that young men from Gen Z are returning to the church, coming to the church, while we see young women in Gen Z pulling back from the church. That’s something that Mark’s (Matlock) going to talk to us about and help us unpack and understand what’s going on, because it’s different than what we’ve seen over the last few decades.” (08:34)
  • The upcoming Disciple-Making Conference on Feb. 24 features teaching and training that equip N.C. Baptists to engage every generation with the gospel. Listeners of this episode get $5 off registration. Listen throughout the episode to hear the discount code. Register a group from your church at disciplemakingconference.org.

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