There are always plenty of opinions in the church.
We can spend countless hours debating Calvinism versus Arminianism, end times theology, the issue of spiritual gifts, Bible versions, church governance, worship preferences, communion practices, and a myriad of other theological topics. Dozens of podcasts, YouTube series, and entire social media platforms are devoted to debating theological issues.
At the same time, many churches are full of people who debate theology but lack disciple-making. This is troubling.
Theology is important. Doctrine is vital. Truth matters. Yet when our fixation on our doctrines becomes so great that we forsake the very mission God called us to do, something is profoundly wrong.
Jesus did not command us to “win debates.”
Instead, He instructed His followers to:“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” – Matthew 28:19
Our mission as the church is to transform hearts and change lives.
There exists an implicit danger in the context of Christianity: trading obedience for conversation. It’s easier to discuss theology than to disciple a weak brother or sister. It’s easier to criticize a sermon online than to go into your community sharing the gospel. It’s easier to fight over secondary matters of doctrine than to spend years discipling someone.
"Theologizing" allows us to feel like we’re spiritually productive even when we aren’t spiritually fruitful.
As Paul warned Timothy: “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.” – 2 Timothy 2:23
Some discussions will not be foolish. Some will be important and necessary. We are obligated to clearly and forcefully defend the gospel of Christ. Yet many of today’s theological discussions produce more heat than light. They produce arrogance rather than humility and division rather than missions.
Ultimately we need to come to the question: Does our discourse about doctrines bring people closer to Christ or further into their tribes?
Many times in the New Testament, it is stated that knowledge in itself cannot make one mature spiritually.
Paul says: “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” – 1 Corinthians 8:1
Someone can state systematic theology well and yet be immature, proud, hard, prayerless, and incompetent at making disciples.
Jesus never criticized anyone for their passion for truth. Jesus did criticize people for having no passion to practice what they know. The Pharisees were excellent at their doctrine. However, they loved the knowledge and neglected doing justice, being merciful, humble, and loving the Lord.
Today, many churches run into the risk of falling into the same error. In fact, many times, it is celebrated being doctrinally precise but ignoring spiritual multiplication. Doctrine must result in healthy discipleship. Otherwise, there would be something wrong about our theology when it does not help us become: loving to Christ, obedient, missionaries, humble, holy, and disciplers.
In the early church, doctrine was valued highly. Yet doctrine should always fuel mission. The book of Acts chapter two tells of people who were passionate about: doctrine, fellowship, praying, giving, and evangelizing daily. Doctrine did not just inform their beliefs—it inspired their actions.
Nowadays, however, too many Christians live for theology as entertainment. We spend hours listening to sermons and debates online, yet we do not grow spiritually. We know too much to be obedient.
Moreover, theological knowledge sometimes takes the place of making disciples. A church may be doctrinally sound yet missionally dead. This scenario is frightening indeed.
Not all doctrines are created equally. The deity of Christ? Non-negotiable. The gospel? Non-negotiable. The resurrection? Non-negotiable.
Yet Christians split hairs on nonessentials when the unsaved continue to be unreached. Years can go by as we engage in endless discussions about whether: people should be baptized as infants, when the rapture will happen, how the doctrine of predestination operates, or the kind of music that should be sung in worship services, while doing nothing about:
The devil couldn't care less if Christians get caught up in unending debate among themselves as long as they neglect advancing the kingdom.The devil is much more afraid of churches that make disciples than churches that fight over doctrine.
Part of the reason doctrinal debate is attractive is because it is safer than mission.
Making disciples requires:
It means walking with messy people. It means opening your home. It means teaching, correcting, encouraging, and modeling the way of Jesus over the long haul. That is much harder than winning theological arguments online. But it is the work Jesus actually commanded us to do.
This is not a call to abandon theology. Bad doctrine produces bad disciples. Truth matters deeply. But doctrine is meant to serve discipleship, not compete with it.
Healthy theology should:
The goal is not less doctrine. The goal is doctrine rightly ordered under the mission of Jesus. Theological maturity is not measured merely by what you know. It is measured by:
The church does not need less truth. It needs truth that moves.Truth that produces love. Truth that produces holiness. Truth that produces disciplemakers. Because at the end of the day, Jesus will not ask whether we won every theological argument. But He is concerned if we are making disciples.