Most groups in local churches don’t fall apart overnight. They slowly drift from life-giving to maintenance-driven. Leaders don’t usually quit because they don’t care anymore – they quit because the structure they are working inside can’t sustain long-term disciple-making.
iStock
Too often, our approach to the Bible is problematic because we want to be instant experts. We have very little tolerance for unanswered questions, forgetting that answers come as we keep visiting the text.
iStock
We’ve seen a steady decline in both Christian identity and church attendance with each passing generation in the U.S. A stat that should concern all church leaders is that among teenagers who were active in church for at least a year during high school, 2 out of 3 are not attending shortly after graduation.
Rayden Hollis speaks during a main session of the 2026 Illinois Leadership Summit.
Churches hoping to engage younger generations must move beyond comfort, familiarity and fear, says Illinois pastor Rayden Hollis.
Most groups in local churches don’t fall apart overnight. They slowly drift from life-giving to maintenance-driven. Leaders don’t usually quit because they don’t care anymore – they quit because the structure they are working inside can’t sustain long-term disciple-making.
Every disciple of Jesus needs voices that sharpen, stretch and strengthen their walk with Christ. For leaders especially, a mentor can mean the difference between leading from exhaustion or leading from overflow. The right one multiplies Gospel impact – not just in your ministry, but in your life as a disciple.
Bible teachers are not just transferring information from leader to learner—they are the lead disciple-maker of the group. Teachers that make the biggest impact through teaching are men and women of God who understand that their role extends beyond the one hour teaching experience once a week.
