From the Great Omission to the Great Commission

Dear Brothers,

No matter how long you've been walking with the Lord, and no matter how equipped you feel, if the video and blog below stir something deep in your heart, let the Holy Spirit move you to pray—and then begin your application for the 2026 Embrace Men's Summit.
Let’s make a fresh start at this annual gathering of men and join the movement of Jesus together!

We have all heard about the Great Commission. But have you heard of the Great Omission?

Dallas Willard—one of the most important Christian thinkers of our time—wrote The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’ Essential Teachings on Discipleship. His claim was simple and convicting: the greatest omission in modern Christianity is discipleship. Too often we reduce our faith to believing the right things or attending church, while neglecting the daily call to follow Jesus and form others into His likeness.

If you’re an engineer or data nerd, here are just a few numbers to back up what he claimed: 62% of Americans identify as Christian, down from 71% 10 years ago; weekly church attendance is below 30%, daily prayer and Bible reading are dropping to new low. Among evangelical churches, fewer than 5% are actually producing disciples who reproduce.

Based on all this data, it’s clear that Willard was not exaggerating. He spoke with the clarity of a prophet, telling God’s people a hard truth we would rather ignore. He was like a skilled doctor, delivering a diagnosis so serious that the church struggles to accept.

So that's church, but where do I stand? It is easy to point fingers to others or blame church, but the truth is, either I am part of the solution, or I'm part of the problem.

Twenty-one years ago my wife and I were about to divorce just as we graduated from MBA programs. In desperation I reached out to a friend, Brent Hoover, who had been a missionary in Asia for 7 years. After talking for hours he looked at me and said: “Ed, I know one guy who can help you. His name is Jesus. Do you want to believe in Him?”

I said yes. My wife said yes. God saved our marriage and our lives. That was a miracle.

We moved to Austin, found ACC, got baptized, joined all kinds of church programs, from Sunday school to prayer meeting. I even went to a women's prayer meeting. But the real transformation came only through life on life discipleship. A couple—an American husband and Japanese wife—invited us into their home. We ate together weekly. Conversations kept turning to Scripture and what Jesus meant for our everyday lives. They introduced us to Dallas Willard, Oswald Chambers, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. That season of intentional discipleship laid the foundation of our faith.

Brent didn’t disappear after leading me to Christ. For twenty-one years he has discipled me—serving as my spiritual father, marriage counselor, best friend, and now ministry partner. He’s walked with me through the highs and lows of family, work, and ministry. We’ve backpacked hundreds of miles together across New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. We can call or text one another at any hour—no permission needed. That’s real discipleship.

My wife and I hadn’t returned to Ann Arbor since 2004, but last year we went back for a short trip to recreate memories and remember God’s faithfulness in our lives.

For years, I thought I was safe—I wouldn’t commit the sin of omission. But four years ago, I turned forty-nine—the same age my father died suddenly. That year, Psalm 90:12 struck me with new intensity: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

As I began counting my days, one question pressed relentlessly: If I stood before Jesus today, could I say I had made disciples? I had been faithful in church, giving, and serving—but had I helped others truly follow Jesus and make followers of Him? The answer wasn’t clear.

Oswald Chambers once wrote: “Not often, but once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point—a great crossroads. From that point we either drift into a slow, lazy, useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest.”

That year God led us to launch Trailhead Fellowship—a ministry to lead each one into the marvelous love of God. We started as a men's ministry but branched into women's ministry and pastor care ministry. Today, we have many men and women leading activities around the country year around. From a week long backpacking trip called LeaderTrek, to a weekend trip called Marvel Men, to three hours hiking on Saturday called Super Saturday, to a two hours gathering around campfire in our backyard.

All these events are deeply transformational. But through my experience, God made me realize that the mountaintop experience isn’t enough—we need discipleship in the valleys of daily life. So I started my first D-Group with four brothers. We held each other accountable in daily prayer and scripture reading, met weekly and encouraged one another to reach others. After a year, one group became two. Then three. Today, there are D-Groups in Austin, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Miami, and more.

God also led my family back to ACC, first joining the Mandarin Congregation, and last year we started to attend the English Congregation. Through the “Practice the Way” Discovery Group, I connected with several brothers who shared the same passion for discipleship. The Holy Spirit began to move. In February, five guys—David, Leslie, Charles, Chris, and I—formed the first D-Group at ACC. Fittingly, our first meeting took place at Five Guys burgers. In April, we hosted Marvel Men Weekend, and ten men attended. As more brothers caught the fire, that first group soon grew into three.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Discipleship is not a class or program. As good as a class may be, no one becomes a disciple—or a disciple-maker—simply by finishing a course. Discipleship is a lifestyle. It is woven into meals, conversations, work, and friendship. It is formed over time through relationships, accountability, Scripture, and prayer.
2. The omission of discipleship is not from lack of knowledge but lack of conviction and action. We already have plenty of content. What we need are people of God courageous enough to step out of their comfort zones. What we need is a turning point. When your eyes and ears are open, you will hear God’s whisper—His gracious invitation: “Come, follow Me.”
3. The Great Commission belongs to every follower of Jesus. It was not given only to pastors, missionaries, or so-called “professionals.” If you think discipleship is someone else’s job, you are committing the sin of omission. Jesus commanded all of us: “Go therefore and make disciples.” That is an all-hands-on-deck calling. And if our leaders don’t yet know how, don’t wait. You don’t need permission to obey Jesus.

In the end, making disciples is not hard—because Jesus is with us! He promised to be by our side always, even to the very end of the age. And the journey is filled with joy: when we move from merely attending church to truly living as disciples and disciple-makers, everything changes. Our lives are swept up into the movement Jesus himself is leading. Our story becomes part of His story. Along the way, we discover deep friendships, lasting joy, and eternal purpose.

Philippians 1:21 declares, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Death is not the challenge—for the believer, to die is better, and even easy compared to the life we are called to live. It is not how we die, but how we live that defines us. The real question is: When my time is up, what will I be remembered for? Four years ago, I had no clear answer. Today I do. I want to be remembered as a disciple—and a disciple-maker.

Be One. Make One.

I can do this. You can do this. We can do this. We are in this together.