If you pay attention to statistics, you may have heard that many churches in America have seen attendance dwindle.  But even though this is true, some other churches are adding services and expanding their buildings to accommodate larger crowds.  How can this be?  Well, according to some Christian leaders, some churches have relaxed their standards to “anything goes” while others have been earnestly following the principles of Christian discipleship.

After reading a recent book by Jim Putnam, “Real Life Discipleship” (NavPress), it dawned on my why my church has been so successful in its Christian outreach.  Depending on who you ask, Christian discipleship may mean different things to different people, but there are some common elements that Putnam identifies in his book.  America’s fastest-growing churches are employing Biblical principles of discipleship and strengthening their leadership in a powerful way.

Jim Putnam gained his real-life experience from being in ministry for the past seventeen years.  As the pastor at Real Life Ministries in Idaho, he also has become a well-known speaker and author.  His sports background gave him the skills he needed to coach his ministry teams in the model of effective Christian leadership. According to Putnam, the most successful churches work a lot like professional sports teams, with each member pulling his or her weight toward a common mission. It is truly inspiring to see what happens when a small army of committed Christians grows larger and larger, but that’s what happens when each person is involved in discipleship.

If this sounds like a book your leadership should read, consider getting the workbook for leaders who want to study the book as a group.  Using this results-oriented approach, leaders are able to break down the book into its key components.  Ultimately, the goal is to reach others for Jesus Christ and make a genuine impact in this fallen world.  Packed with Biblically sound ideas, this useful book and workbook helps believers grow as Christians. As more and more casual attendees become spirit-filled followers of Christ, they will encourage the rest of the congregation to take up the mantle of Christian discipleship.

According to several reviews on Amazon, Real-Life Discipleship is a book that many are convinced is a must-read for Christian leaders who want to learn about Christian discipleship.