Crossing the Discipleship Chasm - by Matt Lake (Paperback)

About the Book

Discover a higher path to discipleship that rises above challenges, adapts to your unique context, and leads others on a transformative journey toward life.

Book Synopsis

When the road ahead seems too challenging for a conventional approach, staying put is not an option.

This may feel like the reality of today's ministry landscape. Helping others follow Jesus is no longer straightforward; the path often seems blocked by cultural obstacles. But we cannot stay where we are. What's needed is a higher way-a path that rises above the challenges, strong enough to support your journey, yet flexible enough to adapt to the changing terrain.

In Crossing the Discipleship Chasm, pastor and consultant Matt Lake, draws from deep experience in ministry to introduce a transformative approach that revives the original mission of the church: adaptive discipleship. Grounded in thorough research and tested relationships, his method offers a way forward.

Too often local churches, in their anxiety, jump to quick, programmatic solutions to address the lack of discipleship happening in their settings. However, jumping to a solution that ignores the context and deeper issues of the problem only leads to surface-level, technical responses. It will never work in the long run.

His solution? How to apply an adaptive approach to the issue of discipleship through a series of life-giving "tensions". If you're ready to bridge the gaps in your ministry, you need both a reliable path and a wise guide. With Lake's direction, discover the confidence and courage to lead others on the journey toward life.

Review Quotes

Indispensable reading for anyone committed to deepening their approach to discipleship that lasts. -Leonard Sweet, author, professor, preacher and publisher

This book will become a go-to guide for pastors who want to recover the lost art of discipleship. --Tod Bolsinger, Principal of AE Sloan Leadership and author of Canoeing the Mountains and The Practicing Change Series.

Thank you for helping the body of Christ get back to its roots! -Dr. Dee Stokes, entrepreneurial minister, educator, consultant, author, and podcaster

A needed innovation in the discipleship landscape. -Chris Backert, Senior Director of Fresh Expressions North America

Effective discipleship doesn't come naturally to most churches. In Crossing the Discipleship Chasm, Matt Lake will guide you towards healthy approaches to discipleship deeply rooted in Jesus. --Luke Edwards, author of Becoming Church: A Trail Guide for Starting Fresh Expressions

If you're finding crossing the discipleship chasm to be daunting, this resource will help you bridge that gap. -J.R. Briggs, Founder of Kairos Partnerships and author

Inspiration for those of us in the trenches of making disciples in a local church setting. -Dennis R. Wiles, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas

A thoughtful, pragmatic approach to discipleship. -Phil Greenwald, President of Mid-America Christian University

Matt Lake has interwoven the deep riches of the historical church with the practical experience of the local congregation. -Lance Finley, Executive Director of Churches of God,

General Conference

An intentional, yet nuanced approach to discipleship. -Shannon Kiser, Director of US Ministries and Training, Fresh Expressions North America

Matt Lake's approach to discipleship is refreshing! -Anne Bosarge, Director of Leadership Strategies and Local Church Resources of the South Georgia Conference, UMC

This book can be used by anyone longing to help the church become the fullness of what Jesus intended. -Donna Claycomb Sokol, pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C.

This book encourages us to embrace the tensions between church-as-usual and church on the-edge. -Jason Byassee, Senior Pastor of Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto, Ontario

Thoughtful, practical, and timely. -Todd D. Still, Professor of Christian Scriptures at Truett Seminary