Kalos Books Virtual Book Tour - Book #1The American Church is in the middle of a discipleship crisis. In Dallas Willard’s book, The Great Omission, he concludes that the Church is full of undiscipled disciples. Instead of making disciples, we have made converts and instead of baptizing them into the Trinitarian community, we have baptized them into church membership. When the discipleship process is reduced down to converts and church membership, it often takes the real challenge out of following Jesus through our everyday lives. Without the challenge to be pushed to the Biblical standard of discipleship, the world will continue to be full of unChristian Christians, which is the general consensus of outsiders to the Christian faith the Barna Group discovered in their extensive research project reported in the book, UnChristian.
Marines are challenged to thrive not only survive at all times no matter the costs. Every year approximately 38,000 Marines receive their basic training, which is far more challenging than any other branch of the military. Most Marines testify that going through the twelve weeks of boot camp to gain entrance into the Marines is the most challenging thing they ever had to do in their lives. There is no such thing as an unMarine Marine. If the Marines were filled with such a person, they would not be known as being the most elite armed forces in the Military. Their reputation is the result of their training process. Without a training process that challenges every area of life, they would not perform the tasks necessary.
The process determines the product. What if the process of training disciples in the local church has been sidetracked as a result of mass producing discipleship for the crowds? What if discipleship starts and ends with the personal development of a few? Without a tool that builds a bridge from the preaching and teaching in the local church to the real life of a disciple through the week, “real disciples” will continue to be sidelined.
To combat the discipleship crisis in the American Church, I created an experience called: The Discipleship Dare. It is a 40 day journey to raise the bar of discipleship in both the individual life of a disciple and the collective life of a church. This devotional is unlike anything else on the market. Like the 40-day devotional book, The Love Dare, from the best selling movie “Fireproof,” each day builds on the previous day. Every day is action packed with a relevant quote, passage of scripture, illustrated explanation, daily dare and S.O.A.P study (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer). It takes no more than 15 minutes to complete each day.
Dr. George O. Wood
"The Discipleship Dare: Living Dangerously for God" is a challenging, worthwhile 40 day journey through the risks of discipling. Each day the reader has opportunity to analyze his or herself, apply the truths learned, and pray a prayer of intentionality.
Dr. Don Meyer
Christian leaders are always looking for tools which can be used for their own personal journey but also which can be given to those whom they are mentoring in the faith. Jess Bousa’s The Discipleship Dare book is such a resources. Here you will find an extremely practicable, easily readable, well laid out and presented guide for growing in the faith. I will want many of them within reach for use in my own ministry. I commend this to you with highest recommendations.
Rev. Joseph S. Batluck, Sr. D.Min, CH (COL) USA-Ret.
Dietrich Bonhoffer in The Cost of Discipleship said, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." The paradox of life springing from death is captured by Rev Bousa. Jess beckons all believers - cautious, careful, crazy - to dare to be God's person through a life of passionate, Christ-centered discipline. The reader will live in a new way as he dies again.
The Discipleship Dare can be used alone or in the context of a group. I designed it to jumpstart the lifestyle of a new disciple or revive the lifestyle of a veteran disciple. It works best as a companion guide for a sermons series, in small groups or Sunday School classes. What if the biggest risk in life is not taking any risks for discipleship? I dare you to stand up for discipleship and dare others to do the same!
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