Richard Christenson has addressed congregations and men's ministry groups throughout the United States, and his observations from these experiences are alarming. He found that comprehensive discipleship training has been replaced by "felt needs" driven programming and religious education classes, resulting in churches becoming increasingly ingrown and comprised of consumers, spectators, and Jesus fans rather than cross-carrying followers of Jesus Christ. Christenson believes this problem is the result of our incomplete presentation of the Gospel and our failure to provide comprehensive maturity, ministry, and mission training. Christ's discipleship deal comes with many temporal and eternal benefits, but there are also costs involved. Christ's Discipleship Deal offers assistance for church leaders in identifying and correcting concerns related to their presentation of the Gospel, spiritual formation of their members, and proactive participation in Christ's redemptive mission.
