Byron D Klaus, President (1999-2015)
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
Life in 5-D is a valiant attempt at regaining lost ground in the Church. If we are truly going to develop effective disciples of Jesus Christ, we will have to take seriously this book’s proposals. More than another educational theory, it is well-researched tool for moving beyond mere knowledge of our faith to a mature representation of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Those Five Dimensions give visibility to the abundant life in Christ as they become doorways revealing the fullest picture of what it means to be reconciled to God.
Joseph S. Girdler, D.Min., Crestwood, Kentucky
Superintendent ~ Kentucky Assemblies of God, 2004-present.
While there is much in print about discipleship, I found Life in 5-D genuinely a new vision in discipleship. It is a carefully crafted study of “refining measurable outcomes of a disciple’s life” with dimensional implication. Self, Mostert, and Bolds guide inspirational analysis and resolution with research-focused and a practical model for transformation. Their biblically rooted methodology bids a refreshing steadiness of comprehensive script and decidedly engaging, readable storyline. This is a gift to the church!
Steve Pulis, Ph.D.
Vice President Hope Education Network
Convoy of Hope
Life in 5-D provides a needed and helpful reimagining of discipleship. The five dimensions provide a framework of wholistic integration focused on the spirit’s work of making disciples more like Jesus. This approach utilizes a process rather than a class or event-driven model that all leaders and ages can apply to their context.
Dr. Bob Griffith
Lead Pastor, Christ Chapel / Woodbridge, VA
“As Christ followers, we are called to make disciples…but the question is often…how? Dr. Mostert is a gifted educator who brings passion, vision, and concepts that produce measurable outcomes for ministry! I feel so excited about how this book will impact my church and others in this critical season of the church.”
Luke Brad Bobo
Chief Program Officer, Arrabon and
Visiting Professor of Contemporary Culture,
Covenant Theological Seminary
“Discipleship, for all of life, is by and large quite broken. Discipleship has been compartmentalized at best…or worst? Thankfully, our brothers, Drs. Self and Mostert and soon to-be, Dr. Bolds are timely with this resource to reboot our broken discipleship models and practices, so the church produces all-of-life disciples.”
Gene Roncone
Superintendent, Rocky Mountain Ministry Network of the
Assemblies of God
“Western Christianity is facing a crisis of authentic benchmarks. Our spiritual compass is spinning like fan blades as true north is constantly being redefined by new trends and temporary movements. Life in 5-D is an invitation to stop the madness and do a hard reset of biblical standards that restore life, health, and balance.”
Darrell Bock
Executive Director of Cultural Engagement, The Hendricks
Center and Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies,
Dallas Theological Seminary / Dallas, Texas
“Life in 5-D is a look at discipleship with a special focus on where we spend most of our productive week—what we do Monday through Friday. This integration of faith and work is often missing in our reflection about our walk and faith. So, this book not only causes us to reflect on what goes into discipleship but what that looks like in settings we usually do not think about when thinking about our spiritual growth and maturity before God.”
Steve Pike
President, Urban Islands Project
Founder, Next Wave Community
“Discipleship is a primary responsibility of the Church. On that everyone agrees. What exactly does discipleship look like? Historically, the answers have been all over the map, always falling short of adequately defining this crucial function of the Church. Enter Life in 5-D. This outstanding book is a rigorously researched, biblically sound, and practitioner-validated resource that provides a clear and compelling description of discipleship paired with a reliable tool for measuring discipleship progress. Life in 5-D is helpful in any church context; leaders of mega- and micro-churches and every kind of church in between will find it an invaluable resource for cultivating a culture of discipleship in their faith community. I look forward to sharing this resource with the leaders we assist through Urban Islands Project and the Next Wave Community.”
Matt Rusten
Executive Director, Made to Flourish
“What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? At one level, the answer is simple—learn to obey everything Jesus commanded and modeled, in reliance on the Holy Spirit. And yet, we sometimes sense we have lost our way, with too much attention on programs and not enough attention on pursuing outcomes that align with the way of Jesus. Life in 5-D offers a much-needed correction, calling us back to a clear vision of the goal—being transformed into the likeness of Christ in every dimension of our lives.”
Chris Beard
Lead Pastor, Peoples Church Cincinnati
https://PeoplesChurch.co
Author of Remarkable https://remarkablethebook.com
“The ekklesia has needed tools like this for centuries. Now it’s here—for such a time as this, when the twenty-first century global Church is yearning for clarity toward fulfilling the Great Commission and realizing the End Game (Matt 28:18-20; 24:14).”
Paul R. Alexander, PhD
President, Trinity Bible College and Graduate School
President, Assemblies of God Alliance for Higher Education
Chair, World Alliance for Pentecostal Theological Education
Carol Alexander, PhD
Dean, Graduate School at Trinity Bible College
and Graduate School
“We have known Dr. Johan Mostert and Dr. Charlie Self for many years. In all the time we have known them, their passion and commitment to making disciples has never waned nor faded. This book reflects that passion. It is well structured, immensely helpful as a resource but, more importantly, they have written with passion and purpose. We highly recommend this useful book—not as “just another book for the bookshelf” but as a book that, if read and implemented, will produce life change and the extension of God’s Kingdom.”
Dale L. Lemke, PhD
Associate Professor of Christian Ministries,
University of Northwestern–St. Paul
“Life in 5-D presents a holistic model for discipleship that reflects the Kingdom values of Jesus. As believers grow in intimacy with Christ, Scripture teaches that we will experience transformation spiritually, emotionally, and relationally but also move into the world with a sense of Kingdom clarity related to our work, callings, and finances. At the University of Northwestern–St. Paul, we use the authors’ Discipleship Dynamics Assessment in our core curriculum because we want to send out graduates who are fully devoted to Jesus and who live out the values of Jesus wherever God sends them. Life in 5-D complements this assessment by offering a biblical and practical discussion of thirty-five holistic outcomes that we can expect to see in the life of a disciple.”
Dr. G. Robert Cook Jr.
Director of Senior Adult Ministries, Assemblies of God
Church Relations Director, Mercy Ships
“Bravo to the authors (Drs. Charlie Self and Johan Mostert, and Jamé Bolds) of the new book, Life in 5-D: A New Vision of Discipleship! This excellent tool will serve well alongside the Discipleship Dynamics Assessment tool they also crafted. This book focuses on outcomes for discipleship and is filled with narratives that give ‘flesh to the bones’ of the text. Its easy-to-read style makes it attractive for all those committed to the necessity of authentic discipleship. I loved reading it and strongly recommend that every church leader read it and pass it on!”
Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD
(https://suttong.com)
Psychologist and author of the highly recommended
Counseling and Psychotherapy with Pentecostal
and Charismatic Christians
“Life in 5-D draws on thirty-five measurable outcomes to offer Christians a resource-packed, carefully organized, and thoughtfully integrated five-dimensional plan toward mature discipleship grounded in love for God evident in spiritual practices (Spiritual Formation) and incorporating emotional health (Personal Wholeness), love for others (Healthy Relationships), purposeful work (Vocational Clarity), and daily life tasks (Economics and Work). Congratulations to the authors—Life in 5-D is a ministry.”
Rev. Neal D. Presa, PhD
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
www.nealpresa.com
“Five (5), Thirty-Five (35), and One (1). You will remember those numbers as you and your congregation read, study, and implement the usable, practical wisdom in this book from three respected pastor theologians. Faithful discipleship engages five dimensions that will result in thirty-five outcomes with the aim of developing one integrated, holistic follower/community of Jesus Christ. When life and faith and congregational ministry often fragment, segment, and get siloed, this book reminds us that the living God desires the whole—all our heart, soul, mind, and strength—the entirety of who we are, the entirety of creation, and the fullness of what God has created us to be. This book and its authors aim for that. They walk with you in the gentle and prophetic way that only an experienced loving pastor who has combed the depths of the soul and traversed the crucible of congregational life can. Life in 5-D is a must-buy, must-read, must-do.”
Dr. Isak Burger
Former President, Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
Author of The Fire Falls in Africa and other titles in Afrikaans
“Discipleship is so central and basic in the construct of the New Testament Church that it must serve as a core value and focus of ministry. The making of disciples was not a mere suggestion of Jesus, but His last and Great Commission before He ascended. Regretfully, after the Early Church era, the Church through the ages has mostly lost this focus. Thankfully this is changing. In what I consider one of the most important restorations in the history of the Church, a global resurgence of this important truth has taken place over the last couple of years. While there is a spontaneous, Holy Spirit-awakened realization of the importance of disciple-making, a clear need exists for guidance and equipment of believers and pastors alike. Perhaps the most comprehensive, responsible, and helpful tool known to me in this regard is the excellent and applicable Discipleship Assessment by Dr. Johan Mostert. The result of years of research and practical experience, it perhaps serves as the most effective instrument for both members and pastors to assess their level of growth as disciples of Christ.
What I particularly appreciate about the work has to do with the comprehensive approach to discipleship that includes not merely our so-called spiritual life, but, as it is supposed to be, the whole person in all dimensions of life. The life of a true disciple of Christ should not fragment into ‘spiritual’ and ‘non-spiritual’ departments. Every aspect of our lives should portray the Lordship and character of Christ. I have known Johan for more than forty years and have the greatest appreciation for his consistent Christian walk, his practical experience in ministry, and his academic achievements. This product results from extensive study and research on the subject of discipleship assessment and guidance. As this book will greatly empower pastors to minister in a relevant way in the twenty-first century, I recommend this ministry tool with the certainty that it will provide much required assistance to those in ministry.
Chris Sonksen
Founding Pastor and CEO,
South Hills Church and Church Boom!
Author of, When Your Church Feels Stuck
and Saving Your Church from Itself
“Jamé Bolds and his co-authors provide a fresh new perspective on discipleship by intertwining faith, work, and economics. You will see these subjects in a brand-new light after reading this book. I recommend that you and your team grab a copy and go through it together.
Alan Kelso
President/CEO, Living Water Communities LLC
“Jamé Bolds’ chapters on faith, work, and economics are gold. The call of Christ to make disciples is made a reality not only within the church walls but in the workplace! These truly golden insights can help build the Church.”
Stephen D. Lentz, Esq.
Partner/Senior Counsel, Anchor Legal Group, PLLC
“What happens when you get public intellectual, a community psychologist, and an economic theologian to write a book? The outcome is a brilliant whole life discipleship path that measures discipleship in every area of life. Get this book and memorize it.”
Bishop Clifton R. Clarke, PhD
Senior Pastor, New Beginnings Church, Simi Valley, CA
Bishop of San Fernando Valley, CA (Church of God, Cleveland)
Visiting Professor, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa OK
“Jamé Bolds and his co-authors show us in this book how disciples are made at work and not necessarily at church. The chapter on faith, work, and economics is gold.”
Douglas Witherup, MTh, D.Min.
Senior Pastor, Multiply Family of Churches
Professor and Author
“I believe with all my heart that there is no such thing as secular employment for the believer. The question is not, ‘Are you in ministry?’ The question is, ‘Who pays you to do ministry?’ For some, it is the church. For most, it is the marketplace. Unfortunately, we spend a majority of our time in discipleship preparing people for their hour of serving in the church rather than discipling them on how to use their gift five days a week in all callings to the marketplace. Learning how to see how faith, work, and economics as a starting place for discipleship is a gift that Jamé Bolds and his co-authors are giving to the church. I highly recommend this book. It will change your philosophy on discipleship. It will change your church. And it will change our communities!”
