Jim Putman is the cofounder and senior pastor of Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho. Prior to his role as senior pastor, he served as a youth minister in two small churches. In college, Jim won three All American titles in wrestling and went on to become a successful wrestling coach. Real Life was launched in 1998 with a commitment to discipleship and the model of discipleship Jesus practiced, relational discipleship.” Outreach magazine has regularly listed Real Life Ministries among the top one hundred most influential churches in America. Jim is also a cofounder and leader with the Relational Discipleship Network. Jim holds degrees from Boise State University and Boise Bible College. His voice reaches hundreds of thousands across the world through speaking conferences, the web, podcasts, and weekend services. He is the author of five books: Church Is a Team Sport (2008); Real-Life Discipleship (2010); The Power of Together (2016); The Disciple’s Journey (2022); and RelationShift (2023) and the coauthor of four books: Real-Life Discipleship Training Manual (2010) with Avery T. Willis Jr., Brandon Guindon, and Bill Krause; DiscipleShift (2013) with Bobby Harrington and Robert E. Coleman; Hope for the Prodigal (2017) with Bill Putman; and The Revolutionary Disciple (2021) with Chad Harrington. Jim’s passion is discipleship through small groups. With his background in sports and coaching, he believes in the value of strong coaching in discipling. He and his wife, along with their three sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren, live in scenic North Idaho.
You can learn more by visiting his website at jimputman.com and by watching the history of Real Life Ministries at thestoryofreallife.com.
In our fast-paced, individualistic world, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of genuine connection within our faith communities. Yet, the heart of Christianity beats strongest when believers are truly connected – to God, to each other, and to their purpose. This interconnectedness is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for spiritual growth and…
So how can we know what God’s will for us is in our everyday lives? How do we make decisions that align with His purposes? The key lies in us recognizing and understanding how God communicates with us. God speaks through the Holy Spirit, using four primary channels: the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church.
“Discover the paradoxical journey to true peace in ‘The Paradox of Peace: Finding True Harmony in a Chaotic World.’ Explore how internal transformation, spiritual humility, and divine wisdom can help you become a peacemaker. Learn to navigate life’s challenges with compassion, grace, and a profound sense of purpose, and uncover the deeper truths that lead to lasting harmony in a world filled with discord.”
Welcome to the first episode of the Church is a Team Sport Podcast with Jim Putman! As many of you know, Jim grew up in a Christian household, but walked away from the faith during his High School and College years. Sports became his God and he became an All-American 3 times as a wrestler…
How do you measure the impact your Church’s discipleship culture having in the homes of your people? Church leaders usually have ways to discover if the discipleship culture they’re trying to promote is actually happening throughout the church. But how can we know the impact of church discipleship in the home? For instance, how can…
Ten years ago I partnered with Bobby Harrington to write the book DiscipleShift, where we talked about the the need we were seeing for relational disciple making in churches around the country. Since that time we have actually seen many churches and church leaders make a shift towards disciple making, at least in their language…
In the beginning, God created a world where God and man walked together – they were in relationship with each other, and man’s identity was defined by his creator. There were no barriers between them. But God also gave man the ability to choose, to decide for himself if he wanted to remain in that…
I am the lead pastor/minister of a church in Post Falls, Idaho, but many people who know me have heard about my past in wrestling. At the collegiate level, I wrestled in national championships. They also know I was an unbeliever who took my skills learned in wrestling to the streets. Unfortunately, fighting was a…
In the book of Genesis, we see that God created the perfect setting for us to be in relationship with him and with each other. His plan included us walking with God, walking with our spouse, doing the job of managing the world, and then creating a community. And God said – I want to…
You are called to be a disciple. Let me start you off with making it clear that if you have truly accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, you are a disciple. A disciple has not only been drawn to Jesus, they have also accepted the invitation. If God drew you then He has a purpose…