The gap between what Americans say they believe and what they do is great and growing. The same is true of Christians. Values don't always translate into actions.

A group of Christian leaders known for their skill in discipling, and headed by Texan Bob Buford, is developing a tool, the Christian Life Profile, to assess the spiritual maturity of a church's attenders and aid the pastor in leading the church to deeper and more active faith. LEADERSHIP editor-at-large Kevin A. Miller joined the group at the end of a two-day planning session. He brought to the discussion another pastor, whose West Coast church is making disciples in unusual places.

Around the table:

Larry Crabb, a licensed Christian psychotherapist for more than 25 years, is currently on faculty at Colorado Christian University. Crabb's newest book is about the church, The Safest Place on Earth: Where People Connect and Are Forever Changed.

Ken Fong is senior pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church in Rosemead, California, a multicultural ...