The beginning of Ed Dobson's unique year-long experience was a radio interview with A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically. Jacobs had spent a year trying to apply the Bible as literally as possible. Jacobs was a secular Jew, and Dobson wondered how the experiment would be different for a Christian. So he committed to a year of living Jesus-ly. His new book, The Year of Living Like Jesus (Zondervan), records his journey of eating kosher, attending synagogue, observing the Sabbath, celebrating feasts and festivals, and trying to think and act like Jesus. Leadership's Brandon O'Brien spoke with Dobson about what his experience might mean for church leaders.

How does church life make it difficult for people to live like Jesus?

When I began the year of living like Jesus, a youth pastor in a large church in town decided he wanted to join me. He started the beard and began reading the Gospels every week. After a few weeks, he told me, "I can't live like Jesus. I work full time in ...