Real Life Ministries

Real Life Ministries is a non-denominational, Evangelical Christian church in Post Falls, Idaho, situated in Kootenai County, Idaho. The church was planted in 1998 by four families, including now senior pastor and elder, Jim Putman. Since its founding, the church has grown to an average weekend attendance of over 7,000Cite web|url=http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=10334|title=How to grow a congregation|accessdate=2008-03-10|work=2007 Spokesman Review] and has become one of the fastest growing churches in the United States, ranking 13th in a 2007 report.Cite web|url=http://www.outreachmagazine.com/docs/top100_2007_fastest.pdf|title=101 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches(#13)|accessdate=2008-03-10|year=2007-10-08|work=2007 Outreach Magazine Report] They predict a 0.4% growth for the fall of 2008.cite journal | title=Church delays building on prairie...| journal=CDA Press| year=2008-08-22] The church is a member of the Willow Creek AssociationCite web|url=http://www.willowcreek.com/wca_info/find_a_church/ProfileDetail.asp?MP=440694%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20457|title=Real Life Ministries|accessdate=2008-03-10|publisher=Willow Creek Association] and Pastor Jim Putman is a speaker at the Exponential National New Church ConferencesCite web|url=http://www.exponentialconference.org/speakers/|title=Speaker Roster|accessdate=2008-03-10|publisher=Exponential 08] sponsored by Stadia, the Willow Creek Association and many others.

History

The church began by meeting in private homes until their numbers became too great, at which time they were able to rent space in a movie theater. In 1999, [https://cdfonline.org/about/whoweare/overview.asp Church Development Fund] stepped in to buy 33 acres of land in Post Falls, Idaho, through their Advanced Land Purchase program, in order for the church to build a facility to serve the 400 in weekly attendance, at that time. The church moved into a convert|26000|sqft|m2|adj=on building on that property in 2001, but quickly outgrew it.

In 2004, the church built a convert|68000|sqft|m2|adj=on facility, featuring a multi-purpose 1700 seat auditorium, also on the same property. Real Life Ministries has purchased an additional 14 acres plus a home, for a total of convert|47|acre|km2 at their current site. The Church's master plan for the current site included a 3600 seat main building, a softball field and a youth center.cite journal | title=Miracle Growth| journal=CDA Press| year=2003-07-25] They have been a borrower of CDF, meeting all criteria of the loan process including the possession of certain characteristics of congregations and ministries that came to be identified with what historians have called the Restoration Movement, for land purchases and all phases of construction. [ [https://cdfonline.org/about/ourmarket.asp Church Development Fund Loan Criteria] ]

In a June 22, 2006 CDA Press letter to the editor, RLM's financial accountability was questioned. The writer suggested RLM seek certification from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability as other large churches had done. [cite web|url=http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2006/06/24/editorials/letters/letter03.txt|title=CDA Press, June 22, 2006, CHURCH: It's good to be held accountable] RLM responded with their own letter to the CDA Press on July 15. In it, RLM described their accounting practices and stated that they would seek ECFA certification as an additional measure of outside accountability. [cite web|url=http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2006/07/17/editorials/letters/letter05.txt|title=July 15, 2006, FINANCES: Real Life takes responsibility] As of September 2008, the ECFA has neither accepted nor denied RLM's application.Cite web|url=http://www.ecfa.org/NewestMembers.aspx|title=New Members|accessdate=2008-09-11|publisher=ECFA] .Cite web|url=http://www.ecfa.org/Content.aspx?PageName=FormerMember|title=Former Members|accessdate=2008-09-11|publisher=ECFA]

Expansion Issues

With their congregation continuing to grow,Cite web|url=http://www.outreachmagazine.com/docs/top100_2005.pdf|title=100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches(2005)(#24)|accessdate=2008-03-16|year=2005-06-17|work=2005 Outreach Magazine Report] Cite web|url=http://www.outreachmagazine.com/docs/top100_2006.pdf|title=100 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches(2006)(#35)|accessdate=2008-03-16|year=2006-07-15|work=2006 Outreach Magazine Report] Cite web|url=http://www.outreachmagazine.com/docs/top100_2007_fastest.pdf|title=101 Fastest-Growing U.S. Churches(#13)|accessdate=2008-03-10|year=2007-10-08|work=2007 Outreach Magazine Report] , Real Life Ministries has purchased a convert|124|acre|km2|sing=on plot of land for a new site; again borrowing funds from the Church Development Fund.Kootenai County Recorder's Office #I 2126812000 (Recorded 10-15-2007)] Preliminary plans for the new property include an expandable 3500 seat auditorium, state-of-the-art children's facility, a 300-seat chapel, field house and six multi-use sports fields.Cite web|url=http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=10334|title=How to grow a congregation|accessdate=2008-03-10|work=2007 Spokesman Review] The property, however, has no water rights (according to the deed recorded at the county), no septic hook-up, and access roads have not been widened nor brought up to highway standards. According to the Conditional Use Permit AgreementKootenai County Recorder's Office #I 2077525000 (Recorded 1-16-2007)] , RLM will fund a traffic study and infrastructure improvements, including but not limited to reconstructing two adjacent roads, before receiving any building permits. Jim Putman has stated that while plans to build on the prairie property have currently been shelved, the real need now is for RLM to build the sports fields on the new property.cite journal | title=Church delays building on prairie...| journal=CDA Press| year=2008-08-22]

After spending more than $3.2 million dollars on the new property project Kootenai County Recorder's Office #I 2126812000 (Recorded 10-15-2007)] Cite web|url=http://www.reallifeministries.com/rlm_news_page_archive|title=RLM News 7/2008|accessdate=2008-08-08|publisher=RLM] , Senior Pastor, Jim Putman announced in July 2008 that RLM will not begin construction on the convert|124|acre|km2|sing=on parcel of land, saying "...at this time at least the new building is out of reach. Other options must be explored as a temporary solution until the time when what’s required can be afforded (initial estimates being $40 million). Also in his July 2008 announcement, Jim suggested home church as one potential option, saying "Maybe doing church on Sunday in our homes? How do we keep reaching people but not get in over our heads financially".Cite web|url=http://www.reallifeministries.com/rlm_news_page_archive|title=RLM News 7/2008|accessdate=2008-08-08|publisher=RLM] The July 2008 statement also said, "we believe the move to the new property is something God wants us to do, but the timing has always been in question".Cite web|url=http://www.reallifeministries.com/rlm_news_page_archive|title=RLM News 7/2008|accessdate=2008-08-08|publisher=RLM] Earlier in the project, Jim was quoted as saying, "Jesus is all in".cite journal | title=Miracle Growth| journal=CDA Press| year=2003-07-25]

Boise Bible College - Post Falls

In 2004 Boise Bible College launched the Post Falls Center in cooperation with Real Life Ministries. The extension site combines the discipleship process developed by RLM with the Biblical training provided by BBC, resulting in an A.S. in Biblical Leadership.

References

External links

* [http://www.reallifeministries.com Real Life Ministries]
* [http://www.liferdmp.org/ Disciple Making Partnership]
* [http://www.bend.caretool.net/care.asp Caretool]
* [http://www.boisebible.edu/ Boise Bible College]