DiscipleType

by Derek Cooper

Does your spiritual life sometimes feel more like a chore than a choice? Many Christians struggle with guilt because they don't connect best with God in the way they were taught, feeling like a square peg being forced into a round hole. But what if each person's unique wiring isn't a mistake? What if it's an invitation instead?

DiscipleType explores fourteen distinct ways to relate to God, organized around the human body--from the mind of the Rationalist and Culturalist to the limbs of the Altruist and Activist. Drawing on decades of historical research, global travels, biblical insight, and leadership experience, this book reveals that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to devotion. Whether a person encounters God most vividly through deep Bible study, active service to those in need, or the quiet intimacy of prayer, their "type" reflects a specific part of the image of God.

This book encourages readers to stop trying to be someone else and start embracing the way they were made. Readers will discover their "native language" of worship, learn to appreciate Christians who are wired differently, and grow into the full, multifaceted image of Jesus Christ.

190 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2026

About the author

Derek Cooper (PhD, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia) is associate professor of world Christian history at Biblical Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books, including Exploring Church History and Christianity and World Religions: An Introduction to the World's Major Faiths, and he is the coeditor of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture volume on 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles.