Transformation is the bottom-line result of true discipleship. Looking into the Church So how can we—the church—know whether or not transformational discipleship is occurring? We decided to study the issue. In 2008, LifeWay Research surveyed seven thousand churches to discover the principles involved with congregational health and published their findings in the book Transformational Church. The findings from that research project have helped many churches find renewal and their place in God's mission.