David Hunzicker emphasizes the crucial role of parents in the spiritual discipleship of their children. He lays out a compelling case for why family discipleship should be the primary responsibility for parents today, as well as gives us practical tips and resources to help engage our children in meaningful Bible studies at home. It concludes with actionable ideas and community-building tips to motivate and equip parents and caregivers in their spiritual journey with their children. Key...

“Parents are meant to be the primary discipler of their children.” Jay Austin is preaching his mantra in this episode: the church's role is equipping parents to be the primary spiritual leaders in their children's lives. He encourages us with personal experiences and strategies, focusing on milestones, mentoring, and moments to guide children from birth to adulthood. Learn practical steps to integrate faith into everyday life, and be empowered to foster a loving relationship with God and...

Renee Sproles (renew.org) talks about what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman according to principles we find in God’s word. This episode challenges the view that gender roles are secondary issues, arguing they have significant consequences. Through analogies of government, education, and church choice, Renee Sproles illustrates the impact of these roles on society. She  argues that gender roles are designed by God and have profound implications for individual behavior,...

This final track session from SmallCircle focuses on utilizing the small circle mobile app for disciple making. This free app really helps with one-to-one engagement based on Jesus's methods. Highlighting the app's features, including customizable modules for spiritual growth, offline functionality for global accessibility, and a unique disciple tracking system, this episode aims to equip users for meaningful disciple making by leveraging technology. Additionally, Steve addresses the...

For more information about Small Circle, visit their website: https://www.smallcircle.com/ This episode dives into innovative and effective strategies for discipleship, with a strong emphasis on the practice of creating deeply personal and transformative relationships within various group sizes, inspired by the model of Jesus. The "circles" Steve talks about represent different levels of fellowship and teaching, from large worship services to intimate one-to-one mentorships. Customized...

This is the Q&A session from Rob Sweet and Rob Rogers, so if you haven’t listened to the previous two episodes, please skip back and do that before going any further. The Robs talk with Bobby Harrington about their collective focus on leading people to faith in Jesus and fostering lifelong discipleship within their churches.  Visit our website discipleship.org for blogs, videos, and free resources to fuel disciple making.  Key Takeaways  00:00 Opening Remarks and the Importance of Unity...

Rob Rogers shares his personal journey from addiction to pastoral ministry, highlighting the shift his church, Grace Chapel, made from a management-focused to a discipleship-centered approach. Last day – Forum begins at 11AM – Registration for our upcoming event –  National Disciple Making Forum (Disciple Making Culture). Key Takeaways  00:00 Meet Rob Rogers: From Addiction to Ministry 01:13 The Shift from Managing Ministry to Cultivating Discipleship 03:04 Evaluating Outcomes: The Real Fruit...

Today's episode features lead pastor Rob Sweet from Fellowship Bible Church here in the Franklin, TN area. Since 2014, Rob has guided the church to reevaluate its mission statement to emphasize discipleship explicitly. They now prioritize becoming a community that follows Jesus wholeheartedly and assist others in doing the same. Registration for our upcoming event –  National Disciple Making Forum (Disciple Making Culture). Key Takeaways  00:00 Opening Remarks: The Joy of Helping People...

In this episode, Chris from Betterman.com emphasizes the need for a clear path and purpose in the journey towards spiritual maturity when discipling men. He outlines a multifaceted approach that includes the Spirit of the Word, Spirit of the Body, Spirit of the Mind, and the Spirit of Service. The ultimate goal is to guide men to become like Christ, serving as gifts to their communities rather than burdens. Registration for our upcoming event –  National Disciple Making Forum (Disciple Making...

Chris Harper dives into the theological concept Jesus as a prophet, a priest, and a king. These roles are mirrored in the responsibilities of fatherhood and leadership within a Christian family, and this episode is really about helping Christian fathers to reflect Christ in the family. Dads need to be leading but from a place of love, giving encouragement along with spiritual guidance, and the stewardship of the family's emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Men have a unique...

Today’s episode features Chris Harper going through Betterman’s second track session at the most recent Nashville City Tour and he’s taking us through the concepts of male leadership, courage, and the importance of embodying what he calls an 'ethos of courage' in modern society. There seems to be a real lack of male courage and leadership in today’s world and today Chris is advocating for a positive reframing as 'victors'. He gives us personal anecdotes and introduces four key questions aimed...

We’re jumping into Betterman’s first track session from the recent Nashville City Tour, and we’ve got Chris Harper talking about Men, Manhood, and Faith. Chris tells us about the importance of journeying back to God's original design for manhood and masculinity. In case you haven’t noticed, our culture has time and time again tried to confuse men about what masculinity should look like. These culture changes have influenced the role of men within both family and the church. And as followers...

Today we've got Anthony Walker, Chris Harper, and Bobby Harrington talking about redefining manhood through a biblical and modern perspective. This is the Q&A session with speakers from the past two episodes, so if you haven’t listened to those, please skip back and do that before listening to this one. The world critiques any form of manhood as toxic… but these men are advocating for a higher calling for me: the call for a Christ-like model of masculinity. This discussion emphasizes the...

Chris Harper of Betterman.com talks with us about the modern perceptions of gender and the confusion surrounding masculinity in our contemporary society. He critiques the progression in our country from a need for men to the questioning of what even defines a man. Chris takes us through a journey towards reclaiming manhood through biblical teachings, mentorship from older generations, and active participation in communities. Men simply need other men to guide them through intentional...

We’ve got Anthony Walker on the show today and he’s highlighting how men and women require different discipleship approaches. Where women may more naturally fit into ongoing continuous discipleship with their relationships, men typically have a harder time opening up. Anthony wants to help us have a new framework and a new approach for reaching and discipling men. He says we have to meet men where they are, accepting them along with their troubles, and helping them navigate through their...

We’re wrapping our special series on Disciple Making Culture with part 2 of a conversation with the Disciple Making Culture man himself - Brandon Guindon. If you haven’t heard part one, jump back to episode 40 and listen to that before going any further. This episode is an explanation of the final essential components of disciple making culture - relational environments and the reproducible process. We have to model Jesus' relational method of disciple-making by fostering environments for...

We’re finishing up our special series on Disciple Making Culture with 2 special interviews with Brandon Guindon. Brandon is the founding pastor of Real Life Ministries in Texas and today he’s talking with Matt Dabbs about developing a disciple-making culture within your church by sharing his insights on the challenges faced in maintaining perseverance and the American pragmatism that often discourages long-term discipleship. Check out Real Life Texas at: reallifetexas.org  Registration to our...

For Part 1 of this conversation click HERE In this episode, Matt Dabbs talks with Todd Wilson for part 2 on their conversation about the challenges the American church faces in creating a culture of disciple making. A national study shows only 4% of churches have a disciple-making culture, and Todd gives us insight as to why that is, focusing on the fact that churches with a lot of programs or consumer-driven churches actually hinder discipleship. We need a change in our church’s operating...

We have the privilege of speaking with Todd Wilson in this episode. He’s the former founder of Exponential and the current directional team leader of the Renew Movement. Todd and Matt Dabbs dive into the challenges and statistics surrounding disciple making in U.S. churches. Our current plan to use church programs for church growth has created a barriers to a real disciple-making culture. Wilson argues for a shift towards relational disciple making as a primary way of growth, especially after...

This episode features a conversation with Matthew Anderson, who has been instrumental in planting churches and making disciples in Utah through Plant Utah. Be prepared for an in-depth exploration of disciple-making and church planting in a region where Evangelical Christians represent a very small minority. Matthew shares insights into the unique challenges of ministry in Utah, emphasizing relational and experiential engagement over traditional apologetics. This conversation covers the...

Exploring Discipleship.org: Free Resources, Podcasts, Events, and More You may not be aware of this, but discipleship.org is a great resource for disciple-making tools. In this episode, Matt Dabbs and Bobby Harrington discuss those tools and they cover our free and premium resources, including blogs, ebooks, podcasts, books, assessments, videos, and specific toolkits, all designed to facilitate disciple-making. This conversation also highlights some key figures in disciple-making, their...

Understanding Spiritual Warfare with Marcus Warner Marcus Warner is the president of Deeper Walk Int’l and an author very familiar with spiritual warfare. In this episode, Matt Dabbs and Marcus talk about the often overlooked aspects of spiritual warfare like demonic possession in the battles of our minds, and also compulsive behavior and emotional struggles. Warner talks about the how weird it is that in American Christianity we don’t see this a lot, but there is an acute awareness of...

Transforming Lives through Relational Discipleship: Insights from The Crossings Church In this episode we’ve got Ashlee Catizon, who, along with her husband RJ, leads the youth ministry at The Crossings Church in Missouri. Ashlee and Matt Dabbs discuss the church's successful, decades-long journey in disciple-making and integrating the youth through relational, intentional practices rooted in Christ's teachings. Ashlee shares insights into their discipleship approach, emphasizing relational...

In this podcast, Dan Leitz of the Bonhoeffer Project, discusses the changing interpretations of the Gospel and the need for robust, shared definitions of key terms within our church communities. He raises issues around the contemporary Gospel narrative, highlighting the importance of understanding the historical and cultural context of original biblical texts, emphasizing the need for people to see the Gospel as a message given to them, rather than something they themselves can create and...