The Disciple Maker‘s Podcast

Next Gen Discipleship (feat. Grant Skeldon)

Highlight – “Revival is going to come in your generation.”
In this podcast episode we’ve got Grant Skeldon. Grant heads up the Nxt Gen Summit, and today he speaks with Matt Dabbs about his experiences working with churches and his observations on how generational gaps can be bridged. He discusses the role of mentorship and discipleship in helping younger generations grow up in faith, and shares in-depth insights into the various challenges that millennial and Gen Z generations face and how the older generations can guide them. Skeldon emphasizes the mutual benefits of connecting generations in ministry and the positive impact it has on church health. He provides practical advice based on his observations and experiences working with churches, drawing insights from various sources including movies, sports, and even….canine behavior.
Check out our NEW ebook – The State of Disciple Making Churches
Check out the Next Gen Summit
Check out Thinq
Join Discipleship.org this coming may for our national Forum on Disciple Making Culture: https://discipleship.org/national-disciple-making-forum/
 
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Key Takeaways 
00:00 Introducing the Guest and His Work
01:04 Discussing the Challenges of the Next Generation
01:39 The Impact of Parenting and Culture on the Next Generation
02:35 The Influence of Technology and Convenience on the Next Generation
03:19 The Role of Faith and Consequences in Growth
05:56 The Effects of Coddling and Criticism on the Next Generation
06:33 The Confusion and Cancellation of the Next Generation by Culture
07:54 The Impact of Debt on the Next Generation
08:39 The Importance of Mentorship and Discipleship
16:34 Addressing Common Excuses for Not Discipling
23:46 The Role of the Church in Discipleship
25:22 The Power of Movies in Addressing Racial and Generational Reconciliation
26:08 Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Generational Differences
27:20 Identifying Enthusiastic Older and Younger Leaders in the Church
29:11 Creating a Movement Within: The Power of Influence
30:35 Identifying the Ringleaders Among Generations
42:35 The Importance of Mutual Encouragement and Energy in Discipleship
48:52 The Power of Hope and Joy in the Church
 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

Defining Discipleship (feat. Jim Putman)

Highlight – “Do you know what a disciple is?”
In part two of our insightful conversation with Jim Putman, we delve deep into defining discipleship as per biblical context. Using Matthew 4:19 as a basis, Putman discusses how we must understand and apply Jesus' invitation effectively to cultivate a deeper relationship with disciples. He emphasizes realizing shared understanding, a shared process, and shared methodology to facilitate unified discipleship. By using Christ's transformed New Testament definition of the church, Putman helps readers redefine words like 'disciple' and 'church' in the original biblical sense. Drawing parallels with sports teams and their teamwork, he underlines the importance of understanding terms and expressions in alignment with culture and scripture to avoid communication deficits. Tune into this enlightening discussion, especially if you're a church leader seeking to improve your understanding and approach to discipleship.
Check out our NEW Disciple Shift Ebook
Check out the entire book Disciple Shift
Join Jim Putman at our national Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture: https://discipleship.org/national-disciple-making-forum/
 
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Key Takeaways 
00:00 Defining Discipleship: The Importance of Clear Definitions
02:23 The Importance of Shared Understanding in Discipleship
05:36 The Invitation to Ordinary People
08:54 The Importance of Alignment and Consistent Definitions
10:52 The Role of Church in Discipleship
15:42 The Five Spheres of Discipleship
17:39 The Impact of Church Leadership on Home Life
19:11 Societal Shifts and Their Impact on Church Attendance
20:54 The Role of Love in Christian Discipleship
23:28 The Role of the Holy Spirit in Discipleship
32:36 The Power of Invitational Relationships in Discipleship
35:27 The Challenges and Opportunities of House Church Movements
 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

Making the Shift to Disciple Making (feat. Jim Putman)

Highlight – “Out of the Being Comes the Doing.” 
In this episode, Matt Dabbs engages Jim Putman, founder and senior pastor of Real Life Ministries, to have a meaningful conversation that offers valuable insights drawn from Putman's book 'DiscipleShift', uncovering the five critical shifts churches can make to inspire disciples who create more disciples. Putman encourages a shift from reaching people to making disciples, from informing people to equipping disciple-makers. This candid exchange offers potent observations that challenge traditional church structures, bringing ministers and disciples closer to realizing the abundant life promised by Jesus.
Check out our NEW Disciple Shift Ebook
Check out the entire book Disciple Shift
Join Jim Putman at our national Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture: https://discipleship.org/national-disciple-making-forum/
 
Watch the Video
 
 
Key Takeaways 
00:00 Meet Jim Putman
00:40 Discussing the Book 'Disciple Shift'
01:04 Understanding the Five Shifts
02:37 The Importance of Relationship in Discipleship
03:20 The Challenges of Staying on Course
04:51 The Role of Relationship in Leadership
08:49 The Disconnect in Church Methodology
11:08 The Struggles of Pastors and the Need for Relationship
14:14 The Importance of Discipleship in the Church
18:45 The Role of Relationship in Discipleship
27:51 The Pace of Discipleship
28:41 Understanding Different Learning Styles and Pace in Discipleship
29:38 The Role of the Holy Spirit in Discipleship
31:20 The Challenges of Being an Introverted Pastor
32:21 The Shift from Accumulating to Deploying in Ministry
35:15 The Importance of Teamwork in Church Leadership
36:13 The Importance of Balance in Church Leadership
37:39 The Dangers of One-Dimensional Churches
39:56 The Importance of Submission in Discipleship
48:28 Conclusion: The Importance of Being a Disciple Before Making Disciples
49:24 The Importance of Honesty and Vulnerability in Discipleship
 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

Church Discipleship Culture (feat. Ken Adams from Impact Discipleship Ministries)

“There is a huge difference between a church with discipleship and a disciple making church. A disciple making church, or a church with discipleship, usually sees discipleship as another program that they add on to everything else they're doing. And in disciple making church,  discipleship is a part of it. But disciple making is all we do, not just one thing we do. It's all we do. – Ken Adams”
In this enlightening podcast, Matt Dabbs from Discipleship.org is joined by Ken Adams of Crossroads Church and Impact Ministries, discussing how the implementation of discipleship in local churches can lead to an impactful and transformative journey, just as Jesus designed 2000 years ago. Adams also shares insights from his 35-year pastoral journey and explains the profound value of maintaining a focus on discipleship. Additionally, he talks about the services offered by Impact Discipleship Ministries to assist churches in developing strategies and implementing discipleship driving growth and fulfilling God's mission.
Check out The Disciple-Making Church Podcast: Click HERE
To Learn more about Impact Discipleship Ministries: Click HERE
 
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Key Takeaways 
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:42 The Importance of Discipleship in Church Growth
04:21 The Impact of Longevity in Ministry
05:27 The Power of Discipleship in Church Multiplication
08:13 The Vision for a Disciple Making Church
17:50 The Challenges and Successes in Disciple Making
26:29 The Role of Impact Discipleship Ministries in Church Revitalization
29:53 Adapting Disciple Making to Different Church Styles
33:25 The Role of Assessment and Prescription in Disciple Making
36:22 The Implementation of Disciple Making and the Importance of Follow-up
37:11 Additional Services Offered for Churches
38:25 The Role of a Pastor in Disciple Making
39:49 The Importance of Implementing Disciple Making in Everyday Life
40:52 The Personal Experiences and Reflections on Disciple Making
 
Check out our Audio Book on Becoming a Disciple Maker
Interested in more great content check out our Nashville City Tour Videos. 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

Creating a Culture of Men Discipling Men (feat. Chris Harper)

Highlight – “80% of all churches in North America have a functioning women’s ministry, less than 7 percent have a functioning men’s ministry.”
In this interview, Chris Harper of Betterman discusses the concept of 'Discipling Men' in our churches. He highlights the fact that a small group study can be tremendously beneficial for a man, offering opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations about Biblical manhood and masculinity, but also that a lot of guys simply wouldn’t choose this kind of community for themselves or even understand why they need it. Church leadership plays a big role in that. Chris talks about seeing a shift from academic spaces to communal spaces in our churches. We should feel an urgency to encourage multi-generational discipleship to prevent men from leaving the church and to build a stronger church community that can affect societal change.
Check out the BetterMan Podcast: Click HERE
To Learn more about BetterMan: Click HERE
Discipleship in the Modern Church: Empowering Men with Chris Harper
 
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Key Takeaways 
00:00 Introduction and Prayer
05:38 The Four W's: Word, Woman, Work, World
06:39 The Impact of the Four W's
11:46 The Role of the Church in Men's Discipleship
14:59 The Importance of Small Group Discussions
22:28 The Shift in Church Culture and Its Impact on Men
28:58 The Media's Negative Portrayal of Men
29:50 Breaking Stereotypes: Redefining Masculinity
32:42 The Struggles of Church Leadership
35:21 The Need for Men's Ministry
37:34 The Power of Personal Testimony
39:32 The Urgency of Addressing Men's Issues
46:56 The Potential for Revival
 
Check out the Disciple Making Culture 10 Minute E-Book
Interested in more great content check out our Nashville City Tour Videos. 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

Everyday Disciple Makers (feat. Steve McCoy)

Today’s episode is a follow-up conversation between Steve McCoy and Matt Dabbs. They continue their discussion on fostering a culture of discipleship by utilizing everyday people within the church. They wanna help ordinary people like me and you with accessible tools for sharing the Gospel and for making disciples. This episode serves as an encouragement and guide for us individuals listening and also for churches to foster a more intentional approach to disciple-making by utilizing the collective strength of their community.
Highlight – “If you want to have a disciple making culture within your organization, your ministry, or your church, it is absolutely 100 percent impossible unless everyday people are in the game – Steve McCoy”
 
Watch The Video
 
 
Key Takeaways 
00:00 Introduction to the Discipleship Talk
00:14 The Importance of Everyday People in Discipleship
01:15 The Challenges of Expert Culture in Churches
02:38 The Role of Discipleship.org in Empowering Everyday People
06:44 The Impact of Discipleship on Church Culture
06:47 The Effect of COVID-19 on Church Culture
14:43 The Importance of Relational Depth in Discipleship
27:16 The Impact of Discipleship on Church Growth and Leadership Development
29:14 Conclusion: The Excitement of Discipleship
 
To Learn more about Small Circle Click HERE
Check out the National Study on Disciple Making in USA Churches
Interested in taking an assessment on Disciple Making: Individual Disciple Maker Assessment
 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

One on One Disciple Making (feat. Steve McCoy)

“Fight to have that David, Jonathan, Jesus, John, Paul, Timothy Relationship. An Everyday person can pick up the tools and just move with it, an everyday person can become a disciple maker.” 
In today's discussion, Matt Dabs talks with Steve McCoy, the founder and lead pastor of the 360 Church in Sarasota, and developer of the Small Circle App. The emphasis is on the importance of personal, one-to-one discipleship, using the methods Jesus exemplified in his ministry. They explore the value of both group settings and individual discipleship, explaining that larger group settings often don't facilitate the deep, transformative conversations that occur in more intimate settings. Steve stresses the importance of intentionality in choosing who to invest in for discipleship, urging listeners to aim to invest in those who will themselves invest in others. 
To Learn more about Small Circle Click HERE
Check out the new Disciple Making Culture Visual Guide
Interested in taking an assessment on Disciple Making: Individual Disciple Maker Assessment
 
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Key Takeaways 
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
02:33 The Unique Relationship Between Jesus and John
05:53 The Need for Deep, Intimate Relationships in Discipleship
07:06 The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Discipleship
08:57 The Importance of Intentionality in Discipleship
17:24 How to Get Started with One-on-One Discipleship
19:01 The Role of Everyday People in Discipleship
21:00 The Challenges and Rewards of One-on-One Discipleship
25:23 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans
 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

Jason Shepperd’s Disciple Making Model

Highlight – “Everything Jesus did was Discipleship.” 
In today’s episode, Jason Shepherd discusses his revolutionary approach to Church Projects, a movement that started in 2010. He emphasizes the importance of distributing pastoral leadership, decentralizing church gatherings, and fostering diverse discipleship communities grounded in shared scripture. He also discusses the function of house churches and how they enrich the church community. Furthermore, he provides practical tips for managing kids within a house church setting and fostering powerful church growth. The discussion is tied together with a focus on aligning all church activities with Biblical teachings, values, and examples.
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Key Takeaways 
00:00 Introduction and Prayer
07:09 The Concept of Distributed Pastoral Leadership
11:28 The Importance of Diverse Discipleship Communities
14:30 The Balance Between Large Gatherings and House Churches
19:18 Protecting Sound Doctrine in House Churches
20:30 The Role of House Church Pastors
23:56 The Health of House Churches
27:19 The Structure of House Church Gatherings
29:17 The Role of Children in House Churches
33:18 The Benefits of a Separate Sunday Gathering
36:59 The Church Project Network
 
Check out our popular ebook on Becoming a Disciple Maker
Interested in taking an assessment on Disciple Making: Individual Disciple Maker Assessment
To learn more about church project visit: https://www.churchproject.org/ 
 
Join Jason Shepperd at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture
 

Discipleship That Fits: The Five Kinds of Relationships God Uses to Help Us Grow (feat. Bobby Harrington)

Today we continue the conversation between Bobby Harrington and Matt Dabbs looking into the book "Discipleship that Fits." They discuss the importance of different types of discipleship relationships, such as the divine space, public space, social space, personal space, and transparent space. They also mention the benefits of different church sizes and advocate for prioritizing the divine space and transparent space for leadership development. They discuss how different spaces can be used in various church contexts and how they can troubleshoot problems by understanding the purpose of each space. If you are interested in taking an assessment on your church click HERE.  For access to the book and a free tool check out the links below: 
Interested in a FREE TOOL related to this episode click HERE
For access to the complete book Discipleship that fits click HERE 
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Key Takeaways 
00:00 Exploring the Concept of Discipleship
02:59 The Importance of Personal Relationships in Discipleship
03:18 The Five Discipling Relationships
06:33 The Role of Church Size in Discipleship
08:19 The Importance of Personal Relationship with God in Discipleship
18:00 The Role of Church Leaders in Discipleship
24:27 Troubleshooting Problems in Discipleship
28:36 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture

Making the DiscipleShift in Your Church (feat. Bobby Harrington)

In this episode of Disciple Making Culture Matt Dabbs interviews the point leader of Discipleship.org Bobby Harrington. They’re talking about steps to help your churches make disciples who then in turn make other disciples. They explore the importance of shifting focus from informing to equipping, from program to purpose, from activity to relationship, and finally from accumulating to deploying. This episode instills the value of creating that disciple-making culture within your church and integrating it into the everyday lives of your churchgoers.
NEW!!! Making the DiscipleShift in Your Church The Basics in 5 Minutes
 
For more information on the book Disciple Shift click HERE
For more information about Disciple Making Culture click HERE
 
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Episode Highlights:
00:00 The Importance of Disciple Making Culture
01:30 The State of Churches in Disciple Making
01:57 The Importance of Disciple Making Culture in Churches
02:53 The Consequences of Not Making Disciple Shifts
03:17 The Five Shifts to Help Your Church Make Disciples
06:35 The Importance of Discipling Relationships in Churches
16:22 The Importance of Deploying Disciples into Communities
23:34 The Importance of Practicing Discipleship
 
Join us at our National Forum this May on Disciple Making Culture