Shifting Church Culture Towards Disciple-Making

Check out Discipleship.org for resources on disciple-making: https://discipleship.org/resources/ 

Today’s episode will help us understand why most churches struggle with disciple-making, how culture—not just strategy—is the key to change, and what practical steps leaders can take to spark a movement.

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Creating a Disciple-Making Culture: Insights and Strategies from Experts

Join hosts Josh Howard and Jason Ishmael in this exciting episode of the Disciple Makers Podcast as they discuss a recent study revealing that less than 5% of churches in America have a functional disciple-making culture. The hosts dive into their mission to elevate this percentage to 16%, as inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's 'Tipping Point.' Learn about the importance of shifting church culture toward disciple-making, practical tips for leaders, and the significance of leading by example. This episode is packed with insights, personal anecdotes, and practical strategies to inspire and equip churches and individuals to become effective disciple-makers. Don't miss this engaging and informative discussion!

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Key Takeaways 

00:00 Introduction and Hosts Banter

01:23 The Disciple Making Study

02:15 The 16 Percent Goal

03:31 Challenges in Shifting Church Culture

05:17 Personal Experiences and Sarcasm

08:28 The Reality of Church Culture

13:47 Practical Steps for Culture Shift

19:52 Consumerism in Church Culture

21:11 Leadership Starts with Us

22:00 The Power of Discipleship

23:51 Catalysts and Early Adopters

26:49 Failing Forward in Ministry

28:36 Celebrating Small Wins

30:51 Real Ministry and Making Disciples

37:08 Encouragement and Resources

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See Below for a longer description:

Disciple Makers Podcast: Shifting Church Culture Towards Disciple-Making

In this episode, hosts Josh Howard and Jason Ishmael tackle the challenge of building a true disciple-making culture in churches. With years of ministry experience, they have an honest, practical conversation about why so many churches struggle—and what it takes to turn things around.

Josh shares a startling stat from Discipleship.org—less than 5% of American churches have a functioning disciple-making culture. The problem isn’t a lack of knowledge but a lack of implementation. They explore how church culture, more than strategy or programs, is the key factor holding disciple-making back.

Josh and Jason unpack Discipleship.org’s vision: increasing that 5% to 16%. Drawing from Malcolm Gladwell’s “tipping point” concept, they explain that once 16% of churches embrace disciple-making, it can trigger a larger movement across the country.

The issue isn’t that people don’t know how to make disciples—it’s that they don’t want to. Josh and Jason stress that real change happens when disciple-making becomes embedded in a church’s DNA, not just another ministry program.

Jason shares how his Iowa church is reshaping its culture—turning every ministry into a disciple-making opportunity. Whether serving coffee or leading worship, everything is intentionally tied to discipleship.

Josh reminds leaders that culture starts at the top. Leaders must model disciple-making, celebrate progress (not just success), and reinforce the mission constantly.

The hosts emphasize the importance of celebrating even small disciple-making efforts. They introduce the idea of “sucking forward”—embracing failures as part of the journey and encouraging leaders to keep pushing forward.

Josh and Jason challenge leaders to be among the first to embrace disciple-making, even before it’s mainstream. These pioneers will be key to hitting the 16% tipping point and sparking a larger movement.

Josh closes with a powerful analogy: Leaders shouldn’t just measure church culture; they should set it. Shaping a disciple-making culture requires intentional action, not passive observation.

The episode wraps up with an invitation to engage with Discipleship.org for resources and support. Josh and Jason also invite listeners to their upcoming forum in Houston, where they’ll continue the conversation and equip leaders for disciple-making.