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I remember the day my wife and I met with the pastor of the church we were attending. I asked for an appointment to speak with him, knowing I had this longing in my heart for “more”. More of “what” I didn’t really know. I just knew at that time, discipleship in my life was…

I love March Madness – the time of year when 64 college basketball teams get the opportunity to make a run at the NCAA title. The stories, players, and coaches that emerge are incredible. I can remember watching many of the famous matchups and incredible buzzer beaters that have occurred over my 30 years of following…

Using Scripture in Discipling Relationships That’s the theme of this years’ National Disciple Making Forum, and I am so excited about it, because I’m convinced there’s nothing more simple and more powerful than using Scripture as our discipleship curriculum. When I first started discipling people, I followed the examples and advice I had received. That…

Recently, I heard someone say, “There is an epidemic of mental health issues on the back side of the pandemic.” This epidemic has negative effects on every level of our society, our communities, our workplaces, our churches, and our homes. This means most of us are touched by this mental health epidemic.  And you have…

Trust is one of the indispensable ingredients in discipleship and disciple making. It is woven into every detail of life. “In every conversation we have, every online order we place, every news article we read, trust is built or dismantled.”1 Trust has a startling impact on everything we do. It impacts our everyday life and…

Church Planting Movements (CPM) and Disciple Making Movements (DMM) have been “in the news” in the missions world for around thirty years now, but they are only appearing “on the radar” in North American church discussions far more recently.  Not all the press has been positive.  Particularly, criticisms from 9 Marks and Radius International have…

I once heard a preacher say that the Bible has more to say about money than about heaven  and hell combined. One online study tool states that there are over 2,000 verses concerning  money, twice that of faith and prayer. Nearly 15% of everything Jesus spoke about was related to money and possessions. When it…

At a recent Youth Pastor Summit, pastor, speaker and illusionist Drew Worsham shared the story of a Chinese pastor who had visited the US for the first time. At the conclusion of his visit, he was asked for his impressions on the American church. His response reflected amazement, but it was also a subtle rebuke. “How much…

This will complete our series of articles that have highlighted the tracks and topics offered by our partners at the 2023 National Disciple Making Forum. There are 15 ministry partners teaching various tracks at the Forum this year. This week, we turn the spotlight on the teachings offered by ReUp Men’s Movement, Seeds Family Worship,…

Conflict happens.  Even in the best of relationships, conflict is just a given. Good people who love God and want what’s best can still disagree. And when disagreement goes unresolved, it can erupt into full-blown conflict.  Chances are good that somewhere along the way, as you invest your life in people, you are going to…

If you attend the church where I pastor for very long, you will hear me say, “Everyone needs to be in a small group.” I’ve been making that statement for over thirty years and I believe it as much now as I did the first time I said it. Here are a few reasons that…