Small Circles, Big Impact | Steve McCoy

Dec 1, 2025

Join Steve McCoy, a senior pastor and church planter behind 360 Church, as he discusses his innovative Small Circle tool designed for discipleship. He shares insights on the importance of intentional strategy and relational depth in small groups. Discover how this tool empowers everyday believers, not just leaders, through practical methods like journaling and one-to-one discipleship. Steve also highlights the app's features for tracking progress and fostering deep conversations, all while emphasizing the global reach and accessibility of discipleship resources.

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INSIGHT

Three Circles Replicate Jesus' Method

Steve McCoy frames church life as three concentric circles modeled on Jesus: large worship, mid-sized groups, and intimate one-to-one discipleship.
The deepest spiritual growth happens in the smallest, most relational circle where transparency and time allow life change.

ADVICE

Equip Everyday People First

Equip everyday people with simple, usable tools so they gain confidence to disciple others.
Design materials to remove excuses like lack of seminary or Bible knowledge and make disciple-making accessible.

ADVICE

Design With The End In Mind

Start with the end in mind and define what a matured disciple should look like across four areas: theology, relationship with God, relationships with others, and becoming a disciple maker.
Structure the curriculum into focused sessions (six per area) to build depth and reproducible outcomes.

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Intentional Discipleship – Small Circles, Big Impact | Steve McCoy

To view Small Circles Resources visit: https://www.smallcircle.com/

The recipe for a culture of discipleship requires some indispensable ingredients and among the essentials are two primary components: intentional strategy and tools. Without these, a culture is rarely developed and disciple making is left to random chance and this is a predicament that smallcircle aims to resolve by providing tools designed to catalyze a one-to-one disciple-making culture within local churches. Join Bobby Harrington (Discipleship.org Founder and Executive Director) as he interacts with Steve McCoy who is a senior pastor and the visionary behind small circle.

Key Takeaways
Discipleship in Three Circles | Steve McCoy

00:00 Introduction and Background of Steve McCoy
00:27 The 360 Church and Its Discipleship Philosophy
04:27 Intentional Strategy for Disciple Making
05:07 The Importance of Relational Depth in Small Groups
08:24 Introducing the Small Circle Tool
08:33 The Why Behind the Tool
11:38 Developing Confidence in Everyday Disciple Makers
17:58 Structuring the Discipleship Tools
29:59 The Flexibility of One-to-One Discipleship
30:23 Tools for the Disciple Maker
30:53 Journaling and Scripture Memory
31:36 Additional Resources and Reading
33:36 Purchasing and Costs of Discipleship Materials
34:21 Introduction to the Small Circle App
37:32 Navigating the App and Its Features
44:42 Global Reach and Language Translations
52:56 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

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See below for a longer description:

In this insightful video, Steve McCoy, lead pastor at 360 Church, shares his unique approach to disciple-making that originates from Jesus' methods. McCoy discusses his journey from church planting to leading a thriving congregation that emphasizes intentional discipleship. Central to this approach is the concept of the '360 Church,' represented by three circles: large weekend worship gatherings, mid-sized small groups, and intimate one-on-one or micro-group discipleship settings. This method aims to replicate Jesus' relational disciple-making style, fostering deeper connections and spiritual growth among church members.

McCoy outlines the various levels of discipleship at 360 Church, such as congregational worship, deeper discussions in small groups, and highly personalized one-on-one discipleship relationships. He also introduces a discipleship tool called 'Small Circle,' which is available for free on mobile apps and features a range of resources structured to ease everyday people into disciple-making roles. The tool includes detailed lesson plans, scripture, memory verses, and methods for fostering a strong relational depth.

The discussion further goes into the importance of practical tools in empowering individuals like 'truck driver Ted' to become effective disciple-makers. Steve McCoy emphasizes the necessity of providing everyday church members with the confidence and resources to engage in discipleship, thereby creating a movement within the church community. Today's video promotes the logical use of discipleship tools that go beyond mere information transfer to achieve life transformation and relational depth.

This video is a must-watch for church leaders, pastors, and anyone interested in practical disciple-making strategies. Tune in to learn how intentional and relational discipleship can transform both individuals and entire church communities.

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