The Pastorate Podcast Ebonie Davis on Nurturing Gritty Faith, Four Spiritual Practices for the Next-Generation & Being a Student of Those You Lead
What does it take to disciple young people with lasting, Jesus-centered joy?
In this episode, Jason Ballard sits down with Ebonie Davis for a vibrant conversation about thoughtful next-generation discipleship. They explore how the whole church can invest in young people, why contextual spiritual formation matters, and how joy can be a powerful marker of faith. Ebonie also shares her own moving story of encountering Jesus and what shaped her journey of faith.
If you're passionate about raising up a generation rooted in hope, love, and truth, this conversation will inspire you.
Key Takeaways:
Cultivating a Jesus-centered joy among the next generation
The importance of contextual, localized spiritual formation
Why youth discipleship is the responsibility of the whole church, not just youth workers
Ebonie's personal story of transformation and finding life in Jesus
Biography
Ebonie Davis is a founding member of the Arbor Research Group and an expert in qualitative research and program evaluation. She is a graduate of the DeVos Urban Leadership Institute, where she focused on Urban Youth Ministry, and holds a Master’s degree in Student Leadership from Huntington University. Ebonie is an international conference speaker and co-author of the book Disrupting Teens with Joy: Helping Teens Discover Jesus-Focused Gritty Faith, as well as a contributor on other books, Bibles, articles, and research related to youth ministry. She has served as Associate Pastor of Youth at Trinity Baptist Church in Waldorf, MD for more than 15 years. She and her husband, Clay, live in the DC area, and they have two adult children.
Sponsors
We couldn’t do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and give towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.
Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their Bible Course.
Prepare your church to respond to global crises by connecting with Chris from World Vision.
Guest Notes
- Arbor Research Group
- Disrupting Teens with Joy: Helping Youth Discover Jesus-Focused Gritty Faith
- Ebonie Davis LinkedIn
- Canadian Youth Pastors Summit
Show Notes