Mission: Evangelism and Discipleship as a Church Planter

Host Jeff Medders is joined by Shane Pruitt and Trevin Wax to discuss the mission of church planting—focusing on evangelism and disciple-making. They emphasize that mission isn’t just launching services but engaging cities with the gospel, making disciples, and then planting churches. The conversation covers the changing landscape of evangelism, essentials for reaching people, and how planters should live as missionaries in their cities. They also explore practical approaches to discipling new believers.

JeffMedders is the director of theology and content for Send Network and general editor for New Churches. He is also an author, a preacher, and a PhD student in biblical spirituality at Southern Seminary, studying Charles Spurgeon and the Song of Songs.Jeffis a native Houstonian, where he lives with his wife and two kids.

Trevin Wax is vice president of resources and marketing at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition and has contributed toThe Washington Post, Religion News Service, World, andChristianity Today.He has taught courses on mission and ministry at Wheaton College and has lectured on Christianity and culture at Oxford University. He is a founding editor of The Gospel Project, has served as publisher for the Christian Standard Bible, and is the author of multiple books, includingThe Thrill of Orthodoxy, The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, andGospel Centered Teaching.His podcast isReconstructing Faith.He and his wife, Corina, have three children.

Shane Pruitt serves as the National Next Gen Director for the North American Mission Board. He and his wife, Kasi, reside in Rockwall, Texas, with their children. He has been in ministry for over 20 years as a denominational leader, church planter, lead pastor, and student pastor. Shane is also a traveling communicator, evangelist, and Bible teacher. Every year he speaks to over a hundred thousand people about the good news of Jesus Christ. He has written two books,9 Common Lies Christians Believe: And Why God’s Truth Is Infinitely Better and Calling Out the Called: Discipling Those Called to Ministry Leadership.He is also one of the host ofTheGenSend Podcast.