The Red Letter Disciple

Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell gives some encouraging data about discipleship and the church. He dives into the future of the church and shares what encourages him about the next generation. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Join the FREE webinar on August 11th at 1 PM CST called “Fund Your Vision—Don’t Let Money Limit Your Ministry.” Phil Ling, President of The Giving Church, will be joining me and we’ll dive into how The Giving Church has helped more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars. They also commissioned a study with more than 4000 churches and uncovered some incredible data that we will bring out in this webinar. Phil will talk about what he has learned through both his experience and through this unique study. You won’t want to miss it. We will be giving away loads of free stuff as well! You can sign up at www.thegivingchurch.com/red and you can grab a FREE PDF “5 Ways to Grow Your Church’s Giving,” while you are there.Resources mentioned in the episode: Lifeway ResearchMost Teenagers Drop Out of Church When They Become Young AdultsDespite Stresses, Few Pastors Give Up on MinistryRed Letter Challenge Assessment5 Actions That Will Immediately Encourage Discipleship in Your ChurchAbout Three-in-Ten U.S. Adults Are Now Religiously UnaffiliatedThe Parent Adventure by Selma and Rodney Wilson and Scott McConnellAmericans Hold Complex, Conflicting Religious Beliefs, According to Latest State of Theology StudyKey insights from the episode: Christians like to inflate the percentage of people leaving the church. One statistic that is not true is young adults leave the church and never come back. - Scott McConnellOur latest research was in 2021, and only 1.5% of pastors are stepping away from the pastorate in a year. - Scott McConnellWe tend to overinflate leaving rates (young adults and pastors). - Scott McConnellWe tend to want to toss out membership numbers these days because they aren’t great, but they are still relevant and an important indicator - Scott McConnellWe are trying to understand the discipleship needs so we can help people take a step closer to Christ and to encourage them to spur one another on to love and good deeds. - Scott McConnellIf you are anything but a small congregation church you cannot cover all the discipleship needs for each person, so tools and assessments are going to be a great systematic tool. - Scott McConnellOne of the challenges we face in surveys is to ask about more than just actions, we try to get at their desires, heart issues, and beliefs. - Scott McConnellWe asked what statistically predicts a closer walk with God and found that praying for opportunities to share your faith with others moved into the top spot. - Scott McConnell29% of Americans indicate no religious preference/atheist/agnostic and that percentage has gone up 1% every year for the past decade. - Scott McConnellWe spend significant time studying other world religions statistically, if we are about maximizing, then we need to be spending at least as much time reaching the atheist or agnostic. - Zach Zehnder People, whether they are followers of another religion or no religion, still have core human needs and if we can be sharing the gospel in a way that points to Jesus and how he satisfies in a way that no other source can, that’s our opportunity.  Scott McConnellThe numbers you see from statistics never tell the whole story. If the numbers look impossible, the Holy Spirit is still working. - Scott McConnellPeople that are in a small group on a weekly basis are more likely to read their Bible, serve within and outside the church, tithe, and volunteer. - Scott McConnellA young person is 3.5 more times to stay in church if at least three adults poured into them at a young age and they can name them. - Scott McConnellYoung people’s failures tend to be those that we pass on to them or reactions to the previous generation. - Scott McConnellAs parents, one of the biggest encouragement you can give is to keep engaging with your teens and trying even if you are only getting one word back. - Scott McConnellScott McConnell’s Challenge of the week: Have a short conversation with God about opportunities that you can have this week to share your faith. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Danielle Strickland wakes up every morning determining to embrace love. She isn’t afraid to question long-time practices such as church buildings, ordination, and the addiction problems in our world today. Finally, don’t miss her battle to be the greatest Star Wars fan ever! To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Join the FREE webinar on August 11th at 1 PM CST called “Fund Your Vision—Don’t Let Money Limit Your Ministry.” Phil Ling, President of The Giving Church, will be joining me and we’ll dive into how The Giving Church has helped more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars. They also commissioned a study with more than 4000 churches and uncovered some incredible data that we will bring out in this webinar. Phil will talk about what he has learned through both his experience and through this unique study. You won’t want to miss it. We will be giving away loads of free stuff as well! You can sign up at www.thegivingchurch.com/red and you can grab a FREE PDF “5 Ways to Grow Your Church’s Giving,” while you are there.Resources mentioned in the episode: ORU Chapel 2020: "The Discipleship Secret" by Danielle Strickland Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love by Helen Fisher  Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps by Richard Rohr  Recovering (Pastoring for Life: Theological Wisdom for Ministering Well): From Brokenness and Addiction to Blessedness and Community by Aaron White  The Other Side of Hope: Flipping the Script on Cynicism and Despair and Rediscovering our Humanity by Danielle Strickland jennariemersma.com Altogether You: Experiencing personal and spiritual transformation with Internal Family Systems therapy by Jenna Ricemarinfinitumlife.com Women Speakers CollectiveKey insights from the episode: We overcomplicate things we don’t want to do. – Danielle Strickland The opposite of pleasure is duty, not pain.  – Danielle Strickland Serving people out of obligation is soul-destroying. – Danielle Strickland When I move away from love, I move into obligation, safety, and disconnection. – Danielle Strickland I think that the discipleship secret is not that we arrive at love and stay there, but that we keep moving towards love. – Danielle Strickland I want to fall in love with Jesus again today. – Danielle Strickland Anything that prevents people from encountering God needs to go. – Danielle Strickland What did Jesus do that made him so safe that a woman felt so safe and wasn’t concerned about being abused? That is a worthwhile study. – Danielle Strickland I think the number one problem with anything we do, the anti-discipleship posture, is “me-centered”. It can look like arrogance, but it can also look like insecurity. – Danielle Strickland Danielle Strickland’s 5 tips for public speaking: 1) authenticity, 2) connection over performance, 3) don’t write it out, talk it out 4) posture of curiosity over judgment 5) answer the question, “So what?” – Danielle StricklandDanielle Strickland’s Challenge of the Week: Connect with another person to walk with you in your faith. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Often we benchmark our growth against ourselves when the real indicator of growth is if you are matching the growth of your community. Rich Birch breaks down ideas of tracking church growth and what actual measurements to use. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Join the FREE webinar on August 11th at 1PM CST called “Fund Your Vision—Don’t Let Money Limit Your Ministry.” Phil Ling, President of The Giving Church, will be joining me and we’ll dive into how The Giving Church has helped more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars. They also commissioned a study with more than 4000 churches and uncovered some incredible data that we will bring out in this webinar. Phil will talk about what he has learned through both his experience and through this unique study. You won’t want to miss it. We will be giving away loads of free stuff as well! You can sign up at www.thegivingchurch.com/red and you can grab a FREE PDF “5 Ways to Grow Your Church’s Giving,” while you are there.Resources mentioned in the episode: Unseminary Blog Unseminary Podcast7 Facts About Church Growth That Will Make You Think Twice 7 Startling Facts: An Up Close Look at Church Attendance in AmericaChurch Growth Flywheel master classChurch Growth Flywheel bookGallop Survey: Sermon Content Is What Appeals Most to ChurchgoersWarren BirdKey insights from the episode: It’s the practical things that hold churches back from growth, not theology. - Rich BirchExecutive pastors and those leading from the second or third chair live at the intersection of vision and execution.  - Rich BirchThe way fast-growing churches think is not just to get first-time people in the door, but how do we build a community that ultimately moves people into a growing relationship with Jesus. - Rich BirchChurches that are growing are benchmarking against the wrong thing: don’t benchmark against yourselves, benchmark against the growth of your community.  - Rich BirchOnly 6% of churches in the country are growing faster than the community they are in. - Rich BirchOur church attendance is in decline. If those trends continue, the actual church attendance in 2050 will be half of what it was in 1990 while at the same time, the population will double.  - Rich BirchNo growth and staying small are not OK, if you remain where you are you will lose ground. - Rich BirchThe sweet spot is growth just over the growth of the community. - Rich BirchOnline giving presents a new challenge of a “set it and forget it” mentality. - Rich BirchThe healthy and ideal way to grow that is reasonable and sustainable is to grow 10% a year. - Rich BirchThe local church is the only organization that exists for people who are not here yet, every other business exists for its members. - Rich BirchFast-growing churches equip their members with all kinds of resources to help them invite their friends. - Rich Birch70% of why people come to a church is because of the teaching. - Rich BirchPeople will talk to their friends about what they are hearing at church if they think it will make a difference in their lives. - Rich BirchInvitability: It’s not about you, it’s about your friends. - Rich Birch People like to be a part of something that makes a difference. - Rich BirchRich’s Challenge of the Week: Practice inconvenient hospitality this week. Some not-so-key insights:Omaha is a slice of heaven. - Rich BirchMcDonald’s has the best poutine in Canada. - Rich BirchPetting zoos (including turtles) can grow your church. - Rich BirchI don’t want to build a better mousetrap to catch a bunch of church followers. - Rich Birch I can watch church now with my egg sandwich and a mimosa. - Chris JohnsonThose that eat poutine have a three year longer expectancy. - Zach ZehnderIf it wasn’t for Canadians we would be pulling our shirts and jackets off because we couldn't fasten them. - Chris JohnsonA Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Josh Dotzler on Racism, How He Went from a Top Starter for Creighton Basketball to Inner City Pastor, and Why He Describes His Obedience to God as “Kicking and Screaming.” To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. On August 11th, I’ll be hosting a FREE webinar called “Fund Your Vision: Don’t Let Money Limit Your Ministry” with Phil Ling from the Giving Church. The Giving Church has helped more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars. In addition, they commissioned a study with more than 4000 churches and uncovered some incredible data that will help grow your church’s giving. Phil will talk about what he has learned through both his experience and through this unique study. You won’t want to miss it. We will be giving away loads of free stuff as well! You can sign up at www.thegivingchurch.com/red and you can grab a FREE PDF “5 Ways to Grow Your Church’s Giving,” while you are there.Resources mentioned in the episode: Abide.comLetters from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. Church in Crisis by Josh DotzlerJoshDotzler.comKey insights from the episode: I had a coach tell me that you need to be with as many girls as possible until you are 30, then you decide who you want to be with. But all these coaches didn’t have great marriages. Looking back, marriage was our first act of obedience to God. Obedience was what God constantly called us to; we have been obedient, kicking, and screaming.  - Josh Dotzler Let’s embrace the fact that when we are in this world, we are not always going to have an easy life.– Zach Zehnder We partnered with the police to establish over 700 neighborhoods that could potentially be revitalized. - Josh Dotzler You not only talked the talk, but you also walked the walk. – Chris Johnson In inner-city communities, anyone who is successful moves out. They don’t stay. Abide means to stay and dwell. It’s the power of presence. Something happens when you live in and abide in the neighborhoods.  - Josh Dotzler It’s estimated crime is down 70-75% wherever we have a presence because of the intentionality of those families living in that community. – Josh Dotzler Sundays are the greatest picture of our individual preferences. – Josh Dotzler It wasn’t until my dad became a minority living in a predominately black community that he could start understanding what it was like for his wife to be black in a predominantly white culture. – Josh Dotzler One of the things the black community needs the most is white advocates. - Josh Dotzler The church must be more holistic even in our understanding of trying to be the solution to racial reconciliation. – Josh Dotzler Covid highlighted the crisis of the church. I heard more about compassion fatigue than ever during COVID. I’ve never heard a pastor talk about tithing fatigue or attendance fatigue, but compassion fatigue. I don’t think we’ve conditioned our congregations to allow compassion to be a consistent expression of who we are. - Josh Dotzler Red letters cause us to cross red lines. I believe as we get into those red letters, it compels us to eliminate red lines and leads to a revolution. – Josh Dotzler Josh Dotzler’s Challenge: Get in the game, small steps. Find areas of red lines in your city this week and go there and be present. (be a customer, pray, serve, get involved, volunteer, educate yourself, etc.)A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rusty is all about simple. But simple doesn’t mean shallow. After a devastating staff suicide rocked his church, Rusty discusses how his church kept their focus in the midst of this tragedy, and how we can be of help today to those having suicidal thoughts. He also helps the listeners understand that discipleship is about transformation, not just information. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.​​Don’t let obstacles stop you. One of my favorite things in the world is when we can take the obstacles of the enemy that were meant to destroy us and flip them for the glory of God. Phil Ling and his team at the Giving Church can help. If you need help in terms of plowing through giving obstacles, if you need coaching, consulting, or even experts in running capital campaigns, get connected with them. But first, enjoy a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving today! Go over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red. Resources mentioned in the episode: Kaywarren.com After Amen by Rusty George Pastorrustygeorge.comLeading Simple PodcastKey insights from the episode: The wrong assumption was that if we give people more information, then transformation will happen. Some of the most knowledgeable people aren’t even Christians. -Rusty George Discipleship is like golf. Hearing the word of God is a backswing, but doing the word of God is the follow-through. – Rusty George For many of us, the most opportune time we get to behave like Jesus is in the parking lot of the church. – Rusty George Suicide never makes things better. You are not a burden. The wake of devastation you will leave behind would be far greater than any burden you feel like you are right now. – Rusty George If suicide happens in a church family, everyone wants someone to blame. The quicker you can shift the blame from who to blame to how can we help, the better you’ll be. – Rusty George I’m not going to waste an opportunity to tell my story because it can help someone else out. – Rusty George It’s assumed that all church leaders have it figured out when in fact, we are all struggling. – Rusty George The lies from the enemies around suicide: 1) they’ll be better off without you, 2) no one will miss you, 3) you’re insignificant, or 4) don’t you want to be out of the pain? – Rusty George  Rusty George’s Challenge: Write down what you pray for.A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today’s episode, Kadi Cole talks about the difference between leadership and discipleship, and specifically how to develop female leaders. She explains why the best discipleship happens when people are close to the leader and what that means for the church. And, as a self-proclaimed lover of potlucks, she gives us her breakdown of the best and worst foods to bring to a potluck. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Now could be the perfect time to launch a capital campaign. Go with a kingdom-minded, Christ-centered team that has proven results. That’s our friends from The Giving Church. They’ve helped more than 1000 churches raise more than a billion dollars. Crazy! Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving today! Resources mentioned in the episode: Developing Female Leaders: Navigate the Minefields and Release the Potential of Women in Your Church by Kadi Cole Leadership Academy  Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens  Key insights from the episode: For most of us, we interconnect leadership and discipleship, but they are two different things. Leadership sits on top of discipleship. - Kadi ColeIn discipleship, we are all equal. However, leadership has qualifications. You can be removed from leadership, you cannot be removed from discipleship. - Kadi ColeMost people won’t serve in full-time ministry roles or pastors, and we do our congregation a disservice when we don’t allow them to grow as disciples in their own spaces. - Zach ZehnderIt is almost universally the experience of women who have leadership gifts that they are not often asked into formal leadership roles in the church to find more organic influential ways outside the church. - Kadi ColeThe higher calling that Scripture talks about is not your career path but to follow Jesus with your whole life.  - Kadi ColeWomen’s role in leadership in the church is not a theological issue; it’s a leadership issue. - Kadi ColeYou have to say it. Godly women will assume they are not welcome in leadership unless you say it. What men leaders can do is articulate where they want women to serve at church. - Kadi ColeWe need to systematize how we develop leaders so that organic leadership can happen. - Kadi ColeSmall church accountability and familiarity are the foundation that allows you to grow exponentially. - Kadi ColeGod’s not looking for success; he’s looking for faithfulness. - Kadi ColeThe further away a new believer is from a mature leader, the harder discipleship is. - Kadi ColeThere are seasons for church, and God will send you the people you need in certain seasons. - Zach ZehnderMature believers need more accountability and more oversight, not less. - Kadi ColeOne of the ways you can tell God’s timing is by who he sends you. - Kadi ColeKadi Cole’s challenge: Find freedom and flexibility in the way in which you connect with GodA Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After describing himself as lacking ambition, Adam Griffin seems to prove himself wrong. Whether he is investing in the personal lives of teens, transforming children’s lives as a public school teacher, writing books with Pastor Matt Chandler, or leading a church plant to become its own autonomous church, Adam is relentlessly devoted to making disciples who follow Jesus. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Pastors, all of us have different gifts and strengths when it comes to leading the church God has entrusted to us. For me, I’ve always leaned on experts to help when I’ve got a kingdom vision that requires raising funds. Some of the best experts in the field are our Season 1 Partner, The Giving Church. They’ve helped more than 1000 churches raise more than a billion dollars. Crazy! Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving! Resources mentioned in the episode: Eastside ChurchFamily Discipleship by Adam Griffin and Matt Chandler The Village ChurchKey insights from the episode: A lot of the problems in youth ministry is that you are dealing with people who have adult-sized problems but child-sized maturity. - Adam GriffinThroughout my ministry, I have struggled with a sinful lack of ambition. I have such crippling insecurity about things. I’ve always depended on the Lord to take me to the next thing. - Adam GriffinToday, in American culture, there is an assumption that you cannot be both a Christian and be unbiased in a conversation. I don’t have to set aside the fact that I am a Christian to engage with culture. - Adam GriffinWe need to be training the next generation to be resilient. - Adam GriffinFamily discipleship is an ordinary everyday lifestyle. Let them see your flaws and share your own repentance. - Adam GriffinYou don’t have to be a theologian or scholar to fulfill the role God called you to follow Him and lead your kids to follow Him. - Adam GriffinMost parents believe they are the primary spiritual leader of their kids, but hardly anyone has a plan to do that. - ZachThere are tons of resources on doing family discipleship, but none on how to make a plan. - Adam GriffinThe three aspects of Family Discipleship are 1) Time, 2) Moments, and 3) Milestones. - Adam GriffinI’m always trying to reinvent ways to read the Bible in new ways. - Zach ZehnderA church cannot be built around anyone but the man of Jesus Christ. - Adam GriffinIt’s harder to revitalize churches than plant new ones. - Adam GriffinWe need every single type of church to be the fullest and greatest expression collectively of Jesus we can be in the world. - Zach ZehnderThe younger generation doesn’t love brilliance or humor; they love novelty. But just as easily as they love a new thing, that new thing gets old. The gospel is ageless and timeless. - Adam GriffinAdam’s Challenge of the Week: Check your emotional health, especially on how you compare to other people. Do you look at others and see their weaknesses and feel better about yourself or do you look at others and see their strengths and feel worse about yourself? Where has coveting sought into your heart? - Adam GriffinA Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What story is your church or life telling? Story is the thread that knit the entire history of the world together. Peter McGowan has dedicated his life to helping people tell their own stories in order to ultimately tell the greatest story of Jesus. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Season 1 of The Red Letter Disciple Podcast could not have been possible without our friends from The Giving Church. Helping more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars for kingdom dreams to come to fruition, do not let financial lids limit what God can do through your church or ministry. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving! Resources mentioned in the episode: Aimee Semple McPhersonHarry Potter author reveals books' Christian allegoryMariner’s ChapelMost pastors cannot produce more than 35 good sermons in a year (and only about one-quarter of those will be really good.)Plain JoeStoryland StudiosSteamboat WillieYouVersion BibleKey insights from the episode: The church has forgotten to tell its story. - Peter McGowanStory is not just oral or written tradition, it’s a broader vocabulary of design and interaction. - Peter McGowanThe Basic Idea: storytelling needs to be 1) emotional storytelling, 2) special storytelling, and 3) interactive storytelling. - Peter McGowanStory can connect executive leadership with lower IT managers so that their visions are lined up. - Peter McGowanThe suspension of disbelief is what made Jesus a powerful storyteller. - Peter McGowanStory is not some new marketing buzzword we just came up with; throughout human history, it’s been led by the storytellers. - Peter McGowanThe creator of the universe comes to this earth, he could have written the whole new testament, and the only thing he wrote down was something temporary in the dirt. - Peter McGowanSteve Jobs invented the iPhone with a storyline of being able to do all of it without a keyboard. - Peter McGowanElon Musk is a modern-day storyteller the church should be listening to right now. - Peter McGowanI don’t want to go back to the way we did things pre-Covid. - Zach ZehnderThe church is the only organization that does a new content service every week but it is a hamster wheel that burns them out. - Peter McGowan Our ability to tolerate change and progress is what’s going to allow us to adapt. - Peter McGowanSo many churches think stewardship is saving everything they have and making every dollar stretch. We’re called to take risks and have that return on investment. - Peter McGowanPeter’s Challenge of the Week: Ask a family or close friend a story or memory they have about the two of you. Why is that their favorite memory?A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Church planting is the future of Christianity. This is why Dave Ferguson is so passionate about reaching his goal of seeing 16% of churches in America be either a reproducing or a multiplying a church. Dave also helps us see as individuals how we can love our neighbors well. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Season 1 of The Red Letter Disciple Podcast could not have been possible without our friends from The Giving Church. Did you know 45% of those that give to church give $200 or less in a year? The potential to increase giving is certainly in your church and The Giving Church can help you unleash greater generosity. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving! Resources mentioned in the episode: Dave Ferguson websiteCommunity Christian ChurchNew ThingExponential ConferencePete Craig Alpha Craig courseBless Book by Dave FergusonKey insights from the episode: Exponential Conference’s mission is to get 16% of the churches in North America to be level 4 (a planted church) or level 5 (reproducing churches.Current Landscape of American churches:35% declining35% plateau30% growingThe five different levels of church growth: 1) a church in decline, 2) a plateau 3) growing 4) reproducing church planting 5) multiplying: church multiplying itself. Usually, people only think of the first three levels of growth, but the goal ought to be level 4 and level 5. - Dave FergusonIn order to get to level 4 or 5, you have to reproduce micro before macro. Make disciples inside the church before you can recruit disciples outside of the church. - Dave FergusonOverseas churches are rapidly reproducing disciples. Part of the reason we don’t see that same growth in the United States is that we can’t figure out how to multiply disciples. - Dave FergusonIndia and Africa are growing the fastest because they are planting the gospel and making disciples, not worrying about the logistics of the church. There it is less about the production and more about the relationship. - Dave FergusonWhen Dave gets it right, the practice he does to stay focused is his RPMs through Journaling: Read, Prayer, and Meditation.Prayer doesn’t always need to start with talking, but with silence and meditation. Create space for the Holy Spirit to move. - Dave FergusonThe 5 steps on how to love your neighbor (BLESS)-   Begin with Prayer-   Listen-   Eat-   Serve-   StoryDave’s Challenge of the Week: Have an “I See In You (ICNU)” conversation with someone. Encourage someone close to you and speak a blessing over them.(Example: I see in you, Chris, a future on a video in Exponential Conference.)A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On April 15th of 2013, Rebekah Gregory was attending the Boston Marathon. She and her son were three feet away when the bomb went off, and miraculously, God protected them both. Today she shares what she’s learned from this tragedy and how it’s forever changed her life. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Did you know that a Boeing 747 is made up of over 6 million parts?! Even if we had all the parts, none of us would know how to put everything together. Only the experts would know-how. Speaking of experts, our friends at The Giving Church have helped more than a thousand churches raise more than a billion dollars for kingdom dreams to come to fruition. If you need help with anything financially, as small as coaching or consulting or as big as a capital campaign, let these experts help you put your kingdom vision together. Go on over to www.thegivingchurch.com/red and download a FREE PDF for how to grow your church’s giving! Resources mentioned in the episode: Rebekah’s AngelsRebekah’s instagramRebekah’s TikTokHere’s a great TikTok to introduce you to Rebakah’s sense of humor. Here’s another hilarious TikTokKey insights from the episode: I believe it’s a privilege to struggle. - Rebekah GregoryThe emotional trauma had almost more of an impact than the physical trauma on me and my son. - Rebekah GregoryThere are very limited resources available to help kids work through PTSD. - Rebekah GregoryIt’s often where we’re most broken that our purpose is revealed. - Zach ZehnderWe’ve helped over 250 families receive therapy treatment for their trauma. - Rebekah GregoryGod makes good things happen out of the bad. - One of Chris’ mentorsForgiveness isn’t for the other person. It’s for you. - Rebekah GregoryI wanted him to look at me. I wanted him to know that he didn’t defeat me. - Rebekah Gregory I got to stand in front of the biggest enemy of my life and tell him he didn’t win. - Rebekah GregoryThrow your expectations for your life out the window and appreciate what it is right now. - Rebekah GregoryLife is beautiful, and I’m very blessed. - Rebekah Gregory, amputee and survivor of the Boston Bombing.Rebekah’s Challenge of the Week: Throw the expectations you have of your life out the window. Appreciate what you have right now. So, count your blessings, not your problems. Lead yourself (and your church) to find freedom in forgiveness. A Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a digital media and commercial video production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network and learn more about our other services today on HurrdatMedia.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.