The Red Letter Disciple

Wil Crooks, VP of Strategic Partnerships at Children's HopeChest, mobilizes resources for the oppressed alongside Carolina Cardona, HopeChest Guatemala Director, who uses her U.S. business degree to serve her home country. This unique partnership has lasted for fourteen years and offers churches an opportunity like no other. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Today’s episode is brought to you by Children’s HopeChest. To put it bluntly, I love the way they do global ministry. So much so that we at Red Letter Living are teaming up with them for an epic Pastor’s Vision trip March 24-29, 2025.On this vision trip, pastors and their spouse (or associate) willl have the opportunity to engage in different activities including evangelism, home visits, and connecting with children at HopeChest’s CarePoints. With only 30 spots available, this exclusive trip promises an intimate experience with other pastors from around the country. Each day, I’ll also be leading inspiring devotions, guiding you some Red Letter Challenge principles, and empowering you to embody the teachings of Jesus in your everyday life. All the details are at www.redletterchallenge.com/hopechest. And because I love golf and my wife loves coffee, we’ll even close the trip with a round of golf or a coffee tour in Antigua, Guatemala. So, yes, meaningful, impactful work, but also a day of fun and relaxation to close. But hurry, there are only 30 spots available total. So, get in now to connect more with not only Red Letter Living, but hopefully to find a great mission partner overseas in Children’s HopeChest. To find more info and to register for this trip go to www.redletterchallenge.com/hopechest. I truly hope that I’ll see you there.Resources mentioned in the episode: HopeChestRegister for HopeChest Webinar with Zach September 12, 2024Pastor’s Guatemala Vision Trip: March 24-29, 2025Key insights from the episode: Relationships are key when you are doing mission work.- Carolina Cardona  Resources without relationships are transactional. – Wil Crooks When you are out of your normal, there’s an openness for learning and being disciplined. – Wil Crooks We are not empowering others, we are partnering with others. – Wil Crooks People are wanting to share their lives with you. – Carolina CardonaThrough our friendship model, we equip the kids with the agency to choose their sponsor, not the other way around. - Wil CrooksThe key to a successful mission partnership is an exit strategy at the end. - Wil CrooksCarolina Cardona’s Challenge: Go on a trip ( in your neighborhood or internationally) and learn. Wil Crook’s Challenge: Cross a border you have never crossed. Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or the Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pastor Greg Griffith has been the lead pastor at King of Kings in Omaha, NE, since January 1, 2020. He is also the Large Church Network co-leader and a certified Working Genius Coach. Today, let's explore how the Working Genius Assessment can help us become the greatest disciples of Jesus. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Today’s episode is brought to you by Children’s HopeChest. Inspired by Christ’s love, HopeChest serves vulnerable children living in poverty around the world, but that’s not where they stop. They foster real partnerships between communities, placing a huge emphasis on building relationships and two-way transformation. Their approach lines up with our mission at Red Letter to go out and serve, to be generous, and to share the love of Jesus in real, practical, tangible ways. They get into a community, establish a multi-year partnership, and then build up local leaders in the areas they work with. They develop community plans with clear exit strategies, focusing on empowerment of the local people, not a forever dependence on those of us who want to help. It truly is the “helping without hurting” model that I know as a pastor I looked for a long time in my global mission work. Plus, their transparency is impressive. So, church leaders, pastors, if you’ve been wondering what to do globally, this is the organization for you to check out. You can visit this link: hopechest.org/rll to learn more about how you and your church can be a part of a global movement that’s changing lives!Resources mentioned in the episode: gg@kingofkings.org https://www.kingofkings.org/team_member/greg-griffith/ workinggenius.comKey insights from the episode: If we are doing ministry right, it ought to be very rewarding. - Zach ZehnderUsing Working Genius can help remove shame from your life. - Pastor Greg GriffithDiscerners actually want to help you win. – Greg Griffith Jesus would have had the Working Geniuses of Galvanizing/Discernment (GD). – Greg Griffith If the majority of your work is in your frustration, you are not going to have much joy and fulfillment. – Greg Griffith As much as possible, do the things that are your geniuses. – Greg Griffith Every church is an attractional ministry. – Greg Griffith Greg Griffith’s Challenge: Find out what fills your bucket, and then use it to serve others.Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or the Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alvin Sanders, a church leader, planted a church in a violent neighborhood after a police shooting. He served with the EFCA (Evangelical Free Church of America) and is now President of World Impact. Alvin has authored books on diversity and poverty and believes every church needs an urban ministry. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. Pastors and church leaders, jump into a 40-day discipleship challenge this Fall. In a politically divisive time, the wisest decision you can make is to focus on what brings unity. No one and nothing brings unity like Jesus. Our 40-Day Jesus-Centered Challenges will ensure you not only stay united on what’s most important, but they will grow your small groups like crazy, provide much-needed done-for-you materials, and create greater disciples. Literally, this Fall may be the most strategic time in our nation’s history to get a 40-day challenge going at your church.To get your custom quote with an extra coupon take 2 minutes to fill out the form here: www.redletterchallenge.com/quote. Resources mentioned in the episode: World Impact: Transforming Communities TogetherAlvin Sanders BooksCustom Quote for 40-Day ChallengeKey insights from the episode: If you read the New Testament, you are talking about urban ministry. – Alvin Sanders Whether you like it or not, the things that come out of the urban space will affect you. – Alvin Sanders If you want to know what suburban churches will be dealing with ten years from now, look at what urban churches are dealing with now. – Alvin Sanders There are suburban churches today that still don’t think that gender identity, political divisiveness, poverty, and homelessness are a problem in their community. – Alvin Sanders You can kinda pretend there is nothing wrong in the suburbs. – Alvin Sanders There’s a giant search for authenticity. The term ‘micro church’ is cropping up more and more. – Alvin Sanders The urban church can help the suburban church with its struggle with identity. – Alvin Sanders If suburban churches try to do evangelism in their neighborhood, it will automatically set them on a journey of diversity. – Alvin Sanders 75% of folks at our church had never been to church before, and it was simply due to relationships. – Alvin Sanders The lowest hanging fruit in church is responding to cards filled out by guests. – Zach Zehnder Do you want to be counter-cultural? I’ve got two kids with one woman. What’s more counter-cultural than that? – Alvin Sanders Do you have enough evidence in your life that if you went to court, you’d be convicted of being a Christian? - Pastor Percy Carter The church is still providing a necessary moral compass for culture. – Alvin Sanders The community is waiting for the church to take a seat at your table. – Alvin Sanders There’s no political ideology that can contain Matthew 5-7. – Alvin Sanders Alvin Sanders’ Challenge: Commit to improving the lives of those living in poverty through your time, treasure, and talents.Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or the Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Season 7 of The Red Letter Disciple Podcast is back! Starting August 20th, get ready for 10 episodes featuring world-class disciples. In this season, we’ll discuss a variety of topics all designed to help you create greater followers of Jesus, including yourself! Big thanks to our Season 7 sponsors which include Children’s HopeChest, FiveTwo, Child Beyond International, Dwelling114, RightNow Media, and Red Letter Living. To access the show notes, or find this podcast on your favorite streaming platform, go to www.redletterpodcast.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With decades of experience starting and leading ministries, churches, and networks, Bill now invests his life in men and women who want to reach people for Jesus in new, creative ways. In 2009, he led the launch of FiveTwo, a network that helps men and women grow their God-given dreams into ministries and businesses that last. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Today’s episode partner is FiveTwo. The FiveTwo team has grown healthy churches for over thirty years. They understand how to grow churches in a rapidly changing culture without burning out staff and lay leaders. Every major church denomination in the U.S. has experienced a decline since the 1960s, a trend the pandemic didn't initiate but rather accelerated. What are we, as people who love the local church, to do about this reality?FiveTwo has spent the last four years identifying the four key cultural trends thriving churches address. And they’ve helped countless churches actually address these trends and THRIVE. They’ve put all their learnings along with case studies into a free resource which you can download at fivetwo.com today. Discover how well your congregation is managing these forces and what you can do to grow. Also, don’t miss my FREE webinar with Bill Woolsey, Founder and President of FiveTwo. We’ll discuss those four trends in detail and discuss how churches can use these trends to grow their churches. Click here to register.Resources mentioned in the episode: Red Letter Disciple Podcast: Episode 20 Bill Woolsey on the #1 Reason Why Ventures FailSeven Steps to Start: A Sacramental Entrepreneur's Guide To Launching Startups That Thrive (Sacramental Entrepreneur Series) by Bill Woolseyfivetwo.comRed Letter Disciple Podcast: Episode 32 Jessie Cruickshank on Brain Science and DiscipleshipKey insights from the episode: If you have Jesus, you have more than enough. - Bill WoolseyWhen you’re starting new things, money is the biggest fear. - Bill WoolseyObedience often precedes Jesus’s miracles. - Bill WoolseyWe have to understand that faith steps include failure. - Bill WoolseyFear of losing personal well-being and security keeps people from thinking big. - Bill WoolseyFail fast but not fatally. - Bill WoolseyThe line between pastor and boss can be very challenging. - Bill Woolsey12-14% of the US population are entrepreneurial in their field. - Bill WoolseyEntrepreneurs don’t have to love risk, but they need to know how to mitigate risk. - Bill WoolseyYou can only spend a dollar once. - Bill WoolseyBill Woolsey’s Challenge: Discern what group of people or organization you’re passionate about and what new small thing you could do to help them. Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the entire season for free: We upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Les Beauchamp served as the Lead Pastor of Lifegate Church for three decades and is now the pastor of leadership development. He’s a passionate Jesus follower who has worked diligently in the city of Omaha over the past couple of decades to see more people come to Jesus. Through his past with Mormonism, he realized that Christianity is the only answer. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Today’s episode partner is FiveTwo. The FiveTwo team has grown healthy churches for over thirty years. They understand how to grow churches in a rapidly changing culture without burning out staff and lay leaders. Every major church denomination in the U.S. has experienced a decline since the 1960s, a trend the pandemic didn't initiate but rather accelerated. What are we, as people who love the local church, to do about this reality?FiveTwo has spent the last four years identifying the four key cultural trends thriving churches address. And they’ve helped countless churches actually address these trends and THRIVE. They’ve put all their learnings along with case studies into a free resource which you can download at fivetwo.com today. Discover how well your congregation is managing these forces and what you can do to grow. Also, don’t miss my FREE webinar with Bill Woolsey, Founder and President of FiveTwo. We’ll discuss those four trends in detail and discuss how churches can use these trends to grow their churches. Click here to register.Resources mentioned in the episode: Brand New: Living as God’s New Creation by Les BeauchampMarriage on the Rock by Jimmy EvansMargin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives by Richard A. SwensonMovie Click with Adam Sandler Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter ScazzeroLectio365 appKey insights from the episode: Most people who get married are woefully unprepared to get married. - Les BeauchampMarriage is the promise of a future love. - Les BeauchampLove is a choice. - Les BeauchampWhen you get married, you are saying no to your singleness. - Les BeauchampTake three minutes to show your spouse you love them. - Les BeauchampNo matter how you feel or what happens, never give up on your marriage. - Les BeauchampA lot of people equate God with the church, and he is not the church. - Les BeauchampGod has given us the gift of Sabbath to declare, “God, I know you’ve got it.” - Les BeauchampThe church does not have a good theology of suffering. - Les BeauchampWe believe that if you suffer, it’s because you sin. - Les BeauchampLes Beauchamp’s Challenge: Download the Lectio365 app. Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the entire season for free: We upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Founder of Dwelling 114, Greg Finke, spent 22 years growing churches in Michigan and Texas before he founded Dwelling 1:14 in 2011. Since then, Greg Finke and Dwelling 1:14 have helped thousands of people live more like Jesus. He’s the author of the books “Joining Jesus on His Mission” and “Joining Jesus As a Family.” He’s here to help us today become greater disciples of Jesus. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Today’s episode is brought to you by Dwelling 1:14. Led by Pastor Greg Finke, Dwelling 1:14 is a discipleship organization that comes alongside pastors and leaders to help them intentionally disciple their people. Greg has worked with hundreds of churches and tens of thousands of people. He has developed a year-long training process that helps your church produce greater disciples in their everyday lives. He’s an experienced practitioner and mentor, and he’s ready to help your church. You can contact him and learn more about this year-long process here. Additionally, on May 16th, from Noon-1 PM Central, I’ll be hosting Greg Finke for a church leaders webinar called Creating a Discipleship Plan for Your Church that Transforms Lives. You can register for free by clicking here or the image below.Resources mentioned in the episode: www.dwelling114.orgJoining Jesus on His Mission: How to Be an Everyday Missionary by Greg FinkeJoining Jesus—Show Me How: How to Disciple Everyday Missionaries by Greg FinkeMissional Year-Long Training Process for ChurchesKey insights from the episode: How has Jesus been messing with you lately? – Rev. Greg FinkeBeing a disciple of Jesus starts with Jesus. – Rev. Greg FinkeDiscipleship is about training. – Rev. Greg FinkeIf I’m full of myself, God can love me, but he can’t do much through me. – Rev. Greg FinkeYou can’t go back to the beginning, but you can change the end of the story. – Rev. Greg FinkeLove doesn’t work every single time, but it’s the only thing that works. – Greg FinkeI never had a dinner without a sinner because I am a sinner. - Zach ZehnderDiscipleship is not scholarship; it’s all about relationships.  – Greg FinkeGreg Finke’s Challenge: How can you be a reason something good happens to someone in your life?Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the entire season for free: We upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While taking a course at Harvard Divinity School, Greg Baumer’s world was turned upside-down. He discovered that when it comes to money, God wants something for us, not from us. Since that time, Greg has become convinced that God offers a unique joy to those who choose to live generously. As he explored the words of Jesus around generosity, he believes every disciple of Jesus should ask the question, “How much do I need to keep?” To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Today’s episode is brought to you by Dwelling 1:14. Led by Pastor Greg Finke, Dwelling 1:14 is a discipleship organization that comes alongside pastors and leaders to help them intentionally disciple their people. Greg has worked with hundreds of churches and tens of thousands of people. He has developed a year-long training process that helps your church produce greater disciples in their everyday lives. He’s an experienced practitioner and mentor, and he’s ready to help your church. You can contact him and learn more about this year-long process here. Additionally, on May 16th, from Noon-1PM Central, I’ll be hosting Greg Finke for a church leaders webinar called Creating a Discipleship Plan for Your Church that Transforms Lives. You can register for free by clicking here or the image below.Resources mentioned in the episode: Generous Giving True Riches by Gregory Baumer and John CortinesGod and Money by Gregory Baumer and John CortinesThe Bible Project Story: God and Moneyspiritualgifts.meKey insights from the episode: The point is, do I believe all I have belongs to God? - Greg BaumerIn a culture where our most pervasive sin is materialism, we’ve lowered the bar on what good stewardship looks like. - Greg BaumerThe question every disciple of Jesus should ask: “How much of God’s money do I need to keep for myself? - Greg BaumerThe best teaching on generosity is not on what we should do but rather on what [God] has done. - Greg BaumerAlmost all of Jesus’s teachings on money are warnings. - Greg BaumerMost elder board members at church are wealthy people. - Greg BaumerIt’s critical that we, as Christ's followers, understand why God asks us to give. If we don’t know why, the tactics don’t matter.  - Greg BaumerThe three most frequent causes Jesus said to give money to are 1) to the poor, 2) to spread the gospel, and 3) to build the local church. - Greg BaumerGreg Baumer’s Challenge: Give generously according to the cause God has uniquely designed for you. Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the entire season for free: We upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Koulianos lives in Orlando, FL, and leads Jesus Image, Jesus Image Church, Jesus School, House of Bethany: Worship Academy, and Jesus School Online. Millions have been impacted worldwide by the preaching of the pure Gospel and the desire for the presence of Jesus.  He has a powerful healing ministry and absolutely loves Jesus. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. We create resources that challenge all people to be greater followers of Jesus. Part of being a great disciple of Jesus is knowing how you are gifted AND putting that gift to work. So, how are you gifted? Spend 15 minutes taking our brand-new FREE spiritual gift test at www.spiritualgifts.me. After taking the test, email us at hello@redletterchallenge.com and let us know what your top spiritual gift is and how you will put that gift into practice this week!Resources mentioned in the episode: Jesus Image ChurchThe Jesus Book: Fall Recklessly in Love with Jesus by Michael KoulianosJesus SchoolKey insights from the episode: The Scripture must be the ultimate and supreme authority of Jesus. - Michael Koulianos  Jesus is God the Father’s only sermon. - Michael Koulianos  Healing is a matter of God’s nature. - Michael Koulianos  Jesus is the perfect doctrine. - Michael Koulianos If healing is not for today, then what else about Jesus has changed? - Michael Koulianos  In the midst of healing, there’s a mystery. - Michael Koulianos  A spiritual formation occurs if you are willing to be embarrassed before men to be obedient to God.  - Michael Koulianos  “I love people most when I love Jesus most. I love people best when I love Jesus best.” - Michael Koulianos  Michael Koulianos’s Challenge: Consume the word of God. (Go into your room, close the door, and pray the scriptures daily, if not twice a day.)Are you following Jesus? Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the entire season for free: We’ll upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.