It is not surprising that first-time leaders will often experience feelings of nervousness and fear when stepping up to lead a group. Even when you feel like you have some tools to navigate this new role, understanding the next steps for your group can be challenging and feel like a journey into the unknown. In…
When it comes to Christianity, there have been various issues that have sparked debate and disagreement throughout history. At Real Life Ministries, we divide these issues into three categories: salvation, unity and peace essentials, and preferences. The first category focuses on the core beliefs necessary for salvation. These are the beliefs that someone must…
What is a Disciple? When it comes to Discipleship – we try to empower our leaders with tools that they can utilize as they are both living out and teaching others along their journey. One of these tools is our powerful Head, Heart, and Hands analogy. Here is where that comes from: At Real Life…
I am excited to share with you a new workbook put together by myself and our Real Life Ministries Team. For many years leaders who have gone through our Real Life Discipleship Manual have asked us if we had something with a similar format that was for everyone, not just leaders. This is that…
We often read the gospels to study the person of Jesus, and the teachings of Jesus, but we miss that within the story there is a method and model to follow. As we read, we should be looking at how Jesus SHARED, when Jesus SHARED, and who He SHARED with. We should look at where…
I am often asked about the tools I use for discipleship, and our church has been working on putting together a library of some free downloadable discipleship resources on our website. As many of you know, my Dad was my main disciple maker and extremely instrumental in bringing me from atheism to belief in God. My…
If you have read my books or posts or listened to my sermons, there should be no doubt in your mind that I believe discipleship begins with and is sustained by relationship. However, disciple makers also must be ready to give an answer, defend the faith, and teach their disciples the truth of the Bible…
Great coaches create winning teams because they have an intentional and reproducible system. Through this process, they not only create winning teams, they create players that become great people that go on to become successful leaders themselves. Jesus was a masterful coach. His apostles knew how to make disciples themselves because of what He had done intentionally and…
Why Believe (Free Resource) I started as a pastor’s son in a Christian home. My parents were sincere, faithful followers of Jesus, but because sin entered into my life at a very young age, guilt and shame isolated me from them and from God. When I went to college, the professors taught me that there was…
(Be sure you scroll to the bottom to download your free pdf Guidelines CHART) Do you find that you have a hard time getting people to connect in your small group system? Or are you a church launching small groups, and you’d like to set up for success? Either way, getting people to connect and develop relationships with each other, outside of a…