Podcast
GA Baptist Discipleship
Hosted by Georgia Baptist Mission Board · EN
This podcast exists to strengthen churches by resourcing, inspiring, and creating disciple-makers! Discipleship is a life-long process by which a follower of Jesus Christ grows toward Christ-likeness and multiplies the experience. Each week we will broadcast new episodes relevant to your ministry and replicating discipleship.
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Episodes
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FORMED - Disciple-making Environments with Matthew Gibbs, Second Baptist Church
3w ago00:40:08Tap to summarizeFORMED: Disciplemaking EnvironmentPodcast Recording Show NotesScott Sullivan and Matthew GibbsApril 9, 2026Scott Sullivan and Matthew Gibbs discussed the second element of FORMED: A Discipleship Culture Blueprint, focusing on disciple-making environments. They explored four key components using a concrete metaphor: water (Holy Spirit), sand (small groups), gravel (micro groups), and cement (personal one-on-one time with God). Matthew shared insights from Second Baptist Church in Warner Robbins, Georgia emphasizing the importance of connecting people through multiple environments rather than relying on just one. They discussed the danger of churches focusing solely on large group assemblies without intentional discipleship pathways. The conversation covered practical tips for aligning different environments, including creating intentional processes, recruiting and training leaders, and defining what biblical discipleship means. They concluded by highlighting the critical importance of pastors maintaining a strong personal walk with God and leading by example in discipleship.Discipleship Culture Blueprint PresentationScott presented the second element of their Discipleship Culture Blueprint, focusing on Disciplemaking Environments. He explained that discipleship doesn't happen by accident and requires intentional environments, using concrete as an analogy with water (Holy Spirit), sand (small groups), gravel (micro groups), and cement (personal one-on-one time with God) as essential components. Scott emphasized that while many churches focus on programs and systems, the key is to create environments where people can grow spiritually through relationships and community.Multi-Level Discipleship EnvironmentsScott discussed the importance of trust and personal relationships in transformation, using concrete illustrations like cement to represent a personal walk with God. He emphasized that Jesus modeled multiple discipleship environments, including large groups, small groups, micro groups, and one-on-one time with God. Scott highlighted a gap in many churches that rely on only one or two environments for discipleship and stressed the need for connecting people across multiple levels to facilitate greater life change.Church Discipleship Engagement StrategiesMatthew discussed how church members often value what is most accessible or central to them, noting that at Second Church, about 30% of members primarily attend large gatherings. He emphasized the importance of intentionally guiding people into smaller groups and discipleship environments to move them beyond just attending services. Matthew highlighted the difference between stated values and actual practices, using Second Baptist Church's mission to help people find and follow Jesus as an example. Scott shared an illustration about people "sniffing" a meal rather than fully engaging, emphasizing the need for integrated discipleship environments that foster genuine growth and collaboration.Intentional Discipleship Process DevelopmentMatthew and Scott discussed the importance of intentional discipleship processes rather than relying on assumptions. Matthew emphasized that programs should form people through a connected system rather than just filling calendars, suggesting a pathway from visitor to member to growing disciple to leader and multiplier. He recommended mapping out current processes to identify gaps and redundancies, then developing a plan to address these issues over the next 30-90 days.Ministry Environment Alignment DiscussionMatthew and Scott discussed the importance of aligning ministry environments to produce multiplying disciples rather than maintaining existing programs. Matthew emphasized that intentional, regularly evaluated environments are more likely to produce growth and multiplication, using a yard maintenance analogy to illustrate the point. They agreed on a definition of discipleship as a lifelong process where individuals mature in faith and multiply their experience. The conversation concluded with Scott asking about the importance of leadership pipelines for sustainability.Ministry Leadership Development StrategyMatthew discussed the importance of new leaders for ministry growth, outlining a process for recruiting, training, and developing leaders with the end goal of starting new groups within 18-24 months. He emphasized that pastors must lead by example in their personal walks with God and make disciple-making a regular part of their lives. Scott highlighted the principle that personal ministry should never outpace private devotion, and both agreed on the critical role of intentional environments and cultures in making disciples who multiply.
Transcribe →FORMED - Real Relationships with John Spencer, Sherwood Baptist
May 1800:38:06Tap to summarizeKey Outcomes Scott Sullivan and John Spencer (Discipleship Team Leader at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA) introduced FORMED, A Discipleship Culture Blueprint, a new resource developed over 2.5 years to help Georgia Baptist churches create disciple-making cultures rather than programs. This resource addresses the core question: How do we reach new people, connect them to the church, move them to spiritual maturity, and launch them to multiply. Resource Overview FORMED Structure: • Four core elements: Real Relationships, Transformational Teaching, Disciple Making Environments, and Intentional Multiplication • Built from dozens of pastor roundtables identifying common church struggles. • Developed by Scott Sullivan, Ray Sullivan (now Pastor at First Waycross), and PJ Dunn (overseeing Revitalization at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board) • Will be taught through six regional cohorts led by trained leaders, including John. Key Definitions: • Culture: The shared expression of beliefs, values, and rhythms that define an organization's identity; "how it feels" rather than just mission or vision• Disciple (Georgia Baptist definition): A committed, passionate follower of Jesus Christ, based on 2 Timothy 2:1-7's four generations of disciples and three-word pictures (soldier, athlete, farmer) Critical Leadership Questions Three essential questions every pastor should answer: • Do we have a culture of discipleship, and is it working? • Do you have a definition of a biblical disciple for your people? • Does the culture and success of the ministry depend solely on you as the leader? Core Principle: "I hope so is not a strategy" - churches cannot keep running the same play if it's not helping them win. Real Relationships Framework Foundation: Jesus invited disciples into a relationship ("follow me"), not a program - discipleship happens best within relational contexts. The Rebar Principle:• Like rebar tied together before concrete is poured creates tensile strength, intentionally tied relationships provide reinforcement when storms come • Without tied relationships, ministry cracks under pressure • You cannot pour ministry on top of relationships you never tied together 2:00 AM Friendships: • Deep, loyal, hesed-type Old Testament connections that never walk away • Many mature believers lack these foundational relationships Sherwood Church Model Disciple Definition at Sherwood: Know Christ, Love God, Unite with Believers, Serve the World, and Entrust the Gospel - visible everywhere (classrooms, atrium, new member materials) to maintain cultural focus. Sherwood on Mission Class: • Equips members to live gospel-centered lives daily, not just share gospel facts • Most valuable component: hearing stories of others interacting with people in their zones (work, home, neighborhood) • Available to share with other churches upon request Practical Implementation: • Michael Catt established Wednesday morning Cracker Barrel group with 5-6 men who could speak candidly into his leadership • Prayer walking neighborhoods with an online sign-up chart tracking coverage across Albany • Daily Bible reading groups (using MacArthur Daily Bible) meeting at 6:00 AM Overcoming Barriers to Connection Common Church Barriers: • Poor or insufficient signage around campus • Greeters who overwhelm rather than read people appropriately • "Holy huddles" that look inward rather than outward • Inadequate nursery facilities that parents don't trust • Inefficient processes (coffee stations, check-in) that create frustration. Key Insight: Confused people don't move; they wander - clear signage and processes are essential. Cultural Shift Required: • People want to be noticed, not just noted (Luke 19 - Jesus didn't just see Zacchaeus, he went to his house) • New member classes must set expectations: "Your job as a disciple-maker is to welcome people to your life, not just your seat." • Tell stories constantly - in baptisms, classrooms, social media, pulpit - to inspire and give ideas Intentionality Over RandomnessMinistry Trap Warning: The managerial trap of settling to manage people rather than shepherd and disciple them - easier to manage groups than invest intimately in messy lives. Personal Disciplines for Leaders: • Start with personal abiding - "I can't lead what I don't do." • Distinguish between being in the Bible for your people (sermon prep) versus being in the Bible for yourself • Pray specifically: "Lord, who do I invite in?" • Most successful ministry comes from one-on-one, one-on-two investments over time. Example: John invested ten years in a man who came hungover most mornings; now that man is leading a college ministry. Multiplication Mindset: • Invite younger leaders into discipleship groups to pass the torch • Equip them to replicate: "Now you go find some guys." • Story: A man moving to North Carolina took extra MacArthur Daily Bibles to start groups there Practical Opportunities Beyond Sunday Services: • Partner with existing community services (food banks, deliveries) • Prayer walks in neighborhoods • Student car washes • Leverage natural contexts (pickleball example: introvert wife built new friendships, led couple to church, provided support during medical crisis) Church Facility Design: North Metro Church built a massive foyer/mall effect holding 500 people, transforming culture by giving space for pre-service connection rather than herding people like cattle. Action Items • Georgia Baptist Mission Board Discipleship Team: Launch FORMED resource by the end of April, release four podcast episodes every two weeks for cohesive learning • Regional leaders (including John): Prepare to lead cohorts using an overview/introduction approach (Matthew Gibb’s piece to be distributed) • Churches interested in Sherwood’s On Mission materials: Contact John Spencer at johns@sherwoodbaptist.net for manual/digital copies Closing Principle "A church that is easy to attend but hard to connect in will always struggle to multiply. Bet the farm on relationships - Jesus did."
Transcribe →Tracking Disciples: Relational Church Software
Aug 28, 202300:36:00Tap to summarizeThis broadcast will help church leaders see the need to utilize church management software as part of their efforts to make disciples. Boyd Pelley has been the Co-founder/Culture Architect at Churchteams since 2000. From 1990 to 2008 has served as discipleship, administrative and family pastor of churches in New Mexico, Nebraska, and Texas. Churchteams was born out of his passion for discipleship and team-building in the local church. Married for 37 years, he and Pam have two married, adult children who love and serve Jesus with kids of their own! In this broadcast we discuss:This isn't just a broadcast for nerds.How church software can help you engage with a person for ministry.How can software be relational?How does a church that has never had software take its first step towards starting and building a church management software to be discipleship focused?Software does not replace a human relationship. It can only enhance relationships to help churches align values, processes, and data track to accomplish their mission.
Transcribe →Equipping Travel Sport Families
Aug 14, 202300:50:46Tap to summarizeDan Williams formed Partnerships with a Purpose during the Olympics in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. He founded Sports Serve, where he devoted his time to leadership development through sports. Since 1993 Dan has been working with churches and organizations to make disciples in and through sport across North America. He is one of the founding members of the North American Sports Movement.Chris Weldon has been married for 31 years to Debby. They have 7 children and 3 grandchildren (number 4 is due in November). Chris has been in ministry for 32 years, with 10 of those years in Seattle as a Church Planter with NAMB. The last 5.5 years as a Co-Vocational Pastor at Emerson Church, a replant of a 150-year-old church, that is positioned next to the largest sport complex in Georgia. Chris has a BA in Biblical Studies, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctorate from SEBTS.In this episode we discuss:The cautions of travel sport commitments and the conflicts it creates in the local church.How important our world view is when making travel sport decisions.How anything can become an idol and specific guard rails we can utilize.That disciple-making can happen where you live, work and play.Tools to equip families who have chosen to engage in travel sports.The importance or seeing ourselves as “in Christ” and not defined by a sport or job.Who has the primary responsibility to disciple our children.Making disciples requires us to think creatively and keep the priority of connecting with a local church.How parents can know if they have crossed the line in priority.Mindset shifts church leaders can make to increase gospel impact.Three Key questions parents can ask to guide their decision whether to commit to a travel sport team.
Transcribe →Practical Ideas and Cautions When Choosing Groups Curriculum
Jul 31, 202300:43:40Tap to summarizeKen Braddy is the Director of Sunday School & Network Partnerships for Lifeway Christian Resources. He’s been the managing director of adult ongoing Bible studies such as Bible Studies For Life, Explore The Bible, MasterWork, The Gospel Project, YOU, and more. Through his team’s work at Lifeway, they served the Bible study needs of approximately 3 million adults each week.Matthew Gibbs has been the discipleship and evangelism pastor at Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia for the past 15 years and has served in ministry over 25 years. He is a core piece of our discipleship team serving as discipleship consultant in our east central region and one of my close trusted friends.In this episode:The general purpose of Sunday morning bible study and how this can be communicated.How curriculum can help us achieve the purpose of bible study groups.Curriculum is important because our behavior grows out of what we believe.The pros and cons for giving your bible study leaders an option on approved curriculum vs a unified curriculum.Practical ideas on how to choose what curriculum to use.Why leaders must choose and communicate whether you have an open group vs a closed group when choosing what curriculum to use.Trends and cautions when choosing curriculum based bible study or sermon based studies and the benefits.One way to get a golf trip with Ken Braddy in the Swiss Alps!
Transcribe →Shifts Most Churches Need to Make to Become Disciplemaking Churches
Jul 17, 202300:29:36Tap to summarizeWe interview Ken Adams, pastor at Crossroads Church Newnan, Georgia and President of IMPACT Ministries. Carl Johnson also joins us. Carl is the pastor of leadership development at Peace Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia and serves as a contract representative for our Georgia Baptist Discipleship Team in the West Central region.In this episode you’ll learn:Craig Etheridge writes that US is now #3 behind India and China for the most number of people NOT professing to be Christian. One specific way to win a NEW 2023 IPAD PRO!!A shift most churches need to make is to understand what their Win really needs to be.The critical need to understand the church’s marching orders and why we do what we do.How to FIGHT for a shift in culture.Form a framily-friends & familyIdentify and eliminate infections Give kudos (never miss an opportunity to praise leaders)Hold high your core valuesTake up for your lay and paid leadersWilliam Vanderbloemen says “culture wins with everyone… every time.”Keys to create a mindset or programmatic shift.Why regular and quality leadership meetings can be THE difference in your ministry.Ideas to move your people from consumers to co-laborers.3 thoughts to help you make the above shifts including, seek to build onramps and not cul de sacs (credit: Aaron Hulse-First Fayetteville)
Transcribe →Connecting the Generations to Discipleship: Gen X and Millennials
Jul 3, 202301:01:02Tap to summarizeDr. Allen Jackson currently serves as both a professor and pastor. For over half of his adult ministry life, he lived on the NOBTS campus and taught, researched, and spoke in the field of youth and collegiate ministry. Over the years, his interests expanded into other fields in Christian Education and Spiritual formation including leadership, administration, developmental psychology, risk management, and a heavy investment in the next generation. He has written extensively in adolescent, collegiate, leader training, and Bible teaching areas. Allen now serves as senior pastor at Dunwoody Baptist Church in Atlanta and has been a constant source of wisdom and friendship in my life for over two decades. Ray Sullivan III serves as the Discipleship Consultant in South Georgia for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Because conversion is the starting line, not the finish line, Ray is passionate about helping pastors and churches take their next step in developing intentional disciple-making pathways that lead converts to become fully trained disciples of Jesus. Before joining the GBMB, Ray served as lead pastor in churches throughout Kentucky, Florida, and Georgia. In the episode:Learn the events and experiences that influenced each generation and why that matters as we seek to reach and retain Millennials and Gen X.Millennials are the largest generation in the American workforce.Gen X is the first generation to experience the full effects of divorce and both parents working outside the home.Millennials are the first generation to be fully influenced by the cell phone becoming an everyday tool.Gen X accounted for the majority of start-ups pre-pandemic and has incurred more debt than any other generation.Millennials made popular long beards, flannel, and fedoras.Gen X, well, they got parachute pants!Millennials will experience the greatest transfer of wealth in American history so helping them learn to manage money is critical.Gen X are caring for aging parents and local churches can offer caregiver support.Note the pendulum swing regarding what becomes important from one generation to the next.Millennials want to be involved.Gen X are skeptical and need to see authenticity and moral integrity.Listen to learn best practices churches are utilizing to engage both.
Transcribe →Connecting the Generations to Discipleship - Gen Z & Gen Alpha
Jun 19, 202300:36:48Tap to summarizeChris Trent is the Next Gen Catalyst on our Church Strengthening team. He served as a student pastor in churches in Texas and Georgia, most recently as student pastor at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church for 14 years. Jenni Carter is a Statewide Next Gen Consultant on our Church Strengthening team focusing on helping churches in Kids Ministry. She has served for over 10 years with the GBMB and is nationally recognized for her efforts in VBS training and for seeing thousands of children come to faith in Christ through VBS. Gen Z (born years 1997-2013) is easy to focus on the negative things society says about this generation. But on this broadcast, the team has a conversation on leveraging relational authority in the lives of this generation to see God using them in the local church. The team discusses: Why relational authority with Gen Z is different than ever before.How can church leaders disciple a child if their parent can't (or won't) be the spiritual leader in the home?What's one of the first things we can do to begin the discipleship process for kids?
Transcribe →Relational Events That Lead to a Next Step in Discipleship
Jun 5, 202300:42:05Tap to summarizeLet's face it. We gather people and organize events in our church to connect church families and guests. But when we create events, are we doing them with a next step in mind or how "great" the event can be?We invite JJ Yount on the broadcast alongside Adi Coe, who both serve at First Redeemer Church in Cumming, Georgia. As a seasoned student pastor and associate pastor, JJ shares some of his processes for helping events be next-step generators in our discipleship pipeline throughout his ministry and as the student pastor at First Redeemer. Adi serves on the team with JJ connecting women at First Redeemer and the community in discipleship. In this episode, the team talks about the following:How do we communicate and promote events?All events start with how the church views the events in general.What makes the engine of your church go, and how do you make it go faster?Are your events just for evangelism, or could they also do discipleship? Who are you trying to bring in, and what action must they take?Do something exciting they haven't done before but know your strategy beforehand.Someone who has never been to church and doesn't have a relationship with the church, and it's hard not to see it from their view if they have been raised there. It's like Marketing 101: Your internal language needs to be rethought and get out of the bubble of the church.The same event doesn't translate into different contexts, so know your demographic and the people you want to reach.Where do you start trying to make your church more diverse?Dig into what the community needs. People know when it's not genuine.God loves creativity!JJ visited Africa. Noticed that some of the negative impacts are when we go in and try to make churches in Africa like US churches, they lose the culture. We are not there to create a US church. How can we figure out what culturally matters to that person so we can meet them where they are and meet their need?Every human wants to belong, but they belong differently, and you must also see this at your events. Train leaders to see this too.The win is the people who move on to the next stage (i.e., joining a small group, etc.).Pre- and Post-Checklist
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A Man's Guide to Spiritual Disciplines
May 18, 202300:46:28Tap to summarizeDr. Patrick Morley founded Morley Properties in 1973 and was one of Florida’s 100 largest privately held companies. He’s been the president or managing partner of over 59 different companies and has taught a bible study to over 5,000 men for decades on Friday mornings. He has written over 18 books. His book, Man in the Mirror has sold over 3,000,000 copies worldwide and selected as one of the most influential books of the 20th Century. Dr. Morley has a new book out entitled: A Man’s Guide to Spiritual Disciplines. In this episode, Patrick and Scott explore:The status of men and spiritual growth in America.Evangelism without discipleship is cruel. Patrick MorleyGod tends to communicate in 4 ways.Through His worksThrough His WordThrough the whisper of His SpiritThrough the witness of believersThe importance of drawing value from who I am not what I do.How to learn to engage with God’s Word even if you do not like to read.Explore the deepest hunger of the human heart.How a pastor or leader can observe a Sabbath even when overwhelmed with work and family responsibilities.How the pastor can build men in the church through spiritual disciplines.A suggestion for the true measurement of men’s ministry success.
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