The Daily Growth Discipleship Podcast

The Bible is filled with things that are sometimes hard to understand. The earliest portions of the Bible were written over three thousand years ago, and the latest portions were written almost two thousand years ago. There's a lot that's changed in the world since then, and that leads to a lot of difficult questions at times, even for experienced Christians. So today Chris and Josh are joined by Chris' brother Joe who asks some of those difficult questions. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

We each have an inner story about who we think we are. This self-narrative guides our lives and the decisions we make. Are we the kind of person who goes skydiving? Or are we the kind of person who buys a boat, or goes camping, or lives in an apartment and not a house? The answers to these questions really have to do with our identity; who we are. As Seth Godin describes, “People like us do things like this." But what happens when the narrative we've created for ourselves can no longer support us? What happens when our life falls apart and we are forced to re-evaluate who we are. This experience can shake us to our core and send us spiraling into the depths of depression. This is the experience Juanita describes in her book, Learning to Be, as the identity she has built for herself had to be torn down so that God could reveal to her who He had created her to be. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Even though 2020 is over, 2021 doesn't promise to be any better. We can hope, of course. But we must be ready for the challenges that will come our way this year. And that means our work to create a lifestyle of discipleship is more important than ever. So this year, we are excited to continue our work of bringing you incredible guests on the podcast. We are also looking forward to expanding our YouTube channel as a place where we can share our journeys with you as we work to create a lifestyle of discipleship. So this week on the podcast, Josh and Chris discuss their hopes and plans for the Daily Growth Discipleship in 2021. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Advent is here! Whether you observe it or not, 2020 has probably left you hoping for something better than what you've experienced so far this year. The good news is that God is with you, just as he was with his people throughout all of history and will continue to be with his people forever. Advent is a chance to set aside time to remember this truth. In this episode Josh and Chris unpack the value of celebrating Advent and setting aside time to remember God is with us and the hope we have as we look forward to his final coming. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Every decision we make is motivated by some desire we have. And for most of us in the US, that means a desire for more. We want more money, a larger house, more safety, more happiness, and... well, just more. But when we look at Scripture, this pursuit of more may not be the way Jesus intended us to live a lifestyle of discipleship. It's difficult to read Philippians 4 where Paul tells about his secret of contentment and at the same time think American capitalism and consumerism are what Paul's lifestyle would look like. In this episode, Chris Nye talks about what he's finding to be valuable for living a lifestyle of discipleship while at the same time living in a culture where there's always a pressure to consume more. It could be that Less of More is a better way to be more like Jesus. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

As followers of Christ, one of our primary tools for knowing Him and His will is the Bible. In fact, we often proclaim that it is THE primary way for us to know who God is. But have you ever asked yourself "why"? Why do Christians believe in the Bible is authoritative in our lives? Asking this question isn't a sign that you have weak faith. On the contrary! It shows that you are maturing. Mature disciples ask these kinds of questions because we have a desire to go deeper in our relationship with God. We don't want to rest on the legacy or word of our parents. We want to grow our faith so that it is able to stand on its own two feet. We believe that if God is really behind Scripture and is working in our lives to reveal Himself to us, then there are no questions we could ask that could ever dismiss the truth of who He is or what He's done. So in this episode, Josh and Chris explore why the Bible is one of Christianity's most valuable tools for seeking to know God. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

The United States has a very important election coming up in less than a week. The nation is more polarized than ever before, and this polarization is even reflected in the Church. But this is unfortunate considering where our allegiance as Christians should lie: with Christ and His Kingdom. So the question we wanted to talk with Dr. Snavely about is how should we as Christians understand our role in politics, and especially how should we respond on November 4th when the election is over. Ultimately, our hope isn't in who wins or who loses the election. Our hope and trust is in God who sits on the thrown. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Life is a journey. It sounds cliche, but there's a truth in that statement, especially for Christians as they strive to live a lifestyle of discipleship. When it comes to spiritual formation, we often think that process is meant to form only one part of our journey, the spiritual part. But this misses out on the beautiful whole of our life God wants to shape and form. He doesn't just want to shape our spirit, but our heart, mind, behaviors, and relationships as well. He wants to shape everything in us to be like him. But this process is a journey that takes time. It takes time because we don't naturally want to let him make these changes. In this episode, Gary Moon, unpacks a few of the ways God wants to shape us. His experience in psychology and spiritual formation, along with his wit and humor are a refreshing perspective on what it means to live a lifestyle of discipleship. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

The enneagram has become a popular tool and topic of discussion over the last few years. Everyone seems to be taking online tests to discover their type and comparing their results with friends, family, and co-workers. But the enneagram is more than just a personality test that shows us our quirks and preferences. It is a tool that can help us, as disciples, draw closer to God. As AJ Sherrill talks about in this episode, the enneagram isn't a Christian tool. But it is a human tool that can be used to help us discover our true identities by revealing to us the masks we've used to hide from the world. It can also help us create practices that help us grow more deeply in our walk with Christ. The enneagram is not a mystical or all-powerful tool. But it can, if we use it well, help us gain a deeper awareness of our motivations and insecurities that keep us from seeing who God is calling us to be. In the end, the enneagram is a tool that can help us create a lifestyle of discipleship. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

In John 17, Jesus prayed that we, his people, would be one as he and the father are one. If we've learned anything from the year 2020, it's that we still have a long way to go before we see Jesus' prayer become a full reality in the American church. Whether it's factions within a church fighting over carpet colors, or people fighting over wearing masks or not wearing masks, or working out how to respond to issues of racism, we are far from united. In this episode, Irwyn joins us to talk about the beautiful community of God's people and the reasons unity is a struggle for so many of us. Learning to walk with others in unity as Irwyn describes is a big part of what it takes to create a lifestyle of discipleship. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. But what if we don't act lovingly towards ourselves? We are all guilty of negative self-talk. We say things to ourselves that we would never say to another human being. But we feel justified because no one else knows about it. But if we can't love and take care of ourselves, we won't do the same for others. If God's love is to truly be the driving force in our lives, then we must and stop tearing ourselves down with negative self-talk and destructive habits. As Cindy teaches us in this episode, we need to learn to be kind to ourselves so that God's love can fill our lives and bring us joy. If we are not able to love ourselves, then we won't be able to effectively love those around us. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

God is present with you in every moment of your life. Think about the reality of that statement. Whether it's the most mundane tasks you do or the once-in-a-lifetime experiences, God, your father, is with you wanting to enjoy life with you. And he does this with both his grace and his truth. Learning to live the Jesus Way in grace and truth is challenging at times, but as we practice the way of Jesus with the truth of Jesus, we find we're living the Jesus life. In this episode, Alan Fadling joins us again and helps us understand the value of Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life in a way that will help anyone striving to live a lifestyle of discipleship. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

"To be human is to be lonely.” Jason Gaboury begins his new book on loneliness with this quote from Friar Ugo. And it says something profound about what it means to be human. We all experience loneliness. We feel left out, like we don't measure up, or like the odd man out of the group. But this isn't the way it's supposed to be. We were created for community, to reflect the relational nature of God Himself. Sin and the loss of relationship has opened a chasm between us and God as well as between us and our friends, spouses, co-workers, and family. We seek deep relationships, like a starving man seeks food. But unless we understand loneliness, we will seek relationships in the wrong way. We will try to numb the pain or to distract ourselves from reality with fake relationships or cheap imitations. And so, loneliness persists. That's why in this conversation with Jason, we talk about the causes of loneliness and how it can actually lead us to pay closer attention to the most important relationships in our lives. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Most of us probably think the gospel is something that unbelievers need to hear, those who haven't committed themselves to follow Jesus. But if the good news is good news, shouldn't it always be good news, especially if we're making discipleship a lifestyle? In this episode, Chris gives a great demonstration of why the gospel isn't just for unbelievers. The good news is something that transforms us as we follow Jesus in a lifestyle of discipleship. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Theology! Many Christians flinch a little when they hear that word. We live in an era where theology has become a dirty word, associated with stiff academics and argumentative dogmatists. But theology is at the core of who we are as disciples. If we are genuine in our faith, theology is unavoidable because we naturally ask questions about who God is and how we should follow Him. So we must work to make sure our theology is done well, rooted in the history of the Church that seeks to worship God. And that's the approach Dennis Okholm takes in his book Learning Theology through the Church's Worship. The way we live our life in Christ displays our theology just as our theological beliefs influence the way we worship God in our everyday life. And so theology forms a core discipline that we as disciples cannot ignore. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

In John 17, Jesus prayed, "Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one." You don't have to look far among Christians these days to realize we are terrible at this thing Jesus prayed for in John 17. Legitimate issues of racism and how we can best love our neighbor become an arena in which we attempt to prove our point no matter the cost. In this episode, David offers a solution that we believe hits the nail on the head. Instead of choosing one side or the other, he calls us back to the Christ who saved us and to our calling as Christ's presence in the world. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

God loves you… It's almost cliche when you hear it, but think about each one of those three words… God… Loves… You… You might be thinking, “Yeah he does, but that's just who he is, right?” Or maybe, “Yeah, but he doesn't like me. There's a lot of me that's still broken… I don't even like me.” Or maybe you just don't believe it at all. In this episode, Josh Havens unpacks how you can find God's grace and purpose in the middle of your brokenness. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Making disciples is one of the crucial components of a lifestyle of discipleship. We are called to reproduce disciples. It's normal for Christians to think of spiritual disciplines and other practices as part of our own discipleship, but we rarely think of making other disciples as part of that process. This is why Paul's latest book is so valuable. John 3:16 is one of those verses many of us could probably quote. We've heard it so many times it's almost cliche. And the depth of the meaning Jesus was communicating to Nicodemus in that chapter is sometimes lost on us. Really, it's an invitation to something more than just getting saved. It's an invitation to God's redemptive work in all of history. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

As we once again talk about Race and Racism on the podcast, we wanted to address this issue from a different perspective. Racism, being rejected and persecuted because of the color of your skin, traumatizes its victims. So how should we as disciples respond? As we learn from Shelia in this episode, people of color need to develop resilience through their relationship with Christ and His community that gives them the strength to withstand the racial injustice they experience. And for white people and others of privileged status, we have an opportunity to listen and learn from our marginalized brothers and sisters. In the fight to see God's Kingdom come to earth and his will done in our midst, may we mourn with our brothers and sister who mourn and show them love that affirms who they are as Image bears of God. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

If you want to create a lifestyle built around following Jesus, you need to also have a willingness to learn. In this episode, Kevin challenges us with his contagious passion for learning and spiritual development. If you've ever felt like you aren't good at learning new things, Kevin's down-to-earth approach will inspire you and, hopefully, relieve some of the pressure as you learn to be a student of Jesus. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

As disciples, worship is an essential part of our life in Christ. It's more than singing songs or going to church. Worship is meant to be part of a lifestyle of discipleship as we follow Jesus in the everyday moments of life. And this is what we talked about in our first conversation with Dr. De Garmo. But in this 2nd episode, we explore how we can maintain that lifestyle even in the midst of a global pandemic that changes the way the church meets together. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling

The way we respond to an issue says a lot about who we are. And as the Church, we have to make sure that our desire to tell the truth doesn't push us to respond in a way that sours people to the truth we have to communicate. In these tense times, we live in, this conversation with Dr. Snavely is exactly what we need to be thoughtful about what we're saying as the Church. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

The conversation on racism isn't one that we wanted to jump into hastily. It deserves patience, grace, and love. In this episode, David Swanson, author of Rediscipling the White Church, walks us through how we can begin to solve the issues of racism by first changing how we understand what it means to be followers of Jesus. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Step one in creating a lifestyle of discipleship is knowing your identity as a beloved child of God. We say this over and over again, but it's the most basic problem any of us face when trying to follow Jesus. He's called us to die to ourselves. Our nature is to preserve ourselves becuase we believe we have the sole responsibility for making sure the world around us exists. This is why so many of us also struggle with narcissistic tendencies. We believe we have to rule our own existences, but we inherently feel unable to do so. Becuase of this we feel shame and insecurity. Narcissism then becomes a way to heal these wounds. In this chapter, Josh and Chris talk about the value of knowing our identity as a way to combat narcissistic tendencies and how our identity is really about our entire lifestyle. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Narcissistic tendencies aren't unique to charismatic personalities or those who might be a certain type on the Enneagram. In this chapter, Chuck unpacks the way each of us are susceptible to narcissism in our own way. And the Enneagram serves as a guide to understanding how our own sinful tendencies lead us to try to cover our insecurities or shortcomings. While it's important for us to understand how to work with narcissists around us, it's also important for us to do this work of self-evaluation. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

When you think of a narcissist, you probably picture a person who is self-obsessed and always looking at themselves. But the irony is that narcissist aren't actually looking at themselves, at least not at their true selves. Narcissist are afraid to be vulnerable and to do the deep work that is required of disciples. Accepting the call to follow Christ means that we will have to do deep soul searching as God shows us sinful parts of ourselves we didn't know we had. And this work is painful at times. But it's necessary in order to throw off the chains of sin and to accept the easy yoke of Jesus. But as Chuck explains in this chapter, a narcissist is unwilling to look at themselves to do this sort of work. There are deep wounds they are trying to hide. So instead of being honest with themselves or with others about the struggles they face, they cover them up with a false vulnerability that only fuels their narcissism. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Whether you're in church leadership or not, you will at some point come face to face with a narcissist in the Church. So the question then becomes, "How can you know when you're working with a narcissist, and what can you do about it?" With all the stories of spiritual leaders taking advantage of people and even abusing them, it's important to understand what to do when you discover you're being led by a narcissist. They may be talking about doing great things for the kingdom of God, and they may have a very attractive personality. It's also important to remember that not all who struggle with narcissistic tendencies will be full-blown narcissists. So in this chapter, Chuck unpacks the ways you can tell when you're working with a narcissist and how to know what you can do to help or if you just get out of the way. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Have you ever accused someone of being a narcissist? You've probably done so because someone was acting like the entire world revolved around them. Our typical picture of a narcissist is the larger than life, grandiose figure who seeks fame, power, and attention at all costs. We see these characteristics most often in politicians and charlatans. In fact, we've come to expect it from them. But did you know churches are one of the largest breading grounds for narcissism? It seems impossible at first glance since the Church is supposed to be all about humility and letting others go first. But pastors and laypeople alike can easily be pulled into narcissistic tendencies under the guise of serving God and leading people. We put ministry leaders on some pretty high pedestals. But it's not just limited to the top leaders. Narcissism can creep into our own hearts if we aren't prepared for what causes it. As Chuck explains in this first chapter, while narcissism appears to the outside world like there's an excess of self love, the reality is that the narcissist has put on a false identity because they are unable to love themselves. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

In this chapter, Chris and Josh wrap up the week by reflecting on the valueable lessons they've pulled from their conversation with Justin Zoradi. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

When it comes to our callings, we often feel pressured to accomplish all that God has called us to as soon as possible. But this is what leads us to pursue the resume virtues and abandon the eulogy virtues of who we are. We feel that because we have been called, we must also be responsible for the results of our callings. But nowhere does God call us to produce a certain result. He calls us to obedience. And so in this chapter, Justin reminds us that often the best approach is one that emphasizes our relationships with people over trying to achieve results. And it's in these seemingly small actions we take in the everyday moments of life where the Kingdom of God is able to break through into this world and bring us God's will. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

The Teacher in Ecclesiastes wrote, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." While it's important to work, it's also important to rest and recognize your dependence on God. As we do this, we find God works in seasons in our lives. At times we're moving quickly and our schedules are full. But other times he calls us back to rest and dependence on him. In this chapter, Justin tells his story of stepping away from the company he founded and what it was like to face an identity crisis. What he found in the aftermath of that decision was a call to rest and a call to remember who he was in Christ. And from that place, God moved him again into another season of fulfilling work. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

When it comes to following God's call on our lives, it's easy to get so wrapped up in serving God that we forget to be with Him. We get so concerned with doing the next thing, and the next thing that we begin to define ourselves by what we do, not who we are in Christ. Justin calls this, the pursuit of the “Resume Virtues.” But we need to stop and ask, “What will they say about us at our funerals?" Will they be talking about the items on our resumes, or will they be talking about the kind of person we were. How we were kind, loving, and patient. Or how treated the people around us. That's why we need to pursue God's calling on our lives with these "Eulogy Virtues" in mind. As Justin talks about in this chapter, it's good that we should pursue our callings, but we must not seek achievements and accomplishments if we lose sight of who we are. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

God has a calling on your life. And part of a discipleship lifestyle is serving with purpose in that calling. When you do this well, you feel great about yourself and who you are. It's like everything is right in the world. To say it another way, you feel fulfilled. But what happens when your calling and the work you find so fulfilling faces obstacles and setbacks? What do you do when the people you love most tell you your dreams and your work aren't worth pursuing? In this first chapter of our conversation with Justin, he tells his own story of following God's call on his life as he started an organization to fund the education of African young people. But it wasn't an easy journey. And along the way he encountered multiple obstacles. But he also found help as he continued to pursue God's call on his life in service to others. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

When we're in the middle of recovering from a crisis or trauma, sometimes the last thing we want to hear is that the spiritual disciplines can help. But the truth is these practices can help develop our relationship with our creator and other people around us. And it's these relationships, especially our relationship with our Father that brings healing. In this chapter, Josh and Chris reflect on their conversation with Paul Smith and how spiritual disciplines play an integral part of the recovery process. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

When God does a work in our lives, we have an expectation, or perhaps a hope, that God will instantly take away our struggle completely. But as we observe devout Christians of the past and present, it seems that God rarely removes all our struggles from us instantly. God does an initial work in our lives that restores hope to us or provides an initial healing, but then we still have to wrestle with continued cravings or sever weaknesses. And we ask God “why?" We want to be free of our burdens all at once. And although we can't know the answers for sure, we can see in stories like Paul's how God is faithful to continue the healing process in us, even if it lasts for years. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

The everyday moments of life are filled with disappointments, regrets, pain, and sadness. It's an inescapable part of our lives under the influence of sin. And when we give our lives over to Jesus, we expect these problems to disappear. We believe if we serve him faithfully that our problems will never return or that somehow our lives will be free from injustice. In this second part of Paul's testimony, we get a glimpse at God's work in a life, even when that life was filled with depression and hopelessness for years. But the good news is God's work in us is never done. And he often brings people around us who can help us find healing. This gift of the body of Christ is exactly what Paul found in a ministry called Celebrate Recovery. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

A Christian's testimony is a powerful thing. Much like the Bible, it's a record of the great work that God has done in our lives to seek and save us from the power of sin and death. When we hear another's testimony, we are encouraged because we see how God has faithfully acted in their life, and we are reminded that God has promised to work just as faithfully in our lives as well. But testimonies aren't just stories of conversions. They are stories of salvation, of how God over a lifetime redeems those whom He loves. Coming to faith in Jesus Christ is just the beginning of the work He ultimately wants to do in each of our lives. So today and this week as you hear from Paul, I hope you see that no matter what we face, we have a faithful Father who walks with us through the everyday moments of life, longing to be with us, and to make us more like Him. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

We love to ask the question, "Why?" Why do we do the things we do in the Christian life? Things like knowing our identity, practicing the basics, and walking with someone are great, by why do these things? It's about understanding the practical application of the things we know or hold to be true. In short, it's doing theology! In this special, one-chapter episode, Chis and Josh talk about a few of the reasons behind the steps in creating a lifestyle of discipleship. They also discuss a few questions from a listener about the authority of Scripture. Be sure to let us know what you think of this longer format if you want to see more of it! Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Dallas Willard described Jesus with one word: Relaxed. That may cause you to pause, but the more we explore this idea, the more we find it's absolutely true! If we've learned one thing from our conversation with Alan, it's that rest demonstrates our identity is in Christ as children of God. And this, more than anything else, describes who Jesus is: God's son, who relied fully on his father for everything. And from that place of rest in his father's care, he lived the way he did. The question today is simple, do we have the ability to rest completely in our identity as children of God and from that place of rest live out our calling? Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

We're all familiar with the story of the talents Jesus told where a master entrusts his servants with a sum of money and returns later to see how they handled his money. In our American culture, we typically look at this story and walk away with an understanding that we are now called to do something with our lives and to produce fruit while we can. Almost as if the end of our lifetime is the cutoff date, the time when our master will come back to check on how well we handled the things he gave us. The problem we inherently sense in living an unhurried life is that it clashes with this perspective on Jesus' story. But what if the unhurried life Jesus demonstrated and that Alan is helping us discover means something more than fruitfulness while we're alive? In this chapter, Alan unpacks what it means to live an unhurried life with an eternal perspective. And it may just be the good news of the Gospel we've been neglecting in our culture of hurry. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

What happens at the end of a long day at work? All you want to do is go home, sit on the couch and turn off your brain. You just want to rest. But what if I told you that many of our common leisurely activities like watching tv or scrolling through social media aren't actually restful. Doing them doesn't take much effort, but they give us small, consistent hits of dopamine that makes them feel restful. But these activities only numb us. They don't actually recharge us. As Alan talks about in this chapter, it takes effort to rest properly. And if we want to live an unhurried life, we must learn how to rest in a way that breathes life back into us, not numbs us to it. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

How do you know if you're living a hurried life? If your goal as someone who lives a lifestyle of discipleship is to live a life of rest, how do you begin the change from stressed and hurried to rested and relaxed? In a famous sketch, Bob Newhart played a psychologist who gave his client probably the most important advice you could ever get for a hurried life: "Stop it!" Now this doesn't necessarily mean that you need to just stop being in a hurry. Instead, as Alan talks about in this chapter, it may just mean practicing disciplines of disengagement, disciplines that mean, well, stopping. You won't want to miss Alan's wisdom in this chapter that comes from his own experience over the last 30 years in ministry. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

It seems that no matter what your culture is or where you're at in the world, hurry has infected our way life. We all feel hurried. We seem to be perpetually busy, and yet, behind on our work. Whether it's in ministry or some other vocation, we all feel pressured to produce at the highest level. We desire to be excellent in everything we do. And we should strive for excellence. But excellence doesn't mean we should be hurried. As Alan Fadling points out, Jesus is proof that you can serve others with excellence and still live an unhurried, relaxed life. And as followers of Jesus, we must learn to make this unhurried life part of our lifestyle of discipleship. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

You know the feeling. It's that constant, day-in day-out, never-ending sense that the next thing is waiting for you, ready to add one more thing to your list. You know this kind of life can't be what God intended, but you just don't see any way to live life differently. Kids need to be taken places, work needs to be done, groceries need to be bought, and bills need to be paid. And it seems like the faster you move in getting things done, the more things get added to your plate. We've got great news for you! A lifestyle of discipleship doesn't and shouldn't look like this. In fact, as Alan points out in this chapter, one of the most important things we can do as we follow Jesus is to ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Ministers and leaders are often ambitious people by nature. They have a desire or drive to do something and accomplish something big. In this chapter, Chris and Josh take a look inward at their own ambitions and reflect on how God may be wanting to shape them as they pursue a lifestyle of discipleship. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

As we grow, it's tempting to compare our progress to those around us. We even have a list of beatitudes in Jesus' sermon on the mount where he lists qualities that we've adopted as a standard we should emulate. And as we compare ourselves, we can tend toward making perfection the goal. This is especially true for ambitious people. But as we seek to grow and to live a lifestyle of discipleship, there are some key dispositions we should look at that will help keep our unhealthy ambitions in check. In this final portion of our conversation with Emma, she unpacks these dispositions by looking at the beatitudes and the ways we can be inspired by others around us. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

What are you doing on a daily basis to cultivate your desires and make sure they are motivated by the kingdom of God? Whether we know it or not, our desires are what really drive our daily lives. And the scary thing is, most of us are completely unaware of the desires that are driving us. We think we are making decisions and taking actions based on pure logic. But our habits speak louder than words. We may profess to wanting to see more people in our churches, but the actions we take tell a different story about what we truly want. The good news is that knowing our desires, and recognizing the habits that form them, gives us tools for changing what drives us. Because if we are not living the lives we say we want, we may have unknown desires that outweigh the known. That's why in this chapter, Bishop Emma helps us understand how our desires drive our actions, and why counting stuff isn't a terrible idea. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Few would argue that excellence is a bad thing. We may call different things excellent, but excellence is always seen as good. And this desire for excellence is typically what drives ambitious people. We want to be the best or produce the best because we want excellence. But as our ambitions and desire for success move us forward, how can we know that the excellence we desire is truly excellent? And how can we know that we want excellence for the right reasons? As we try to live a lifestyle of discipleship, one of our tasks is to work to understand our identity. We're called to understand the way our actions are motivated by the person we believe ourselves to be. In this chapter, Emma unpacks the ways we can begin the inward journey of evaluating our motives and our heart. And, in the end, this work is one of the most important things an ambitious person can do. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Many Christian leaders have an internal drive that pushes them to be successful in life and ministry. They naturally want to seek greatness in everything they do. So they are drawn towards books and ideas on leadership and strategic planning. But they also struggle with this drive because as Christians they don't want to seek their own glory. They recognize their purpose as a Christian is to glorify Christ. And so many Christian leaders struggle with the ambition that drives them. Can ambition be a good thing or is it something that Christians need to die too? This is why Bishop Emma's book, Ambition, is such a blessing. She helps Christian leaders understand what ambition and success should look like and how those of us who are ambitious can go about working to grow the Kingdom of God and not our own egos. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

Taking time to pause and reflect on the values we have as a family is an important part of creating a spiritually vibrant home. It gives us a chance to understand why we do what we do and how we can be intentional about making our homes a place of growth. After this week's conversation with Don, Chris and Josh take some time to reflect on what was most impactful to their discipleship lifestyles from this week. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.

The research shows that men are failing to be the spiritual leaders of the household. Women are far more likely to be the primary spiritual influence in the family. So we wanted to know why and explore what men could do to help reverse this trend. But what we found is that this is an issue that the entire household can get involved with. So whether you're a man struggling to be a spiritual leader or a family member who wants to see their husband or father take a stand, Don Evert's insights in this chapter will encourage you to find new ways to be support your family and help create a spiritually vibrant home. Check out the full show notes and resources for this episode at dailygrowthdiscipleship.com. Get your copy of the Daily Growth Journal and start creating a lifestyle of discipleship with the simple practice of journaling.