The KC Underground Podcast

In this episode of the Kansas City Underground podcast, Brian and Cory interview Justin Nkundabagenzi from Rwanda, discussing his journey from experiencing the Rwandan genocide to becoming a mobilizer of disciple makers. The conversation explores the importance of prayer, the transition from traditional church models to disciple-making movements, and the current state of the movement in Rwanda, highlighting the significant growth and impact of ordinary people spreading the gospel. Justin emphasizes the need for dependence on the Holy Spirit and the importance of leadership development in sustaining the movement.

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the mDNA element of Organic Systems. Organic systems are all about adaptation and reproducibility in cultivating movements. As you think about organic systems, you will discover a need for decentralized decision-making, a permission-giving culture, and the significance of leadership multiplication. This has been the challenge faced in traditional church structures. We advocate for a more flexible, organic approach to disciple-making and community building.

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the mDNA element of apostolic environments and APEST. This element is all about the importance of creating environments that equip and send individuals for mission, the role of APEST (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, Teachers) in church movements, and the significance of safeguarding the mission while fostering innovation and experimentation. You've heard us say it before, but we emphasize the need again for a culture that embraces all five gifts of APEST to ensure healthy growth and multiplication in the church.

In this episode, Cory and Brian explore the mDNA: liminality-commuinitas, two words that definitely sound made up, but aren't. These two sociological terms describe the work that happens in disciple-making movements when we “leave what we've known, enter a difficult knew reality in order to arrive in a new space” (liminality) and the deep family bonds we form as we go through these difficult spaces with others (communitas).  We emphasize the importance of embracing discomfort, rather than waiting on it and offer a simple practice for disciple-makers and microchurches to consider engaging to more fully embrace liminal spaces in order to receive the great joy of communitas.

In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the third element of movement DNA (mDNA): Disciple-making. This is nothing new for us to talk about, but in this context, we're focusing on how disciple-making is the engine of movement, so we emphasize the importance of making disciples who can replicate themselves, contrasting this with traditional Western approaches to discipleship that often focus on conversions rather than ongoing relationships. We also spend a good bit of time exploring the balance between rapid multiplication and deep, meaningful engagement in the lives of new believers.

In this episode, Cory and Brian explore the mDNA (Movement DNA) of missional-incarnational impulse. This mDNA has been a missing component in the Western Church for too long. We have been called not to missional activity, but to live on mission, embodying the teachings of Jesus in our communities. We include practical examples of missional living, the significance of personal calling, and the practices that shape a missional lifestyle, such as building relationships and creating spaces for community engagement. All of this conversation is rooted in a desire to see gospel flourishing in all aspects of life.

In this episode, Cory and Brian explore the profound implications of the phrase 'Jesus is Lord' within the context of faith and daily living. We emphasize the importance of understanding this concept not just as a belief but as a guiding principle that informs every aspect of life. We look at the significance of surrender, the practice of repentance, and the embodiment of faith in everyday actions. We also leave you with a few questions to begin to consider how you can embody this “Three-word-worldview” in your life.

​​In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the evolution of the Kansas City Underground, focusing on the six elements of movement DNA (mDNA) that were developed by Alan Hirsch. The mDNA has shaped and guided who we are as a network, though it's not something we always talk about. We explore the importance of paradigm shifts, the role of community, and the necessity of embodying the principles of disciple-making in everyday life. We take time to give you a high level introduction of (1) Jesus as Lord, (2) the missional incarnational impulse, (3) disciple-making ecosystems, (4) liminality and communitas (5) apostolic environments and (6) the need for organic systems that allow for growth and multiplication within the church.

In this episode, Brian Johnson and Rich Robinson explore the themes of church transformation and unlocking Kingdom potential through Rich's book 'All Change'. We discuss the importance of recognizing and embracing disruption, the four phases of transformation (dream, discover, design, deploy), and the practical steps for disciple makers. Rich shares his journey and insights on how to navigate change within church communities, emphasizing the need for everyday faithfulness and the significance of individual contributions to a larger movement.

In this episode Brian and Cory explore the last of the paradigm shifts needed in a disciple-making movement. This one is about thinking primarily through the lens of extended spiritual family, not thinking first about church as we have always known it. We start by examining the historical impact of Constantine on church identity, the grassroots nature of early church movements, and the need for a shift in language and understanding to foster healthy families that reproduce disciples. We hope this continues to help us reimagine the church as movement over institution.

In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the shift from addition to multiplication in disciple-making movements. We emphasize the importance of decentralized leadership, rapid mobilization, and low control with high accountability to be able to make this shift effectively. We get into the biblical foundation for this paradigm shift and we explore practical steps for ordinary disciple makers to create a multiplicative ecosystem. We also highlight how important it is to be patient and trust in the process of multiplication, don't manufacture it. All of this starts, though, by embracing your unique calling in disciple-making.

In this episode, Brian and Cory interview Brandon Kelly one of the directors of the Glass House Hub. Brandon shares the history of this group of disciple-makers and microchurches that are primarily in Independence, MO, but also how their Hub is now coaching leaders well beyond that one geographic area. They are truly embodying the principles from Jeremiah 29 that tell us to build houses, plant gardens, and seek the shalom of the city in which you live. Brandon also shares the challenges faced in their mission, the impact of the disciple-maker pathway, and the future aspirations for the hub.

In this episode, the Western Edge Hub team shares their story from the early days of the Underground to the current dynamics. We highlight the unique contributions of this Hub, and reflect on the challenges and growth experienced over the years. We also emphasize the importance of community, collaboration, and the shared mission of disciple-making in the city.

In this episode, Brian Johnson and Cory continue on in the series where we discuss the paradigm shifts necessary for catalyzing disciple-making movements. This week we emphasize the importance of viewing discipleship as an ongoing process that begins before conversion. We do critique traditional evangelism strategies that separate conversion from discipleship and highlight the need for a more integrated approach that focuses on community, obedience, and transformation. We also explore a bit of our understanding on the nature of conversion and the importance of creating environments where individuals can encounter God and grow in their faith.

In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the paradigm shift from one-on-one discipleship to group discipleship. We emphasize the importance of community and relational networks in fostering spiritual growth. We explore the dynamics of movement in discipleship, the barriers faced in Western contexts, and strategies for effective group engagement. We also highlight the need for diverse perspectives and the role of community in creating a supportive environment for discipleship.

In this episode, Cory and Brian interview three directors from the Zero Hour Hub. Zero Hour focuses on equipping high school students to become disciple-makers in their schools. We get to hear the story of Cory McElvain, Upashaker Gurung, and Joshua O'Keith, as well as how Zero Hour emerged as a Hub in the KCU network. Cory, Upas, and Josh share the importance of changing the paradigm for students from just hanging to equipping and sending through the transformative experiences students have through camps and prayer. They highlight the significant impact of student leadership and the necessity of engaging with the lost in their communities. The story of the next generation being equipped within this network is compelling! If you're looking to be equipped to reach the next generation check out zerohourministries.org

In this episode, Cory and Brian interview three directors of the Fount Hub, Lori Roy, Amber Jackson, and Jay Cull. We're continuing on in our series of introducing the different Hubs of the Kansas City Underground, hearing their personal stories, the emergence of their Hub identity, and a few personal stories of what's happening within their part of the network. Amber, Jay, and Lori share about the importance of prayer and prophetic guidance within their Hub, and the distinctive way their microchurches have emerged and multiplied. They also highlight the rhythms and structures that support their Hub, emphasizing the importance of persons of peace relationships and shared experiences in their journey.

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the paradigm shifts in disciple-making movements that we call “Send the Ordinary and Willing,” as we think about the primary way to see the Kingdom expand. We talk about the historical context of the Gospel's spread, the characteristics of expert culture versus the ordinary and willing approach, and the fears that hinder individuals from becoming disciple-makers. We also share a few stories that highlight the potential of ordinary individuals to create significant impact in their communities and the necessity of faith in the process of disciple-making.

In this episode, Brian and Cory interview Chris Caputo, and Michael Miller, two of the directors of the Thrive Hub. We invite both of these guys to share their story, how this Hub emerged as one of the current Hubs of the KC Underground network, and the unique part Thrive plays in equipping the network toward relational and emotional flourishing, not only through training, but also through modeling it for the network. Chris and Michael emphasize the need for healthy attachments as we present a holistic Gospel narrative and share stories of how this is transforming lives in lasting ways.

In this episode, Cory and Brian explore the paradigm shift of embracing discovery-based learning in the context of disciple-making instead of the traditional lecture-based teaching of the Western Church. Jesus is of course the model for this, but our own experiences in disciple-making are a testament to the necessity of this way of thinking. We will also explore the challenges and pushback faced when implementing discovery-based methods and address some of the concerns we regularly hear about heresy and shallowness. Our encouragement to you, if you're longing to see movement, is to embrace a discovery-based paradigm.

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the paradigm shift of thinking about obedience over knowledge in disciple-making. It's not that we want to ignore knowledge. We just want to emphasize that transformation does not come from knowledge alone. True maturity in Jesus involves not only knowing about Jesus, but doing as Jesus did. We've rooted so much of our disciple-making in the West in classroom environments. Jesus rooted disciple-making in lived experiences where his followers learned to do what He called them to do as they ushered in the Kingdom of God.

In this episode, Cory and Brian explore the concept of planting the gospel within existing networks of relationships rather than extracting individuals to “bring them to church.” Jesus gives us the model for this way of making disciples and the rest of the New Testament follows his pattern. We share a few practical strategies for engaging in disciple-making in this way and talk about some of the challenges to this way of living. If movement is what we're longing for, we have to think about making disciples within already existing relational networks.

In this episode Brian and Cory intervew two of the directors of the Serve Hub, Sara Jackaway and Morgan Greer. This is the second interview featuring one of the ten Hubs that currently make up the Kansas City Underground. Sara and Morgan discuss their roles in disciple-making and community-building in Kansas City. They share personal stories, their transition from a predominant model church plant to becoming a Hub in the Underground, and the importance of collaboration and relationships in their mission.

In this episode, Brian interviews Alex Sons, one of the leaders of the Rock Island Hub. We've done a lot of work around telling individual stories, but we want to include some more storytelling around the equipping teams that support every day disciple-makers in Kansas City. You'll hear a bit of Alex's personal journey in ministry, but you'll also hear the unique mission of the Rock Island Hub as he shares stories of transformation within the community, the importance of family and entrepreneurship, and some of the rhythms and structure of their weekly gatherings, a unique component for this team. Alex gets to share a bit of the highlights he's experienced as he's found a family that understands the unique call God has on his life.

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the significance of shift number one in moving toward a disciple-making culture: extraordinary prayer. We discuss the importance of frequency, focus, and fervor in prayer and how these elements can transform ordinary prayer into extraordinary experiences. We talk about a few of the tools that have helped us and consider some of the barriers that work against us as we lean into extraordinary prayer.

In this episode, Cory, Cayden, Sam, and Hannah, focus on the disciple-making movements they observed on a recent trip to East Africa. They each share key takeaways, including the importance of going low and slow in ministry, the concept of radical generosity, and how these lessons can be applied in Kansas City. The conversation emphasizes the power of ordinary people in making disciples and the significance of community engagement.

In this episode, Cory and Brian walk through next steps after the Missionary Pathway. We primarily focus on the building teams, but we also mention the importance of reproducing the Pathway with other leaders, joining a network, and engaging ongoing coaching. We also share some real-life stories of what we've seen as leaders take these steps. Ready to facilitate a huddle? Head to missionarypathway.com and register. Or, join our next training huddle.  "Commitment to the mission requires ongoing engagement and support."

In this conversation, Brian and Cory talk about microchurches, emphasizing their identity as spiritual families rather than programs or buildings. We want to offer some answers around the question, "What does a microchurch look like?" and "What are their rhythms?" So we'll get into the conversation of our ecclesial minimums of worship, community, and mission. And we'll give you an overview of a couple of tools we use to coach leaders on facilitating the "worship" component of a microchurch. The conversation also highlights the need to demystify traditional church structures and focus on simple, relational discipleship.

In this conversation, Brian and Cory explore the tool of Discovery Bible Studies and talk about the significance of DBS in disciple-making movements. We cannot overemphasize the simplicity and reproducibility of this tool as we think about movement. We also highlight dbsgroups.com as a valuable tool for facilitating DBS. This site is easy to access and can be used to facilitate discovery groups or used by microchurches to facilitate their gatherings. We'll show you how to use the site and coach you through a general overview of discovery Bible studies.  "DBS is simple, reproducible, and does not require an expert. The goal is to help people discover Jesus through scripture."

In this episode, Cory Ozbun and Upashaker Gurung explore the significance of extraordinary prayer and fasting in both personal and communal contexts. Upas shares his inspiring journey from Nepal to Kansas City, highlighting the transformative power of prayer in his life and community. Cory and Upas emphasize the need for desperation in prayer, the impact of unified prayer efforts, and the importance of maintaining a deep dependence on God in ministry. We believe prayer precedes movements, and if we want to see movement, we must embrace a lifestyle of prayer and seek unity in our efforts to spread the gospel.

In this episode, Cory McElvain and Cory Ozbun discuss the significance of gospel conversations and the tools available for effective disciple-making. We emphasize the importance of initiating spiritual discussions and the dynamics of casual, meaningful, and spiritual conversations, and we introduce the 'FROG' acrostic as a practical tool for engaging in deeper dialogues. We also cover the value of sharing personal stories and how to invite others to explore their spiritual questions in a natural and relational manner.

In this episode, Brian and Cory take a yearly pause to invite you to partner financially with the Kansas City Underground, a network of disciple makers and microchurches dedicated to filling our city with the beauty, justice, and Good News of Jesus. We want to encourage you to visit kcunderground.org/tomorrow and check out the initiatives launching by the Hub Teams across Kansas City so that you can pray for these teams and consider how you might partner with us as we fund these new works. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory discusses the BLESS Rhythms as a practical approach to living out one's faith in everyday life. This acrostic is a helpful tool to remind of the five incarnational rhythms of Jesus: Begin in Prayer, Listen and Engage, Eat, Serve and Story. We'll give you a biblical foundation for the BLESS Rhythms, an overview of how we integrate them into every day life and encourage you to adopt these rhythms intentionally to enhance and accelerate mission in your context. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the concept of the 'Person of Peace' within the context of the Missionary Pathway. We emphasize the importance of finding individuals who are spiritually open and relationally connected to facilitate the spread of the gospel. We talk about practical steps for identifying and engaging with these individuals, the role of miracles in this process, and how to effectively communicate the message of Jesus. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the themes of collaboration and community building in our city, drawing parallels to NASA's successful model of teamwork and goal-oriented projects as documented in the monograph "The Flat Org Chart" by Dan Pallotta. This is part tow of the conversation we started last week, talking about the importance of restoring the spiritual soil of cities, overcoming barriers to collaboration, and practical steps for fostering unity among various organizations and individuals. This isn't just for high level leaders. It's also for everyday leaders making disciples and leading microchurches as well. We have to think about collaboration at every level if we're going to see the gospel flourish in our city. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the idea of cultivating kingdom ecosystems. The truth is, this is a random one-off episode that we felt pressed to record after discussing the film The Biggest Little Farm, a documentary about sustainable farming. This film, that was all about the significance of biodiversity in restoration, provided so many affirmations that pursuing the smaller way through disciple-making and microchurches is how Jesus will bring the Kingdom in a city to restore the soil. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed processing this one. 

In this episode, Cory and Brian will walk through the tool of prayer walking. This is another important tool in Phase 1 of the Missionary Pathway of prayer and fasting. We use prayer walking as a tool for community engagement and spiritual authority. We'll explore the concept of intercession, the significance of understanding one's mission field, and the balance between spiritual warfare and relational outreach. Prayer walking helps us to engage both spiritually and physically in our communities to foster disciple-making and spiritual growth.

In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the importance of effective prayer tools in disciple-making movements by highlighting a tool we've found very helpful in our training in Kansas City. We call it the Bless Five tool. Most of us have been taught intercessory prayer and that's primarily the way we pray. We haven't been taught declarative prayer, emphasizing the authority believers have in prayer as agents of the Kingdom of God. While you can find this tool in the Missionary Pathway training, we wanted to walk you though it as a practical tool you can begin using if you're not already.

In this episode, Cory and Brian walk through a tool called "Moving from a Discovery Group to a Microchurch." This has been a helpful tool for groups of people as they identify and affirm themselves as a church based on the activities and characteristics described in Acts 2:36-47. We want to emphasize that church is not a program, but an identity, and that this tool helps groups understand what it means to live into that identity. We also discuss how this tool can be used with different group sizes and contexts, and how it can help groups think through multiplication as well. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory reflect on the podcast series we've been in for the last year where we've explored the 15 observations in urban disciple-making movements, a study conducted by TwoFourEight. This episode is a look back over the last year and highlighting some key-learnings from the interviews. It's been incredible to see how many of these are such a high value for us as a network, and to see how many in which we still have room for growth. We hope these have been helpful episodes and encourage you to listen back through this past years worth of podcasts on this series if you're just jumping in with us. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the importance of creating intentional and consistent rhythms of connection in disciple making movements. This is observation #15 from TwoFourEight's document on the 15 Observations found in urban disciple-making movements. TwoFourEight discovered in their interviews the need for consistency at every level of engagement, from individual disciples to microchurches and networks. We highlight the challenge of maintaining consistency in a busy and individualistic culture but stress the importance of fighting for it. We also explore the idea of healthy family rhythms and how they can be applied to disciple-making. 

In this episode, Cory Ozbun interviews Mark Thrash, president of NOVO, a band of creative missionaries sent to multiply movements of the gospel and mobilize the church for that mission around the world. Cory and Mark discuss the concept of team in the context of disciple-making and highlight the need for shared goals, accountability, and celebration of both big and small wins. Most helpful in this conversation is the introduction of the concept of Cave-Table-Road rhythms, which emphasize intimacy with God, community, and ministry engagement. 

In this episode, Cory and Brian interview Jessica Harris as she shares her journey of discovering her identity in the Kingdom and how it transformed her approach to ministry. Jessica emphasizes the importance of being filled with God's love and allowing it to flow through us to others. Jessica and her husband have created a space in their home where they host community groups, Bible studies, and worship nights, fostering authentic and vulnerable connections. They have a vision to build a community center in their front yard to serve their neighborhood. Jessica encourages listeners to embrace their identity as beloved children of God and approach ministry with childlike faith and trust.

In this episode, Brian and Cory walk through the nine paradigm shifts that are necessary if we want to see a disciple-making movement. We have included these shifts in our Missionary Pathway Primer as well. These paradigm shifts challenge traditional approaches to evangelism, discipleship, and many of our western church forms and encourage a more holistic and movement-oriented perspective. We aim to share how these are grounded in Scripture and have formed us as a movement in Kansas City. 

In this episode, Cory and Brian walk through the relational circles of Jesus and how it can be applied to disciple-making. Jesus was a master at relationships and he didn't try to move between multiple contexts like we often do in our daily life. He aligned his relational context to maximize the time with those He was discipling. There are five primary spaces in which Jesus lived his life: the crowds, the 72, the 12, the 3, and the one-on-one time He shared with His Father. We emphasize the importance of integrating one's life and relationships, rather than having segmented and disconnected relational worlds. We also discuss the need for intentional spaces where relationships can happen naturally and spiritual conversations can emerge. This tool helps us move from scattered to focused in one missional context. 

In this episode, Cory and Brian walk through a tool that we use regularly in the Missionary Pathway Huddle that we call The Matthew 28 Exercise. This tool helps us explore the four commands that Jesus gave within the Great Commission and is a fast way to help people consider what we've been called to do as followers of Jesus versus what our church paradigms in which we've existed have done instead. This exercise is not intended to criticize everything we've done. We know that we need many of the activities that the church has leaned into. However, these activities don't help us live into a movement mentality. The Matthew 28 exercise helps us begin the process of shifting paradigms into disciple-making movement mentality. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore observation number fourteen from TwoFourEight's research on the top 15 observations from urban disciple-making movements. This observation emphasizes the importance of creating ongoing team learning environments with application and reflection in disciple-making movements. We reflect on our own experiences and challenges in implementing this practice and highlight the need for consistent rhythms of learning together. While we haven't been amazing at this rhythm, it is something we're paying attention to in this next season. If we're going to see the Gospel flourish in our city, we The must have intentional collaboration and the continual adaptation of disciple making strategies to meet the changing needs of the city and the times in which we live. 

In this episode, Brian and Cory explore observation number thirteen from TwoFourEight's research on the top 15 observations from urban disciple-making movements. This observation makes that point that we should not look for the silver bullet in disciple-making or focus too much on repeating programs. We should look for the underlying biblical principles and then build adaptive practices. We won't always be able to use the same tools and models in every context, but we can pay attention to how biblical principles are repeated from context to context, utilizing new tools and practices based on those principles. We explore how we've seen this occur in the KC Underground in some of our main ways of disciple-making through the last five years. 

In this episode, Cory interviews Cayden Sommer and Sam Leichty, leaders with Awaken. Awaken is an emerging initiative with the KC Underground geared toward mobilizing young adults to live on mission and make disciples. Cayden and Sam share stories of how Jesus is currently working through them in their contexts and what they are hoping for this next season. You can feel hear their passion as they have embraced disciple-making movement principles and practices and have seen family and friends take next steps with Jesus. If you're a young adult looking to be a part of something bigger than yourself, and you want to live on mission to make disciples check out more at kcunderground.org/awaken.

In this episode, Brian interviews a local KC Underground Hub director, Morgan Greer. Morgan and his family helped plant Serve Community Church in 2017, but their leadership team journeyed through a paradigm shift in 2021 to pursue becoming a decentralized network of disciple-makers and microchurches that joined the KC Underground. Morgan shares how he integrates disciple making into his everyday life, including coaching his son's soccer team and leading a Discovery Bible Study in a youth detention center.

In this episode Brian interviews Nick Herringshaw, a network leader in the Twin Cities area to talk about the ideas around Leading By Example Into the Harvest. Nick has been in Frogtown for the last ten years. In the shadow of the capitol, Frogtown is a mix of politicians and houseless people, and everything in between. Nick shares how Jesus called him to this area and the journey he's been on, developing a passion for relational evangelism. Nick embodies the truth that we can't outsource disciple-making to others. Leaders have to be just as engaged in disciple-making practices to remain fresh, sharp, and radical in faith.