In Luke 10, Jesus sends ordinary disciples into ordinary places with an extraordinary mission. In this episode of Simple Discipleship, we explore what it means to live as a sent follower of Jesus—listening to the Spirit, loving neighbors like the Good Samaritan, and choosing the “better part” at the feet of Jesus like Mary. This chapter shows that discipleship is not complicated—it’s about obedience, compassion, and presence with Christ in everyday life.

www.simplediscipleship.org

In this episode, we explore:

• Jesus’ authority over sickness, demons, and nature

• His compassion for crowds and individuals

• Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ

• The Transfiguration and what it reveals about Jesus’ glory

• The true cost and calling of discipleship

Luke 9 challenges us to answer the most important question: Who is Jesus to you? And once we know who He is, how will we follow Him?

📖 Read along in Luke 9 and join the conversation as we unpack the identity, mission, and invitation of Jesus.

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(More Pics Below) Recently, the Simple Discipleship team had the privilege of visiting Hermosillo, Mexico, and it’s hard to put into words all that God did during our time there. From the very first moments, we were welcomed with warmth, generosity, and joy—the kind of hospitality that leaves a mark on your heart.

Our trip centered on sharing the plan of growth and Bible engagement that defines Simple Discipleship. We were honored to join Leader Labs with Fred Garmon, partnering together to equip leaders who are deeply hungry to know God and help others follow Jesus. During our sessions, we focused on simple but life-changing rhythms:

• How to read the Word faithfully and consistently

• How to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit

• How to gather in small groups for meaningful discipleship

These weren’t just teachings—they were conversations, prayers, and shared moments of discovery as we opened Scripture together. Watching leaders lean in, ask questions, and apply these practices reminded us why simplicity matters. Discipleship doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful.

Hermosillo itself is a beautiful city, filled with kind and welcoming people. Time and again, we’re reminded that every visit to Central or South America leaves us blessed by the spirit of joy found there. The hospitality is unmatched, and the love for Christ is unmistakable.

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the Atkinson Institute, where the next generation of leaders is being trained and equipped. Seeing their commitment to Scripture, ministry, and faithful leadership gave us great hope for what God is doing—and what He is preparing to do—in this region.

We were also deeply moved by the opportunity to join the local church in a homeless ministry, serving meals on a Saturday morning. Many of those we met had jobs but no place to sleep. What stood out most was not despair, but humility and spiritual awareness. So many expressed a clear sense of their need for Jesus. Their hearts, attitudes, and gratitude were a powerful testimony of faith in the midst of hardship.

The worship throughout the trip was incredible. The teaching was rich. And yes—the food was excellent too. But more than anything, it was the shared pursuit of Jesus that unified us across cultures and languages.

As we reflect on this trip, we can’t help but dream about the future. We hope one day to bring students from Desoto Christian Academy to Hermosillo so they can see firsthand the work God is doing and be shaped by a global vision for discipleship. We are prayerfully considering what a missions program at DCA could look like, trusting God to guide each step.

Thank you for walking with us, supporting the mission of Desoto Christian Academy and Simple Discipleship, and for praying alongside us. Please continue to pray—for the leaders in Hermosillo, for the work being done, and for wisdom as we seek to disciple simply, faithfully, and globally.

God is moving—and we’re grateful to be part of what He’s doing!

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In this episode, the Simple Discipleship team discusses how faith and doubt often exist together, how Jesus responds to both, and what these stories teach us about trusting Him in everyday life. Luke 7 reminds us that faith is not about having all the answers, but about knowing who to bring our questions to.

🌱 Simple, reproducible discipleship
🔗 Learn more at www.simplediscipleship.org

In this episode of Simple Discipleship, we explore:

• Why Jesus confronted the religious leaders about the Sabbath

• What it means that Jesus is “Lord of the Sabbath”

• How Jesus calls His disciples in the middle of conflict

• How we can love people deeply while still teaching and living out truth

Discipleship isn’t about choosing between grace or truth—it’s about learning how Jesus holds both together. Luke 6 challenges us to examine our hearts, our traditions, and the way we treat people as we follow Christ.

👉 Learn more about Simple Discipleship and access resources at:
www.simplediscipleship.org

Scripture Focus: Luke 6
Theme: Loving people, teaching truth, and following Jesus

Luke 5 shows us powerful discipleship movements:

• Fishing with Jesus – where obedience leads to abundance

• Being called – leaving the nets to follow Christ

• Going to the mountain – learning the importance of withdrawing to pray and be with the Father

Peter’s encounter with Jesus reminds us that calling often begins right in the middle of our everyday work—and following Jesus always requires surrender, humility, and trust.

Whether you’re new to the faith or seeking to grow deeper, Luke 5 teaches us what it truly means to become fishers of men and disciples who walk closely with Jesus.

🔗 Learn more and find discipleship resources at:
👉 www.simplediscipleship.org

📖 Scripture Focus: Luke

🎙️ Series: Simple Discipleship

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In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the enemy targets us when we’re "hungry."

• The power of "It is written."

• How to identify modern-day traps before you step in them.

You don't have to live in a cycle of defeat. Join us as we learn how to stay grounded in the Word and navigate our own wilderness seasons with confidence.

🔗 Learn more and access discipleship resources: https://www.simplediscipleship.org

👍 Like, subscribe, and share to help others grow in simple, biblical discipleship.

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Together with our guest Danny Bell—a refired pastor now partnering with Simple Discipleship—we explore:

• What repentance actually is (and what it is not)

• The difference between regret and true heart change

• Why repentance always produces fruit

• How repentance fits into everyday discipleship, not just conversion moments

This is an honest, practical conversation for anyone who wants to follow Jesus simply, deeply, and faithfully.

#SimpleDiscipleship #Luke3 #Repentance #ChristianPodcast #BibleTeaching #JohnTheBaptist #ChristianDiscipleship #FaithPodcast #BiblicalRepentance #FollowJesus #ChristianLiving #BibleStudy

I’d tell you my New Year’s resolutions, but I honestly can’t remember where I put the list. Yesterday, I walked into the kitchen with a very specific purpose, stood in front of the fridge for three minutes, and eventually realized I was just staring at a magnetic cut out of Ecuador. If our brains were web browsers, mine would have 38 tabs open, 6 are frozen, and I have no idea where that crazy music is coming from.

We are a forgetful people. We forget why we walked into rooms, we forget where we parked, we forget where we’ve been, and—more importantly—we forget the faithfulness of God the moment we face new challenges.

The Squirrel Dilemma

Being forgetful is a bit like being a squirrel. I watched one in the woods recently. He had an acorn. A glorious, prize-winning acorn. He started digging a hole with high-intensity focus, but then a leaf blew a few inches to the left. He froze. He looked at the leaf. He looked at the sky. He did a little twirl, forgot about the acorn entirely, and sprinted up a tree to yell at a bird. I strangely identify with him on a mental level.

We do that with our spiritual lives. God provides a blessing, a breakthrough, a moment of peace and two days into January, a “leaf” blows by (usually in the form of a bill or a bad day), and we’ve completely forgotten that God just parted a whole sea for us. Jericho should be a cinch but we lose focus.

Remembering Whose You Are

In the book of Joshua, the Israelites were standing at the edge of the Promised Land. They had just crossed the Jordan River on dry ground—another massive miracle. But God knew their “squirrel-mentality” tendencies.

First, Joshua told them to pick up twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed and set them up as a monument of remembrance. It was a visual “hey you, remember this!” so that when their kids asked about the pile of rocks, they could tell the story of God’s miracle power.

But God took it a step further. Before they took the land, He had them perform circumcision. Now, that’s a heavy price for a “reminder,” but it served an important purpose. “The stones were to be placed to help them to remember what God had done, but the circumcision was to help them remember who they were and who they belonged to.” Wink* Thanks Max Lucado for this reminder.

One was an external sign; the other was an internal, physical mark. We need both. We need the “stones” (the journals, the gratitudes, the stories) to track God’s hand, and we need the “mark” (the surrender of our hearts) to remind us that we aren’t our own and that we’ve been bought with a heavy price, namely, the blood of Christ.

Look Forward

As we step into this new year, don’t just focus on what you want to do. Focus on what God has already done. We just watched “The Chronicles of Narnia” yesterday. At the end of the series Reepicheep heads over the wave to Aslan’s country. It served as a reminder that better days are ahead. C.S. Lewis once wisely said:

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

The “better things” aren’t necessarily easier circumstances; they are deeper realizations of God’s presence. That realization is found in His Word, in prayer and in remembering His victories in our lives. This year, let’s try to be a little less like the distracted squirrel and a little more like Joshua—building monuments of praise in our hearts so we don’t forget the One who brought us across the river and to the promised land!

Stack some stones in 2026!

• The Reward of the Seeker: Why God chose to reveal the greatest event in history to the marginalized and the patient.

• Religious Blind Spots: How our own traditions, expectations, and "rightness" might actually cause us to overlook God’s movement in our modern world.

• The Modern Manger Test: If the Christmas story happened in our neighborhood today, how would we treat the "scandal" of a pregnant teenager, or the "eccentricity" of an elderly man and a woman claiming to hear from God?

Join us as we challenge ourselves to seek God with all our hearts—not as we expect Him to be, but as He truly is.

• Are we truly equipped with the truth from God's Word to handle daily conflict?

• Is being rich a sin according to James?

• And the big question: Does the emphasis on "works" mean you can lose your salvation?

We break down the radical call to humility, powerful prayer, and patient endurance straight from the Bible. Get ready to simplify your walk with Jesus!

I recently returned from a trip to Bogotá, Colombia, where I had the privilege of traveling with friends to teach the Simple Discipleship method of Bible study to a group of emerging pastors and church planters. From the very beginning, I knew it was going to be a special trip.

Bogotá, like any major city, is known around the world for many things—some positive, and, unfortunately, some negative. However, the people we met there were nothing short of amazing. They were kind, welcoming, and deeply concerned about how to train the next generation of Jesus followers.

The Power of Knowing Christ

God has sent us on this global campaign to share a simple, powerful truth: Reading the Bible daily, learning to listen to the Holy Spirit, and gathering with others to share what God teaches us is the best way—the only way—to grow in our faith.

We may say we know Christ, but do we know what He said? Do we know what He desires? Do we know what He longs for us to accomplish? When we truly line our lives up with His Word, the things we could accomplish are innumerable! The leaders we are connecting with in these countries are remarkably passionate about this message.

Global Footprint 🗺️

As of today, our ministry is actively working across the globe, including:

• South and Central America: Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

• International: Africa and Europe.

• The United States: Several states across the nation.

We have plans to visit Mexico in January. Please pray that God will go before us and prepare the hearts of those who need to hear about the importance of getting to know Christ through His Word.

We have witnessed some of the most unbelievable things, seen some of the most beautiful places, and met some of the most wonderful people. This is just the beginning—God is at work all over the world, and He can certainly work in your heart, too. He has a plan for the nations, but He also has a plan for you. His plan for you is to daily get to Him through His Word!

A Lesson in Humility from the Pit Stop

It takes a certain amount of humility to commit to reading God’s Word; we need the Holy Spirit to guide us. This need for humble acceptance of help reminds me of a story about a group of world-class cardiac surgeons.

In the 1990s, this specialized team of pediatric cardiac surgeons was facing a terrible problem: children were dying at an very high rate after successful surgeries, specifically in the move from the operating room (OR) to the step-down rooms. Something was happening, and it was unexplainable. They spent a great deal of money and time on research, trying to solve the problem.

After much frustration, the surgeons were sitting in the hospital break room, watching a Formula One race, specifically the Ferrari team. They observed the pit crew: a team of multiple guys who would attack the car, and in three to five seconds, everything would be done with precision.

In a bold move, they went to the hospital administration and asked if they could bring the Ferrari pit crew to observe their operating rooms and procedures. Though the administration initially thought it was the worst idea they’d ever heard, they eventually relented.

The Ferrari team came in and, after a very short time, concluded that the surgical team’s non-medical teamwork was the worst they had ever seen. No one was clearly in charge of order. The OR team was reaching over each other and yelling for instruments. The pit crew offered suggestions and helped develop strict protocols based on their observations.

To this day, the operating procedures developed by the Ferrari team and these surgeons are still standard operating procedures for ORs across the U.S.

It took a great deal of humility from these highly trained surgeons to admit that they could receive help from people whose expertise was pouring gas in a car. But they knew they needed the help. We need help as well.

The Message We Share

We all need more than just a sermon on Sunday. We need a personal walk with Christ that develops as we read His Word and get to know Him in prayer. This is the message of Simple Discipleship.

Please pray as we share this message with all our students at Desoto Christian Academy (DCA) and around the world.

To learn more about how we are integrating this into Christian education, please visit www.desotochristian.com.

To explore the method we are teaching to nations, please visit www.simplediscipleship.org.

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Join us as we unpack what it means to speak life, cultivate humility, and live out genuine faith in our daily interactions. Whether you're new to Bible study or a longtime believer, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

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👉 Comment below: What stood out to you from James 3?

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There’s a simple little phrase that has been boosting my heart and my mornings lately: “I believe something wonderful is going to happen today.” Saying these words out loud when I wake, even before my feet hit the floor, has become an encouragement for my soul, setting a tone of hopeful expectation for the day ahead. And it’s all rooted in the deep joy we can all find in the Lord.

Joy is My Strength

The Bible tells us in Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” What a truth! It’s not our own temporary happiness that keeps us going, but a supernatural, amazing joy that comes from our relationship with Him. This joy isn’t dependent on circumstances or situations. It’s a flowing spring that flows even during difficulties (as James 1 teaches), a quiet confidence that God is at work, always.

When I declare “I believe something wonderful is going to happen today,” it’s not a naive wish. I’m not naming it and claiming it. It’s a statement of faith, a recognition that God is good, and His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). My statement is a rejection of cynicism and an embrace of the truth. One such truth is found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Thanksgiving is in My Heart

Part of stirring up this joy is living with a heart full of thanksgiving. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” It’s easy to be thankful when everything is going good, but true growth comes when we can find reasons to give thanks even when life throws curveballs.

When I say my morning declaration, my mind immediately begins to list the blessings I already have. And top among them are the incredible people God has placed in my life.

I am so incredibly thankful for my amazing wife. Her unending love, her strength, her wisdom, and her grace are daily blessings in my life. She is truly a gift from God, and every day with her is a wonderful day.

And our daughter, what a joy she is! Watching her grow into the beautiful, strong, and compassionate woman she’s become has been one of the greatest privileges of my wife and I’s life. Her laughter, her spirit, and her presence brings light into our lives.

And now, to see her find real joy and happiness with our new son-in-law, fills my heart with gratitude and joy. He is a wonderful addition to our family, a direct answer to prayer, and it’s a joy to witness the love and partnership they share. God truly does provide abundantly more than we could ever ask or think!

I Dwell with God

My declaration of joy also reminds me to dwell in God’s presence every day. Psalm 16:11 tells us, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Our anticipation of wonderful things should be found in His presence.

It’s in His presence that we find peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7). It’s in His presence that we are reminded of His unfailing love (Psalm 36:5). And it’s in His presence that our hope is renewed, knowing that He has good plans for us, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

So today I encourage you to try it. Speak it aloud: Shout it! “I believe something wonderful is going to happen today.”See how it changes your perspective. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength, give thanks for all your blessings, and watch as God, in His infinite goodness, reveals the wonderful things He has in store.

What “wonderful” thing are you believing for today? Let me know below!