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In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Michael Kelley, Lifeway director of Discipleship. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions:
- What have you learned from producing Bible studies for the last 13 years?
- What have you found are the most popular Bible study topics and why?
- What are some of the bug shifts happening in the church right now as it relates to discipleship?
- What are your thoughts on churches doing Growth Track?
- Discuss the 10 years of longitudinal research on discipleship.
BEST QUOTES
“There is a version of a child that you are progressively becoming like as you move further and further along in your relationship with Jesus.”
“Clarity is king. When you write there’s a temptation to be clever at any cost.”
“Outlines are a helpful tool if you really want people to grasp and internalize the message.”
“As a publisher, we don’t just have an a la carte approach to the way we publish.”
“People really do find value in studying the Bible.”
“Even a non-Christian values common grace kind of wisdom.”
“Discipleship has become a nebulous term that means different things to different people.”
“All we are really doing in discipleship is trying to help someone else follow Jesus.”
“So much Christianity is a learn-by-doing model.”
“My discipleship is not only the effect of my growth, it is the means of my growth.”
“If you do just one thing, I guarantee your life will change. Just read the Bible.”
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network
Growing Down by Michael Kelley
The Shape of Faith to Come by Brad Waggoner
Transformational Discipleship by Eric Geiger, Michael Kelley, and Philip Nation
No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im
Discipleship Pathway Assessment

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