Be The Church with Joel Wayne

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry is joined by Joel Wayne for a deeply biblical, unfiltered conversation about spiritual leadership, Scripture, and the kind of humility that actually forms the soul of a leader.

Rather than offering leadership hacks or formulas, this episode slows down and asks a more foundational question: What happens when leaders stop trusting their own wisdom and allow the Word of God to truly shape their identity, motivation, and obedience?

Together, Luke and Joel walk through key passages of Scripture that have shaped decades of ministry—from the humility of Christ in Philippians 2 to the warning against selfish ambition, from the cost of obedience in James 1 to the beauty of redemption in John 4. Along the way, they challenge pastors and spiritual leaders to examine their motives, resist cultural pressure to measure success by outcomes, and return to Scripture as the living, active authority for leadership and life.

This conversation is a call back to first things: deep discipleship, humility, leadership, and a life fully surrendered to Jesus. If you’re a pastor, ministry leader, or everyday believer longing to lead faithfully in a distracted, performance-driven culture, this episode will ground you in what truly matters.

What You’ll Learn

• Why Scripture—not personality, platform, or preference—must be the foundation of spiritual leadership
• How pride, self-reliance, and comparison quietly undermine a leader’s soul
• Why humility and servanthood are not optional but essential for Christlike leadership
• How Scripture memory and biblical narratives shape long-term faithfulness
• Why transformation happens through obedience, not information
• How shared leadership and biblical counsel protect leaders from burnout and isolation
• What it looks like to redefine success around faithfulness instead of visible results

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In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Dan Vandewarker and his wife, Shannon, for a deeply honest and hope-filled conversation about biblical parenting. Together, they unpack what it means to see parenting not as behavior modification, but as a calling—a spiritual mantle to disciple children to love and follow Jesus.

Drawing from Scripture, personal stories, and lived experience, Dan and Shannon explore how parenting flows from theology, marriage, and mission, why the nuclear family was never meant to operate in isolation, and how God uses both hardship and community to form faithful disciples in the home.

This conversation encourages parents to move from control to preparation, from fear to faith, and from isolation to intentional dependence on the Body of Christ—trusting God with both the process and the outcomes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why biblical parenting is rooted in discipleship, not behavior modification
• How parenting flows downstream from your theology, marriage, and mission
• Why the goal isn’t protecting kids from everything—but preparing them for what’s ahead
• How to disciple each child according to their unique personality and calling
• Why the Body of Christ plays a vital role in raising spiritually healthy kids
• How to approach schooling, technology, and culture through a discipleship lens
• What it looks like to parent from humility, repentance, and dependence on God

Whether you’re parenting young children, teenagers, or preparing for parenthood, this episode will challenge you to rethink success, trust God more deeply, and embrace the calling to disciple the next generation—together with the Church.

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In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Joel Wayne and John VanDyke for a deeply honest conversation about biblical friendship—and why it may be one of the most underutilized weapons God has given the church.

Together, they unpack how real, Christ-centered friendships are forged through vulnerability, trust, sacrifice, and shared mission—not convenience or proximity. From the complexity of leading together in ministry to the courage it takes to be fully known, this conversation explores how guardedness, busyness, and fear quietly erode relationships—and how God uses authentic friendship to sharpen leaders, protect souls, and advance His kingdom.

Whether you’re a pastor, elder, ministry leader, or simply longing for deeper relationships, this conversation will call you to invest intentionally, love courageously, and pick up the “weapon” of biblical friendship.

What you’ll learn:

• Why biblical friendship is essential—not optional—for spiritual leadership
• How vulnerability and trust are forged over time through shared sacrifice
• Why guardedness and busyness are enemies of real community
• How friendship can thrive even in complex, layered leadership relationships
• Why priorities are revealed by what you’re willing to displace
• How God uses deep friendship to sharpen leaders and advance the Kingdom

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“If God has called us to something, the answer is always yes.”

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Andrew Honeycutt (Byron Center Campus Pastor at Chapel Pointe) for a practical and deeply encouraging conversation on leadership development, discipleship, and spiritual formation.

Andrew shares the defining moments that shaped his calling. He speaks candidly about hardship and resilience—what it means to “take kidney shots” as a leader—and how vision anchored in God’s call empowers you to keep going when the odds feel stacked against you. He offers a framework for staying grounded: Scripture, prayer, identity in Christ, and mentors who speak biblical wisdom into your life.

Whether you’re leading in your home, your workplace, your friendships, or your church, this episode will help you embrace the power of presence, the importance of words, and the calling to invest in others so they can experience life to the full in Jesus.

What you’ll learn:

• Why leadership development is discipleship (and what that looks like in real life)
• How God often forms leaders through small, incremental next steps
• What “taking kidney shots” means—and how leaders stay resilient
• Why vision and calling matter more than the odds stacked against you
• How mentors and community help secure your identity in Christ
• Why words can unlock calling: the power of “I see in you…”
• Why presence matters when someone is in a dark season
• Foundational rhythms for disciples: Word, prayer, listening, journaling
• Three self-evaluative questions for men who want to lead

Titus Ten Book: https://shorturl.at/06OTb
Mere Christianity Book: https://shorturl.at/neGbz

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In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Jon VerLee—Founder of Startup Garage, Entrepreneur in Residence at Calvin University, husband, father, and tech leader—for a practical, biblical conversation on technology, AI, and spiritual leadership.

Jon shares his story—from a defining car accident at 16, to student ministry and seminary, to building church software that served thousands of churches worldwide. Along the way, he unpacks a crucial warning for leaders in today’s tech moment: the more fascinated we become with the tools, the more we risk missing the point.

Using the life of Moses as a framework, Jon challenges leaders to resist the urge to rush ahead in their own strength. That same principle applies to innovation, calling, and the way we steward emerging technologies like AI.

Whether you’re leading in ministry, business, or your everyday relationships, this episode will help you stay anchored in the mission—people, discipleship, and the Kingdom—while thinking thoughtfully about how to use technology without losing your humanity.

What you’ll learn:

• Why technology is neutral—and why Christians can’t afford to stay silent in tech spaces
• How to avoid becoming fascinated by AI and “missing the point” of the mission
• A leadership lesson from Moses: right burden, wrong timing (and what patience looks like)
• Why social media often promises “connection” but produces isolation, envy, and loneliness
• How to use AI wisely as a tool for learning—without replacing real community and relationships
• Practical ways to lead with spiritual influence: initiative, presence, and relational investment
• How to steward passions that feel “separate” (ministry + tech) into Kingdom impact

Connect with Jon
Jon VerLee is the Founder of Startup Garage and the Entrepreneur in Residence at Calvin University, where he combines his entrepreneurial experience and passion for faith-driven innovation to empower students and founders to turn business ideas into ventures that create meaningful, redemptive impact. He is the former Founder and CEO of Breeze Church Management Software. Connect with Jon at startupgarage.org.

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In this special episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Joel Wayne hosts a powerful conversation with global ministry leaders—from Romania (Pastor Nelutu), Uganda (Pastor Ben David), and New York (Pastor Michael Rubino)—to answer one question: What does it actually mean to be a disciple of Jesus?

Together, they unpack the difference between being informed about Jesus and being transformed by Jesus and why Jesus consistently called people to become disciples—apprentices who surrender everything to the King. You’ll also hear stories of discipleship in real life: a pastor who thought he needed another Bible study… and got handed a rake; a Romanian leader navigating a culture full of nominal Christianity; and a call to reach people through everyday presence.

Whether you’re a pastor, leader, or a believer who wants your life to be “marked by Jesus,” this episode will challenge you to stop outsourcing the mission, break agreement with busyness, and step into the everyday disciple-making Jesus commanded.

What you’ll learn:

• Why Jesus said “make disciples,” not “become Christians,” and what that means for the church today
• The warning signs of “informed but not transformed” faith (and how sanctification actually shows up)
• Why you can’t claim discipleship without disciple-making (and how busyness becomes an idol)
• How disciple-making looks different in Romania, Uganda, and New York—but always happens through everyday life
• A practical first step: how to reach your neighbor with a simple offer of prayer and open the door to gospel conversations
• Why the “cultural church” model breaks down—and how biblical church multiplies through ordinary believers

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In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Joel Wayne for a practical, Scripture-rooted conversation on the VSI framework: Vision, Strategy, Implementation—and how leaders can step into a new year with clarity, courage, and spiritual grit.

Together, they unpack why “vision” is often misunderstood, how unchecked motives can turn leadership into anxiety and people-pleasing, and why strategy is the missing middle that separates faithful impact from endless busyness. From Proverbs’ warning about aimless living to Moses’ repeated obedience before Pharaoh, this episode challenges leaders to stop chasing efficiency, start pursuing effectiveness, and build the kind of clarity that helps people “run through a wall” for the mission of God.

Whether you’re leading a church, ministry team, business, or your own household, this conversation will help you define a God-honoring vision, choose a focused strategy, and empower others to implement what God has called you to—without defaulting to control, comfort, or comparison.

What you’ll learn:

• Why biblical vision isn’t about creativity, it’s about God’s glory, God’s will, and God-centered motives
• How to test your “vision” by running it through prayer, Scripture, and wise counsel
• Why strategy is the hardest (and most essential) part and how it forces leaders to say no to distractions
• How clarity in implementation equips the saints and activates people who are ready to serve
• What Moses teaches us about leadership: repetition, obedience, perseverance, and staying the course
• Why choosing effectiveness over efficiency leads to healthier leadership and less anxiety

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Merry Christmas! What’s preventing you from experiencing God's peace, joy, hope, and love this Christmas season? In this episode, Be The Church Founder Joel Wayne shares a special message and encouragement for spiritual leaders.

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In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Joel Wayne for a reflective, pastoral conversation about calling, contentment, and learning to live faithfully in the tension of spiritual leadership. Drawing from decades of ministry experience, Joel shares how some of the most defining moments in his leadership journey came not from saying “yes” to new opportunities—but from discerning what he needed to say “no” to in order to remain faithful to God’s call.

Throughout the conversation, they explore the danger of distraction, the subtle ways leaders confuse peace with passivity, and why faithfulness in the everyday often becomes the pathway to God’s greater purposes. Joel unpacks the difference between contentment in Christ and spiritual angst over a broken world, reminding leaders that peace is not found when circumstances are controlled, but when our identity is anchored in Jesus.

From building the fire today to embracing the daily work of obedience, this episode invites leaders to stop chasing outcomes and instead trust God with the results—believing that when we live in the tension, Jesus proves Himself to be enough.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why discerning what to say “no” to is just as important as saying “yes” to God’s call
• How distraction quietly pulls leaders away from their true calling
• The difference between contentment, passivity, and holy ambition
• Why peace comes from Christ—not control, outcomes, or circumstances
• How faithfulness in everyday obedience shapes long-term spiritual impact
• A practical practice for rooting your identity in what Christ has redeemed you from
• Why learning to live in the tension is essential for healthy, joyful leadership

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In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Joel Wayne for a candid conversation about calling, conviction, and the moments God has used to shape Joel as a leader. From early encounters with God’s voice to seasons of hardship, risk, insecurity, and unexpected doors, Joel shares how God has refined him through both failure and faithfulness.

Together, they explore how grit and drive can drift into self-reliance, why leaders must keep returning to humility and repentance, and how empowering others reignites courage and longevity in ministry. Joel also unpacks the story behind his calling, his ministry transitions, and the early spark that led to Be The Church.

What you’ll learn:
- How God uses both hardship and opportunity to form spiritual leaders
- Why self-reliance is one of the greatest dangers for driven leaders
- How to discern the difference between your desires and God’s will
- The role of humility, repentance, and dependence in long-term leadership
- Why empowering others is essential—not optional—for healthy leadership
- How thinking about eternity reshapes the risks you take today
- The story behind Joel’s calling and the origin of Be The Church

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