Discipleship & Culture with Brian Daniel

How do we make disciples in a world competing for everyone’s attention?

In this episode, Brian Daniel talks with Scott Sullivan about rebuilding discipleship around relationships rather than programs. They explore how churches can respond to cultural shifts, create environments where trust can grow, and develop discipleship strategies that actually lead to spiritual transformation.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why relationship-driven discipleship matters
• How churches can move beyond program-heavy ministry
• Ways to adapt discipleship to cultural change
• How to measure whether discipleship is actually working
• Why trust is essential to spiritual formation

Discover how churches can build a discipleship culture that is relational, intentional, and rooted in the way Jesus made disciples.

SHOW LINKS:

Disciples Path

Deep Discipleship

Explore the Bible

Bible Studies For Life

The Gospel Project

What does our worship reveal about what we believe?

In this episode, Brian Daniel talks with Lifeway's Director of Worship, Kirk Kirkland, about the relationship between worship and culture and how the way we worship can both reflect and influence the world around us.

They explore the importance of honesty in worship and look at how church music and theology have shifted over the past three decades. Kirk offers perspective for church leaders seeking to understand these changes while keeping worship centered on God and rooted in truth.

Discover how a deeper understanding of worship can shape the way we lead, disciple, and engage our culture.

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How does the culture around us shape the way we worship, think, and follow Jesus?

In this episode, Brian Daniel sits down with Dr. Joe Crider to explore the powerful influence of art, culture, media, and physical spaces on the church and its approach to discipleship.

From changing communication eras to the spaces where we gather, what surrounds us can shape how we engage with God and one another. Dr. Crider helps church leaders think more intentionally about these influences and how they can use them to deepen faith and strengthen discipleship.

Discover how understanding culture and communication can help the church make disciples who are more deeply rooted in their faith and better equipped to engage the world around them.

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What does it take to plant and grow a healthy church in a rapidly changing culture?

Recorded live at the SBC, Brian Daniel sits down with Will Browning to talk about church planting in California, building a strong discipleship culture, and navigating ministry in an increasingly digital world.

Will shares practical insights for reaching people in urban contexts, growing small groups, and using technology like AI responsibly without losing the relational heart of ministry.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Lessons from church planting in California
• Practical strategies for developing disciples
• How to foster healthy small group growth
• Challenges and opportunities in urban ministry
• Ways AI can serve the church when used wisely

Tune in as Will and Brian explore what it looks like to faithfully make disciples while navigating the realities of ministry today.

SHOW LINKS:

Deep Discipleship 

Logos Bible Software

Ministry Safe

What does faithful discipleship look like in a rapidly changing culture?

In this special episode, Brian Daniel introduces the next chapter of the podcast as Group Answers becomes the Discipleship and Culture Podcast.

Culture is shifting, and the questions facing the church are getting deeper. How do we disciple people in a post-Christian world? How do we engage culture without compromising truth? And how do we form resilient followers of Jesus?

The Discipleship and Culture Podcast will explore spiritual formation, theology, leadership, church community, generational differences, identity, technology, AI, and the cultural issues shaping everyday life.

Brian also introduces some of the incredible voices joining the podcast this season, including Elizabeth Woodson, D.A. Horton, Scott Sullivan, Kirk Kirkland, Jana Magruder, and Scott McConnell.

While the podcast is changing, previous Group Answers episodes will remain available in this feed.

Our mission is simple: to equip leaders to make disciples who are grounded in Scripture, shaped by community, and prepared to engage today's culture with wisdom and confidence.

Join Brian Daniel next week for the first episode of the Discipleship and Culture Podcast.

They're the first generation to never know a world without smartphones, streaming, and AI. Is your ministry ready for Generation Alpha?

Generation Alpha is growing up in a world unlike any previous generation. Their understanding of relationships, identity, learning, and even truth is being shaped by technology from their earliest years. For parents and ministry leaders, that presents both incredible opportunities and significant challenges.

In this episode of Group Answers, we take a closer look at the emerging characteristics of Generation Alpha and what they mean for the future of discipleship. Together, we explore how digital culture is influencing children's worldview, emotional health, and spiritual formation—and how the church can respond with wisdom, intentionality, and hope.

As culture continues to change, the mission of making disciples remains the same. This conversation will encourage pastors, small group leaders, parents, and discipleship leaders to think intentionally about how they can help Generation Alpha develop a faith that is rooted in Scripture, strengthened through community, and prepared to navigate the complexities of today's culture.

Know a ministry leader or parent who needs this conversation? Share this episode with them!

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Reaching Generation Alpha

A discipleship system can look like it’s “working” and still miss the point. Brian Daniel sits down with Robbie Gallaty, pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church, to tell the honest story behind a season where groups multiplied fast, then had to be audited, pruned, and rebuilt because disciple making had quietly drifted into something else.

In this conversation we zoom out to what many leaders wonder about but few experience firsthand: spiritual renewal and revival. Robbie shares the waves of baptisms that followed, and why he believes readiness matters. We walk through the Movement Ready Church framework of disciple making conviction, organizational clarity, and spiritual renewal, plus what Replicate is learning from training thousands of churches, including renewed hunger for Scripture and the importance of a realistic Bible reading plan.

If you lead discipleship, small groups, or a local church, listen closely, share this with a fellow leader, and then subscribe and leave a review so more pastors and group leaders can find it.

If your discipleship plan depends on Sunday morning, you may be asking preaching to carry weight it was never meant to carry. Brian Daniel sits down with Mark Croston to define discipleship in plain terms: learning to follow Jesus as a follower and a learner. From there, we get honest about where churches drift, especially when we assume sermons alone will produce mature believers.

Mark points to a sobering benchmark from Lifeway Research: the current state of discipleship earns a D grade. We talk about why that score does not mean leaders do not care, but it may mean our patterns are stuck in an older world where the church had more time, less competition, and more predictable rhythms. Today, people give fewer hours, attend less often, and carry full calendars, which makes small group ministry and relational disciple making more essential than ever.

We close with practical pathways, including training intensives, bringing strategy back to the church field, and leadership cohorts built on honest conversation. The methods may change, but the gospel seed is still good.

Subscribe for more practical help for pastors, disciple makers, and small group leaders, then share this with a leader who needs encouragement and leave a review so more churches can find it. What part of your discipleship strategy needs the biggest reset right now?

Why do so many churches want to make disciples—but struggle to create a true disciple-making culture?

In this episode of Group Answers, Brian Daniel sits down with Vick Green to discuss what it takes to move beyond programs and cultivate a genuine disciple-making movement within the local church. Drawing from years of ministry experience, Vick shares insights on the barriers that often prevent churches from multiplying disciples and the foundational elements required for lasting renewal.

Together, they explore how churches can align their mission, culture, and leadership around the call to make disciples. Vick explains why spiritual renewal must precede organizational change and how leaders can create environments where discipleship becomes a natural part of church life rather than just another ministry initiative.

Whether you're leading a small group, overseeing discipleship ministries, or helping shape the direction of your church, this conversation provides valuable encouragement and actionable next steps for building a disciple-making movement.

And if you're enjoying Group Answers, please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. Your review helps more leaders discover practical, gospel-centered conversations that equip them to make disciples and strengthen the local church.

SHOW LINKS: 

Movement Ready Church 

What makes a small group truly effective?

After more than three decades of leading groups and investing in discipleship, Joe Walker, Interim President of LifeWay Christian Resources, joins Brian Daniel on Group Answers to share the principles that have shaped his approach to group leadership and disciple-making.

Drawing from years of ministry experience, Joe reflects on how group discipleship has evolved and why the core mission remains the same: helping people grow in their relationship with Christ through biblical community and life transformation. He offers practical wisdom for leaders who want to move beyond simply gathering people and create environments where meaningful discipleship can thrive.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  Why relationships are the foundation of effective group ministry 
•  How to move from information to life application in Bible study 
•  Practical ways to build community and connection within your group 
•  The value of using a structured curriculum to facilitate discipleship 
•  Joe’s approach to preparing lessons and leading discussions
•  How to measure success through engagement and spiritual growth, not just attendance 
•  Leadership lessons learned from more than 30 years of ministry experience 

Joe also shares how group leaders can create a culture where people feel known, valued, and challenged to grow in their faith. Whether you're leading your first small group or have years of experience, this conversation is packed with practical insights to help you disciple others more effectively.

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a fellow small group leader, pastor, or ministry volunteer!

And if you're enjoying Group Answers, please take a moment to rate and review the podcast. Your review helps more church leaders discover practical, gospel-centered conversations that equip them to make disciples and build healthy communities.