Episode 29 — Encouraging People to Commit and Attend Regularly

Discipleship Leaders Podcast | Fellowship Bible Church

Hosts: Jay & Amy

In this New Year episode, Jay and Amy return with practical encouragement for small group and Bible study leaders who struggle with declining commitment and irregular attendance as the year progresses. They discuss how to set your group up for consistency, how to cast vision for commitment, and how to shepherd people kindly and wisely when engagement drops.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Choose a Convenient Meeting Time

Pick a day/time that works for the whole year.

Make attending easy for the group, even if inconvenient for you.

Adjust schedules as needed.

2. Start the Year with Clear Expectations

Ask members to prioritize the group.

Highlight the value of consistency in relationships and spiritual growth.

Cast vision for the purpose and benefit of your gatherings.

3. Gently Encourage Through Personal Conversations

Check in kindly when attendance slips.

Help troubleshoot barriers to consistency.

Balance challenge with genuine care.

4. Give Permission to Leave Gracefully

Some people need an open door to step out without guilt.

Encourage them to be where they can be consistent.

5. Lead in a Way That Creates Spiritual Value

Prepare well, foster connection, and guide meaningful growth.

People commit to what is valuable—make your group worth prioritizing.

Closing Thought:

Your faithful leadership helps people stay engaged, committed, and spiritually transformed. Jay and Amy are here to support you as you lead your groups with grace and wisdom.

New episodes drop around the first of each month.

Part 3: Create an Environment of Grace

In this episode, Jay and Amy sit down for part 3 otheir conversation with Bill Parkinson where they explore what it means to cultivate an environment of grace—in our families, ministries, teams, and personal lives. We break down five essential practices that help us live in the freedom Christ provides while creating space for others to thrive.

1. We Trust God and Others With Ourselves

Grace begins with surrender.

Why trusting God is the foundation for healthy relationships.

How trusting others appropriately opens the door to transformation.

2. We Choose Vulnerability

Vulnerability as the courage to be known.

How confession, honesty, and authenticity foster spiritual growth.

The difference between transparency and oversharing.

3. We Align Ourselves With the Truth

Grace doesn’t ignore reality—it illuminates it.

Identifying lies we believe and replacing them with the truth of Scripture.

How truth creates stability and direction.

4. We Are Willing to Pay the Price

Grace empowers effort, not excuses.

The cost of growth: humility, repentance, forgiveness, perseverance.

Why discipleship always involves investment.

5. We Discover God’s Destiny for Us

Living in grace reveals calling, gifting, and purpose.

How obedience opens new possibilities.

Encouragement to pursue God’s unique design for your life.

In Part 2 of the conversation with Bill Parkinson, hosts Jay McGuirk and Amy Skrivanos discuss two keys to longevity in ministry leadership: building strong teams and pursuing the right kind of teammates. Bill shares decades of wisdom on how creating a supportive structure in every area of life is essential for long-term health and effectiveness.

In this episode, we discuss:

Building Teams in Every Season of Life (01:17)

Why we must intentionally build teams to counteract our culture of independence and isolation.

-Marriage (02:08): How having a team of mentors and role models can strengthen your marriage, providing a healthy foundation for ministry.

-Family (05:44): The value of creating a "family team" with others to raise children in a community of faith.

-Work/Ministry (08:03): How a church or organization built on the principles of humility and trust creates an environment where leaders can thrive long-term.

Pursuing the Right Kind of Teammates & Co-Leaders (12:13)

The importance of being intentional about who you allow to speak into your life and lead alongside you.

-Look for teammates who possess key qualities like courage, the ability to encourage others, strong relational skills, and positive influence.

-How finding the right people who challenge you to grow is more important than their age or position.

Discipleship Leaders Podcast - Episode 26: Leading Well for a Long Time

Hosts: Jay and Amy

Guest: Bill Parkinson

As fall D-Groups settle into their rhythm, this episode focuses on the crucial topic of leadership longevity. How do you lead your small group or Bible study not just well, but well for decades?

Jay and Amy welcome Bill Parkinson, a founding pastor of Fellowship Bible Church who recently stepped down after an remarkable 47 years of faithful ministry service. Bill served 25 years as a teaching pastor before transitioning to senior adult and grandparenting ministries.

Key Topics Covered

Four Essential Practices for Long-Term Leadership:

1. Practice Spiritual Disciplines - The foundation for sustainable ministry

2. Be Mentored and Be a Mentor - Both receiving guidance and pouring into others

3. Build Teams in Every Season - Creating support systems in marriage, family, and work

4. Pursue the Right Teammates/Co-Leaders - Including warnings about why leaders fail

Creating an Environment of Grace:

-Trusting God and others with ourselves

-Choosing vulnerability over self-protection

-Aligning with truth

-Willingness to pay the price

-Discovering God's destiny for your life

Perfect for small group leaders, Bible study facilitators, and anyone wanting to serve faithfully for the long haul while maintaining joy, energy, and purpose in ministry.

New episodes drop monthly to help you grow in your discipleship leadership skills.

🎧 Episode 25 – God’s Glory (Leader Launch 2025)

In this episode, we share the opening session from Leader Launch 2025 at the West Little Rock campus, where Mike Marquez, head elder at Fellowship Bible Church, challenged our leaders to see God’s glory as the ultimate purpose of our lives, our church, and our D-Groups. This powerful message serves as both a theological anchor and a practical call to keep God’s glory central as we begin a new year of ministry.

📍 Leader Resources: fellowshipar.com/dgroupleaders

🎧 Episode 24 – Choosing the Right Curriculum for Your Group

Guests: Jay, Amy, and Tyler Vance (Discipleship Pastor, Fellowship Cabot)

As fall approaches, many of our D-Groups and Bible Studies are preparing to launch—and one of the key decisions leaders face is choosing the right curriculum. In this episode, Jay and Amy sit down with Tyler Vance to explore how to make thoughtful, strategic choices about Bible study content that will serve your group well in any season.

This conversation offers a practical framework to help you choose what’s best—based on where your group is spiritually, what life stage they’re in, and how to align with the direction of our church.

Highlights include:

-How to use our Fellowship Curriculum Guide effectively

-Six key questions to help you choose the right study

-Why group context, maturity, and church focus matter

-What to avoid when selecting curriculum

-Tips for choosing resources that are practical, relational, and accessible

📍 Find the Curriculum Guide and more tools at: fellowshipar.com/dgroupleaders

Episode 23 – Recognizing and Avoiding Burnout as a Leader (Part 2)

Hosts: Jay and Matt

Discipleship Leaders Podcast – Fellowship Bible Church

In Part 2 of this important conversation, Jay and Matt pick up where they left off in Episode 22—moving from recognizing burnout to recovering from it and building healthy rhythms for long-term leadership.

If burnout is the warning light on the dashboard, this episode is all about what to do next. Jay and Matt offer practical wisdom and ministry-tested tools for creating a leadership “system” that actually sustains you rather than drains you.

They discuss:

What it means to fill yourself up more than you pour out

The importance of knowing your limits and prioritizing commitments

Why “team ministry” helps lighten the load

Managing energy instead of just managing time

Learning and practicing real spiritual, emotional, and physical rest

Embracing seasons of rest rather than quitting altogether

Their encouragement: don’t just take a break—rebuild the system that leads to health, longevity, and joy in leadership.

If you’re feeling the weight of leadership or wondering how to keep going, this episode is for you.

Need support?

Reach out to your D-Groups Pastor—we’re here to walk with you before you’re burnt out.

New episodes drop monthly. Thanks for listening!

Episode 22 – Recognizing and Avoiding Burnout as a Leader (Part 1)

Hosts: Jay and Matt Middlecamp

Discipleship Leaders Podcast – Fellowship Bible Church

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Jay and Matt explore the signs and causes of burnout in spiritual leadership—especially relevant as we wrap up a busy school year and enter the summer season. Many D-Group and Bible study leaders are feeling a unique kind of fatigue, and this episode helps distinguish between normal tiredness and true burnout.

They discuss:

Why May is such a draining month for leaders

The emotional and spiritual cost of long-term leadership

How to recognize signs of burnout vs. ordinary fatigue

Honest stories of exhaustion from their own ministry journeys

Why rest alone won’t fix burnout if your system doesn’t change

Key Insight:

“The system is perfectly designed to get the results it’s getting… if you want different results, you have to change the system.”

Stay tuned for Part 2 next month, where they’ll share practical tools for recovery and sustainable leadership rhythms.

Need support?

Reach out to your D-Groups or Ministry Pastor—we want to help you stay healthy and lead well for the long haul.

New episodes drop monthly. Thanks for listening!

Discipleship Leaders Podcast - Episode 9: Growing Your Heart as a Leader

Guest: Tim Caldwell, Campus Pastor at Fellowship Midtown

Strategies to Grow Your Heart as a Leader:

1. Personal Spiritual Growth Plan:

-Time in God’s Word, prayer, and worship.

-Live out the plan consistently.

2. Create Margin for Rest and Rejuvenation:

-Avoid burnout by setting healthy boundaries.

-Engage in activities that energize you.

3. Study the Bible for Personal Growth:

-Focus on God’s story and heart for you.

-Seek Jesus' presence and enjoy fellowship with Him.

4. Pray for Heart Growth:

-Deepen love for God and others.

-Develop a hunger for spiritual growth.

Episode 10—How to Form and Fill a Group

Guest: Matt Middlecamp

Forming a Group:

-Decide on leadership focus: target audience, purpose, and prayer for guidance.

-Select study material: tailored to group type (Bible Study vs. D-Groups).

-Set meeting schedule: consider convenience for leaders and members.

-Determine meeting location: consider logistics like childcare.

Filling a Group:

-Personal invitation: key for recruiting, involve current group members.

-Utilize online platforms and church promotion for wider outreach.

-Target disconnected individuals in similar life stages, fostering inclusivity.

-Embrace diverse backgrounds and interests to unite around Bible study and gospel.

Key Takeaways:

-Form and fill groups with purpose, aiming for meaningful discipleship connections.

-Connect personally with potential members, focusing on shared interests and spiritual growth.