Our guest today is Jonathan Dodson. Jonathan is the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, TX which he started with his wife, Robie, and a small group of people. They have three children. He is also the founder of gcdiscipleship.com and author of a number of books including Here in Spirit: Knowing the Spirit who Creates, Sustains, and Transforms Everything, The Unbelievable Gospel and Gospel-Centered Discipleship. He enjoys listening to M. Ward, watching sci-fi, and going for walks.

Questions:

What are Fight Clubs?

How do you equip leaders to lead Fight Clubs? How do you support Fight Clubs from the pulpit and encourage participation?

How have you seen Fight Clubs contribute to the ministry of the church and impact the lives of Fight Club participants?

* Gospel-Centered Discipleship released in 2012. If you wrote it today, what from your experiences in the last 6 years would you be sure to include?

Here in the Spirit just released. How is this different from other books about the Holy Spirit? Talk about the backstory — what circumstances or insights led you to this specific topic?

Quotes:

“Fight clubs are discipleship groups. We are fighting for faith to trust and to treasure Jesus.”

“They follow the process of text-theology-life.”

“God picks your community, you pick your friend.”

“It’s not a highly programmed environment. It’s a natural outworking of the gospel in an ordinary disciple’s life.”

“Fight Clubs promote holiness in our church.”

The Group Answers Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study and discipleship expert in Lifeway’s Groups Ministry, and Chris Surratt, the small group and discipleship specialist at Lifeway and author of Small Groups For The Rest Of Us.