In many parts of the world, words like "Christian" and "disciple" have nearly lost their meaning. For countless believers, actively practicing the ways of Jesus is optional and typically reserved for the few "radical" Christians.

But this mindset will only lead to a weak and powerless church consisting of people who believe in the existence of God while lacking love, power, and authority.

In this episode, Brian and Katie discuss what it truly means to be a disciple (apprentice) of Jesus and share some practical ways to bring discipleship into your home.

Many sincere Christians quietly carry the same question:

If Jesus has saved me, why do I still struggle with the same patterns, sins, and frustrations?

In this episode of Spiritually Formed, Brian and Katie Hess explore why so many believers feel stuck between what the gospel promises and what they actually experience in their lives.

Often the problem isn’t a lack of sincerity or desire for God—it’s an incomplete understanding of the gospel itself. Many Christians have been taught that salvation frees us from the penalty of sin, but they’ve never been shown how the grace of God also begins to free us from the power of sin.

We talk about why justification happens in a moment, but transformation is a process—and why trying to change ourselves through sheer effort often leads to cycles of frustration, shame, and exhaustion.

The good news is that the gospel isn’t just about getting us into heaven someday. It’s about the life of the Kingdom of God beginning in us right now.

If you’ve ever wondered why your life doesn’t seem to reflect the new life Jesus promises, this episode will help you understand what God is doing in the slow work of transformation.

Most of us are our own worst critics, often thinking of ourselves as flawed and unlovable. Before long, we begin to assume that God must agree with our self-evaluation.

But is that actually true?

In this episode, we how what we believe God thinks about us shapes our identity and our spiritual lives. When we assume that God is disappointed in us, our pursuit of change becomes driven by shame and insecurity. But when we begin to see ourselves through the lens of the gospel—as new creations in Christ and beloved sons and daughters—transformation begins to flow from love rather than the attempt to earn it.

Learning what God truly thinks about you may change the way you think about everything.

Whether you realize it or not, your mental image of God is shaping you.

If you believe He is distant, you’ll become guarded. If you believe He is disappointed, you’ll strive for acceptance. If you believe He is good, you’ll learn to live at rest.

In this episode of Spiritually Formed, Brian and Katie Hess explore how our vision of God drives our spiritual formation, the two primary ways we form beliefs about His character, and why knowing the truth about what God is really like changes everything.

Spiritual formation is inevitable. Whether we realize it or not, our hearts and minds are being shaped every day by someone or something. The question is, who or what is forming you?

In this episode, Brian and Katie Hess talk about what spiritual formation is and why it matters. They explore why transformation into the image of Jesus does not happen by accident, and why followers of Christ must be intentional about allowing the Holy Spirit to shape their desires, character, and way of life.