The Cultivated Life

Jesus didn't say, "Follow me and watch." He said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Discipleship moves you from spectator to participant.

In this episode of Life Together: The Art of Discipleship, Pastor Jonathan Perry continues through Acts 2 and looks at what it means to serve together. Your faith grows when you get involved, and every believer has something to give to the body of Christ.

In this episode:

If you've been sitting in the stands and know God made you for more, or you're already serving and ready to bring someone alongside you, this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more / books: https://thecultivatedlifeministries.com

If this encouraged you, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who's ready to get involved.

Where do you sense God pulling you to serve? Tell us in the comments.

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The Holy Spirit didn't just change what the early church believed. He changed how they lived, and one of the first signs was generosity.

In Episode 7 of Life Together: The Art of Discipleship, Pastor Jonathan Perry looks at Acts 2:44-45, where the believers "had all things in common." He shows why you can't separate generosity from discipleship, and why it's about learning how to live, not just how to give.

In this episode:

If you've ever felt nervous about the topic of generosity, or thought you had nothing to give, this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more / books: https://thecultivatedlifeministries.com

If this encouraged you, like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs it.

What has God put in your hands right now? Tell us in the comments.

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The early church didn't just believe in prayer. They prayed.

In Episode 5 of Life Together: The Art of Discipleship, Pastor Jonathan Perry turns to "the prayers" in Acts 2:42. Prayer wasn't their emergency plan. It was their rhythm, learned from watching Jesus pray. And prayer is only learned by praying, often by hearing someone else pray first.

In this episode:

If you've ever felt like you don't know what to say when you pray, this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more / books: https://thecultivatedlifeministries.com

Like, subscribe, and share this with someone who needs encouragement in their prayer life.

Comment below: Who taught you to pray, and who could learn by hearing you pray?

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The temple makes a crowd. The table makes a family.

In Episode 4 of Life Together: The Art of Discipleship, Pastor Jonathan Perry opens Acts 2:46 and the early church breaking bread in their homes. Jesus did a surprising amount of discipleship around food. You cannot microwave it. An empty chair is often the whole strategy.

In this episode:

If you’re ready to stop waiting for a platform and just pull out a chair, this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more / books: https://thecultivatedlifeministries.com

Like, subscribe, and share this with someone who keeps trying to figure out how to “get people in the door.”

Comment below: Who gets the empty chair at your table this week?

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You can preach to a crowd from a stage. You cannot disciple someone you do not know.

In Episode 3 of Life Together: The Art of Discipleship, Pastor Jonathan Perry opens Acts 2:42 and the word fellowship (koinonia). Real discipleship is not hanging out after church. It is sharing life, sitting at the table, and giving people access so that what is taught can also be caught.

In this episode:

If you are ready to slow down, sit with someone, and disciple up close, this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more / books: https://thecultivatedlifeministries.com

Like, subscribe, and share this with someone who needs a discipleship partner, not just another sermon.

Comment below: Who is one person you could invite to “come sit with me”?

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Salvation can happen in a moment. Discipleship is learned over a lifetime.

In Episode 2 of Life Together: The Art of Discipleship, Pastor Jonathan Perry continues the series on what it means to do life together. This session focuses on learning together: why the early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, why the crowd can hear a sermon but disciples need the conversation, and how real formation moves from information to a life that looks like Jesus.

In this episode:

If you’re hungry to grow beyond Sunday moments and into intentional discipleship, this episode is for you.

🌐 Learn more / books: https://thecultivatedlifeministries.com

👍 Like, subscribe, and share this with someone who’s ready to learn together.

#TheCultivatedLife #Discipleship #LifeTogether #LearnTogether #ChristianPodcast #Acts242

Jesus didn’t say, “Go make church members.” He said, “Go make disciples.”

In Episode 1 of Life Together: The Art of Discipleship, Pastor Jonathan Perry opens an 8–10 week series on what it really means to do life together. This first session lays the foundation: the Great Commission, why big events and Sunday crowds can’t mass-produce disciples, and how Jesus formed people through proximity, relationship, and everyday community.

In this episode:

If you’ve ever wondered how discipleship actually works beyond a Sunday service, this series is for you.

🌐 Learn more / books: https://thecultivatedlifeministries.com

What does it actually mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and how would you know? In this episode of The Cultivated Life, Pastor Jonathan Perry walks through Jesus' parting promises in John 14-16: the Helper, the Paraclete who walks beside you and lives within you, and the Spirit of truth who teaches, reminds, and guides you into all truth. Then follow that promise through the Book of Acts, from Pentecost to Samaria, the Gentiles, and Ephesus, and watch what it did to a man who had denied Jesus three times: power, boldness, and the outward evidence of speaking in tongues. Pastor Perry also shares his own Spirit baptism at six years old, more than 55 years ago, and unpacks the three uses of tongues from 1 Corinthians 14, the difference between the gift and the gifts, and the benefits of a Spirit-filled life: power to witness, revelation knowledge, and righteousness, peace, and joy. Whether the Holy Spirit is brand new to you or you are hungry for a deeper encounter, grab your Bible, open to the Gospel of John, and join us, then like, subscribe, and share this episode with a friend who has questions, and find books and more at thecultivatedlifeministries.com, including The Spirit-Led Life on Amazon.

Spiritual maturity requires identifying and overcoming three major blind spots that keep believers stuck in patterns of immaturity. The orphan spirit causes us to strive for approval instead of resting in our identity as God's children, often stemming from childhood wounds and feelings of rejection. Entitlement flows from the same insecurity but manifests as demanding rights from God rather than trusting His wisdom through relationship. Denial prevents us from recognizing our need for change, keeping us trapped in spiritual pride. True transformation happens when we actively engage with Scripture and allow God's truth to confront our thinking patterns, moving from reactivity to stability and from insecurity to identity in Christ.

Related to Sunday's message: https://youtube.com/live/aAMlfCL-Gwk

Life becomes difficult when we choose short-term ease over long-term satisfaction. The key principle is simple: do the hard work first, and life gets easier over time. Building character rather than reputation, mastering solitude, creating systems instead of just setting goals, and developing emotional intelligence are essential for lasting success. True power comes from accepting what you cannot control while taking responsibility for what you can. Excellence requires immediate effort but provides long-term fulfillment, while mediocrity feels comfortable now but becomes increasingly difficult to live with over time.