The KC Underground Podcast

In this episode, Cory interviews Cayden Sommer and Sam Leichty, leaders with Awaken. Awaken is an emerging initiative with the KC Underground geared toward mobilizing young adults to live on mission and make disciples. Cayden and Sam share stories of how Jesus is currently working through them in their contexts and what they are hoping for this next season. You can feel hear their passion as they have embraced disciple-making movement principles and practices and have seen family and friends take next steps with Jesus. If you're a young adult looking to be a part of something bigger than yourself, and you want to live on mission to make disciples check out more at kcunderground.org/awaken.

In this episode, Brian interviews a local KC Underground Hub director, Morgan Greer. Morgan and his family helped plant Serve Community Church in 2017, but their leadership team journeyed through a paradigm shift in 2021 to pursue becoming a decentralized network of disciple-makers and microchurches that joined the KC Underground. Morgan shares how he integrates disciple making into his everyday life, including coaching his son's soccer team and leading a Discovery Bible Study in a youth detention center.

In this episode Brian interviews Nick Herringshaw, a network leader in the Twin Cities area to talk about the ideas around Leading By Example Into the Harvest. Nick has been in Frogtown for the last ten years. In the shadow of the capitol, Frogtown is a mix of politicians and houseless people, and everything in between. Nick shares how Jesus called him to this area and the journey he's been on, developing a passion for relational evangelism. Nick embodies the truth that we can't outsource disciple-making to others. Leaders have to be just as engaged in disciple-making practices to remain fresh, sharp, and radical in faith.

In this conversation, Brian and Cory discuss the importance of leading by example into the harvest and staying engaged with the lost and broken. We emphasize the need for both ordinary believers and network leaders to actively pursue relationships with non-believers and avoid becoming too inward-focused. We also highlight the importance of staying fresh, sharp, and radical by continually engaging in the harvest and adapting tools and strategies to the current cultural context. 

In this episode Brian, Cory, and Darryl Answer discuss the importance of coaching ordinary people within the context of New Community, a Hub within the Kansas City Underground. Darryl shares his background and the various roles he plays, including being a coach and a hub director. We talk about the challenges of coaching, such as finding time to connect and overcoming the mindset of waiting for permission. Darryl emphasizes the need for imagination and the role of a coach in helping people step back and see the bigger picture of what God is doing.

The conversation with Wendy McWherter delves into the world of coaching and disciple-making, exploring the overlap between coaching and adult learning models. Wendy shares the nine competencies of coaching and the five questions that form the backbone of a coaching conversation. The discussion emphasizes the importance of a coaching mindset and the theological foundation of coaching, drawing parallels to the way Jesus engaged with his disciples. The conversation also touches on the practical application of coaching in everyday life and the potential impact of integrating coaching into training programs for disciple-makers.

In this episode Cory and Brian interview Zachary Harrod. Zachary shares his journey of faith and life in Prague, discussing his involvement in American football, coaching, and church planting. The conversation delves into the challenges of discipleship in a post-Christian context and the importance of vulnerability in building relationships and sharing faith. The missionary pathway and the concept of the 15-second story are explored as tools for engaging in spiritual conversations. We also explore the role of ongoing coaching in disciple-making movements, emphasizing the need for adaptability and creativity in the approach. We also touch on the importance of contextualizing coaching methods and unleashing the freedom and creativity of individuals to flourish. 

In this episode, Cory and Brian interview Brian Phipps, director of Disciples Made and a board member of the KC Underground. Brian Phipps discusses the importance of coaching disciple-making leaders to pursue their God-given goals. He shares his own journey of shifting from a traditional model of ministry to a focus on disciple multiplication. Phipps emphasizes the need for ongoing coaching and accountability, as well as the importance of character and calling in the coaching relationship. He also highlights the value of community that is formed through mission-focused discipleship. Phipps encourages coaches to help individuals set specific goals and pursue them with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The job of a coach is to ensure that you're more dependent upon the Spirit of God than you are the coach. - Brian Phipps

In this conversation, Brian and Cory discuss the importance of coaching in disciple-making. We highlight the distinction between instructive coaching and disciple-making coaching, which focuses on asking open-ended questions and facilitating learning and reflection. We emphasize the value of ongoing coaching in sustaining and supporting disciple-makers, as well as the need for startup coaching to initiate new movements. We also discuss the benefits of group coaching and the importance of creating coaching environments that allow for self-discovery and the sharing of experiences and strategies.