The PursueGOD Training Podcast

A mentoring handoff is the strategic transfer of a person needing care from a pastor to an equipped lay mentor. Grounded in Ephesians 4:11–12, pastors leverage their relational equity to normalize peer discipleship, prepare mentors with background context, and guide the initial meetings until the mentor confidently takes the lead.

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The PursueGOD Training podcast helps pastors, small group leaders, and everyday Christians to make disciples through healthy biblical churches.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/training.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

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Notes

If you sat down with nothing but a Bible, would you ever actually come up with your current belief system? In this episode, Bryan reacts to a classic sermon clip from Francis Chan detailing his front-door encounter with LDS missionaries. But stick around for the twist at the end—because Francis doesn't just challenge LDS theology; he turns the mirror directly on modern evangelical church culture.

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

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What happens when one of the most famous modern preachers gets a knock on his door from LDS missionaries?

In this episode of Unveiling Mormonism, Pastor Bryan reacts to a powerful sermon clip from Francis Chan. We dive into Chan's incredibly gracious, question-based approach to Mormon theology, compare "traditional" LDS doctrines (like eternal progression and the pre-existence) with modern LDS branding, and tackle a massive challenge that every evangelical Christian needs to hear.

• The Power of Asking Questions: Why Francis Chan’s gentle, curious approach to LDS missionaries is far more effective than getting "fired up" or preachy.
• The "Two Mormonisms": The difference between the front-page, Jesus-centric marketing of modern Mormonism and the actual, traditional doctrines of eternal progression and grandfather gods.
• A High View of Scripture: Why starting and ending with the Bible changes the entire conversation—and why we must encourage our LDS friends to read it without any external "filters."
• The Twist Challenge for Christians: If you only read the Bible from cover to cover, would you actually come up with the consumer-driven, mega-church programs we see today?

Welcome back to the podcast! Join us this week for a special episode, highlighting the updates to our website in 2026!

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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In this episode, Bryan wraps up 2025 and gives us a clear snapshot of what God has been doing through PursueGOD—and what’s coming next in 2026.

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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Check out our YouVersion reading plans

Want to donate? Click here

 Hey leaders, welcome to the PursueGOD Training Podcast. Today we’re going to give you a complete roadmap for leading the SALT program—from the big picture 9-month journey to the nightly flow that makes every meeting meaningful, fun, and spiritually powerful.

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The PursueGOD Training podcast helps pastors, small group leaders, and everyday Christians to make disciples through healthy biblical churches.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/training.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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If you’re leading SALT, this is your playbook.

SALT is a 9-month student leadership program that helps high school students:

• Grow in their faith,
• Serve consistently, and
• Lead by example in their local church.

It comes straight from Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:13: “You are the salt of the earth.” SALT students learn to be distinct, purposeful, and impactful in a world that needs Jesus.

The program centers on three core habits:

1. Read daily through the Bible plan.
2. Serve weekly on a ministry team.
3. Meet monthly for teaching, discussion, and accountability.

Your job as a leader? Guide students through these habits, cheer them on, and make it relational, consistent, and fun.

Here’s the program flow:

• Boot Camp (Weeks 1–6):
• These first weeks set the tone. Students meet each other, start the Bible reading plan, find a serving role, and learn the rhythm of SALT.
• Monthly Meetings (Months 2–8):
• After Boot Camp, you meet once a month for a leadership lesson, Bible and serving check-in, group discussion, and prayer.
• Graduation (Month 9):
• The final meeting celebrates growth, shares stories, and launches students to keep living out their faith.

Every meeting follows a similar rhythm—but the first few weeks focus on relationships and introductions, while later months focus more on leadership growth and consistency.

Here’s what leaders should do before every SALT meeting:

• Watch the lesson video/podcast and review the Talking Points and discussion questions.
• Listen to this leader podcast so you feel confident about the plan.
• Set the atmosphere: Whether you meet at someone’s home or the church, make it welcoming. Play music, have snacks ready, maybe even start a game while students arrive.
• Plan the fun: Bring icebreakers or simple games like Uno or Play Nine to make it easy for students to connect.

The goal is for students to show up feeling like this is their space—a place they want to be.

Okay, let’s get practical. Here’s a simple outline for each SALT night:

1. Food and Fun: Start with snacks or a meal, plus a game or icebreaker. This sets a relational tone.
2. Watch the Video: Keep it short and focused—it sets up your discussion.
3. Read the Talking Points: Invite students to take turns reading aloud.
4. Ask One Question at a Time: Read the question, let the group respond, and keep it conversational.
5. Check In on Bible Reading & Serving: Encourage consistency and celebrate wins.
6. End with Prayer Requests: Have each student share one thing to pray about and invite students to pray for each other.

This simple rhythm works whether you’re in Boot Camp or month seven.

SALT isn’t about perfection—it’s about walking with students as they learn to own their faith.

As a leader, remember:

• Relationships first: Know your students personally.
• Model consistency: Be faithful in reading, serving, and showing up.
• Keep it fun and welcoming: Kids come back when they feel connected and cared for.
• Pray with them and for them: This shapes hearts more than anything else.

By the end of the 9 months, students should feel closer to Jesus, more confident serving, and ready to lead others.

So that’s the full SALT playbook: a 9-month journey built on daily Bible reading, weekly serving, and monthly meetings—each night filled with fun, discussion, and prayer.

If you want all the lessons, videos, and guides, go to pursueGOD.org/SALT.

Thanks for leading the next generation—we can’t wait to see what God does through you and your students this year.

In today’s leadership episode, we talk about how small group leaders can create a culture of care where everyone participates. We’ll explore why care starts with the leader, how to move your group from consumers to contributors, and practical ways to equip others to carry both spiritual and practical burdens—so your group becomes a true family that reflects Christ’s love.

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The PursueGOD Training podcast helps pastors, small group leaders, and everyday Christians to make disciples through healthy biblical churches.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/training.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

• Create a Caring Group | pursueGOD.org

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Find it here: https://www.pursuegod.org/create-caring-small-group/

Welcome back to the podcast! In today's episode we'll finish up our Oversee Training series, discussing the responsibilities of a church leader.

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The PursueGOD Training podcast helps pastors, small group leaders, and everyday Christians to make disciples through healthy biblical churches.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/training.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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Responsibilities

• Pray for your campus regularly
• Prayer doesn’t get us ready for the bigger work.  Prayer is the bigger work. 
• Swan - If we haven’t prayed we haven’t started. 
• All overseers should be on campus prayer team
• Be an active participant in overseer meetings
• Come prepared, review agenda doc beforehand
• Be ready to give an update on the serving teams you’re overseeing
• Listen to any podcasts, read any articles that are going to be discussed in the meeting
• Monitor progress of the campus
• Attendance
• Mentoring handoffs
• Giving
• Small Group attendance
• Decide on issues of church discipline
• Decide on issues of benevolence
• Financial Help Request Form 
• Assist campus pastor in leading the discipleship efforts at the campus
• connections/handoffs
• Baptism requests, prayer requests, wedding requests are all opportunities to make a handoff for mentoring
• Tracking them in Planning Center 
• Being diligent in following up  
• Oversee at least one serving team/serving team leader at the campus
• Check in monthly
• Report needs and health of team during monthly overseer meetings 
• Assist in recruiting volunteers for teams you oversee

Welcome back to week two of our Overseer Training series!

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The PursueGOD Training podcast helps pastors, small group leaders, and everyday Christians to make disciples through healthy biblical churches.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/training.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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From the Job Description: An overseer must qualify according to 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 and PG’s profile of a healthy leader. 

He must affirm Alpine's doctrinal statement, the Alpine Way, and Alpine’s Statement on Sexuality and Gender. - reference back to the unity we mentioned last week.  It’s imperative your elders/overseers can affirm your philosophy of ministry. 

• 1 Timothy 3:1-5 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader,[a] he desires an honorable position.” 2 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.[b] He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker[c] or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
• Overseer, elder, bishop, pastor - words used interchangeably in NT- to oversee, to care for - caring for the flock is at the heart of the calling of an overseer 
• Several translations say, “He desires a good work.”  Many people desire honorable positions, but how many desire to work for the Lord?  
• What is the use of a lazy minister? He is no good either to the world, to the Church, or to himself. He is a dishonor to the noblest profession that can be bestowed upon the sons of men.” (Spurgeon)
• Ashamed of the low expectations I placed on Overseer Team in Logan for the first four years I was campus pastor.  Men often rise to the level of expectation.  I saw that first hand in the years I coached and I’ve seen it in ministry. 
• Above reproach 
• Literally means “nothing to take hold upon” - It is a metaphor of a boxer who so skillfully defends himself, it is impossible to hit him. 
• It can’t mean perfection or there would be no overseers.  Is there a pattern of sin in your life someone can point a finger at?  Not just sins of commission, but sins of omission as well.  This is why we look to see if someone is obedient to helping others pursue God before we invite them to serve in this capacity.  Are they honoring God with their finances?  
• Faithful to his wife 
• Original Greek - must be the husband of one wife, Some translations say must have married only once 
• Most commentaries agree it means monogamy, faithful to his wife
• I’ve always taken a very conservative view on this requirement, but I am softening that stance, or at least think I am. It seems all of the other requirements describe the condition of the man after he has begun a relationship with Jesus. Would Paul have been described as gentle before his conversion, while he was rounding up Christians to be imprisoned or looking upon their stoning with approval?  If that element of the list isn’t looked at as “Has always been gentle” why would we look at this element as “has always been the husband of one wife”.  
• Faithful to his wife would include being faithful with your eyes
• Self Control, live wisely, have a good reputation 
• Story about deacon who bragged he was a real S.O.B. Monday through Friday 
• Self control on social media, self control when we engage in hard conversations 
• Live wisely means there may be areas in my life that aren’t necessarily sinful, but is it wise?  
• Enjoy having guests in his home, hospitality
• Traveling Christians in that culture who didn’t want to stay at public inns because of the depravity - may look different today
• Able to teach 
• The seventh item is "able to teach". This implies not only a readiness to teach, but also having the spiritual power to do so, after the overseer has prayerfully reflected on God's Word and its practical application.
• Teaching environments: small groups, mentoring, Sunday morning, Alpine U classes or similar 
• Not a heavy drinker or violent, gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money
• In our culture, quarrelsome would also apply to the way the handle social media
• Most literal translation is not contentious - an overseer should not  be someone that people are walking on eggshells around. 
• Do they put love of things over love of God and love of people? 
• Manage his own family well
• How does this look when kids are out of the home? 
• If kids are rebelling, is it because of the father’s parenting or in spite of the father’s parenting? 
• Honest feedback from the candidate’s wife can be very helpful in this case. 
• Not a recent convert and good reputation with outsiders
• Recent is a relative and subjective term.  Has the potential overseer been through trials since they’ve become a believer that have revealed the genuineness of their faith? 
• Have they served alongside others?  How do those who have served with them feel about their qualifications?  
• Profile of a Healthy Leader:
• Spiritual: Be humbly submitted to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Honor God with excellence in your work, depending on God for the results. Colossians 3:23-24
• Emotional: Celebrate your strengths and take ownership of your weaknesses. Stay teachable and positive in the face of trials. 2 Timothy 2:24-25
• Relational: Care about people, not just tasks. Do conflict well, speaking truth in love according to the standard of Jesus. Matthew 18:15-17
• Financial: Don’t love money. Be generous to God through regular, sacrificial giving to your local church. 2 Corinthians 8:7

Missional: Buy into the disciple-making mission of the church. Model it personally in your life and encourage others to participate. Matthew 28:19-20

Part 1 of 3 in the Overseer Training series. Go through this with a mentor (or mentors) from the existing pastoral team at your church or campus.

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The PursueGOD Training podcast helps pastors, small group leaders, and everyday Christians to make disciples through healthy biblical churches.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/training.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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In the New Testament, you’ll find the authors use three different words to describe the office of elder, pastor, overseer, or bishop.  

• Episkopos - overseer
• Philippians 1:1 I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. (NLT) 
• NIV, NASB, ESV - overseers
• KJV, NKJV - bishops
•  Poimen - shepherd/pastor 
• Ephesians 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and becoming mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (NLT) 
• NIV, NKJV, KJV, NASB - pastors
• ESV - shepherds 
• This term is the least used term of the three in referring to the official position in the church.  Jesus uses this term throughout the book of Matthew; sheep without a shepherd, I am the good shepherd, the sheep know the shepherd, etc. 
• Presbyteros - elder 
• 1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (NIV) 
• NLT, ESV, KJV, NASB, NKJV - elders 

Alpine Way - At Alpine Church, we understand and take into account the culture that surrounds us in this moment of time. This helps us to wisely contextualize our ministry practices, so that we can be more effective in fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission in the arena where God has placed us.

Our primary field of engagement begins with the Wasatch Front of Utah, and extends to other areas throughout the Intermountain West where the culture of Mormonism is most rooted. We share the Gospel with all those we encounter, but our target audience is disaffected Latter-day Saints and others with a Mormon background. As God gives opportunity, we are open to serving in areas beyond the Mormon cultural domain, but we are especially interested in areas where Mormonism is common.

• Because of this we use the terms “overseer” and “‘pastoral team” as “elder” and “bishop” carry meanings in the LDS culture that could be confusing to our attenders. 

Functions of pastor, elder, overseer, bishop according to scripture 

1. Oppose False Teaching/Proclaim the Gospel - 1 Timothy 1:3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer. 1 Timothy 4:6, 1 Timothy 4:11, 1 Timothy 4:16, 1 Timothy 6:2-3 
2. He is to be a teacher - “able to teach” is listed as a qualification. According to 1 Timothy 5:17 there are elders/overseers whose role is not primarily teaching or preaching because Paul uses the phrase - “especially those whose work is preaching and teaching”. This indicates a separation from those who don’t have that primary role.  Environments for teaching - small groups, mentor relationships, Sunday services, in the home
3. Promote unity in the body - 1 Timothy 1:3-4 
4. Pray for the body 1 Timothy 2:1, 2:8 (This command is to “men everywhere” so it is not limited to overseers/elders, but would certainly include them)
5. He is a manager - 1 Timothy 3:5
6. Spiritual discipline - 1 Timothy 5:20, 1 Timothy 5:1
7. Spiritual Authority - This would make sense that you don’t have the responsibility to discipline unless you have authority. 

The role of pastor, elder, overseer, or bishop is different from the role of deacon. 

• Phil 1: (NLT) 1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.
• 1 Timothy 3:1-13 
• Qualifications of both roles are similar. If you hold the position that women can be deacons then deacons would not have spiritual authority or this would be inconsistent with Paul’s writings in 1 Timothy. We don’t see the “able to teach” requirement listed for deacons.

Excerpt

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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Notes