Be The Church with Joel Wayne

How to Study the Bible Episode Summary How do you move beyond simply reading the Bible to being transformed by it? In this episode, Joel Wayne sits down for a candid conversation about what it actually looks like to open the Word of God—not to master the text, but to be mastered by it.  From personal devotional rhythms to the art of sermon preparation, Joel shares the practical habits and biblical...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Joel Wayne sits down with Pastor Gary Campbell and Pastor Michael Rubino for an honest and faith-filled conversation about one of the most challenging realities every leader faces — leading people when you're not sure where you're going. Gary has served his entire life at a 107+ year-old church in Groton, Connecticut, rooted in multi-generationa...

Not everyone is called to sit in the lead seat—but every follower of Jesus is called to lead faithfully. In this episode, Joel Wayne sits down with Luke Bilberry and Zach Stephens to explore the unique challenges, opportunities, and blessings of serving in the "second chair." Whether you're an associate pastor, ministry leader, business executive, team member, or volunteer, this conversation offer...

What does it actually mean to follow Jesus? For many believers, faith begins with receiving Jesus as Savior. But somewhere along the journey comes the realization that Jesus is not only Savior—He is Lord. In this episode, Joel Wayne and Luke Bilberry sit down with business leader, elder, husband, and disciple-maker Josh Fuller to discuss the difference between simply believing in Jesus and truly f...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Melissa Wayne for an honest and encouraging conversation about faith, business, marriage, leadership, and raising a family while staying centered on Christ. Melissa shares her journey from working in marketing and corporate business to becoming a business owner, consultant, COO, and licensed residential builder — all...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Joel Wayne and his wife, Melissa Wayne, for an honest, heartfelt conversation about marriage, ministry, sacrifice, and the refining work of God through every season of life. Together, they unpack the realities of serving in ministry as a married couple—from criticism, unmet expectations, and difficult transiti...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Joel for an honest, Scripture-rooted conversation on what it means to lead through hardship, crisis, and seasons of deep difficulty without losing sight of Jesus. Together, they unpack how spiritual leaders can navigate suffering with integrity, gratitude, and a deep dependence on God rather than falling into...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Tyler Perrott and Pastor Joel for a practical, Scripture-rooted conversation on discipline, distraction, and what it really means to live a spiritually focused life in a distracted world. Together, they unpack how modern technology and constant urgency are quietly shaping us into spiritually fragmented people,...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke and Pastor Joel sit down with Eric Palmer for a powerful conversation on identity, resilience, and what it means to lead from a place of being fully known and loved by God. Eric shares his deeply personal story of loss, redemption, and the defining truth that now anchors his life: “hope in spite of.” From losing both parents at a young age...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Pastor Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Joel Wayne and Pastor Michael Rubino for a deeply practical and Scripture-rooted conversation on what it really means to follow Jesus in everyday life. Together, they wrestle with a powerful tension: following Jesus is simple—but it’s not easy. From family rhythms and leadership convictions to kingdom-minded l...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry is joined by Joel Wayne and Pastor Steve Harrington for a profound look at what God is doing on the international stage. Moving beyond mere logistics and "success metrics," the team explores how Be The Church is engaging the global mission field by prioritizing the one thing Jesus modeled most: intentional relationship. Together, they dis...

In this second part of their conversation, Joel continues his deep dive with Pastor Jim Jeffrey to explore the intersection of leadership, discipleship, and the power of walking in humility. From serving as a lead pastor for decades to becoming a university president, Jim shares practical leadership lessons he has learned over 50 years in ministry. This episode pulls back the curtain on what it lo...

What if we’ve been rushing past the most important part of the story? In this special Holy Week episode, Pastor Luke sits down with Pastor Joel to reflect on the final days of Jesus’ life—and why we can’t skip the journey to the cross to fully understand the power of the resurrection. From the Garden of Gethsemane to the empty tomb, this conversation is a call to slow down, remember, and step into...

In this episode, Joel Wayne sits down with Pastor Jim Jeffery to walk through the story behind his life and leadership—how a young boy from a broken home came to know Christ and began a journey that would shape decades of ministry. In this deeply personal and honest conversation, Pastor Jim shares how his calling to ministry began at just 12 years old, only to be tested and refined in the years th...

In this episode, Joel Wayne sits down with Paul Davis, President of ABWE, to explore the future of global missions—and why the local church is still God’s primary strategy for reaching the world. In this deeply practical and forward-looking conversation, Paul shares how his leadership journey was shaped not by ambition but by faithfully stewarding what God placed in front of him. Together, they un...

Is your worldview shaped by Scripture or by your own preferences? In this episode, Joel Wayne and Luke Bilberry explore why a biblical worldview isn't just one option among many—it’s a challenge to everything else. In this deeply personal conversation, Joel and Luke move beyond definitions to discuss the conundrum of the modern believer: the tendency to marry the Word of God with our own broken pr...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Joel Wayne sits down with Dr. James Hilton, Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, for a conversation on the difference between running a church and leading a movement. After 22 years of ministry, James reveals why the traditional "church growth" model often leads to burnout and how a shift in strategy can lead to radical multiplication. Together, they unp...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Joel Wayne sits down with Pastor Luke Bilberry for a Scripture-centered conversation about identity, purpose, and what it truly means to live as a child of God. Rooted in 2 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 9, they unpack Paul’s exhortation to Timothy and explore three powerful images of spiritual leadership: the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer. Togethe...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Joel Wayne sits down with John Chesnut, President and CEO of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA, for a conversation about the authority of Scripture, spiritual leadership, and the accelerating work of Bible translation around the world. Together, they explore John’s leadership journey—from church planting and global adoption to leading a worldwide Bible tr...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry is joined by Joel Wayne for a deeply biblical, unfiltered conversation about spiritual leadership, Scripture, and the kind of humility that actually forms the soul of a leader. Rather than offering leadership hacks or formulas, this episode slows down and asks a more foundational question: What happens when leaders stop trusting their own...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Dan Vandewarker and his wife, Shannon, for a deeply honest and hope-filled conversation about biblical parenting. Together, they unpack what it means to see parenting not as behavior modification, but as a calling—a spiritual mantle to disciple children to love and follow Jesus. Drawing from Scripture, personal stori...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Joel Wayne and John VanDyke for a deeply honest conversation about biblical friendship—and why it may be one of the most underutilized weapons God has given the church. Together, they unpack how real, Christ-centered friendships are forged through vulnerability, trust, sacrifice, and shared mission—not convenience or proxim...

“If God has called us to something, the answer is always yes.” In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Pastor Andrew Honeycutt (Byron Center Campus Pastor at Chapel Pointe) for a practical and deeply encouraging conversation on leadership development, discipleship, and spiritual formation. Andrew shares the defining moments that shaped his calling. He speaks cand...

In this episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Luke Bilberry sits down with Jon VerLee—Founder of Startup Garage , Entrepreneur in Residence at Calvin University, husband, father, and tech leader—for a practical, biblical conversation on technology, AI, and spiritual leadership. Jon shares his story—from a defining car accident at 16, to student ministry and seminary, to building church software th...

In this special episode of the Be The Church Podcast, Joel Wayne hosts a powerful conversation with global ministry leaders—from Romania (Pastor Nelutu), Uganda (Pastor Ben David), and New York (Pastor Michael Rubino)—to answer one question: What does it actually mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Together, they unpack the difference between being informed about Jesus and being transformed by Jesus a...