Ordinary Discipleship Podcast

What if the key to disciple-making isn't a new program, but returning to the way Jesus did it? In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank talks with Peyton Jones about his new book Discipology and the three rhythms Jesus used to form disciples: time, teaching, and tactics. Together they explore why many churches have focused on information over mobilization, how leaders can unintentionally become bottlen...

In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank talks with Dr. Angie Richey, President of Life Pacific University and licensed therapist, about the intersection of psychology, discipleship, and spiritual authority. Together they explore anxiety, trauma, identity, Gen Z's mental health crisis, and how ordinary believers can help others find freedom by breaking agreement with lies and embracing the truth of God...

In this episode, Jessie talks with Nathan Brewer about fivefold ministry, APEST, and how apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers help us see the fullness of Jesus in the world. Nathan shares how these gifts are not just ministry roles or another personality test, but part of our identity, vocation, and wiring in Christ. Together they explore how our passions, frustrations, energy,...

In this episode of the Ordinary Discipleship Podcast, Jessie talks with Daniel Yang of World Relief about refugees, immigrants, trauma, enemy mode, and what it means to follow Jesus in a time when fear and suspicion are shaping so much of our public life. Daniel shares his own family’s refugee story, the work of World Relief, and how the church is called not only to welcome the vulnerable but to r...

Timmy and 'Tisha Hensel share the real story of co-pastoring a church through pain, transition, and slow transformation. They talk about moving from busy, program-driven ministry to a culture of shared ownership, collaborative leadership, and deep, relational discipleship—where more voices are heard and more people carry the weight together. This conversation gets into what it actually costs to le...

This episode explores how naming shapes identity and discipleship at a deep level—spiritually, relationally, and even neurologically. Drawing from Scripture, lived experience, and the themes of Becoming Good News , the conversation traces how the names we receive—both true and false—form our sense of self, and how God invites us into a different story through His voice. They unpack how false ident...

Are we actually good—or just calling something broken “good” and hoping it sticks? In this conversation, we wrestle with sin, identity, and the stories we believe about ourselves, and why discipleship isn’t about behavior management or positive thinking. Julia and Jessie reframe sin as disconnection and false narrative, not just rule-breaking, and show how Jesus meets us there to restore relations...

In this episode, we explore the difference between discipleship as doing and discipleship as receiving—and why that shift changes everything. Jessie and Julia share their own stories of burnout, identity loss, and the quiet invitation to stop striving and start receiving from God’s presence. We talk about anxiety, formation, confession, and how true growth begins not with what we do, but with who...

Discipleship isn’t just about learning more about God, it’s about discovering who we are in relationship with Him. In this episode, Jacob, Jessie Cruikshank, and Julia Schmaltz explore how our understanding of God shapes our understanding of ourselves, and why identity is formed through relationship rather than self-invention. Drawing on Scripture, science, and the story of Moses, they discuss how...

In this episode of The Ordinary Discipleship Podcast, we explore how the stories we carry shape the way we follow Jesus. Jessie Cruickshank and Julia unpack the role of autobiographical memory, false narratives, and the four core storylines of identity, community, maturity, and authority in our spiritual formation. We look at how the Holy Spirit exposes lies we’ve internalized and rewrites our sto...

What if discipleship isn’t about trying harder, learning more, or getting your theology exactly right—but about being reshaped at the level of story and identity? In this episode of The Ordinary Discipleship Podcast , Jacob is joined by Jessie Cruickshank and Julia Schmaltz to explore how God actually forms us. Drawing from their book Becoming Good News , they unpack how discipleship works not pri...

Jessie Cruickshank is joined by Dr Jim Wilder, a renowned psychologist at the intersection of theology and brain science. Jessie and Jim delve into attachment theory and discipleship and how our early attachment experiences shape our relationship with God and others, and discover practical insights for fostering joy and creating transformative community. ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discip...

Jessie Cruickshank and Jamie and Donna Winship dive deep into the transformative concept of finding true rest in God. Through their wisdom and personal experiences, they share how understanding your identity in Him can bring peace, purpose, and clarity in a world full of noise and distraction. Join us as we explore what it truly means to rest in God, letting go of striving and embracing the freedo...

What if the church’s leadership crisis isn’t a failure of character, but a failure of systems? In this conversation, Jesse Cruikshank sits down with longtime friend, pastor, author, and leadership reformer Lance Ford to examine how modern leadership models—largely borrowed from business and industry—have quietly reshaped the church in ways Jesus never intended. Drawing from Lance’s new book The At...

In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank talks with pastor and author Mandy Smith about the quiet, surprising ways God brings renewal through ordinary people and ordinary acts of faith. Mandy shares the unfolding story of her congregation in Brisbane, the deep personal healing she’s experienced in the process, and the unexpected movement sparked by one woman whose life has been transformed by Jesus. To...

In this deeply moving conversation, Jessie sits down with longtime friends Jessica and Andrew Arnold to talk about their journey raising and discipling their daughter Sarah, who is autistic, vibrant, socially curious, and wonderfully unique. The Arnolds open up about Sarah’s early diagnosis, the beauty and complexity of her faith, and the ways they’ve learned to release expectations, trust God, an...

In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank sits down with her friend and fellow leader Tracy Matthews for a rich, grounding conversation on what it means to cultivate spiritual attunement in life and leadership. Tracy shares vivid imagery God gave her during prayer—living water seeping into dry, cracked places—and invites us into a way of leading that begins not with planning and striving, but with prese...

In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank sits down with Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw to explore their new book Landscapes of the Soul —a beautiful and practical guide to understanding attachment theory through the lens of faith and discipleship. Together, they unpack what it means to live with secure, insecure, or disorganized attachment, reframed as landscapes of the soul: the pasture, the jungle, the deser...

In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank sits down with evangelist and disciple-maker Mike Wiggin to talk about surrender, grace, and what it truly means to follow Jesus. Mike shares his powerful story of moving from legalism to life—how an encounter with grace changed everything—and why he’s passionate about helping people not just believe in Jesus, but actually surrender to Him. Together, they unpack...

Discipleship isn’t a skill to master—it’s a story to be lived. In this episode, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank unpack why so many churches reduce discipleship to a series of classes or leadership pipelines, and how that misses the heart of transformation. Together they explore the difference between leadership training and true discipleship, why one-size-fits-all programs leave people behind...

In this episode of Ordinary Discipleship , Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank dive into the vital practice of listening in discipleship. Too often, leaders rush to “fix” problems rather than truly hearing the heart of the person in front of them - or what the Holy Spirit might be saying in the moment. The conversation explores: Why listening requires humility, presence, and discernment The dange...

Is real change possible, or are we just learning new ways to cope? In this episode of the Ordinary Discipleship Podcast , Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank dive into the deep work of transformation through Jesus. Together they explore how discipleship is not about behavior modification or memorizing verses, but about being recreated by the Holy Spirit. The conversation wrestles with the tension...

Relationships are messy and that’s by design. In this episode of the Ordinary Discipleship Podcast , Chris, Jacob, and Jessie dive into why conflict isn’t something to avoid but a key part of how God shapes us in community. From roller derby and MMA stories to real-life church leadership challenges, they unpack how healthy conflict can actually strengthen relationships, clarify communication, and...

So many of us have been handed a one-size-fits-all blueprint for connecting with God—quiet times at dawn, journaling in solitude, structured study. But what happens when that doesn’t work for you? Does that mean something’s wrong with you? Or with your faith? In this episode, Chris, Jacob, and Jesse dive into the reality that not everyone connects with God in the same way—and that’s not just okay,...

What does it really mean to grow as a disciple of Jesus and are we starting in the right place? In this episode, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank unpack the “Five Cs” of discipleship: Christ, Community, Character, Calling, and Competency. Together, they explore why starting with a skills assessment or plugging people into ministry roles based on talent can short-circuit the deeper work of iden...