Discipleship: Building a Culture, Not a Curriculum Bonhoeffer Project (feat. Dan Leitz)

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Building a Disciple-Making Culture with Dan Lights | Discipleship Insights

Have questions like how to develop a discipleship culture in your church? Well then this episode is for you. 

Join Matt Dabbs from Discipleship.org as he sits down with Dan Lights, CEO of The Bonhoeffer Project, to delve into the transformative journey of creating a disciple-making culture. Dan shares his personal experiences and challenges in shifting from a curriculum-based approach to fostering a robust, intentional church environment that prioritizes disciple-making. Learn the importance of examining your church's soil, the stages of change, and practical steps for defining and implementing a disciple-making strategy. Whether you're a pastor or a church member, this conversation offers valuable insights for anyone committed to nurturing a thriving community of disciples.

Check out Discipleship.org for resources on disciple-making: https://discipleship.org/resources/ 

Check out Discipleship.org Audio Books: https://discipleship.org/resources/ebooks/ 

Key Takeaways

00:00 Introduction to Discipleship Culture

05:15 Examining and Cultivating Church Soil

07:51 The Role of Patience in Discipleship

15:01 Navigating Change in Church Culture

17:23 Adapting to New Normals

21:50 Understanding the Process of Change in Churches

28:04 Handling Resistance and Cultural Change

36:00 The Bonhoeffer Project and Its Impact

42:44 Encouragement for Leaders and Church Members

 

Resources on Disciple Making Culture 

Disciple Making Culture Visual Introduction

Cultivating a Disciple-Making Culture at Your Church

Disciple-Making Culture

See below for a longer description: 

In this episode of the Bonhoeffer Project, Matt from Discipleship.org interviews Dan Leitz, the CEO of the Bonhoeffer Project. Dan shares his insights into how discipleship should be viewed not merely as a curriculum but as a culture that requires intentionality and time to foster. He begins by explaining his journey from being a task-driven individual who once believed that having a robust curriculum would be enough for disciple-making. Dan learned that while curriculum is important, it is not the core of discipleship; developing a culture of discipleship within the church is crucial.

Drawing inspiration from the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:3-9, Dan emphasizes that the soil represents the culture of the heart and the church. For effective discipleship, the church's culture—like the soil—must be examined, developed, and nurtured to be fertile for growth. He recounts his experience of attending the Disciple Making Forum in 2019 and realizing that a solid curriculum alone would not suffice without a supportive culture.

Dan elaborates on the time-consuming nature of building a disciple-making culture, stating that while programs and curriculums might offer quick fixes, they do not address underlying cultural issues. He talks about the four stages of change—panic, adaptation, new normal, and a state where people wouldn't go back—that people and churches undergo during a cultural shift.

He highlights practical steps to foster a disciple-making culture, such as defining terms clearly to ensure everyone in the church understands what is meant by discipleship, and living out the change you want to see. Dan stresses the importance of leadership having a kingdom mentality, focusing not on quick success but long-term faithfulness and fruitfulness.

Dan also discusses the Bonhoeffer Project's 10-month cohort model, which helps pastors and ministry leaders develop a disciple-making plan by re-examining the gospel, understanding Jesus's methods, and crafting a personalized strategy. This process involves collaboration with other leaders to mitigate pitfalls and share best practices. The program has been broken into three modules to offer flexibility, allowing participants to complete it according to their schedules.

Furthermore, Dan advises that not everyone will initially support or stick with the cultural changes. Leaders must be prepared for resistance and attrition but should remain committed to the long-term goals. He encourages leaders to get their congregational leaders and members on board and emphasizes the value of patience and perseverance in cultural transformation.

The episode concludes with Dan encouraging pastors and church members to press into the challenge of cultural change and support their leaders, emphasizing that discipleship needs to be a central focus in today's church environment. He stresses the necessity for prayer, support, and affirmation from church members to help leaders feel less isolated and more empowered in their mission.

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