“[Grief] is going to stay there whether we want it to orrecognize it or not. Grief finds its way into our bones and if we don’t address it, if we don’t hold it, if we don’t find ways to metabolize it, it’ll remain and more times than not it comes out sideways.” Grief is a part of life, but too often, we don’t make space for it—especially in the church. In this episode, hosts Steven Carrizal and Cheryl Russell talk with Ben Ries, a hospital chaplain, about the importance of grief and lament. Why ...
Apr 16, 2025•44 min•Season 6Ep. 2
There comes a time in every seeker’s life when the well runs dry, when prayer feels hollow, scripture feels distant, and the certainty that once steadied our steps begins to shift like sand beneath our feet. In those moments, we do not need more noise, more answers, or more tasks to complete. Weneed a companion; a wise and patient listener who can help us hear the voice of God again. In this episode of Discipleship Conversations , hosts Cheryl Russell and Tiffany Dahlman welcome Dr. Mallory Wyck...
Mar 19, 2025•45 min•Season 6Ep. 1
In this episode, hosts Cheryl Russell and Tiffany Dahlman dive into a critical and timely topic as they interview Collin Packer to explore a challenging topic that is on many of our minds in this season: Christian nationalism. We are just scratching the surface in this conversation as we discuss how Christian nationalism distorts the gospel, damages the church's witness, and poses significant challenges for pastors today. We also explore practical steps for navigating these difficult waters in t...
Sep 11, 2024•40 min•Season 5Ep. 19
In the latest episode of Discipleship Conversations, Cheryl Russell and Tiffany Dahlman, sit down with Dr. Sara Barton to delve into the spiritual lives of emerging adults. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in higher education as a university chaplain and campus minister, Sara shares her insights into the unique challenges and rewards of walking alongside college students. We explore key characteristics of emerging adults, their thoughts about identity and faith, and the impact of cultural ...
Aug 16, 2024•47 min•Season 5Ep. 18
How does one become a missionary without ever leaving the country or even leaving town? Brandon Bell might be wondering the same thing as he finds himself back in the town where he went to college to become a coach and teacher. In this conversation we talk about Brandon’s journey of discipleship, how he got into ministry, his take on campus ministry as an opportunity to be a missionary, his passion for training students and young adults for mission, and his new book. Brandon is the Director of C...
Jul 10, 2024•41 min•Season 5Ep. 17
In this episode of Discipleship Conversations, hosts Steven Carrizal and Cheryl Russell are joined by Dr. Shawna Songer Gaines, lead pastor at Trevecca Christian Community and author of "Pastor as Midwife." Dr. Songer Gaines shares her unique perspective on how midwifery, one of the oldest vocations, provides a timeless and powerful metaphor for leadership that centers on service, empowerment, and following the lead of others. Reflecting on her research and experiences, Shawna discusses how midw...
Jun 11, 2024•37 min•Season 5Ep. 16
Join us in this enlightening episode of Discipleship Conversations as we delve into the realm of vocational formation with Dr. Chris Cobbler, a seasoned missional theologian and the newly appointed executive director of the Center for Vocational Formation at ACU Dallas online. Dr. Cobbler brings a wealth of experience and passion to the table as he shares his vision for helping individuals recognize their vocations as integral parts of God's mission. Drawing from his extensive background in theo...
Mar 27, 2024•49 min•Season 5Ep. 15
Join hosts Tiffany Dahlman, Steven Carrizal, and Jeremy Hoover in the latest episode of "Discipleship Conversations," where they engage in a thought-provoking discussion on the pressing issue of church decline and the innovative ways that some Christian faith communities are responding. The hosts engage with an article by Chris Flanders from Mission Alive's Reimagining Church series titled: “Kainos Koinonias: How Innovative Faith Communities Embody the Missio Dei.” In the article, Chris challeng...
Feb 21, 2024•45 min•Season 5Ep. 14
Are you a Christian parent with an emerging adult child that is choosing a different faith than you expected? Are you an emerging adult discovering spiritual renewal as you find a path to faith and spirituality apart from the tradition of your youth? Many Christian families are experiencing a change in their family faith dynamic as emerging adults discover their own path to faith and spirituality. On this episode of Discipleship Conversations, we talk with guests Greg Taylor and Jacob Taylor, a ...
Jan 26, 2024•45 min•Season 5Ep. 13
It is the season of Advent! Check out our latest podcast episode as hosts Steven Carrizal, Tiffany Dahlman, Cheryl Russell, and Jeremy Hoover, discuss Advent and what it has meant to them personally and in their ministries. Whether you're a seasoned Advent enthusiast or new to the tradition, we invite you to listen to this "Discipleship Conversation" as we consider the meaning of Advent, share personal stories, and discuss the timeless themes of the season. Advent isn't just about lighting candl...
Dec 13, 2023•34 min•Season 5Ep. 12
Walking the Camino de Santiago, as Kevin & Shelly Huddleston did (see Season 5 Episode 10 ), is a big undertaking. But what if we could see pilgrimage and the lessons of pilgrimage in the everyday of our lives. In this episode, the hosts have a roundtable discussion about finding and implementing pilgrimage in our ministry contexts....
Nov 08, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Each day between two and three thousand people arrive in Santiago, Spain as pilgrims. This past summer, Kevin and Shelly Huddleston were two among that number on July 13 as they along with a small group of friends completed a 14-day walk on the Camino de Santiago. In this episode, we talk the two of them about their pilgrimage experience—about how they were formed by daily prayer, an expanding understanding of community, and the expected and surprising presence of God. Kevin & Shelly Huddles...
Oct 11, 2023•51 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Note: Towards the end of this podcast a mention is made of domestic violence. “We are all prodigals.” With this statement, Greg Ross Taylor encourages us to take a new look at perhaps the greatest parable Jesus ever told. In this episode we talk to Greg about his new book Prodigals: Finding Home When We’ve Lost the Way (Leafwood Publishers) . Rather than dividing the world into prodigals and nonprodigals, Greg invites us to find ourselves in the teaching of Jesus as either younger or elder sibli...
Sep 06, 2023•45 min•Season 5Ep. 9
“When we say that God is up to something in our neighborhood, that’s no just abstract or theoretical. That’s a broad way of describing very specific stories that are just waiting to be heard.” Wondering what those stories could be, Wayne Beason decided to ask. What he stumbled on something surprising. While many churches see themselves as God’s way of working in the neighborhood, Wayne discovered that God was already at work in their neighborhood sending neighbors to bring his church something t...
Jul 26, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 8
“To be a disciple of Jesus is to love what Jesus loves, and Jesus loves creation.” Why is a large portion of one of the most spiritually rich generation of emerging adults leaving their faith? Falon Barton suggests that it is because their churches (and religion in general) are not addressing their strong value in justice. As one very connected to the season of emerging adults herself, one of Falon’s big questions has been about environmental justice. In this episode we talk with Falon about cre...
Jul 05, 2023•53 min•Season 5Ep. 7
“It wasn’t until I stepped on my yoga mat where I was able to reconnect with God in a deeper, more authentic way.” Following an intense dark night of the soul that had him questioning life and faith, Steven Brice found renewal in his relationship with God through the practice of yoga and meditation. As CEO of Yoga 4 Philly , Steven has found a way to do incarnational ministry in the world. As an adjunct Bible/Ministry instructor with ACU, Steven brings an engaging perspective and style that capt...
Jun 14, 2023•43 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Kenosis. This is the word that describes the self-emptying love of Jesus which, for Dr. Cheryl Russell, is the basis for a reoriented theology of power and privilege. This reorientation of power and privilege seen in the life and ministry of Jesus is then a foundation for what Cheryl calls an egalitarian priesthood of all believers. What she found in her recently completed Doctor of Ministry project ( "The Spiritual Impact of Female Pastoral Leadership on Members of New Heritage Fellowship") , w...
May 31, 2023•41 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Note to listeners: This podcast contains a discussion about spiritual and church abuse. Charles Kiser and Elaine Heath help us gain a new understanding about what evangelism is and what it means to be a Christian leader in environments of spiritual abuse and trauma. What they share is perhaps a model for Christian leadership and evangelism in any environment. Listen in as they talk with our hosts about their new book Trauma-Informed Evangelism . In this episode you will hear how the book came to...
May 10, 2023•51 min•Season 5Ep. 4
“A lot of my experiences with God were very supernatural, full of the Holy Spirit. I didn’t necessarily have a context for that growing up as a Church of Christ kid in Abilene, TX. So being able to express that and experience that now feels like coming home.” In this episode, Kelly Edmiston talks about pastoring theologically diverse people in a charismatic-liturgical church and being formed by the Spirit on a beautiful and messy journey toward healing, wholeness, and home. Kelly is the Lead Pas...
Apr 26, 2023•58 min•Season 5Ep. 3
What does it mean to be a church before building a church? To focus on ministry rather than property? This has been the focus of Chidube Nkiruka’s recent work with his church, Charleston Metropolitan Church of Christ in Charleston, SC. In this episode, Chidube walks us through the way he led Charleston Metro on a discernment process that brought them to right ministries for their church family. Chidube is the lead minister for Charleston Metropolitan Church of Christ in Charleston, SC and serves...
Apr 12, 2023•55 min•Season 5Ep. 2
A new season brings a new host. Jeremy and Steven welcome Tiffany Dahlman to the hosting team as they look forward to new perspectives in the conversation and a broader network of potential guests. In this episode, they return to the conversation about the words “disciple” and “discipleship” as they are used or experienced in each of their contexts. Tiffany is the lead minister for Courtyard Church of Christ in Fayetteville, NC as well as program director for the Bachelor of Science in Christian...
Mar 29, 2023•25 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Mission Alive has been in the church planting work for the better part of the past couple of decades . However, over the past 18 months they have been re-envisioning what it means to plant churches. What’s starting to emerge is a conversation about forming innovative faith communities (ICFs) in marginalized communities. What does this look like? In this episode Tod Vogt , Executive Director of Mission Alive , gives up a peek into a new vision taking shape with Mission Alive. Does this sound inte...
Mar 15, 2023•48 min•Season 4Ep. 23
“I began looking for a way to improve my ability to have conversations with people that didn’t come across as me trying to change their mind, came across more authentically to be able to relate to folks in a way that honored them.” This is how Steve Shaffer got into coaching. In this episode, we discover what coaching is, the theological basis for it, and how it is different from counseling and mentoring. Steve Shaffer is Director of Coaching and Discipleship with Mission Alive and the minister ...
Feb 08, 2023•50 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Honor the person. See them as human. Be gentle and gracious. Listen deeply. These are core values Darryl Canty keeps in mind when having discipleship conversations with anyone but especially when engaging people in the LGBTQ+ community. Darryl’s passion is to be a safe conversation partner in the midst of a fractured and difficult relationship between the church and the LGBTQ+ community. Darry Canty is the Lead Pastor for Arbor Bridge Church in Ann Arbor, MI. Darryl loves God, people, and thinki...
Jan 25, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Cultivating the practice of listening to God into a habit that becomes a part of who we are and how we approach the circumstances of life takes time. As Chris Wiginton discovered, Discipleship Cohorts is a resource that sets us on that path whether it is our first time through as a participant or experiencing one multiple times with different groups as a facilitator. DCs are not a program, not a script for life, but a catalyst for continual growth as followers of Jesus no matter if we are new to...
Dec 28, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 20
When it comes to women in ministry, two prohibitive New Testament passages unfortunately provide all the clarity and certainty some people need. However, Cheryl Russell and Tiffany Dahlman suggest a different approach—moving from pattern to story. We do this by opening the Bible wide, tapping into its full wisdom, and developing a theology from the stories throughout its pages about women living, working, and interacting with the mission of God. Tiffany Dalhman is the lead minister for Courtyard...
Dec 14, 2022•39 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Small Churches, Shared Spaces, and the Powerful Work of the Holy Spirit – A Conversation with Cheryl Russell & Tiffany Dahlman Often leadership is determined by who is out front. Cheryl Russell and Tiffany Dahlman give us a perspective of leadership as being alongside. The power of this kind of leadership can be seen in the way they invite people in their respective churches to significant participation in the worship service—a participation not only fosters a greater sense of mutuality in e...
Nov 30, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 18
“My definition of prayer: prayer is the reality of God. That’s what makes God real. Like having conversation, conversation you can have with your best friend.” – Jacqueline King What does it mean to call Jesus your friend? How does one begin to nurture such a relationship? In this episode, Jacqueline, Steven’s longtime friend and prayer mentor, shares what she has learned from a lifetime of experience, as well as more recent training in the practices of centering prayer and lectio divina . Jacqu...
Nov 16, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Bob has become a better listener in marriage and ministry. Michelle is pursuing a spiritual direction certificate with The Caritas Center . The Singing Oaks Church family is learning to slow down and listen for the voice of God. In this episode the Bentleys talk with Jeremy and Steven about how Discipleship Cohorts gave them new practices that awakened a new passion to listen to God in their lives which, in turn, has had a great impact in their marriage, ministry, and church family. Bob and Mich...
Nov 02, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Like many young couples, the Bentleys began marriage with visions of a somewhat typical American life. However, very quickly they could see something different unfolding as they stepped into new opportunities and took on new challenges. In this episode Bob and Michele talk with Jeremy and Steven about their journey from nursing and accounting professions in Texas to becoming church planters in Tanzania—a journey in which a short-term mission trip to India solidified a passion and calling God put...
Oct 19, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 15
