In this conversation, Brian and Cory talk about microchurches, emphasizing their identity as spiritual families rather than programs or buildings. We want to offer some answers around the question, "What does a microchurch look like?" and "What are their rhythms?" So we'll get into the conversation of our ecclesial minimums of worship, community, and mission. And we'll give you an overview of a couple of tools we use to coach leaders on facilitating the "worship" component of a microchurch. The ...
Dec 10, 2024•23 min•Ep. 241
In this conversation, Brian and Cory explore the tool of Discovery Bible Studies and talk about the significance of DBS in disciple-making movements. We cannot overemphasize the simplicity and reproducibility of this tool as we think about movement. We also highlight dbsgroups.com as a valuable tool for facilitating DBS. This site is easy to access and can be used to facilitate discovery groups or used by microchurches to facilitate their gatherings. We'll show you how to use the site and coach ...
Dec 03, 2024•27 min•Ep. 240
In this episode, Cory Ozbun and Upashaker Gurung explore the significance of extraordinary prayer and fasting in both personal and communal contexts. Upas shares his inspiring journey from Nepal to Kansas City, highlighting the transformative power of prayer in his life and community. Cory and Upas emphasize the need for desperation in prayer, the impact of unified prayer efforts, and the importance of maintaining a deep dependence on God in ministry. We believe prayer precedes movements, and if...
Nov 26, 2024•39 min•Ep. 239
In this episode, Cory McElvain and Cory Ozbun discuss the significance of gospel conversations and the tools available for effective disciple-making. We emphasize the importance of initiating spiritual discussions and the dynamics of casual, meaningful, and spiritual conversations, and we introduce the 'FROG' acrostic as a practical tool for engaging in deeper dialogues. We also cover the value of sharing personal stories and how to invite others to explore their spiritual questions in a natural...
Nov 19, 2024•34 min•Ep. 238
In this episode, Brian and Cory take a yearly pause to invite you to partner financially with the Kansas City Underground, a network of disciple makers and microchurches dedicated to filling our city with the beauty, justice, and Good News of Jesus. We want to encourage you to visit kcunderground.org/tomorrow and check out the initiatives launching by the Hub Teams across Kansas City so that you can pray for these teams and consider how you might partner with us as we fund these new works....
Nov 12, 2024•15 min•Ep. 237
In this episode, Brian and Cory discusses the BLESS Rhythms as a practical approach to living out one's faith in everyday life. This acrostic is a helpful tool to remind of the five incarnational rhythms of Jesus: Begin in Prayer, Listen and Engage, Eat, Serve and Story. We'll give you a biblical foundation for the BLESS Rhythms, an overview of how we integrate them into every day life and encourage you to adopt these rhythms intentionally to enhance and accelerate mission in your context....
Nov 05, 2024•24 min•Ep. 236
In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the concept of the 'Person of Peace' within the context of the Missionary Pathway. We emphasize the importance of finding individuals who are spiritually open and relationally connected to facilitate the spread of the gospel. We talk about practical steps for identifying and engaging with these individuals, the role of miracles in this process, and how to effectively communicate the message of Jesus.
Oct 29, 2024•26 min•Ep. 235
In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the themes of collaboration and community building in our city, drawing parallels to NASA's successful model of teamwork and goal-oriented projects as documented in the monograph "The Flat Org Chart" by Dan Pallotta. This is part tow of the conversation we started last week, talking about the importance of restoring the spiritual soil of cities, overcoming barriers to collaboration, and practical steps for fostering unity among various organizations and in...
Oct 22, 2024•31 min•Ep. 234
In this episode, Brian and Cory explore the idea of cultivating kingdom ecosystems. The truth is, this is a random one-off episode that we felt pressed to record after discussing the film The Biggest Little Farm, a documentary about sustainable farming. This film, that was all about the significance of biodiversity in restoration, provided so many affirmations that pursuing the smaller way through disciple-making and microchurches is how Jesus will bring the Kingdom in a city to restore the soil...
Oct 15, 2024•35 min•Ep. 233
In this episode, Cory and Brian will walk through the tool of prayer walking. This is another important tool in Phase 1 of the Missionary Pathway of prayer and fasting. We use prayer walking as a tool for community engagement and spiritual authority. We'll explore the concept of intercession, the significance of understanding one's mission field, and the balance between spiritual warfare and relational outreach. Prayer walking helps us to engage both spiritually and physically in our communities...
Oct 08, 2024•16 min•Ep. 232
In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the importance of effective prayer tools in disciple-making movements by highlighting a tool we've found very helpful in our training in Kansas City. We call it the Bless Five tool. Most of us have been taught intercessory prayer and that's primarily the way we pray. We haven't been taught declarative prayer, emphasizing the authority believers have in prayer as agents of the Kingdom of God. While you can find this tool in the Missionary Pathway training, ...
Oct 01, 2024•22 min•Ep. 231
In this episode, Cory and Brian walk through a tool called "Moving from a Discovery Group to a Microchurch." This has been a helpful tool for groups of people as they identify and affirm themselves as a church based on the activities and characteristics described in Acts 2:36-47. We want to emphasize that church is not a program, but an identity, and that this tool helps groups understand what it means to live into that identity. We also discuss how this tool can be used with different group siz...
Sep 24, 2024•29 min•Ep. 230
In this episode, Brian and Cory reflect on the podcast series we've been in for the last year where we've explored the 15 observations in urban disciple-making movements, a study conducted by TwoFourEight. This episode is a look back over the last year and highlighting some key-learnings from the interviews. It's been incredible to see how many of these are such a high value for us as a network, and to see how many in which we still have room for growth. We hope these have been helpful episodes ...
Sep 17, 2024•27 min•Ep. 229
In this episode, Brian and Cory discuss the importance of creating intentional and consistent rhythms of connection in disciple making movements. This is observation #15 from TwoFourEight's document on the 15 Observations found in urban disciple-making movements. TwoFourEight discovered in their interviews the need for consistency at every level of engagement, from individual disciples to microchurches and networks. We highlight the challenge of maintaining consistency in a busy and individualis...
Sep 10, 2024•38 min•Ep. 228
In this episode, Cory Ozbun interviews Mark Thrash, president of NOVO, a band of creative missionaries sent to multiply movements of the gospel and mobilize the church for that mission around the world. Cory and Mark discuss the concept of team in the context of disciple-making and highlight the need for shared goals, accountability, and celebration of both big and small wins. Most helpful in this conversation is the introduction of the concept of Cave-Table-Road rhythms, which emphasize intimac...
Sep 03, 2024•37 min•Ep. 227
In this episode, Cory and Brian interview Jessica Harris as she shares her journey of discovering her identity in the Kingdom and how it transformed her approach to ministry. Jessica emphasizes the importance of being filled with God's love and allowing it to flow through us to others. Jessica and her husband have created a space in their home where they host community groups, Bible studies, and worship nights, fostering authentic and vulnerable connections. They have a vision to build a communi...
Aug 27, 2024•38 min•Ep. 226
In this episode, Brian and Cory walk through the nine paradigm shifts that are necessary if we want to see a disciple-making movement. We have included these shifts in our Missionary Pathway Primer as well. These paradigm shifts challenge traditional approaches to evangelism, discipleship, and many of our western church forms and encourage a more holistic and movement-oriented perspective. We aim to share how these are grounded in Scripture and have formed us as a movement in Kansas City....
Aug 20, 2024•38 min•Ep. 225
In this episode, Cory and Brian walk through the relational circles of Jesus and how it can be applied to disciple-making. Jesus was a master at relationships and he didn't try to move between multiple contexts like we often do in our daily life. He aligned his relational context to maximize the time with those He was discipling. There are five primary spaces in which Jesus lived his life: the crowds, the 72, the 12, the 3, and the one-on-one time He shared with His Father. We emphasize the impo...
Aug 13, 2024•31 min•Ep. 224
In this episode, Cory and Brian walk through a tool that we use regularly in the Missionary Pathway Huddle that we call The Matthew 28 Exercise . This tool helps us explore the four commands that Jesus gave within the Great Commission and is a fast way to help people consider what we've been called to do as followers of Jesus versus what our church paradigms in which we've existed have done instead. This exercise is not intended to criticize everything we've done. We know that we need many of th...
Aug 06, 2024•24 min•Ep. 223
In this episode, Brian and Cory explore observation number fourteen from TwoFourEight's research on the top 15 observations from urban disciple-making movements. This observation emphasizes the importance of creating ongoing team learning environments with application and reflection in disciple-making movements. We reflect on our own experiences and challenges in implementing this practice and highlight the need for consistent rhythms of learning together. While we haven't been amazing at this r...
Jul 30, 2024•29 min•Ep. 222
In this episode, Brian and Cory explore observation number thirteen from TwoFourEight's research on the top 15 observations from urban disciple-making movements. This observation makes that point that we should not look for the silver bullet in disciple-making or focus too much on repeating programs. We should look for the underlying biblical principles and then build adaptive practices. We won't always be able to use the same tools and models in every context, but we can pay attention to how bi...
Jul 23, 2024•32 min•Ep. 221
In this episode, Cory interviews Cayden Sommer and Sam Leichty, leaders with Awaken. Awaken is an emerging initiative with the KC Underground geared toward mobilizing young adults to live on mission and make disciples. Cayden and Sam share stories of how Jesus is currently working through them in their contexts and what they are hoping for this next season. You can feel hear their passion as they have embraced disciple-making movement principles and practices and have seen family and friends tak...
Jul 16, 2024•34 min•Ep. 220
In this episode, Brian interviews a local KC Underground Hub director, Morgan Greer. Morgan and his family helped plant Serve Community Church in 2017, but their leadership team journeyed through a paradigm shift in 2021 to pursue becoming a decentralized network of disciple-makers and microchurches that joined the KC Underground. Morgan shares how he integrates disciple making into his everyday life, including coaching his son's soccer team and leading a Discovery Bible Study in a youth detenti...
Jul 09, 2024•36 min•Ep. 219
In this episode Brian interviews Nick Herringshaw, a network leader in the Twin Cities area to talk about the ideas around Leading By Example Into the Harvest. Nick has been in Frogtown for the last ten years. In the shadow of the capitol, Frogtown is a mix of politicians and houseless people, and everything in between. Nick shares how Jesus called him to this area and the journey he's been on, developing a passion for relational evangelism. Nick embodies the truth that we can't outsource discip...
Jul 02, 2024•36 min•Ep. 218
In this conversation, Brian and Cory discuss the importance of leading by example into the harvest and staying engaged with the lost and broken. We emphasize the need for both ordinary believers and network leaders to actively pursue relationships with non-believers and avoid becoming too inward-focused. We also highlight the importance of staying fresh, sharp, and radical by continually engaging in the harvest and adapting tools and strategies to the current cultural context. Take Aways Leaders...
Jun 25, 2024•35 min•Ep. 217
In this episode Brian, Cory, and Darryl Answer discuss the importance of coaching ordinary people within the context of New Community, a Hub within the Kansas City Underground. Darryl shares his background and the various roles he plays, including being a coach and a hub director. We talk about the challenges of coaching, such as finding time to connect and overcoming the mindset of waiting for permission. Darryl emphasizes the need for imagination and the role of a coach in helping people step ...
Jun 18, 2024•34 min•Ep. 216
The conversation with Wendy McWherter delves into the world of coaching and disciple-making, exploring the overlap between coaching and adult learning models. Wendy shares the nine competencies of coaching and the five questions that form the backbone of a coaching conversation. The discussion emphasizes the importance of a coaching mindset and the theological foundation of coaching, drawing parallels to the way Jesus engaged with his disciples. The conversation also touches on the practical app...
Jun 11, 2024•44 min•Ep. 215
In this episode Cory and Brian interview Zachary Harrod. Zachary shares his journey of faith and life in Prague, discussing his involvement in American football, coaching, and church planting. The conversation delves into the challenges of discipleship in a post-Christian context and the importance of vulnerability in building relationships and sharing faith. The missionary pathway and the concept of the 15-second story are explored as tools for engaging in spiritual conversations. We also explo...
Jun 04, 2024•52 min•Ep. 214
In this episode, Cory and Brian interview Brian Phipps, director of Disciples Made and a board member of the KC Underground. Brian Phipps discusses the importance of coaching disciple-making leaders to pursue their God-given goals. He shares his own journey of shifting from a traditional model of ministry to a focus on disciple multiplication. Phipps emphasizes the need for ongoing coaching and accountability, as well as the importance of character and calling in the coaching relationship. He al...
May 28, 2024•37 min•Ep. 213
In this episode, Brian and Cory interview Sara Jackaway, a director of the Serve Hub with KC Underground. We discuss the importance of ongoing coaching in urban disciple-making movements. Sara shares her background in counseling and church planting, highlighting the significance of caring for the whole family unit and helping individuals become fully alive in Jesus. We explore the role of coaching in supporting and empowering everyday leaders in their mission and context. Sara emphasizes the imp...
May 21, 2024•40 min•Ep. 212
