Re-Discovering E-DNA | 2025 National Disciple Making Forum (Jason Shepperd)

Get access to all of our 2025 National Disciple Making Forum Content: disciplemakerspodcast.supercast.com

Church Project Track Session 1: Re-Discovering E-DNA

Jesus started this beautiful thing called "church," not man. And, He and His followers led and modeled how he intended for church to be lived out. Rather than the latest church growth book or contextually-based model, it is time to return to the ways Jesus intended for His Church to be lived out as seen in the example of the Early Church.

Rethinking Church: From Traditional to Transformative - A Journey of Rediscovery

In this session, the speaker shares his 15-year journey of founding and developing Church Project. Growing up in a small fundamental Southern Baptist church in Tyler, Texas, he initially misunderstood the gospel's breadth. Through years of college, internships, and pastoral work, he grappled with his frustrations and God's calling. After leaving traditional church settings, he started Church Project with a mission to return to the church's original intent. The session dives into the importance of decentralizing from primary places and priests, distributing pastoral leadership, and fostering diverse discipleship communities. Through biblical references, especially Titus chapter one, the speaker explains the foundational elements needed to create effective and healthy church communities. Join this transformative discussion that challenges conventional ecclesiology and aims to shape a more inclusive, decentralized, and dynamic church model.

Key Takeaways

00:00 The Beginnings of Church Product

00:45 Discovering the True Gospel

00:54 From Pre-Med to Ministry

01:46 A Frustrated Calling

03:46 The Birth of Church Product

04:29 Rethinking Church

05:12 Understanding Ecclesiology

05:59 Paul's Instructions to Titus

18:22 Distributed Pastoral Leadership

23:22 Diverse Discipleship Communities

26:46 Q&A Session

27:50 Introduction to the Sessions

28:10 The Role of the Building

29:11 Centralization vs. Decentralization

29:53 Gathering Spaces and Their Use

33:41 House Churches and Accountability

38:16 Challenges and Solutions in House Churches

49:43 The Importance of Corporate Gatherings

57:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Get Discipleship.org's premium Podcast Feed: disciplemakerspodcast.supercast.com

Check out the following eBooks from Discipleship.org:

-- What Is Church? And How Important Is It?

discipleship.org/shop/what-is-church-and-how-i…

-- Family Discipleship Blueprint: A Year-by-Year Guide to Family Discipleship

discipleship.org/shop/family-discipleship-blue…

-- Becoming a Disciple Maker

discipleship.org/shop/becoming-a-disciple-maker

-- National Study: The State of Disciple Making Churches: A 10 Minute Visual Guide

discipleship.org/shop/national-study-the-state…

-- Reaching & Discipling Women: A Guide to Women’s Ministry in Your Church

discipleship.org/shop/reaching-discipling-wome…

Check out the following Books from Discipleship.org:

-- The Discipleship Gospel

himpublications.com/product/the-discipleship-g…

-- Disciple-Making Culture

himpublications.com/product/disciple-making-cu…

-- Recreated to Be like God: Making Disciples in the Image of Jesus

a.co/d/6DDvUrC

-- King Jesus and the Beauty of Obedience-Based Discipleship

a.co/d/7d85z6T

-- The Disciple Maker's Handbook: Seven Elements of a Discipleship Lifestyle

a.co/d/4ZHIbQz

Take the FREE Disciple Maker Assessment:

church-multiplication.com/disciplemaker

Come to the The National Disciple Making Forum: discipleship.org/national-disciple-making-forum

Stay informed - Get our newsletter:

eepurl.com/hPViAr

Listen - Disciple Maker's Podcast:

discipleship.org/resources/podcast