New Churches Podcast How Do I Make Disciples?
Mar 17, 2026
Daniel Santander, a church planter with international, hands-on discipling experience. Matt Smethurst, a pastor skilled in discipleship and church membership. They discuss discipling new converts through shared life and mentoring. They defend early, covenantal membership as a foundation. They offer practical timing and stewardship for launching groups and ministries.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Require Formal Church Membership
- Do require a formal church membership to bind believers into mutual responsibility for one another.
- Matt Smethurst argues membership creates clarity, accountability, and a tangible group the pastor shepherds rather than a loose crowd.
Discipleship Is Imparting Jesus Through Shared Life
- Discipleship is more than information transfer; it's imparting the life of Jesus through shared life and example.
- Daniel Santander and Tony Merida emphasize mentors taking new believers along in everyday practices like budgeting and hospitality.
Use Membership Class Plus Pastoral Interview
- Do run a membership class then follow with a pastoral interview and a written covenant before affirming members publicly.
- Tony Merida describes teaching doctrine, culture, pastoral interview, gospel articulation, and signing a covenant as the process.
