Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with Pastor Keith Lindsey and Dr. Pastor Hall from Inspire Church, a great church in Greenville, SC. Their dedication to discipleship and their innovative use of NewStart Discipleship resources have led to remarkable growth and engagement within their congregation.
During our discussion, Pastor Lindsey and Dr. Hall shared insights into their discipleship strategies, the impact of mentorship, and the creative ways they have encouraged participation. I love to see it!
Below is the video and then a full transcript of our encouraging conversation, along with some presentation slides that they provided.
Click here to read a case study of Inspire Church, and their revolution of their discipleship process.
The Interview:
The Condensed Transcript
Darrell Stetler II: There we go, hey! I'm here with Pastor Keith Lindsay and Dr. Pastor Hall. I'm just excited for them to share some things about their church, how they're using Newstart Discipleship materials, and how they're structuring it. Pastor Lindsay, go for it.
Keith Lindsey: Yeah, absolutely. We're from Inspire Church. We've been at this church now for 7 years, excited about what God is doing in our lives and the church. Me and Dr. Hall were talking, and he had a vision for discipleship. Well, in the last few years, the church hadn't had a solid base for discipleship. He shared with me his vision that God had given him about how to create a discipleship format or strategy.
When he showed me this, I was already looking at some of your Newstart discipleship materials. I said, "Say no more." The program was launched, and we started with the Newstart book that you recommend along with the 21-day baptism challenge.
At our church, we came up with a marketing idea. We offer a t-shirt for each book completed and a $10 gift certificate. We purchase food for them, feeling that if God is providing spiritually, we'd also let God provide physically. So far, we've had a great response. People are signing up, and Dr. Hall can share what's been going on in the services each Sunday. We've been giving away certificates of completion and have a mentor program. As soon as someone signs up, we introduce them to their mentor who helps them progress through their workbook. We let them work at their own pace, ensuring they complete it.
Dr. Hall can add some things too.
Dr. Pastor Hall: One of the challenges we all face is that most of our people sit and leave, not getting plugged in. Having pastored for a long time, I struggled with how to get people to progress. Every church has a few who are really on fire for God, but we want to develop well-rounded Christians who understand that life involves more than just the spiritual side. We give them a basis to progress in their lives, measuring it by their interactions with friends, family, finances, and more. Our plan allows them to start anywhere in a wheel format, not a sequential order, aiming to push them into leadership eventually.
Our mentorship here doesn't require a huge commitment. Mentors are there as a spiritual backstop, helping them with any questions. This has helped people feel comfortable and has encouraged them to share their testimonies, which in turn, inspires others to sign up for the program.
Keith Lindsey: Yes, and as we continue to move forward, we trust people to complete their workbooks without checking. It's their workbook, not the mentor.
One cool thing is that we've had a few people who have asked if they can get started with a book for someone who doesn't come to our church but wants to get connected. This shows the power of God's work. We have people in other states that we mail books to, and it's going well. I guess the basic thing is how God put it together for our church.
In a short meeting, Dr. Hall shared his vision for the Salvation Plan. We know baptism isn't any good without first dealing with the cross. So, once they get to the cross, we introduce them to the Newstart book. We encourage them to revisit the Newstart Discipleship book even after being saved and baptized.
We have a few students getting close to leadership roles. Some will go to the mission field, and others will help in local churches. We know some will come in through the front door and go out the front door, and that's what we hope for.
Dr. Pastor Hall: We're close to seeing leaders emerge from this vision. It's exciting to see this plan come to fruition. The wheel analogy is great because it's not about a sequential order; you start where you're interested and go from there. It's been a beautiful thing to see ordinary people share their testimonies with power and conviction.
Darrell Stetler II: Man, guys, that is super encouraging. I appreciate you taking the time to walk me through it and show everybody. For everyone watching, if you're interested in seeing some of those t-shirt designs and things like that, reach out to me. I'll be happy to put you in touch with Pastor Keith and Dr. Hall. Thank you all so much for your time. God bless you!
Keith Lindsey: And we just want to thank you, too, for the materials you put out. This plan wouldn't be working without what you're doing. Your teaching is very practical and down to earth, making it easy to follow. We want to thank you for that.
Darrell Stetler II: I appreciate that. Wishing you all the Lord's best. Keep doing what you're doing. We're on the same team, and I'm blown away by how Jesus puts us all together. Thank God and carry on. I'll look forward to hearing more good reports.
Keith Lindsey: Thank you, Darrell. Thanks a lot. You all have a great day.
Darrell Stetler II: You too. Thanks, bye.