Discipleship has become a buzzword in many Christian circles lately. This isn’t a bad thing; in fact it’s a great thing. Jesus commands all of His followers to make disciples in what’s been nicknamed the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. Sadly, too many have fallen away from this being a commandment to all believers. We have replaced what is our duty by passing the job on to the church staff. This is not only lazy, but I would argue that is disobedient, and therefore, sinful.  ... Read More

What is your new years resolution?  Do you have one?  Or are you like many of us who have resigned trying to keep New Year’s resolutions because we just don’t seem to get very far.  Why do new years resolutions not work?  My pastor once pointed out that these vows of self-discipline typically fall flat because they deal with behavior and not with the heart. So, is there a resolution that we can all make that will engage our hearts and lead to true life change? I think... Read More

Lately, I have been thinking through the purpose of discipleship. I believe that all followers of Christ were given the commission to make disciples of all nations, but I think sometimes we lose sight of the goal of discipleship. Though there are many passages in Scripture that project a proper picture of the goal of discipleship, here are three that have struck me recently. First, 2 Samuel 14:14 – Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not... Read More

When it comes to making disciples, there are two thoughts I always try to emphasize. I addressed the first thought in my first Downline blog entry, Surfboards, Globes, and Total World Impact . The second thought is the subject of this post. A few weeks ago the world population burst through the seven billion mark.  It’s hard to get my mind around the number seven billion. I crunched the numbers and if I went back in time 1 billion seconds ago (a la Back to the Future), I would return... Read More

Training in disciple-making has been the primary international strategy of Downline. I recently read an article by David Livermore, entitled “ American or American’t: A Critical Analysis of Western Training to the World .”   Livermore addresses training as a short-term missions strategy (and our frequent failures and ignorance in pursuit of this strategy). Current statistics show that 85% of pastors globally have had little or no theological training. Many pastors and church leaders do... Read More

Discipleship keeps me young. Not necessarily in a Botox kind of way, but in a way that is visible in my life nevertheless. Fourteen years of knowing the Lord has provided for incredible growth in overall sanctification, but there are elements of my relationship with God that were really special and unique when I first believed. There was an incredible zeal, for example, that gave me courage to do things with boldness that I look back now and can hardly believe.   Despite possessing... Read More

Our logo has changed, but our mission remains the same. Downline equips Christ followers to make disciples by training believers (Institute), rallying the church (Summit), sending ambassadors (Global), providing tools (Resources) and empowering young adults (Emerging Leaders). After the model of Christ, Downline seeks a restoration of Biblical discipleship in and through the local church, to all nations, and for the glory of God. Downline has matured into something only God could have... Read More

If you are reading this it is highly likely you are very familiar with why Downline exists.  After six years it remains our prayer and passion to be a reliable equipping resource for training men and women who desire to engage in biblical discipleship in virtually any context including the church, the home, and the community.   Something you may not be familiar with, however, are the different resources that we have produced over the last several years and what role they play in... Read More

In Ecclesiastes the Preacher states, “with increased knowledge comes increased pain”.  Often, this is interpreted and applied in the arena of one individual life. For example, the more I learn about the pervasiveness of man’s depravity, the more helpless I feel in my role to affect change. In this illustration, my increased knowledge produced the increased pain of my despair. There is, however, another application of “pain” with respects to this verse. It is not the pain that our... Read More

A young college girl laughed as she heard another mother and I talking about discipling our toddlers and preschoolers. Like many students involved in college ministries, she had never experienced discipleship until college and couldn’t imagine a toddler being able to experience what she had. She had unintentionally put discipleship in a box. When we talk about discipleship, we must understand foundationally that it’s a lifestyle, and life is always changing. Your season, your context, your... Read More