This was a podcast recording discussion about creating and sustaining new believer pathways in churches. Scott Sullivan interviewed Joey Rogers, lead pastor at First Baptist Peachtree City, and Jason Thomas, Community and Discipleship Pastor at First Baptist Duluth, to explore effective strategies for discipling new believers. Joey shared his church's "grow groups" approach, which involves new believers in conversational, relational pods meeting for 12-week increments over a one-year journey through specifically designed curriculum focused on daily quiet times and Bible study. Jason described First Duluth's "Your Next Yes" discipleship pathway that connects new believers to small groups, mentors, and spiritual rhythms while addressing their unique needs, including ESL support for non-English speakers. Both pastors emphasized the importance of moving new believers from conversion to ongoing discipleship through relationships rather than just programs, with Joey highlighting the distinction between disciple-making (the process) and discipleship (the ongoing lifestyle), and both agreeing that systems should serve relationships rather than replace them. The discussion concluded with examples of successful multiplication, including Jason's story of a military member who went from being a new believer to leading multiple groups, and Joey's story of a former prisoner who now leads three groups at another church.
Jason stated that First Baptist Duluth continues quarterly training for small group leaders to ensure they are equipped to disciple new believers, especially considering language and cultural diversity. And, they also encourage new believers to begin serving and sharing their faith early, providing appropriate ministry on-ramps (e.g., ESL, First Impressions) and support through mentoring relationships.
Joey pointed out that First Baptist Peachtree City assists new members by:
- Continuing oversight and support of the new Grow Group leader recently hired, ensuring the new member pathway is effectively managed and tracked.
- Making the Grow Group resources and process details available to interested churches via 5marks.org and direct contact.
- Encouraging and supporting staff and key volunteers to model personal discipleship and multiplication as they oversee new believers.
- Share stories and updates (as appropriate) about group members who are now leading their own groups, to encourage replication and multiplication within the church.
Need to define clear discipleship milestones and regularly review progress of new believers to ensure movement from conversion to spiritual maturity and multiplication.
Church New Member Pathways Discussion
Scott, Jason, and Joey discussed new member pathways in churches, noting that many churches lack confidence in their existing pathways or have no strategic plan for new members. Jason shared his focus on young adults in ministry, while Scott mentioned upcoming podcast episodes on this topic.
New Member Discipleship Pathways
Scott began the discussion regarding creating and sustaining new member pathways in discipleship, emphasizing the importance of having a plan. The conversation highlighted the diversity at both First Baptist Peachtree City and First Baptist Duluth, with Jason noting 46 different ethnicities and baptisms from over 60 nations at First Baptist Duluth. Scott asked Joey about the first 30-day pathway for new members at First Baptist Peachtree City.
Grow Groups Program Overview
Joey explained their "grow groups" mechanism, which are conversational relational pods of two to six people who walk through a one-year intentional devotional pathway in 12-week increments. The program focuses on daily quiet times with God using a simplified curriculum that includes Bible reading and journaling, followed by group conversations rather than information dumps. Scott praised the approach and noted that the curriculum is available at 5marks.org, where visitors can find more information about the grow group methodology.
New Believer Onboarding Strategies
Scott discussed the onboarding process for new believers at different churches, focusing on the first 30 days. Jason explained that at First Peachtree City, they use an ESL program, HERE journals, and small groups to help new believers learn English, study the Bible, and connect relationally. Joey shared that at his large church, they recently hired someone to oversee the integration process and have developed a repeatable strategy using various small groups and a podcast called the Grow Group Podcast. Both Jason and Joey emphasized the importance of starting new believers in small groups and prioritizing one-on-one time with God over large group participation.
Church Discipleship Best Practices
Jason and Joey discussed common mistakes in church discipleship, highlighting that many churches focus too much on celebrating conversion without adequately planning for ongoing spiritual development. They emphasized that discipleship should be a life-to-life process rather than something taught from pulpits, and that discipleship begins before salvation through the disciple-making process. Jason shared First Baptist Duluth's "Your Next Yes" discipleship pathway which helps new believers build spiritual rhythms and progress through meet, make, and mobilize stages, while Joey stressed that churches need to clearly define what constitutes a disciple and recognize that discipleship begins with the initial disciple-making process.
Discipleship Strategy and Marks
Joey explained the five marks of a disciple based on Matthew 28:16-20, which include:
- Being available to God
- Having affection for God
- Abiding in God's authority
- Prioritizing God's agenda
- Relying on the Holy Spirit
Scott discussed the limitations of traditional Sunday School discipleship and asked about milestones for measuring discipleship growth, to which Jason responded with specific markers including:
- Baptism
- Scriptural study
- Church attendance
- Sin management
- Service involvement
- Sharing one's faith
Joey began to outline four distinct blocks in their discipleship strategy, starting with new believers following Jesus chronologically from the birth of Christ.
Come and See Discipleship Program
Joey explained a three-part discipleship program called "Come and See" that takes new believers on a 12-week journey covering baptism, spiritual disciplines, and the Bible's narrative, followed by "Abide" and "Anchor" phases focusing on doctrine and biblical understanding. Scott emphasized the importance of leaders not only providing resources but also modeling the discipleship process themselves. Joey advised pastors to first define discipleship, find appropriate materials, and disciple their own staff before delegating responsibilities to volunteers and church members.
Discipleship Engagement Strategies Discussion
Scott, Jason, and Joey discussed effective discipleship strategies, focusing on the importance of multiple layers of engagement including large group, small group, micro group, and one-on-one time with Jesus. Joey explained how they inverted the traditional model to start with one-on-one relationships before moving to larger groups, drawing from Jesus's example of individual ministry before reaching masses. Jason emphasized that while systems are important, they serve relationships rather than being the primary focus and highlighted the need for dialogue-based teaching rather than monologue-style instruction. The discussion concluded with an emphasis on multiplication as a key component of effective discipleship.
Discipleship Pathway Development Strategy
Scott, Jason, and Joey discussed creating and sustaining an intentional pathway for new believers to grow in their faith and become multiplying disciples. Jason shared examples of how their church encourages new believers to share their testimonies, serve in appropriate ways, and progress through different levels of leadership. Joey emphasized the importance of immediate involvement in ministry and using a structured approach to guide new believers towards spiritual maturity. Both Jason and Joey provided success stories of individuals who have grown in their faith and are now helping others, highlighting the effectiveness of their discipleship process.
You may contact Jason Thomas or Joey Rodgers at: