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The Disciple Standard Podcast sparks the conversations the church can’t afford to avoid.

In an age where shallow faith and cultural conformity often pass as discipleship, we believe it’s time to raise the standard. Hosted by pastors Aaron Mamuyac and Scott Vander Ploeg from Sunlight Community Church, this show is part rallying cry, part discipleship manual, and part therapy session for believers who are hungry for something real. What started as a side conversation between church leaders has become a growing movement to restore the clarity, power, and urgency of biblical discipleship.

Subscribe and listen today!

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Subscribe and listen today!

Youtube

Spotfiy

Apple

Patreon

Instagram

Facebook

The Disciple Standard Podcast sparks the conversations the church can’t afford to avoid. In an age where shallow faith and cultural conformity often pass as discipleship, we believe it’s time to raise the standard. Hosted by pastors Aaron Mamuyac and Scott Vander Ploeg from Sunlight Community Church, this show is part rallying cry, part discipleship manual, and part therapy session for believers who are hungry for something real. What started as a side conversation between church leaders has become a growing movement to restore the clarity, power, and urgency of biblical discipleship.

Subscribe and listen today!

Youtube

Spotfiy

Apple

Instagram

Facebook

Patreon

Why This Podcast Exists

The modern church is facing a discipleship crisis.

Despite an abundance of programs, sermons, and Christian content, many believers remain spiritually underdeveloped, relationally isolated, and missionally disengaged. We believe the way forward is not louder hype or flashier services—but deeper, more honest conversations about what it really means to follow Jesus in today’s world. That’s why we created this podcast: to open up the kinds of conversations we wish more churches were having. No fluff. No fear. Just truth, grace, and guts.

Recent Episodes

The Early Church Had No Buildings - Should We?

In this raw and provocative episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, we ask the hard questions:

Would Paul, Peter, or the early disciples even recognize what we call "church" today?

We dive ...deep into:
• The true biblical definition of church vs. our modern building-centered model
• Why the early church met in homes, underground cities, and public spaces
• The Pros Worship Service experiment (Public Scripture Worship) in Fort Pierce
• Why one new believer said: "I hate Reckless Love"
• Psalms vs. modern worship songs — Can your conscience be bound to songs written by "Cody"?
• Church planting: Expensive buildings vs. viral, low-cost multiplication
• What happened when Christianity went from persecuted to powerful in 313 AD

This episode will challenge your assumptions about what "going to church" really means.

If you're tired of surface-level Christianity and want to think deeply about worship, community, and mission, this is for you.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro & The Big Question
00:52 - Would the Apostles Recognize Our Churches?
03:53 - The Pros Worship Service Experiment
06:54 - Church Planting History & Buildings
11:46 - Can We Plant 1,000 Churches?
14:34 - What Even Is "Church"?
19:17 - The Problem With Needing Buildings
22:52 - When Christianity Gained Power (313 AD)
26:13 - Biblical Definition of Church
35:10 - Table Discussions & Real Questions
40:26 - "I Hate Reckless Love"
43:18 - Should We Only Sing the Psalms?
52:30 - Why the Psalms Capture the Full Human Experience
-
https://disciplestandard.com/
Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
Connect with us - https://multiply222.comShow More

The Early Church Had No Buildings - Should We?

In this raw and provocative episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, ...

Should You Leave Your Church? Church Membership & True Commitment

In this raw and honest episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, we ...

In this raw and honest episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, we dive deep into what it really means to be part of a local church family.

From caring for ...your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (including a candid weight loss journey and cycling stories), to tattoos, resilience, and the big question: Should you church shop… or commit?

We explore:
• Is neglecting your body a sin?
• Why church membership matters in an individualistic culture
• When is it okay to leave a church?
• Consumer Christianity vs. true gospel-centered community
• Building real relationships that spur one another toward love and good deeds

If you've ever wondered whether to stay or go, or felt like church is just an event you attend on Sundays, this episode is for you.

Join Aaron, Seron, and Scott as they keep it real about faith, body stewardship, and the power of covenant community.

👉 Subscribe for more biblical conversations that matter.

Timestamps below ↓
01:51 Bike Talk, Sit Bones & Cycling Tangent
04:58 Is Being Overweight a Sin? Your Body as God's Temple
06:34 Idolizing Health vs. Neglecting the Temple
09:30 Tattoos, Goats & Life Before Christ (Saron's Testimony)
16:58 Building Resilience Through Church Family
20:21 What Church Membership Really Means
22:08 Church Shopping vs. Being Called to a Local Body
27:33 Why You Should Join AND Stay at a Church
33:02 What It Says If You Don't Want Church Membership
35:18 From Parish Model to Megachurch – How Church Changed
39:51 Community vs. Entertainment/Event Christianity
46:15 Accountability & Real Relationships in Church
53:43 "I'm Not Being Fed" – Music, Preaching & Heart Posture
01:01:15 Mature Christians: Move from Consumer to Contributor
01:05:17 When Should You Leave a Church? (The Game)
01:11:47 Final Thoughts & Wrap Up

-
https://disciplestandard.com/
Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
Connect with us - https://multiply222.comShow More

Do You Need to Know Everything to Disciple Someone?

What qualifies someone to disciple another person? Do you need years ...

What qualifies someone to disciple another person?
Do you need years of Bible knowledge before you can teach? What happens when Christians disagree on baptism, communion, theology, or even what the ...“fundamentals” of Christianity are?

In this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, the conversation gets real about discipleship, fear, theology, church division, and why learning often happens while teaching. The guys wrestle through questions surrounding church unity, denominational differences, sacraments, and whether Christians expect too much agreement from each other.

Whether you’re new to the faith, discipling someone, or wrestling through church questions yourself, this conversation is for you.

📍 Subscribe for more conversations on discipleship, church culture, theology, and following Jesus in real life.
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Timestsmps
2:25 — Reactions to the Baptism & Communion Episodes
4:22 — “Should Babies Be Baptized?”
5:25 — What Makes Someone a Christian?
6:42 — Is It Dangerous for New Christians to Teach?
7:09 — The Problem With Centralized Theology
8:14 — Learning Theology in Real Time
11:24 — What Is a Disciple, Really?
13:01 — Why Learners Become Teachers
14:12 — The Jiu Jitsu Analogy for Discipleship
15:14 — “If You Don’t Start, You Never Will”
18:20 — The More You Know, The More You Realize You Don’t Know
19:32 — Fear, Pride, and Discipleship
21:39 — Never Think of Yourself as an Expert
23:26 — Why Teaching Solidifies Your Faith
25:49 — Should Christians Agree on Everything?
27:33 — “Uniform Theology Creates Cults”
30:38 — What Are the Fundamentals of Christianity?
35:02 — The Lowest Bar for Being a Christian
38:08 — What Theology Is Actually Essential?
40:39 — Tattoos, Christian Freedom & Church Culture
43:06 — Why Christians Interpret Scripture Differently
46:15 — What Are Good Reasons to Leave a Church?
-
https://disciplestandard.com/
Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
Connect with us - https://multiply222.comShow More

Why Grace Is So Hard to Believe

What shapes your sense of self? In this deeply personal episode of the ...

What shapes your sense of self?

In this deeply personal episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, the guys talk about parenting, church hurt, grace, shame, identity, divorce, hypocrisy, and the hidden ...ways people develop their understanding of themselves.

After a heartbreaking conversation with his 6-year-old daughter, Aaron wrestles with how kids internalize sin, failure, and grace at a shockingly young age. Jerry opens up about growing up in a graceless religious culture, living a double life, divorce, regret, and how the gospel reshaped the way he sees himself and others.

This episode dives into:
- Why so many Christians struggle with shame
- The difference between grace and legalism
- How parents shape identity in children
- Why people hide behind “church versions” of themselves
- What church hurt really is
- How grace changes the way we see sin
- Why broken people often understand grace the deepest

This one gets honest.

👇 Let us know in the comments:
What shaped YOUR sense of self growing up?
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Timestamps:
1:20 - What shapes our sense of self?
2:13 - Jerry explains covenant theology
5:26 - Dysfunction, divorce, and identity
7:13 - “Am I done with my life?”
8:28 - Ron on feeling far from God
10:39 - “What if God gave us what we deserve?”
12:42 - Aaron’s daughter says “I feel ugly”
14:34 - Teaching kids grace instead of shame
16:08 - Tim Keller on identity and sense of self
17:26 - Grace vs legalistic Christianity
18:44 - Church hurt and broken people
21:16 - Kids are always watching you
23:03 - How childhood shapes identity before language
24:53 - “I’m still going to scar my kids somehow”
27:04 - Raising kids who understand grace
28:16 - How graceless Christianity gets created
29:21 - Jerry opens up about never feeling enough
31:16 - Meeting Steve Brown changed everything
32:21 - “Grace is scandalous”
35:28 - Living a double life in church
38:08 - Teaching kids to own their mistakes
40:50 - Why modern kids struggle with responsibility
44:28 - Jerry on parenting through divorce
48:34 - You don’t understand grace without brokenness
50:40 - Christians shouldn’t hide from the world
52:56 - Broken people understand grace deeper
54:15 - The older you get, the more regrets you carry
55:00 - The gospel changes you from the inside out
-
https://disciplestandard.com/
Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
Connect with us - https://multiply222.comShow More

You’ve Probably Been Taught Baptism Wrong

Baptism is one of the most debated topics in the church—and for good ...

Baptism is one of the most debated topics in the church—and for good reason.

In this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, we tackle the questions people are actually asking:

Why do ...some churches baptize babies?
Does baptism save you?
Should you ever get baptized more than once?
And what’s the real difference between Catholic, Reformed, and believer’s baptism?

We also share a wild moment where someone interrupted a baptism mid-service—and why conversations like this matter more than we think.

At the core of it all: baptism isn’t about us—it’s about what God has done.

Watch the full conversation and decide for yourself.
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Timestamps:
1:21 Intro + Setting Up the Conversation
2:07 Beach Baptisms + The Question Everyone Asks
2:29 “Why Do You Baptize Babies?”
3:02 The Craziest Baptism Moment We’ve Ever Seen
5:00 Can Baptism Save You?
6:06 Reformed View of Baptism Explained
7:30 Infant Baptism vs Believer’s Baptism
9:01 Catholic vs Protestant Baptism Differences
11:26 What the “Covenant” Actually Means
14:10 Visible vs Invisible Church Explained
15:15 Should You Get Baptized Again?
17:27 Baby Dedication vs Baptism
20:08 “God Says: I’ve Got You”
22:07 Why People Want to Be Baptized Again
24:26 A Powerful Picture of Church Community
25:31 What Is a Profession of Faith?
27:43 The Beauty (and Tension) of Baptism Practices
29:49 Is Reformed Baptism Missing Something?
30:59 Can You Be Baptized More Than Once?
34:27 Is Baptism Like Communion?
36:31 Why Repetition Doesn’t Reduce Meaning
38:01 Why People Feel the Need to Recommit
41:22 Does Baptism Give You the Holy Spirit?
43:10 John’s Baptism vs Jesus’ Baptism
47:25 What Baptism Actually Means Spiritually
50:13 Promise, Covenant, Death, Community (PCDC)
52:05 When Should You NOT Be Baptized Again?
54:13 Should This Topic Divide the Church?
57:03 Final Thoughts
-
https://disciplestandard.com/
Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
Connect with us - https://multiply222.comShow More

There’s More to Communion Than You Think

What are we actually doing when we take communion? In this episode of ...

What are we actually doing when we take communion?

In this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, we dive into one of the most overlooked—and misunderstood—parts of the Christian life:
the sacraments ...of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

We wrestle with real questions like:

- Should communion happen every week… or just occasionally?
- Who is actually allowed to take it?
- What does it mean to “fence the table”?
- Can (or should) someone be baptized more than once?
- Are we treating these sacred moments too casually?

Along the way, the conversation gets honest, funny, and even a little tense as we try to align what we do in church with what Scripture actually teaches.

If you’ve ever taken communion without fully understanding it—or wondered if your church is doing it right—this episode is for you.

👇 Drop a comment:
How often should churches take communion?
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Timestamps:
01:13 – Why This Topic Is More Complicated Than It Seems
02:17 – How to Administer Communion (Live Breakdown)
03:52 – When Communion Goes Wrong (Funny Story)
06:27 – What Actually Matters During Communion
09:34 – “Take, Eat, Remember…” (The Meaning Explained)
11:16 – Why Communion Feels So Powerful
12:11 – What Does It Mean to “Fence the Table”?
15:15 – Who Is Allowed to Take Communion?
17:01 – Should You Take It If You Feel Unworthy?
18:21 – Preparing Your Heart Before Communion
20:53 – Should Communion Be More Frequent?
21:54 – Weekly vs Monthly Communion Debate
22:53 – How Different Traditions View Communion
24:58 – Why Some Believe It Should Happen Every Week
26:15 – What Is a “Means of Grace”?
27:50 – Why Communion Is Unlike Anything Else We Do
32:22 – Can You Be Baptized More Than Once?
34:11 – What If Someone Wants to Be Baptized Again?
36:19 – Is Re-Baptism a Problem?
38:15 – What Baptism Actually Means (Reformed View)
40:47 – “One Baptism” — What Does That Mean?
43:14 – Should Kids Take Communion?
46:19 – How Parents Can Disciple Kids Through Communion
49:49 – Are We Making Communion Too Complicated?
51:07 – Fear vs Reverence in Taking Communion
52:48 – Why Slowing Down Matters During Communion
53:27 – How Churches Should Teach the Sacraments
55:00 – Baptism During Worship & Church Culture Shift
57:11 – Why Understanding Leads to Deeper Worship
58:15 – Final Thoughts + What’s Next
-
https://disciplestandard.com/
Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
Connect with us - https://multiply222.comShow More

Are We Preaching the Gospel Wrong? Pastors Need to Hear This

What should a sermon actually be about? In this episode of the ...

Do You Really Belong to a Church?

What started as a normal conversation… turned into one of the most ...

Is The Pastoral Pipeline Is Breaking?

Why are so many pastors leaving ministry, and why are so few stepping ...

What If We Raised the Bar Again?

Aaron’s out on new-baby duty, so Scott and Seron take the ...

Aaron’s out on new-baby duty, so Scott and Seron take the wheel—talking baby names (and meanings), Easter plans, gospel choir dreams, and how PROS is growing in Fort Pierce. Along ...the way they unpack hard Psalm lines, debate dramatized Scripture reading, revisit the Heidelberg Catechism, and wrestle with a bigger question: why does it feel like the bar keeps dropping—and what would it look like to raise it again?
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Timestamps:
03:09 — Rudderless episode: “We can go wherever we want”
03:40 — Did Seron influence the name? + “Søren” pronunciation debate
07:14 — Being outnumbered by kids (and why that’s terrifying)
09:13 — Anastasia meaning confirmed + Easter hype begins
10:19 — Should Easter be bigger? “Go big or go home”
10:51 — Pitch: Psalm 150 gospel choir as the Easter closer
15:08 — Fort Pierce PROS update + Psalm 129 “Over Me challenge”
19:08 — “Plowmen plowed my back” explained (why we need context)
21:29 — PROS momentum + building core group / attendance realities
23:18 — Watching the 45 Days doc footage (soft launch + pressure)
26:44 — “Book of Notes”: not for ammo—accountability
32:03 — “First time Psalm 3 was sung in Fort Pierce” moment
34:26 — Hot take: dramatized Scripture reading (turn drama to 100)
35:16 — Heidelberg Catechism: why it mattered + how it faded
40:06 — “Why did we make the bar lower?” (raising the bar convo)
42:26 — Internet/reference culture: why we memorize less
44:44 — Communion + the “germs” debate + kids playing in dirt
47:09 — Testimonies + Psalm 133 (community emphasis)
50:35 — Invite push: first official Sunday services (4 & 6)
52:42 — What if it’s packed? overflow / scaling / multiply
54:46 — Volunteer vs serve + etymology moment
56:50 — Event page numbers: “55 interested” (what that really means)
59:53 — Worship/space reflections + tightening the service template
01:04:27 — Documentary approach = the new standard
01:06:52 — “Could there be 100 PROS services?” vision talk
-
https://disciplestandard.com/
Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
Connect with us - https://multiply222.comShow More

Psalms, Playlists, and the Problem With ‘Feel-Good’ Worship

Why did the church lose track of its own prayer book? In this episode, ...

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What You'll Hear

Real talk for real disciples. Each episode dives into the issues that matter most—from spiritual formation and biblical theology to leadership, culture, relationships, and how to live as a disciple-making Christian in a distracted world. It’s unfiltered, often funny, and deeply practical. We also share how our 222Disciple process is helping everyday believers grow in the gospel, get personally invested in others, and become the kind of disciple-makers Jesus envisioned in Matthew 28 and 2 Timothy 2:2. If you’re ready to take your faith seriously and multiply your life in others, this podcast is for you.

Meet Your Host

Scott Vander Ploeg

Scott Vander Ploeg is the founder of 222Disciple and has been the senior pastor at Sunlight Community Church of Port Saint Lucie since 2004. He began this ministry in the early 2000’s, which was called Sunlight Discipleship Center at the time. Since then, he’s authored all of the lessons, is front and center in its tutorial videos, all while mentoring more than 40 people himself. The ever-expanding ministry has now grown to over 580 people under his leadership. He’s passionate about one of 222Disciple’s driving principles: disciples are called to be disciple-makers.

Meet Your Host

Aaron Mamuyac

Aaron Mamuyac brings over two decades of ministry experience and a deep love for discipleship to The Disciple Standard podcast. A long-time member and now pastor at Sunlight Community Church, Aaron has served in ministry for more than 11 years and was discipled under the faithful leadership of Scott Vander Ploeg. As an ordained Minister of the Word in the Christian Reformed Church, Aaron combines biblical depth with practical wisdom, helping listeners follow Jesus with clarity and conviction. Whether he’s unpacking Scripture, interviewing guests, or offering reflections from the trenches of pastoral life, Aaron brings a warm, insightful, and grounded voice to every episode.

Become a Sponsor

Our Audience Wants to Hear From You

Want to support discipleship while getting your brand or ministry in front of a thoughtful, faith-driven audience? Sponsor an episode of The Disciple Standard Podcast!

Here’s what you get as a sponsor:

🎬 Lower Thirds Bar: Your name or logo featured on-screen during the video version.
🎙️ Shoutouts: A verbal thank-you mid-episode and at the end.
🔗 Link Sharing: Your website or link featured in the episode description on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

Whether you’re a business, ministry, or just someone who believes in the mission, your sponsorship helps us keep creating honest, Christ-centered conversations.