In this episode, Aaron, Seron, and Zach tackle one of the most challenging questions facing the modern church:
Are Christians too comfortable to live courageously?
From AI and spiritual laziness to local evangelism and church culture, the team gets real about what courage looks like in everyday faith — and how comfort might be the greatest obstacle to gospel boldness.
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🎧 Timestamps
00:00 | Why the world feels darker today—and what Jesus said about it
00:33 | Introducing this week’s topic: Courage in Dark Times
01:00 | C.S. Lewis on courage as the testing point of every virtue
01:31 | Welcome back: Aaron, Seron, and Zach return to the podcast
03:10 | Zach’s new AI transcriber experiment and what it records
07:15 | Tech talk: AI, end times, and privacy debates
08:00 | Capturing meetings for productivity & future collaboration
10:45 | The importance of separating home and work balance
11:08 | Kicking off the main topic: Courage in the book of Joshua
12:21 | What courage really means—bravery vs. fear
13:29 | The definition of courage and how it applies to daily life
14:04 | C.S. Lewis’ definition unpacked: Courage reveals all virtues
15:06 | Image discussion: “The closer you get to God, the weirder you’ll seem”
16:09 | Are bold street preachers courageous or just offensive?
17:19 | The difference between courage and recklessness
19:01 | Video clip reaction: “Wake Up” and spiritual apathy
20:14 | Why many Christians stay quiet in a chaotic culture
22:00 | Are we living in more fearful times—or just seeing more of it?
23:07 | Courage in everyday life vs. courage on a public stage
24:02 | Living boldly for Jesus at the local level
25:16 | Courage in family priorities and raising kids counter-culturally
27:07 | Do Christians live lives that even require courage anymore?
29:07 | “Do not fear” in Scripture—why God repeats it so often
31:13 | Comfort vs. calling: are we meant to live easy lives?
33:26 | Losing non-Christian friendships and the need for outreach
36:04 | Comfo
An old monk had 95 theses—today we bring 20. In this episode, Pastor Scott lays out a bold, practical roadmap for renewal in the Christian Reformed Church: a gospel-first identity, every believer a multiplier, leadership pipelines that start in local churches, and church planting as the ordinary way God renews His Church. We tackle the reality of decline—and why it’s not inevitable—and cast a hopeful vision for multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches in our time.
Church attendance may be declining across the U.S., but in this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, Pastors Aaron, Kris, and Scott share a bold new vision for the future of churches in Florida—and the Christian Reformed Church at large.
What actually makes a church plant take root—strategy, location… or discipleship?
Scott sits down with David Snapper (church planter/researcher) to unpack 40+ years of lessons: why many “parachute drops” stall, how clusters (the 20-mile/2,000 rule) change outcomes, and how to build a synthetic cluster (friendship networks, schools, training leaders in place) when you’re far from the denominational center. We also talk Acts (Jerusalem → Antioch → Athens), moving from numbers to disciples, and how conflict resolution frees a denomination to pursue Great Commission unity.
What if a classis in long-term decline could reverse the trend—by discipling people one-to-one, raising new preachers, and planting churches again? In this roundtable, Aaron sits down with Pastor Chris (The Source Church), Pastor Felix (South Kendall Community Church), and Pastor Scott to unpack South Florida’s journey from contraction to multiplication: 70+ active 1:1 discipleship relationships, a pipeline of new preachers (including 9 headed to licensure this month), and a vision any church network can adopt—disciple deeply → develop leaders → plant churches.
In this week’s episode of the DSP, Pastors Scott, Zach (“the Wise One”), and Aaron dive into one of the most difficult but necessary conversations: what happens when a church faces decline and must confront its future.
In this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, the guys dive into Proverbs, wisdom, foolishness, and the stages of life. From midlife crises and career thinking to deep theological reflections on Christ as the true wisdom of God, this conversation blends humor, vulnerability, and rich biblical insights.
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0:00 – Intro & catching up with Zach and Jerry
1:07 – Why Proverbs? Connecting it with James
2:32 – Christ as the true wisdom in Proverbs
6:04 – Can unbelievers live wisely?
7:23 – Bubble cars & iPhone doorstops: Using things as designed
8:16 – Midlife crises and living wisely in each stage of life
9:03 – Saving Private Ryan, the “earn it” life, and why it misses the gospel
12:41 – Earthly wisdom vs. wisdom from above
18:00 – Defining wisdom and foolishness
20:09 – Can people without God still live wisely?
22:08 – The Holy Spirit’s role in wisdom & sanctification
26:09 – Reading Proverbs with hope in light of Christ
27:53 – Smooth brains & fools: Modern language for Proverbs
30:18 – The problem with participation trophies and avoiding correction
33:36 – Why transitions in life matter for wisdom
35:15 – Teaching wisdom to kids (Jerry’s lawnmower story)
37:15 – Naming our own foolish areas (phones, reels, status, ministry)
42:00 – Career vs. calling: How pastors think differently
48:32 – Favorite Proverbs & lessons on contentment
53:21 – Wrestling with discontentment in life and ministry
57:05 – God’s provision, integrity, and contentment
59:46 – Wrap-up & Multiply Conference details
When you hear the word gospel, what comes to mind — music? A churchy phrase? Or the life-changing announcement of God’s rescue plan? In this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, we unpack what the whole gospel really is, why it matters for every sermon, and how it transforms lives and churches. From personal stories to Puritan wisdom, we explore sin, salvation, and service in a way that’s clear, practical, and freeing.
How do you raise up the next generation of church leaders—and then get out of the way? In this episode, Aaron sits down with Jary Reed and Scott Vander Ploeg to unpack how discipleship really works, why leadership starts young, and how churches can unlock the 90% of leadership potential sitting idle in their pews.
What’s the future of church planting in the CRC?
We talk with Marco Ávila, East Coast Regional Leader for Resonate Global Mission, about raising up church planters, coaching leaders, and navigating the recent funding changes coming in 2026.
