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!
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.
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!
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
Budget Cuts, Coaching Gaps, and the Future of Church Plants
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.
From the essentials every church plant needs, to the challenges of vision and funding, this conversation digs into the practical steps for multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches in the years ahead.
1:08 – Meet Marco Ávila: From Honduras to Resonate leadership
2:39 – What is Resonate? Global & local mission explained
3:27 – A day in the life of a regional leader
5:23 – Article 43 & 23: Licenses for preaching
6:49 – Why church planter assessments and preparation matter
8:31 – Inspired by last week’s podcast on multiplication
10:07 – The CRC’s vision for multiplying disciples & churches
11:39 – Vision: Top-down vs. bottom-up
12:42 – Why church planting vision is often missing
13:31 – Accountability and support for church planters
15:07 – How funding and coaching used to work
16:39 – Gaps in support: coaching vs. being “left alone”
18:12 – Why hands-on church planting experience is essential
20:51 – Marco’s story of guiding a new planter into an internship
22:21 – The workload of planting: preaching, setup, leadership
23:00 – Why coaching matters (but not all coaching is equal)
26:06 – How Resonate connects planters to coaches
27:31 – The value and cost of good coaching
29:53 – Mentorship vs. coaching: helping planters discern their path
33:04 – Resonate funding cuts explained (Kevin’s Synod clip)
35:16 – How cuts impact current church planters
39:16 – Short-term plan: fundraising from churches for 2026
40:39 – Why vision must come before fundraising
41:59 – Scott’s conference for multiplying disciples, leaders, churches
43:29 – A call for collaboration: “Better together” in church planting
46:33 – The need for a clear roadmap & accountability
46:52 – Why internships should be standard for planters
48:42 – How internships reveal gifting and readiness
50:42 – Proximity in coaching: why local involvement matters
53:20 – Building the DNA of a church plant
57:13 – Unity vs. uniformity in multiplying churches
1:00:03 – Non-negotiables for Sunlight church plants
1:02:10 – Marco’s heart for serving in church planting locally
1:03:09 – Final thoughts: Vision, collaboration, and the future
-
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
What People Say
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.