Advertise on podcast: The Downline Podcast: Gospel Driven Discipleship

Sleep is a nightly reminder that we are limited, dependent, and cared for by God. In this episode, Brett McCracken joins us to talk about The Wisdom of Sleep and the spiritual meaning of rest. We discuss dreams, anxiety, Sabbath, bedtime rhythms, and how sleep points us to the God who keeps watch while we rest. Resources Mentioned: The Wisdom of Sleep by Brett McCracken Brett McCracken’s website Brett McCracken at The Gospel Coalition The Gospel Coalition The Wisdom Pyramid by Brett McCracken The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin joins Jamie for a conversation grounded in one apologetic conviction: the objections people raise against Christianity, taken seriously rather than argued down, tend to become signposts back to Jesus rather than reasons to walk away. They talk through what that looks like in practice -- gentle, person-first engagement instead of point-scoring, and then apply it to the hardest ground parents have to cover with their kids: why the sexual revolution's promises to women are unraveling, what a full read of Ephesians 5 reveals about marriage, and how she talks with her own kids about gender and identity. She closes with her single best piece of advice for Christian parents. Resources Mentioned: View all of Rebecca's books hereConfronting Christianity Podcast Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

"You can't separate yourself from the ways of Jesus and expect the blessings of Jesus." Vick Green, CEO of Replicate Ministries, joins Jamie to talk about why so many discipleship strategies fail, the difference between activity and transformation, and why multiplication is a slow, faithful process — not a program to plug in. Resources Mentioned: Replicate Ministries — Disciple-making coaching, consulting, training, and resources for churches. Movement-Ready Church — The new book Vick referenced, written by Vick Green and Robby Gallaty. It focuses on moving beyond programs to build a sustainable disciple-making culture. The Making Disciples Podcast — Replicate’s podcast hosted by Vick Green and Jeremy Smith. D-Group Training Kits — Training videos, guides, graphics, and planning resources for launching and multiplying discipleship groups. Discipleship Blueprint Course — An online course taught by Vick Green and Robby Gallaty about developing a disciple-making culture and strategy. Replicate Blog — Articles addressing D-Groups, disciple-making culture, ministry myths, spiritual renewal, and measuring transformation. Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

Content Notice: This episode includes candid discussion of childhood abuse, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation and an attempt, addiction, violence, and other traumatic experiences. Please listen with care. Sean DeMars grew up surviving abuse, addiction, and gang life in Southern California and Alabama; and one desperate night in the woods, everything changed. In this episode, Sean sits down with Jamie to tell the story behind his book Rebel to Your Will: the childhood no one intervened in, the violence he got pulled into as a teenager, and the grace that met him when he had nothing left. It's an honest, sometimes hard-to-hear conversation about how God rescues people from the very bottom — and what it takes to keep walking with Him once the rescue is old news. Resources Mentioned Rebel to Your Will: A Story of Abuse, Father Hunger and Gospel Hope by Sean DeMarsRoom for Nuance PodcastAmerican Gospel: Christ Alone, featuring Sean’s testimony Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

How should Christians think about their faith and their national identity? Dr. Thomas Kidd, historian and author of numerous books on colonial America, helps Jamie untangle a question that surfaces every July 4th in pulpits across the country. They explore the biblical rhetoric behind the Declaration of Independence, how the Founders reckoned with Romans 13, and why gratitude for religious liberty shouldn't be confused with laminating patriotism onto the gospel. Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

Did you know Christianity reached the imperial court of China in the 600s? Or that Armenia — not Rome — was the first Christian nation? Dr. Mark Graham, history professor at Grove City College and author of 30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity, joins Jamie to unearth stories most of us never learned; from persecuted Persian believers to a forgotten church he helped excavate in Carthage. Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

What do a pediatric dentist, a former forester, a close encounter with a bear, and years of faithful discipleship have in common? In this special in-person episode, Jamie sits down with brothers JB and Wes Selecman for a conversation filled with hilarious stories, honest reflections, and powerful reminders of how God uses ordinary people to shape our lives. From mission fields around the world to difficult moments at home, JB and Wes share how Scripture, mentorship, and brotherhood have prepared them to follow Jesus wherever He leads. Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

Season 3 is here 🎉 Most of us are chasing happiness and calling it joy. Season three kicks off with returning guest Brant Hansen and Jamie setting the record straight; and it might change how you see your whole week. Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

New episodes are coming this fall when Downline Institute kicks back up at the end of August — and we can't wait. Until then, we're revisiting the conversations our listeners have loved most, dropping every other week all summer long. Consider this your summer listening list. Jamie and Dr. Sam Storms tackle spiritual warfare head-on. They explore the authority believers have in Christ, address common misconceptions, and expose where pop culture gets spiritual battles wrong. Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

New episodes are coming this fall when Downline Institute kicks back up at the end of August — and we can't wait. Until then, we're revisiting the conversations our listeners have loved most, dropping every other week all summer long. Consider this your summer listening list. Recorded live at the Downline Summit, Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae joins Jamie to tell stories you haven't heard before; from prophetic dreams that led him to Christ, to bombing at his eighth-grade talent show, to Snoop Dogg kicking him out of Jamie Foxx's house (for his own good). Lecrae opens up about battling depression, navigating brutal public criticism, and why he writes from a "healed place" instead of a vulnerable one. Plus: the wild story of how "Coming in Hot" was written in an hour and went viral thanks to Will Smith's Instagram. Don't miss this unfiltered conversation about culture-making and walking in it with humble excellence. Love what you're hearing? There's more. Buy your All-Access pass here to get access to Lecrae's sessions plus every session and speaker from the Summit conference. Albums/Songs Mentioned: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill (inspiration)"Represent" by Lecrae"Coming in Hot" by Lecrae & Andy Mineo"Good, Bad, Ugly" by Lecrae (from the Anomaly album)"I'll Find You" by Lecrae featuring Tori Kelly"You Can't Stop Me" by Andy MineoReconstruction (Lecrae's latest album)"Nothing But The Blood" by Forrest Frank featuring Lecrae Purchase Downline's Core Curriculum here Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

New episodes are coming this fall when Downline Institute kicks back up at the end of August — and we can't wait. Until then, we're revisiting the conversations our listeners have loved most, dropping every other week all summer long. Consider this your summer listening list. Join Jamie as he sits down with renowned Bible teacher and author Jen Wilkin to explore the book of First John. In this conversation, Jen breaks down the three crucial tests John gives believers: the test of truth (doctrine), the test of love, and the test of obedience. Find Jen's resources at jenwilkin.net, including her study "Abide" covering First, Second, and Third John. Purchase Downline's Core Curriculum here Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

New episodes are coming this fall when Downline Institute kicks back up at the end of August — and we can't wait. Until then, we're revisiting the conversations our listeners have loved most, dropping every other week all summer long. Consider this your summer listening list. What if the most confrontational book in the New Testament is exactly what the church needs right now? Pastor Jason Cook discovered that James doesn't just comfort the afflicted; it afflicts the comfortable, and he's here to tell you why that's exactly what we need. Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

New episodes are coming this fall when Downline Institute kicks back up at the end of August — and we can't wait. Until then, we're revisiting the conversations our listeners have loved most, dropping every other week all summer long. Consider this your summer listening list. We welcome Dr. Greg Smalley from Focus on the Family to discuss what creates healthy, lasting marriages. Greg addresses common misconceptions about marriage and explains why viewing it as a journey of growth rather than a destination changes everything. Learn why individual wholeness is essential before building a strong partnership and how both spouses need to be healthy to give meaningfully to each other. Part one of a two-part series. Greg Smalley has authored multiple books on marriage, has earned his doctorate in psychology, and continues to work for couples in private practice. Part 2 releases next week. Purchase Downline's Core Curriculum here Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate here

New episodes are coming this fall when Downline Institute kicks back up at the end of August — and we can't wait. Until then, we're revisiting the conversations our listeners have loved most, dropping every other week all summer long. Consider this your summer listening list. Kristi McLelland is a Bible nerd in the best possible way. She's been taking people to Israel for 20 years, teaches at Williamson College in Tennessee, and has made it her life's mission to help everyday Christians understand the Bible in its world. In this episode she brings that same energy to early church history, tracing the story from a Spirit-filled room in Jerusalem all the way to the halls of Roman power. She'll meet you around a fire pit and change the way you read Scripture. Resources Mentioned: Kristi McLelland's WebsiteChurch History in Plain Language Book Tune in to The Downline Podcast now to hear more! Subscribe to never miss an episode, leave a review, and visit downlineministries.com to learn more about our mission of discipleship. To support the work of Downline Ministries, donate today!

We tied a bow on Season 2! As we head into the summer, now is the perfect time to catch up on any episodes you may have missed, share your favorites, and get ready for Season Three launching later this year. We’ll also be re-releasing some of our fan favorite episodes from this season, biweekly. Thank you for listening, subscribing, and helping us continue making disciples to the ends of the earth. We can’t wait to show you what we have planned for Season Three!