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How Care Ministries Make Disciples | Watermark Resources

Nate Graybill — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:00:00 GMT

The best place to make disciples

Pastoral care ministries are the best place in your church to make disciples—better than Sunday services, better than equipping ministries, better than bible studies, and better than mission trips. Do you believe me? Where else in your church does everyone walk through the door humbled, broken, and ready to listen? Pain creates captive and willing audiences. People desperate to get well are willing to do some of the hardest spiritual and relational work of their lives.

Sadly, many pastors default to handing off care opportunities to “experts” outside of the church during the very seasons when the people are most ready for change. This may be because pastors feel overwhelmed, or the church lacks the resources necessary to care for the vast array of needs. But in outsourcing, pastors could be surrendering the church’s mission: helping people become fully devoted followers of Christ. Outside Christian experts can certainly support and supplement The Great Commission, but Scripture tells us that the responsibility to make disciples and bear burdens primarily rests on the local church.

Even if a church offers a menu of care ministries, some of those might only focus on addressing specific pain points. Fixing the struggle at hand is almost always the goal of the people in need, but this is a short-sighted goal for the church. Throughout the gospels, Jesus addressed people’s felt needs to reveal greater truth and invite them into further transformation. He forgave the sins of the paralytic before demonstrating his authority to restore both body and soul by commanding the man to walk (Mark 2). He healed the man born blind, then accepted the man’s worship to reveal himself as the Christ (John 9). He raised Lazarus to demonstrate his power over death (John 11). These healings revealed God’s compassion but were not the end goal. Recovery was a point along the way to deeper transformation and devotion to Christ in all aspects of life.

Are the care ministries in your church producing followers of Christ with increasing devotion in all areas of life? Are participants in these ministries reconciling with God and becoming ministers of reconciliation themselves? Do graduates integrate into the church and actively contribute to strengthening it? If not, you might be missing the greatest opportunities to make disciples of those coming to you for help.

Evaluating Care Ministry Discipleship 

To determine if your means of care is fulfilling the Great Commission, assess whether your ministry is producing disciples. For the purpose of this article consider a disciple to be someone on a lifelong journey of taking the next faithful step to follow Christ, while inviting others to join them (1 Corinthians 11:1). Look for these signs: 

Evidence of life change: People experience transformation and respond to life more like Jesus.

Positive Signs: Attendees come out healthier than when they entered. They experience clear, positive, lasting change noticeable to family, friends, church members, and the community. They pursue continued personal growth in Christ beyond the care ministry.
Signs of Hindrance: Change is limited to one aspect of life, short-lived, or hard for others to see. People become perpetual participants who appear more loyal to the care ministry than to Jesus or their church. Participants remain within the “safe” walls of ministry rather than integrating into the life of the church and sharing their stories.

Passion for Jesus: People love Jesus more, desire more of him, and want to tell others.

Positive Signs: People passionately share about Christ’s work in their lives. There is visible evidence of joy and delight in Jesus. They are eager to know more of Jesus and make efforts to learn and apply God’s word. Their capacity grows to receive Christ’s love, dwell in it, find significance in it, and share it with others.
Signs of Hindrance: People appear to be more self-focused than Christ-focused. They are bigger fans of the ministry than they are fans of God. People celebrate overcoming their struggles more than Christ’s victories. People are resistant to sharing their stories or mentioning Jesus to others outside of the ministry or church.

Authentic servant leadership: Because of their own experience, people desire to serve and help others experience new life in Christ.

Positive Signs: Participants begin to comfort others with the comfort they’ve received. They have a purpose and mission to invite others to experience Jesus with them. They long to be a part of Christ changing lives and serve sacrificially even if they feel inadequate. They integrate deeper into the church to share with others what they’ve found.
Signs of Hindrance: Participants recycle through the ministry repeatedly. They might be irritated at what the church isn’t providing. They are hesitant to step outside of the ministry or lead within it. They drift away from the church, rather than build into it.

Fifteen years ago, even though our care ministry was one of the largest ministries in our church, we decided to survey participants to see if we were fulfilling our mission. We found that people were getting “sober” from whatever struggle brought them through the door, but we were not producing disciples who faithfully allowed Jesus into every area of life. This was a problem because our mission was to call people to be fully-devoted followers of Christ. “Sobriety” was supposed to be a stop along the way to full devotion, not the end goal. This was an “ah-ha” moment for us because it was clear that our ministry process and goals needed to be reformed to align with our mission.

Making Changes to Your Care Ministry 

It isn’t easy changing a ministry that God has used to heal people. We all become passionate about the tools and people God uses in our lives. We can slip into fear when those “supports” of the past start changing. But do you know who never changes? Jesus. Christ is steady through any change. And the truth is that Jesus has always been the real change agent. So, the first and most important thing to do when transitioning a ministry is to:

Make sure Christ is the hero (not the ministry leader, counselor, pastor, or program). Before you change anything else, start giving Jesus credit and glory for every changed life. Make him the focal point of your language, celebrations, and healing (regardless of your program). When this happens, Christ works at deeper levels in participants’ lives. For many ministries, simply shifting the focus and glory from the program to Jesus is the only change necessary to produce followers of Christ. Once your language and focus shifts to Jesus, evaluate whether the content, practices, and teachings do the same. Any component of the ministry that does not preeminently point to Christ must change. It is rare that all processes need to be thrown out, but all should eventually start, work, and end with the goal of helping people connect with Jesus. If you have a long list of changes, make a few easy changes first to gain momentum, then work toward harder changes. If a core component of the ministry is a substantial hurdle to helping people turn to Jesus, you must replace it with something that propels people toward Christ (for us, the hurdle was curriculum).
Integrate spiritual disciplines. Infuse the ministry with practices that foster a daily relationship with Jesus. Integrate practices like prayer, devotional time, Scripture memory, and worship. If you can integrate spiritual disciplines within core content of the ministry itself, even better. Providing participants with daily connections to Christ engages and sustains them through deep works of confession, repentance, forgiveness, making amends, and finding identity in Christ. Remember, Christ is the healer, not the process.
Establish authentic biblical community. Authenticity is more powerful than anonymity. God created us to be fully known and loved (1 John 1:3-90). We will not experience being fully loved until we allow ourselves to be fully known. God offers the body of Christ to be healing hands, prayer warriors, comforters, and burden bearers. Group-based support helps participants realize they are not alone or unique, and they can be loved in their brokenness. In groups, participants can see biblical principles at work in different situations. So, provide a group environment that minimizes the threat of gossip, but never fosters secrecy or isolation. Connecting Christians on healing journeys together in a healthy environment should be a priority.
Be disciples who make disciples. The institution of the church is called to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. Church leadership should be preparing and inviting its people to minister…because Jesus is. His divine power has given us all we need for life and godliness and the Bible equips us for every good work. Christ isn’t held back by human shortcomings; he invites us into situations that only he can handle and works through us despite our shortcomings. Participants should commence with a clear call and path to share God’s work in their lives with others inside and outside of the ministry. So, create a process where participants are equipped to become leaders, leaders become coaches, coaches become staff, staff become elders and all become ministers of reconciliation.

Ask God to Do More Than You Can Imagine

When we realized that change was necessary for our ministry, it took us almost three years of prayer, development, and testing before we were ready to launch a new ministry fully aligned with our mission. Because of the rigor of the daily connection with Christ and spiritual formation integrated into the new ministry, we weren’t sure people would do the work. I told our church leadership that the depth of transformation would increase, but participation might decrease by 2/3. At the time, I had forgotten about the gift of desperation that prepares people for change.

When I looked up a year after our launch, we’d actually doubled in size, and the depth of life transformation was more than we’d imagined. People weren’t only finding victory over the presenting struggle (99% reporting some freedom), but reported significant transformation in other areas of life, too (49% reporting). Nearly half of the participants entering the ministry felt alone or unknown, but this fell to less than 5% for those who completed the curriculum. Over the course of the ministry, the share of people experiencing authentic biblical community tripled. From start to finish, the percentage of participants with a God-focused life purpose shifted from 16% to over 75%, and nearly two-thirds reported navigating life more from a biblical world view. People were falling in love with Jesus, experiencing God’s peace, joy and love, growing in prayer, and reconciling relationships. God had involved us in miracles.

More than a decade later, God continues to use the ministry to transform lives in every corner of our church and highest levels of leadership. Many other organizations have now adopted the ministry. People now attend as much for growth and discipleship as they do to overcome struggles. We’ve seen generations transformed into fully devoted followers of Christ.

God wants to make disciples through your care ministry, too. The invitation into The Great Commission should be woven into every ministry but God has a special eye on those whose spirits are broken. He will not despise broken and contrite hearts (Psalm 51:17). Those who have been forgiven much end up loving much (Luke 7:47). They will be the people most committed to laboring with sinners being redeemed by God because they’ve experienced the joy of deep reconciliation with Jesus and become ministers of reconciliation themselves.

Ask God to give you clarity about your next steps in making disciples through your care ministry. Then, like Peter, step out of the boat and focus on Christ as you walk into the deep (Matthew 14:22-33). As you faithfully move toward Jesus in a new way, invite others to join you. You might find yourself under water sometimes, but if you depend on Christ, you might also witness some drowning people transform into disciples of Jesus.

How to Grow Your Marriage in Hard Seasons | Watermark Resources

Watermark Resources — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

4 ways you can strengthen your marriage

When you said, “I do,” you meant it. You looked the love of your life in the eyes and promised that you would cherish and respect them, put them first, and forsake all others to choose them, even in poverty or sickness. But when the hard times actually come, you might wonder if your promise was premature. You didn’t know it would be like this.

Whatever it is that’s testing the strength of your marital bond—business, financial hardship, upended plans, or the constant demands of children—know that you are not alone. Every marriage will go through these seasons, and it doesn’t mean that you made a mistake. Here are four ways you can strengthen your marriage even when the challenges of life are present:

Believe the best. Don’t assume the worst.

It's easy to assume that you know what your spouse is thinking and feeling. We ascribe ulterior motives to their actions and negatively interpret what they say and do. When tensions rise and it’s more important than ever to stand together as a team, we’re prone to assume the worst and let it divide us.

As a married couple, remember you are one flesh (Genesis 2:24). In a mystery we can’t fully grasp, God sees husband and wife as one with each other. So when you assume the worst or make your spouse your enemy, you’re not just harming them. You are also harming yourself.

Start with a posture of believing the best about your spouse. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says love believes all things. When we choose to believe the best about our spouse, we demonstrate this love. If you’re confused or unsure about their motives, ask for clarification. Take time to understand how the stress of the situation is impacting them. We are quick to excuse our bad behavior; for example, “I didn’t mean it that way. I just haven’t had a full night’s sleep in months and so everything is coming across as short and abrupt.” Extend your spouse the same benefit of the doubt. In what ways is your spouse currently struggling emotionally, relationally, spiritually, physically, or vocationally? How can you encourage them in the midst of it?

Challenge: Pay attention throughout the day to any assumptions you are making and challenge automatic negative thoughts.

Keep short accounts.

Just as dirty dishes can quickly get out of hand if you don’t take care of them throughout the day, letting frustrations build up without dealing with them can quickly lead to a mountain so big it seems impossible to tackle. Instead of keeping a mental list of ways your spouse has wronged or annoyed you, address your frustrations with your spouse directly. Couples often come to our marriage ministry, Re|engage, with years and years of undealt with bitterness and malice. Things that might have been manageable on their own become massive and insurmountable.

In Ephesians 4:26 the Apostle Paul writes, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” This doesn’t mean every argument or conflict needs to be resolved before you fall asleep at night. However, it does mean that couples should make sure they’re not allowing unresolved conflict to lead to sin.

A few verses later in Ephesians 4:31, Paul says “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Keeping short accounts doesn’t necessarily fix every problem, but it prevents bitterness from setting in. When you keep short accounts, you’re also more likely to believe the best about your spouse (see #1 above).

Challenge: Deal with any unresolved conflict you have with your spouse.

Prioritize time together and time apart.

You can grow and protect your marriage by both connecting daily and by giving each other some space. In times of high stress, however, this becomes very difficult. Maybe you are both so busy you barely see each other in passing, or maybe a situation has you stuck in close proximity with no way to take a breather.

This can be challenging, especially if you have young kids, but look for ways to prioritize intentional time together as a couple. You’re going to have to say “no” to some good things to make time for better things. Carve out some couch time at night to catch up on your day and share how you’re doing. Even if you spend a lot of time in the same physical space, you may not have much intentional time together as a couple. Try to figure out what works best for you and your spouse. At the same time, make sure you each get some alone time. A great way to serve and express love to your spouse is to take the kids so your spouse can have some quiet time, or encourage them to take time to work out, pray, or meet with a friend.

Challenge: Work together to plan ways to intentionally schedule both time together and time apart.

Share what the Lord is teaching you.

When insecurity, pride, or business get in the way, it can be really hard for married couples to share what they’re learning with each other. If there’s anyone in the world we should be able to be completely vulnerable with, it’s our spouse. Genesis 2:25 says Adam and Eve were naked without shame. This means they were physically, emotionally, and spiritually open with each other. There was no guilt, shame, or insecurity between them.

However, with the fall in Genesis 3, this all changed. Every married couple since Adam and Eve has struggled to be vulnerable and real with each other. If you want your marriage to be a blessing during hard times instead of an additional stressor, you have to be open and honest with each other spiritually. Share with each other what God is teaching you. Be humble and listen. Remind your spouse that hope is found in Jesus, not in financial security, present circumstances, or even each other. Pray together as a couple—it's an amazing way to deepen spiritual intimacy.

Note: This is all assuming that you’re devoting daily and spending time with the Lord on your own. Check out our daily devotional app, Join the Journey, or investigate our online equipping classes (which are now free and available to your church). A healthy marriage starts with you and Jesus as you devote daily.

Challenge: Tomorrow, share with your spouse what God is teaching you. Take each other’s hands and pray together.

This hard time will either grow your marriage or tear it apart. How are you going to steward this opportunity?

An Encouragement For Hard Seasons | Watermark Resources

Watermark Resources — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

How God uses difficult seasons

In theory, we know that the people of God will have trouble in this world (John 16:33). But sometimes the hard times last much longer than expected. Sometimes they even seem to become the new normal. In those situations, it’s more important than ever for the church to hold onto hope (Romans 15:13). We know that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28) and that God is always up to something. We can, and should, be thankful always, for everything (Ephesians 5:20), in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It might not always be obvious what God is doing, but here are some ways he can use difficult seasons to bless your church and make it stronger.

Revealing Idols

Hard times tend to prune away distractions, exposing the worldly things that we put our trust in—things like financial stability, admirable leaders, and a sense of certainty about what the future holds—as the illusions that they are (James 4:13-16). Though it’s painful to have things that bring us comfort stripped away, it’s ultimately a good thing. People are reminded of the only true source of lasting comfort. We’re pointed to a better world beyond this one. People become more open to conversations about eternal life and more willing to reevaluate where they place their trust. We must simply be faithful and not waste the opportunities that are handed to us.

When has God used a season of suffering to uncover an idol in your own life?

They Form Leaders

For church leaders, challenging times serve as our own personal “stress test.” We can see where there are cracks or gaps in our leadership, giving us clarity on what we need to work on. Tough seasons can also give you clarity on who your leaders really are. Many people in your church may have the willingness and ability to step up and make a difference, but haven’t yet been stirred by apparent need. When hard times come, pay attention to the people who show up, roll with unexpected challenges, and commit when it’s costly.

Which fellow laborers in the church stand out to you as exemplary leaders? Ask one about the hard times God used to form their faith.

They Force You to Reevaluate

When times are easy and everything is humming along, we tend to keep doing things the same way we’ve been doing them. It’s hard to justify disrupting the status quo when there seem to be more pressing issues. But when things are broken, it forces you to change how you do things, at least for a season. That disruption gives church leaders the time and motivation to reevaluate how things are done. Maybe this means a staff member filling a role that’s new to them, or moving to a different number of services or different meeting times, or rebranding. Instead of spending a lot of time and resources on massive changes that may or may not be successful, you can spend just a little bit to temporarily experiment with the idea first. If it works, you can expand on the idea and make the change permanent. If it fails, you’ve learned what doesn’t work, which is itself a valuable lesson and worth the small investment.

What things do you need to start doing, stop doing, or keep doing? What smart, small risks could you take?

They Prepare the Church for the Future

As Christians, we’ve read the end of the book and know that victory is ultimately assured. But first we will face persecution and trials from an increasingly hostile world. When the way of life we’ve always known begins to crumble, we should not be surprised or unprepared. So if your church is facing opposition, division, or uncertainty, remember that this is a testing ground that prepares you to weather future storms that will be even bigger. Don't lose heart; continue being the church for each other no matter what happens.

What should you be doing now to prepare your church for the future?

Adversity Refined Endurance and Peace

"Hard times create strong men”--and strong churches. We can be thankful for trials because we know the good God who is using them to refine and strengthen us (Romans 5:3-4; James 1:2-3). Regardless of what kind of difficult times you find yourself in, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14). Pray and have peace (Philippians 4:6-7) knowing that God is still on His throne.

Why Sharing the Last 2% Builds Community | Watermark Resources

Watermark Resources — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Humans were made for relationships

We long for true connection—to be known and accepted for who we really are, not just for an image we project. Honesty. Authenticity. Being fully known. These are some of the core pillars of what it means to live together as Christ’s church. But because vulnerability is scary, it’s easy to settle for sharing most things – say, only 98% - and we pat ourselves on the back for being so open and honest. However, that tiny bit we neglect to share is actually the biggest thing: it is the information that would truly make us known, get to the root of the issue at hand, or require real change in our lives. Whether you're trying to get to the root of a specific issue, learn to trust, start fresh, or simply be known, holding back will hold you back.

What is the Last 2%?

That stuff you hold back and hide is what we like to refer to as “the last 2 percent.” It’s whatever is left after the 98 percent that you are willing to share.

The last 2 percent could be anything, depending on the person or even the day. It might be:

The hidden sin that you don’t want to confess (after confessing all of your other, more respectable sins).
The not-so-secret sin or blind spot that you see in a fellow believer’s behavior, but which you don’t want to bring up because of the uncomfortable conversation that would follow.
A fundamental disagreement you have with your spouse that you avoid talking about because you don’t like conflict.
A past hurt that you haven’t healed from because you haven’t sought help, fearful of what the process will be like or what other people will think of you if they knew.
Something negative that you’re willing to say about someone, but not to them.
What you say to your spouse or best friend in the car ride home after community group.
A question you wish you had asked.
A comment you wish you had made.
Any secret that you think you’ll take to your grave.

Or any other number of things. Whatever you are too prideful to admit or too fearful to say, that is your last 2 percent.

Why Share the Last 2%?

Christ calls us to live in the light (1 John 1:7), confess to each other (James 5:16), care for each other (Galatians 6:10) and reconcile to each other (Matthew 5:23-24). Following these commands requires us to be willing to fully share what is going on in their hearts and lives. It is clear throughout Scripture that God’s ideal is for us to live together authentically: that we would be free (John 8:36), not hiding secrets (Luke 8:17) or living in fear (2 Timothy 1:7), but rather speaking the truth to each other in love (Ephesians 4:15).

Sometimes we don’t want to share because we’re protecting an image. This is often true of church leaders, who feel pressured to set a good example and represent the church well. But one of the most powerful ways you can lead by example is to embrace authenticity. When members see it modeled by their leaders, the culture of the church will begin to change from the top down.

Although it may feel risky, there are many reasons why we should share the last 2 percent:

It allows healing to begin (James 5:14-16).
It kills bitterness and resentment by actually dealing with and resolving conflict (Matthew 18:15).
It eliminates gossip (Proverbs 26:20).
It can help save others from the consequences of sin (James 5:19-20).
It is one of the ways we sharpen each other (Proverbs 27:17).
It is an exercise of faith, demonstrating the freedom we have from fear of condemnation (Romans 8:1-2).
It is the only way to truly love and be loved for who you are (1 Peter 1:22).

Putting It into Practice

Of course, you should use discretion in deciding when, how, and where to share your last 2 percent. Scripture warns against careless words (Proverbs 12:18). We’re called to be slow to speak (James 1:19) and to use wisdom and discernment in what and when we share. Sensitive subjects should be addressed in the right context, to the right person, and with the right heart. For example, if someone has sinned against you, go to them first, in private (Matthew 18:15). Pray for wisdom (James 1:5) in how you go about it. Sharing the last 2 percent should be an act of love; the ultimate intention is to serve.

Encourage others to share. Among our own staff, we often end performance reviews or hard conversations by asking if the other person has “any last 2 percent” that remains unsaid. It’s become a part of our culture, so everyone knows what the term means and why it is important.

When Someone Else Shares

When someone trusts you enough to vulnerably share their 2% with you, respond with the same compassion and grace you would want to be shown. Because God loves us fully, despite knowing all our failures, we’re called to love each other the same way (1 John 4:7-12). Create a culture where it’s safe to share. If someone confesses that they’ve wronged you, be quick to extend forgiveness (Luke 17:3-4). Do your part by owning whatever role you may have played in a conflict and examining your own heart for anything you need to share. If a believer is weighed down by shame, remind them of God’s grace—that there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1), and no condemnation from you, either.

100% Worth It

Sharing the last 2% is hard and uncomfortable at first. Stuffing the truth can seem like the easier route. But in reality, there is no easy route. That unspoken 2% will eventually catch up with you. Maybe no one else will find out, but your heart will bear the cost. You won’t have peace. You won’t resolve the bitterness of hidden conflict. You won’t be truly known or accepted, and you won’t be fully loving toward the people you care about.

On the other hand, the more you share your 2%, the easier and more natural it becomes. You’ll experience oneness with your spouse and authentic acceptance in your church. That doesn’t mean smooth sailing—relationships are messy, and trouble is guaranteed in this life (John 16:33). People won’t always respond the way you hope. But you can rest knowing you’ve been faithful to do your part—not just the easy 98%.

Is there someone you need to resolve conflict with or share the last 2% today?

How to Build a Team of Lay Leaders | Watermark Resources

Braun Brown — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMT

5 ways to build a great lay leadership team

I had the honor of working on staff as the Director of Student Ministry for years, placing sixth-grade students in small groups they would remain in all the way through middle and high school. One time I went to see two guys from the same small group sign papers for Division One scholarships at their high school. At the end of the celebration, everyone gathered for a group photo: these two guys, the other small group guys who had come to support their friends, their faithful small group leaders—and then me in the very back.

That’s a great visual for how we should think about ministry. A good leader sets up others to be ministers on their team, acting as the facilitator of lay leaders, while the lay leaders faithfully serve the larger group. It's a unique situation where you get to not only minister to others but also minister through others in order to multiply your ministry. We see this structure predominantly through Jesus who spent the bulk of his time investing in disciples who would go on to reach countless others, and we want to follow in his footsteps.

Over the course of my years in student ministry, here are five ways I've learned to build, invest in, and keep a great lay leadership team:

Create Space for Community

People need to know that they are part of something, not just doing something—that they’re cared for, loved, and included. Building a "family" of leaders is the ministry within the ministry. You want your leaders to feel that they’re not only pouring out, but also being invested in, cared for, and loved.

As I started working with lay leaders, the first thing I did was invite the guys over each week for Bible study. This not only created an environment for me to pour into leaders, but it also created a format for leaders to get to know one another. Leaders need to know that you care about them, as they care for others. They need to be able to say, “Not only am I investing in the people I’m shepherding, but I’m also getting poured into.” Look for opportunities to pour into and encourage your lay leaders and fill their cups. The result of this is leaders who stay serving for long periods of time, because they were doing ministry together with people they love.

Give Them Value

Help your volunteers understand why what they're doing matters. Stories are your best currency in this regard. When I met with a leader, I would always have a story teed up, as a way to connect their heart to the vision of our ministry – why investing their time was worth it.

Stories aren’t the only way to tell your team that what they’re doing counts. You could suggest to the parents of small group kids that they send their kids’ leaders notes telling them the difference they’re making in their son’s or daughter’s life or invite former small group kids to share the influence their leaders had on them and how their time in small group is impacting their life now in college. Encourage them any way you can—directly, through parents, through other leaders—and never miss a chance to encourage them in front of the group. Especially if you lead a very large group, set aside at least a few touchpoints each year to be in the trenches with them and watch them lead. This gives you the opportunity to encourage them with specific ways you see God using them and make yourself available to them any time they need help. You’re giving them value, proving that what they’re doing matters.

Give Them a Mountain Worth Climbing

It can be tempting to cast the least-demanding version of your vision when you’re afraid of scaring people away. Don’t be afraid to set your standards high so that your leaders can look back and say, that took a lot of effort, but man, the payoff was worth it. If we under-challenge them, we end up with lay leaders who are only halfway-in. By making it too easy, you often attract the kind of leaders who are looking for low commitment. Making the hard ask will turn some people away, but it attracts the right people to your ministry teams.

In student ministries, we weren’t just looking for chaperones or event sponsors. We wanted disciple-makers, people who would really invest in the lives of the students. So, right from the start, we communicated that vision and challenged leaders. We certainly lost potential leaders, but we gained a team of leaders who were clear of the investment and responsibility it took to be in the lives of others.

See Their Potential

When you encourage someone to lead, they often respond with reasons that they aren’t qualified—things like “I don’t know the Bible as well as you guys,” or “I’m not sure how God could use me.” We have to remember that rookies become veterans, and we need to have the right expectations. If they're new to it, yes, they will need time to launch. But learning comes with time. What you're looking for is a heart that is turned towards the Lord. Do they love Jesus? Is their heart compelled to be part of what you're doing? That’s a win. Help them see that pouring themselves out in the lives of others is one of the best ways to grow personally. Seeing a leader’s potential is believing Philippians 1:6 for them—“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." No leader, or staff for that matter has arrived, but a person yielded to the Spirit can be an amazing minister on your team.

I once told a prospective leader that he was amazing, relational, and fun, and that students would love to hang out with him. His response? “You know what—I really like to just go home after work, watch a show, and sit on the couch. I'm not sure I want to be involved.” I thanked him for his honesty and expressed regret that he would be missing out on an opportunity to see the Lord bless students through him. One month later, that same guy called me and told me he had changed his mind. He ended up being a leader for seven years, and he's now an elder in the church. By being honest with your lay leaders, God can work on their hearts.

Similarly, don’t say no for them. It's easy to think, “That guy would never volunteer with us,” or “she’s too busy,” or “he’s too important to be interested in serving.” But don't be afraid to encourage people when you see that God has gifted them and that they have hearts for Christ. Don't be afraid to let the Lord lead them.

Put People in the Right Positions

When we put someone in a role that doesn’t line up with their heart and their gifting, it often leaves them frustrated and drained. It’s your role to be honest and place people in areas you see them excelling. That means being honest if someone isn’t a good fit or not shying away from moving a leader into a role that better matches their giftings. When people take a leadership position in your ministry, others are going to see those people’s gifts and assume that’s what you’re looking for, so it’s important to be thoughtful and wise with who you choose.

Pouring Into The Lives of Leaders

Being on the frontlines of ministry is rewarding and fulfilling. We can easily find ourselves trying to take on all the work ourselves, but you’ll wear yourself out and miss out on the joy of watching others join you in the work of ministry. When you have the right view, you're not the focal point of the picture; you're in the background setting up others to be God's man or God's woman.

We have an incredible model of ministry from Jesus himself. The bulk of his time was spent investing in his twelve disciples. He wasn’t going to the tabernacle and speaking, he was investing in the twelve, and that multiplied out and became the church. When we minister to ministers, they become letters written on our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). We get to pour into the lives of leaders and set them up to be a part of something God wants to do through them. That’s the best part of ministry. If God has gifted them, help them not to waste it. Help them be about eternal things.

How to Identify Future Church Leaders | Watermark Resources

Watermark Resources — Tue, 27 May 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Give ministry away

Over time, spiritual maturity should naturally move believers from being consumers in the church to using their gifts to build up the body of Christ. It's a key part of the spiritual formation path. That’s why Watermark has long believed in giving ministry away to Members and fostering a culture of volunteer leadership. In fact, when we started our campus, we made it our goal to be a net exporter of leaders—to have more people available to serve as ministry leaders than we needed, so that they could be sent out into the world and deployed elsewhere.

None of that can happen unless we first identify and train up the potential leaders in our church. Just as we’re responsible for equipping our body for service, we’re also responsible for using discernment when appointing leaders. Looking for the things God looks for in a leader instead of what is culturally associated with leadership (1 Samuel 16:7). So how do we find the right people to train for church leadership?

Watch Your Flock

The best way to find potential leaders is to see your members in action. Obviously, this is easier said than done, especially if your congregation is large. This is one reason why Watermark encourages every member to serve somewhere within the church. Trusted existing ministry leaders are tasked with watching over their own small “flocks” within the church body and can then recommend people who stand out.

Leave it to FATE

As your leaders watch over their ministry areas, have them keep a look out for people who are Faithful, Available, Teachable, and Emotionally Healthy:

Faithful. We want people who faithfully pursue the Lord, and who remain faithful in whatever circumstances He gives them. They prove themselves trustworthy through how they serve.

Available. If someone is unable or unwilling to create margin in their life, they probably aren’t a good fit for leadership. The people who are passionate about ministry will find or make the time for it. This is an easy one to watch for: who shows up? Who consistently makes themselves available to serve?

Teachable. It doesn’t make sense to train someone unless they are willing to be taught. Being teachable requires admitting that you don’t know everything, and some people are too worried about saving face to listen to feedback and implement changes based on it. Someone who is inexperienced but humble and hungry to learn has a huge advantage over someone with more experience who thinks they have “arrived.”

Emotionally Healthy. Everyone has room to grow, but sometimes a person has a habit or character defect that needs to be actively addressed before they step into leadership. Look for people who take responsibility for and learn from their mistakes. Leadership stresses existing weak points, and someone who strives for the approval of others or easily loses their temper can quickly find themselves in a bad situation.

Welcome Young Believers

Spiritual maturity is great for potential leaders—but it isn’t a requirement. Why? Because we are talking about inviting people to learn how to become leaders, not recruiting people who already are leaders. Discipleship is a step on the path to full maturity. So while a potential elder should “not be a recent convert” (1 Timothy 3:6), a young believer who craves spiritual growth can and should serve as a leader in a way that is fitting for their maturity level. Spiritually immature but committed Christians can serve as co-leaders with, or under the oversight of, more mature leaders. Over time, as they prove themselves to be faithful in smaller roles (Luke 16:10), we can entrust them with more and more responsibility.

Finding Leaders Begins With Discipleship

Everything is a discipleship opportunity. When new ministry roles open up, instead of recycling the same mature leaders we always turn to, try to include younger and less experienced leaders who can learn from the old guard. Larger churches with the resources to look outside for new hires should also make sure not skip over disciple—making. Eventually, the “inexperienced” people mature, grow, and train up future leaders of their own.

This is how believers are supposed to replicate themselves, and it is how the Church has survived and thrived for the past 2,000 years. If you are not developing your people, then your church is dying, because there will be no one left to lead when the current crop of mature believers is gone. These people are the future of your church; your job is to find them and prepare them for the future.

Speaker-Listener Couples Communication Help | Watermark Resources

Watermark Resources — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 05:00:00 GMT

A simple method

Unfortunately, arguments are often based on misunderstandings rather than actual disagreements—and our closest relationships, with the people who know us best, are often the ones most riddled with miscommunication. We assume we know each other so well that we don’t need to bother clarifying our intentions. We relax the way we communicate. This is especially true between spouses.

Lack of intentionality in communication will always tend toward misunderstanding, due to our natural sin tendencies and common negative communication patterns. Your brain is trying to make the argument more efficient by skipping steps, but it’s backfiring in a big way. The result is that you don’t really hear what the other person is trying to say. You might interpret it in the most negative way possible, when in reality that’s not what they meant at all.

If you want to get unstuck and end these unproductive arguments, you’re going to have to try a different way of communicating. We’re not talking about smoke signals or semaphore; just a simple method to use in conversations when you really need to understand each other.

What is the Speaker-Listener Technique?

The Speaker-Listener technique gives structure to conversations. A form of active listening, it gives each person turns as both the “speaker” and the “listener,” as well as simple rules to follow while in each role. The technique is designed to ensure that both people are fully heard and understood. And yes, it can feel unnatural. But as we’ve seen, doing what comes naturally doesn’t tend to produce the best results.

This technique was developed by Scott Stanley and friends in Fighting for Your Marriage and A Lasting Promise, but it’s based on what God’s Word has to say about communication. The Bible tells us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19), and to listen to (Proverbs 18:13) and understand (Proverbs 18:2) each other before responding. This technique is an effective way to put that into practice.

Speaker-Listener Technique Rules

Here are the “rules” that define how the Speaker-Listener technique works:

For Both People:

At any given time, one person plays the role of “Speaker” and one the role of “Listener.” Whoever is currently the “Speaker” has the floor.
Over the course of a conversation, the floor should be shared equally between both people. Each of you takes turns being the Speaker and the Listener.

For the Speaker:

Articulate what you, yourself, are feeling and thinking. Don’t put words into the other person’s mouth or make assumptions about what they are feeling or thinking. Speak for yourself and rely on “I” statements when conveying information.
Keep things short and to the point.
Stop often and allow the Listener to paraphrase your thoughts as they heard them.
After the Listener paraphrases your thoughts, either confirm that they heard you correctly or clarify if it appears they are misinterpreting you or missing something you meant to communicate.
Continue this process until you feel understood as the Speaker.

For the Listener:

Actively listen to the Speaker. Fight the urge to zone out or spend your time preparing a response.
Don’t interrupt, provide rebuttal, or defend yourself and your actions. That also extends to non-verbal communication: avoid rolling your eyes, sighing, or using other body language to show that you disagree with the Speaker or do not respect their opinion.
After the Speaker finishes a thought and pauses, paraphrase back what you heard them say in your own words.
Once you understand the Speaker’s perspective, and both of you agree that they are being heard correctly, switch places. You become the Speaker, and they become the Listener.

Speaker-Listener Example

Here's how this can look in practice:

Husband (as the Speaker): I know you said you wanted to get a new minivan, but I think it would be wiser to get a used car instead.

Wife (as the Listener): So, what I hear you saying is, my idea was unwise?

Husband (as the Speaker): Not exactly. I’d love to have a new vehicle. It’s just that I was looking at prices, and what you were suggesting doesn’t fit in our budget.

Wife (as the Listener): In other words, you like the idea of a new minivan, but don’t think we can afford it?

Husband (as the Speaker): Exactly.

Wife (switching roles; now becomes the Speaker): Well, the reason why I wanted a new minivan is because it would be safer for us and the kids, and it’s hard to put a price on safety.

Husband (as the Listener): So, the reason why you wanted a new one is because you think it would be safer than a used vehicle?

Wife (as the Speaker): Yes, it would have all the latest safety features and would be less likely to break down and leave us stranded. And when you say I should be driving an old car, it seems like you don’t care about my safety.

Husband (as the Listener): You feel like I don’t care about what happens to you?

Wife (as the Speaker): Kind of, yeah.

Husband (switching roles; becomes the Speaker again): I’m sorry I gave that impression. I care very much what happens to you. I just don’t think there’s that big a difference in safety between a new vehicle and a used one, but there is a big difference in price. And we wouldn’t get an “old car”; just one that isn’t brand new.

Wife (as the Listener): So, you’re saying that we have different impressions of how safe a used car is, and that you thought we’d get one that wasn’t very old?

Husband (as the Speaker): That’s right.

Notice that the Speaker-Listener technique doesn’t automatically resolve the conflict or “win” the argument for either side; that’s not the goal. Instead, the goal is mutual understanding. It is only when you actually understand each other that you can work together to fix the problem.

Using Speaker-Listener by Yourself

The Speaker-Listener technique is designed to be used by both people in the conversation; both sides are supposed to know and follow the rules. Because it is rather simple and easy to learn, you can quickly teach it to your spouse, family members, or anyone else you work closely with. (You could just forward them this article!)

However, what if you are in a tough conversation with someone who doesn’t know the technique? Maybe it’s a pastoral situation with someone you don’t really know, or a conflict with a member of your congregation. You are probably not going to stop and teach them a set of rules.

The Speaker-Listener technique is still at least somewhat useful in those situations. You can still fulfill the Listener role yourself, regardless of what the other person does. By actively listening and then paraphrasing back what they say, you can ensure that you understand them and that they feel understood. Even though the other person might not return the favor, humbly hearing someone out and helping them feel heard can go a long way in deescalating conflict and resolving disagreements.

Mutual Understanding Is The Goal

Church leaders are often known for being good speakers, but being a good listener is probably the more valuable skill. It’s worth putting in the extra time and fighting through a little awkwardness in order to achieve mutual understanding and skip avoidable conflict. When you listen, really listen, and confirm that you’ve understood correctly. It’s a great tool in shepherding your church and your family.

Three Keys to Building a Great Team | Watermark Resources

John Cox — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Raising up leaders

Ministry is a team sport—but before the team comes the leader. In Scripture, whenever God wanted to do something significant, He began by raising up a leader—Moses, David, Paul, etc. Leadership, then, becomes the rate-limiting factor in ministry growth. Healthy ministry grows at the speed of healthy leadership. That’s why one of the most impactful things we can do is not just lead ourselves well—but build up others to lead too. That means both bringing in newcomers and helping the people we already have grow more mature and spiritually in-tune. To build a great team in ministry, think about how a coach builds a great team in college football:

Recruit Great People

A coach needs to seek out raw talent, which means praying and casting vision. People want to be part of something that God is doing that's significant. God will draw people to your ministry, but He often uses you as the one to invite them in—so be intentional. Always be looking for potential leaders.

When I planted a church in Virginia, I got a part-time job working the front desk at Gold's Gym. We had just moved to Virginia, and it was an area I hadn't lived in before. I knew that to build a church, I would have to develop a bunch of relationships, and a gym is a great place to build relationships with faithful, disciplined people! I scanned people in at the front desk and immediately knew basic information about them, which was helpful as I began forming friendships with the “regulars.” At the same time that I was developing these friendships so I could invite people to come to the church once it started, I was also networking with like-minded people at Campus Crusade, InterVarsity, Young Life, and so on—people who shared my passion for making disciples.

Come alongside people, cast the vision, and invite them to be part of it. Trust that God will spark interest in the people He wants to use. Constantly be looking for the next person God might bring to strengthen the team.

Get People into the Right Positions

The second thing football coaches do especially well is figure out where to put people on the field. In high school, the best athletes all tend to play quarterback, running back, and wide receiver. But a great college football coach is able to look at incoming players and discern what their gifts are and where they should play, regardless of what position they played before. It’s the same in ministry.

Of course, you need to have an idea of how someone is gifted in order to get them into the right spot, and sometimes it takes time to discover their gifts. That’s okay. It might take a few tries to get someone into a role that complements their skill set and wiring. You’ll need to pay close attention to the people on your team. Who is thriving? Who is struggling? How do someone’s innate strengths complement their role?

Coach Them to Be Better

College football programs typically hold a 90-minute practice each day. That’s an hour and a half to make your team better. A great coach will use this time strategically, and when they’re trying to develop a player, they’ll ask three key questions.

First: What is this person doing that they need to keep doing? A great “coach” spots Christ-honoring behaviors that lead to effective ministry and reinforces them with encouragement. What gets recognized gets repeated.

Second: What are they doing that they need to stop? Sometimes people are blind to the ways that they’re self-sabotaging. They might be actively hurting their own ministry, like a brilliant guy I once worked with who was exceptionally good at his job, but lost his temper and started blaming people whenever things went wrong. I had to take him aside and warn him that if the behavior didn’t change, people wouldn’t want to work with him anymore. Other times, a behavior might just be stunting or wasting their potential. Someone who spends three hours a day killing time on the internet, for example, is capable of doing so much more with their time.

Third: What are they not doing that they need to start? A great coach is always trying to identify the one step someone could take to improve their game—just one habit or practice that will make the biggest difference in their development.

It is God who transforms; the Bible is super clear on that. We can’t do it for them. All we can do is serve as a mirror to someone to highlight things and bring things to their attention.

The keep/stop/start framework also has the advantage of being easy to replicate. We’re not just equipping the next generation; we’re also preparing them to equip others down the road (2 Timothy 2:2). When we're in relationships where we're trying to help build, coach, and develop people, it's important to be cognizant of those three questions. If you don’t keep them on the forefront of your mind, it’s easy to miss the signs.

Great Teams Are Built Intentionally

If this kind of coaching sounds a lot like discipleship, that’s because it is. Pointing out things people are doing to bring them closer to Jesus, or sin patterns that you’ve noticed that are impeding their spiritual growth, and suggesting ways for them to take new ground in their relationship with God—all of that is discipleship. If you can cast a compelling vision, pay attention to the ways people are gifted and where they can flourish, and regularly disciple them, you can build a good team. Great teams don’t happen by accident—they’re built intentionally, one person, one position, and one conversation at a time.

Want to Help Kids? Strengthen Parents' Marriages | Watermark Resources

Watermark Resources — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Investing in the next generation

Please don’t misunderstand; God does a lot of incredible work through children’s ministry and youth groups. Kids need places where they can be known, loved, and taught about God. Christians who invest their time and resources into the next generation are faithful servants doing an invaluable job.

But I think it’s a mistake to treat children’s ministry as the church’s best way to serve young people. Veteran Sunday School teachers will be quick to affirm that all the work they pour into kids once or twice a week can never compare to the ongoing influence of the children’s parents. No matter how much we work to attract young people, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are less committed to church than ever before. It’s worth taking a hard look at our current approach and asking if there might be a better way.

God designed parents to be the primary sources of a child’s spiritual formation.

From page 1, God has shaped individuals in the context of family. God told His people through Moses in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” The expectation has always been that parents would pass the faith on to their children, not rely on others to do it for them. Unfortunately, many of today’s parents don’t know how to disciple their kids because they themselves were never discipled. They don’t walk closely with the Lord, and their marriages suffer because of it. And so do their kids.

The quality of the parents’ marriage often determines the strength of the children’s faith.

By every measure, divorce hurts children. We’ve long known that children of divorced parents are at higher risk of adverse outcomes like substance abuse, addiction, mental and physical health problems, and poor educational performance. Children whose parents are married but handle conflict poorly are subject to similar effects. And this damaging impact, unsurprisingly, carries over into the spiritual realm.

Each generation seems to be less religious than the one before, but the difference practically vanishes when you control for family states: millennials who grew up in continuously-married families, for example, attend church at virtually the same rate as baby boomers and Gen Xers. Millennials who come from continuously-married families are 78% more likely to attend church at least twice a month than those who do not. Simply put: when mom and dad stay married, kids tend to continue in their faith.

Nothing we do for kids can replace spiritually healthy parents.

Much as parents sometimes wish we could, we simply can’t do the enormous work of spiritual formation for them. Shepherding kids is an important responsibility, and it’s appropriate that we pour so much time, money, and effort into our children’s programs. But the primary influences in a child’s life are their parents or caregivers; church holds only a sliver of their time and attention. We can try to set parents up to disciple their children well by sending home discussion questions and activities that reinforce the weekly lesson. But parents aren’t likely to sit down at the table together for spiritual conversations if they don’t even like each other.

If what children see modeled at home is out of sync with what they hear in church, the church’s credibility suffers—no matter how excellent the lessons, skits, and activities may be. If marriages in your church are unhealthy, pouring more resources into family ministry is a bad investment. On a more hopeful note, however, the opposite is also true. You don’t need a huge budget, snazzy graphics, or all-star team to make a difference in kids’ lives. You only need to faithfully shepherd their parents. Parents are God’s first line of defense for children, who thrive spiritually when they see their parents model the relationship that God intended (Proverbs 14:26).

The best way to invest in kids is to invest in marriage ministries.

Kids’ ministry is most effective when it starts at home—when it is lived out faithfully in sacrificial love between a husband and wife that overflows into the lives of their children. If we’re serious about winning the next generation for Christ, we have to start by serving marriages.

Is there still an important place for organized kids’ ministry at the church level? Absolutely. But right now, churches are spending much more on children’s and student ministries than on marriage ministries. Knowing that every resource invested in marriage ministry also synergistically benefits kids, I’m convinced it’s time to make that amount more equal. If we’re concerned about Gen Z disengaging from the church, we need to get ahead of the problem.

There are many ways that can look. You can provide opportunities for married couples to deepen their connection with each other and improve their communication. You can go even farther upstream and invest in pre-married couples. Our church’s biggest success with married couples has been the Re|engage ministry, which is designed for both struggling marriages and those that are fine but could be better. The entire 4-6 month ministry is built around discipleship. A mentor couple is assigned to each small table of married couples (typically 4 or 5), and they walk alongside participants, sharing wisdom from God’s Word and modeling an imperfect but godly partnership. It’s also designed to be completely turnkey so it can be integrated into any church—you can find more information here. Even if it isn’t Re|engage, though, I strongly encourage you to prioritize discipling parents and intentionally strengthening marriages.

Marriage First, Impact Follows

Kids and teens are struggling, and they’re less likely than ever to look to the church for help. But the answer is not necessarily to throw more money into fog machines or retreats. We can regain lost ground if we recognize how foundational marriage ministry is to all other kinds of family ministry and prioritize it accordingly. By serving families from the top down, we steward the church’s resources well and take advantage of the way God designed families to grow.

I’m passionate about marriage ministry and have witnessed firsthand the “ripple effect” that can take place when parents begin to walk more closely with God and with each other. Please email us sometime if you’d like to hear some stories!

Why Discipleship Is the Heart of Re:generation | Watermark Resources

Nate Graybill — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT

What sets Re:generation apart

People don’t come to Re:generation looking for discipleship. They come seeking help—relief from struggles like depression, addiction, anxiety, or pornography. Likewise, church leaders, counselors, and others who launch Re:generation ministries are not usually thinking about discipleship first; they want resources to help them support their community’s needs.

But even if discipleship isn’t what draws people in, it’s the reason they stay. And more than anything else, it’s what sets Re:generation apart from other recovery ministries.

The Origins of Re:generation

When Watermark Community Church launched their recovery ministry in 2002, its primary purpose was to help members struggling with secret sin and shame. Director Nate Graybill, who battled a pornography addiction for years before finally finding freedom in Christ through the help of community, knew it was vitally important to create a place where people could openly find help with their struggles. God worked powerfully through the ministry, bringing people into the light, fostering authenticity, and giving people relief from struggles like addiction, anxiety, and past abuse.

But something was missing. The change people experienced often remained compartmentalized within their “recovery” journey. If the presenting issue was under control, then recovery was understood to be concluded, and the principles were no longer needed. The ministry was perceived as something separate from the larger church body that only those with big, visible struggles needed, when in reality, everyone has room to grow. Many found healing but never took the next steps into deeper spiritual growth.

Watermark’s leadership became convinced that the goal of Christ-centered recovery had to be bigger than mere sobriety. Yes, God wants His people to be free from sin’s control, but more than just fixing their bad habits, He wants to transform their hearts, leading them into full devotion to Him. Nate Graybill envisioned a discipleship-centered approach to recovery, where addiction and brokenness were simply the starting points for a deeper walk with Christ.

That vision became Re:generation.

What Makes Re:generation Different?

Re:generation was built around one central goal: full devotion to Christ. Sobriety from an addiction or struggle isn’t the finish line—it’s just a milestone along the way. It’s an important milestone, of course. The ministry still effectively addresses addiction, echoing many principles found in popular recovery groups, like taking one day at a time and admitting your powerlessness over your struggle. But the focus was broadened to include anything hindering a person’s relationship with God and others.

Because true freedom comes only through daily dependence on Christ, the curriculum was designed with daily content to give participants the opportunity to encounter God every single day. It is a more demanding workload, but those who truly want to get well embrace it eagerly. Each day’s lesson opens and closes with a prayer, and all concepts are tied to foundational Scriptures.

By integrating discipleship into recovery, Re:generation not only transforms individuals—it strengthens the entire church. It’s amazing to watch the way God uses the example of one person’s heart change to spark change in the lives of the people close to them. Re:generation also reaches people who might never sign up for a traditional discipleship program. Those struggling with addiction or pain arrive humbled and ready to put in the hard work that life change requires. It also clearly identifies idols of the heart, brokenness, and sin patterns for those who have never struggled with addictions.

The Bible-based 12 steps provide a framework for spiritual formation, walking participants through lessons on how to share the Gospel, resolve conflict biblically, and cultivate spiritual disciplines like habitual Bible study and prayer. The curriculum intentionally connects participants to the broader church community, focusing on their common faith rather than defining them by their struggles. This emphasis on spiritual formation as the catalyst for healing is what sets Re:generation apart.

Re:generation By the Numbers

Since launching fully at Watermark in 2013, Re:generation has expanded to hundreds of churches and organizations. The impact speaks for itself. Among over 1,900 participants surveyed after completing the program:

96% experienced freedom from their primary struggle
93% gained biblical conflict-resolution skills
97% regularly confessed to God and a trusted person
94% embraced God’s forgiveness
94% were more likely to forgive others
88% had received forgiveness from others
97% learned to be open and honest
85% increased their time in God’s Word
93% relied on Scripture for decision-making
96% deepened their trust in God
92% strengthened relational trust with others
80% grew in their trust of the church

The Mission of the Church

Ultimately, the reason discipleship is the heart of Re:generation is that it is—or should be—the heart of everything we do as believers. Recovery is not a separate mission. It’s part of the Great Commission, Jesus' call for His followers to go out and make disciples of all people. God is recovering His people to bear His image. And if we ever find ourselves investing in something that doesn’t further that calling, it’s a sign to look long and hard at the way we’re doing things and see if there is a better way.

This means that discipleship can’t be an afterthought when the church ministers to hurting people. It should be built into the bones of the ministry. Sobriety is great, but it is not enough. It does not save. We think heart change (like those surveyed above) is a better measure for a recovery ministry than abstaining from sinful behavior.

Connecting People To Jesus

The church has nothing to offer a hurting world except Jesus and the life-changing power of His Spirit working through His Word and His people. No resource or program, no matter how helpful it might be, can serve as a viable substitute. Re:generation simply connects people daily to Jesus, the only true source of freedom and transformation.

Yes, part of that is shedding unhealthy coping mechanisms and breaking destructive cycles. But more than that, it means following Jesus in every area of life. “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

The difference has always been discipleship.

Learn more about Re:generation and how you can bring it to your church.

Find a local Re:generation group to attend.