What if the church’s leadership crisis isn’t a failure of character, but a failure of systems? In this conversation, Jesse Cruikshank sits down with longtime friend, pastor, author, and leadership reformer Lance Ford to examine how modern leadership models—largely borrowed from business and industry—have quietly reshaped the church in ways Jesus never intended. Drawing from Lance’s new book The Atlas Factor, they trace the surprisingly recent rise of “leadership” as a dominant framework, explore how power concentrates and erodes empathy, and reflect on why so many pastors are burning out while congregations remain stalled. Together, they recover a biblical vision of the church as a body—shared, relational, Spirit-led—where discipleship replaces control, and where movement returns when no one tries to play the head except Christ himself.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
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ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
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Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank talks with pastor and author Mandy Smith about the quiet, surprising ways God brings renewal through ordinary people and ordinary acts of faith. Mandy shares the unfolding story of her congregation in Brisbane, the deep personal healing she’s experienced in the process, and the unexpected movement sparked by one woman whose life has been transformed by Jesus.
Together, Jessie and Mandy explore:
This conversation invites you to see yourself—and the Church—with new eyes: beloved, whole, and capable of bearing surprising fruit through simple daily faithfulness.
Listen in and be encouraged to step into the ordinary, Spirit-filled work God is already doing in and through you.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
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Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this deeply moving conversation, Jessie sits down with longtime friends Jessica and Andrew Arnold to talk about their journey raising and discipling their daughter Sarah, who is autistic, vibrant, socially curious, and wonderfully unique. The Arnolds open up about Sarah’s early diagnosis, the beauty and complexity of her faith, and the ways they’ve learned to release expectations, trust God, and embrace who she is rather than who they once imagined she might become.
With honesty and tenderness, they share what it looks like to navigate neurodivergence, emotional highs and lows, identity questions, and spiritual formation in real time. They talk about Sarah’s love for cosplay, her evangelist’s heart, her deep honesty, her struggles with jealousy and belonging, and the remarkable way she makes space for others on the margins. The conversation also highlights how faith communities can support neurodivergent individuals—not by fixing them, but by attuning, welcoming, and creating belonging.
This episode is an invitation to reimagine discipleship with gentleness, patience, and grace. It reminds us that God’s image is reflected beautifully in every person, and that those who experience the world differently often teach us the most about vulnerability, love, and the heart of Jesus.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
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Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank sits down with her friend and fellow leader Tracy Matthews for a rich, grounding conversation on what it means to cultivate spiritual attunement in life and leadership. Tracy shares vivid imagery God gave her during prayer—living water seeping into dry, cracked places—and invites us into a way of leading that begins not with planning and striving, but with presence, receptivity, and alignment with God’s heart. Together, Jessie and Tracy explore the difference between self-driven leadership and Spirit-led wayfinding, how teams can discern God’s guidance together, why shared power and co-regulation matter for emotional and spiritual health, and how slowing down can open us to wisdom we’ve been missing. They talk courage, disappointment, group culture, and the surprising freedom that comes when we release our grip on the plan and follow the Spirit’s gentle nudge instead. This is a practical and deeply encouraging conversation for anyone longing to hear God more clearly and lead with greater peace, courage, and connection.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank sits down with Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw to explore their new book Landscapes of the Soul—a beautiful and practical guide to understanding attachment theory through the lens of faith and discipleship.
Together, they unpack what it means to live with secure, insecure, or disorganized attachment, reframed as landscapes of the soul: the pasture, the jungle, the desert, and the war zone. Geoff and Cyd share how these metaphors help us see our relational and spiritual patterns without shame—inviting us to move from self-protection toward deeper connection with God and others.
This conversation bridges brain science and spiritual formation, showing how embodied faith and attachment awareness can transform the way we read Scripture, practice discipleship, and experience God’s love in everyday life.
Learn more about Geoff and Cyd’s work at embodiedfaith.life
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank sits down with evangelist and disciple-maker Mike Wiggin to talk about surrender, grace, and what it truly means to follow Jesus. Mike shares his powerful story of moving from legalism to life—how an encounter with grace changed everything—and why he’s passionate about helping people not just believe in Jesus, but actually surrender to Him.
Together, they unpack the difference between emotional experiences and true transformation, explore why so many church models miss the heart of discipleship, and introduce Mike’s Simple Communities and Hope Dealer Training—a movement helping ordinary believers multiply the gospel in everyday life.
It’s an honest, hopeful conversation about faith that costs something, community that sustains, and the beauty of a gospel that’s as simple as it is powerful.
Learn more:
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
Discipleship isn’t a skill to master—it’s a story to be lived. In this episode, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank unpack why so many churches reduce discipleship to a series of classes or leadership pipelines, and how that misses the heart of transformation. Together they explore the difference between leadership training and true discipleship, why one-size-fits-all programs leave people behind, and how small relational communities can actually cultivate spiritual maturity.
From rethinking old church models to the importance of relationship, rupture and repair, and trusting the Holy Spirit in group settings, this conversation challenges us to see discipleship not as curriculum-driven but as a Spirit-led journey of rewriting our lives with Jesus.
If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond programs into real transformation, this episode offers a hopeful vision for discipleship that is personal, relational, and rooted in story
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this episode of Ordinary Discipleship, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank dive into the vital practice of listening in discipleship. Too often, leaders rush to “fix” problems rather than truly hearing the heart of the person in front of them - or what the Holy Spirit might be saying in the moment.
The conversation explores:
Whether you’re leading in the church, discipling a friend, or simply navigating relationships, this episode will challenge you to slow down, listen deeply, and trust the Spirit’s work in others.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
Is real change possible, or are we just learning new ways to cope? In this episode of the Ordinary Discipleship Podcast, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank dive into the deep work of transformation through Jesus. Together they explore how discipleship is not about behavior modification or memorizing verses, but about being recreated by the Holy Spirit.
The conversation wrestles with the tension between brokenness and healing, how true repentance leads to change, and why many faith communities settle for coping mechanisms instead of trusting God for miracles. Jessie shares powerful stories of identity shifts, Jacob reflects on how brokenness precedes wholeness, and Chris tells of witnessing real transformation in the lives of ordinary people.
This conversation reminds us that discipleship is about surrender - letting Jesus take the wheel, even when it means revisiting pain, so that God can bring lasting change from the inside out.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
Relationships are messy and that’s by design. In this episode of the Ordinary Discipleship Podcast, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie dive into why conflict isn’t something to avoid but a key part of how God shapes us in community. From roller derby and MMA stories to real-life church leadership challenges, they unpack how healthy conflict can actually strengthen relationships, clarify communication, and deepen discipleship.
Together they explore:
If you’ve ever wrestled with conflict in your marriage, church, or community and wondered how to navigate it faithfully, this conversation offers both challenge and encouragement for the journey.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
So many of us have been handed a one-size-fits-all blueprint for connecting with God—quiet times at dawn, journaling in solitude, structured study. But what happens when that doesn’t work for you? Does that mean something’s wrong with you? Or with your faith?
In this episode, Chris, Jacob, and Jesse dive into the reality that not everyone connects with God in the same way—and that’s not just okay, it’s beautiful. Drawing from a framework of six spiritual pathways—contemplative, student, activist, experiential, aesthetic, and relational—they unpack how discipleship can become more about discovery than conformity. If you’ve ever felt like a spiritual misfit, this conversation might be the permission slip you didn’t know you needed. It’s honest, practical, and full of grace for the diverse ways we hear from and walk with God.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
What does it really mean to grow as a disciple of Jesus and are we starting in the right place? In this episode, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie Cruickshank unpack the “Five Cs” of discipleship: Christ, Community, Character, Calling, and Competency. Together, they explore why starting with a skills assessment or plugging people into ministry roles based on talent can short-circuit the deeper work of identity formation in Christ.
Jessie draws from neuroscience, her experience training church leaders, and even jellyfish biology (yes, really!) to help us reimagine discipleship as a relational, community-driven journey of becoming. Character is shaped in community, calling is discerned in relationship, and competency should be the last step, not the first.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
When is it time to speak up and when is it wiser to stay silent? In this episode of Ordinary Discipleship, Chris, Jacob, and Jessie dive into the tension we all feel in relationships, ministry, and daily life: knowing when and how to bring something up. Jessie shares a powerful framework rooted in four key questions - Do I have God's eyes, heart, tone, and timing? - and how it radically reshaped her leadership and interactions. Together, they explore how to align with the Holy Spirit, navigate conflict with grace, and avoid becoming the self-appointed “fixer” in someone else’s story.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
What does it look like to multiply disciples and churches across cultures, languages, and borders? In this episode, Jesse Cruickshank sits down with Obe and Jacqueline Arellano, leaders of Exponential Español, to explore the vibrant and growing movement of the Spanish-speaking church—both in the United States and throughout Latin America.
From their base in Mexico City, the Arellanos are equipping churches to move from decline and plateau into reproduction and multiplication. They share what’s translating well across contexts, how principle-based discipleship is catalyzing change, and why the Hispanic church may be the key to revitalizing Christianity in North America.
We also dive into the complex realities of immigration, spiritual warfare, and the prophetic opportunity for the Latin American church to become a refuge and a launching pad for mission. Whether you're in a traditional church or pioneering new expressions of faith, this conversation is an invitation to participate in something bigger than yourself.
Find Exponential Español here: https://multiplicacion.org/
Insta: Obe – @obearellano, Jacqueline – @jaqueline.r.arellano
Exponential Español – @exponentialespanol
Facebook:
Obe – @obearellano, Exponential Español – @exponentialespanol
Jacqueline @cafeconjack
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
What does it take to shift a church from programs to real discipleship? In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank talks with Bunny Correa and Sheldon Lacsina about their journey transforming a traditional, performance-based church into a community of everyday disciple makers.
They share how deep friendship, vulnerability, and years of holding space with the Holy Spirit led to a slow but lasting cultural shift. From certificates and classes to shared leadership and relational trust, Bunny and Sheldon reflect on the joys, challenges, and breakthroughs of learning to lead like Jesus. If you're contending for deeper discipleship in your church or community, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom and real hope.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
What does it really mean to walk in spiritual authority—and why do so many of us confuse titles and positions for the real thing? In this episode, Christine Caine and Jessie Cruickshank get honest about the difference between worldly influence and Kingdom authority, why identity matters more than a job description, and how genuine spiritual power always comes with testing and formation. They wrestle with the tension between activity and anointing, the pitfalls of confusing influence with authority, and the practical wisdom it takes to discern God’s assignment for your life. This is a conversation about spiritual discernment, learning to hear God’s voice, and being shaped for the work ahead.
Christine's Website: christinecaine.com
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this episode of the Ordinary Discipleship Podcast, Jessie Cruickshank talks with Jerry Lathan and Steven Manchester about their new book You Will Be Peter. They explore the life of Simon Peter - flawed, passionate, and deeply relatable - and how his story speaks to our own journey of following Jesus.
You’ll hear:
Find out more about You Will Be Peter at youwillbepeter.com
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
In this episode of the Ordinary Discipleship podcast, Jessie sits down with Willie Robertson where they talk about his book Gospeller and discuss the tension between faith and control. They reflect on how easy it is to default to managing outcomes instead of trusting God, and they share how vulnerability is not weakness but the space where faith is actually formed. From real-life examples to honest admissions of their own struggles, they invite you to consider: What would it look like to live open-handed with God — even when everything in you wants to grab control?
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
What if conflict isn't something to avoid—but something God actually designed for our growth? In this episode, Jessie, Chris and Jacob dive into the messiness of relationships, discipleship, and community. With stories ranging from roller derby and MMA training to awkward church staff meetings and theological tension, this conversation explores how conflict, when embraced and handled well, can become a catalyst for transformation. Whether you're navigating hard conversations in your church, your marriage, or your leadership team, this episode offers wisdom, laughter, and practical insight into how messiness might just be part of God's good and perfect design.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.
What does it mean to disciple people who carry unseen wounds? In this episode, Jessie Cruickshank explores trauma-informed discipleship—what it is, why it matters, and how it can transform the way we help others grow in Christ. Jessie shares how neuroscience and spiritual formation intersect, the importance of psychological safety in Christian community, and how leaders can create spaces where people can heal and be formed into the likeness of Jesus. Whether you're a pastor, small group leader, or someone walking alongside others, this conversation offers practical insight and deep encouragement.
ORDER Jessie’s newest book, Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation → https://a.co/d/51j86DG
For more great stuff, check out: Ordinary Discipleship by Whoology: https://whoology.co
Follow us on social media:
https://instagram.com/ordinarydiscipleship
https://facebook.com/ordinarydiscipleship
Follow Jessie on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yourbrainbyjess
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessica.s.cruickshank/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbrainbyjess
Jessie Cruickshank is a disciple-maker, wilderness guide, and ordained minister. She has trained thousands of people how to survive when their life depended on it and earned a Master’s degree in experiential education at Harvard to learn how the brain works to help people train more effectively.
The key to discipleship is not more information, but learning how to create intentional environments where people can learn and grow. By working with the brain and treating individuals as whole persons, you too can discover how God wired our brains for transformation. You already have all the tools you need, it is time to activate them in you and your church.