Doable Discipleship

“Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” - John 15:12-13
We live in a time when it has become incredibly easy to disengage. It’s easier to stay home. Easier to keep scrolling. Easier to avoid someone else’s mess. Easier to say “I’m sorry you’re going through that” than to actually enter into what they’re going through.
But easier doesn’t always mean better.
In this episode of Doable Discipleship, Jason explores an idea he calls “moving in”: intentionally choosing engagement over isolation and moving toward people rather than away from them. Scripture repeatedly calls followers of Jesus to value others, carry one another’s burdens, love our neighbors, and enter into meaningful relationship with one another.  
In this episode, we explore:
-Why our culture makes isolation and disengagement increasingly easy
-What it means to intentionally “move in” toward other people
-Why meaningful friendships require choosing engagement even when it’s inconvenient
-What the Good Samaritan teaches us about compassion that actually costs something
-How technology can contribute to isolation, but doesn’t have to determine our choices
-Why carrying one another’s burdens is central to following Jesus
-How Jesus Himself modeled a life of moving toward people
In the story of the Good Samaritan, two people saw a hurting man and kept moving. The Samaritan saw the same man, felt compassion, stopped, and entered into his need. His decision cost him time, energy, resources, and money, but he chose the harder and better path.  
Moving in is a choice. We can choose what is comfortable and convenient, or we can choose relationship. We can stay on the sidelines, or we can enter into someone else’s life. We can see people as interruptions, or we can see them as invitations to love.
And ultimately, we move toward others because Jesus first moved toward us. He didn’t remain distant from our brokenness. He came close, took on flesh, bore our burdens, and entered our mess. As followers of Jesus, we’re invited to reflect that same heart by loving deeply, serving generously, and building the kind of community that reflects His Kingdom.  
If this episode encouraged you, consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone you want to intentionally “move in” toward.
Key Scripture: Philippians 2:3-4, Galatians 6:2-3, John 15:12-13, Matthew 22:39, Luke 10:25-37
Doable Discipleship is a podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland.
Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and to the Doable Discipleship Youtube channel. 
Intro Music:
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Escape From The Town by SHANTI
https://tunetank.com/track/267-escape...
Outro Music:
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Peace by VictorWayne
https://tunetank.com/track/5040-peace/

(00:01) - INTRO

(03:26) - INTERVIEW

(06:50) - PRAYER

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)
Sometimes the most loving thing you can do for someone is stop trying to fix their problem and simply be with them.
When someone we love is hurting, frustrated, grieving, or just having a bad day, our instinct can be to offer advice, find a solution, or help them see things differently. But sometimes what they really need is much simpler: our presence. A listening ear. Or maybe just a hug.
In this episode of Doable Discipleship, Jason explores what we can learn from Job’s friends, who actually got things right before they got them very, very wrong. When they first arrived, they entered into Job’s grief, sat beside him, and remained silent for seven days. It was when they started talking that things began to fall apart.
In this episode, we explore:
-Why our instinct to “fix” someone’s pain can sometimes get in the way of loving them well
-What Job’s friends teach us about the ministry of presence
-Why carrying someone’s burden doesn’t necessarily mean trying to remove it
-How understanding the ways people give and receive love can help us care for them better
-The power of a hug, a gentle touch, or simply sitting with someone who is hurting
-How the comfort we receive from God equips us to comfort others
Scripture calls us to carry one another’s burdens and to “mourn with those who mourn.” Sometimes discipleship looks less like having the right thing to say and more like being willing to sit beside someone in whatever they are carrying.
Ultimately, we love others out of the overflow of the love and comfort we have first received from God. As we abide in Christ and experience His care for us, we can learn to enter into the lives of others with a different goal: not necessarily to fix the problem, but to love the person in the way they most need to be loved.
If this episode encouraged you, consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who could use a reminder of the power of simply being present.
Key Scripture: Job 1–2, Galatians 6:2, Romans 12:15, 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
Doable Discipleship is a podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland.
Resources Related to This Episode:
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuw...)
Intro Music:
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Escape From The Town by SHANTI
https://tunetank.com/track/267-escape...
Outro Music:
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Peace by VictorWayne
https://tunetank.com/track/5040-peace/

(00:01) - INTRO

(03:26) - INTERVIEW

(06:50) - PRAYER

“Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” - Mark 10:21-23 (NLT)
What if the most important part of the story of the rich young ruler isn’t what Jesus said—but how Jesus looked at him?
In Mark 10:21, before issuing one of His most challenging invitations, Scripture tells us: “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” That single sentence reveals something profound about the heart of Christ. His call to surrender wasn’t rooted in disappointment or condemnation, but in genuine love and compassion.  
In this episode, we explore:
-Why Jesus’ look of love changes how we read the rich young ruler’s story
-What it means to hold both truth and compassion together
-How our identity can become anchored in possessions, success, or self-righteousness instead of Christ
-What parents, leaders, and everyday followers of Jesus can learn from the way Jesus interacted with difficult people
-Three practical ways to “look at others with love” in your daily life—through your eyes, your presence, and your heart  
Whether you’re leading your family, serving in ministry, or simply trying to become more like Jesus, this conversation is an invitation to see people the way He does—and to remember that His loving gaze extends to us, even in our own struggles.
If this episode encouraged you, consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who could use the reminder that truth spoken in love has the power to transform lives.
Key Scripture: Mark 10:17–27, Psalm 103:8–14
Doable Discipleship is a podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland.
Resources Related to This Episode:
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Relief-Urgency-Grace-Worn-Out/dp/1587435578
Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)

(00:01) - INTRO

(03:26) - INTERVIEW

(06:50) - PRAYER

(32:31) - Marker 01

“The act of confessing our sins to one another is a graced invitation to practice the way of faith, hope, and love. The soul tempted to despair will be particularly allergic to ecclesial confession, but it is here that they will find great remedy for their agonizing condition. For in confessing their sins to one another, they are heard with the faith of fellow saints, they are encouraged by the hope of fellow pilgrims, and they are loved with the charity of brothers and sisters.” - Pastoral Confessions
Confession is not an easy topic - but it is a healthy topic. Oftentimes when the topic of confession is brought up, it’s met with one of two responses: 1. "My walls are now up and I’m tuning out what is being talked about." 2. "This is so true and important and a lot of other people have things to confess." But like I said, confession is healthy. And even more than that, confession is necessary. Now I may be biased, but one of the best books on confession releases one week from today - Pastoral Confessions written by my friend Jamin Goggin. Jamin has been on this podcast a few times in the past. He’s an associate professor at Talbot School of Theology, Director of the Healthy Pastor Initiative for Finishing the Task, and one of the most thoughtful theologians I know. In today’s conversation Jamin and I talk about what led him to write about confession, the real human struggles with sin and confession, some ways we can more normalize confession, and much more. You can find a link to order Pastoral Confession in the show notes. I should point out, and we talk about this in the conversation, Pastoral Confessions is a book primarily written to Pastors, but its deep thoughts and themes of confession are important for all of us. 
Doable Discipleship is a podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. 
Resources Related to This Episode:
https://store.pastors.com/products/pastoral-confessions-the-healing-path-to-faith-ministry-hardcover-book
Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)
Intro Music:
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Escape From The Town by SHANTI
https://tunetank.com/track/267-escape-from-the-town/
Outro Music:
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Peace by VictorWayne
https://tunetank.com/track/5040-peace/
Episode Originally Published October 2025

“Why do some of us experience Christianity as a burden and others as a refuge? The answer, I am convinced, has to do with grace. Grace is the Big Relief at the heart of Christianity. When grace is down-played or qualified, faith turns into a project and then a burden. Project religion - the ancient human enterprise of proving ourselves morally and spiritually worthy of God’s love - is everywhere. When anchored to grace, however, Christianity remains good news. More than that, faith becomes a source of energy rather than a drain.” - an excerpt from The Big Relief
Today I’m excited to talk about one of my favorite books of the year. As I’ve mentioned a few times on this podcast, I’ve been on a bit of a grace kick lately. Grace was something I knew about, but honestly hadn’t spent a whole ton of time considering. It’s just the last few months though that I’ve really been sitting with grace and seeing just how beautiful, how important it is. So imagine my excitement when I saw a book about the urgency of grace in a worn-out world - right up my alley! And imagine how happy I was to start reading this book and seeing how good and funny it was. So today I’m thrilled to have on David Zahl, author of many books including The Big Relief. In this conversation, David and I talk about what makes grace stand out, the vertical and horizontal nature of grace, the difference between grace and mercy, how the church can be better beacons of grace, how to start living a grace first life today, and much more. 
Doable Discipleship is a podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. 
Resources Related to This Episode:
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Relief-Urgency-Grace-Worn-Out/dp/1587435578
Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)
Episode first released August 2025