Lausanne Movement Podcast

• The Gospel in the City of Witchcraft: Ministry During Halloween in Salem with Steven and Sarah White

  What does it mean to follow Jesus in a city famous for witchcraft? Pastor Steven and Sarah White share how their family and church bring the light of Christ into the heart of Salem, Massachusetts—especially during Halloween, when the streets overflow with spiritual seekers and darkness feels most tangible. ✨ Summary In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, Jason Watson sits down with Pastor Steven and Sarah White to explore what faithful discipleship looks like in one of America’s most spiritually charged cities. From prayer walks through the Satanic Temple to welcoming thousands of visitors during Halloween, the Whites describe how God is using gentle presence, prayer, and joy to advance the gospel in Salem. They also open up about the importance of rest, marriage, and raising children amid spiritual opposition—and how light truly shines brightest in the dark. 🔑 Main Points Called to Salem: How God led Steven and Sarah to pastor in the spiritual epicenter of witchcraft. Faith Over Fear: Learning to live and minister without fear, even in the midst of spiritual warfare. Halloween Outreach: Why their church turns on every light, welcomes thousands, and embodies Christ’s presence during Halloween. Power in Prayer: Insights from praying through Salem—including inside the Satanic Temple—and what it reveals about Christ’s authority. Transformation Story: A moving testimony of a man delivered from witchcraft who gave his life to Jesus and threw his cauldron into the ocean. Rooted in Christ: How daily rhythms of prayer, Sabbath rest, and Scripture sustain their family and ministry. Marriage & Mission: How the Whites protect their marriage and nurture joy together in a spiritually heavy environment. 🙏 Call to Action Pray for the city of Salem this October—that Christ’s light would pierce the darkness and draw many to Himself. Subscribe to the Lausanne Movement Podcast for more stories of global mission, discipleship, and hope. Leave a review and share this episode to help others discover how the gospel is advancing in unexpected places. 🔗 Links & Resources 📰 Steven White on Pastoring in a Spiritual Battleground 👥 Guest Bios Steven White has served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Salem (Massachusetts) since 2021, leading a congregation committed to embodying the gospel in its historic New England context. He holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology in Missiology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, as well as a degree in Marketing from the University of Tennessee. Steven and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters. Sarah White has served with the Lausanne Movement since 2014, where she oversees operations and logistics for global gatherings and consultations. Before joining Lausanne, she worked in higher education administration for six years at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where she also earned her Master of Divinity. She currently resides in Massachusetts with her husband, Steven, and their two daughters.

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• How Are Resilient Disciples Really Formed—and Why It Matters for Mission? | Rick Hill

  What if making disciples isn’t about running programs… but sharing your life? And what if mission doesn’t start with strategy… but with resilient disciples formed through ordinary rhythms of church life?   In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, Rick Hill unpacks: ✅ How Jesus formed disciples through stages of invitation (“come and see” → “follow me” → “go and make”) ✅ Why life-on-life formation is more powerful than programs ✅ How to build spiritual habits that create self-feeding, resilient believers ✅ Why mission is the natural overflow of discipleship ✅ How Ireland’s spiritual story reveals both the dangers of cultural Christianity and the hope of renewal ✅ What the global church can learn about humility, dependence, and crossing boundaries for the gospel If you care about discipleship, mission, or the future of the church, this episode is for you.   🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES Rick Hill’s Book: 📖 Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples (available on Amazon & major retailers) Connect with Rick: 📝 Blog: https://rickhill.wordpress.com  📱 X / Instagram: @RickHillNI Presbyterian Church in Ireland – Mission & Church Planting: 🌍 https://www.presbyterianireland.org/Mission  Lausanne Movement: 🌐 https://www.lausanne.org   About Rick Hill Rick Hill serves as the Mission Development Officer for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, where he helps plant and revitalize churches, cultivate a missionary posture, develop leaders, and equip communities to engage with the gospel. Based just outside Belfast, Rick is passionate about revitalizing churches and equipping everyday believers to grow as disciples of Jesus and live on mission in a post-Christian culture. He is the author of Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples, a widely used resource exploring how followers of Jesus can develop a long-haul faith through intentional formation, community, and mission. Rick has previously served in student and youth ministry, is an elder in his local church, and speaks regularly across Ireland on mission, discipleship, leadership, and church revitalization. He is married to Sarah, and they have two young boys.

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• Discipleship Through Community: Everyone in Groups, Every Group on Mission with Lindsey Jodts

  How can we get our people into small groups and involved in the mission of discipleship? In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, Jason Watson speaks with Lindsey Jodts, Groups Pastor at Willow Creek Community Church, about how discipleship flourishes in the context of community. Lindsey shares her journey into ministry, Willow Creek’s evolving small group strategy, and why their vision is “everyone in groups, every group on mission.” This conversation is packed with practical wisdom for churches of every size seeking to form Christlike disciples who live for the sake of others 📌 Main Points Discipleship Defined – Helping people become their most Christlike selves in their unique God-given identity. Community Matters – Why discipleship thrives when stories are shared, gifts are called out, and people are empowered. Willow Creek’s Shift – Moving from an attractional model toward deeper formation and intentional mission. Three Pathways of Growth – Weekends, Teams, and Groups as Willow’s Discipleship Framework. The Rooted Experience – Seven rhythms (daily devotion, prayer, worship, generosity, serving, sharing your story, breaking strongholds) anchoring group life. Every Group on Mission – Small groups discerning their “heart song” and living it out locally and globally. For Any Church Size – Practical insights for small, medium, and large churches to empower leaders and multiply disciples. If this conversation encouraged you, share it with your pastor, small group leader, or ministry team. Be sure to subscribe to the Lausanne Movement Podcast, leave us a review, and join us in the vision of disciple-making churches for every people and place. 📚 Links & Resources RightNow Media – rightnowmedia.org The Bible Project – bibleproject.com | Bible Project Classroom | Bible Project Podcast Rooted Network – https://www.experiencerooted.com/ Books Mentioned: How to Ask Great Questions by Karen Lee-Thorp Falling Upward by Richard Rohr Guest Bio: Lindsey Jodts is the Groups and Compassion & Justice Pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. She holds a Master of Leadership in Ministry from Judson University and has years of experience leading women’s communities, young adult ministries, and discipleship initiatives. Lindsey is a gifted teacher and communicator, known for helping people grow in authentic faith through formative experiences and biblical community.

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• Friends on Mission: Jason Ballard on Friendship in Ministry, the Pastoral Burden, and Parachurch Partnerships

  Is ministry destined to be lonely? Jason Ballard offers a hopeful vision for pastors and ministry leaders — one rooted in deep friendship, shared burdens, and collaboration between local churches and parachurch ministries. In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, Jason Ballard — lead pastor of The Way Church in Vancouver and executive director of The Pastorate — reflects on the challenges and joys of pastoral leadership. Drawing from his own journey in both parachurch and local church ministry, Jason explores how friendships sustain pastors, how parachurch leaders can walk alongside churches, and why flourishing relationships are essential for the witness of the gospel and the advance of God’s global mission.   Main Points Friendship in Ministry: Why cultivating deep friendships is essential for healthy pastoral leadership. Pastoral Burdens: Insights into the unique weight pastors carry and how to share it. Church–Parachurch Dynamics: Practical ways pastors and ministry leaders can support and bless one another. An Ecology of Relationships: Building diverse friendships inside and outside the church for long-term ministry health. The Pastorate: Jason’s vision for equipping pastors so that healthy leaders can lead healthy churches.   Call to Action If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe to the Lausanne Movement Podcast, leave us a review, and share this episode with your pastor or a ministry leader. Together, let’s strengthen the bonds of friendship in God’s mission.   Links & Resources The Pastorate: https://www.thepastorate.ca/ The Pastorate Podcast: https://www.thepastorate.ca/podcast (available wherever you listen) The Way Church Vancouver: thewaychurch.ca   Guest Bio Jason Ballard is Lead Pastor of The Way Church Vancouver, a community dedicated to “joining Jesus in the restoration of all things” in Vancouver and beyond. He also serves as Executive Director of The Pastorate (formerly the Canadian Church Leaders Network), where he hosts The Pastorate Podcast—connecting with pastors across Canada to strengthen their heart, vision, and resilience. Jason is passionate about making space for doubt and honest exploration of faith, and helping people grow as disciples of Jesus. He lives in Vancouver with his wife Rachael and their three children, Hudson, Mary, and Millie.

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• Faithfulness Over Greatness: Daniel Im on Healing, Discipleship, and Rethinking Church Growth

  What if the true measure of ministry isn’t size or success—but simple faithfulness to Jesus? In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, Daniel Im—author, pastor, and disciple-maker—shares his powerful journey from disillusionment in ministry to a renewed vision for the local church. He opens up about his own season of pain and healing, challenges traditional church growth models, and invites us to embrace the call of making disciples who make disciples. This conversation is both deeply pastoral and profoundly practical for anyone passionate about the Great Commission. Main Points Faithfulness Over Greatness – Why doing things for a great God matters more than striving for great things. Healing from Disillusionment – Daniel’s 14-year journey of pain, surrender, and renewed calling. Rethinking Church Growth – Moving beyond numbers and attractional models to Spirit-led ministry. A Framework for Discipleship – Four simple practices: gather, grow, give, and go together. The Lausanne Vision – How disciple-making churches can awaken cities and nations to King Jesus. Call to Action If this conversation encouraged you, take a moment to subscribe to the Lausanne Movement Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone passionate about discipleship and the global church. Links & Resources Daniel Im’s website: danielim.com The Discipleship Opportunity by Daniel Im: https://www.amazon.com/Discipleship-Opportunity-Leading-Great-Commission-Post-Everything/dp/1641587490 No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im: https://www.amazon.com/No-Silver-Bullets-Transform-Ministry/dp/1433651548 Guest Bio Daniel Im is the Lead Pastor of Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton, Alberta, a Bible teacher on 100 Huntley Street, and the author of several books including The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World, No Silver Bullets, Planting Missional Churches, and You Are What You Do. He has served in churches ranging from 100 to 50,000 people across Canada, Korea, and the U.S., and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience from Western Theological Seminary. Daniel has co-hosted podcasts with over 3 million downloads and now co-hosts the IMbetween Podcast with his wife, Christina, equipping couples to build marriages and families they love. Married since 2006, Daniel and Christina have three children and speak together at FamilyLife Canada’s Weekend Getaway Marriage Conference.

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