The Five Gifts Podcast

The Five Gifts Podcast exists for Christian Leaders and Christ-followers to rediscover Christ's presence and activity in their lives and their churches.

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Charles Russell has served in Pastoral Ministry for 26 years. He is also a certified John Maxwell speaker, coach, and trainer for staff, leadership teams, and volunteers. He has a Masters in Organizational Leadership. Find out more at charlesrusselltraining.com.

Bruce Ritter Bruce Ritter has been a lead Pastor for 28 years and a Spiritual Life and Leadership Coach since 2005. He is also a consultant with Church Life Resources. He has a Masters in Pastoral Ministry and a Doctorate in Evangelism and Discipleship. Check out more at his website Coaching Cardia.

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A Discipleship Dilemma: Breaking Barriers to Spiritual Reproduction

2025-12-01

Is your church perfectly designed to produce the results it’s producing—even if it’s not producing disciples? In this powerful episode, Bruce Ritter and Charles Russell unpack the 10 major barriers that keep churches from making disciples. Discover why many churches unintentionally form consumers instead of disciples, and what pastors and leaders can do to shift the culture toward spiritual formation, relational discipleship, and genuine transformation. Whether you’re a pastor, ministry leader, coach, or someone passionate about raising up mature followers of Jesus, this episode will bring clarity, conviction, and a roadmap for change. You’ll Learn: • The 10 barriers that block disciple making in churches • Why discipleship fails when it’s optional • How low expectations shape weak spiritual cultures • Why pastors must shift from performers to equippers • Why discipleship can’t be a program—it must be a culture • How churches can break free from “quick results thinking” • How to lead slow, relational, transformational disciple-making

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Filetype: M4A - Size: 38 MB - Duration: 43:21m (117 kbps 48000 Hz)