Note sull'episodio
Welcome back to our series exploring the core values of the Soma family of churches! In this episode, hosts Justin Westcott and Paul Dean dive into the heartbeat of our movement: Making Disciples in Community on Mission.
Paul and Justin unpack why the New Testament prescribes community as the primary soil for spiritual formation. Moving past consumeristic models of isolated church attendance, they examine how life-on-life discipleship forms us into believers who are close to Jesus, changed by Jesus, and obeying Jesus together. They explore the friction, awkwardness, and beauty of practicing the 20+ "one another" commands in Scripture, reminding us that spiritual maturity requires relational investment and shared life.
In the second half, Justin sits down with Josh and Kelly Owen, church planters in San Marcos, Texas, with over two decades of experience leading missional communities and ten years as foster and adoptive parents. Josh and Kelly share an honest, vulnerable look at the realities of ministry in high-needs communities. They open up about church planting fatigue, processing personal wounds of infant abandonment and adoption, and unlearning the "savior complex".
Josh and Kelly outline what it means to reframe ministry success around faithfulness over fruitfulness, embracing personal limitations (the "loaves and fish" principle), and practicing radical, unpretentious hospitality with cheap hot dogs and open doors.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- Defining a Disciple: Relational, transformational, missional, and communal components of following Christ.
- Killing Consumerism: Why genuine community requires moving past superficial preferences to embrace messy, long-term relationships.
- The "One Another" Mandate: How biblical hospitality, burden-bearing, and confession naturally overflow into mission.
- Trauma-Informed Ministry: How foster care and connected parenting provide a mirror for understanding broken shalom and the gospel.
- Redefining Success: Moving from "butts in seats" metrics to faithfully helping neighbors take their next step toward Jesus.
- Unpretentious Hospitality: Why connection trumps entertainment (and why hot dogs on paper plates build real community).
About Soma: Soma is a family of churches across North America and around the world working toward gospel saturation. We are passionate about connecting, equipping, and mobilizing disciple-makers to live out the gospel in community on the mission of Jesus in everyday life.
Connect & Support
- Website: We Are Soma (Connect with regional leaders and find equipping opportunities).
- Support: Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube and leave us a review!
Co-Hosts: Justin Westcott and Paul Dean
Produced by Zach Smith