Ep 217 - 5 Disciple-Making Shifts Every NextGen Ministry Must Make with Lauren Brown & Jeff Borton

The host, Vic Green, introduces the focus for a series on what disciple-making culture looks like in next-generation ministries, emphasizing the importance of family and children’s ministry. He highlights a new resource called the RETHINK Family Ministry framework, which will be explored over the upcoming episodes. The discussion aims to equip churches on how to partner with parents and to create a disciple-making pathway for children and students.

Vic introduces Lauren Brown, Children and Family Minister from Brookwood Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, with 20 years of experience and a passion for family ministry. Also, Jeff Borden, from Long Hollow Church in Tennessee, with over 25 years in student and family ministry, shares his enthusiasm for disciple-making and the importance of partnering with families. Both guests express their love for family ministry and their desire to help churches develop effective discipleship strategies involving parents and the broader family unit.

The conversation discusses the need to rethink family ministry practices, emphasizing that current models are often incomplete despite being effective in some areas. Lauren and Jeff agree that the ultimate goal is shaping long-term disciples rather than just short-term event success, such as attendance numbers. They highlight statistics showing that many children experience little to no gospel conversations at home and underscore the importance of equipping parents for lifelong discipleship.

Lauren elaborates on the first shift in the RETHINK framework: moving from a focus on event attendance to a focus on the transformation of children and students into more Christ-like individuals. She shares how Brookwood Church developed a clear 'dream disciple' vision centered on daily prayer, biblical worldview, love, and readiness to share God's story. Jeff emphasizes that this focus on transformation is often lost when churches prioritize short-term metrics like attendance and events, which can lead to a lack of genuine disciple growth.

The speakers discuss the importance of having clear dream disciple roles as success metrics—such as being a faithful follower, a listener, or a sharer of Christ. Jeff notes that many churches drift into traditional metrics like event attendance, but real success should be reflected in the spiritual growth of kids and families. Lauren adds that some churches may see a temporary drop in numbers when shifting toward transformation, but this is a worthwhile trade-off. Additionally, they talk about practical ways becoming transformation-focused influences planning, programming, and family engagement.

Lauren shares how Brookwood measures and supports family and children's spiritual growth through milestones, surveys, and engaging parents at key transition points. Jeff highlights innovative ideas like curriculum-based shared values, community workshops, and outreach to non-believing parents, such as hosting parenting nights at local schools. Both agree on the importance of knowing your family makeup—through surveys or family portraits—to better tailor support and empowerment efforts. They emphasize that creating spaces where parents feel seen and heard is critical for effective family ministry.

The episode concludes with encouragement to churches to start with a clear dream disciple and to shift the focus inward toward transformation and family empowerment. The hosts promote the RETHINK assessment tool, available in the leader notes, to help churches evaluate their current efforts. They also invite listeners to join upcoming cohorts for further training and highlight an on-site workshop program offered by their team. The conversation sets the stage for future episodes about creating a unified roadmap for children and families from birth to 18.