“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” — 1 Corinthians 3:6

Over the past several months, God has opened doors for Bible Outposts and Simple Discipleship to share a simple message in multiple nations. We have been blessed to spend time in Ecuador, Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, and London, meeting pastors, church leaders, educators, and believers who share a common desire—to see people engage deeply with God’s Word and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Wherever we traveled, the message remained the same:

Read. Listen. Share.

Read God’s Word consistently.
Listen to the Holy Spirit.
Share what God is teaching you with others.

This simple approach continues to change lives. We’ve seen people discover a renewed hunger for Scripture, experience deeper fellowship, and begin discipling others in natural, reproducible ways. As we often say at Simple Discipleship, this is not about creating another program—it’s about helping people encounter God through His Word and community.

One verse that continues to encourage us is:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13

Across every country we visited, we witnessed people seeking God with sincere hearts. We heard stories of spiritual growth, families engaging Scripture together, and new groups beginning to meet around the simple practice of reading, listening, and sharing.

We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Juan Carlos Bixul, Fred Garmon, and Luis B. for their tremendous support, encouragement, and planning efforts. Much of what was accomplished on these trips would not have been possible without their servant leadership and commitment to the mission. Their partnership has been a tremendous blessing.

We are also thankful for Blake Sutton and Danny Bell, who joined us on portions of these journeys. Their friendship, ministry, and willingness to serve strengthened the work and encouraged many people along the way. Traveling together reminded us once again that ministry is most effective when we serve side by side.

As we look ahead, we are preparing for another exciting school year at Desoto Christian Academy. We are praying for students, families, faculty, and staff as we continue our mission of helping young people grow academically, spiritually, and personally. We believe the next generation is not merely the future of the Church—they are an important part of God’s work today.

Looking forward, we are especially excited about the development of The Ambassador Program. This initiative will provide students with opportunities to participate in international mission experiences, exposing them to God’s work around the world while helping them develop a heart for discipleship, leadership, and service. More details will be shared in the coming months, but we believe these experiences will have a lasting impact on the lives of students and the communities they serve.

Thank you to everyone who prays, gives, encourages, and partners with Bible Outposts and Simple Discipleship. Your support allows us to continue sharing a simple, reproducible pathway to spiritual growth with people around the world.

Please continue praying that God would raise up more disciple-makers and that many would discover the life-changing power of His Word.

Together, we will continue to Read. Listen. Share.

To learn more about Simple Discipleship, visit www.simplediscipleship.org.

“The word of God is living and active...” — Hebrews 4:12

Isaiah 1 is unsettling because it exposes something religious people often try to hide: outward devotion can exist alongside inward corruption. We see it in the headlines daily.

In Isaiah, God speaks to His people with grief in His voice. They were still offering sacrifices, keeping feasts, observing rituals, and saying the right words. But their hearts were far from Him. They oppressed the weak, ignored justice, and carried hidden sin while maintaining public religion.

The frightening thing is not that they abandoned religion.
It is that they kept practicing it without transformation.

Religion without transformation is damaging.
Sacrifice without surrender is empty.
Ritual without righteousness grieves the heart of God.

Through Isaiah, God says:

“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean.” (Isaiah 1:16)

But here is the problem every honest sinner discovers eventually: we cannot truly cleanse ourselves.

We can modify behavior for a while.
We can manage appearances.
We can perform spirituality.
But we cannot remove guilt from the soul.

And that is exactly why Jesus came.

Where Isaiah says, “Cleanse yourself,” Jesus says, “I will cleanse you.”

John writes:

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Hebrews 9 tells us that the blood of bulls and goats could never fully cleanse the conscience. Those sacrifices pointed forward to Jesus, the true and better sacrifice. And Hebrews 10 says:

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)

That changes everything.

Jesus did not come merely to improve religious people.
He came to rescue broken sinners.

Outward religion, inward corruption, and performance-based hierarchy have wounded God’s church for generations. Many people have sat quietly in pews carrying shame, addiction, pride, anger, secret sin, bitterness, or exhaustion while pretending everything was fine because they knew the language of church culture.

I know that struggle personally.

Years ago, I went through a season where I became more concerned with appearing faithful than actually walking closely with Jesus. I knew how to teach truth, explain doctrine, and maintain spiritual routines, but privately my heart was dry and tired. I think we all still battle this urge. One night, after everyone else was asleep, I sat alone and finally stopped defending myself before God. I remember praying something simple:

“Lord, I cannot fix me.” “Fix me, please!”

That was the beginning of healing, and He is still working on me.

Not because I discovered some new “thing”, but because I finally surrendered.

The mercy of God met me there.

And that is the beautiful invitation of Isaiah 1. After exposing sin, God does not close the door. He says:

“Come now, let us reason together… though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)

What astonishing mercy.

God sees the full depth of our sin and still invites us near.

C.S. Lewis once wrote:

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.”

That is hope for tired sinners.

So the question is not merely: Do I practice religion?
The deeper question is:

• Is my faith genuine? Am I being real with God and myself?

• Do I obey God in secret?

• Do I love what is right?

• Am I becoming more compassionate?

• Do I love Jesus Himself, or only the appearance of spirituality?

Because true religion is not polished performance.

James says true religion cares for widows and orphans and keeps itself unstained from the world. True faith produces justice, mercy, humility, repentance, and love. It does not merely sing songs; it surrenders the heart.

And the good news is this:

God can cleanse any sin.

Not some sins.
Not respectable sins only.
Any sin.

The cross of Christ is sufficient for the proud, the addicted, the immoral, the hypocrite, the angry, the fearful, the self-righteous, and the deeply ashamed.

All of us come the same way:

Broken people trusting Jesus.

And maybe that is where real transformation finally begins.

Cotopaxi, in Ecuador, is enormous. It took my breath. Its slopes and snow-capped tip dominate the landscape; it’s impossible to ignore. Majestic. But its true power isn’t in what you see. Beneath the surface lies a deep, hidden force. It’s molten, pressurized, and alive. What appears still and silent (and it was so quiet) above is sustained by something unseen below. In the same way, the human heart may look steady on the outside, but the real strength…or danger comes from what’s being formed beneath the surface.

Two brothers grew up in the same abusive home. Same parents. Same chaos. Same wounds. One grew up hardened; he was angry, distant, closed off, a drug addict. The other grew up to be a compassionate father; he was gentle, aware, deeply anchored. When asked how they got to where they were, they both said, “With a father like mine, what do you expect?”

Same seed. Different soil.

Jesus told a story like that in the parable of the Sower. The seed, the Word of God, was the same every time. But the outcomes were radically different because of the condition of the soil. Some hearts were hard, some shallow, some crowded, and some ready. The miracle wasn’t in the seed changing. The wonder-working power was in the soil being cultivated.

The human heart is not neutral ground. It is dynamic, living, and formable. Scripture says in Proverbs 4:23, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” That’s not poetic exaggeration…it’s reality. Everything flows from the heart: our decisions, reactions, relationships, and ultimately, our direction.

I very much dislike the phrase, “the heart wants what the heart wants.” That phrase sounds freeing, but it’s dangerous. An uncultivated heart doesn’t “want” rightly. A broken, twisted, or hardened heart doesn’t lead to life; it leads to death and destruction. The heart must be formed through (discipline) discipleship.

I know this personally.

There was a season in my life when my heart was congested (and sometimes still is). It was full of noise, pressure, expectations, and quiet bitterness I didn’t even know how to name. From the outside, things may look fine, but internally, we all tend to fall apart sometimes. During these seasons, my posture changes. My face carries it. My reactions reveal it. You can’t hide the condition of your heart. It leaks out in your tone, your body language, your decisions, and your relationships.

Psychology even backs this up. Studies show that chronic stress and unresolved emotional wounds affect not just mental health, but physical expression, such as facial tension, posture, and even how we interpret others’ intentions. Research also shows that intentional practices like reflection, gratitude, and spiritual engagement significantly improve emotional regulation and overall well-being. In other words, what we cultivate internally becomes visible externally. (Citations available upon request)

Jesus described hearts that are so hard that truth can’t penetrate them. Hearts that are shallow respond quickly but have no root, so they crumble under pressure. Hearts that are crowded due to being choked by worries, wealth, and distractions. And then there are cultivated hearts. These are soft, deep, and clear, where the seed produces thirty, sixty, or even a hundredfold.

That cultivation doesn’t happen by accident.

Think about the Chinese bamboo tree. For years after planting, nothing seems to happen above ground. You water it, tend it, and wait… and still nothing visible. But beneath the surface, roots are forming deep, wide, and strong. Then suddenly, in a short period, it shoots up dramatically. They can grow as tall as 50ft. The growth wasn’t sudden; it was prepared.

That’s how God often works in the heart.

There are seasons where it feels like nothing is happening. No visible change. No breakthrough. But beneath the surface, God is doing root work if we’re willing to cultivate the soil.

So how do we cultivate the heart?

First, we guard it. That means being intentional about what we allow in. The voices, influences, and patterns of thought can change us slowly over time. A neglected heart becomes hard or cluttered.

Second, we prepare it. Just like soil needs to be broken up, so does the heart. That often happens through humility, repentance, and honest reflection. Brokenness, when brought to God, becomes fertile ground.

Third, we feed it. The primary way we cultivate the heart is through the Word of God and communication (Prayer) with Him. Scripture isn’t just information; it is the seed. Prayer isn’t just talking; it’s alignment with Christ. Together, these two things soften, deepen, and clear the soil.

And finally, we trust the unseen work. Roots take time. Transformation isn’t always visible at first. But if the soil is right, growth is inevitable.

The two brothers started with the same seed. The difference wasn’t what they were given; it was what was cultivated.

The same is true for us.

Our hearts can be broken, twisted, hardened, or congested, but they can also be healed, softened, and made ready. And when they are, the wonder-working power of God moves through them in ways that change everything.

Because in the end, the condition of the heart doesn’t just shape a life, it gives us Life!

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In Luke 10, Jesus sends ordinary disciples into ordinary places with an extraordinary mission. In this episode of Simple Discipleship, we explore what it means to live as a sent follower of Jesus—listening to the Spirit, loving neighbors like the Good Samaritan, and choosing the “better part” at the feet of Jesus like Mary. This chapter shows that discipleship is not complicated—it’s about obedience, compassion, and presence with Christ in everyday life.

www.simplediscipleship.org

In this episode, we explore:

• Jesus’ authority over sickness, demons, and nature

• His compassion for crowds and individuals

• Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ

• The Transfiguration and what it reveals about Jesus’ glory

• The true cost and calling of discipleship

Luke 9 challenges us to answer the most important question: Who is Jesus to you? And once we know who He is, how will we follow Him?

📖 Read along in Luke 9 and join the conversation as we unpack the identity, mission, and invitation of Jesus.

#Luke9 #BibleStudy #WhoIsJesus

(More Pics Below) Recently, the Simple Discipleship team had the privilege of visiting Hermosillo, Mexico, and it’s hard to put into words all that God did during our time there. From the very first moments, we were welcomed with warmth, generosity, and joy—the kind of hospitality that leaves a mark on your heart.

Our trip centered on sharing the plan of growth and Bible engagement that defines Simple Discipleship. We were honored to join Leader Labs with Fred Garmon, partnering together to equip leaders who are deeply hungry to know God and help others follow Jesus. During our sessions, we focused on simple but life-changing rhythms:

• How to read the Word faithfully and consistently

• How to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit

• How to gather in small groups for meaningful discipleship

These weren’t just teachings—they were conversations, prayers, and shared moments of discovery as we opened Scripture together. Watching leaders lean in, ask questions, and apply these practices reminded us why simplicity matters. Discipleship doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful.

Hermosillo itself is a beautiful city, filled with kind and welcoming people. Time and again, we’re reminded that every visit to Central or South America leaves us blessed by the spirit of joy found there. The hospitality is unmatched, and the love for Christ is unmistakable.

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the Atkinson Institute, where the next generation of leaders is being trained and equipped. Seeing their commitment to Scripture, ministry, and faithful leadership gave us great hope for what God is doing—and what He is preparing to do—in this region.

We were also deeply moved by the opportunity to join the local church in a homeless ministry, serving meals on a Saturday morning. Many of those we met had jobs but no place to sleep. What stood out most was not despair, but humility and spiritual awareness. So many expressed a clear sense of their need for Jesus. Their hearts, attitudes, and gratitude were a powerful testimony of faith in the midst of hardship.

The worship throughout the trip was incredible. The teaching was rich. And yes—the food was excellent too. But more than anything, it was the shared pursuit of Jesus that unified us across cultures and languages.

As we reflect on this trip, we can’t help but dream about the future. We hope one day to bring students from Desoto Christian Academy to Hermosillo so they can see firsthand the work God is doing and be shaped by a global vision for discipleship. We are prayerfully considering what a missions program at DCA could look like, trusting God to guide each step.

Thank you for walking with us, supporting the mission of Desoto Christian Academy and Simple Discipleship, and for praying alongside us. Please continue to pray—for the leaders in Hermosillo, for the work being done, and for wisdom as we seek to disciple simply, faithfully, and globally.

God is moving—and we’re grateful to be part of what He’s doing!

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In this episode, the Simple Discipleship team discusses how faith and doubt often exist together, how Jesus responds to both, and what these stories teach us about trusting Him in everyday life. Luke 7 reminds us that faith is not about having all the answers, but about knowing who to bring our questions to.

🌱 Simple, reproducible discipleship
🔗 Learn more at www.simplediscipleship.org

In this episode of Simple Discipleship, we explore:

• Why Jesus confronted the religious leaders about the Sabbath

• What it means that Jesus is “Lord of the Sabbath”

• How Jesus calls His disciples in the middle of conflict

• How we can love people deeply while still teaching and living out truth

Discipleship isn’t about choosing between grace or truth—it’s about learning how Jesus holds both together. Luke 6 challenges us to examine our hearts, our traditions, and the way we treat people as we follow Christ.

👉 Learn more about Simple Discipleship and access resources at:
www.simplediscipleship.org

Scripture Focus: Luke 6
Theme: Loving people, teaching truth, and following Jesus

Luke 5 shows us powerful discipleship movements:

• Fishing with Jesus – where obedience leads to abundance

• Being called – leaving the nets to follow Christ

• Going to the mountain – learning the importance of withdrawing to pray and be with the Father

Peter’s encounter with Jesus reminds us that calling often begins right in the middle of our everyday work—and following Jesus always requires surrender, humility, and trust.

Whether you’re new to the faith or seeking to grow deeper, Luke 5 teaches us what it truly means to become fishers of men and disciples who walk closely with Jesus.

🔗 Learn more and find discipleship resources at:
👉 www.simplediscipleship.org

📖 Scripture Focus: Luke

🎙️ Series: Simple Discipleship

#Luke5
#SimpleDiscipleship
#FollowJesus
#FishersOfMen
#BibleTeaching
#ChristianDiscipleship
#JesusCalls
#PrayerAndSolitude
#GospelOfLuke
#BibleStudy
#ChristianPodcast

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the enemy targets us when we’re "hungry."

• The power of "It is written."

• How to identify modern-day traps before you step in them.

You don't have to live in a cycle of defeat. Join us as we learn how to stay grounded in the Word and navigate our own wilderness seasons with confidence.

🔗 Learn more and access discipleship resources: https://www.simplediscipleship.org

👍 Like, subscribe, and share to help others grow in simple, biblical discipleship.

#SimpleDiscipleship #ChristianCommunity #Discipleship #ChurchLife #SpiritualGrowth #BodyOfChrist #FollowJesus

Together with our guest Danny Bell—a refired pastor now partnering with Simple Discipleship—we explore:

• What repentance actually is (and what it is not)

• The difference between regret and true heart change

• Why repentance always produces fruit

• How repentance fits into everyday discipleship, not just conversion moments

This is an honest, practical conversation for anyone who wants to follow Jesus simply, deeply, and faithfully.

#SimpleDiscipleship #Luke3 #Repentance #ChristianPodcast #BibleTeaching #JohnTheBaptist #ChristianDiscipleship #FaithPodcast #BiblicalRepentance #FollowJesus #ChristianLiving #BibleStudy

I’d tell you my New Year’s resolutions, but I honestly can’t remember where I put the list. Yesterday, I walked into the kitchen with a very specific purpose, stood in front of the fridge for three minutes, and eventually realized I was just staring at a magnetic cut out of Ecuador. If our brains were web browsers, mine would have 38 tabs open, 6 are frozen, and I have no idea where that crazy music is coming from.

We are a forgetful people. We forget why we walked into rooms, we forget where we parked, we forget where we’ve been, and—more importantly—we forget the faithfulness of God the moment we face new challenges.

The Squirrel Dilemma

Being forgetful is a bit like being a squirrel. I watched one in the woods recently. He had an acorn. A glorious, prize-winning acorn. He started digging a hole with high-intensity focus, but then a leaf blew a few inches to the left. He froze. He looked at the leaf. He looked at the sky. He did a little twirl, forgot about the acorn entirely, and sprinted up a tree to yell at a bird. I strangely identify with him on a mental level.

We do that with our spiritual lives. God provides a blessing, a breakthrough, a moment of peace and two days into January, a “leaf” blows by (usually in the form of a bill or a bad day), and we’ve completely forgotten that God just parted a whole sea for us. Jericho should be a cinch but we lose focus.

Remembering Whose You Are

In the book of Joshua, the Israelites were standing at the edge of the Promised Land. They had just crossed the Jordan River on dry ground—another massive miracle. But God knew their “squirrel-mentality” tendencies.

First, Joshua told them to pick up twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed and set them up as a monument of remembrance. It was a visual “hey you, remember this!” so that when their kids asked about the pile of rocks, they could tell the story of God’s miracle power.

But God took it a step further. Before they took the land, He had them perform circumcision. Now, that’s a heavy price for a “reminder,” but it served an important purpose. “The stones were to be placed to help them to remember what God had done, but the circumcision was to help them remember who they were and who they belonged to.” Wink* Thanks Max Lucado for this reminder.

One was an external sign; the other was an internal, physical mark. We need both. We need the “stones” (the journals, the gratitudes, the stories) to track God’s hand, and we need the “mark” (the surrender of our hearts) to remind us that we aren’t our own and that we’ve been bought with a heavy price, namely, the blood of Christ.

Look Forward

As we step into this new year, don’t just focus on what you want to do. Focus on what God has already done. We just watched “The Chronicles of Narnia” yesterday. At the end of the series Reepicheep heads over the wave to Aslan’s country. It served as a reminder that better days are ahead. C.S. Lewis once wisely said:

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

The “better things” aren’t necessarily easier circumstances; they are deeper realizations of God’s presence. That realization is found in His Word, in prayer and in remembering His victories in our lives. This year, let’s try to be a little less like the distracted squirrel and a little more like Joshua—building monuments of praise in our hearts so we don’t forget the One who brought us across the river and to the promised land!

Stack some stones in 2026!

• The Reward of the Seeker: Why God chose to reveal the greatest event in history to the marginalized and the patient.

• Religious Blind Spots: How our own traditions, expectations, and "rightness" might actually cause us to overlook God’s movement in our modern world.

• The Modern Manger Test: If the Christmas story happened in our neighborhood today, how would we treat the "scandal" of a pregnant teenager, or the "eccentricity" of an elderly man and a woman claiming to hear from God?

Join us as we challenge ourselves to seek God with all our hearts—not as we expect Him to be, but as He truly is.

• Are we truly equipped with the truth from God's Word to handle daily conflict?

• Is being rich a sin according to James?

• And the big question: Does the emphasis on "works" mean you can lose your salvation?

We break down the radical call to humility, powerful prayer, and patient endurance straight from the Bible. Get ready to simplify your walk with Jesus!

I recently returned from a trip to Bogotá, Colombia, where I had the privilege of traveling with friends to teach the Simple Discipleship method of Bible study to a group of emerging pastors and church planters. From the very beginning, I knew it was going to be a special trip.

Bogotá, like any major city, is known around the world for many things—some positive, and, unfortunately, some negative. However, the people we met there were nothing short of amazing. They were kind, welcoming, and deeply concerned about how to train the next generation of Jesus followers.

The Power of Knowing Christ

God has sent us on this global campaign to share a simple, powerful truth: Reading the Bible daily, learning to listen to the Holy Spirit, and gathering with others to share what God teaches us is the best way—the only way—to grow in our faith.

We may say we know Christ, but do we know what He said? Do we know what He desires? Do we know what He longs for us to accomplish? When we truly line our lives up with His Word, the things we could accomplish are innumerable! The leaders we are connecting with in these countries are remarkably passionate about this message.

Global Footprint 🗺️

As of today, our ministry is actively working across the globe, including:

• South and Central America: Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

• International: Africa and Europe.

• The United States: Several states across the nation.

We have plans to visit Mexico in January. Please pray that God will go before us and prepare the hearts of those who need to hear about the importance of getting to know Christ through His Word.

We have witnessed some of the most unbelievable things, seen some of the most beautiful places, and met some of the most wonderful people. This is just the beginning—God is at work all over the world, and He can certainly work in your heart, too. He has a plan for the nations, but He also has a plan for you. His plan for you is to daily get to Him through His Word!

A Lesson in Humility from the Pit Stop

It takes a certain amount of humility to commit to reading God’s Word; we need the Holy Spirit to guide us. This need for humble acceptance of help reminds me of a story about a group of world-class cardiac surgeons.

In the 1990s, this specialized team of pediatric cardiac surgeons was facing a terrible problem: children were dying at an very high rate after successful surgeries, specifically in the move from the operating room (OR) to the step-down rooms. Something was happening, and it was unexplainable. They spent a great deal of money and time on research, trying to solve the problem.

After much frustration, the surgeons were sitting in the hospital break room, watching a Formula One race, specifically the Ferrari team. They observed the pit crew: a team of multiple guys who would attack the car, and in three to five seconds, everything would be done with precision.

In a bold move, they went to the hospital administration and asked if they could bring the Ferrari pit crew to observe their operating rooms and procedures. Though the administration initially thought it was the worst idea they’d ever heard, they eventually relented.

The Ferrari team came in and, after a very short time, concluded that the surgical team’s non-medical teamwork was the worst they had ever seen. No one was clearly in charge of order. The OR team was reaching over each other and yelling for instruments. The pit crew offered suggestions and helped develop strict protocols based on their observations.

To this day, the operating procedures developed by the Ferrari team and these surgeons are still standard operating procedures for ORs across the U.S.

It took a great deal of humility from these highly trained surgeons to admit that they could receive help from people whose expertise was pouring gas in a car. But they knew they needed the help. We need help as well.

The Message We Share

We all need more than just a sermon on Sunday. We need a personal walk with Christ that develops as we read His Word and get to know Him in prayer. This is the message of Simple Discipleship.

Please pray as we share this message with all our students at Desoto Christian Academy (DCA) and around the world.

To learn more about how we are integrating this into Christian education, please visit www.desotochristian.com.

To explore the method we are teaching to nations, please visit www.simplediscipleship.org.

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Join us as we unpack what it means to speak life, cultivate humility, and live out genuine faith in our daily interactions. Whether you're new to Bible study or a longtime believer, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

👉 Subscribe for more simple, clear, Scripture-centered studies every week!
👉 Comment below: What stood out to you from James 3?

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