Disciples That Make Disciples: Wake-Up Call Conversations with J.D. Walt and Luke Smith

Come hear from Luke at the New Room Conference Sept 30 - Oct 2

• In-Person Tickets: https://seedbed.com/newroomconference2026/
• Virtual Livestream Tickets: https://seedbed.com/nrc26-livestream/

Get Luke's Book: https://my.seedbed.com/product/how-to-make-disciples-that-make-disciples-fusion/

Fusion Website: https://fusionmovement.org/resources

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J. D. Walt welcomes UK-based student ministry leader Luke Smith for a conversation about seeing God as a gardener rather than a machine-builder. They explore how Scripture’s agricultural imagery—seeds, roots, weeds, pruning, cultivation, and harvest—offers a richer way to understand spiritual growth, discipleship, and the church. Luke reflects on the way modern language often frames people as machines, while the biblical vision calls people to be planted, refreshed, and nurtured in God’s love.

Luke shares his work with Fusion, which helps university students find faith in Jesus and belonging in local churches. He describes a growing spiritual openness among students and encourages churches to make room for young adults through hospitality, intergenerational relationships, small groups, and one-to-one discipleship. The conversation closes around Luke’s forthcoming resource, How to Make Disciples That Make Disciples, and the shared conviction that faithful discipleship is less about producing results and more about tending a living “salvation garden.”

CHAPTERS:
00:30 Introduction to Friendship in God's Kingdom
03:28 God as a Gardener: The Nature of Growth
06:23 The Metaphor of Farming in Scripture
09:32 Discipleship: Growing vs. Producing
12:23 The Mustard Seed: A Parable of Growth
15:29 The Role of Agriculture in Understanding Scripture
18:26 Fusion: Reaching Students for Christ
22:05 Fusion USA and Campus Ministry Opportunities
23:23 Personal Journey and Spiritual Climate Change
28:49 Undermining the Devil's Work
29:40 Engaging with College Students
32:32 The Impact of Local Church Families
35:08 Gardening Analogy for Church Growth
38:37 Discipleship Resource Overview

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