Off the Sidelines: A CBI Podcast
Short, practical discipleship training to help believers serve the church, share the gospel, and make disciples. A 15-minute leadership podcast from Central Bible Institute, the deployment center of Central Church in Collierville, TN.
Episodes
13 episodes
More Than a Seat-Filler: 4 Marks of Faithful Church Membership
Many Christians attend church regularly while remaining disconnected, passive, and spiritually stagnant. But biblical church membership is not about consuming religious services. In this episode, we unpack four marks of faithful chu...
"I'm Spiritual But Not Religious" — The Response That Actually Works
When someone says "I'm spiritual but not religious," the typical Christian response is to defend church attendance and institutional structures. But that rarely works—and it misses the real problem.The person who rejects "religion" isn't...
The Formula for an Amazing Small Group Meeting
Christians today aren't lacking biblical content—we're drowning in it. What we're missing is biblical community: spaces where burdens are actually shared, where hearts are truly known, and where relational discipleship happens in real time....
Why Your Small Group Is Quiet (And How Good Questions Can Fix It)
Your small group isn’t quiet because people don’t care — it’s quiet because your questions aren’t going deep enough.Many leaders settle for surface-level discussion, asking questions that gather information but never lead to transformati...
When Someone Confesses Marriage Problems: What to Do First
When someone opens up about marriage struggles, everything in you wants to either fix it… or move on.Many small group leaders freeze in the moment, rush to give advice, or avoid the conversation altogether. But how you respond in that mo...
Are They Truly Born Again? How to Discern Real Faith in Your Group
You don’t just lead a small group — you shepherd souls that will spend eternity somewhere.Many leaders assume that everyone in their group is truly saved. But people can love Christian community, speak the right language, and still be st...
Don’t Lead Alone: How to Start Mentoring Someone in Your Group
You weren’t called to lead alone — you were called to multiply leaders.Many small group leaders unintentionally build dependency instead of discipleship. But healthy groups don’t revolve around one person — they multiply through intentio...
When One Voice Dominates: Shepherding Healthy Group Discussions
One voice can quietly destroy an entire small group.When one person dominates the conversation, quieter members stop sharing, engagement drops, and eventually the group begins to lose its health. But this isn’t just a leadership challeng...
Truth Without Trust: Why People Won’t Listen to You
You can have all the right answers—and still change nothing.Many Christians fail in ministry not because they lack biblical truth, but because they refuse to pursue the hearts of the people we are trying to reach.In this episode, ...
The 5 Marks of a Small Group That Actually Changes Lives
If no one’s life has changed in six months, it’s time to ask: is this a small group—or just a social club?In this episode, we break down the five biblical marks of a small group that actually produces life change. From Scripture-saturate...
You've Been Lied To: Who Disciple-Making Is Actually For
Most Christians assume disciple-making is for pastors, extroverts, or people with theological degrees.But what if that belief is actually the reason so many believers stay on the sidelines?In this episode, we expose the c...