The Church’s Greatest Opportunity: Forming the Next Generation | Rev. Zach Zehnder

Join us at the long table as we sit down with Zach Zehnder to talk about discipleship, Christian formation, the crisis of nominal Christianity, and what it actually looks like to follow Jesus in everyday life. Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/ Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donat... Visit Memento: https://memento70.com/ Contact Bryan: [email protected] About Today’s Guest Zach Zehnder is a Lutheran pastor, author, and creator of Red Letter Challenge, a discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians move from belief to practice. 🔗 Stay Connected with Us 📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod 𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_ 0:00 Fitness, flourishing, and finding balance in life 1:13 Zach Zehnder’s ministry and passion for discipleship 3:07 Why so many Americans believe in Jesus but do not follow Him 8:23 The American dream, comfort, and the loss of holiness 13:15 Sports, family life, and the challenge of keeping Sunday holy 18:07 Why churches need more than Sunday morning to form people 21:04 The discipleship gap in American Christianity 29:04 Why Christians need clear targets for spiritual growth 32:11 From belief to practice: the five marks of discipleship 40:33 How Zehnder tries to build discipleship into family life 47:27 The five habits of Jesus and the foundation of “being” 54:57 Solitude, distraction, and why silence is so hard today 1:03:10 Human flourishing, competing goods, and the pressures of adulthood 1:07:33 Young men, young women, and the changing religious landscape 1:14:50 Why the LCMS may be well positioned for this cultural moment 1:18:52 Digital presence, Lutheran media, and the search for transcendence 1:25:48 Why Lutherans need more entrepreneurial and missional voices online 1:35:49 Guardrails, trust, and disagreement within the LCMS 1:44:49 Staying together, talking honestly, and resisting division 2:07:22 Final encouragement for Lutheran leaders and creators