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.
Difficult people are not obstacles to your ministry — they are your ministry. In this episode, we explore what it means to love difficult people without avoiding them or becoming a doormat. Drawing from Scripture, theology, and biblical counseling principles, we’ll show you how the gospel reshapes the way you see yourself, others, and even your hardest relationships. If you want to pursue difficult people with both truth and grace, this episode is for you. 👉 Ready to serve in ministry? Get tr...
29 Jun 2026
How to Think Biblically About Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual warfare is not a movie scene — it’s everyday life. In this episode, we explore how to think biblically about spiritual warfare without falling into the ditches of exaggeration or dismissal. Drawing from Scripture, sound theology, and practical discipleship, we’ll show you how to recognize the enemy’s tactics, fight in the strength of Christ, and faithfully engage the daily battle with truth, prayer, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. If you want a balanced, gospel-centered understan...
15 Jun 2026
When Group Members Disagree: Leading Through Doctrinal Differences
Good and godly Christians disagree. In this episode, we explore how to lead through doctrinal differences without sacrificing either truth or unity. Drawing from Scripture, theology, and practical shepherding principles, we’ll show you how to distinguish between essential doctrines and matters of Christian liberty, navigate difficult conversations with wisdom, and help your group pursue both conviction and charity. If you want to protect the unity of your group while standing firm on biblical...
8 Jun 2026
What To Do When God Feels Distant
Many Christians walk through seasons where prayer feels hollow, worship feels empty, and God seems far away. In those moments, it’s easy to assume something is fundamentally broken. But what if spiritual dryness is not always evidence of God’s distance — but an invitation to deeper faith? If you’re struggling to feel close to God — or want to help someone else through spiritual dryness — this episode is for you. 👉 Ready to serve in ministry? Get trained and deployed at CentralBibl...
1 Jun 2026
How to Share Your Testimony So It Points to Jesus, Not You
Your testimony is not about you — it’s about Jesus. In this episode, we explore how to share your testimony in a way that faithfully proclaims Christ. Drawing from Scripture, theology, and practical evangelism principles, we’ll walk through a simple framework for clearly communicating the gospel, structuring your story, and calling people to respond to Jesus. If you want your testimony to move beyond a self-improvement story and become a tool for evangelism, this episode is for you. 👉 R...
25 May 2026
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 church membership and why every believer is called to actively participate in the life and mission of the local church. Drawing from Scripture and practical discipleship, we’ll challenge you to move from being a spectator to becoming a contributing member of Chr...
18 May 2026
"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 just avoiding hypocrisy or legalism. They're creating a spirituality that never challenges them. A mirror of self instead of a relationship with God. An isolated faith that contradicts the very image of God—who exists eternally in community as Father, Son, a...
11 May 2026
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. In this episode, we introduce Central Church's new small group philosophy and walk you through the exact meeting format that transforms groups from content-delivery systems into shepherding environments. You'll learn the 8 Healthy Group Guidelines that cre...
4 May 2026
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 transformation. But Scripture wasn’t given just to inform us — it was given to change us. In this episode, we explore why the right questions unlock meaningful conversation and how to lead discussions that engage the head, heart, and hands. Drawing on Scripture and pract...
27 Apr 2026
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 moment will shape the culture of your group — either toward gospel-centered care or surface-level performance. In this episode, we walk through what to do first when someone confesses marriage problems. Drawing from Scripture and real ministry experience, we un...
20 Apr 2026
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 strangers to saving faith. And if we’re not discerning, we can unintentionally shepherd people toward comfort instead of conversion. In this episode, we explore how to biblically discern whether someone is truly born again. Drawing from passages like 1 John and...
13 Apr 2026
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 intentional mentoring. In this episode, we explore why raising up new leaders is essential to the mission of the church and how to start mentoring someone in your group right now. Drawing from Scripture and practical ministry experience, we’ll walk through a simple f...
6 Apr 2026
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 challenge — it’s a biblical one. In this episode, we explore why every voice matters in the body of Christ and how small group leaders can shepherd conversations with wisdom, grace, and courage. Drawing from Scripture and practical ministry experience, we’ll show you...
30 Mar 2026
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, we explore why truth without trust falls flat in the context of the body of Christ, and how to build the kind of relational equity that pursues hearts with God’s Word. Drawing from Scripture and biblical counseling principles, we’ll show you how to move from surfac...
23 Mar 2026
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-saturated depth to authentic vulnerability and mission-driven discipleship, this episode will challenge how you think about community and equip you to build something that truly transforms lives. Whether you’re leading a group, part of one, or thinking about starting...
16 Mar 2026
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 common myths that keep ordinary Christians from stepping into the mission Jesus gave every believer. 👉 Ready to serve in ministry? Get trained & deployed at CentralBibleInstitute.org
9 Mar 2026
The Mission of Jesus Is the Mission of His People
Jesus did not save His people to sit on the sidelines. He saved us to join Him in His mission. In this episode of Off the Sidelines, we unpack a foundational truth for every believer: the mission of Jesus is the mission of His people. This call is not just for pastors, missionaries, or seminary-trained Christians. It is for every follower of Christ. If you’ve been attending church but not actively engaging in ministry, this episode is a direct challenge to get off the sidelines and take your ...
2 Mar 2026
What Is a Disciple? (And Why There Are No Sidelines)
What does it actually mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Many Christians attend church, believe the right things, and love Jesus—but still feel like spectators in ministry. In this first episode of Off the Sidelines, we open Scripture to define what a true disciple really is. Looking at Jesus’ call in Matthew 4, we explain how biblical discipleship transforms a believer’s head, heart, and hands—leading us not only to follow Christ but to join His mission of making disciples. 👉 Ready to serve in ...
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Contact Off the Sidelines: A CBI Podcast
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Off the Sidelines: A CBI Podcast?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
