The Known Disciple Project

The Leadership Step Most Christians Keep Skipping

Are you trying to lead before God has formed you? In this episode of The Known Disciple Project Podcast, Mark Hummel and Justin Rhodes talk about Christian leadership, spiritual formation, identity in Christ, and why great leaders must first become great followers. If you feel called to lead in your family, business, church, ministry, marriage, team, or personal life, this conversation will challenge you to slow down, stop performing, and ask the deeper question: who am I becoming? Too many Christian leaders rush from calling to influence without allowing God to build character, humility, prayer, discipline, and self-awareness first. That shortcut often leads to burnout, ego-driven leadership, control, weak culture, and painful failure. Mark and Justin unpack biblical leadership through the lives of Jesus, Paul, Peter, David, and others, showing why formation always comes before faithful leadership. This episode is for growth-minded Christians who want to lead with conviction, follow Jesus more deeply, build healthier culture, and become the kind of leader God can trust. You’ll learn: → Why leadership starts with followership. → How ego and performance can quietly shape the way you lead. → Why prayer and Scripture are essential for spiritual formation. → How identity work helps close the gap between who you think you are and who God says you are. Want to learn more about Mark Hummel? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mark.hummel.501] LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hummel-mba-83232672] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/markohumm_/] Want to learn more about The Known Disciple Project? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheKnownDiscipleProject/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theknowndiscipleproject/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@theknowndiscipleproject] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheKnownDiscipleProject] Website [http://www.theknowndiscipleproject.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Why Christian Men Must Choose Hard Things

Comfort feels safe, but it can quietly weaken your faith, your discipline, your leadership, and your ability to endure when life gets hard. In this episode of The Known Disciple Project Podcast, Mark and Justin talk about why Christian men must choose hard things on purpose, build spiritual strength, and stop living passively. This conversation is for men of faith who know they are called to more: stronger leadership, deeper discipleship, better marriage, greater self-control, and a more disciplined walk with Jesus. If you have ever felt stuck, isolated, spiritually lazy, or comfortable when you know God is calling you higher, this episode will challenge and encourage you. You’ll hear why doing hard things builds endurance, why accountability with other Christian men matters, how suffering can produce character and hope, and how small steps can rebuild your spiritual life. From men’s groups and Bible reading to marriage, fitness, rucking, self-control, and leadership, this episode gives a practical look at what it means to grow as a fully devoted follower of Christ. You’ll learn: → How discipline prepares men for future trials → Why isolation makes Christian men more vulnerable → How to start building accountability with other men → Why spiritual growth often begins with simple basics like prayer, Scripture, and one small act of obedience Want to learn more about Mark Hummel? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mark.hummel.501] LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hummel-mba-83232672] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/markohumm_/] Want to learn more about The Known Disciple Project? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheKnownDiscipleProject/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theknowndiscipleproject/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@theknowndiscipleproject] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheKnownDiscipleProject] Website [http://www.theknowndiscipleproject.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Fastest Way Back to God After You Mess Up

If you feel ashamed of repetitive sin, spiritually stuck, or far from God, this episode is for you. In this episode, we talk about what to do when you drift away from God, how to deal with guilt and shame as a Christian, and how to come back to Christ with humility and faith.  So many believers struggle with spiritual drift, repeated sin, loss of momentum in their walk with Jesus, and the feeling that they are not worthy to pray, worship, or even open their Bible. But the truth of the gospel is that Jesus is bigger than your drift, bigger than your guilt, and bigger than the shame that keeps telling you to hide. This episode is a practical and biblical encouragement for Christians who want to refocus on Jesus, rebuild spiritual momentum, overcome condemnation, and return to a close relationship with God.  If you have ever wondered how to get back to God after sin, how to stop drifting spiritually, or how to follow Jesus again after falling, this conversation will remind you that grace is real, repentance matters, and the way back starts by turning your eyes toward Christ. You’ll Learn:  → Why shame often pushes Christians away from God when Scripture calls us to run toward Him instead.  → How the prodigal son reveals the heart of the Father toward those who return after drifting.  → How Peter’s failure did not cancel his calling, and why your struggle does not mean you are disqualified from being used by God.  → Why humility, confession, accountability, and daily refocusing on Jesus are essential for overcoming repetitive sin and rebuilding a strong Christian walk. Want to learn more about Mark Hummel? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mark.hummel.501] LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hummel-mba-83232672] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/markohumm_/] Want to learn more about The Known Disciple Project? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheKnownDiscipleProject/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theknowndiscipleproject/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@theknowndiscipleproject] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheKnownDiscipleProject] Website [http://www.theknowndiscipleproject.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Stop Trying to “Earn” God’s Presence (This Changes Everything)

Where are You, God? If you’ve ever prayed, if you’ve ever felt spiritually numb, distant, or like God went silent, this episode is for you. Many disciples of Jesus hit seasons where prayer feels empty, worship feels dry, and the Bible feels like words on a page. And if you’re not careful, doubt grows into a terrifying lie: “God isn’t in my life.” But Scripture tells a different story.  In this episode of The Known Disciple Project with Mark Hummel, we walk through biblical proof that God is always present with His people, and that His desire has always been to dwell with you. This isn’t about trying harder, performing better, or “earning” closeness with God. That performance mindset will exhaust you and keep you chasing God like He’s running away. Instead, the Bible reveals a consistent theme: God moves toward humanity. From the Garden of Eden, to the tabernacle, to the temple, to Jesus as Emmanuel, to the Holy Spirit living in you, God’s presence is covenantal. It’s His promise, not your emotional roller coaster.  If you feel far from God, it doesn’t mean God is far. It means you’re being invited to wake up to what’s already true. Highlights → You’ll learn why “feeling distant” doesn’t equal “God is distant,” and how the enemy’s greatest win is convincing you that God is absent.  → We’ll unpack the dangerous “performance lens” that makes you believe closeness with God depends on perfect habits, perfect prayer, or perfect obedience.  → You’ll see the storyline of God’s presence across Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, so you can rebuild confidence in God’s nearness even when emotions are quiet.  → A practical shift: discipline doesn’t summon God; it simply orients your heart to recognize the God who’s already there. Want to learn more about Mark Hummel? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mark.hummel.501] LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hummel-mba-83232672] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/markohumm_/] Want to learn more about The Known Disciple Project? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheKnownDiscipleProject/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theknowndiscipleproject/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@theknowndiscipleproject] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheKnownDiscipleProject] Website [http://www.theknowndiscipleproject.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Why You Feel Stuck Spiritually (You’re Missing 1 of These 2 Commands)

If you’ve ever committed your life to Jesus and still felt stuck, like your beliefs don’t match your habits, this episode is for you.  Many Christians try to grow spiritually by doing “Christian things” (Bible reading, church, prayer)… but still feel the tension of temptation, relapse, shame, and double-minded living. In James 4:7, God gives a simple but powerful blueprint for real transformation: submit yourself to God and resist the devil, two active commands, not one. When we only submit without resisting, we stay vulnerable and confused. When we resist without submitting, we rely on willpower and burn out.  In this podcast, we break down what submission to God looks like in real life, what it means to resist temptation in your thought life and routines, and how to rebuild after failure through grace. If you want spiritual maturity, daily discipline, and a faith that shows up in your actions, not just your intentions, this message will help you live with clarity, strength, and joy while following Jesus. Highlights: → You’ll learn the practical meaning of biblical submission—how to trust God with outcomes while taking responsibility for effort in your work, family, health, and daily decisions.  → You’ll hear why resisting the devil is an active stance, not passive avoidance, and how Scripture frames spiritual warfare as standing firm with intentional habits and boundaries.  → You’ll also discover the HALT vulnerability pattern (hungry, alone, lonely, tired) and how to build safeguards that make obedience easier than compromise.  → Finally, you’ll learn what to do when you fail, how repentance, confession, and getting back up quickly (Proverbs 24:16, 1 John 1:9) keep you moving forward without drowning in shame. Want to learn more about Mark Hummel? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/mark.hummel.501] LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hummel-mba-83232672] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/markohumm_/] Want to learn more about The Known Disciple Project? Check out the links below. Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheKnownDiscipleProject/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theknowndiscipleproject/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@theknowndiscipleproject] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheKnownDiscipleProject] Website [http://www.theknowndiscipleproject.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]