Most of the Bible teaching at Cross Church doesn’t happen from a stage. It happens in small groups, kids’ classrooms, and student ministry rooms — led by Dream Team volunteers who have probably asked themselves, “Who am I to teach this?”

Dr. Jeremy Dixon and Phil McMichael sit down with Dr. Chris Deitsch — Campus Pastor at Cross Church Pinnacle Hills and Professor of Biblical Exposition at Cross Theological Seminary — to talk about what it actually takes for ordinary people to handle God’s Word well.

They talk about the three ditches lay teachers fall into (fear, casualness, and pride), what James 3:1 really means for volunteers, how much training you need, and a step-by-step way to prepare any passage. Chris also takes rapid-fire questions on what to say when you don’t know the answer, how to correct someone without shutting them down, how to teach hard passages, and how AI should — and shouldn’t — shape your preparation.

Resources mentioned: BestCommentaries.com, Logos Bible Software, Bible Gateway, and BibleProject.

Send us Fan Mail

Luke Humphrey showed up at the University of Arkansas as a "good Christian kid" and was at his first college party within 48 hours. A few months later, sitting in a strip mall on Weddington at C3, he realized he knew about Jesus but had never surrendered his life to Him.

Today Luke is the Discipleship Pastor at Cross Church Fayetteville. He's also one of the easiest people on our team to develop. In this episode, Jeremy and Phil talk with Luke about what it looks like to receive feedback without getting defensive, why humility has to come before growth, and how he defines discipleship in two phases: transformation and multiplication. Luke also gives practical next steps for anyone who wants to become more like Jesus, whether you're brand new to serving or have led a small group for 30 years.

Whether you're on the Dream Team, a seminary resident, on staff, or leading at a network church, this one will help you take a hard look at how you grow and who you're pouring into.

Want to start serving at Cross Church? Text SERVE to 479-343-8777.

Send us Fan Mail

Eleven years ago, Pablo Daut and his wife Flor moved from Spain to Northwest Arkansas to start a Spanish-speaking ministry inside Cross Church beginning with one couple and a cup of coffee. Cross Church Español has since grown to 1,000+ on a Sunday, and now a second campus is launching. Pablo, the Espanol Teaching Pastor, talks with Jeremy and Phil about the early years with no model to follow, losing five years of momentum to COVID, and the mentor in Argentina who taught him small-group multiplication. He also shares the tools behind the growth (Casas de Paz, Grupos de Vida, Invasion of God's Love), what leading bilingually has taught him about love and humility, and the Rogers launch.

Send us Fan Mail