Dating, Marriage, and Parenting with the Vander Ploegs | Season 3 Episode 11
Release Date: 05/17/2025
Why the Future of the Church Won’t Drop from the Sky
The Disciple Standard Podcast
The Multiply Conference is over… now what? In this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, Aaron sits down with Zach Olson and Scott Vander Ploeg to unpack what actually needs to happen next if we’re serious about multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches in the CRC. They talk candidly about why this movement can’t just be a top-down plan from denominational offices, why real change has to be owned at the classis and local church level, and what it will take for every region to develop its own grassroots strategy. Along the way, they unpack the simple but powerful MDLC framework...
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How Movements Start: Conversations, Classes, and Calling - Multiply Conference Day 1
The Disciple Standard Podcast
Day 1 of the Multiply Conference was less “talking heads,” more movement building. Scott sits down with Paul Vander Klay (Sacramento, CA) and Moisés “Mo” Pacheco (Chicago, IL) to unpack the day: why classes-level action beats top-down plans, what disciple-making must look like in a post-Christian moment, and why real multiplication starts with raising leaders (not just planting churches). Highlights: - Why grassroots/classis collaboration is the engine for church planting - The transmission crisis: discipling in a post-Christian, mobile, media-soaked culture - Parents discipling their...
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Pre-Conference Recap: Scripture, Psalms, and a Movement of Multiplication
The Disciple Standard Podcast
The Multiply Conference is here, and before the main sessions even kicked off, we gathered pastors and leaders to do something simple and powerful: hear Scripture publicly, pray and sing the Psalms together, and dream about multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches. In this short recap, Scott sits down with Tim and Brad (Resonate Global Mission) to unpack: - Why we began with the Public Reading of Scripture (PROS) and praying/singing the Psalms - How these ancient practices form modern disciple-makers - A candid look at biblical literacy (and why it matters for renewal) - Simple,...
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Prayer, Psalms, and the Plan: Raising Leaders Now | Season 3 Episode 35
The Disciple Standard Podcast
Leaders don’t wait for permission—they take responsibility. This week we tackle the “elephants in the room”: grassroots church movements vs. denominational centers, fears about factions, and what it really takes to multiply 2,000 leaders and plant 1,000 churches. Then we go deeper: a practical framework for gospel identity that moves you from the drama cycle (blame/avoid/complain) to the dream cycle (own the problem → plan → do → check → adjust). We talk prayer (especially the Psalms), honoring past generations, and why local churches can’t outsource discipleship or church...
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Are We Too Comfortable to Be Courageous? | Season 3 Episode 33
The Disciple Standard Podcast
In this episode, Aaron, Seron, and Zach tackle one of the most challenging questions facing the modern church: Are Christians too comfortable to live courageously? From AI and spiritual laziness to local evangelism and church culture, the team gets real about what courage looks like in everyday faith — and how comfort might be the greatest obstacle to gospel boldness.
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Risk Is Right: Why Christians Must Stop Playing It Safe | Season 3 Episode 34
The Disciple Standard Podcast
Comfort is killing the church. For many believers today, safety has become a silent idol — but what if real Christianity has always required risk? In this episode, Scott returns from Nigeria with a powerful challenge: If Jesus is who He says He is, then risk is right. Aaron, Seron, and Scott wrestle with what courageous faith looks like in a world obsessed with control, comfort, and safety. We talk persecution, missionary legacy, a church plant born out of crisis, 63 churches in Sierra Leone, and whether the American church has lost its passion. Is the future of the CRC tied to recovering...
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20 Sentences the CRC Needs to Start Talking About… | Season 3 Episode 32
The Disciple Standard Podcast
An old monk had 95 theses—today we bring 20. In this episode, Pastor Scott lays out a bold, practical roadmap for renewal in the Christian Reformed Church: a gospel-first identity, every believer a multiplier, leadership pipelines that start in local churches, and church planting as the ordinary way God renews His Church. We tackle the reality of decline—and why it’s not inevitable—and cast a hopeful vision for multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches in our time. What you’ll hear: - Why renewal begins with a fresh encounter with the gospel, not new tactics - How disciple-making...
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Friends on Mission: Renewing the CRC Through Church Planting | Season 3 Episode 31
The Disciple Standard Podcast
What’s the future of church planting in the Christian Reformed Church? In this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, Scott sits down with Tim Sheridan (Director of Church Planting for the CRC) and Vivi Cassis (Operations Manager, Resonate Global Mission & leader at The Source Church) to talk about: -The state of church planting across North America -How diaspora and multicultural movements are shaping the future -Why prayer, fasting, and bold goals (like planting 1,000 new churches) matter -The upcoming Multiply Conference in Port St. Lucie this November -How every church—large or...
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The New Vision for CRC Churches in Florida | Season 3 Episode 30
The Disciple Standard Podcast
Church attendance may be declining across the U.S., but in this episode of the Disciple Standard Podcast, Pastors Aaron, Kris, and Scott share a bold new vision for the future of churches in Florida—and the Christian Reformed Church at large. From celebrating past wins to unveiling the goal of raising 262 leaders and planting 26 churches in the next decade! This conversation digs into: - Why leadership development is the key to church renewal - How 222 Discipleship is shaping the next generation of pastors and leaders - The role of collaboration, diversity, and shared vision in fueling...
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Plant Where It Grows: The Data, the Gospel, and a New Vision for Church Planting | Season 3 Episode 28
The Disciple Standard Podcast
What actually makes a church plant take root—strategy, location… or discipleship? Scott sits down with David Snapper (church planter/researcher) to unpack 40+ years of lessons: why many “parachute drops” stall, how clusters (the 20-mile/2,000 rule) change outcomes, and how to build a synthetic cluster (friendship networks, schools, training leaders in place) when you’re far from the denominational center. We also talk Acts (Jerusalem → Antioch → Athens), moving from numbers to disciples, and how conflict resolution frees a denomination to pursue Great Commission unity. You’ll...
info_outlineIn Episode 11 of The Disciple Standard Podcast, Pastor Aaron, Pastor Scott, and Andrea dive deep into faith, family, parenting, and marriage from a biblical perspective.
They tackle real questions like:
- How spiritually ready should someone be before marriage?
- What’s the most impactful thing parents can do to pass on their faith to their kids?
- What’s the most challenging season of motherhood—and how can faith make a difference?
- What does Scripture say about marriage, divorce, and raising a godly household?
Whether you’re a young adult thinking about marriage, a parent in the thick of it, or someone looking to build a faith-filled home, this episode offers honest insights, biblical wisdom, and practical encouragement. 🎉
This episode is sponsored by The Crafter Party by Cherie Youngblood — where creativity meets celebration. Visit her on social to book your next unforgettable event!
🎧 New episodes of The Disciple Standard Podcast drop every Thursday on YouTube.
- https://disciplestandard.com/
- Support the Podcast - https://www.patreon.com/c/DiscipleStandardPodcast
- Visit our church - https://sunlightchurch.com/
- Connect with us - https://multiply222.com
Timestamps:
00:01 - Faith and Relationships
00:18 - Spiritual Disciplines in Marriage
00:58 - Introductions: The Podcast Panel
02:56 - Topic Setup: Marriage and Mother’s Day
03:18 - How They Met: The Andrea & Scott Story
10:33 - When Faith Becomes the Foundation
11:02 - Why We Chose Each Other
12:36 - A Relationship Rooted in the Bible
14:16 - What Drew Scott to Andrea
15:06 - The Commitment to Read the Bible Together
16:25 - Faith Compatibility and Dating
19:12 - Faith Level in Relationships
20:15 - Compatibility in Relationships
20:58 - Faith, Finances, and Core Values
22:00 - Dating Advice: Start with Faith
24:21 - Emotional and Spiritual Balance in Marriage
25:00 - Supporting Each Other Through Struggles
25:41 - 28 Years of Marriage
26:04 - Spiritual Disciplines for Couples
26:25 - Raising Kids with Active Faith
28:24 - Passive vs Active Faith Leadership at Home
28:59 - Benefits of Growing Up in Church
33:40 - Church is People, Not Just a Building
34:06 - Community as a Spiritual Discipline
36:05 - Faith and Community as Core Family Values
39:20 - Conflicting Schedules and Church Disconnect
39:44 - Re-centering the Family on Faith
40:25 - Shifting to Motherhood Challenges
43:06 - Trusting God's Plan for Your Kids
43:32 - Ministry Life and Its Demands on Marriage
47:00 - Wisdom and Discernment in Marriage
47:44 - Trusting a Husband’s Convictions
50:34 - The Unseen Sacrifices of Moms
52:01 - Single Mothers and Their Strength
53:26 - Sacrifice as a Form of Worship
56:37 - The CrafterParty Sponsor
57:22 - Introducing the Candace Owens Video
1:00:00 - Realizing My Own Selfishness in Marriage
1:01:52 - Why the Gospel Is Essential for Selflessness
1:02:21 - Culture’s Shifting View on Marriage
1:02:41 - Introducing a Video: "Marriage Is an L"
1:03:53 - Dating with Core Values in Mind
1:04:33 - Cultural Resistance to Commitment
1:05:17 - Marriage Is a Sacred Covenant, Not a Contract
1:05:45 - Love Is Always a Risk
1:06:30 - Marriage Exposes Deep Vulnerability
1:07:13 - Sticking Through Hardship with Covenant Love
1:08:06 - Love Requires Trust in the Covenant
1:08:29 - Abuse Is a Clear Exception
1:08:54 - Abuse Requires Boundaries and Help
1:09:17 - The Risk of Unequally Yoked Marriages
1:09:47 - Advice for Unequally Yoked Marriages
1:10:15 - Don’t Ignore Foundational Incompatibilities
1:10:35 - When One Spouse Converts in Marriage
1:11:23 - Living as a Christian Witness in Marriage
1:12:12 - Common but Challenging: Mixed-Faith Marriages
1:12:38 - Encouragement for the Faithful Spouse
1:13:12 - Seek Wisdom, Pray, and Persevere
1:13:57 - Why We Were Hesitant About This Episode
1:14:21 - Comparison and the Danger of Idealizing Others
1:15:07 - Social Media’s Skewed View of Marriage
1:15:50 - Embracing Your Unique Relationship Journey
1:16:08 - Psalm 16: Finding Peace in Your Own “Land”
1:16:35 - Choosing Thankfulness Over Comparison
1:17:12 - God’s Unique Plan for Each of Us
1:17:38 - Trusting God's Plan Through All Seasons
1:18:10 - Gratitude for the Life God Gave Me
1:18:32 - Trusting God Over Discontentment
1:19:00 - Finding Joy and Contentment Now
1:19:24 - God’s Intimate Involvement and Gratefulness
1:19:50 - Marriage Challenges and Life’s Seasons
1:20:22 - Moving to Florida: A Major Challenge
1:20:44 - Struggling with Family Distance and Jealousy
1:21:09 - Trusting God Through the Transition
1:21:46 - Overcoming Bitterness and Finding Home
1:22:10 - Mindset Shift and Contentment
1:22:31 - Loneliness and Comparison in Port St. Lucie
1:22:49 - The Danger of Social Media Comparisons
1:23:22 - Reminder of Our Delightful Inheritance
1:23:38 - Closing Remarks and Thanks
1:24:03 - Outro and Upcoming Topics