Men are starting to wake up.
For years, our culture has relegated them to the sidelines and failed to call them to the high and Christ-like standard God has given them.
The Leadership Journey (LJ) is designed to be the antidote to this male-aise—with the goal of creating a godly culture of male discipleship in churches across our network and nation.
This isn’t a casual group meeting or an accountability circle; it’s a wake-up call to godliness.
What Is The Leadership Journey?
The Leadership Journey invites men to embark on a 24-week discipleship course designed to ignite growth, inspire action, and equip men for biblical leadership.
LJ kicks off with a retreat that sets the stage for transformation. At this retreat, men hear firsthand testimonies of how God has worked in the lives of others through the program. Attendees often leave inspired, encouraged, and ready to dive into their own journey of growth, even those that came to the retreat somewhat hesitantly.
During the retreat, men identify areas in their lives where growth is needed and what gaps they have in how they are fulfilling their ministry roles. From there, the 24-week course begins, providing a structure for spiritual growth and practical action.
The study groups are intentionally small, with 3-5 men meeting weekly for 90 minutes. Each Leadership Journey session is centered around three key components that guide the discussion and encourage spiritual growth:
- Adoration and Thanksgiving
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- Participants reflect on how God has revealed Himself throughout the week. This time is dedicated to praising Him for His presence and work in their lives, fostering a heart of gratitude and worship.
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- Application
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- The focus shifts to how the week’s Bible study and personal reading have impacted participants’ lives. Discussions emphasize practical changes—how their insights from Scripture will influence their daily actions, relationships, and spiritual walk.
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- Accountability
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- Participants review their weekly roles and goals, share progress in memorizing Scripture, and discuss how they’ve applied the principles learned. This time encourages mutual encouragement and challenges everyone to stay committed to their growth and responsibilities.
The majority of time each week is spent in personal Bible study, allowing participants to deeply engage with God’s Word on their own. When the group meets, there is no formal teaching. Instead, the session is purely interactive, designed to cultivate worship, encourage transformation, and build accountability through shared experiences.
It is also a place for men to think about how and when they will practically live out their Godly duties. It gives them a snapshot of what a week might look like if they were on task. They find new opportunities to achieve victories and celebrate, while also identifying distractions and crushing them so that they can truly start to move the needle on their spiritual growth.
This structure ensures that the Leadership Journey is not just another study—it’s a pathway to lasting spiritual growth and intentional discipleship.
The result of all this is multiplication. This course encourages men to think deeply about who they are in Christ and how they can impact others. Men learn to practice the discipline of asking themselves, “Who is coming up behind you and what legacy of discipleship are you creating that extends beyond yourself?” This mindset coupled with the powerful victories they are seeing in their personal growth create a culture of discipleship that ripples outward to everyone they interact with.
Real Stories, Real Change
The Leadership Journey is not just a class; it’s a catalyst for transformation for men who want more than a check-the-boxes Christian life.
Consider our very own Vice President of Advancement, Eric Nihart. Before the study, he had been faithful but felt his engagement and growth was not what it needed to be. Through The Leadership Journey and the faithful accountability of fellow men, he took active steps to better serve and lead in his congregation. Eric now leads LJ studies and has seen the results firsthand.
The proof of the impact this study is having is often in the people who know these men best—their wives. Some of the strongest encouragement for the results men have experienced is found in the wives who have expressed their gratitude for the transformation they’ve seen.
One wife even commented that her husband was leading in the home and growing in his faith, and as a result she found him “more attractive” after completing the study*.
*While spiritual growth can be expected in most circumstances, BCP cannot guarantee growth in attractiveness as a result of this study—even if the former often leads to the latter.
How Does The Leadership Journey Work?
The Leadership Journey works best when churches and pastors partner together to bring the study to their congregations. Groups can meet in person or via Zoom, allowing the program to expand far beyond local settings.
If you’re a man who is actively pursuing growth and are looking for guidance, this journey is designed to meet you where you are and push you to where God is calling you to be.
Are You Ready to Lead?
Faith isn’t passive, and neither is The Leadership Journey. This study is for imperfect men who desire to grow, step into their God-given roles, and leave a legacy of discipleship.
If you’re ready to be intentional in your walk with Christ and create a culture of male discipleship in your congregation, consider this your call to action. Talk to your church leadership about taking the first step toward living as the biblical man God designed you to be.
Baptist Church Planters exists to help churches build healthy disciple-making congregations. If you or your church are ready to grow in godliness and leadership, reach out to us today. Let’s partner together to make disciples who make disciples.
