Neighboring as Discipleship with Shannan Martin
Many of us were taught that discipleship happens one-on-one with a mentor, a Bible, and maybe a workbook. But what if discipleship looks more like a shared meal, a walk through your neighborhood, or an unexpected “I love you” exchanged on a street corner?
In this Coffee Break conversation, Tim Soerens talks with author and neighbor Shannan Martin about how her understanding of discipleship has been reshaped by life in her Goshen, Indiana neighborhood. Through stories of jail visits, fist bumps, and front porch conversations, Shannan invites us into a fuller, more honest way of following Jesus together.
If you care about community, formation, and the sacredness of ordinary life, this one’s for you.
What You’ll Hear in This Conversation
Discipleship isn’t one-directional it’s shared life
Shannan reflects on how her family’s story disrupted the tidy definitions of discipleship she once held, expanding it to include shared meals, mutual transformation, and everyday presence.Neighboring is formation
From walking the neighborhood to exchanging simple “I love yous,” Shannan shares how being close to others—especially those who’ve experienced deep pain—has deeply shaped her.The church isn’t built on cool it’s built on faithfulness
Shannan talks about her tiny, formerly dying church and how it was resurrected by men and women from the local work release center who showed up and stayed.Kids don’t need programs they need people
Without a youth group, Shannan’s children were formed by the love and faith of their neighbors, showing us another way churches can show up for the next generation.
Watch the Preview
Take the Next Step
This isn’t just a conversation. It’s an invitation. Whether you are organizing a community block, pastoring a parish, or simply trying to slow down enough to notice the place beneath your feet, there is space for you to begin exactly where you are.
What might it look like to trust that the love of God is showing up in your actual neighborhood with your actual neighbors? Maybe discipleship begins with simply choosing to stay, to notice, and to say “I love you” more often.
Who’s been discipling you without even knowing it? What would it look like to walk a little closer this week?
