Discipleship Intensives
Discipleship Intensives are extended gatherings designed to help believers grow deeply in their understanding of Scripture and develop lasting habits of discipleship. A small group of invited guests gathers with Mike and Joanne Chastain for several days of focused teaching, fellowship, and shared life together.
Testimonials
Name: Rick Jarrell Job: Company Exec The Chastain Discipleship program changed my life. The program gives you a blueprint on how to draw close to God and become the disciple He has called us to be. It is based on God's Word and provides several tools to face the challenges Satan throws at us.
Name: Tony Kimbrell Job: Business Man I now have this urgency, this daily desire, that I need to, that I must, go to my Bible, my workbook, and my daily scripture to determine what God has intended to tell me(us). I know we are instructed to only do this M-F but I now I have a desire to continue through Sat & Sun. So a sincere thanks to Mike & Joanne for giving me this desire through their sacrifice!
Name: Steve Sittnick Job: Medical Dr. and Colonel, USA The Chastain Discipleship program is truly a team approach of Pastor Mike and Joanne-and by extension their beautiful family at Sunday dinner. Their instruction is made more powerful in the example of how they live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ everyday. I praise God and thank them. They changed my life for the better and for Christ's sake, indeed.
Name: Park Plumb Job: Colonel USAF Retired By Providence, a fledging Evangelist was introduced into Discipleship for the first time by an outstanding Teacher and three fellow Disciples. There is no doubt the Holy Spirit was with us as we systematically advanced our Discipleship skills with sound processes. Discipleship Intensive has humbly improved my abilities and catches as a “Fisher of Men.”
Name: Ron Yaggi Job: General USAF Retired I was part of DI 1, the so-called guinea pig class. It was anything but, for all four of us had our lives changed during those four days. We witnessed the most Christ centered family that I’ve ever met. What it did for me personally was to put that fire back in my spirit to serve the Lord, like I had in the 1980s and 90s, but got sidetracked from while serving in the military on 9/11.
Name: Alex Weatherly Job: Esquire Consistently spending regular time in God's Word has been a habit that I have never seemed to be able to develop until I found the Chastain "DI" Discipleship Program. It has encouraged me in my walk with God like nothing else I have participated in since the early discipleship training I received not long after I first became a Christian over 40 years ago. If you are thinking about doing a DI discipleship weekend, but are hesitant . . . well that's the enemy trying to discourage you. Resist the Devil and He will flee from you!!! (James 4:7) Do whatever you must to join Mike and Joanne for a Discipleship Intensive weekend. If just might be the most important thing you ever do in your life next to becoming a follower of Christ.
DI Overview
Discipleship Intensives are extended gatherings designed to help believers grow deeply in their understanding of Scripture and develop lasting habits of discipleship. A small group of invited guests gathers with Mike and Joanne Chastain for several days of focused teaching, fellowship, and shared life together.
The Intensive instruction begins on Thursday evening and continue through Saturday, with participants staying together in a home setting for the duration of the gathering. Each day includes several sessions of teaching—often totaling eight hours or more of instruction —where participants work through the Essentials of Discipleship materials and explore the foundational truths of the Christian life.
Meals are an important part of the experience. Guests are greatly valued and loved and, as many participants have said, are “fed like kings.” Joanne prepares generous gourmet meals that create a joyful setting for conversation, fellowship, and encouragement around the table.
Evenings provide time to relax together, build friendships, and enjoy games and conversation after the day’s teaching sessions.
A key part of the Intensive is learning how to engage Scripture through devotional commentaries, a method Mike and Joanne teach that helps believers interact personally with God’s Word. This practice encourages participants to develop daily habits of reading, reflecting on, and applying Scripture in their own lives.
The weekend concludes on Sunday morning, when the group worships together at church. Afterwards, everyone gathers once more at the Chastain home for their well-known and much-loved Sunday dinner, a fitting conclusion to a weekend of learning, fellowship, and shared life in Christ.
These Discipleship Intensives have been given for men, for women, and it has been requested that they expand to couples, an idea that the Chastains love and plan to implement as soon as possible.
Through these Intensives, Mike and Joanne seek to set a trajectory that will help them continue growing deeply in Christ long after the weekend has ended.
Discipleship Intensives: The Essentials books
The Essentials of Discipleship books were written by Mike and Joanne Chastain to provide believers with the most foundational truths and practices needed to walk faithfully with Jesus Christ. These materials grew out of decades of ministry, personal discipleship, and teaching, and they form the core curriculum used during Discipleship Intensives.
The goal of the Essentials series is simple: to help believers clearly understand the gospel and then develop the daily habits that nurture a growing relationship with Christ.
Book One: Understanding the Gospel
The first book begins with a real-life experience from Mike’s time as a student in a modern college classroom. In this setting he shares the gospel in conversation, allowing readers to see what it looks like when the good news of Christ is explained in a thoughtful and natural way.
After presenting this encounter, the book carefully walks back through the conversation, explaining each part in greater detail. This approach makes the material both interactive and engaging, helping readers see how the gospel can be communicated clearly and faithfully.
From there, the book moves into a thorough exploration of the central truths of salvation, including:
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Justification – how God declares sinners righteous through faith in Christ
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Adoption – how believers are welcomed into the family of God
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Sanctification – how God continues to transform His people into the likeness of Christ
Each section includes guided interaction that encourages readers to engage personally with the Scriptures and reflect on the meaning of these doctrines.
The book concludes with a thoughtful quiz designed to help readers examine whether they clearly understand the gospel and the saving work of Christ.
Book Two: Growing in the Christian Life
Once a person understands the gospel, the next step is learning how to grow in a steady and vibrant walk with Christ. The second book focuses on the means God has given believers to develop and nurture their faith.
At the center of this growth is keeping Jesus Christ at the center of life. The book teaches practical ways believers can cultivate that focus through regular engagement with Scripture.
Several practices are emphasized, including:
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Reading and studying the Word of God
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Scripture memory
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Developing daily habits of reflection on Scripture
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The Devotional Commentary Method, a practical approach the Chastains teach to help believers interact personally with God’s Word each day
The book concludes with a section on prayer, helping believers learn how to speak with God thoughtfully and regularly as part of their daily walk with Christ.
Together, the Essentials of Discipleship books provide both a clear understanding of the gospel and practical guidance for living a Christ-centered life. They are designed not only to teach foundational truths but also to help believers develop habits that strengthen their faith for a lifetime.
Join one of our Discipleship Intensives
In the coming weeks we will share more information about how to join a discipleship intensive. Until then please sign up below to get updates on all things Discipleship Ministries.