Episode 054 – Discipleship, Missionary Training, and the Power of Mentorship with Pete Burds

The Church Podcast

• 47 min

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In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down with Pete Burds, Chief Mission Officer at NET Ministries and co-host of the YDisciple Podcast through the NFCYM Podcast Network. Pete shares his journey from growing up in Chicago in the 90s — shaped by a powerful high school conversion — to campus ministry in Denver and Milwaukee, diocesan leadership, and eventually stepping into a national role at NET Ministries. Along the way, he reflects on what it means to truly disciple someone and why mentorship is not a strategy but the very method Jesus modeled for the apostles. Together, Christopher and Pete explore what it looks like to build a culture of discipleship in parishes and schools today, why so many ministry leaders fall into the trap of ministering from a distance, and how relational investment — not programming — is what actually produces lasting fruit. They also discuss how NET's training model forms missionaries not just spiritually but as whole persons, and how that formation translates into greater confidence, courage, and effectiveness in ministry. For more visit the Show Notes at https://thechurchpodcast.org