The YDisciple Podcast

Welcome to a space where curiosity meets mission. In this podcast, we explore the shifting landscape of youth culture and what it really means to walk with young people in faith today. Whether you’re a youth minister, teacher, pastor, volunteer, or simply someone who cares about the next generation — you’ll find insight, encouragement, and community here. We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But through years of experience (and conversations with incredible ministry leaders in the trenches), we’ve gathered stories, lessons, and honest reflections worth sharing. This is a space to stay curious, spark new ideas, and learn together as we serve young people and help them encounter Christ in a rapidly changing world. We’re learners and leaders on the same journey — and we’re so glad you’re here.

The YDisciple Podcast is a religion podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 42 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The YDisciple Podcast, a religion show with 42 episodes published.

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  The YDisciple Podcast

  EP42: Inspire, Inquire, Invite, and Invest with Sr Karolyn Nunes and Eve Anders of the FSGM

  Sep 27, 202632 min

  About This Episode How do we actually help young people discern their vocation? It's easy for youth ministers and ministry leaders to think that fostering vocations means hosting a vocations night, bringing in a religious sister or priest, or encouraging young people to consider religious life. But what if vocation discernment starts much earlier—and much more simply? In this episode, Pete and Annie are joined by Sister Karolyn Nunes and Eve Anders of the Franciscan Sisters of the Martyr St. George for a conversation about prayer, discernment, freedom, and accompanying young people as they discover God's invitation for their lives. Sister Karolyn, a vocation director with more than a decade of experience accompanying young women in discernment, emphasizes that discernment isn't just something we do when deciding our vocation. Discernment is a way of life. The goal is to help young people learn how to recognize the voice of Jesus in their everyday lives. Connect with Us Have questions? Email us at ydpodcast@netusa.org Book your free call with a YDisciple Coach at ydisciple.com/coaching Please take a moment to rate & review on Apple Podcasts. Visit theydisciplepodcast.fireside.fm to learn more about the podcast.

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  The YDisciple Podcast

  EP41: I Hated YDisciple… with Lauren Riggs

  Sep 20, 202629 min

  About this Episode What happens when a teenager who once said, “I hate YDisciple,” eventually becomes a YDisciple mentor—and discovers that she actually loves it? In this episode of The YDisciple Podcast , Pete Burds and Annie Grandell sit down with Lauren Riggs, a former YDisciple small group member, former mentor, NET Missionary, and current NET Mission Staffer. Lauren shares her unique experience of seeing YDisciple from both sides of the small-group relationship. Lauren remembers her own experience as a teenager: watching videos in a dark room, falling asleep during confirmation, and feeling like there wasn't much real discussion happening. But when she returned as a mentor after high school, she discovered a very different approach. Instead of simply moving through content, her small group focused on conversation, relationships, flexibility, and creating space for the girls to be themselves. That experience became a powerful lesson in what YDisciple is actually trying to accomplish: programs don't make disciples—disciples do. Resources can help facilitate a conversation, but they can't replace the relationship between a mentor and a young person. Ultimately, this episode is an encouragement to mentors and ministry leaders: you don't have to have all the answers, perfectly lead every conversation, or make every meeting go according to plan. Sometimes the most fruitful thing you can do is slow down, listen, empower your young people, and follow the pace of the Holy Spirit. Connect with Us Have questions? Email us at ydpodcast@netusa.org Book your free call with a YDisciple Coach at ydisciple.com/coaching Please take a moment to rate & review on Apple Podcasts. Visit theydisciplepodcast.fireside.fm to learn more about the podcast. Reflection for This Week Ask yourself: Am I more focused on getting through my small group guide or on responding to the actual needs of my young people? Where might I need to slow down and give a conversation more room to develop? How can I create more opportunities for the young people I lead to take ownership of their faith and lead one another?

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  The YDisciple Podcast

  EP40: What If the Thing That Drains You Is Someone Else’s Gift? Discovering Working Genius

  Sep 13, 202632 min

  About this Episode Why does one part of ministry leave you energized while another part seems to drain you completely? And what if the answer isn’t simply about personality, but about the way God has gifted you to contribute to a team? In this episode of The YDisciple Podcast, Pete Burds and Annie Grandell dive into Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius framework and explore how it can give ministry leaders language for understanding the way they naturally approach their work. Rather than simply categorizing personalities, Working Genius looks at how ideas move from a question or need all the way through implementation and completion. Pete and Annie walk through the six working geniuses—Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity—and discuss how each contributes something unique to a healthy team. They explore the difference between the work that naturally energizes us, the work we can competently accomplish, and the work that tends to frustrate or drain us. The conversation also explores what this looks like in real ministry settings—from parish teams and volunteers to mission staff and small group mentors. If the ministry is going to be bigger than any one person, we need to recognize the gifts already present in the people around us and create opportunities for those gifts to serve the mission. Connect with Us Have questions? Email us at ydpodcast@netusa.org Book your free call with a YDisciple Coach at ydisciple.com/coaching Please take a moment to rate & review on Apple Podcasts Visit https://theydisciplepodcast.fireside.fm/ to learn more about the podcast Reflection for This Week Ask yourself: What areas of ministry naturally give me energy, and what areas tend to drain me? Where might I be using my strengths—or my frustrations—as an excuse instead of an opportunity for growth? Who are the people God has placed around me whose gifts could complement my own and help make the ministry bigger than myself?

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  The YDisciple Podcast

  EP39: When Ministry and Marriage Collide

  Sep 6, 202636 min

  About this Episode In this episode of The YDisciple Podcast , Pete Burds and Annie Grandell bring their spouses, Emily and Jason, into the conversation for an honest look at marriage, family, and life in ministry . Together, they talk about the unique challenges that come with being married to someone whose work involves relationships, retreats, late nights, travel, and a calling that doesn't always fit neatly into a 9-to-5 schedule. They also share plenty of stories from their own marriages—including the mistakes, tensions, and lessons they've learned along the way. Pete and Annie talk about the importance of boundaries and expectations —especially when ministry schedules are unpredictable. The spouses share what it looks like to communicate about time, surrender jealousy, support one another's callings, and recognize that different seasons of life may require different roles. And, because this is the YDisciple Podcast, the episode isn't all serious. The conversation ends with a surprisingly revealing question: What is a quirky habit your spouse has that you secretly love? From improvised songs to “bobcat” chip bags and questionable road-trip navigation, it's a reminder that healthy marriages aren't built only on big spiritual conversations—they're also built on friendship, humor, and learning to love the little quirks of the person beside you. Whether you're married to a ministry leader, serving in ministry yourself, or simply trying to figure out how your vocation fits into family life, this episode offers an honest reminder: your ministry matters, but so does the person sitting across the table from you. Connect with Us Have questions? Email us at ydpodcast@netusa.org Book your free call with a YDisciple Coach at ydisciple.com/coaching Please take a moment to rate & review on Apple Podcasts Visit theydisciplepodcast.fireside.fm to learn more about the podcast Reflection for This Week Ask yourself: Have I allowed my ministry or work to become part of my identity in a way that competes with my vocation? What expectations around time, family, and ministry do I need to communicate more clearly? How can I better support the vocation of the person I'm married to? What would it look like for our family to discern how we are called to be “on mission” together?

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  The YDisciple Podcast

  EP38: The Ordinary Man Behind an Extraordinary Pope

  Aug 30, 202622 min

  About this Episode What if the most powerful kind of discipleship starts with something incredibly simple: a few people, a little time, and a willingness to say yes? In this episode of The YDisciple Podcast, hosts Pete Burds and Annie Grandell dive into the remarkable story of Jan Tyranowski, a Polish tailor whose quiet life of prayer and discipleship had an extraordinary impact on the Church. During the Nazi occupation of Poland, Jan was asked to care for the young people of his parish after many of the priests were arrested. His response was simple: gather a small group, pray together, and share life together. That small group became known as the Living Rosary, and of the ten young men Jan mentored, eight eventually became priests. One of them would go on to become a bishop, cardinal, pope, and ultimately St. John Paul II. Pete and Annie explore why Jan's story matters so much for youth ministers today. His life offers a powerful example of how small-group discipleship doesn't need to be complicated, expensive, or built around the latest program. It can begin with simply loving the people in front of you, creating space for prayer and relationship, and trusting God with the fruit. They also reflect on the reality that ministry leaders rarely get to see the full impact of their work. Jan died before John Paul II became a bishop, meaning he never saw just how far his investment in one young person would reach. His story invites us to trust that God can multiply the small acts of faithfulness we offer today. Connect with Us Have questions? Email us at ydpodcast@netusa.org Book your free call with a YDisciple Coach at ydisciple.com/coaching Please take a moment to rate & review on Apple Podcasts Visit theydisciplepodcast.fireside.fm to learn more about the podcast Reflection for This Week Ask yourself: * Who are the young people God has placed directly in front of me right now? Where might I be overcomplicating discipleship instead of simply creating space for prayer, relationship, and sharing life? What would it look like to faithfully invest in someone even if I never get to see the full fruit of that relationship?

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