DEVELOPING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY DISCIPLES,

COMMUNITIES, AND NETWORKS


We help everyday disciples thrive by learning to live fully alive from the heart Jesus gave them—within the safety and strength of an emotionally healthy Christian community.

HELPING BELIEVERS CREATE EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY SIMPLY

Following Jesus was never meant to be a solo journey. Many believers feel stuck, spiritually dry, or emotionally overwhelmed, not because they lack faith, but because they haven't experienced the kind of life-giving relationships that make transformation possible.

We grow in the presence of grace. And we flourish when we are known, loved, and challenged in community.


When you live from the heart Jesus gave you, your new, redeemed heart, you begin to walk in freedom, purpose, and peace and that heart was designed to be nurtured in connection with others.

Emotionally healthy community becomes the greenhouse where your spiritual growth can take root and flourish.

Our mission is to walk with the Church in creating emotionally healthy community that’s not only real and lasting—but able to grow and multiply in practical ways in everyday life.

Real growth happens in real relationships.


That’s why we create spaces where everyday disciples, ministry leaders, and church networks can experience transformation—not just information.

Most discipleship models focus on what we know or do —but not on
how we relate. And without emotionally healthy relationships, all the Bible
studies, sermons, and strategies in the world won’t produce
lasting change to transform from the inside out.

Meet The Team

Free Coaching

Network Gatherings

Hear directly from some of those

who are growing in Hesed love.

Frequently Asked Questions

So, what is it exactly that you do?

We make it simple to build emotionally healthy community right where you are. If you’ve ever longed for deeper connection, more joy in your relationships, and a culture of emotional safety in your church or small group, you’re not alone. The good news is, it’s not complicated.

We offer a clear and encouraging training path that gives you the confidence and some simple tools you need to start creating that kind of community—with just a few friends, right in your local context. With a handful of simple skills and shared practices, you can begin to shape a space where people feel safe, seen, and strengthened in just a few months.

You don’t have to be an expert to build something beautiful. You just need the right tools and people beside you. We’re here to help you start.

How is your training accomplished?

We invite you to begin with our 4-Week Live Hesed Learning Community. This is the best place to start your journey toward building an emotionally healthy community. In our 4-Week Hesed Learning Community, over the course of four weeks, you’ll experience live teaching, practical course content, meaningful interaction with others, and gentle coaching along the way.

You’ll learn a simple and powerful set of relational skills we've put together called the S.A.L.V.E. framework, which stands for:

Shalom – creating peace and safety in your relationships

Appreciation – practicing gratitude that strengthens connection

Listen to My Body – tuning in to what your nervous system is telling you

Validation – honoring emotions with kindness and understanding

Emotional Maturity – learning how to stay grounded and connected even under stress

These five skills are the building blocks for our emotionally healthy discipleship journey that also begins to vital journey of secure attachment.

For those ready to go further and see lasting change in just a few months, here’s how to continue:

Step One is to complete the 4-Week Hesed Learning Community, where you’ll gain a strong foundation in the S.A.L.V.E. skills and begin practicing them in real time with others.

Step Two is where things really grow. You’ll receive ongoing support, weekly coaching and encouragement to help you gather a small group of friends and begin living out these skills together as a heart-centered, Hesed community over the next six to twelve months.

When you practice these simple habits consistently with others, emotional health becomes a way of life. And from there, it multiplies.

When is your next Live Hesed Learning Community Experience?

We host Learning Community Experiences throughout the year on a regular basis.

Check out our Events page for more information or for any questions you may have, email us at support@heseddiscipleshipnetwork.com we would love to hear from you!

What is the overall goal of this training?

Our heart is to help you build the kind of community your soul has been longing for. We want you to walk away with the clarity and confidence to start a heart-focused group of your own, using a simple and powerful relational discipleship framework.

This kind of community creates a safe and life-giving space where emotional and spiritual maturity begin to grow quickly and naturally.

Along the way, we also provide tools that help break the grip of toxic shame—the kind that quietly sabotages connection and keeps Christian community stuck on the surface. When shame is removed, people begin to flourish. Relationships heal. And the Church becomes a place where we are free to be known, loved, and transformed—just as Jesus intended.

How do I contact you?

If you're ready to experience this kind of transformation, we would love to walk with you. Whether you're just beginning or have longed for this for years, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Join us in one of our upcoming learning communities or explore our training pathways.

We’ll give you the tools, support, and relationships you need to create a culture of emotional health, spiritual depth, and authentic connection—right where you are. This is where real growth begins. Let’s build it together. We would love to hear from you! Please email us at  support@heseddiscipleshipnetwork.com. 

THIS.... is Hesed Training!

“Can You Please Help?”

“I’ve Read All The Books on Joy, Trauma Healing and Emotional Maturity and I’m Not Sure Where to Go From Here…”

Click to learn more about a Hesed Learning Community Experience

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STUCK COMMUNITY?

Many church communities are filled with passionate, hardworking people who love God and want to make a difference. That kind of energy is a gift and deeply valued in Heaven. But sometimes, the drive to “get things done for God” can unintentionally overshadow the importance of how we love one another along the way.

When the mission becomes more important than the relationships, it’s easy to lose the heart of the Kingdom.

That’s why we believe every church needs a simple discipleship pathway that includes practical relational skills. These tools help us slow down, connect from the heart, and build the kind of community where spiritual growth and emotional health go hand in hand.

When we learn how to love well, we don’t lose momentum—we multiply it. Together.

SURFACE COMMUNITY?

Hospitality and friendliness are a beautiful starting point for any Christian small group. But the real challenge is what comes next. How do we move beyond surface-level connection into deeper trust? How do we create a space where people feel safe enough to be honest about their struggles, navigate conflict with grace, and respond to weakness the way Jesus would—with tenderness, not shame?

That’s where we come in. We help communities grow the skills needed to safely go deeper. We teach how to stay present with big emotions, how to walk with one another through hard moments, and how to repair relationships when there has been hurt or misunderstanding. These are the kinds of skills that help a small group become a true spiritual family.

When people learn how to stay connected through both joy and pain, emotional and spiritual health begins to flourish. This is the kind of community where healing happens and transformation takes root.


You were created for belonging.

And we’re here to help you discover how to live from a whole heart—together.

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SECURELY ATTACHED COMMUNITY?

You’ve taken the time to learn, study and practice to grow in emotional health and maturity with your people!

CONGRATULATIONS…you have done some amazing work with God’s help and are making a tremendous difference by transforming more into the image of Christ. Are you also ready to take one more small step forward to partner with Jesus in a way that extends Kingdom beyond what you thought was possible?

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY?

Sustainability means having the strength to keep going in a healthy way through all seasons of life. In 2020, the global pandemic pushed many of our church structures to the limit. Large gatherings were disrupted, and much of what we relied on for Christian community was put to the test.

But when we look at how the Gospel spread in the early Church, we see that God often worked through scattering more than gathering. His Kingdom has always thrived in small, faithful, relational settings—even in hardship.

This leads us to an important question. Are our Christian communities built to endure? Can they continue to grow and stay strong through change, crisis, or uncertainty? And even more, are they able to multiply and pass on lasting faith to the next generation?

Now is the time to build communities that can do just that—ones that are simple, strong, and rooted in real relationships. Communities that can weather any storm and still flourish.

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RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING INTERVIEWS

RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING INTERVIEWS

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Why Hesed Discipleship?

Discover the limitations of most of today’s discipleship training models, how transformation happens most powerfully and how the Church CAN equip everyday believers moving forward in a world growing more exceedingly divided.

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Hesed Discipleship Simplified

Stories are shared how developing Hesed is walked out in every day life, in family, at work, etc… two everyday guys discussing together how cultivating these realities have impacted every aspect of life within their discipleship journey.

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Hesed Discipleship Modeled

Explore some of the simple, practical, scalable tools (such as “How to Find Your Three” as Jesus had) and the relational skills that are part of the
Creating Emotionally Healthy Community Free Training.

TESTIMONIALS

What Others Are Saying About Hesed
Discipleship

"Relational discipleship has played a vital role in my healing and self-discovery journey the last few years. Having a safe place to know and be known and love and be loved, in the midst of all my “stuff” has been life-changing. Jesus came, not only to save the Lost, but also to bring freedom to the captive, heal the broken heart and restore the wounded soul. Through life-giving relationships and community, I am now experiencing the transforming power of God through emotional maturity, wholeness, and a true understanding of who I was created to be. I am excited to walk more fully in my God-given purpose and to love others well as I continue this path of freedom in Christ"

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Pam J.

Mother, Home Church Leader,
Inner Healing Ministry

"(As a Church leader) Where do you find life-giving soul-sharing w/ others? What I’ve been experiencing the last 9 months is that 8-10-12 guys gathered weekly around a fire pit has ignited this kind of life-rich, life-strengthening, life-giving, life-sharing. It’s natural, powerful, beautiful & personal. Invest a little into it & you’ll reap abundant returns from it. Personal, spiritual, relational, work stuff, family, friend & many other life realities get processed across the flames w/ humorous & serious sharing. Give it a try...if you (or your Churches) are hungry for soul-sharing w/ friends. You’ll be amazed what might break-through & break-out when you let the flames (of Hesed love) & the Spirit invite your heart out to play in the company of a few others. Grab a few friends & plan your 1st experience now (with this ministry). Go for it!"

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Craig Cheney

Executive Pastor, Heartland Church

"I (often) found myself frustrated and unintentionally rejected in the rooms and conversations I was a part of. My life had become a manifestation of resulting insecurity and self-doubt - not only within ministry, but more importantly within my own home. Being given a space with my brothers to heal, belong, and safely mature into more honest expressions of ourselves has directly impacted and rewired the way I listen to and serve and love my wife and children. My work, within the context of 'ministry', flows directly from the love I give and receive at home. The relationships upon which this pathway is built have been utilized in concert with the loving relationship and Kingship of Jesus to awaken a real-life application of His words and actions in a way that moves in partnership with His Spirit."

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Pete Kirwan

Worship Leader and Pastor of New City Neighborhoods,
New City Church

"Hanging with Chris has been one of the most healing and restorative mentoring experiences of my life. As an apostolic leader, it can be difficult to find mentors who not only understand how pioneering leaders are wired, but are uniquely gifted to maximize their potential as leaders. Plus, his focus on relationship over program is so refreshing! I'm so grateful for Chris' wisdom, his friendship, and his empowering role in my life."

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Cory Ozbon

Disciple Making Movement Catalyst, Novo/KC Underground

"As a person who has planted churches, led large churches, and is now leading a decentralized network of micro-churches in our city, I’ve had a 20 year obsession with understanding how it is the Spirit changes people and how it is that we can best partner with the Spirit in that process. My journey with Chris, has helped me to hone in on one of the “missing pieces” that I had intuited in my own journey, but didn’t know how to best activate it in others, let alone scale it out so many could be equipped. Our partnership has brought incredible clarity around how it is that Jesus has integrated spiritual, emotional, and relational maturity into a seamless whole. I truly believe as you walk through this process you will likely say, “This is that missing piece of disciple-making we’ve been looking for."

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Rob Wegner

KC Underground Co-Founder,
#1 Best Selling Author
'Starfish and The Spirit'

"Over the past 25+ years, my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ got a hold of me and the Holy Spirit has given me the boldness of evangelism to share my faith pretty much anywhere and with anyone. I would invite guys to join me (somewhere locally) to talk about life, family, work and Jesus Christ...it was really pretty amazing. Through this, I found a smaller group of guys, Chris, Brad and Bud all with different gifts provided by GOD and we would get together, to talk about life, lift each other up and share what GOD has been doing in life...It was our Tribe. During the pandemic, we couldn't go back to a physical church, but the Tribe would get together in a garage, patio and help one another get through life during this challenge. Over the past year and a half during the pandemic when church buildings were closed, it is almost as if Jesus HIMSELF was saying, I didn't tell you to build a building and call it a church...I called you to be my church, go and be my disciple. When Jesus sent His disciples out, they never went alone, they had a Tribe."

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George Weyrauch

Business Owner, Rock Creative Network

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