Building a developmental mindset to faith
Build Lifelong Disciples
maximize your discipleship pathways for impact
Inspired by Colossians 1:28
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ (NIV). Pathways to Discipleship collaborates with churches to support thriving discipleship pathways. We offer resources, training, and ongoing support to transform your ministry into a life-changing discipleship journey.
Why Discipleship?
Today’s churches face unique challenges in fostering spiritual growth and unity. Our pathways address these issues through personalized and practical, disciple-centric models.
Barna Research
%
Only 5% of Christians disciple others in their faith.
%
74 % of adults polled say they want to grow spiritually.
%
Only 35% of Christians report unity in their church.
Gen Z is twice as likely to join a discipleship community.
The solution
Changing the Paradigm
What if it only takes a series of small movements to empower your church for transformative discipleship?
OUR VISION
We envision a world transformed by the churches who embrace a movement of mature disciple makers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and creating new fruit in their churches and communities.
Teach your Disciples.
Train your leaders.
Our Process:
Pathways to Discipleship uses a proven four-step process to help churches create a thriving culture of discipleship:
1. Mission Acuity Assessment
2. Paradigm Shifting Strategies
3. Personalized Pathway Development
4. Sustainability for Multiplication Through Support
Who We Are
Chris Naeger
Stephen Below
Chris Naeger is a dedicated leader committed to intentional discipleship and accelerating spiritual growth. After successfully selling his business—a period where he was passionate about mentoring young adults in his company to be better husbands, fathers, and leaders, which often led them to discover Christ.
Chris answered a full-time call to a non-profit ministry. This allows him to fluidly bring together his practical business experience and ministry leadership gifts.
His personal mandate was forged during three pivotal years of weekly breakfast mentorship with his pastor, John Franklin, in his early 30s. Drawing on that foundation and decades of practical experience as a lay leader—including roles like Men’s Group Director and Small Groups Director, and over 25 years leading life groups with his wife.
Chris now applies this expertise to help churches become intentional in their discipleship methods.
Stephen Below serves as the Discipleship Pastor at The House Church STL in Ferguson, Missouri. Founded just three years ago, The House has built its entire model around one central focus—discipleship. Through this intentional approach of leading with discipleship, the church has experienced God’s favor, growing from two men with a dream into a thriving community of more than 350 people passionately pursuing biblical oneness in a city known for division. Stephen began his ministry journey as a lay leader, serving faithfully while working in his family business for over 30 years.
During that time, he spent 20 years in youth ministry at his home church, became an elder at age 30, and served in that role for 18 years. His long experience as a dedicated church member before entering full-time ministry gives him a rare and grounded perspective on how the church functions from the inside out.
At the “young” age of 48, Stephen returned to school to earn a ministry degree, stepping into full-time ministry as the Discipleship Pastor in O’Fallon, Missouri, where he served for 14 years.
Today, Stephen’s passion is to help others discover the power of leading with discipleship. His experiences in Ferguson have shaped his heart for unity and transformation, fueling his ongoing work in the development of Pathways to Discipleship, which he co-leads alongside Chris.
Strategic Goals & Objectives
Our Commitment to Discipleship Growth
Pathways to Discipleship is committed to empowering churches to develop discipleship focused pathways that foster a culture of spiritual maturity, active discipleship, and community unified in purpose.
Discipleship for All
Our methods recognize the phases of spiritual maturity and builds clear next steps in the disciples journey.
Collaborative Process
We work with churches to assess
existing programs and their effectiveness through discipleship acuity process.
Community Building
Create supportive spaces for developmental growth, learning, and fellowship.
Engagement in Discipleship
Provide coaching in leadership multiplication through proven applications that remove the leadership ceiling in your church.
Empowering Leaders
Provide church leaders with tools to
implement discipleship focused pathways.
Spirit Led, Data Driven
We strive to lead our partnership by Holy Spirit Enlightenment. Seeking His direction with the reality of data driven movements.
We strive to align with Pauls prayer and purpose for his church and the church of today, found in Colossians.
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
Colossians 1:9-12
Leading with purpose, growing in faith, and transforming lives through Christ.
Discipleship is not just a program; it’s a lifelong journey of transformation, where we equip leaders and empower the Church to bear lasting fruit for God’s Kingdom.
Let’s Get started
Are you ready to develop pathways to discipleship?
Disciples making Disciples, I get it…but how? Are you tired of seeing the challenge of shifting your church into a disciples making disciples model with only a philosophy and no real practical steps. We all want to create disciples making disciples but no one book or quick course can lead you through it. This shift is a journey through twist and turns of molding your organization into your version of an effective disciple making church. Pathways to Discipleship recognizes this and guides you through effective changes that can lead you there. We won’t blow up your past to push a new future. We are practitioners with real life experience with our process that Achieves Mission Acuity.
What we offer
Let’s Connect
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Get more information
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Ready for the next step? Let’s engage!
Stage 1
Mission Acuity
- Assessment and it’s interpretation
- Introduction to our process model
- 4 steps to a better you
Stage 2
Implementing a Paradigm Change
- All of Stage 1
- 6 weeks of coaching through process of maturity shaper using your current keepables
- Written plan for deeper Mission Acuity and implementation schedule
Stage 3
Pathways in Motion
- All of Stages 1 & 2
- 1 year plan guide
- Monthly course correction and realignment meetings
- Lead 15 week Leadership curriculum to develop leadership pipeline
- Coach your leaders as they offer Leadership Curriculum to next level leaders in your church
- Personal coaching through department head over project