That NAMS Podcast

Part 6 of the NAMS Rule & Customary Order Series."Are You in a Great Commission Cell?" — The Question Every NAMS Companion Must AnswerEvery NAMS companion has agreed to lead or be part of a Great Commission cell. But in episode 132, Jon Shuler asks plainly: do you know what one is? Drawing on the evolution of the definition from 1994 to 2017 — and his own story of moving to Charlotte, North Carolina with three couples and a calling — Shuler shows that a Great Commission cell doesn't require a building, a program, or even a congregation. It requires two or more people praying, thinking, and preparing to plant a new community of faith in obedience to Christ's final command. Are you an ungerminated seed — a true companion waiting for the door to open? Or is the door already open and you haven't walked through it? A searching and practical episode for every companion, Anglican church planter, and Great Commission Christian.

Part 5 of the NAMS Rule & Customary Order Series. "The Odds Are Slim to None" — Why Many Church Settings Can't Produce What NAMS RequiresJon Shuler opens episode 131 with a striking admission: even the congregation he worships in — one he has preached and taught and discipled in for years — is not a Great Commission congregation. Not even close. The problem, he argues, runs deeper than commitment. It runs through four definitions many companions have never fully internalized: a disciple, a made disciple, a missionary disciple, and a NAMS companion. Each one builds on the last — and until a companion can name the people they are discipling, and confirm those people are making disciples of others, the chain is broken. A searching and clarifying episode for every NAMS companion, Anglican church planter, and Great Commission Christian.

Part 4 of the NAMS Rule & Customary Order Series"That's Not True" — Why Discipleship Alone Is Not the Purpose of NAMS | Anglican Church Planting PodcastMany NAMS companions have come to believe the purpose of the society is to make disciples. In episode 130, Jon Shuler says plainly: that's not true. The purpose of NAMS is to plant new Great Commission congregations — and you cannot plant what you don't understand. Turning to Article III of the 2017 NAMS Rule, Shuler unpacks what a Great Commission congregation actually is, why it is a deliberate technical term and not a denominational label, and what Jesus himself says about his disciples in nine specific passages of the New Testament. A clarifying — and challenging — episode for every companion, Anglican church planter, and Great Commission Christian.

Part 3 of the NAMS Rule & Customary Order SeriesEvery Companion. Every Season. Every Location. — The Objectives That Never Stop. | Anglican Church Planting PodcastGoals have deadlines. Objectives don't. In the third installment of this series on the 2017 NAMS Rule and Customary Order, Jon Shuler moves to Article II — "Our Continuing Objectives as a Society" — and explains why the word objectives is chosen deliberately over goals. These are not targets to be achieved and checked off. They are the lifelong commitments of every NAMS companion, pursued until death or the return of the Lord. The three objectives are: remaining faithful to the whole Gospel and the values of the Kingdom of God; building the global community of NAMS companions through bases and shared Rule; and helping plant new Great Commission congregations wherever the Lord sends — or places — you. Through the real-life example of a NAMS military chaplain serving in Alaska, Shuler illustrates that church planting participation looks different for every companion, but disengagement from it is a departure from the society's core commitment. Essential listening for Anglican church planters, NAMS companions, and those exploring missionary community life and Rule of Life spirituality.

Part 2 of the NAMS Rule & Customary Order Series"I Would Rather Die Than Deny It" — The Charge That Defines NAMS | Anglican Church Planting PodcastContinuing the series on the 2017 NAMS Rule and Customary Order, episode 128 turns to Article I — the NAMS Charge. On May 29, 1998, Archbishop Moses Tay gave Jon Shuler four sentences over lunch in Singapore that have shaped the New Anglican Missionary Society ever since. Shuler walks through each clause in detail: Preach and teach Jesus Christ and him crucified. Plant new churches wherever God opens the door. Always obey the Holy Spirit. Never break the Word of God. Each phrase is unpacked theologically and practically — drawing on Paul's letters to the Corinthians and Colossians, and the Gospel of John — and Shuler makes the case that a companion who has truly internalized the Charge needs no further guidance to know their calling in any circumstance. Vital listening for NAMS companions, Anglican missionaries, church planters, and anyone exploring what it means to live under a Rule of Life oriented toward the Great Commission.

Part 1 of the NAMS Rule & Customary Order SeriesWhat Does NAMS Mean by "Church," "Mission," and "Pioneering"? | Anglican Church Planting PodcastIn the opening episode of this series walking through the 2017 NAMS Rule and Customary Order, host Jon Shuler unpacks three foundational words embedded in the preamble — words that define everything the New Anglican Missionary Society does globally. What does NAMS mean by "church"? It's Apostolic Christianity as revealed in the life of the apostles and recorded in Holy Scripture. What is "mission"? The one mission Christ gave his church in Matthew 28:19 — to make disciples of all nations. And what does "pioneering" really mean for a global missionary society operating across nine countries? Jon explains three distinct ways NAMS is called to go first: where there is no church, where something of Apostolic Christianity is missing, and where an existing church is resisting the reforming work of the Holy Spirit. Essential listening for anyone interested in Anglican church planting, missionary community life, Rule of Life spirituality, or the theology of the Great Commission.

Jon begins to discuss the NAMS Rule of 2017

Jon Discusses the next steps for the NAMS Board and the NAMS Order.

Continuing the discussion of the history of the NAMS Rule, Jon shares the good news that has come from the recent global leadership 4 day retreat.

Jon continues to the story of the NAMS rule and brings us up to 2022The mission and ministry of NAMS as an order of church planters is guided and bounded by the Rule (2024), but it must be carefully interpreted in the light of it’s development in order that we do the work that God has called us to do from the beginning. This series tries to give to the Society that history in order to strengthen our faithfulness in the years ahead. 

Jon continues the discussion of the NAMS rule.The mission and ministry of NAMS as an order of church planters is guided and bounded by the Rule(2024), but it must be carefully interpreted in the light of it’s development in order that we do the work that God has called us to do from the beginning. This series tries to give to the Society that history in order to strengthen our faithfulness in the years ahead. 

Jon begins a series that will discuss The NAMS Rule: History and Practice.The mission and ministry of NAMS as an order of church planters is guided and bounded by the Rule(2024), but it must be carefully interpreted in the light of it’s development in order that we do the work that God has called us to do from the beginning. This series tries to give to the Society that history in order to strengthen our faithfulness in the years ahead. 

Jon talks about the basic duty of the follower of Christ.  

Jon ponders the outcome of a multimillion dollar Lilly grant.

Jon Shuler asks what do we do when the foundations are shaken?

A Church Planters Flow Chart. Jon shares a practical framework for thinking about, helping, and tracking new work.

Jon discusses the importance of what we need to do when challenged by events in the wider world

Are we seeing the Death of a Communion?

What is the Fruit of Our Ministry?

Jon continues to make a point about the need to reform the episcopate.

Jon shares his thoughts on reforming the episcopate.

Jon continues the conversation on the meaning and evolution of the word "bishop"

In the continuing series on definitions Jon discuses "bishop, Bishop, BISHOP"

Jon continues looking at definitions focusing this week on Presbyter or Priest?

Jon discusses the difference between a Solemn Promise & a Sacred Vow within the context of the Anglican tradition.

Without Vision... Jon discusses the reality of not understanding the need for God's Vision

This week Jon gives some background on the meaning of Reformed within the Anglican context

Jon seeks to help Define the terms Church Planter and Church Planting

Why is the act of retreat so hard for some. Jon discusses the Fear of Retreat in this weeks podcast.

Jon has a few thoughts to share about retreats while on a retreat.

Jon discusses the difference between Evangelism and Discipleship and shares the SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)

Are you a Disciple maker? Jon Challenges us to make this a reality in our lives.

In the 100th episode of That NAMS Podcast Jon focuses on the life that Jesus has called us to.

What do the numbers 1, 3, 12, 72 and 120 have to do with Discipleship? Find out as Jon talks through a few practical steps for the discipleship journey.

Jon discusses what he feels is critical missing piece of the contemporary church!This revisits a subject he discussed in episodes 11-31.

In this weeks episode Jon looks at the Ephesians 4 and the roles for ministry.

This week in the series Lent for Leaders Jon discusses how you should evaluate your role.

Jon asks "How are Leaders doing?" this lent as he continues the series

Time Talent and Treasure, Jon continues discussing Lent for Leaders

Jon begins a discussion on Lent For Leaders with a talk on Ash Wednesday

By what authority “Marks of a Great Commission Congregation”

Jon Continues his discussion on By What Authority and discusses the Anglican Way.

This week Jon continues talking about By What Authority, specifically discussing the Authoritative Mission

Jon continues to have us think about the authority that governs us and ask is it the word of God.

Jon Challenges to take a hard look at the numbers of the Anglicans in North America

Jon Shuler takes a moment to share the importance of retreats and discusses his experience of taking retreats.

Jon continues discussing By What Authority stressing the role of the word written. *Note: in this episode Jon meant to say Cessationism when he actually said Dispensationalism. Sorry for any confusion

Jon starts the new year by talking about resolutions and by what authority

Jon wraps up this 5 part series on the need for the church to be in a reforming era.

Jon discusses the absolute importance of the Final Command of Jesus.