This is Kyle Worley, and I'm joined by my co-host, Jim Wilkin, and J.T. English, and today we are also joined by Ben Mandrell.

Ben is the president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of the recently released six-week group study together, which explores how the church of Acts 2 serves as a template for the life of the church

today. If you want to find out more about together, go over to lifeway.com and you can find it right

there. Ben, welcome to the show. Thanks for joining us. Man, I'm honored that you guys were to have me on

talking about a subject that I know we're all very passionate about.

Absolutely, man. It's a lot of fun to have you on, man. I mean, I got to tell you,

we, the three of us, have been working to build the deep discipleship program with Lifeway,

which we're super pumped about releasing here this spring, a one-year theological discipleship program, and your team has been amazing to work with.

It has really, like when we thought about the right home for the deep discipleship program,

it was just like a no-brainer. It is Lifeway. And so, listen, I know that our audience is bigger

than just those who have kind of been in and out of Baptist life. Our audience cuts across the

nominations. But if you're not familiar with Lifeway Christian resources, it would be hard to be not familiar

with them. They're just the largest evangelical publisher out there and they are producing

resources that serve the church. Ben, your team has been great to work with. Thank you.

Awesome. Good to hear. I'm not surprised. They're good people.

Well, okay, Ben, why are you releasing this study and why now? So you've written this study on Together. It's kind of rooted in Acts chapter 2 where we see the church birthed after Pentecost.

We see their new rhythms and habits begin to emerge. Why are you releasing this study? And why now?

Why together and I now? Well, like all of our resources,

we really try to bird those out of research to best understand what is the church needing right now.

And a couple of years ago, we did a giant pastor's needs study. And the most alarming statistic to me

was 75% of pastors said their greatest struggle is apathy.

Their church members don't seem to be all that interested anymore like they used to be.

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