Jon Wiest (“West”) is the Co-Founder of Mobilize the Church, a global ministry mobilizing a growing wave of disciple makers, pioneer leaders, and church planters. He previously planted churches in Dallas, TX and Des Moines, IA and is the author of Banding Together and Pioneers. Jon has degrees from Wheaton College, Wesley Seminary, and a D.Min. in Church Planting from Asbury Theological Seminary. He is a rabid San Francisco 49ers fan, loves traveling, sports, and history, and currently lives in the Indianapolis, IN area with his wife and four daughters.
Articles
December 11, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Dave Miller and Cliff Forbes
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 39 Series: Snapshots of Innovation Episode Description: In this episode, we talk with Dave Miller, co-founder of Leadership Pathway and Cliff...
December 3, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Drew Cline and Joel Lutz
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 38 Series: Snapshots of Innovation In this episode, we have a conversation with Drew Cline, a pastor and church planter in...
November 27, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Jordan Bochinski and Emilee Westervelt
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 37 Series: Snapshots of Innovation In this episode, we chat with Jordan Bochinski, one of the founders of the Collide Conference...
November 20, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Greg Atkinson and Carl Johnson
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 36 Series: Snapshots of Innovation In this episode, we begin with an interview with Greg Atkinson, founder of EntreChurch, a ministry...
November 13, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Victor Glover and Akram Hadeed
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 35 Series: Snapshots of Innovation In our second episode of this series, we feature Victor Glover, CEO of Fathers on the...
November 6, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Josh Dotzler and Juan Chavez
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 34 Series: Snapshots of Innovation In our first episode, we will feature Josh Dotzler, CEO of Abide Ministries in Omaha, Nebraska....
October 28, 2024
Shark Tank Finalists 2024
NEXT Ventures is a ministry of Exponential NEXT designed to discover, connect, and learn from innovative ministries shaping the future of the church. This year,...
July 22, 2024
Finding Your Tribe
The digital revolution and the rise of social media have proliferated hundreds of thousands of subgroups or tribes, each with its own distinctive characteristics and...
May 27, 2024
What’s Your Number?
We were almost four years into our second church plant and I was determined to break the 400 growth barrier. We were hovering in the...
April 22, 2024
Prayer is Returning to Public Schools
The landmark 1962 ruling of Engel v. Vitale removed school-sponsored prayer from public schools. The justices ruled that it violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause,...
March 25, 2024
The Rise of Multi-Vocational Ministry
The word vocation is derived from the Latin term vocatio, which means a “calling” or “summons.” A person’s vocation is bigger than their job. It...
March 13, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Preston Ulmer and Anne Bosarge
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 6 Series: Snapshots of Innovation Welcome to Snapshots of Innovation, where we interview ministry leaders across North America who are shaping...
March 6, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Molly Soderstrom and Vince Garvey
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 5 Series: Snapshots of Innovation Welcome to Snapshots of Innovation, where we interview ministry leaders across North America who are shaping...
February 28, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Tommy “Urban D” Kyllonen and Troy and Mark Evans
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 4 Series: Snapshots of Innovation Welcome to Snapshots of Innovation, where we interview ministry leaders across North America who are shaping...
February 26, 2024
Social Media, Happy Hours, and Simple Churches
In 2023, approximately 8 billion people lived on planet earth, and 380 million lived in North America. The average American knows the names of 500...
February 21, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Paul Watson and Shane Boyd
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 3 Series: Snapshots of Innovation Welcome to the Exponential NEXT Podcast, where we interview ministry leaders across North America who are...
February 14, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Cory McElvain and Olivia Williamson
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 2 Series: Snapshots of Innovation Welcome to the Exponential NEXT Podcast, where we interview ministry leaders across North America who are...
February 7, 2024
Snapshots of Innovation with Bubba Stallcup
Exponential NEXT Podcast Episode 1 Series: Snapshots of Innovation Welcome to the Exponential NEXT Podcast, where we interview ministry leaders across North America who are...
January 29, 2024
Innovation Starts Here
When it comes to innovation, a good idea is not necessarily a “God idea.” The difference between the two is a matter of discernment… and...
December 11, 2023
The Great Dechurching
Something significant is happening. You’ve probably seen the graphs charting the rapid increase of religious disaffiliation or the “Rise of the Nones.” Perhaps you’ve also read the...
November 13, 2023
11 Innovative Ministries – Part Two
Next Ventures is an innovative approach to finding, connecting, and learning from emerging leaders who are shaping the future of the church. We begin the...
October 9, 2023
11 Innovative Ministries – Part One
Next Ventures is an innovative approach to finding, connecting, and learning from emerging leaders who are shaping the future of the church. We begin the...
September 11, 2023
How to Become More Innovative
There is a pervasive myth out there that innovation is the exclusive domain of artists, entrepreneurs, and creative types. But is it possible to cultivate...
August 21, 2023
A.I. and the Future of Preaching
The best artificial intelligence chatbot in history was released by the A.I. research company OpenAI toward the end of 2022. ChatGPT (the GPT stands for...
June 12, 2023
Innovation as Stewardship
Innovation is often born out of adversity. Problems, setbacks, and challenges require us to find new paths forward. New solutions are needed. But this is...
May 8, 2023
Is It Time to Change Wineskins?
The rabbis of old had a saying, “Without wine, there is no joy.”1 This was especially true at a wedding. In the first century, weddings...
April 10, 2023
What Happened in the 1990s?
Growing Numbers of Americans with No Religious Affiliation In 1972, only 1 in 20 Americans had no religious affiliation. They were primarily atheists and demographically...
March 23, 2023
4 Types of Ministry Innovation
What do the wheel, compass, printing press, lightbulb, automobile, computer, internet, and smartphone all have in common? They were all breakthrough innovations that radically reshaped...
