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In Part 2 of our conversation with Nicky Adams, we go deeper into how a Disciple-Making Movement (DMM) helps reveal and meet the real needs of a community—not just the surface ones we often assume. Nicky unpacks how she has learned to discern needs by being present, listening, engaging in real conversations, and honoring every person as God’s Imago Dei. She shares how offering food or clothing may be helpful at times, but often the deeper need is dignity, attention, safety, mental health support, or simply someone willing to care enough to stop and listen. From families anxious about losing government assistance, to youth disconnected from school, to neighbors overwhelmed by addiction and hopelessness, Nicky shows how needs assessment in a DMM is not about programs—it’s about people. And the more she treats those around her as image-bearers, the more her neighborhood begins to open, trust, and change.

This episode also explores the importance of being ethnographic rather than ethnocentric. Nicky candidly reflects on moments from her past when she judged others through her own cultural lens—and how Christ corrected her toward humility, empathy, and understanding. As she shares stories from her block, her workplace, and her daily prayer walks, we see how incarnation builds safety, presence, and relational equity. Neighbors now know her name. People speak, look out for one another, and even the atmosphere on her street feels different. Nicky’s testimony is a powerful picture of what happens when ordinary disciples show up where they live, work, learn, and play—trusting that Christ is transforming culture through them. This episode challenges every listener to assess needs the way Jesus did, love people where they truly are, and step boldly into the mission field right outside their front door.

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In this first conversation with Nicky Adams, Thomas Clark continues Season 4’s deep dive into how a Disciple Making Movement (DMM) helps meet real needs in real communities. Nicky shares powerfully about her journey toward becoming truly incarnate—showing up in the flesh where she lives, just as Christ shows up through His followers. She talks about learning to step outside her home, walk her neighborhood, talk with people, and listen long enough to discern their real needs. From singing with a woman on the street who desperately needed hope, to building trust with neighbors, to identifying missing resources like shelter, security, and a sense of hope, Nicky models how the peace of Christ becomes tangible through simple acts of presence, compassion, and courage. Her story reveals how DMM begins not with programs but with proximity—being present among the people God loves.

Nicky also opens up about what incarnational ministry looks like in her second place—her workplace. She describes how Christ “hides Himself” in her job through her kindness, sincerity, prayerfulness, and the way she honors every coworker by name. From posting encouraging messages, to offering hugs, to listening with compassion, to sharing pieces of her own story of loss and healing, Nicky shows how the gospel becomes visible through everyday interactions. In her third place, the local Walgreens, she consistently meets the same people, including employees, neighbors, and unhoused individuals. There she practices spiritual attentiveness—offering food, encouragement, and dignity, planting gospel seeds in one of the community’s most ordinary-but-holy spaces. This episode beautifully demonstrates how a disciple making movement grows when ordinary believers live intentionally in their first, second, and third places, embodying the love and presence of Jesus in culturally relevant ways.

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In Part 2 of “How a Disciple-Making Movement Helps Meet the Needs of the Community,” Thomas Clark continues his conversation with Stevyn and Juguana Bonner, pressing into what incarnational presence looks like in our third places—the everyday spaces we hang out. From youth sports stands where students know Stevyn as “Pops,” to spontaneous invitations for neighbors to join the family for bowling or golf, to simple conversations at the local ice-cream shop, the Bonners show how ordinary rhythms become on-ramps to relationship and peace. Thomas ties this to Luke 16:8 and a practical “needs assessment” mindset: rather than assuming what people need, we learn it by showing up near home, listening well, and building trust over time.

The episode then gets honest about ethnocentrism vs. ethnography—moving from projecting our culture onto others to humbly learning people’s stories and serving from their vantage point. The Bonners share how this posture has birthed real community on their block (neighbors meeting neighbors, spiritual conversations starting naturally) and a friendlier atmosphere at work. Thomas frames it as glocal discipleship: serving a global Christ with a local theology in the places we live, work, learn, and play. You’ll be challenged to craft your “I will…” statement—how you will show up this week—and to share it with someone who will walk with you as you help others take their next step toward Jesus.

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