“A beautiful audio Bible like Dwell could change someone’s life if that becomes a part of their daily rhythm.”
— David Burke, LifeLine TMU Lead Pastor
LIFELINE’S CHALLENGE
We recently sat down with David Burke, Pastor of LifeLine TMU in Toronto, Ontario, to discuss how he’s used Dwell to strengthen the church’s discipleship.
If you’d like, you can watch our full conversation here or read a summary of it below:
Ministering in a 48,000-student university presents unique challenges and opportunities for David Burke and LifeLine TMU. Like many churches, LifeLine finds itself in a context that has grown increasingly disenchanted (and at times, intolerant) of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As David considered how to help his students navigate their secular context, he took a serious look at the role of digital tools for discipleship and came to this conclusion:
“I think digital is not just a means to ministry, but it is ministry in and of itself…If digital is where people are gathering, that’s where Jesus would be.”
THE DWELL SOLUTION
With that in mind, David decided to give his students a digital tool that made it easy to consume God’s Word. He registered for a Dwell Church Plan in April 2022 and onboarded his leadership team the very same day. A few days later, his students began to join the account.
As a longtime Dwell listener, David had come to love how Dwell helped him consume larger chunks of Scripture and encouraged his students to do the same.
“One of the things that I love about Dwell is that it comes to us in auditory narrative form in these beautiful, well-spoken voices which makes it easier for students to digest a larger chunk…They can digest a verse in its larger context to understand how that story fits into the larger story. Every time that we get students into our Dwell subscription it’s really cool to hear them talk about how it is very different than any other Bible experience that they’ve had before.”
Of course, not everyone is ready to jump into large chunks of Scripture. For these students, David leverages the curated passages, playlists, and plans already available in Dwell to help other students engage relevant Scriptures for their season in life.
“Generally a student is looking for a clearly-defined plan or playlist [when they start with Dwell]. So we’ll recommend a plan or playlist for a particular season of life or a particular emotion so that they can jump into a particular part of the overall Scripture narrative.”
But they haven’t stopped there. David and the leadership team have built a discipleship program and use the custom content builder inside Dwell to help their students engage God’s Word together.
“We’ve also been able to create some specific plans ourselves. We’ve created a journey through the Gospel of John, a journey through the Gospel of Mark. And we’re able to break it down to a chapter a day. And then we’ve coupled those daily breakdowns with a cohort…And each day one of our student leaders will invite the students to listen to that day’s particular chapter and then share a devotional based on what God said to them through that particular book or that particular chapter of the Bible through a group chat. It’s students discipling students and it’s really beautiful to see.”
THE RESULTS
David notes that the audio medium is more popular than ever and recognizes the impact Dwell’s had on helping his students grow in their faith.
“Last year we got to baptize two students. And at the baptism, one of those particular students shared their journey. Hearing them sit in the baptismal tank and talk about the transformation that God has made in their life and about where they were, where they are, and where they’re going…And it strikes me that that particular student was the last student to join our Dwell subscription. And so the role that them being able to ingest and digest God’s word and as we’ve been discipling them, just trying to encourage them to get further and deeper into God’s word and build a Scripture listening experience into their daily rhythms. I’m just really thankful for the tool that Dwell is and the role it’s playing in that particular student’s story.”
When asked what he would say to a church leader thinking about investing in Dwell for his or her church, David replied:
“If we believe that the word of God never goes forth void, then every time somebody’s hearing God’s Word, be it while they’re washing the dishes or sitting down taking notes or driving their kids to school, God is always doing something. His Spirit is always breathing and moving in those moments…A beautiful audio Bible like Dwell could change someone’s life if that becomes a part of their daily rhythm. So I would say don’t hesitate. Jump in. Try it. Watch what it can do for your community.”
Thank you, David, for your faithful work to extend God’s Kingdom and allowing us to be a part of what God’s doing in your midst.
We’re praying for you, your family, and LifeLine.
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It’s not too late to encounter the wonder of Advent.
In this final of four videos, Tripp Prince, Head of Product at Dwell, reminds us of the unfinished nature of life, where God draws near even when we are scattered and distracted. If this has been your experience this Advent, don’t lose heart! Advent is still for you, inviting you over these final few days to prepare to greet Christ at his birth.
Discover the Nearness of God this Advent with Presence.
In this third of four videos, Tripp Prince, Head of Product at Dwell, reminds us that the glitter and nostalgia of the holidays are fun, but it’s all a faint reflection of the radiance of Christ, who alone offers the joy our souls long for!
Discover the Nearness of God this Advent with Presence.
Where in life do you feel pruned, hopeless, or lifeless?
In this second of four videos, Tripp Prince, Head of Product at Dwell, reminds us that the darkness of this world is no match for the light of Christ. As Christmas draws nearer, reflect on how God did the impossible – saving the lost through a helpless infant – then trust him to plant new life in you.
Discover the Nearness of God this Advent with Presence.
Ground Your Soul in the Word of God, Every Season of the Year
We are not static individuals, the same people we were at this time last year. As much as we love and crave stability, change is a constant in our lives. Our hearts, souls, and minds are being formed daily. How you are formed, especially spiritually, depends on what you are surrounding your heart, soul, and mind with. The conversations you have, what you choose to watch, and the words you read and listen to, all direct your heart, soul, and mind in a given direction.
While having a conversation, watching a show, or listening to an audiobook or podcast may seem benign, they are not neutral, having no effect on who you are and who you are becoming. Actually, the opposite is true. The words you listen to, read, and think about all shape you in one way or another. Often, we passively engage in watching, reading, listening, and conversing, but even then, we are being formed. Like a compass, what you put into your heart, soul, and mind will direct the path of your life. A slight shift may not seem consequential, but like on a compass, even a one-degree shift, later in your journey, can lead you to a completely different destination- a destination to which you may have never intended to travel.
As you listen, converse, and read, your opinions, convictions, and beliefs are being shaped. These then inform the decisions you make and the behaviors you engage in. We are at a critical juncture culturally where the information available to us to inform our lives is insurmountable and having to weed through the sheer volume of it to find the truth can be difficult.
What we need is an unchanging compass for our lives- a tool we can turn towards at any point, that will guide and direct us back towards being spiritually formed by God in the ways he desires. The Bible is God’s compass for your life. The words of Scripture will provide the daily renewal and grounding you are longing for, every season of the year. That is the promise of God’s word- it is unchanging when the rest of our lives are in constant change. The seasons may change, but in God’s word, you will find the unchanging story of God’s great love for you, comfort for seasons of grief and sorrow, guidance for living in a complex world, and grounding for your soul.
When we make a habit of reading, listening to, and meditating on God’s word, daily, we intentionally place our hearts, souls, and minds pointing toward true north on the compass of our lives. Other messages may come at us during the day, but we have positioned ourselves for God’s word to align our hearts, souls, and minds in the direction we are to go in, the truths we are to stand on, and the comfort of finding fulfillment in a relationship with God.
At Dwell it is our desire to help you access the soul-grounding, heart-rooting, mind-shaping Word of God in your actual life.
Our Bible in a Year plans will help ground your soul in the word of God, every season of the year. With 8 distinct plans to choose from, we’ve made it easy for you to access the entirety of God’s word, make a habit of listening to it every day of the year, and pay attention to the ways God is forming your life.
Our 8 Bible in a Year plans include:
The Straight Through Plan where you will explore the Bible from cover to cover, Genesis through Revelation all in less than 23 minutes a day!
The Historical Plan where you will explore the books of the Bible as they were written historically, according to the estimated date of their writing- each day of the year for under 23 minutes a day!
The Chronological Plan leads you on a journey through the Bible in the order the events occurred chronologically, helping you see the Bible in context of their historical significance.
The M’Cheyne Plan takes those who want to devote more time to their Bible listening on a journey through the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice during the year. The daily listening experience includes two Old Testament and two New Testament chapters per day.
The Five Day plan helps you explore the Bible five days a week through the year with passages from both the Old and New Testaments in 3-4 chapters a day.
The Genre Plan helps you explore the different genres of the Bible with each day of the week focused on a different genre of Scripture: the Letters, the Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, and Gospels. In a year you will have listened to all of Scripture through the lens of their genre.
The Old and New Testament Plan will immerse you in listening to one Old Testament and one New Testament passage each day of the year in under 23 minutes a day.
The New Testament Plan is a plan that fits perfectly into the margins of daily life. At just one chapter a day, five days a week, you can listen to the entire New Testament in under 6 minutes a day.
We encourage you to join us in making a goal to listen to God’s Word daily, and we’ve made it very easy to do so, but we also know it can be intimidating to take on listening through the Bible in a year. This is why we created Dwell Daily.
Dwell Daily is a compilation of the central passages of Scripture, essential for a life grounded in the love of God and the truth of the Bible. While the Dwell Daily plan doesn’t cover every single passage in Scripture like our Bible in a Year plans do, there are passages in this plan for every day of the year, getting you into God’s Word in an accessible way.
It is our hope that as you embark on this new year you will choose to join thousands of Dwell app users in a yearly listening plan, as we together commit to being formed by God’s Word, regardless of what seasons this new year brings.
In this first of four videos, Tripp Prince, Head of Product at Dwell, reminds us that when we are weary and exhausted, the Lord meets us in that place and refreshes our souls. This Advent, remember that we are not alone. Christ is with us, always drawing near as we choose to daily draw near to him.
Discover the Nearness of God this Advent with Presence.
