There Was This Guy Named Jesus

Discipleship is the process by which Jesus of Nazareth has asked His followers to live in relationship to one another. Followers of Jesus are storylistening, storylearning, storytelling, receivers of redemption, and carriers of reconciliation. Disciples are not static beings.

We are alive. We are passionate. And we are messy.

When the four basic movements of narrative structure are combined with the power of discipleship, there is fresh clarity in living on mission with Jesus. A narrative approach to discipleship is a relational movement.

This is the narrative movement of discipleship which Jesus the King lived and practiced. No formula. Story. Life in tension. A posture of anticipation.

Hope lived upon lips and fingertips and surrendered lives. Our lips giving voice to the Story.
Our fingertips giving sensitivity to the Story.
Our lives connected to the beautiful narrative of discipleship.

The most captivating story ever told begins with the phrase::

“There was this guy named Jesus…”

“Ryan is a church planter who has learned through experience that New Testament discipleship only happens within the context of honest and transparent community. In his narrative approach to our divinely mandated process, he leads his readers to grapple with what it means to wear Jesus’ dust as one who walks closely to his Rabbi. […]”

Jeff Christopherson (author of Kingdom First: Starting Churches that Shape Movements and Kingdom Matrix: Designing Churches for the Kingdom of God) Follow Jeff

“All too often, discipleship is reduced down to a series of meetings and a list of things to do. When divorced from real life-on-life interaction, it fails to capture the essence of Jesus’ example. Weaver rightly points us to a more biblical approach to discipleship where you walk through the good, the bad, and the […]”

Micah Millican (NAMB >> Send Network, Director of the Planter Support Ministry) http://

“Ryan weaves together the importance of a gospel narrative to discipleship with a unique and fresh approach to a subject that often feels overwhelming, confusing or unattainable. This page turner will bring life to your soul and give you a framework to understand what it means to follow this guy named Jesus”

Chris Marlow (CEO/Founder, Help One Now) http://chrismarlow.me/

“My friend Ryan Weaver has just delivered something fresh! In this book, There Was This Guy Named Jesus, you will find a wonderful narrative. This book is for today’s generation that needs to see the Good News and not just hear it.”

Ellis Prince (Lead Pastor & Founder of the Gallery Church family in Baltimore) Gallery Church

“Ryan Weaver is a storyteller, and in this book, he invites his readers into ‘the greatest Story ever told,’ the Story of humanity’s redemption through Christ. This provides a beautiful and challenging template for discipleship: learning to live rightly within the Story of the Story-bound God.”

Joshua James (Pastor, the restoration project) The Restoration Project

“Here’s how I choose a book: The story – Is it captivating? The Author – Are they legitimate? The Subject – Is it important? When it came to There Was This Guy Named Jesus… the story is all about THE Story, the author lives what he writes about, and the subject is the very mission […]”

Randy Millwood (Strategist for Church Strengthening, Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network) http://

“Lyrically written, carefully structured, and spot on in its emphasis on the centrality of presence in the making of disciples. Enjoy… the story.”

William Warren (Senior Pastor, Allen Memorial Baptist Church in Salisbury, Maryland) Allen Memorial

“I strongly recommend that you read this book, which is for me a new revelation from God to his Church. Narrative discipleship is the way we will BE the Church of God’s design in Haiti, and all over the world.”

Rev. Jean Alix Paul (President of Spirit of Truth Ministry & Pastor of Agape Church, Haiti) http://