I am the Executive Director and Founder of Relational Discipleship Ministries located near Cincinnati, Ohio. My vision for RDM is to create a discipleship movement for the nations by offering discipleship tools and resources to Christian churches and ministries both in the U.S. and internationally. I have 37 years of pastoral ministry experience including serving as Church Planting and Evangelism Ministries Director for the Indiana Church of God for four and half years. I received my B.S. from Lee University (Cleveland, TN) and M.A. from Trinity International Divinity School (Deerfield, IL). I am passionate about church planting, discipleship training, mentoring, and disciple-making in the nations. I have authored nineteen books including the Relational Discipleship Series, a systematic, practical discipleship curriculum that has been translated into five languages and is used throughout the U.S. and abroad by missionaries, ministry leaders, pastors, and churches for disciple-making.

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I married Annette Boggs Ballard in 1980. She is my special gift from Almighty God and the love of my life. Together we have one son, Gabe, who is married to his beautiful wife, Heather, who gave us our one and only grandchild to date, our precious Hadlee Mae Ballard. Together, Annette and I share my vision to see the nations discipled for Christ (Psalm 2:8) and to establish a future “Shunem House,” a Sabbatical Ministry for Christian ministers and their families. When not doing ministry, I still play a little three-on-three basketball, golf, and enjoy yard work. Annette also works as a Career Coach and enjoys cross-stitch in her free time.