A compelling exploration of discipleship as a lifelong, relational commitment that transcends physical boundaries, connecting generations and nations through Christ-centered growth and intentional mentoring.
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Influential Woman · Religion
Barbara A. F. Brehon
Visionary Servant Leader, Favored by the Father Ministries
Tappahannock, VA 22560
1Article published
Her Story
About Barbara A. F.
Rev. Dr. Barbara Arlene Fields Brehon is a visionary servant leader, author, pastor, educator, and digital disciple whose ministry bridges traditional and digital platforms to equip people for spiritual growth and Christlikeness. She is the Visionary Servant Leader of Favored by the Father Ministries, a church without walls, and serves as Associate Pastor at Beulah Baptist Church in Tappahannock, Virginia.
With more than two decades of ministry leadership experience, Dr. Brehon holds a Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University and a Master’s degree in Reading Education from Old Dominion University. Her background in education, ministry, and leadership informs her commitment to teaching, mentoring, and developing disciples across generations and geographical boundaries.
Dr. Brehon is the host of UNBOXED on Purpose, a podcast of Favored by the Father Ministries that encourages authentic faith, spiritual growth, and intentional living. She is the author of discipleship resources, including the Disciples’ Journey to Christlikeness, as well as devotional readings and books that invite readers to deepen their relationship with Jesus and apply biblical truth to everyday life.
Her ministry is grounded in Christ-centered discipleship, intergenerational connection, and international reach. Through digital discipleship, global mentoring, spiritual retreats, writing, teaching, and outreach, she creates opportunities for people to grow in faith, recognize their God-given value, and invest in the spiritual growth of others. Her service has also included prison outreach through PLANU, Inc., reflecting her commitment to extending ministry beyond traditional church walls.
Having survived COVID-19, Dr. Brehon brings a deeply personal appreciation for life, faith, and meaningful connection to her ministry. She is committed to authentic service that values people over performance and spiritual transformation over appearances.
Through her writing, leadership, and daily encouragement, Dr. Brehon seeks to equip disciples to live out their faith, nurture meaningful relationships, and pass the faith forward across generations and nations.
Her guiding vision for Favored by the Father Ministries is simple: Christ-centered discipleship. Intergenerational in connection. International reach.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Barbara A. F.
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to God’s grace, a commitment to Christ-centered discipleship, and a willingness to serve wherever the Lord leads. Through prayer, perseverance, lifelong learning, and authentic relationships, I seek to use my gifts and experiences to equip others for spiritual growth. I believe meaningful success is measured not only by what we accomplish, but by the lives we touch, the disciples we help develop, and the faith we pass forward across generations and nations. My desire is to remain faithful to the assignment, serve with integrity, and help others grow in grace and discover the value and potential God has placed within them.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to remain faithful to the Lord’s calling, serve with integrity, and keep growing in knowledge and wisdom. Throughout my journey in ministry, education, writing, and leadership, I’ve learned that titles may open doors, but character, perseverance, and a teachable spirit help us make a lasting impact. I strive to lead authentically, embrace opportunities to learn, and equip others to grow in Christlikeness. Ultimately, success is not simply about what we accomplish individually; it is about how faithfully we serve, how intentionally we develop others, and how well we pass the faith forward across generations and nations.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Never sacrifice your integrity to gain a position, recognition, or acceptance. Keep Christ at the center of your decisions, know the value of your voice, and remain faithful to your convictions. Be willing to learn, ask questions, embrace opportunities to grow, and build authentic relationships with people who encourage your development. You do not have to imitate someone else to make a meaningful impact. Lead with humility, serve with excellence, and remember that your character will carry you further than a title ever could. As you grow, reach back and make room for others to grow alongside you. Success becomes even more meaningful when we use our gifts to serve others and help the next generation flourish.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in ministry right now is reaching and nurturing people who are constantly pouring into others, yet often running on empty themselves. Many leaders, caregivers, and everyday believers are serving faithfully but struggling privately. At Favored by the Father Ministries, we see this not just as a challenge but as an opportunity—to create intentional spaces, like our retreats, mentoring programs, and digital platforms, where people can pause, breathe, and be poured into. By blending in-person gatherings with an authentic online presence, we’re able to connect with hearts in real time, encourage spiritual resilience, and help people rediscover joy in their calling.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My life and work are grounded in faith, integrity, compassion, and authenticity. Christ-centered living shapes how I lead, teach, preach, mentor, write, and serve. I value relationships that honor the dignity and God-given worth of every person, encourage lifelong learning, and create opportunities for spiritual growth. I strive to let my actions reflect my convictions, treating people with grace, respect, and genuine care. I also value the connections that unite generations and reach across cultures and nations. For me, meaningful service begins with living what I teach and using the gifts God has entrusted to me to equip others, strengthen relationships, and help people grow in Christlikeness.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Barbara A. F.
Discipleship Has No Walls: Following Jesus Across Generations and Nations
Breaking Down Walls: How Discipleship Extends Across Generations, Borders, and Beyond Traditional Ministry.
What comes to mind when you hear the word discipleship? For some, it means attending Bible study, participating in a small group, or completing a structured course. For others, it means having a mentor who offers guidance, encouragement, and accountability along the journey of faith. These are valuable expressions of discipleship, but its reach extends far beyond any single activity, program, or location.
Jesus' instruction in Matthew 28:19–20 calls His followers to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to observe everything He commanded. This commission extends beyond acquiring knowledge. It calls us to live what we learn, grow in Christlikeness, and help others follow Jesus.
What might happen if we approached discipleship not as a ministry confined by walls, but as a lifelong, relational commitment that reaches across generations and nations?
Discipleship Begins with Becoming
Before we can effectively help others grow, we must remain willing to grow ourselves. Discipleship is not a destination we reach after accumulating enough biblical knowledge or ministry experience. It is an ongoing process of allowing the teachings of Jesus to shape our character, choices, relationships, and service.
Our lives become part of the lesson. The way we respond to challenges, treat people, extend grace, handle responsibility, and practice what we profess can communicate as much as our spoken words.
This understanding also changes how we approach mentoring. Rather than positioning ourselves as people who have everything figured out, we become intentional about learning, listening, sharing wisdom, and growing together. Effective discipleship makes room for instruction and questions, guidance and reflection, encouragement and accountability.
We do not have to be perfect to invest in someone else. We must be willing to keep following Jesus as we encourage others to do the same.
Discipleship Connects Generations
Every generation carries experiences, questions, gifts, and insights that can enrich the body of Christ. Yet meaningful connections between generations require intention. Age differences can become opportunities for learning when we approach one another with humility, curiosity, and respect.
Older believers can share testimonies of God's faithfulness, lessons gained through experience, and wisdom developed over time. Younger believers can contribute fresh perspectives, new approaches to communication, and insights into the questions shaping their generation. Both can learn from one another while remaining grounded in Scripture and centered on Jesus.
Second Timothy 2:2 illustrates the multiplying nature of discipleship: Paul instructs Timothy to entrust what he has learned to faithful people who will be able to teach others also. The principle reaches beyond a single relationship. It presents a pattern of receiving, living, sharing, and passing the faith forward.
Intergenerational discipleship, therefore, is more than bringing people of different ages into the same room. It involves building relationships in which faith is demonstrated, wisdom is shared, questions are welcomed, and people are equipped to invest in others.
What we receive through discipleship is not intended to end with us.
Discipleship Crosses Borders
The Great Commission also calls us beyond familiar surroundings. Although we may begin by serving people in our homes, congregations, and local communities, the mission of making disciples extends to all nations.
International discipleship invites us to recognize that following Jesus connects believers across geographical and cultural boundaries. Technology, online teaching, mentoring, written resources, and virtual gatherings create opportunities to share biblical teaching and nurture relationships with people we may never meet in person.
However, reaching people internationally requires more than transmitting information. It calls for cultural sensitivity, thoughtful listening, mutual respect, and an understanding that people live out their faith within different circumstances. We must communicate biblical truth faithfully while taking time to understand the people we serve.
The objective is not to make everyone alike in personality, culture, or expression. It is to encourage spiritual growth and Christlikeness while honoring the dignity of the people God has created.
When discipleship crosses borders, we discover opportunities to learn from believers whose experiences differ from our own. We can share what we have learned, receive wisdom from others, and work together to advance the mission of Jesus Christ.
A Church Without Walls
As the Visionary Servant Leader of Favored by the Father Ministries, a church without walls, I see discipleship as a ministry that can extend wherever people can be reached, taught, equipped, and encouraged to follow Jesus.
A church without walls does not mean a church without community, accountability, or meaningful relationships. It means recognizing that ministry is not limited to a physical building. Discipleship can take place through a mentoring conversation, an online gathering, a teaching resource, a speaking engagement, or a simple act of service that reflects the character of Jesus.
This vision embraces both intergenerational connection and international reach. These are not competing priorities or separate missions. They are complementary dimensions of the same commitment to make disciples.
Whether we are equipping a new believer, mentoring an emerging leader, encouraging someone across generations, or sharing biblical teaching across national boundaries, the foundation remains the same: Jesus Christ.
What Can We Do Now?
Expanding our understanding of discipleship does not require us to begin with a large program. It begins with intentional action.
We can invest in someone whose life experience differs from our own. We can invite another person into a meaningful conversation about faith. We can share what the Lord has taught us while remaining open to learning from others. We can use the resources available to us to encourage spiritual growth beyond our immediate surroundings.
Most importantly, we can examine our own walk with Jesus. Are we practicing what we teach? Are we making room for others to grow? Are we helping people become equipped to disciple someone else?
These questions move discipleship from an idea into a way of life.
The impact of discipleship is not measured solely by the number of lessons delivered, programs conducted, or people reached. It is also reflected in lives being shaped by the teachings of Jesus and in disciples who, in turn, help others grow.
Discipleship has no walls because the call to follow Jesus and help others follow Him reaches beyond the boundaries we often establish. Across generations. Across nations. Across the places where people live, learn, work, worship, and serve.
The invitation is before us: let us continue growing in Christlikeness, invest intentionally in others, and faithfully pass the message of Jesus forward.
The next person we help equip may become the person who equips many more.
Rev. Dr. Barbara A. F. Brehon,
Visionary Servant Leader
Favored by the Father Ministries (A Church Without Walls)
Christ-centered discipleship. Intergenerational in connection. International reach.
Flutter Freely! Grow in grace and remain favored by the Father.
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