New Churches Podcast: Recent Episodes
Send Network
The New Churches podcast offers practical answers to your real ministry questions. We aren’t going to provide lofty pie-in-the-sky theories. Instead, we are going to help you in your real ministry context, with your real thoughts, questions, and issues.
Watch this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oG2Ou73OLvw
Host Jeff Medders is joined by Vance Pitman, Matt Carter, and Jen Oshman for a final discussion on applying key essentials to church planting teams. They explore how a love for the church and the nations can be recognized in prospective team members and the impact this has on the plant. The conversation also covers the importance of cultivating community, supporting the planting pastor, and the practical skills needed from team members. Finally, they offer encouragement to those considering joining a church planting team. Join us next season for more insights!
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Team Vision: Church, Nations, and Practical Leadership for Planting Teams appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8-bjst8WvJs
Host Noah Oldham is joined by Matt Carter, Vance Pitman, and Mark Lee to discuss practical leadership in church planting. They explore the difference between practical and pragmatic leadership, the importance of vision casting, and the role of cultural fit in planting. The conversation also covers key topics like fundraising for church plants and maintaining Christ-centered motives amid growth and excellence. Tune in for insights on leading faithfully and effectively.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Practical Leadership: Leading with Purpose as a Church Planter appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UV41Zlw3uvs
Host Matt Carter is joined by Tony Merida, Vance Pitman, and Trevin Wax to discuss the essential role of global missions in church planting. They explore why global engagement is a marker of a faithful planter, how churches can cultivate a heart for the nations, and the importance of partnerships with global churches. The discussion also covers practical ways to go beyond financial support and actively bless international ministries.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post The Nations: Engaged in God’s Global Mission appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Hqehrc7p3B0
Host Tony Merida is joined by Bryan Loritts and Mark Lee to discuss a church planter’s understanding and love for the Church. They explore foundational questions about the nature and role of the Church, the importance of biblical leadership, and practical steps for developing elders, pastors, and deacons. The conversation also covers leadership development, pastoral care, and what it means for planters to truly love and shepherd the church Christ purchased with His blood.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post The Church: Loving and Leading God’s People Well appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kMxRUzhLnE8
Host Noah Oldham is joined by Jeff Medders, Bryan Loritts, and Jen Oshman to explore how Theology, Mission, and Teaching apply to church planting teams. They discuss why theology isn’t just the planter’s responsibility, how team members can grow in their understanding of Scripture, and the role of teaching within a team. They also cover expectations for evangelism and disciple-making while balancing work and ministry. Finally, they offer advice on developing and empowering team members.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Team Essentials: Theology, Mission, and Teaching in Church Planting Teams appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/notGhXQzELE
Host Tony Merida is joined by Vance Pitman, Bryan Loritts, and Jared C. Wilson to discuss the essential role of preaching and teaching in church planting. They share insights on how their preaching has evolved, the impact of mentors, and the importance of gospel-centered preaching. The conversation also covers handling discouraging sermons and training the next generation of preachers. Whether you’re a planter or a preacher, this episode offers wisdom and encouragement.
The post Teaching: Be Faithful and Helpful with the Word appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nnU-k6Lf4kA
Host Jeff Medders is joined by Shane Pruitt and Trevin Wax to discuss the mission of church planting—focusing on evangelism and disciple-making. They emphasize that mission isn’t just launching services but engaging cities with the gospel, making disciples, and then planting churches. The conversation covers the changing landscape of evangelism, essentials for reaching people, and how planters should live as missionaries in their cities. They also explore practical approaches to discipling new believers.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Mission: Evangelism and Discipleship as a Church Planter appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5s24eNb2p2Y
Host Jeff Medders is joined by Trevin Wax and Jared C. Wilson to discuss the essential role of theology in church planting. They explore why planters must see themselves as theologians, define what it means to be gospel-centered, and highlight key theological areas crucial for faithful and effective ministry. The conversation also covers doctrines that sustain leaders through challenges and practical ways for planters to keep growing in Scripture and theology.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Theology: Grounded and Centered on the Gospel appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_JCpqtDVGXU
Host Noah Oldham welcomes Vance Pitman, Mark Lee, and Jen Oshman continue to discuss the nine essentials of a faithful and effective church planter. In this episode, they explore how the first three essentials—Heart, Relationships, and Calling—apply to teams. Topics include the spiritual life of team members, relational dynamics, the role of women in church planting, and the calling of those joining a team. They also discuss how sending churches can support this work.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
- Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Team Vitals: Heart, Calling, and Relationships in Church Planting appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ADjqRutcs2Y
Host Tony Merida welcomes Jared C. Wilson, Mark Lee, and Shane Pruitt to discuss the planter’s calling. In their discussion, they define calling, share personal experiences, identify external markers, and caution against misconceptions. As part of the nine essentials for church planters, understanding calling is critical for being faithful and effective.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Calling: Discerning and Strengthening Your Call to Plant appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UwB-bSqJkWs
Host Matt Carter welcomes Noah Oldham, Bryan Loritts, and Trevin Wax to discuss the importance of relationships in church planting as part of the nine essentials of a faithful and effective church planter series. They emphasize that real ministry is inherently relational, requiring planters to cultivate healthy connections in various areas, including marriage, family, their core team, unbelievers, new converts, and friendships. The discussion explores what maturity and health look like in these relationships.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Relationships: Thriving in Community as a Church Planter appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y6eerFaVqok
Host Jeff Medders welcomes Tony Merida, Jared C. Wilson, and Vance Pitman for a new season of the New Churches podcast to discuss the nine essentials of a faithful and effective church planter! They explore the origins and necessity of these essentials, emphasizing the importance of both faithfulness and effectiveness in church planting. The conversation begins with the first essential—Heart—highlighting the spiritual life, holiness, and personal relationship with Jesus that a church planter must cultivate.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post The Heart: Cultivating a Strong Walk with Christ as a Church Planter appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tNEarkxWK-c
In this final episode of the season, host Jeff Medders is joined by fellow laborers Vance Pitman, Tony Merida, and Matt Carter to dive into Paul’s closing words for his protege in Titus 3:12-15. Take a listen as these planters recount their experiences in life after church planting, their next seasons in ministry, and what it looks like to become a sending church with an intentional multiplication mindset.
Jeff Medders serves as the Director of Theology and Content for Send Network. He is also an author, a preacher, and a PhD student of biblical spirituality at Southern Seminary, studying Charles Spurgeon and the Song of Songs.
Vance Pitman is the President of Send Network and was the founding pastor of Hope Church Las Vegas. Vance is an author and speaker who seeks to inspire people to join in God’s mission of making disciples and multiplying churches.
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and he serves as the Vice President of Planter Development for Send Network. He is an author and also serves as a board member for The Gospel Coalition.
Matt Carter is Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization and was the founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church in Texas. Matt earned a master’s of divinity from Southwestern Seminary, as well as a doctorate in expositional preaching from Southeastern Seminary.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Keep on Planting appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UJ0YtjSYCoM
Host Jeff Medders brings back guests Trevin Wax and Adam Muhtaseb to discuss the challenges planters face, both inside the church as well as out in the community. Tune in to discover why Titus 3:10 is so often overlooked and disobeyed within the modern-day church planting context and how you can know how to best address “the attention economy” for the betterment of those you’re called to serve.
Jeff Medders serves as the Director of Theology and Content for Send Network. He is also an author, a preacher, and a PhD student of biblical spirituality at Southern Seminary, studying Charles Spurgeon and the Song of Songs.
Trevin Wax is the Vice President of Resources and Marketing at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. He is the author of multiple books, including The Thrill of Orthodoxy, The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, andGospel-Centered Teaching.
Adam Muhtaseb serves as the Baltimore Send City Missionary and is a church planter and pastor at Redemption City Church in Baltimore, Maryland. He earned his master’s of divinity from Southeastern Seminary and was a recipient of the Joe B. Brown preaching award.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Handling Conflict in the Church appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RN2CCKEa6Rw
Host Noah Oldham is back with friends Matt Carter, Vance Pitman, and Adam Muhtaseb to share a little insight into what it means to engage your city and context all the while devoting yourself to good works through the lens of Titus 3:1-8. Uncover what it means for your church plant to foster a culture of good works so that your community will come to know the Lord and be changed by His gospel message of hope.
Noah Oldham serves as the Executive Director of Send Network. He planted August Gate Church in St. Louis, Missouri in 2009. Noah is a writer and speaker who holds a master’s in biblical studies and Christian leadership.
Matt Carter is Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization and was the founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church in Texas. Matt earned a master’s of divinity from Southwestern Seminary, as well as a doctorate in expositional preaching from Southeastern Seminary.
Vance Pitman is the President of Send Network and was the founding pastor of Hope Church Las Vegas. Vance is an author and speaker who seek to inspire people to join in God’s mission of making disciples and multiplying churches.
Adam Muhtaseb serves as the Baltimore Send City Missionary and is a church planter and pastor at Redemption City Church in Baltimore, Maryland. He earned his master’s of divinity from Southeastern Seminary and was a recipient of the Joe B. Brown preaching award.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post How to Engage the City appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8HL19lBE07Q
Host Matt Carter teams up with Doug Logan and Jen Oshman to dive more deeply into the “all people” that Paul addresses in Titus 2:11. See how this “all people” vision for planting the church is essential for every church plant in every context, as well as how verse 14 offers a gospel flavor to speak comfort and correction to you when you need it most.
Matt Carter is Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization and was the founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church in Texas. Matt earned an master’s of divinity from Southwestern Seminary, as well as a doctorate in expositional preaching from Southeastern Seminary.
Doug Logan, Jr. serves as the Pastor of Church Planting at Remnant Church in Richmond, Virginia, and he has authored On the Block: Developing a Biblical Picture for Mission Engagement and The Soul-Winning Church: Six Keys to Fostering a Genuine Evangelistic Culture.
Jen Oshman is an author (Enough about Me, Cultural Counterfeits, Welcome, andIt’s Good to be a Girl), podcaster (All Things), church planter’s wife, and mom of four daughters. She has served as a missionary and church planter for over two decades on three continents.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Who the Gospel Reaches appeared first on New Churches.
Host Tony Merida meets back up with Trevin Wax and Joel Muddamalle to discuss the planter’s role in cultivating a gospel culture within his church, in alignment with Paul’s instruction from Titus 2:11-15. Uncover why the deity of Christ is so crucial in church planting and preaching today and how your faithful gospel teaching impacts the sanctification of those whom you’re entrusted to shepherd.
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and he serves as the Vice President of Planter Development for Send Network. He is an author and also serves as a board member for The Gospel Coalition.
Trevin Wax is the Vice President of Resources and Marketing at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. He is the author of multiple books, including The Thrill of Orthodoxy, The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, andGospel-Centered Teaching.
Joel Muddamalle is the Director of Theology and Research for Proverbs 31 Ministries and is on the preaching team at Transformation Church. He earned his Ph.D. in Theology with an emphasis on Paul’s household language in Ephesians as it relates to the Old Testament.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Doctrine and Culture of a Church appeared first on New Churches.
Host Tony Merida spends time with Vance Pitman and Jen Oshman to demystify the planter’s role in the spiritual formation of the women in the church. Discover how you, like Paul, can serve, engage, recruit, and commission the women of your congregation by casting an intentional vision for their growth and development as disciples of the Word.
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and he serves as the Vice President of Planter Development for Send Network. He is an author and also serves as a board member for The Gospel Coalition.
Vance Pitman is the President of Send Network and was the founding pastor of Hope Church Las Vegas. Vance is an author and speaker who seeks to inspire people to join in God’s mission of making disciples and multiplying churches.
Jen Oshman is an author (Enough about Me, Cultural Counterfeits, Welcome, andIt’s Good to be a Girl), podcaster (All Things), church planter’s wife, and mom of four daughters. She has served as a missionary and church planter for over two decades on three continents.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Spiritual Formation of Women appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EuGVMWpD5xs
Host Jeff Medders sits down with Doug Logan and Trevin Wax to discuss the implications of Titus 2’s call for the spiritual formation of the men in your church. Uncover the exhortations and encouragements needed for your congregation through the lens of Paul’s care for Titus and his flock.
Jeff Medders serves as the Director of Theology and Content for Send Network. He is also an author, a preacher, and a PhD student of Biblical Spirituality at Southern Seminary, studying Charles Spurgeon and the Song of Songs.
Doug Logan, Jr. serves as the Pastor of Church Planting at Remnant Church in Richmond, Virginia, and he has authored On the Block: Developing a Biblical Picture for Mission Engagement and The Soul-Winning Church: Six Keys to Fostering a Genuine Evangelistic Culture.
Trevin Wax is the Vice President of Resources and Marketing at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. He is the author of multiple books, including The Thrill of Orthodoxy, The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, andGospel-Centered Teaching.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Spiritual Formation of Men appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FJIFudTQe8g
Host Jeff Medders teams back up with Matt Carter and Tony Merida to share how preachers are made (1:9), what the elements of sound teaching are (2:1), and why it is essential to set an example through preaching (2:7). Learn why a “proclamation mindset” is essential for preachers in the modern-day church planting context.
Jeff Medders serves as the Director of Theology and Content for Send Network. He is also an author, a preacher, and a PhD student of biblical spirituality at Southern Seminary, studying Charles Spurgeon and the Song of Songs.
Matt Carter is Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization and was the founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church in Texas. Matt earned a master’s of divinity from Southwestern Seminary, as well as a doctorate in Expositional Preaching from Southeastern Seminary.
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and he serves as the Vice President of Planter Development for Send Network. He is an author and also serves as a board member for The Gospel Coalition.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Planters are Preachers appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zHzMXT_zIck
Host Jeff Medders meets with Vance Pitman, Trevin Wax, and Joel Muddamalle to discuss the eternal impact of confronting culture with truth and love, as seen in Titus 1:10-2:1. Discover how you can grow as a public theologian and apologist in your community as you discern and address the differences between sound teaching and false teaching, wrong teaching, and different teaching.
Jeff Medders serves as the Director of Theology and Content for Send Network. He is also an author, a preacher, and a PhD student of biblical spirituality at Southern Seminary, studying Charles Spurgeon and the Song of Songs.
Vance Pitman is the President of Send Network and was the founding pastor of Hope Church Las Vegas. Vance is an author and speaker who seeks to inspire people to join in God’s mission of making disciples and multiplying churches.
Trevin Wax is the Vice President of Resources and Marketing at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. He is the author of multiple books, including The Thrill of Orthodoxy, The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, andGospel-Centered Teaching.
Joel Muddamalle is the Director of Theology and Research for Proverbs 31 Ministries and is on the preaching team at Transformation Church. He earned his PhD in Theology with an emphasis on Paul’s household language in Ephesians as it relates to the Old Testament.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Challenges in the Planting Context appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jk0jWEz9DAY
Host Noah Oldham sits down with Matt Carter, Vance Pitman, and Doug Logan for a conversation on qualified leadership and sound doctrine through the lens of Titus 1:5-9. Tune in to discover why character is so essential to the health and longevity of your church plant, as well as what it looks like to hold fast to sound doctrine and to likewise hold it out to those whom you shepherd.
Noah Oldham serves as the Executive Director of Send Network. He planted August Gate Church in St. Louis, Missouri in 2009. Noah is a writer and speaker and has a master’s in biblical studies and Christian leadership.
Matt Carter is Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization and was the founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church in Texas. Matt earned a master’s of divinity from Southwestern Seminary, as well as a doctorate in expositional preaching from Southeastern Seminary.
Vance Pitman is the President of Send Network and was the founding pastor of Hope Church Las Vegas. Vance is an author and speaker who seeks to inspire people to join in God’s mission of making disciples and multiplying churches.
Doug Logan, Jr. serves as the Pastor of Church Planting at Remnant Church in Richmond, Virginia, and he has authored On the Block: Developing a Biblical Picture for Mission Engagement and The Soul-Winning Church: Six Keys to Fostering a Genuine Evangelistic Culture.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Churches Need Strong Leaders appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jB85Ww_5su8
Host Tony Merida is joined by pastors and planters Doug Logan and Adam Muhtaseb. They discuss how Titus 1:1-4 informs our ministry identities, establishes our hope and confidence in planting, and allows us to embrace the power of our preaching as shepherds of our flocks. Discover how Paul’s God-centered, Christ-exalting mindset shaped him as a planter and pastor.
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and he serves as the Vice President of Planter Development for Send Network. He is an author and also serves as a board member for The Gospel Coalition.
Doug Logan, Jr. serves as the Pastor of Church Planting at Remnant Church in Richmond, Virginia. He has authored On the Block: Developing a Biblical Picture for Mission Engagement and The Soul-Winning Church: Six Keys to Fostering a Genuine Evangelistic Culture.
Adam Muhtaseb serves as the Baltimore Send City Missionary and is a church planter and pastor at Redemption City Church in Baltimore, Maryland. He earned his master’s of divinity from Southeastern Seminary and was a recipient of the Joe B. Brown preaching award.
Helpful Resources:
- Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
The post Planters as Servants of God appeared first on New Churches.
Watch this episode on YouTube now: https://youtu.be/6IhmiDFp7cI
Host Jeff Medders welcomes Vance Pitman, Matt Carter, and Tony Merida back for a new season of the New Churches podcast! Join our team of church planters and pastors as we begin our deep dive into the book of Titus. Discover why mentor relationships are so vital in the lives of planters and pastors today, as well as what it looks like to equip and deploy planters through the lens of Paul’s and Titus’s examples.
Jeff Medders serves as the Director of Theology and Content for Send Network. He is also an author, a preacher, and a PhD student of biblical spirituality at Southern Seminary, studying Charles Spurgeon and the Song of Songs.
Vance Pitman is the President of Send Network and was the founding pastor of Hope Church Las Vegas. Vance is an author and speaker who seeks to inspire people to join in God’s mission of making disciples and multiplying churches.
Matt Carter is Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization and was the founding pastor of The Austin Stone Church in Texas. Matt earned a master’s of divinity from Southwestern Seminary, as well as a doctorate in expositional preaching from Southeastern Seminary.
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and he serves as the Vice President of Planter Development for Send Network. He is an author and also serves as a board member for The Gospel Coalition.
The post Planters Need Mentors appeared first on New Churches.
In this bonus summer episode, host Jeff Medders meets with researcher, preacher, and church elder Dan Steel to discuss many of the very real pitfalls experienced by church planters today. Tune in to discover how you can wisely navigate the hurdles and complexities of modern-day church planting while remaining faithful to the Lord and to His mission for His church.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How an effective church planter is similar to a cross-country runner * Why a well-rounded core team is a game changer for any new church * What you can glean from the stories of the struggling church planters who have gone before you * Why charity and clarity are some of the greatest gifts a sending church can give you * How you can combat naivety through investing in wise community
Helpful Resources: Dan Steel’s book: Wise Church Planting* * Yarnton Manor * Lanier Theological Library * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Ultimately, God says, “Well, hang on—I’ve told you how churches grow: patience, prayer, and preaching.” When we start trusting in the wrong things, we run into danger. — Dan Steel
None of us is the Swiss Army pen knife who can do everything; we all need each other. We’re designed to be interdependent, but that can be quite hard for a planter. — Dan Steel
Sometimes, the ground is hard, our ministry is hard, and we run into thorns and thistles. — Dan Steel
We love to platform the big guys and big guns the Lord has blessed, but in many ways, they’re the minority. They may be the ones we look up to, but they’re unusual. — Dan Steel
There are only a few times that we hear or see Philip do something in Scripture. Most of us are not the Peters, the Jameses, or the Johns. We are the Philips, the Nathanaels, and the Bartholomews serving the Lord. — Jeff Medders
We are obsessed with the highlights, but there are so many lowlights in ministry. God’s grace shines in the lowlights, and he meets us down there as well. — Jeff Medders
Host Ed Stetzer meets with Vice President of Research and Resources Trevin Wax to discuss the many shifts and trends that have taken place within the world of church planting in recent years. Discover where the New Churches podcast has been, as well as what you can expect in future seasons!
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How resources for church planters have evolved over the years * Why relying on the Holy Spirit is not something you ever outgrow * How capitalism has changed ministry—for better or for worse * Why apologetics is a worthwhile use of your time as a church planter * How we can better equip the pastors and church planters of the future
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The biggest shift in church planting is not the change in denominations or even in demographics. It’s that if you take the time to learn, you can learn from the best. — Ed Stetzer
Sometimes church planning can become like a trade show: “This is how you just do this—just add water, and you’ve got a church!” — Ed Stetzer
I want to help plant churches that see lives change. If we plant more and larger churches, but they’re not impactful in changing people’s lives, all we’ve done is move sheep around, and that’s happened too much in the last decade. — Ed Stetzer
The future is good. Jesus is at work there, and we’re going to plant churches with Him there. But I don’t know that we can rely on many of the assumptions of the past. — Ed Stetzer
I get up every morning wanting to see men and women trust and follow Jesus. From the city of Buffalo in late ’80s and still today in 2024, the message remains: people need the Lord. — Ed Stetzer
Host Jeff Medders sits down with pastor, Bible teacher, writer, and podcast host Daniel Im to discuss how church leaders can impact their congregations and communities with the power of the gospel in this post-pandemic world. Tune in to discover how you can make disciples and engage those who may be spiritually asleep in your midst.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: The false assumptions you may be operating under as a church leader today * How the Church Growth Movement of the 1970s shaped our modern ministry models * Ways you can evaluate whether or not your discipleship pathway is actually* helping you make disciples * How the parable of the sower can be seen within your own ministry context * How to navigate the question of success and be faithful to your calling as church planter
Helpful Resources: Daniel’s new book: The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Success isn’t growth. I know we want to get to self-sustainability, multiplication, and health, but too often we think health is synonymous with growth. — Daniel Im
Are you discipling people not only disciples, but are they becoming disciple makers in your context? — Daniel Im
What’s our responsibility? It’s not the growth; it’s the blocking and the tackling. It’s planting the seeds and watering them. — Daniel Im
In his epistles, Paul never tells Titus or Timothy, “If you really want to grow the numbers…” It’s always about leadership, character, and growth in Christ, doing good works, forming people into the likeness of Christ, and engaging the community with the gospel. — Jeff Medders
Of the four types of people in every congregation and community, the consumers are the ones we often give too much voice to. You don’t need to answer to that disoriented, upset church member who ended up being vocal to the internet and not to you. — Daniel Im
Challenge their consumeristic tendencies and behavior with the gospel, in a gentle and loving way, so that we can be better on mission as disciples who make disciples so that our neighborhoods, cities, countries, and world can know Jesus. — Daniel Im
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team back up with author and Bible teacher Jen Wilkin to discuss the impact of discipling women through the small group method. Tune in to discover how you can create intentional, impactful discipleship spaces for the women of your congregation from the earliest days of your church plant.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The pros and cons of gender-specific small group models * Why relating to one another as family is essential to the church in today’s culture * How to emphasize your intended learning outcomes for leaders and members alike * What your investment in childcare communicates about your core values * Discipleship resources for the women of your church plant!
Helpful Resources: Find Jen on Instagram * Jen’s book: Women of the Word * Jen’s free Bible study: James: Living a Life of Genuine Faith * Jen’s Genesis studies, God of Creationand God of Covenant* * Learn more about The Deep Discipleship Cohort * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):When we talk about theological and biblical illiteracy in the church, if we’re only having feelings-level or application-driven discussions, we are probably not being discipled into the basic Christian beliefs that are our inheritance. — Jen Wilkin
Many times, a small group setting is used because the leader asks, “Well, what do the people want to do?” I would argue that’s the wrong first question. The right one is, “How are disciples formed, and then how do we get them there?” — Jen Wilkin
The culture has lost its concept of friendship, not just between men and women but between people. Any strong emotion for another human being is viewed as sexual or romantic. So, where should we reclaim the beauty of brother-sisterly friendships? If the church doesn’t do it, it’s not going to happen. — Jen Wilkin
We inhabit an age of low expectations for Christian discipleship. — Jen Wilkin
Don’t think that only men want to be challenged in their theological or biblical literacy. Women are hungry for this, and they come alive with it. — Jen Wilkin
Hosts Jeff Medders and Tony Merida dive into one of the most difficult areas of leadership development: conflict resolution. Tune in to discover tools with which to view your disagreements, unmet expectations, and miscommunications as growth opportunities rather than situations to flee. Here’s how you can meet your conflicts head-on, honoring Christ and pursuing peace through the help of His Spirit.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why you may naturally gravitate away from conflict and what you may be drifting toward instead * Scripture’s examples of relational conflict * How church planting conflict is similar to bringing home a newborn * Words of encouragement for people pleasers and confrontation avoiders * What reconciliation and restoration look like in the context of following Christ
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):It’s easy to show up to the positive parts of ministry: leading, preaching, discipline, and counseling. It’s harder to show up for the more challenging parts: the church discipline or conflict resolution meeting. Faithful, effective leaders show up for both. — Jeff Medders
Some can envision the Christian life as being very doctrinally focused and head-oriented. In reality, it’s doctrine-embodied, relational, people work. — Tony Merida
It’s always growing and dynamic, always with fires to put out. The question is not if you’ll have conflict but how you’re going to deal with it appropriately and in a way that’s Christ-honoring and how you can deal with it without dreading or despising it. — Tony Merida
Jesus came into the world not only to reconcile us to the Father because we are at war with God in our sinful nature, but also to reconcile us to one another. Jesus is the great mediator and reconciler who brings us peace as the Prince of Peace. — Tony Merida
As pastors, it’s very easy to think, “Okay, I need God’s Spirit to help me preach the sermon and help with X, Y, Z.” We forget we need God’s Spirit to help us in our conflict resolution. — Jeff Medders
You have to be comfortable having awkward conversations with people. I’ve learned that Jesus shows up in those awkward conversations because He loves when His people are trying to be united. — Tony Merida
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham meet with author and Bible teacher Jen Wilkin to discuss the eternal impact of training up the women in our congregations. Tune in to discover how you can help your church plant grow in Great Commission faithfulness from the household and beyond by intentionally investing in women’s theological equipping.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How women’s theological training benefits the entire congregation * How your preaching and teaching of God’s Word affects men and women alike * What it looks like to cultivate an active learning environment for the women of your church plant * The misconceptions, barriers, and social stigma that women are facing in the church today * Why the call of Ephesians 4:12 is for every believer within the body of Christ
Helpful Resources: Find Jen on Instagram * Jen’s book: Women of the Word * Jen’s free Bible study: James: Living a Life of Genuine Faith * Jen’s Genesis studies, God of Creation and God of Covenant* * Learn more about The Deep Discipleship Cohort * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We would be poorly served if we kept women theologically uneducated. The problem’s getting worse, not better. We cannot transmit to the next generation a faith that we ourselves can’t articulate. — Jen Wilkin
Women have massive influence in terms of the next generation. So, the more theologically illiterate they are, the more we should expect that of the next generation as well. — Jen Wilkin
To be saved into an individual relationship with Jesus Christ is to be saved into a relationship with His church. The kinds of ideas that have sustained the church for 2,000 years are capable of sustaining the individual in this moment. — Jen Wilkin
When you don’t have women in your local church who are visibly, theologically equipped to do the work of a mother in church, women don’t stop looking for a mother. They will go and find a mother outside of your church. — Jen Wilkin
When it comes to theological training, women need permission from those who are in leadership, and then they need access and to be invited into these learning spaces. — Jen Wilkin
Host Tony Merida meets with Send Network’s Director of Urban Church Planter Development Doug Logan and Director of Theology and Content Jeff Medders to discuss how evangelism and discipleship can converge to establish a soul-winning culture within your church plant. Tune in to discover the mindset and systems shifts you can cultivate in your congregation to reach people for Christ and continue to grow them for the furtherance of the gospel.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How you can disciple the new converts of your church plant * The roles of evangelism and prayer within your congregation * How you can seek out the next generation of church planters through your church’s discipleship processes * The characteristics of faithful, fruitful, and effective evangelists * What Spurgeon meant by the term “soul winner” and how you can create such a culture within your plant, as well
Helpful Resources: Charles Spurgeon’s The Soul Winner* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We want to see the “sheep trade market” close down and see more people converted unto Christ. — Jeff Medders
Guilt is never something we want to encourage as a part of the Christian life. There is conviction, and that comes from the Spirit and propels us forward. — Jeff Medders
We are dealing with things of eternity. We’re not just rehearsing facts. When we evangelize, we are dealing with matters of light and darkness, heaven and hell, eternity and forgiveness. It should create a sense of urgency, dependency, prayer, and zeal that we’re dealing with people’s souls. — Jeff Medders
We have to be able to have a plan in place to see people walk from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity. We have to assume that because the Great Commission is about making disciples—not evangelizing—but it’s making disciples through the process of sanctification. — Doug Logan
The gospel is for the lost and the found. — Doug Logan
Hosts Vance Pitman and Jeff Medders team up with Troy Nesbitt, the president of the Salt Network, to discuss the roles of mentorship, discipleship, and leadership within our ministry spheres. Tune in to discover how you can reach the next generation’s leaders and the part you’re called to play in helping them live on mission for Christ.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The key characteristics that define potential leaders * What it means for the gospel to go upstream in your life * How to facilitate mentor relationships within your new church plant * What to look for from your potential mentees * The importance of community in the life of our leaders
Helpful Resources:* The Salt Network * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):That liminal age group from 18 to 22 is when most people make life-altering decisions. It’s where you lay a foundation for what your faith is going to be. — Troy Nesbitt
Our churches need young leaders who are leading for people to be able to see, “Oh, there’s something I can do and be a part of.” We are trying to raise up young leaders and give them a real platform. — Troy Nesbitt
You can raise a person’s level of influence, but you’re not going to take somebody who’s not influencing people and all of a sudden make them an influencer. — Vance Pitman
Ministry is not for professionals; ministry is for everybody. If you have the Spirit of God alive in you, you should be able to win, train, and send somebody in your influence. You know somebody who’s far from God but close to you. — Troy Nesbitt
You need to trust God’s plan for you and how He’s allowing you to be developed, cultivated, and mentored. — Vance Pitman
If you have to make it convenient before you can pour into them and mentor them, you’re probably pouring into and mentoring the wrong people. — Vance Pitman
Host Tony Merida teams back up with longtime friend and mentee Adam Muhtaseb to discuss their own experiences in leading with Christlike humility. Tune in to discover how our Savior has paved the way for us to walk humbly before God and one another as we plant our churches for His glory and not our own.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why your definition of humility is a big step in determining your identity as a pastor and planter * How to balance your humility with your authority as a leader within the church * What your church structure may reveal about your pride as a leader * The ways that vulnerability, transparency, and trust can help break down barriers between you and those you serve * How humility intersects with the process of decision making and discernment within your church
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):I think modern American leadership is, “I’m awesome. Let me tell you how,” but I think Christlike leadership is emptying yourself, absorbing blame when things go wrong, and deferring credit when things go right. — Adam Muhtaseb
When you’re around a humble person, you’re not on edge. There’s an ease, a gentleness, and that, too, speaks about the character of Jesus. That’s why He could say, “Come to me. I’m lowly of heart.” He’s easy to be around because He’s the humblest person who’s ever existed. — Tony Merida
With all the demands of church planting, it’s easy to lose your humility because it often feels like everything weighs on you. “If I don’t do it, it’s not going to happen.” It’s essential to continue to go back and say, “If the Lord doesn’t build the house, the labor is labor in vain.” — Adam Muhtaseb
How Paul talks about himself shows me a lot of humility. He says, “I’m the chief of all sinners. I’m the worst of the apostles.” That’s just crazy to me. If Paul says that, what can I say about myself? Just looking at Paul’s view of himself should give us a healthy view of ourselves. — Adam Muhtaseb
One of the dangers of learning a lot is becoming spiritually arrogant because of the degree of knowledge that you have, when what should happen is that we’re studying not to make our heads fat, but our hearts right. The more we know the gospel, the more that should be expressed in humble love. — Tony Merida
Humility doesn’t mean you’re not confident. Humility is confidence. You’re just confident in the Word, not in your competency or giftings. — Adam Muhtaseb
Host Ed Stetzer chats with Vice President of Research and Resources Development, Trevin Wax, about the shifts in how church planters relate to denominational affiliations, networks, and institutions as a whole. Tune in to learn more about current church planting trends and their impact on the future of our new churches.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Your denomination’s role in supporting and shaping your church plant * The events that have led to the decline of denominational affiliation and the rapid rise of the non-denominational church * How to approach the question of belonging to a network of churches versus belonging to a denomination * The significance of theological conviction in selecting who you’ll partner with * How church planting networks are fulfilling the call of Hebrews 10:24 today
Helpful Resources:* Ed’s article, “The Rise of the Evangelical ‘Nones'” * The Reconstructing Faith Podcast * Church Planting Leadership Fellowship Facebook Page * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Institutions endure way more than we give them credit for. We live in an anti-institutional age that doesn’t seem to value what institutions bring because change can be really difficult within them. You can lose patience and wonder if it’s as effective as it once was. — Trevin Wax
Denominations are most needed when difficult times come. Of course, church planters never think there’s going to be difficult times, but invariably, they do come. And you want a group of people who are there for you. — Ed Stetzer
In the church planting world, there’s been not only the arrival of new networks in the past 20 years or so, but also a renewed emphasis on church planting within denominations. There’s renewed creative energy taking place. — Trevin Wax
Institutions endure. If you look at the two big denominations church planting in America today, it’s the Assemblies of God and the Southern Baptists. They’re the two big ones, and they’re going to be doing this in 15 years. — Ed Stetzer
Don’t take money from a family you’re not willing to be part of first. The Lord has put us in a family. Let’s stay connected to that family and make that family better. — Ed Stetzer
Decisions are made by people who show up. So, if you’re in a denomination or a network, there’s value to being in there. By walking this journey with institutions, we can make a bigger difference. You go slower, but you go farther when you do it in institutions. — Ed Stetzer
Hosts Vance Pitman and Jeff Medders team up with Troy Nesbitt, the president of the Salt Network, a church planting network dedicated to reaching college students with the hope of the gospel. Tune in to discover what sets this student demographic apart and how you can assist in impacting the most reachable, trainable, and sendable people group on earth with the good news of Christ’s love.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How passion and potential create new paths for outreach and discipleship * What sets college towns apart from other church planting contexts * The power of local partnerships in reaching young people with the gospel * How to leverage student life for multiplication and sending purposes * How the Salt Network is mobilizing collegiate communities for the nations
Helpful Resources:* The Salt Network * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):In my mind, movements of God have always happened on the backs of young people. And in our culture, that’s going to be college students at major universities. — Troy Nesbitt
College students come to your town to leave, so—because they’re in that liminal stage of making adult decisions for the first time—if you win them to Christ, they’re searching and asking the question, “Am I going to be a Christian or not?” — Troy Nesbitt
It’s not a matter of sending them; it’s a matter of helping them know where they should go. We say about church planting, “It’s not where you go. It’s who you go with.” College students are already going. — Troy Nesbitt
You have to create the culture first. It can’t be a novel idea to plant a church. — Troy Nesbitt
If you’re a fisherman, you have to go where there’s fish. If you’re going to search for gold in a stream, you better go where there’s gold, right? University students all over the world, and especially in North America, are the gold mine for planting churches. — Troy Nesbitt
Hosts Vance Pitman and Jeff Medders reunite with Aaron Cavin, the pastor, planter, and Send Network city missionary to Boston, Massachusetts. Tune in as they discuss the intricacies of developing a sending church culture and how you can help your people live sent as they think multiplication from the earliest days of your church plant.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The core characteristics of a multiplying church in today’s ministry contexts * How to view your ministry role in light of your mission to multiply disciples * Ways to navigate the hurdles and complexities of sending your best people out on mission * How multiplication impacts our communities, congregations, and immediate households as church planters * What a sending culture means for the overall atmosphere of your church
Helpful Resources:* The Sending Church Masterclass * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Too many churches in North America view multiplication as an optional program for the church. When you look at the New Testament, though, the mission demands disciples and churches that multiply. — Vance Pitman
Culture precedes calling. If you think somebody will randomly self-identify as a planter in a church without a culture of multiplication, you’re six steps behind. Before you multiply churches, you should get really good at multiplying disciples. — Aaron Cavin
The question for us is not just “How do we get as many people as we can into our building?” but “How are we creating a culture that is more about scattering than gathering?” — Aaron Cavin
God births churches to accomplish His mission, which is both local and global. You have to cast a compelling kingdom vision that is bigger than a church, city, or even a nation. It’s about God’s global movement happening all over the world. — Vance Pitman
We would tell every person joining our church, “If you join our church, we’re going to do everything we can to talk you into leaving.” Part of that was building a sending culture that didn’t bring you here to just allow you to stay. — Vance Pitman
It’s okay to be sad. It means that you are all in, living with heart, and passionate about your relationships. You should feel a bit of a tension as we separate because there is a little bit of death. — Aaron Cavin
Host Tony Merida teams back up with rural pastor and planter Will Basham to discuss how you and your team can best navigate the pressures and polarization of politics amidst another election year. Tune in to discover your pastoral responsibility as a preacher within your church planting context and how you and your congregation can be people of peace in chaotic times.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Lessons learned from pastoring in 2020 * The importance of positioning the gospel first in all things * Why we must be discipled by the Word of God rather than by the world God created * Postures and principles to consider as you shepherd your flock with Christ’s truth * How you can create spaces for healthy, civil dialogue away from the pulpit
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):It’s important that we look at our preaching and ask, “Am I making things political that aren’t political in the text? Or am I making things political because the text mandates it?” — Will Basham
If we step into the pulpit fearful of all the emails we’ll get on Monday, we’re not going to be faithful to what the Word of God says. Let Scripture be our guide, not the modern controversy or whatever’s hot on the news right now. — Will Basham
We have to agree in the Lord and be willing to admit that while we have some disagreements, there’s one thing we won’t disagree on, and we’ll stand united on the gospel. — Will Basham
It’s the gospel that’s uniting us, and we can show the world a better way of having civil dialogue: to have an open Bible and an open heart as we engage one another. — Tony Merida
Jesus is king, and His kingdom is real and is coming. While we don’t minimize the importance of politics, we are also not idolizing them either. We’re exalting Jesus in the midst of all of it. — Tony Merida
Host Ed Stetzer teams back up with pastor and planter Dean Fulks to discuss the relational highs and lows of sending out your best people to plant new churches. Discover the impact of grace-fueled, vision-driven leadership on your congregation as you multiply your church’s DNA for the purpose of the Great Commission.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to count the cost of sending out core teams from among your own people * The joys of leading God’s people to follow His plans for His church * Ways to address the cultural, social, and theological issues that arise with church multiplication in the modern age * Why unity and collaboration are essential for the work of planting healthy churches in your community * How to process the pain of loss—personally and corporately—when it comes to the work of multiplication
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):When you send a large group, you can plant a pastor and a church at the same time, and it is statistically far more effective than “parachute drop” church planting. — Ed Stetzer
Sometimes, it’s hard to convince established churches to plant new churches because it’s less costly to send money and let some entrepreneurial young couple go out and plant the new church than it is to send some of their own people away. — Ed Stetzer
If our church is sending, we try and multiply out 10% of our congregational number on Sundays. I talk about it like it’s an injury. It takes time to heal. — Dean Fulks
The cost of the mission is offset by the vision of the mission. — Dean Fulks
When you invite a friend to go to church 10, 15, or even 20 miles away, they’re like, “Why do I have to drive there? Why can’t I just go to church in my own community?” You answer so many of those culture community questions by sending into that community. — Dean Fulks
I have supported church plants of other denominations, and I’d love to see more of them. But when a plant is “birthed” from our own church, it tends to be more theologically aligned. By raising people up, you have fewer of those differences. — Ed Stetzer
Hosts Vance Pitman and Jeff Medders meet up with Aaron Cavin, the pastor, planter, and Send Network city missionary to Boston. Listen in as they discuss their own experiences in being part of a church planting network, as well as what drew them into serving at Send Network.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: A church planting network’s role in the greater, global, and eternal redemptive mission of God * Why money is not* the be-all and end-all for church planters’ needs * How you can maximize your ministry efforts locally by refusing to plant your church alone * The nonnegotiables of an effective church planting network * The three biggest pitfalls of church planters on the field today
Helpful Resources:* Send Network Gatherings * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):“We don’t need to come up with a plan of how to accomplish the mission of God. Jesus gave us a plan, and it’s rooted and grounded in the text of Scripture.” — Vance Pitman
“Money by itself is not going to be enough to sustain you. There have been plenty of pastors and planters who had all the resources in the world but still didn’t make it. And part of it is that we are not going to have enough money to buy the kingdom.” — Aaron Cavin
“The greatest benefit of a network is that God’s dream, God’s dream for your city is bigger than your dream for your church, and he wants more for your city than what your church can deliver.” — Aaron Cavin
“Me planting a successful church in Boston is too small of vision to give my life to. I want to see Boston saturated with the gospel.” — Aaron Cavin
“Brotherhood, community, movement—those things are built, not found. If you’re going to be a part of a network, you have to be all in. Don’t be a fan of your network. Be a part of it and jump in with both feet.” — Aaron Cavin
Host Tony Merida chats with rural pastor and planter Will Basham to discuss the advantages of church membership, not only for the church but for its people, too. Tune in to discover how you can take discipleship to the next level by engaging your congregation through the process of church membership.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How church membership finds its place in today’s cultural and religious landscape * Ways to champion this element of church life from the pulpit and platform * The scriptural basis for church membership and commitment * How to choose the right membership process for your own church context * The benefits of being known and loved by the local expression of the body of Christ
Helpful Resources: Will’s book: Rural Mission: Insights from a Rural Church Planter * Tony’s Book: Love Your Church: 8 Great Things about Being a Church Member* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Being committed and loyal and remaining in community even when it’s not pleasant is a biblical principle and a good value for us to hold individually as we step into something collectively. – Will Basham
The idea of church discipline really falls apart without some kind of membership setup, and the idea of accountability with brothers and sisters in Christ crumbles without real membership. – Will Basham
I’m going to have to stand before Jesus one day and give an account for the people in my care. If there’s no membership, the question is “Who’s in my care?” That gray area is eliminated by having formal membership. – Will Basham
Some people think of membership negatively, but the church wants to care for you. We want you to be a part of us, not just some mindless formality. There’s a real spiritual blessing there because you need to use your gifts and the church needs your gifts. – Tony Merida
You show that you’re part of the universal church by identifying with a particular local church the same way you show that you’re spiritually united to Jesus by actually walking with Him. – Tony Merida
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham meet with Darryl Speers, Send Relief missionary to Los Angeles, California. Tune in to discover how the Lord interrupted this church planter’s plans for the good of the church and the engagement of their community—all for the glory of God alone. Listen to learn why engaging the city is a core value of Send Network and the first step in biblical missiology.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How Send Network’s missionaries are engaging, gathering, empowering, and equipping their communities with and for the gospel * How church context shapes the way we approach ministry in urban areas * Ways to establish personal relationships and ministry partnerships in your community * Why Jesus’ name is set apart from the spirituality offered by the world * How eavesdropping can be a tool of evangelism!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):A real church planting missiology from Scripture begins by engaging the city with the gospel so people can come to Christ and disciples are made. Churches are born as a byproduct of engaging the city with the gospel. — Vance Pitman
The urban area is very spiritual. But we’ve learned to be specific with the name “Jesus.” Because saying “God” in Los Angeles can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. It sparks conversation, but it has to come down to who Jesus really is. — Darryl Speers
There’s only one way to God, and that’s Jesus. But there are a thousand ways to Jesus. You find relationships, resources, and needs that become those ways for people to discover Jesus. — Vance Pitman
Meaningful relationships mean laboring with people, carrying their same burdens, and loving the city as much as they do. — Darryl Speers
It doesn’t have to be rocket science. Figure out who God made you to be, what your unique skills and abilities are, and how to use them to build relationships. Our ultimate motive isn’t just meeting needs; it’s seeing the gospel impact lives. — Vance Pitman
“The greatest opportunity is not just something we point people to, but something we invite them to. The same way we get people into the church is the same way we get them out of the church.” — Darryl Speers
Host Tony Merida returns with his long-time friend and colleague Dr. Doug Logan to discuss the latter’s joys, challenges, and success stories of ministry within the urban context. Tune in to discover the creative ways in which you can engage your urban community with the hope of Christ’s gospel.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The most effective means of gathering data for your neighborhood * Ways to leverage your digital platform for community engagement and awareness * Proactive methods of engaging crisis within your congregation and context * The impact of gathering in a fragmented community culture * What gospel confidence and consistency can do for your urban ministry endeavors
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):When the Holy Ghost sends you somewhere, He equips you with a focus and a calling. — Doug Logan
Many people in the inner cities believe in some sort of God. They want to know if He brings dignity, honor, and value. Does He look like them and love them for who they are and the uniqueness of their race, history, and personhood? These are their questions. — Doug Logan
Urban church planters are dying on the vine because they get out there bringing a Eurocentric philosophy of apologetics, and then they can’t handle it. So, we have to equip them with relevant gospel engagement, and they have to put in the work. — Doug Logan
The problem is not just poverty, but it’s also theology. Everybody has a theology, and it often gets superimposed on poor people who are vulnerable and in need. — Doug Logan
The pastor and church planter in the city has to step up and be in His Bible. He’s got to spend less time on the blog and more time on the block. — Doug Logan
Being in those places of crisis, one of the things we pray for and want to exemplify is a steady confidence in our God and to allow the peace of God to be a characteristic of our leadership, to be a steady leader in chaotic times. — Tony Merida
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham discuss their shared experiences of engaging the powerhouse of their church planting endeavors: prayer. Tune in to learn more about these prayer-fueled opportunities disguised as challenges from the first days of your church plant and beyond.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why desperation for the Father is a key marker of Jesus’ church * How to cultivate the hard ground of your mission field through communing with God * How intercession impacts your congregation’s ongoing gatherings * Ways to implement prayer into every aspect of your Sunday and Wednesday services * Two prayers that will pave the way for your church plant to engage your community!
Helpful Resources: Daniel Henderson’s Old Paths, New Power * John Franklin’s And the Place was Shaken * Jim Cymbala’s Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire and Spirit Rising * Henry Blackaby and Claude V. King’s book Experiencing God* * The 6:4 Fellowship * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):There is no power in prayer, but there is much power in the One to whom we pray. If we really believe that God’s mission is accomplished by God’s power through God’s Spirit, we must live in dependence on Him. – Vance Pitman
If we want to see God move in North America, it’s not going to be a matter of strategy, manpower, philosophy, or missiology. Until we see our desperation manifested in His people crying out to Him, we’re not going to see God move in power. – Vance Pitman
God moves through the prayers of His people, so we want to help church planters get prayer into their DNA from their earliest days. – Noah Oldham
Rather than just looking for skillsets, giftings, willingness, and warm bodies, let’s take it to the Father and seek His heart regarding who these people should be. – Vance Pitman
We’ve allowed prayer to be almost silent in our corporate gatherings. – Vance Pitman
When all we allow is a paid professional with a microphone to stand up and use eloquent words, we create a chasm that says, “You don’t know near enough to talk to God.” – Vance Pitman
Host Ed Stetzer chats with lead pastor Dean Fulks to share his experiences from serving as a church planter to later pastoring a sending church. Tune in to discover the key characteristics to look for in your core team members, as well as the ways to set your people up for success through the twists and turns of starting your new church well.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to pursue a culture of multiplication from the start of your church plant * What the DNA of your church says about you * Ways to navigate the emotional tolls of sending out your best people * The qualifications of a thriving core team member * How to answer prospective members’ biggest questions about God and their place in His church
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):There are all kinds of ways to think about a core team for a new church plant. – Ed Stetzer
The number one characteristic that defines the success or failure of a church plant is the spiritual and emotional health of the leaders, the pastor, his wife, and their family. – Dean Fulks
If you have a great leader–certainly not a perfect leader with a perfect marriage–but a great leader who loves Jesus and has a good marriage, you can send as many people as possible. – Dean Fulks
The folks who go are the folks you don’t want to leave. They’re the most missional and generous and want to reach their communities. They’re the most stoked about the mission and vision. – Dean Fulks
Look at Paul’s work in the New Testament and see the value he placed on women as part of planting teams and groups. – Dean Fulks
The key to handling relational conflict well is a depth of relational equity. – Dean Fulks
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham spend time discussing their shared experiences of church planting in the context of a team. Listen as they share the wisdom they’ve gained through the lessons they’ve learned on the field and why sticking together and building out your team is one of your greatest assets as a planter.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The biblical precedent of planting in community to reach your community * The spiritual and emotional effects of isolation * The challenges of building out your team and how you can get ahead of the curve * The seven C’s of establishing your core team dynamic * How perspectivalism may help your congregation well beyond your first years as a new church!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):No one individual is given credit for planting the greatest church-planting church in the New Testament. The New Testament knows nothing of a Christianity without community. — Vance Pitman
God has given each of us spiritual gifts, and no one believer has them all. It’s when we use all of our gifts together in community that we see the mission of God carried out. — Vance Pitman
It was in the team context of living out community that God inspired us, led us, and spoke to and through us. When you try to plant a church and do missionary work by yourself, you remove the vehicle of community from being able to hear from God together. — Vance Pitman
Leading the team means discipling them to be missionaries and not church members. We have to get to the place of being a church before we can function in the way a church functions. — Vance Pitman
Finding the right team begins and ends in prayer. Only one time did Jesus say, “Hey, would you pray for this?” And He said, “Would you beseech the Lord to send out laborers into His harvest?” — Vance Pitman
We need to unleash the whole church, not just the paid professionals or pastors in the pulpits. When we unleash the church, there will be no end to the possibility of what God will do as we seek first His kingdom. — Vance Pitman
Host Tony Merida chats with long-time friend and colleague Dr. Doug Logan, Send Network’s Director of Urban Planter Development, to share the latter’s experiences in urban church planting. Tune in as the author, pastor, and planter shares insight into loving your city well, investing in your mental and emotional health, and reaching your people through meeting their needs.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The diverse contexts and characteristics of church planters in urban areas * How funding and self-sufficiency look different for urban planters * Why the heartbeat of our cities cannot be found in our charts and graphs * How the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of the city impacts our discipleship models * What sending churches can provide to the planters they send to the city
Helpful Resources: J.A. Medders and Doug Logan’s book: The Soul-Winning Church: Six Keys to Fostering a Genuine Evangelistic Culture* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):I like to say that our best church planters are not even Christians yet. We never know where the Lord might go to snatch a guy up and put him on this path. Praise be to God for the gospel. – Tony Merida
Just like we exegete the texts, we pull from it what’s actually in it. We don’t superimpose our ideologies or our non-researched understandings into our sermons. You can’t do that in the context of the city. – Doug Logan
We have to understand the historical brokenness and listen to people’s stories of the current devils and old devils, their current joys and hopes. That’s only going to come through relationship-building conversations. – Doug Logan
Serving the planters we send out has to not be an anomaly, but it has to be the normative reality for churches as we play an Antiochus role as sending churches. – Doug Logan
The nature of the inner city is ever fast-moving. You have to get the gospel in and build relationships with almost a microwave mentality–not a marathon mentality. You and your discipleship have to be flexible because things move fast. – Doug Logan
Host Ed Stetzer returns with writer, speaker, and professor Kyle Strobel to dive more deeply into the leadership challenges of church planting today. Tune in to discover the profound paradox of leading from weakness as you make much of Christ and abide in His strength.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How our church context impacts our views of congregational health * Christ’s purpose in rebuking Peter in Mark 8 * How to acknowledge your gifting without allowing it to lead you * The challenge of selfish ambition, from church planting to pastoring a megachurch * How abiding in Christ’s power impacts the mission and vision of our congregations
Helpful Resources: Kyle Strobel’s new book: Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards * Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel’s book: The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus’ Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It * Eugene Peterson’s Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of John and the Praying Imagination* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):I learned spiritual gifts like, “Here’s how to never minister in your weakness—only minister in your strength.” Then, I read 1 and 2 Corinthians and realized my understanding was the opposite of what I saw in Scripture. – Kyle Strobel
We can wield our ministry in the flesh, but the fantasy is thinking that we can somehow reap in the Spirit. – Kyle Strobel
A lot of church planters get up every day wishing to have all the wonderful, good things that happen in a church that’s grown to a very large size. But that motivation and how we pursue it is part of the challenge. – Ed Stetzer
What does it mean to not be afraid of my weakness? Because that’s where the Lord is actually working. Most church planters’ weakness is recognizing how much they want to wield themselves rather than trust in the Lord. – Kyle Strobel
Your growth will always be growth in seeing your need for forgiveness. And that must be true not only individually in terms of your sin in your life, but in terms of your ministry in your church planting. – Kyle Strobel
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham meet with pastor’s wife, mom, and National Director of Women’s Evangelism, Catherine Renfro, to discuss the significance of women’s evangelism in the life of the church. Tune in to discover how you can mobilize the women of your congregation to join in the activity of God, one gospel conversation at a time.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The biblical precedent for women’s evangelism * How to intentionally utilize your women’s gatherings for the sake of mobilization * Why celebration is a key component in your ongoing women’s evangelism efforts * The power of your testimony in reaching others for Christ * How to help the women in your congregation leverage their unique mission fields, no matter their stages of life!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The message of the resurrection was first entrusted to women in the New Testament to take and share. So, for Jesus to elevate the voice of women in carrying the most significant theological event should speak to us today about the role of women in evangelism. – Vance Pitman
Jesus gives us examples of women having kingdom impact in sharing the hope of the gospel. – Catherine Renfro
If we can help women think about living out their purpose in these everyday moments, God can eradicate fear. He’s greater than our fears and worries of rejection. – Catherine Renfro
The global church is empowering and unleashing both men and women to engage in evangelism and mission. I’ve just seen women used by God as incredible evangelists who engage cities to see disciples made and churches born. – Vance Pitman
We don’t naturally drift towards evangelism, so we have to keep it in front of our people. Keep talking about it and encouraging it. There is nothing more exciting than when you see someone realize that God can use them. – Catherine Renfro
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team back up with pastor’s wife, mom, and National Director of Women’s Evangelism, Catherine Renfro, to dive into the impact of investing in the ladies of your congregation. Tune in to discover why God is calling each and every member of your church to live on mission—and why it’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Three focus areas of women’s leadership engagement * The unique challenges women face inside and outside the church * How you can equip the ladies of your church with hands-on training and education * What God can do with the willingness and availability of your church’s women * New resources for every leader in your church plant!
Helpful Resources: Catherine’s free eBook: Women in the Mission of God* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):If we don’t have a plan for it, it’s probably not going to happen. So, creating a specific plan for raising up women leaders in your ministry context is where it all begins. – Catherine Renfro
A lot of women need someone who will say, “God has gifted you in this way, and I want you to leverage those gifts for the kingdom.” – Catherine Renfro
I want to challenge the pastors listening today. Yes, it’s your responsibility as Paul gave in 2 Timothy to pour into faithful men. But as a shepherd of the body of Christ, you have a responsibility to build intentional pathways to raise up both men and women to engage in the mission. – Vance Pitman
So many church planters think that to multiply a church, they have to raise up their next church planter, but that is so shortsighted. We need to raise up teams and for every man, woman, boy, and girl to understand their callings as the leaders God made them to be. – Noah Oldham
If you say you value something, you’ve got to build for it. So, if we want to see something changed to mobilize women to lead in their giftings, we have to change how we do things. – Noah Oldham
What if we were to start talking about the possibilities for women in ministry at a younger age? It was terrifying for me to step out of the career path I thought God was leading me on to go a completely different way that I had no context for. – Catherine Renfro
Host Tony Merida teams back up with Matt Carter, Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization, to discuss the rhythms and patterns that have helped them thrive in ministry, as well as in their personal health and families. Tune in to discover why your earliest days in ministry are so significant and how you can reclaim your days for the sake of God-honoring endurance.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What it means to be faithful to Jesus Christ until the end * Why the full armor of God is necessary for each new day * How eschatology impacts your day-to-day living * What your heart may be telling you about your overall health as a planter * What you should prioritize as your first business of the day!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):I think we forget that we have an enemy who is studying us and has an intentional, thoughtful scheme on how to take us out. This is not some weird, nebulous enemy. – Matt Carter
Part of endurance is surrounding yourself with men who have proximity to you. Pray for folks that you can give permission to speak into your life and who will help you grow in Christ along the way. – Matt Carter
Unfortunately, eschatology has made people fanatical rather than faithful. But the goal is to remember that we’re going to see Jesus Christ and that it impacts the present moment. – Tony Merida
Your people are going to want access to you, so you’ve got to set the culture with your family, your staff, and your church that your time management is a priority from day one. – Matt Carter
Instead of going straight into critique mode or problem-solving mode, start looking for evidences of grace first. Consider how you can see God working. – Tony Merida
Somehow, we’ve envisioned a personal holiness that’s separate from our relationships with our wives, but part of what it means to live a godly life is to cultivate a healthy, thriving marriage. – Tony Merida
Host Noah Oldham teams back up with pastor and planter Adam Muhtaseb to discuss their relationships with constructive criticism throughout their journeys as church planters. Tune in as they discuss what Scripture has to say about your life, ministry, and righteousness in Christ and how God intends to form you in His image as you shepherd your flock for His glory.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How your personality type could be impacting your relationship with feedback * Why you don’t have to perceive criticism as a threat to your ministry * The importance of balancing humility with confidence * Why extending gospel honor is an essential part of your church’s culture * How to maintain emotional and spiritual resilience when faced with criticism
Helpful Resources:* Alfred J. Poirier’s “The Cross and Criticism” * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):When someone criticizes me, it’s really just reiterating what I know in the foundation of my faith, that I’ve fallen short. I use it as an opportunity to find the kernel of truth and repent of it. – Adam Muhtaseb
The person I’m criticizing or have an issue with matters, is my brother or sister, and was valuable enough for the Son of God to die for him or her. When we view people as that valuable, it changes the way we handle our disagreements. – Adam Muhtaseb
Our swagger turns into a limp the longer we go through experiences of God humbling us. – Noah Oldham
The call was never to love the city for the city’s sake. It was to love it for Jesus’ sake and then continuing to go to Him and say, “Lord, give me Your heart for that.” – Noah Oldham
Church planters don’t want to be humanized. We want people to think we’re superhuman, that we can do it all. We build that up, and then we get burned out. – Noah Oldham
In all that criticism, God’s doing something, forming you into somebody. What matters more than the actual church is the kind of person you’re becoming. He’s making you rely on Christ’s work and reputation, not your own. – Adam Muhtaseb
Host Ed Stetzer meets with writer, speaker, and professor Kyle Strobel to discuss the impact of spiritual practices—both personally and corporately—in the life of the church planter. Discover what it means to find your strength in the Lord and how to lead your people to do the same.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The stark contrast between spiritual formation and self-help * How to better dissect the work of your own entrepreneurialism versus that of the Spirit * The basics of spiritual disciplines you may need to get back to * Why you should add the practice of watchfulness into your prayer life * The Apostle Paul’s words of encouragement and exhortation for church planters
Helpful Resources: Kyle Strobel’s new book: Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards * Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel’s book: The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus’ Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):A lot of burnout and toxicity comes from planters building an entire ministry and an entire life, quite honestly not on the Spirit, but on their flesh. – Kyle Strobel
I need to constantly be growing so that it’s more of the Spirit of God and less of the spirit of “Entrepreneurial Ed.” – Ed Stetzer
If a church planter’s selfish ambition, jealousy, and envy are left unchecked, they become root sins that bear all sorts of sinful fruit in life. – Kyle Strobel
You can be a profoundly sick tree and bear what looks like visibly impressive fruit. – Kyle Strobel
Our spiritual practices are like cogs in a grand machine that need to mesh well for the whole thing to work. If we lose what we’re doing in the church or our individual spiritual practices, then the whole thing will come apart. – Kyle Strobel
Most preachers I know have come to realize that no matter how much preaching they do, they can’t undo the formation that is going on day in and day out in their homes by what they’re doing and consuming through media. – Kyle Strobel
Host Noah Oldham sits down with Adam Muhtaseb, the pastor, planter, and recipient of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Joe B. Brown Preaching Award. Listen in as they discuss the impact of your church’s Sunday morning preaching culture and how you can take strides to engage the assembled nonbelievers as you strengthen your flock from the platform.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What expository preaching offers our audiences * The difference between moralism and true evangelism * Why you should consider explaining the “why” behind your Sunday morning sacraments * How you can promote a missional culture that engages the lost throughout the week * The big question you can ask those who are seeking and searching for truth
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Preaching is both the precursor and the ongoing mission of church planting. It’s so much more multifaceted than we anticipate as we go into this field. – Noah Oldham
Preach to who you want to be there. Intentionally preach like there are lost people in the room. – Noah Oldham
The meat and potatoes of what we communicate should be God’s Word. Every now and then, I like to say, “We can go out to eat” and do a topical sermon on some random topic, but we try and stick to the Word. – Adam Muhtaseb
We need to preach sermons in which an unbeliever can come in and be like, “Oh, this makes sense,” fall on their face, and worship God. – Adam Muhtaseb
Make sure that if somebody were to come to your service, it feels like good news. You’re not proclaiming something they need to do, but the good news of something that’s already been done. Proclaim the “It is finished” of the text. – Adam Muhtaseb
If you can honestly just bear your soul to people and apply the text and its good news to your life, that is the start of an amazing sermon. – Adam Muhtaseb
Episode 805Host Tony Merida meets with Matt Carter, Send Network’s Vice President of Mobilization, to discuss their journeys through preaching the Word within their respective church-planting contexts. Tune in to discover their wisdom gained and lessons learned throughout their years of preaching and planting.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to contextualize your message to your mission * Why warmth, wisdom, and servanthood should characterize your preaching presence * What cultural awareness offers to your diverse congregation * Why your authentic style is essential for effective preaching * The steps you can take to build out your new church’s evangelistic culture!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):You can say things in the midst of a sermon that will completely derail the main point of your text, whether you’re preaching in a small or large, rural or urban, conservative or not-so-conservative environment. – Matt Carter
You need to be wise about who you’re talking to but be authentic to who you are. – Matt Carter
“I’ve made myself a servant to them all” sounds a lot like Jesus, who did the real contextualization in coming to earth and becoming a servant to us. – Tony Merida
In preaching, you’re not just exuding a passage, but you’re showing why it’s significant to this day and age and to whatever set of ideas is prevalent today. – Tony Merida
Part of contextualization is knowing where your flock is right now. Are they beat up? Do they need to hear the words of a loving shepherd? Or are they running from their responsibilities and from God, and are they in need of that prophetic voice? – Matt Carter
The last thing you want is to send a message that your church is just for insiders or for people who are familiar with the Bible. You wouldn’t be sacrificing substance; you’d be preaching with expositional hospitality. – Tony Merida
Episode 804Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham return for another episode with pastor, planter, and leadership expert Dr. Crawford Loritts. Tune in to discover what you can gain through the guidance of those who have gone before you on this church planting journey.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The wisdom to be found in healthy biblical community * What to look for in your next mentoring relationship * How to establish healthy boundaries and expectations for both the mentor and the mentee * Why you should consider making 2 Timothy your next book for personal study * The three kinds of people every church planter needs in his life!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):There are two ways to learn how to do your job: there’s humility, and there’s hardship. You can either humble yourself and listen to some people further down the road than you, or you can face the hardship of bad decisions. – Vance Pitman
You influence, but you don’t control. You never want to get in a relationship where a mentor doesn’t know the difference between appropriate authority and a domineering relationship. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
Your twenties and thirties are a season of learning. I’m not saying that God’s not using you in very significant ways, but you’re learning who you are and who you’re not. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
The difference between a trend and a fad is that which is enduring. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
There’d be no Paul without Barnabas, and yet we are looking for “the name guys.” A lot of times, it’s the unnamed heroes that you’re talking about. – Vance Pitman
When the heat gets turned up, things get a little hot, and adversity comes, there’s a tendency to run, shift, change your environment. The problem is there is no such thing as character apart from endurance. The fuel that you need is found in what you don’t like. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
Episode 803Host Ed Stetzer teams back up with colleague Craig Hazen to take a deep dive into John 15:7—Christ’s own words about fearless, expectant prayer. Discover the role of prayer in the life of the church planter as you petition the Lord on behalf of your people and wait to see how He will provide.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: What John 15:7 doesn’t* say about the prosperity gospel * How leaning into difficult passages of Scripture can teach us greater things * The purpose of prayer in the life of every believer * The power of patience within our prayer lives * Why keeping a prayer journal may be your next step!
Helpful Resources: Craig Hazen’s book: Fearless Prayer: Why We Don’t Ask and Why We Should* * Ed and Craig’s previous podcast episode: The Role of Apologetics in Church Planting * Talbot’s Christian Apologetics program * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):John 15:7 was spoken by Jesus in the last hours of His life on earth. It seems to me that it’s got to be really important for today and not just something that we hope we understand one day. – Craig Hazen
The idea of prayer–what is it? I dove in and found that it’s a very simple concept. It’s asking for stuff from God. – Craig Hazen
It’s right there in the Lord’s Prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread.” There’s a connection between “If you’re remaining in me, and my words remain in you,” the kind of things you’re going to ask for are going to also be different. – Ed Stetzer
A lot of mainstream evangelicals stay away from John 15:7 because some will think they’re associated with the “health and wealth” prosperity gospel. They don’t engage this because they’re afraid of that association. – Craig Hazen
For people who need quick answers for difficult church-planting situations, God’s right there. He is Johnny-on-the-Spot. He wants us to be prepared to wait, but He’s a God of action. – Craig Hazen
Episode 802Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham spend some time with pastor, planter, and leadership expert Dr. Crawford Loritts to examine the impact of aligning today’s current events with Scripture’s eternal truth. Here’s how you can honor God from the pulpit as you leverage your platform for the sake of the gospel made known.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The key difference between reacting harshly and responding effectively to the happenings around you * The significance of pursuing biblical consistency in a hectic, inconsistent world * How to walk into an election year well—from the sanctuary pulpit to your social media platform * What the Bible specifically says about our modern-day preaching context * Why humility and integrity must mark your every move as a leader in the church
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Humility is not a lack of courage. We need to denounce sin, but whenever we denounce it, there ought to be a tear in our eyes. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
Let’s not rush to judgment, but at the same time and in the name of Jesus, let’s weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
This is not about politics, who has the last say, or who’s getting the most likes, clicks, and followers. It’s about humility, giving an appropriate word, and positioning the gospel. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
You have got to be careful to not define “righteous indignation” as vomiting all the truth you know and beating people up with the Bible. You’ve got to represent the heart of the Savior. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
Your character and godliness have to be greater than the platform you stand on or the issue you’re addressing. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
You’re not trying to be cute or relevant. You’re trying to help your people think distinctively and biblically as kingdom people in light of the issues occurring right now. Preaching is a discipleship deal. – Dr. Crawford Loritts
Episode 801Host Tony Merida spends time with Jeff Medders to discuss the life and legacy of Charles Spurgeon not only as a pastor and preacher, but as a dedicated church planter, too. From his intentionality as a leader to his vision casting as a church revitalizer, Spurgeon has much to teach planters today about faithfully living on mission, no matter the context in which you lead.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Spurgeon’s most taught from book of the Bible * What it looked like for his church members to “live sent” * Greater insight into Spurgeon’s leadership pipeline * Ways the great preacher emphasized Christ from the platform and in his personal life * How Spurgeon’s sorrows impacted his life and faith
Helpful Resources: Geoffrey Chang’s Spurgeon the Pastor * Arnold A Dallimore’s Spurgeon: A Biography * Zack Eswine’s Spurgeon’s Sorrows * John Theodore Mueller’s Great Heroes of the Faith * Charles Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students * Charles Spurgeon’s C.H. Spurgeon Autobiography* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Spurgeon was called “the prince of preachers,” and I think we could also call him “the powerhouse of church planting.” — Jeff Medders
Spurgeon didn’t just allow his name and funds to be leveraged for church planting. He was personally investing, teaching, and mentoring young men at his house. — Jeff Medders
You may go from being a church planter one day, but the church-planter mindset probably never leaves. — Jeff Medders
Christ was the gravitational center of everything Spurgeon taught. He called and proclaimed Jesus either through evangelism or edification, and I think that is for church planters today. — Jeff Medders
When you find yourself discouraged or depressed, or when you’re dealing with sickness in your family; whatever it is, it’s not new. The Lord throughout history has used weak saints by His grace to build up the body of Christ. — Tony Merida
Episode 800Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team back up with pastor and planter Ray Ortlund to share the internal and external measures you can take as a church planter to keep your leadership and ministry healthy and guarded from harm. Discover the personal and theological safeguards you can set in place to protect the calling God has placed upon you and your church.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The significance of personal and relational transparency * How to combat isolation and pursue Christ’s freedom through fellowship * Why online precautions are essential in the digital age * How to establish accountability for the longevity of your ministry * How to invest in the community God has given you, from the pulpit to the small-group meeting space
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Walking in the light is not sinless perfection. It’s where we confess sin and experience cleansing. — Ray Ortlund
We come together with an advocacy, a solidarity, a cohesion, and a tenderness that’s unmatched in all this world; that’s real Christianity. — Ray Ortlund
We could wake up one day in a place we never thought we’d be because we lack that level of honest transparency in our lives. — Vance Pitman
We can’t improve on the gospel, and the gospel’s not going to be better than it is right now, five minutes from now. So, let’s just jump into the gospel God gave us and go deep, not only holding onto the gospel but exploring it boldly. — Ray Ortlund
The desire for proper accountability and safeguards is powerful evidence of God’s grace. — Ray Ortlund
Where in the New Testament do we see Jesus or the apostles saying, “Go it alone”? — Ray Ortlund
Episode 799Host Ed Stetzer chats with his colleague Craig Hazen, the Founder and Director of Christian Apologetics at the Talbot School of Theology. Together, they discuss the impact of apologetics within the church-planting sphere and how this study and practice grants us confidence to move forward in our missional calling to share the peace of Christ’s truth with the world.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to demystify apologetics for both yourself and your congregation * Ways to move from evangelism to apologetics as you minister to others * Why the college campus is a great place for this study and practice * How you can meet people where they are with the truth of Christ, no matter their starting point with the gospel * The role of joy within your apologetics engagement!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Offer reasons for your faith and why it is you put your trust in Jesus. Apologetics is the ministry of helping people answer their questions. — Craig Hazen
Apologetics is going to become more and more important as the culture becomes more and more secular. — Ed Stetzer
We still make strong arguments, but we try to do so with gentleness and respect. The one thing that really juices up the gentleness and respect is having a deep knowledge of the subject. — Craig Hazen
Argumentation means different things to different people, but persuasive apologetics in the public sphere and in relationships is essential today. — Ed Stetzer
I’m much more sensitive to the Holy Spirit when I’m not working out of anxiety as I’m witnessing to a person. — Craig Hazen
The challenge is that a lot of people are just not safe conversation partners with spiritually questioning people. — Ed Stetzer
Episode 798Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham share an encouraging word with Ray Ortlund, the author, pastor, and founder of Immanuel Nashville. Together, they discuss the significance of forming Christ-exalting personal habits within the earliest days of ministry. Tune in to discover how you can create safeguards for the long-term health of your ministry as well as your own personal spiritual walk with Christ.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What sets church planting apart from other vocations * The tried-and-true basics of spiritual discipline within the Christian faith * Why your understanding of prayer may need some recalibration * The role of confession within the church today * Why theological accountability and alignment matter in your ministry from day one
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):There’s a lack of theological accountability in the world we live in today because denominations were the buttresses of theological accountability. — Vance Pitman
How can you preach a crucified Savior with personal, showoff-y, “Look at me. I’m so cool” kind of preaching persona? It doesn’t fit. — Ray Ortlund
The Holy Spirit entered into Paul’s ministry and created converts, not because they were impressed by him, but because they were enthralled by Jesus. Now that’s church planting like an apostolic work. — Ray Ortlund
Dear brother, to whom do you confess your sins? The answer cannot be nobody or “I only confess my sins to God.” There’s a reason James 5:16 is in the Bible. — Ray Ortlund
I don’t use the word “accountability” because I’ve seen it used in a coercive way, but “transparency” is mutual. I don’t believe we can go too far wrong if we’re living in transparency and in honest brotherhood together. — Ray Ortlund
We can face anything if we will walk with God. And if we don’t have a real, honest, moment-by-moment walk with the Lord and we’re just great at church planting, that is total failure, brilliantly disguised as massive success. — Ray Ortlund
Episode 797Host Tony Merida meets with Jeff Medders, the Director of Theology and Content at SEND Network, to discuss the significance of the resurrection in our daily lives as believers, as well its power in the weekly rhythms of our churches. Tune in to discover how emphasizing the resurrection empowers us to live boldly on mission for the gospel.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How the resurrection remains applicable to every church in every context * The gospel’s implications for our daily lives, here and now * How to combat cultural desensitization toward the cross * The reason you can navigate your doubts with assurance as you look to the empty tomb * Why your sermons about the resurrection are not just for Easter Sunday!
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Jesus has risen from the dead, and therefore everything changes. No matter your context, the risen Christ is the lean-in factor of Christianity. — Jeff Medders
The crucifixion and resurrection go together, but oftentimes, at least in my observation and experience, there’s been a deemphasis on the resurrection. — Tony Merida
If you don’t believe in the resurrection, you’re not a Christian. So, let’s advocate for more resurrection. I want people to walk out of our churches going, “This guy believes Jesus is alive.” It changes everything. — Jeff Medders
Whatever labor you’re doing for the cause of the kingdom is not in vain. Nothing done in Jesus’ name is in vain because the tomb is empty. This fuses my everyday ministry with purpose and meaning and keeps me from despair as I preach the resurrection. — Tony Merida
The entire New Testament only came to be because Jesus rose again from the dead. The entire ecosystem of Christianity is a resurrection atmosphere. — Jeff Medders
The resurrection is not just a truth we die on, but it’s a truth we live on. — Tony Merida
Episode 796Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham share insight into one of the most difficult aspects of planting a church in North America today: establishing sustainable patterns of rest. Here’s what you can add and subtract to your life in ministry in order to live in the rest Christ has prepared for you.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How a reboot and reset could revive you in your ministry calling * What apostolic wiring has to do with your missionary zeal * Why accountability is essential for biblical sabbath * How rest can positively impact your church’s leadership pipeline * Why creating space for interruption leads to greater ministry opportunity
Helpful Resources:* Vance’s book: The Stressless Life * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We have limits, and God made us spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional beings. If we don’t care for ourselves in those areas and establish a balance between work and rest, we’re going to make some major mistakes. — Vance Pitman
We tend to have in our minds that Jesus demands we work hard, be diligent, and exhaust ourselves. There is an element of truth in that, but at the same time, there’s a balancing tension of spiritual obedience. — Vance Pitman
It is not unspiritual to pull away from the demands of ministry to rest. As a matter of fact, it’s unspiritual not to in ministry. — Vance Pitman
The primary calling of my life is not ministry; it’s intimacy. Ministry is what He does out of the overflow of intimacy. If you look at the life of Jesus in the Gospels, Jesus is constantly interrupted and never in a hurry. — Vance Pitman
Muscle only grows when you rest it and fuel it. Church planting is the same way. You have to rest to see the growth happen. — Noah Oldham
The philosophy of much of North American church planting is the superstar, lone-ranger, high-capacity planter, but the philosophy of the New Testament is teamwork. — Vance Pitman
Episode 795Host Ed Stetzer meets with church planters Adam Muhtaseb and Richard Pope to discuss their best practices when it comes to facing hardship while leading a new church plant. Here’s why rest, repentance, and reliance on God and His people are essential for planters as they seek to lead others to Christ’s truth amidst life’s greatest difficulties.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Ways to impactfully communicate hardship to your congregation * The power of simple gospel prayer within biblical community * Why sabbath is essential for church planters today * The role God’s sovereignty plays into your calling as a leader in the church * How God can use all things—even terminal diagnoses—for the furtherance of His gospel to the world
Helpful Resources:* Richard Pope’s podcast: Terminal: The Dying Church Planter * Kerry and Chris Shook’s book: One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Successful church planting is a series of successfully resolved crises because there’s always a crisis and something that’s falling apart. — Ed Stetzer
Embrace strategic failure, knowing that God is still working when you can’t crush it this week. Once I recognized and got to a place of peace with that, it enabled me to rest and sabbath a little bit more. — Adam Muhtaseb
Suffering gives us a weird opportunity to show grace, love, kindness, and mercy. When you show and allow people into your suffering, keeping the gospel forefront, it’s a teaching moment for your church. — Richard Pope
God can do more in six days than you can do in seven, and He wants you to do six. — Adam Muhtaseb
Obedience and faithfulness to the Lord is always more fruitful than doing things our way. — Richard Pope
Episode 794Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham kick off the new year by discussing the significance of casting a church-wide vision as leaders within your congregation. Discover how biblical leadership surpasses the ordinary markers of goal setting and why you’re called to simply take the next step forward in faithfulness as you wait expectantly upon the Lord.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How visionary leadership in the church differs from that of the marketplace * God’s Old Testament vision for His people versus the New Testament vision found in Christ * Methods of reinforcing vision and assessing progress throughout the calendar year * How to use the power of story to effectively communicate vision to your congregation * Four ways for your people to seek and hear God as a unified church body
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Being a visionary leader in pastoring, preaching, writing, and leading means casting vision in every realm where God has placed you. — Noah Oldham
Visionary leadership is allowing people to see God’s activity in the world and then showing them how they can get in on it. — Vance Pitman
When you show believers the activity of God in the world, you show them that God is big and that He is moving in the world. There is something in the heart of every believer that longs to leverage their life. — Vance Pitman
There’s a different paradigm of how God speaks to His people in the New Testament, and the principle is hearing God together. The New Testament knows nothing of a Christianity without community. — Vance Pitman
You don’t give to a church; you give through a church as an opportunity to join in God’s activity of expanding His kingdom. — Vance Pitman
Don’t let deadlines drive the agenda. Let intimacy with the Father drive the agenda. — Vance Pitman
Episode 793What does it look like to connect with your community? Noah Oldham and Vance Pitman talk with Mark Lee about best practices for engaging your community as a new church planter.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The best place to start connecting with your community * How to be seen as a partner, rather than a parasite * What foreign missions can teach us about being a missionary * The principle of living your life with your eyes open to God’s activity around you * How to mentor your core team to reach out to the city
Helpful Resources:* The Externally Focused Quest * The Art of Neighboring * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):When we begin to be viewed as partners in our communities and cities, we create relational bridges that allow the gospel to walk from our lives into the lives of those we’ve been called to serve. —Vance Pitman
The way we connected with the community was that I just wanted to connect with my street, to just be the pastor of my street. Sometimes we can make it too complicated: Who do I need to reach out to? Where do I need to go? I just started where I lived. —Mark Lee
The greatest church planting class I took in seminary was actually on foreign missions. It taught me about these principles of being a missionary. And one of those principles was finding a person of peace. —Noah Oldham
Find ways you can build relationships with the people in your life. For me, a lot of it had to do with what my kids were doing. The first 13 families I led to Christ, I led to Christ coaching Little League baseball and NFL flag football. —Vance Pitman
Once we have followers, disciples and a core team, how do we mentor them to reach out to the city too? For my core team, I provided a framework: prayers, conversations, table fellowships and invitations. —Mark Lee
When we started, we created what we called the Personal Touch Tip Sheet. It was 40 examples of how you could connect with someone. Like, for example, when somebody moves in on your street, bake some cookies or bread, make a meal, and take it to your neighbor. —Vance Pitman
Keep being faithful and trust the Lord to build His Church. —Noah Oldham
Episode 792As our society tips toward majority non-Christian, the need for clearer calls to the gospel becomes paramount. Ed Stetzer, Shane Pruitt, and Catherine Renfro talk about how to give an effective gospel presentation.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Different ways to invite people to Jesus without manipulating * Four kinds of people hearing every sermon * Important theological elements of a gospel presentation * How to keep an invitation short and clear * A “cheat code” for clear, concise invitations
Helpful Resources:* Shane Pruitt article: Giving an Effective Gospel Invitation with Integrity * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Sermons should be text driven and every text should be preached in the light of the gospel. And if the gospel is preached, then an opportunity to respond to the gospel should be given. —Shane Pruitt
In giving an invitation, people need to know why they need to put their trust in Jesus and that God’s not made it complicated for us to be saved. —Catherine Renfro
The cheat code for doing an invitation clearly and concisely is to be prepared. A lot of times communicators don’t prepare their invitations like they prepare the sermon. —Shane Pruitt
If there’s confusion on the stage, there will be mass confusion in the seats and the last thing we want anybody to do is to respond in confusion. —Shane Pruitt
At the end of the day, we want to make sure that those who respond to the gospel have an opportunity to talk with someone afterward. —Catherine Renfro
As the leader, the shepherd of the church, your goal is to to create and cultivate a culture of evangelism. You don’t want to go, “OK, this is the one weekend a year we’re actually going to be evangelistic.” —Shane Pruitt
If you proclaim the gospel, give an invitation and people respond but you don’t have a follow-up plan, we’re being bad stewards in that. —Shane Pruitt
Episode 791Hosts Noah Oldham and Vance Pitman sit down with Pastor Matt Carter to discuss the significance of creating a culture of sending through preaching. Here’s what it means to “live sent” and to empower your people to do the same.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The biblical basis for “Sending Church” * How a pastor can cultivate a culture of sending through his preaching * How to help your people put “living sent” into action * Systems you can put in place to make sure people can take next steps * The enemy within and without
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The local church is not the ultimate goal; the ultimate goal is the kingdom of God being expanded and God birthing His local church. One of the ways we create that sending culture is through preaching. —Vance Pitman
We always had next steps. It’s one thing to get everybody fired up from the pulpit. It’s another thing to have something they can hang their hat on. —Matt Carter
We end every service telling our our church after we pray, “Go to love, serve and tell.” —Noah Oldham
Preaching is not the dispensing of information. Preaching is a call to transformation. There has to be an opportunity for people to respond. We have to apply “living sent” for our people to begin to take those steps. —Vance Pitman
There’s a pent-up desire in the body of Christ to engage in the mission of God, and I think it’s bottlenecked at the pastor because we’re not giving them the opportunity to do it. —Matt Carter
You’ve got to be passionate about it yourself or your people are never going to follow you. It’s got to be something you believe in, deep down in the core of your being. —Matt Carter
I would warn a pastor to be prepared. There will be opposition. There’s an enemy within and an enemy without. —Vance Pitman
Episode 790Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect your church differently than others? Host Ed Stetzer talks with Warren Bird about fascinating new research.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How church launches and funding were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic * The effect on planters’ mental health * How evangelism and discipleship fared * The “big disappointment” in the research findings * Advice for planters in light of research
Helpful Resources:* EFCA research: New Faces of Church Planting and Multi-siting * PDF download: EFCA findings on the pandemic’s impact * Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Movie theaters and schools where, disproportionately, church plants meet, were shut down. It really had an impact on church planting. When schools started meeting again, many didn’t let anybody in from the outside, to create a bubble. — Ed Stetzer
I was surprised at how few things dipped during the pandemic. I was brought to tears when I tallied the survey responses and I saw how many hundreds of churches launched during the pandemic. — Warren Bird
New churches put a heavier emphasis on evangelism than discipleship, but discipleship increased. — Ed Stetzer
We found that, both pre-pandemic and during the pandemic, evangelism was stronger than the discipleship component, but during the pandemic, the discipleship meter was almost as high as the evangelistic meter. — Warren Bird
I think it probably was the greatest time of church shifting and switching in our lifetime. I want new churches to be evangelized into existence. — Ed Stetzer
While people are willing to gather in most places now, the volunteering piece—that second step of engagement—has been really slow. It did not surge back with the people coming back. — Warren Bird
Can you imagine three years ago saying, “Hey, everyone, scan the QR code on your screen”? But now the grandmas are holding up their phones and scanning the QR code. It is fascinating how this has been accelerated technologically. — Ed Stetzer
Episode 789Host Ed Stetzer returns with pastor and planter Mark Lee to discuss the impact of creating and maintaining a positive staff culture within the life of your church. Here’s how you can lead your team to multiply leaders within their ministry spaces while cultivating a spiritual and professional environment where your people can thrive.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The marks of an unhealthy staff dynamic * How to sustain your staff values when the going gets tough * Ways to help your team balance responsibilities and manage stress * The pros and cons of hiring a small church staff * Why servant leadership is key for head pastors
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):You can gauge a healthy culture by how it acts during crisis. — Mark Lee
As the church grows, even the senior pastor becomes more removed from the stories happening in the church. Their responsibility is to find those stories and communicate them wherever they can. — Mark Lee
As leaders, our goal isn’t to gain many followers. It’s not even to be surrounded by the best technicians. Our job is to empower leaders who will do kingdom work better than we ever could. — Mark Lee
We may teach hyperbolically, but when we actually engage with our people, it has to be filled with grace and servant leadership. — Mark Lee
People go into ministry because they want to make a difference and feel like they’re in the trenches with other people. So, it’s important for us to act less like an office and to more like a family. — Mark Lee
Don’t underestimate the importance of staff culture. Shaping a culture is an indispensable part of your leadership. As the head of staff, no one else can do that for you. — Ed Stetzer
Episode 788Host Ed Stetzer chats with pastor and planter Mark Lee to discuss why we need to hold onto biblical endurance as modern-day ministry leaders. Tune in to discover how you can find longevity in ministry through healthier perspectives, sustainable rhythms of rest, and perseverance.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why returning to your calling is essential for ministry * How people pleasing leads to burnout * Why a shifted perspective is an essential tool for followers of Jesus * The impact of discerning your current season of ministry * How pastoral ministry is more like a marathon than you might think
Helpful Resources:* Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Some pastors will see their pain as a sign that something is wrong. What we have to attempt to do in that moment is to see that our pain is a process and that it is developing something in us that we could never develop in ourselves. — Mark Lee
People need reservoirs of resilience. Endurance is connected with resilience, and it’s something you have to cultivate. — Ed Stetzer
Sometimes, there is a time where the needs of the kingdom and the desperation of our times are actually more important than what it is that I may be feeling at the time. — Mark Lee
Your answer to that question of “Why?” is the most important endurance weapon that you can possibly have. I have got to not only be able to endure pain, but I’ve got to be able to welcome it. — Mark Lee
If you run with people, you can just run a lot further. Be very intentional about cultivating friendships and relationships with other pastors because they can understand the burden you carry better than anybody else. — Mark Lee
Episode 787Host Tony Merida sits down with longtime friend, pastor, and author David Platt to discuss the Great Commission’s call for missional preaching. Tune in to learn more about how the meditation and internalization of Scripture can impact your own heart for change as you seek to transform the nations with the gospel.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The danger of separating your preaching from your discipleship * Your role as part of the global body of Christ * Ways to encourage your fellow leaders in their missional zeal * Why prayer and preaching are both essential for your church’s discipleship culture * How Scripture emphasizes the global church
Helpful Resources:* Sermons from Radical: Radical’s Messages Archive * David’s Preaching Masterclass lesson: Preaching with the Nations in View * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We can all grow in our preaching as Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:15: ‘…let them see your progress.’ — Tony Merida
What we’re doing in preaching is presenting people with the good news so that they can escape God’s wrath and find refuge and grace in Christ—and we want to do that among the nations. — Tony Merida
The God we are pointing people to is the global God of the nations; not just God of the people we’re talking to at that moment, or people who look like those we’re talking to at that moment, or those we’re entrusted with the responsibility of shepherding. Jesus is the Savior of all nations. — David Platt
Preaching is a fundamental part of this Great Commission we’ve been given, but if all we’re doing is preparing and teaching sermons, then we are not doing all that disciple making requires. — David Platt
If we are worshipers of a global God, we should have a heart for the nations and for the spread of God’s glory among all the nations. That’s where all history is headed. — David Platt
The zeal for the spread of God’s glory among all the nations is not just for a few people, but for every follower of Jesus. — David Platt
Episode 786Host Ed Stetzer meets with Emmy award-winning producer and director of Lifeway Kids, Chuck Peters. Tune in as they discuss effective ways to engage children and their families as you further the gospel within your kids ministry context. Learn more about this rising generation’s social and emotional needs as it pertains to their identity in Christ.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What millennial parents are looking for * The impact of accessible and applicable children’s curriculum * Why presenting absolute truth is essential for the next generation * The cultural, intellectual, and behavioral needs of kids today * Why your church needs a game plan for what you teach and how you reach the children of your community
Helpful Resources: Lifeway Kids’ new ministry Resource: Hyfi Currriculum * Lifeway Kids’ free eBook: Flip the Script* * Are you part of a new church plant? Learn more about our new church offer here. * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Reaching families starts with reaching kids in any community. — Chuck Peters
One of the biggest felt needs that parents have is for their children to find connection in a safe place. If they feel their kids are in a safe place, those parents are more likely to come and listen to what it is we have to share. — Chuck Peters
There are pathways for engaging people who don’t know the Lord through church plants, specifically through children’s ministry. — Ed Stetzer
Trust plus respect equals influence. — Chuck Peters
Technology is a great way to engage with kids. But the performance-based ministry models of the past are not where it’s at. What’s more important is personal relational engagement, and we can do that anywhere. — Chuck Peters
This is a generation that desperately needs to know that their identity is not something that they achieve. It’s something they receive and that God has spoken to. — Chuck Peters
Episode 785Host Tony Merida sits down with longtime friend, pastor, and author David Platt to discuss the fruitfulness of passionately pursuing Jesus amidst the difficulties of church planting today. Tune in discover how you can more effectively cultivate unity, conviction, and reliance on Jesus as you shepherd the people God has entrusted you with.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to categorize the primary, secondary, and tertiary convictions of the local church * Why a global Christian worldview is crucial for living life on mission * How a church’s compassion toward their community impacts the spread of the gospel locally * Ways to cultivate healthy conversation around the gospel, the church, justice, and race * Scriptural encouragement for the exhausted church planter
Helpful Resources: David’s New book, Don’t Hold Back* * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):I’ve seen so much division, discouragement, disconnect, and even despair in the church because we’ve been holding fast to not just an American dream, but holding back from the issues that the gospel requires us to press into. — David Platt
The last thing the nations need is the exportation of nominal, cultural American Christianity. I’m zealous to see people sent out from churches in our country go to the nations, but I want to make sure they’re taking the gospel and not an Americanized version of it. — David Platt
What’s led to a lot of the unhealthy things we’ve seen in the church is wielding God’s Word like it’s a weapon in a culture war instead of water for friends in a desert. — David Platt
When sitting down with a brother or sister who’s struggling in their leadership role, start with the promises of God. You’re not alone in this long line of history of those who’ve gone before you. — David Platt
These have been hard days. But if God is the goal, then these are great days. Don’t hold back from God; that’s the big picture. — David Platt
Episode 784In this second installment of “Transitions and Leaving Well,” host Ed Stetzer meets with returning guest Todd Adkins, the Director of Leadership Development at Lifeway, to discuss best practices in navigating the people and processes related to your current role. Tune in to discover why retaining relational currency is essential as you honor God—and His people—with your next steps.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The significance of clarity in communication * How to categorize and prioritize your next steps * Suggested timelines for communicating departure * Why you should seek to work well amidst difficult people and circumstances * How to wrestle well with God’s plan for your future
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):If we’re doing it right, our legacy is not just what we do, but also what was developed under our leadership. Take big responsibility in carrying that forward. — Todd Adkins
Leaving well matters in ministry because the church is a community of people who know one another. They’re still going to know each other and be around one another after you leave. — Ed Stetzer
It says a lot more about you than it does your organization when you don’t leave well. — Todd Adkins
When you announce your transition, your church has to immediately start making decisions. If you’re the church planter, they will look to you. And when they can’t do that, it can be frustrating for them. — Ed Stetzer
Leaving well means helping your people walk through their stages of grief. — Todd Adkins
Episode 783Host Ed Stetzer meets back up with Lifeway’s Director of Leadership Development Todd Adkins to discuss how you can transition out of your church plant with your congregation’s best interests in mind. Tune in to discover your responsibilities in stewarding your plant’s relationships and systems well as you follow God’s guidance for your life.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why your leadership pipeline matters from the start * The best ways to avoid leadership uncertainty in your absence * Why your game place for succession is of utmost importance * How you can empower your successors in their decision-making skills * Your biggest relational concerns as you step away from your church plant
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Creating a culture that transitions well means creating one that develops well and intentionally. — Todd Adkins
So much of church planting is connected with you as the planter. It’s very hard to extricate yourself from that. — Ed Stetzer
Take a look at your systems and say, “Hey, are these set up to where somebody can step in and run? Are these are set up in a way that is not completely dependent up on my personality, gifts, and skillset?” — Todd Adkins
You want to be sure that there’s a plan in place because in a leadership vacuum, the person with the loudest voice or the clearest new vision is the guy that gets to pick it up. And we know that’s not always healthy or helpful. — Todd Adkins
There’s always going to be a part of us there as church planters because we helped launch this thing. In many ways, it’s our baby, and whether you planted it or it’s a ministry you started or a software you developed, it’s going to be hard to transition away from it. — Todd Adkins
Episode 782Hosts Tony Merida and Vance Pitman sit back down with returning guest, author and pastor Jamaal Williams, to discuss how neighborhood assessments can help your congregation to better love and serve your community. Here’s how you can more accurately determine the needs of those you’re seeking to reach.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why training up your launch team matters * The barriers to cultivating a diverse, united expression of the body of Christ * How to mobilize your congregation to live on mission * Why you can’t just copy and paste the ministries of your sending church * Where the American church is going—and how you can anticipate its needs
Helpful Resources: Jamaal’s Book: In Church as It Is in Heaven* * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):If we don’t unlock the door of the multi-ethnic church as America continues to move demographically, we’re not going to know how to reach our own nation much less the nations and peoples of the earth. — Vance Pitman
Cultivating a multi-ethnic kingdom culture requires a lot of denying self and making sure we’re not just trying to reproduce our own culture in those we disciple. — Jamaal Williams
Be a student of culture, be a student of your city, and begin to be a wise contextual church planter. — Tony Merida
If we make the goal to be multiethnic, we can lose focus on Jesus, and it becomes about being pragmatic. But if we make the goal to root ourselves in our beloved identity in Christ, teach others to do the same, and create a hospitable place where people feel welcomed and seen, we’ll see a multiethnic church. — Jamaal Williams
The multi-ethnic church is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit of God. That’s why Jesus said, “My house shall be a house of prayer for all the nations.” — Vance Pitman
Ask God for wisdom to reach your community, for the grace to cross cultures, for the power to break down barriers. He will do it, and He wants to do it. He wants your church to look like your neighborhood more than you ever could. — Jamaal Williams
Episode 781Host Ed Stetzer teams back up with Executive Director of Lifeway Research Scott McConnell to discuss how you can better equip your congregation to live evangelistically. Research shows that the world around you may be more inclined to engage in your gospel conversation than you think. Tune in to discover the best ways to approach your neighbors with the good news of Jesus.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The best tools for sharing the gospel with those around you * Ways to keep your church’s focus on evangelism well beyond your launch date * Why your testimony is so important for engaging others with the gospel * Lifeway Research’s statistics on what Americans are looking for in life—and from your life story * Why you must remain curious in own spiritual walk with Jesus
Helpful Resources:* Lifeway Research/Evangelism Explosion Study: Americans’ Openness to Talking about Faith * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We’ve likely not overstayed our welcome in terms of sharing the gospel. There’s usually some curiosity there that we could play into and have a conversation around. — Scott McConnell
The opportunity to share the gospel is there. So, stop letting national scarce statistics keep you from faithfully doing so. — Ed Stetzer
Relationships give you more license to go deeper. Actually, the highest percentage in Americans’ openness to gospel conversations is when it relates to your life story. 71% say they would be open or very open to hearing your life story. — Scott McConnell
Indicating to somebody you meet that your faith is important in your life can actually open up opportunities in later conversations because it will be natural. — Scott McConnell
More than 70% of Americans indicate it’s important for them to find hope and peace in their lives, which are hard to find today. Two-thirds want to find purpose and fulfillment as well. As believers, we have answers to those things through Jesus Christ. — Scott McConnell
Episode 780Hosts Tony Merida and Vance Pitman spend time with author and pastor Jamaal Williams to discuss Scripture’s example of the multi-cultural church through the lens of Jamaal’s book, In Church as It is in Heaven. Discover the steps your church can take through prayer, hospitality, and curiosity, that your local expression of the body of Christ would begin to look more like the one in heaven.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to disciple your congregation through education and representation * The importance of separating cultural Christianity from true faith in Christ * Why your church needs an intentional plan for unity * How the spiritual disciplines unite us corporately * What God has gifted us to celebrate as a unified body!
Helpful Resources: Jamaal’s Book: In Church as It Is in Heaven* * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The multi-ethnic church is not a new thing; it’s a New Testament thing. — Vance Pitman
A multi-ethnic kingdom culture is simply a church that welcomes people from every nation, tribe, and tongue, and that seeks to disciple them in the likeness of Christ without them feeling the need to check their ethnicity at the door. — Jamaal Williams
Throughout the Bible, we see God gathering together people from every nation and tribe, and if this is a theme throughout the biblical narrative, then we should be striving for that here and now, not waiting for that in heaven. — Jamaal Williams
It was an undeniable mark of the first-century church that the gospel reconciled people who should not have been reconciled. What’s tragic about where we live today, after what we have walked through in America these last few years, is that the world should be able to look at us and see something different. — Vance Pitman
We ultimately see hospitality in how Jesus welcomed people—no matter who they were, no matter how broken they were, no matter their background. He sat with them, ate with them, made space for them. And as Christians, the way forward is to model hospitality. — Jamaal Williams
Be intentional about this Idea of pursuing multi-unity. We’re not talking uniformity but unity, which means diversity within the unity. It’s a celebration of who God made us to be. — Jamaal Williams
Episode 779Host Ed Stetzer meets with Executive Director of Lifeway Research Scott McConnell to discuss their recent findings on evangelism and gospel conversations in the United States. Tune in to discover why your expectations of pushback may be holding you back from the worthwhile, hope-filled message that the world is desperate—and curious—to hear.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The significance of evangelism in church planting * The pros and cons of memorizing your own gospel presentation * The spectrum of engagement among professing believers in the United States * Steps you can take to evangelistically mobilize your congregation * How our personal relationships pave the way for community outreach
Helpful Resources:* Lifeway Research/Evangelism Explosion Study: Americans’ Openness to Talking about Faith * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):If you’re going to bring up your faith with somebody, there’s a pretty good chance they’re actually going to be curious about it. — Scott McConnell
We should be sharing the benefits of our faith with the world, which we should be singing about on Sunday Mornings and meditating on throughout the week. But too many of us are not used to putting these benefits into words. — Scott McConnell
Though there’s an increasingly negative perception of Christianity, there are those in the world who have a good perception of you as you have built relationships with them as a neighbor. It’s appropriate for you to initiate a faith conversation. — Ed Stetzer
In most areas of discipleship, the longer you’re a Christian, the more like Christ you look. But when it comes to evangelism, that’s not showing to be true. We’re seeing older saints being unwilling to bring up faith in conversations with others. — Scott McConnell
Half of Christians say they’re ready to share the basics of becoming a Christian. But we must be ready for any opportunity to share those basic steps. — Ed Stetzer
We have to remind each other that our message is hope-filled. Too often we get stuck on the fact that we’re coming across as pushy or rude. If we believe we have a message worth hearing, the gospel is that message and it’s our responsibility to share it. — Scott McConnell
Episode 778Host Tony Merida chats with pastor, author, and long-time ministry partner J.D. Greear to discuss the basics of the Christian faith in an age of deconstruction, as gleaned through the New Testament book of Romans. Tune in to discover the power of the gospel alive in the Word—and in the lives of God’s people—still today.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Romans’ framework for relevant essentials of the Christian faith today * How to address questions of the 21st century, just as Paul did for the early church * Ways to dissect Christian culture from the essence of true Christianity * What social media takes from our in-person relational opportunities * How understanding the basics of the faith equips us to live on mission
Helpful Resources: J.D.’s New Book: Essential Christianity* * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Deconstruction understood from one angle is not altogether a bad thing if you’re trying to separate some of the artificial constructs built into Christianity. — J.D. Greear
Paul wants the gospel to saturate every aspect of the Roman church’s being so that it’s not just a book about personal salvation, but also a book about community and mission. — Tony Merida
There is still this ancient power in the gospel that is not found through clever illustrations and cultural trendiness. Romans is just putting on display the raw power of the gospel. — J.D. Greear
Social media is not a great place for deep dialogue, especially about emotional concepts. Making disciples is a life-on-life thing, not an instant messenger thing. — J.D. Greear
What people don’t realize is that for every one conversation I tell you about, there were nine that crashed and burned and were just awkward. But you have to be out there with your radar on saying, “God, what are you doing around me? And where am I supposed to put Your Word into the places, questions, and needs I see?” — J.D. Greear
Episode 777Host Ed Stetzer joins his with long-time friend, colleague, professor, and ethics expert Scott Rae to discuss how pastors and planters can better address the week-long needs of their congregations. Tune in to discover the unique vantagepoints of bivocational pastors and how we can empower our people at the intersections of their work and ministry.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why our contributions in the workplace are so much more than a means to an end * Ways to intentionally engage the challenges of your people throughout the week * How to train your congregation to sense what God is doing amidst their daily lives * The significance of connecting your Sunday sermons to your people’s work and personal time * The impact of representing your people in all walks of life from the pulpit—from the businessman to the retiree to the stay-at-home mom
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The more familiar I am with what the people I’m serving are doing during the week, the better equipped I’ll be in making my applications to them. — Scott Rae
I’d love to see our preachers apply the fruit of the Spirit to the workplace. Think about it: who would you rather hire? Somebody characterized by the fruit of the Spirit or by the deeds of the flesh? It’s not a tough call. — Scott Rae
Scripture’s example is not merely a one-way conversation with the pastor’s teaching, but a mutual understanding of the Galatians all holding one another up and bearing one another’s burdens. — Ed Stetzer
It is in the discussions, relationships, and small groups where people are growing spiritually. We want our people to dwell together in the Word of God, not just hear it preached. — Ed Stetzer
Dignify the work that God has called you to do. Work was ordained in Genesis 1-2—not in chapter 3—because our work is not our penalty. Yeah, it’s fallen, but God cursed the ground, not our work. — Scott Rae
Episode 776Host Tony Merida chats with pastor, author, and long-time ministry partner J.D. Greear to discuss the implications of addressing the heart as we preach the Word of God. Here’s how the gospel reaches beyond moralization and leads to real life transformation.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How gospel-centered preaching moves our congregations from shame to empowerment * Why adoration is the end goal of all parts of Sunday service * Our New Testament examples of how to read the Old Testament * The impact of relaying all pulpit messaging back to Christ * Why our motivations are shifted through Christ-exalting worship
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):When we fall on our faces and allow our gospel approach to say, “The rest of my life is Yours,” our desires change beyond a mere perspective change. Resurrection power flows from a rebel who comes to believe in the gospel. — J.D. Greear
When affections change, everything changes. Behavior follows. It’s not wrong to address behavior, but we want to do more than that in our preaching. — Tony Merida
If you are strong enough and bend an iron rod, you may create some bend in it, but eventually your strength will fail and it will go back to its original shape, or you’ll break it in half. The gospel is like a blowtorch that heats the rods of our hearts so that God’s commands become natural and not burdensome. — J.D. Greear
It’s so important in preaching that we’re not just transferring information, but leading people to adoration. — Tony Merida
We’re aiming to read the Bible how Jesus did, like in Luke 24, when He went back to the Old Testament and explained how everything ultimately points to the gospel. We are learning to see these stories, even New Testament applications, through a gospel lens. — J.D. Greear
It’s right to point out good wisdom and the law when relevant to the text, but we need more than that in our application. Christ-centered preaching with gospel-centered application always offers hope and plugs our people into the power of Christ. — Tony Merida
Episode 775Host Ed Stetzer meets with author, ethics expert, and his own colleague Dr. Scott Rae to chat about the ethical implications of ChatGPT and its impact on preachers, planters, and pastors today. Tune in to discover why AI can’t replace the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s people.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How sermon prep relates to physical fitness * Why discipline and accountability are non-negotiables in this modern preaching age * The dangers of keeping pace—or failing to do so!—in the realm of technology * How AI differs from the vetted resources we know and trust * The role of the Holy Spirit in each and every step of your preaching process
Helpful Resources:* Ed’s sermon at Talbot Chapel: Grace Alone * Kenny Jahng’s ChurchLeaders Episode: What Church Leaders Need to Know about AI * Mihretu Guta’s ChurchLeaders Episode: How the Church Should Respond to the Ethical Dangers of AI * Yvonne Carlson’s ChurchLeaders Episode: How to Use AI Effectively in Your Ministry * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):I have no difficulty with bivocational church planters utilizing someone else’s sermon outline, though it’s a question of attribution and more. Whereas AI is a plagiarism machine that gathers and brings together other people’s thoughts. — Ed Stetzer
I’m troubled to think that the temptation to use AI for more and more and more will eventually become irresistible, to the point that it’s writing a first draft and you’re becoming an editor rather than someone generating it from scratch. — Scott Rae
You can have ChatGPT write you a script, but you’re basically just a voice actor reading a script. Pastors can be good at articulating things, but that’s not the same as wrestling with the text for what God has for the people He has called you to lead and serve. — Ed Stetzer
The pastor should have the experience we’ve all had of beating our heads against the wall until the light comes on and you realize what the text is saying and how it connects to your people. It’s that “Aha!” moment that I’m afraid ChatGPT may rob you of. — Scott Rae
Most of us overprepare for our sermons and have way more content that we can actually cover in the time allotted to us. The Spirit’s work in sermon preparation is just as much as the delivery itself. I don’t want to use tools that short circuit the activity of the Spirit, but enhance it. — Scott Rae
I want to wrestle with what I’ve prepared, what I think God wants me to deliver to my audience, what is consistent with the author’s intent, and what is the appropriate application to the text. — Scott Rae
Episode 774Hosts Noah Oldham and Vance Pitman sit down with Send Network’s Vice President for Planter Development Tony Merida to discuss why we are called to gather as the body of Christ. From topics like Christ’s incarnation to the COVID-19 pandemic, listen in to discover how your presence impacts the life and culture of the local church.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The pros and cons of online streaming * How God’s presence is encountered through physically gathering * Ways to combat the entertainment-driven consumer mentality of the modern age * Why gathering is more than just a Western interpretation of Scripture * How to “read the room” on your family conversations within the body of Christ
Helpful Resources:
- Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer.
- Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We not only have a new Father, but a whole new family through adoption into the gospel. I not only get to call God “Abba Father,” but I get to call those who look and have radically different backgrounds than me my brothers and sisters. — Tony Merida
The senior pastor and worship pastor are not leading worship; they’re the lead worshipers. So, don’t sit in a green room. Be engaged in every moment of worship because you want your people to see that gathering together matters. — Vance Pitman
Jesus didn’t just Zoom from heaven and tell us what to do, but He incarnated Himself and lived among us. The Word became flesh. We are embodied beings, and our faith is best lived out in embodied ways. — Tony Merida
Church is not an event you attend or watch; it’s a family to which you belong. So many of the “one anothers” in the New Testament cannot be lived out apart from fellowship, community, and gathering together. — Vance Pitman
Don’t get so locked in on Planning Center that you don’t leave room for the Holy Spirit of God to move and redirect your time of gathering. — Vance Pitman
Episode 773Host Ed Stetzer joins with rural pastor and planter Will Basham to discuss God’s faithfulness over a decade of ministry at New Heights Church. Listen as they dive into the fundamental details of purchasing a church building, along with creative ways to engage your community and congregation in each season along the way.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Tips for financial discernment and wisdom * Church planters’ testimonies of the Lord going before them * How growth can be viewed as a discipleship opportunity * The importance of clear communication in giving * Ways for your people to be the church, from “cafetoriums” to pizza shops, on a school campus or at the park!
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):I love to ask people to give. It’s a blessing to offer an opportunity to be blessed. — Ed Stetzer
The key is to have a strategy and a facility that match your community. — Ed Stetzer
In designing your church, you’re sending a message about the kind of church you want to be. You’re sending a message to the people of faith that this is a place for them. — Ed Stetzer
It’s so easy to get distracted on the building as a church planter, especially a church planter leading in unconventional places. I spent so many years saying, “The church is not a building; the church is the people until we get a building.” — Will Basham
Planting is a constant effort. You can’t let off the gas pedal of mission because you got a building. It’s taught me that more than anything else, I have to keep the mission in front of our people. — Will Basham
Episode 772In this episode, hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham talk with pastor, planter, and professor Tony Merida on the significance of an accountability that reaches past moral convictions. Tune in to discover all you have to gain from your sending church and network as you discredit false doctrines and get to the non-negotiables of your gospel-driven mission.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Tips for establishing theological convictions within your next new members’ course * How shared stances build mutual trust between co-laborers of the gospel * The role of the sending church vs. sending network in addressing theological concern * Two paths for preparing and raising planters within your own congregation * Why you may need to return to “the ministry of the phone call”
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):At the end of the day, Jesus will hold me accountable to what I teach and expects His church to be faithful to sound doctrine. Moral accountability is so important, but theological accountability is something we should be talking about, too. — Tony Merida
If you go back to the New Testament missiology, the apostles’ letters not only corrected missional and practical issues but dealt with theological issues that needed to be addressed. — Vance Pitman
Consider all the great confessions of the faith that have been passed down to us. These core doctrines can be read in a very academic, dry way or in a worshipful way that really builds your faith. — Tony Merida
We’re not talking about a relationship of cops and robbers or being the theological police; we’re talking about brother-to-brother encouragement and pouring theological investment into each other’s lives. — Vance Pitman
In Colossians 1, Paul doesn’t start by talking about problems and heresy. He starts by giving a real picture of Christ, then talking about the problem. If people understand who the real Christ is, they begin understanding the real gospel. — Tony Merida
John the Baptist lost his head over what he believed about marriage, so let’s not goof around as if everybody’s going to love us. We have to be bold while dealing with controversial issues in a way that’s gentle, winsome, and warm, but also in a spirit of boldness. — Tony Merida
Episode 771Host Ed Stetzer sits down with rural pastor and planter Will Basham to discuss his heart for reaching the lost in rural America. Regardless of our own backdrop, this church-planting mission remains the same for us, too, as we go and make disciples. Here’s how God is reaching the lost in Milton, West Virginia, and how you can join in on His mission.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: How the Imago Dei* should impact our pursuit of the lost and searching * The difficulties and blessings found in rural church planting * What planters in the urban context can learn from rural America * How to address worshipping through giving in your church context * What the gospel teaches about the polarization of today’s social climate
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Anywhere there are people created in the image of God is an important place for ministry. — Will Basham
When we devalue an area culturally, people in that cultural context—those in the inner city, as well as in rural America—know that they’re undervalued by the culture. — Ed Stetzer
It’s about teaching faithfulness in a lot of little areas. It’s not about trying to shake people down for money but teaching our people about sacrificing and worshiping through giving. — Will Basham
When we forget the gospel or try to mingle it with political or social issues instead of keeping it above them, we become misguided and just part of the noise. — Will Basham
Our church is trying to teach people that in a sea of faces, they’re not forgotten. — Will Basham
God is at work in the rural context and calls people there. Maybe you are called to go there or to partner with others who are answering the call to reach these spaces as well. — Ed Stetzer
Episode 770What exactly are the benefits of engaging with social media? Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team back up with pastor and planter Josh Howerton to share insight into social media’s role in ministry. Here’s how your online presence can assist you in sharing God’s truth and shepherding His people as you seek to plant new churches.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The three spiritual giftings of church leaders * How online platforms can hurt or help you as you live on mission * The significance of connecting with your congregation in the online sphere * Why you should take your time with developing and strategizing your online content * Tips for establishing online limits and accountability
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Social media can be a field full of landmines. — Noah Oldham
Shepherding and Bible teaching isn’t just 40 minutes once a week. Our people are spending dozens of hours online, and we’re leaving our sheep to the wolves when we decide to not engage. — Josh Howerton
I engage online because I want to have the conversation where my people are. I don’t want my pulpit to get hijacked by the current cultural issue, but I do need to help my people with those concepts. — Josh Howerton
A reason to think about why these issues matter, as well as why we need to speak about them, is because it’s not political; it’s about being the immune system of our culture. — Vance Pitman
You want to have a ministry that edifies the wise, corrects the foolish, and—though this is something with a bit of an edge to it—drives away the evil. — Josh Howerton
Attracting a mob is like getting attacked by snowballs. When it’s done, you realize it actually didn’t hurt you that much. But you have to be wise and thoughtful from every angle. — Josh Howerton
Episode 769Host Ed Stetzer teams back up with long-time ministry leaders Christine and Kyle Hoover to share their wisdom gained through all their years of marriage and church planting. Tune in to discover the lessons they learned the hard way—from calendars and communication to rest and recreation—and how you can better invest in your marriage as a priority ministry, too.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Tips for establishing sustainable rhythms of rest * Why you must establish boundaries within your time commitments * What your cell phone usage says about your mental and emotional health * The importance of owning your identity in Christ * How your calendar communicates your priorities—for better or for worse
Helpful Resources:* Ed’s leadership podcast: The Stetzer Church Leaders Podcast * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):You could fill every minute of every day with new ideas for church planting; you have to intentionally make decisions for you and your spouse to be together. — Kyle Hoover
A lot of church planters fit their family time in however and whenever they can, which communicates to the family that they’re secondary. — Kyle Hoover
A lot of pastors, church planners, and their wives think they’re the exception to the rule of rest. Church planting is nonstop, but that’s exactly what runs you into the ground. — Christine Hoover
Cultivating your relationship is a primary ministry God has given you; it’s not a place to just rest until you go out and do more ministry. — Christine Hoover
It’s worth it to financially and timewise invest in your marriage so that you can endure in ministry while cultivating your marriage. — Christine Hoover
In almost all circumstances of leaving, the people who go with you are your family. Investing in those long-term relationships is better for your church plant as you invest in your family. — Ed Stetzer
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham spend time with pastor and planter Josh Howerton discussing how networks can help us go further faster. Tune in to discover how this valuable kingdom advancement can be yours for the taking as you lead your people with a missional mindset—financially, relationally, and spiritually.
Episode 767Host Ed Stetzer chats with ministry leaders Christine and Kyle Hoover about how church pastors and planters can better serve their wives while leading their congregations. Tune in to discover how understanding balance and boundaries, along with calling and communication, will allow your wife to flourish the way God designed her to.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How creativity can help you resolve conflict within your ministry and marriage * Tips for establishing boundaries as a ministry spouse * Why your feelings aren’t a burden to God or His church * How intentionality and discernment can lead you toward your unique ministry calling * The importance of establishing healthy rhythms from the earliest days of your church plant
Helpful Resources:* Ed’s leadership podcast: The Stetzer Church Leaders Podcast * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The best thing a husband can do is study his wife, have conversations with her about what she is passionate about and gifted for, and as soon as possible, help her find her spot in the church plant that incorporates those gifts. — Christine Hoover
In the framework of intentionality, is the default approach to just hand off responsibilities to your wife? Or are you being intentional to turn every stone to find a different scenario that works better? — Kyle Hoover
Treat your wife with the same kind of care and intentionality that you would if she were a lay or staff person, not assuming things based upon her being your wife. — Kyle Hoover
Church planning tends to attract people who are very driven and who are going to fill their time with work because they’re excited about starting something new. This entrepreneurial mindset can often lead to a marriage and a family out of balance. — Ed Stetzer
My ability to engage others in the church is going to change over time because of the season of life that I’m in. It comes down to knowing my context, knowing myself, and knowing what the Lord has asked me to do. — Christine Hoover
Episode 766Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham offer their insights into what it means for a church to truly be a house of prayer. Here’s how your congregation can more intentionally be in tune with the Lord in each new season of church planting, establishing healthy prayer rhythms as you go.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The impact of starting your church well and finding your footing early on * Why your inclination toward self-reliance is more than likely stunting your growth * How prayer can cultivate your mission field * Tips for measuring success in the life of your church * The example Jesus set in picking a launch team!
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Prayer, along with the Word of God, should be the centerpiece of what we’re doing and what we’re about. — Vance Pitman
Jesus said that when the lost world thinks about you as a people, they ought to say, “I don’t know everything about those people, but I know they talk to God over there.” — Vance Pitman
We don’t pray before we work; prayer is the work, and then God works. Unfortunately, today, we often think prayer is what we do before we get to the real work. — Vance Pitman
We’re not about success; we’re about kingdom fruit. — Noah Oldham
The power’s not in our praying. The power is in the One we’re praying to, and when we seek Him, He begins to move in power. — Noah Oldham
Host Ed Stetzer teams back up with writer, professor, and missionary Trevin Wax to hone in on the ways theology impacts us as preachers, pastors, and planters. Tune in to discover how you’re already doing the work of a theologian… and why it’s time to lean into that calling upon your life.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham spend some time with Strategic Renewal President Daniel Henderson to discuss the role of prayer in the pastor’s life and in the life of the church as a whole. Discover how you can grow your own appetite for prayer and lead your people to do the same.
Host Ed Stetzer teams back up with author, pastor, and leadership expert Eric Geiger to discuss the church’s responsibility to engage hard questions with applicable theological truth. Here’s how you can intentionally shepherd your people as they examine God’s Word and seek His heart for them in the process.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham join with small group guru, leadership expert, and church planter Spence Shelton to dissect the issues faced within small groups, specifically pertaining to men’s involvement. Tune in to learn more about engaging the men in your church plant and creating spaces for authenticity within your discipleship models.
Host Ed Stetzer meets with author, pastor, and leadership expert Eric Geiger to discuss the inevitability of change in church planting. Tune in to learn how Christ’s transformational power impacts us personally as believers as well as within our leadership roles.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham spend some time with pastor, author, and discipleship consultant Spence Shelton to uncover the role community groups play in the life of the local church. Tune in to discover how you can cultivate more group-centric rhythms while furthering the gospel’s reach within your own community.
Host Ed Stetzer meets with Lifeway’s Director of Leadership Todd Adkins to explore the relationship between the body of Christ—the church—and its next generation of young leaders. Tune in to discover so much more about the church’s responsibility in leading and serving its Gen Z counterparts.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team back up with author, speaker, and church planting director Scott Thomas to dive even more deeply into the role that failure plays in leaders’ lives. Tune in to discover how you can be on guard against your sin and the havoc it wreaks in ministry.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team up with pastor, author, and church planting director Scott Thomas to discuss the lessons they’ve learned throughout their years in ministry. Tune in to hear more about how prayer, desperation, and the health of your family can aid you in your calling to plant churches and make disciples.
Host Ed Stetzer meets with executive pastor and leadership extraordinaire Todd Adkins to dive into the ways the pandemic has impacted our leaders’ discipleship and development. Tune in to learn how you can empower your people to better lead through intentional relationships.
Introducing Start to Finish: The Life and Ministry of Tony Evans. Podcast episodes drop soon. Subscribe today!
Host Ed Stetzer meets with writer, professor, and missionary Trevin Wax to discuss the responsibility of preachers and teachers to further the knowledge of their craft. Listen to learn why the congregation, culture, and context you shepherd deserve more of your intellectual attention.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham join Brad Lomenick for the second installment of their discussion on humble, hungry, and hustle-driven leadership. Listen as they delve even further into the topic of church-planting leader development, especially through the lens of healthy hunger and how rest can take you further in your hustle.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham spend time with author, speaker, and consultant Brad Lomenick examining the impact of humble, hungry, and hustle-driven leadership within the church planting context. Here’s how you can level up your personal and professional development as you seek to become the planter and leader whom God has wired you to be.
Host Ed Stetzer meets with Tony Merida and Adam Muhtaseb to discuss the complex yet essential relationship between church plants and their sending churches. Listen to learn more about establishing a sending culture within your own congregation, as well as how to partner with planters in a healthy way.
Hosts Ed Stetzer and Trevin Wax sit down to discuss the life and impact of Dr. Tim Keller. Known for his many roles as an author, pastor, apologist, and evangelist, he was also an esteemed urban missionary to New York City and beyond. Listen to learn more about Dr. Keller’s legacy in transforming the world of church planting as we know it.
Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team back up with The Hub Urban Ministries’ Cassie Hammett to share how your church can take the next step in serving the most vulnerable populations in your city. Here’s how you can mobilize your people to live on mission while creating space for all who may come to believe in the name of Jesus.
Host Ed Stetzer meets with Tony Merida and Adam Muhtaseb to discuss the ins and outs of preaching within the church-planting context. Here’s how you can find your rhythm as a pastor, preacher, and planter.
Episode 748: Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham meet with The Hub Urban Ministries’ Cassie Hammett to discuss how to you can best assess the needs of the most vulnerable populations in your midst. From your church pews to the city streets, here’s how you can take trauma-informed care to the next level.
Episode 747: What is the next generation looking for in their discipleship relationships? Host Ed Stetzer chats with Shane Pruitt and Catherine Renfro on how we can effectively meet Gen Zs with the gospel of Jesus Christ and equip them to make disciples themselves.
Episode 746We talk about “mobilizing the church” but what do that really mean? Noah Oldham, Vance Pitman and Matt Carter talk about unleashing the church to join in God’s mission.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How churches can partner to plant healthy multiplying churches * Why mobilization requires intentionality and collaboration * What “starting small” looks like * The “dirty little secret” about mobilizing your church * How to make excitement contagious
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The church doesn’t do missions. The church is born for the mission. As pastors and leaders, our job is to unleash the church for joining in the mission of God. —Vance Pitman
Go find in the New Testament where a church did missions by itself. You won’t find it. There’s a there’s a power in coming together for the sake of mobilization. —Matt Carter
You have to think about starting small in two areas. First of all, at the micro level, helping them begin to see themselves as a missionary. Then at the macro level, organizing events where you can mobilize the church. —Vance Pitman
One of the most attractional things is a church that’s not just focusing on its own personal growth but on sending people. —Matt Carter
The size of the church doesn’t determine the significance of the church. The size of the mission determines the significance of the church. The mission is big so you don’t have to be a big church to take this step. —Vance Pitman
When I painted the picture clearly for the congregation and called them to it is when people were most likely to move. —Matt Carter
I’ve never seen a church too mobilized. The church is community on mission. —Vance Pitman
Episode 745As our society tips toward majority non-Christian, the need for clearer calls to the gospel becomes paramount. Ed Stetzer, Shane Pruitt and Catherine Renfro talk about how to give an effective gospel presentation.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Different ways to invite people to Jesus without manipulating * Four kinds of people hearing every sermon * Important theological elements of a gospel presentation * How to keep an invitation short and clear * A “cheat code” for clear, concise invitations
Helpful Resources:* Shane Pruitt article Giving an Effective Gospel Invitation with Integrity * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Sermons should be text driven and every text should be preached in the light of the gospel. And if the gospel is preached, then an opportunity to respond to the gospel should be given. —Shane Pruitt
In giving an invitation, people need to know why they need to put their trust in Jesus and that God’s not made it complicated for us to be saved. —Catherine Renfro
The cheat code for doing an invitation clearly and concisely is to be prepared. A lot of times communicators don’t prepare their invitations like they prepare the sermon. —Shane Pruitt
If there’s confusion on the stage, there will be mass confusion in the seats and the last thing we want anybody to do is to respond in confusion. —Shane Pruitt
At the end of the day, we want to make sure that those who respond to the gospel have an opportunity to talk with someone afterward. —Catherine Renfro
As the leader, the shepherd of the church, your goal is to to create and cultivate a culture of evangelism. You don’t want to go, “OK, this is the one weekend a year we’re actually going to be evangelistic.” —Shane Pruitt
If you proclaim the gospel, give an invitation and people respond but you don’t have a follow-up plan, we’re being bad stewards in that. —Shane Pruitt
Episode 744One way we build a sending culture in a church is preaching about “living sent.” Noah Oldham, Vance Pitman and Matt Carter talk about how to preach a theology of sending.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The biblical basis for “Sending Church” * How a pastor can cultivate a culture of sending through his preaching * How to help your people put “living sent” into action * Systems you can put in place to make sure people can take next steps * The enemy within and without
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The local church is not the ultimate goal; the ultimate goal is the kingdom of God being expanded and God birthing His local church. One of the ways we create that sending culture is through preaching. —Vance Pitman
We always had next steps. It’s one thing to get everybody fired up from the pulpit. It’s another thing to have something they can hang their hat on. —Matt Carter
We end every service telling our our church after we pray, “Go to love, serve and tell.” —Noah Oldham
Preaching is not the dispensing of information. Preaching is a call to transformation. There has to be an opportunity for people to respond. We have to apply “living sent” for our people to begin to take those steps. —Vance Pitman
There’s a pent-up desire in the body of Christ to engage in the mission of God, and I think it’s bottlenecked at the pastor because we’re not giving them the opportunity to do it. —Matt Carter
You’ve got to be passionate about it yourself or your people are never going to follow you. It’s got to be something you believe in, deep down in the core of your being. —Matt Carter
I would warn a pastor to be prepared. There will be opposition. There’s an enemy within and an enemy without. —Vance Pitman
Episode 743Time is our most precious commodity, and most bivocational leaders say they have trouble managing it. Ed Stetzer and Brad Brisco discuss practical ideas for managing your time.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The difference between “bivocational” and “covocational” * The danger of compartmentalizing * Why managing expectations is crucial * The importance of a theology of work * How to find healthy life patterns
Helpful Resources:* 5 benefits of being bivo/covo * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):The No. 1 challenge, every single time I ask a bivo/covo planter, always has to do with time management – managing multiple aspects of life. — Brad Brisco
We definitely have to have a conversation if your approach to church is professional clergy centric. — Ed Stetzer
I’ve seen people have two or three couples and two or three singles, all going together to plant a church. If you’re bivo or covo, you cannot plant as a Lone Ranger. — Brad Brisco
There’s something in our culture that’s not healthy where we have to be the hero, we have to be the center. You can’t have a healthy long-term ministry like that. — Ed Stetzer
Church planters tell me they feel guilty with the amount of time they spend at work because those are hours they can’t spend on the church plant. — Brad Brisco
If you’re going to be bivocational, covocational, there are some jobs that are not good jobs for you. — Ed Stetzer
You have to operate with a planner and a calendar. You need to manage expectations. Most leaders need to set some social media boundaries. — Brad Brisco
Episode 742What does it look like to connect with your community? Noah Oldham and Vance Pitman talk with Mark Lee about best practices for engaging your community as a new church planter.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The best place to start connecting with your community * How to be seen as a partner, rather than a parasite * What foreign missions can teach us about being a missionary * The principle of living your life with your eyes open to God’s activity around you * How to mentor your core team to reach out to the city
Helpful Resources:* The Externally Focused Quest * The Art of Neighboring * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):When we begin to be viewed as partners in our communities and cities, we create relational bridges that allow the gospel to walk from our lives into the lives of those we’ve been called to serve. —Vance Pitman
The way we connected with the community was that I just wanted to connect with my street, to just be the pastor of my street. Sometimes we can make it too complicated: Who do I need to reach out to? Where do I need to go? I just started where I lived. —Mark Lee
The greatest church planting class I took in seminary was actually on foreign missions. It taught me about these principles of being a missionary. And one of those principles was finding a person of peace. —NoahOldham
Find ways you can build relationships with the people in your life. For me, a lot of it had to do with what my kids were doing. The first 13 families I led to Christ, I led to Christ coaching Little League baseball and NFL flag football. —Vance Pitman
Once we have followers, disciples and a core team, how do we mentor them to reach out to the city too? For my core team, I provided a framework: prayers, conversations, table fellowships and invitations. —Mark Lee
When we started, we created what we called the Personal Touch Tip Sheet. It was 40 examples of how you could connect with someone. Like, for example, when somebody moves in on your street, bake some cookies or bread, make a meal, and take it to your neighbor. —Vance Pitman
Keep being faithful and trust the Lord to build His Church. —NoahOldham
Episode 741You’ve heard about “having a multiplication mindset” but what is it and why does it matter? Ed Stetzer talks with Brad Brisco about what it looks like to have a multiplication mindset.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What a multiplication mindset is and why it matters * Four principles for cultivating a multiplication mindset * How multiplication is about more than planting churches * What it means to apprentice each other in multiplication * The importance of stories and scorecards
Helpful Resources:* Pre-order the new edition of Rethink * Missional Essentials small group study guide * The Missional Quest: Becoming a Church of the Long Run * Next Door as It Is in Heaven * Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways * Woodward and White, The Church as Movement * Alan Hirsch, The Permanent Revolution * Website: 5Q Central * Neil Cole, Primal Fire * Peyton Jones, Church Zero
Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We need to understand and remember that we’re a sent, missionary people. A multiplication mindset has to start with God’s redemptive purposes being central. — Brad Brisco
If the first thing you stand up and say is, “Hey, we’ve got to plant another church, but you haven’t multiplied a disciple or a group or a ministry, it’s jarring to people. We have to get to the place where we’re thinking multiplication consistently. — Ed Stetzer
It’s not just about multiplying churches. In fact, it needs to start by multiplying disciples, leaders and groups. Church leaders need to be thinking about multiplying ourselves in mission or ministry. — Brad Brisco
If the norm is not to live on mission, when I multiply the way people think about mission, that’s multiplication as well. — Ed Stetzer
Paul says in Ephesians 4 that if all five of the gifts are not being exercised, the church will not reach maturity. In fact, he actually says the church will not experience the fullness of Christ. — Brad Brisco
I can live sent and not multiply. I can think of myself as a missionary in my context, showing and sharing the love of Jesus, and still not multiply. — Ed Stetzer
In creating a multiplication culture, we need to think about stories and scorecards. What stories are we celebrating? What are we measuring? How are we defining success? — Brad Brisco
Episode 740New churches must be built on a foundation of evangelism. Noah Oldham and Vance Pitman talk with Mark Lee about how to build a church through evangelism.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What it looks like to birth churches out of evangelism * An “elevator pitch” for an evangelizing church plant * Things to keep in mind to build a church plant through evangelism * A relevant lesson drawn from arguing with your wife * The crucial nature of evangelistic modeling and storytelling
Helpful Resources:* Peter Wagner’s book Church Planting for a Greater Harvest * Mark Lee’s Why should I care about God? sermon series * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):One of the big mistakes we’ve made is shifting from starting churches to starting church services. Paul never went in and started a service. He began by engaging the community with the gospel, focused on disciple-making. —Vance Pitman
Missiologists tell us that the most strategic way of bringing a revival back to our continent is reaching lost people for Christ. —Mark Lee
Church planters have to remember what lost people are not looking for and what they are looking for. —Vance Pitman
A lot of church planters will default to the weekly gathering and some sort of discipleship in small groups. We must challenge people to keep a focus on engagement with the city, one-on-one sharing the gospel, reaching people where they are. —NoahOldham
There’s an old adage that if we want other people to feel something, we have to bleed something. If we want to build an evangelistic fire in our church, it has got to start with us as the pastors. —Mark Lee
All of us have Christ in us, seeking and saving the lost. We have to create opportunities within our church, allow people to live that out, because many will never choose that on their own. —Vance Pitman
The goal of the gospel, of what Jesus had in mind, is when I sit at my table who else am I inviting to the table with me? —Mark Lee
Episode 739Establishing healthy partnership between an established church and a plant can be a challenge. Ed Stetzer talks with Ron Edmondson about how to lead an established church to support church planting.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to get an established church focused outwardly * Ways to involve established church staff and volunteers * The value of doing a “faith in work” survey * How to build partnerships with strong relational connections * Signs of a good partnering relationship
Helpful Resources:* Ron Edmondson’s ministry leadership podcast and blog * Ron’s book on the seven myths of leadership * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Places across the globe are having more success with the gospel than we are having. We need to learn from them. We also need to fuel their fire with what God has given us. — Ron Edmondson
Casting vision helps a church be outwardly focused. — Ed Stetzer
People are going to go where they want to go. Church planting matters. And the more we can put those two together, the more successful we’re going to be. — Ron Edmondson
I had a church planting class create case studies on the way plants partnered with their primary sponsor church. Seven out of 10 had relational problems. — Ed Stetzer
Seek more than money. If you don’t ask for my advice, you’ve already shot yourself in the foot. — Ron Edmondson
There’s a difference between being having a partner and a funder. Finding the other things an established church can provide is really key. — Ed Stetzer
A sign of healthy partnership is when both the planter and the pastor enjoy that relationship. It’s not just transactional. It’s not just the the dollars. — Ron Edmondson
Episode 738Planters, lead pastors, apprentices – we all need to grow as preachers. Clint Clifton talks with Bryan Loritts and Bobby Jamieson about the “how to” of becoming a better preacher.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The value of apprenticeship * Why feedback is important * The importance of self-awareness * Why preaching cohorts are helpful * How a church is like a teaching hospital
Helpful Resources:* Books: The Dad Difference, Doctrine That Dances, Expositional Preaching, Crossover Preaching, Making a Difference in Preaching, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism * Sermons: Tony Evans on spiritual warfare, Ligon Duncan on Elijah * Charles Simeon Trust * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):A big aspect of how our senior pastor has trained so many preachers is having lots of feedback. He will very humbly receive feedback on his own preaching. – Bobby Jamieson
Church planting has kind of turned into the Wild, Wild West. So many planters just kind of went out there on their own. They haven’t really sat under consistent preaching. – Bryan Loritts
I’ve talked to more than one church planter who basically said, “I started planting a church without really knowing what a church is and now I’m having to do this messy thing of rebuilding the plane in midair.” – Bobby Jamieson
Karl Barth said he takes the text in one hand and the newspaper in the other. That’s one way I try to gauge the fruit of my ministry: Am I speaking to the particular idols of that given context and is that being worked into the lifeblood of our church? – Bryan Loritts
I have interns join me when I’m preparing a sermon, by the time I have an outline. They come in with their own outlines and thoughts about how to apply the passage. We’ll go over our outlines. – Bobby Jamieson
Churches should be teaching hospitals. The teaching hospital says, “We want to create, within the ecosystem of our hospital, room for residents to actually practice.” That’s what we’ve always tried to do.” – Bryan Loritts
I encourage young preachers to make sure that in every point of their sermon they have explanation, illustration and application. – Bobby Jamieson
Episode 737How do you set goals for your church without slipping into pragmatism? Ed Stetzer talks with Ron Edmondson about “faith goals” and how to set them for your church.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What a “faith goal” is * How to translate goals into action * Balancing internal and external goals * How to start the process of determining goals * Unique aspects of goal setting in a church plant
Helpful Resources:* Pat Lencioni’s Working Genius assessment * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Does goal-setting presume on God? I do think goals are good. What’s it going to look like when what are we hoping to see happens? — Ed Stetzer
If you’re making a goal and there’s no stretching in it, that’s not going to be a faith goal. God is in charge of the increase, so it may not happen the way you intended. — Ron Edmondson
Do you have categories for different goals – internal staff goals and external partnership goals? How do you find a good balance? — Ed Stetzer
Everything you learn from the people who have multiple staff, be willing to translate the principle. You don’t translate practices; you translate principles. Start with the end in mind. What are you trying to achieve? Then work backward from that. — Ron Edmondson
If this is a faith goal, then where is God already working? We don’t want to go where God’s not at work. This is where it becomes a true faith initiative. — Ron Edmondson
People tend to overdo goal-setting when they’ve never done it before. They end up with, like, 15 goals. — Ed Stetzer
I use the last six weeks of the year to pray about and plan for the next year. Say, “If we’re going to take this church where it needs to go next year, what are the top two or three goals we need to have?” Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I always depend on that. — Ron Edmondson
Episode 736“Pastor Dads” face tremendous challenges in raising children. Clint Clifton talks with Bryan Loritts and Bobby Jamieson about how to navigate the complexities.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Unique challenges Pastor Dads face * What Pastor Dads sometimes get wrong * The twin dangers of overcorrection * How Pastor Dads can have a positive impact on their children’s relationship with the Lord * What to do when your children feel like they live in a fishbowl
Helpful Resources:* Bobby Jamieson’s book: The Path to Being a Pastor * Bryan Loritt’s book: The Dad Difference * Eugene Peterson biography: A Burning in My Bones * Watch this tribute video about Clint * Honor Clint by donating to the Clint Clifton Global Church Planting Fund * Download your free copy of his book, Church Planting Thresholds * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Pastoring and being a dad overlap so much. The kind of issues you’re wrestling with dealing with messy stuff in people’s lives, you come home to somewhat similar messes. There is a sort of uncanny parallel. – Bobby Jamieson
When I was aspiring for pastoral ministry, my biggest apprehension was the effect I’d seen pastoral ministry have on the children of pastors. I felt I was, by going into ministry, making the choice to give my kids a really rough upbringing. – Clint Clifton
There can be great benefits and blessings to having your kids get front-row seats to what the Lord is doing in people’s lives, to just grow up immersed in the work of ministry. – Bobby Jamieson
It’s important to embrace the tension. We want our kids to know they are definitely a priority in our lives, but we have to be careful of the idolatry of children. – Bryan Loritts
I find myself often telling planters not to sacrifice their ministries on the altar of family. It’s possible to create an environment where our kids are the center of our universe. – Clint Clifton
More than my dad’s sin, I remember his apologies. There’s no shame in apologizing to a middle schooler. – Bryan Loritts
As a dad, I must put gospel distance between who I am and my kids’ behavior. If I look at my kids as a reflection of me, that’s going to lead to some very dark places. I am not my kid’s behavior and the freedom that comes with that is huge. – Bobby Jamieson
Episode 735Most, if not all, church planters struggle with feeling inferior. Ed Stetzer, Scotty Smith and Adam Muhtaseb explain how to fight feelings of inferiority.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The danger of the Imposter Syndrome * How common feelings of insecurity are among ministry leaders * How to lead in a way that is both confident and humble * How leading from place of weakness can actually maximize growth * What it truly means to “treasure the gospel”
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We all live with Imposter Syndrome. As a church planter, most people would find me bold and brash, but I struggled with feelings of inferiority for the entire journey. @EdStetzer
People would rather follow someone who’s real than somebody who’s always Superman. They’d rather you admit your weakness, point to Jesus and show His strength. @Adam_Muhtaseb
Don’t be ashamed of your weakness. Learn what it means to lead as a jar of clay with the aroma of grace coming out. @Scotty Smith
Lots of stories in Scripture are of those who felt inadequate for the task God had called them to do. @EdStetzer
The very concept of inferiority presupposes comparison. I feel inferior compared to what? Comparison-ism destroys community. @Scotty Smith
People see either your strength or Jesus’ strength. Let’s let our people see Jesus’ ‘ strength through our weakness. @Adam_Muhtaseb
You know what’s better than the hardship of ministry? The beauty and faithfulness of the Lord. Learn every day to rely upon the God who raises the dead. @Scotty Smith
Episode 734We know the value of building leaders, but what about when we need to hire? Clint Clifton talks with Todd Adkins and Jamie Caldwell about best hiring practices for a new church.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The two sides to hiring * How to make great use of stipends * Indications a full-time ministry role is needed * The danger of drifting toward complexity * How pastoring relates to policy
Helpful Resources:* Todd Adkins’ 90 Second Leadership videos * Watch this tribute video about Clint * Honor Clint by donating to the Clint Clifton Global Church Planting Fund * Download your free copy of his book, Church Planting Thresholds * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Most church planters think they’ll have multiple full-time staff members. We’re still starry-eyed and optimistic and we haven’t been punched in the in the nose yet by the difficulties of church planting. — Clint Clifton
The people you can afford early, you don’t want very long. – Jamie Caldwell
We always tell church planters to act their age. Church planters go out and they want everything that every church has. Often they’re trying to do too much too fast, instead of doing a few things really well. — Clint Clifton
If you’re bringing somebody from outside, you better be crystal clear on your vision, values, systems and structures. They’re going to make decisions that are outside of what you would want and sometimes it’s not their fault because we haven’t been clear. @Todd Adkins
God will give you the church He wants you to have, with the people He knows you need. It’s your job to know them well enough to put them into into place. – Jamie Caldwell
Churches will drift toward complexity, not simplicity. You need to be really tight on what you do and what you don’t do, because it’s really hard to kill stuff off later on. @Todd Adkins
We cannot neglect that God’s got a sovereign strategy. We can’t jump to Step 2 and start writing policies about hiring until we have a picture of what God is doing and we’re willing to just scrap the rest of it. – Jamie Caldwell
Episode 733Everything about planting screams, “Emergency!” Host Ed Stetzer talks with Scotty Smith and Adam Muhtaseb about the importance of taking the long view on church planting.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to build at the beginning things that become part of the fabric of the church * The twin values of mechanics and organics * What “living in the whole story of God” means * How to personalize taking the long view * What it means to live and lead at “the pace of grace”
Helpful Resources:* Scotty Smith books: Unveiled Hope, Objects of His Affection, Everyday Prayers * Adam Muhtaseb podcast episodes: Leading and Loving Difficult Team Members, Raising Pastors from Within * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Church planters come in and they’re so drunk with the vision. The only thing they’re thinking about is the launch service. It’s not even like, “What do I do the week after?” @EdStetzer
I realized early on we were going to absolutely need to do the mechanics but equally the organics. The Lord’s building for eternity, not next week. @Scotty Smith
From the beginning, our vision was to be a church planting movement. So I set up systems, values, programs, etc. to build our church toward that. @Adam_Muhtaseb
A lot of the church planters I’ve worked with think pragmatically about getting a job done and they lose what Scripture says is central, which is a love for Jesus. @Scotty Smith
In the U.K. I lived on this one-lane road and every day I walked by this church that has been worshipping in the same space for over 1,000 years. I don’t hear lot of church planters even talk about 100 years from now. @EdStetzer
You should be spending just as much time working on the church as you are working in the church. @Adam_Muhtaseb
The good news for some church planters is you don’t have to work 80 hours a week. if you do, that’s called idolatry. @Scotty Smith
Episode 732Regardless of a church’s financial situation, every pastor can benefit from having a “No. 2.” Host Clint Clifton talks with Todd Adkins and Jamie Caldwell about important aspects of adding executive leadership.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why executive leadership isn’t irrelevant in new churches * How an executive leader can level up everybody’s church experience * The importance of “doing life” with your No. 2 * Why you will need to walk yourself back from getting involved * The importance of “culture fit”
Helpful Resources:* Watch this tribute video about Clint * Honor Clint by donating to the Clint Clifton Global Church Planting Fund * Download your free copy of his book, Church Planting Thresholds * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):You need a guy riding shotgun with you. Whether you pay that guy or not, you need this role. @Todd Adkins
You’re looking for somebody who’s going to complement the giftings of the senior pastor. The executive pastor may look a little bit different in one situation than it does in another. @ClintJClifton
In a church-planting environment, there’s there’s no way not to do life together. You got to be staying in your house all day not to do life with the people, because the church plant’s usually small and the team’s tight-knit. @ClintJClifton
If you trust him, then give him the freedom to do the job. Nobody wants to get hired and then be led by the hand in this incredibly micromanaging process. – Jamie Caldwell
Hire slowly and make sure there’s a culture fit before you pull the trigger. If there is any area in which they are different than you, make sure it’s an area you want to change in your culture. @Todd Adkins
Know where you’re weak and then ask people to take on roles who can help you with those weaknesses. If they don’t know how to do it, learn together. – Jamie Caldwell
Most church planters are gifted on the vision front. They often aren’t real good at the details and administration of the church’s life. Pray that God would provide somebody who could help you. @ClintJClifton
Episode 731Did the pandemic affect your church differently than others? Host Ed Stetzer talks with Warren Bird about fascinating new research.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How church launches and funding were affected * The effect on planters’ mental health * How evangelism and discipleship fared * The “big disappointment” in the research findings * Advice for planters in light of in the research
Helpful Resources:* EFCA research: New Faces of Church Planting and Multi-siting * PDF download: EFCA findings on the pandemic’s impact * Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Movie theaters and schools where, disproportionately, church plants meet, were shut down. It really had an impact on church planting. When schools started meeting again, many didn’t let anybody in from the outside, to create a bubble. @EdStetzer
I was surprised at how few things dipped during the pandemic. I was brought to tears when I tallied the survey responses and I saw how many hundreds of churches launched during the pandemic. @WarrenBird
New churches put a heavier emphasis on evangelism than discipleship, but discipleship increased. @EdStetzer
We found that, both pre-pandemic and during the pandemic, evangelism was stronger than the discipleship component, but during the pandemic the discipleship meter was almost as high as the evangelistic meter. @WarrenBird
I think it probably was the greatest time of church shifting and switching in our lifetime. I want new churches to be evangelized into existence. @EdStetzer
While people are willing to gather in most places now, the volunteering piece – that second step of engagement – has been really slow. It did not surge back with the people coming back. @WarrenBird
Can you imagine three years ago saying, “Hey, everyone, scan the QR code on your screen”? But now the grandmas are holding up their phones and scanning the QR code. It is fascinating how this has been accelerated technologically. @EdStetzer
Episode 730Jesus said to make disciples, but how do we make disciples who make disciples? Host Clint Clifton talks with Dave Proffitt and Colby Garmin about the challenge of discipling new believers.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How evangelism and discipleship rightly relate to one another * Basic tools of discipleship * Four discipleship “destinations” * How long before a new disciple begins discipling another person * A Bible verse that encapsulates the entire discipleship process
Helpful Resources:* Colby Garman’s Ten Rhythms of a Growing Christian * Dave Proffit’s discipleship course: English, Spanish, Portuguese * Watch this tribute video about Clint Clifton * Honor Clint by donating to the Clint Clifton Global Church Planting Fund * Download your free copy of his book, Church Planting Thresholds * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):We’ve created the separate categories of discipleship and evangelism. Jesus simply says our task is to make disciples. Evangelism plays that role of helping people understand who Jesus is and become disciples. The continuation of their growth is the ongoing work of discipleship. @Colby Garman
Discipleship has a more academic part and then there’s the activity part. We’ve got to have the information but we’ve got to do the activity as well. – Dave Proffitt
What we’ve seen in churches a lot is training and training but never having a use for that training. When somebody has something particular in view, they see learning as important and valuable. @clintjclifton
There’s nothing more powerful than feeling out of your depth, so we have to push people to accomplish something they never thought they could do. @Colby Garman
I believe if you teach something to somebody, that person should go right out and find an audience. I mean immediately. – Dave Proffitt
Every aspect of the life of the church has a discipleship opportunity buried in it. How we see people serving, how we think about the membership process – all these things are discipleship. @Colby Garman
Episode 729American Christians don’t deal well with tragedy. In the context of Clint Clifton’s death, host Ed Stetzer talks with Michael Crawford and Noah Oldham about how to pastor in the midst of tragedy.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to embrace tragedy * The importance of presence * What it means to be “a sociological first responder” * Why you should never put on “the pastor mask” * What to do when theology and feelings aren’t aligned
Helpful Resources:* Watch this tribute video about Clint * Honor Clint by donating to the Clint Clifton Global Church Planting Fund * Download your free copy of his book, Church Planting Thresholds * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):In the midst of our tragedy, we’re going to share about how to deal with ministry tragedies. @EdStetzer
Be as present as you can, when you can, how you can, over the long haul. Typically, we tend to show up and use our resource guns. We empty the clip and don’t have anything left for down the line. – Michael Crawford
It’s OK for your theology and your heart to not be in the same place but come to the Lord with that and allow Him to align them by His Spirit and His presence. @NoahOldham
Do not feel you have to give the answers. In a lot of tragedies, there’s no answers. There’s just sadness and struggle. We trust the Lord in the midst of that. @EdStetzer
There is a time to weep, a time to lose. There’s a time to sit in your sadness and be bewildered, to have questions, to not know what’s going on. – Michael Crawford
If you’re a leader, embrace the tragedy and ask the Lord, “What are you doing in me so I might shepherd and lead others to Your grace?” @NoahOldham
We need to get more comfortable with the unknown. When God puts you in positions where you don’t have enough strength, just say, “OK, Lord, I’m going to hold Your hand.” It’s OK to look messy. – Michael Crawford
Episode 728Clint Clifton believed our love of the Lord compels us to evangelize and multiply churches. Host Ed Stetzer, Colby Garman and Trevin Wax honor Clint by talking about what mattered to him.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* What wrong questions we ask about church planting * The right question to ask about church planting * How Clint multiplied himself and his passion * What it looks like for smaller congregations to plant churches * The kind of person needed to plant churches
Helpful Resources:* Watch this tribute video about Clint * Honor Clint by donating to the Clint Clifton Global Church Planting Fund * Download your free copy of his book, Church Planting Thresholds * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Such a tragic loss. You could see the tidal wave of grief and loss spread. It’s been difficult, but we’ve also seen God’s grace give strength. @Colby Garman
Clint wrote: “If you’re going to plant a new church or lead your church to plant a new church, you will have to maintain a deep resolve to endure the difficulties ahead.” @EdStetzer
Clint’s planting legacy comes back to the assumption that every church should be involved in church planting, not “Should we? Could we?” but “Why would we not? How could we not be involved?” @TrevinWax
At the core of Clint was that life is an act of worship. Church planting for him was an act of worship, more than a strategy. @Colby Garman
Clint was continually willing to get up again, do it again, start something again. This is the kind of church planter that really makes a gospel difference. @EdStetzer
Clint’s heart was to trust the good heart of the Father. @TrevinWax
Clint would want you to know that it doesn’t take you being the most brilliant or the most articulate. It just takes showing up, doing it again, making much of Jesus and not making it about you. @EdStetzer
Episode 727What does it actually cost to plant a church? Host Ed Stetzer talks with Warren Bird about the fascinating results of a new church planter survey.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* A typical breakdown of church plant funding * Financial paths church plants often take * How planters should think about ministry financing * When most plants become financially self-sustaining * How outside church support compares to denominational
Helpful Resources:* EFCA research: New Faces of Church Planting and Multi-siting * Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Financial self-sustainability begins at about 76 in attendance. @WarrenBird
Self-sustainability takes longer or could be faster in some settings. Setting makes a difference. @EdStetzer
Funding of churches, like everything else, is becoming more localized. I want to be able to go visit it, help out, see it and and put my body where my money is. @WarrenBird
The greatest growth by percentile happened in churches that had no paid staff members, and churches with a part-time pastor grew faster than those with a full-time pastor. @EdStetzer
To grow anything on scale, if that’s what you think God is doing, if that’s where you think the harvest is, generally the sooner you can work with people’s giving in order to be fully focused on that mission, the better. @WarrenBird
God’s doing all kinds of things in all different ways. This kind of research really helps us think well about church planting. @EdStetzer
Episode 726Looking at this past year, many of us think, “Wow, that could’ve gone better.” Host Clint Clifton talks with Dave Proffitt and Colby Garman about planning well to execute your ministry task.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Who to include in your planning * How to plan and also be open to the spiritual work going on around you * Practices for creating healthy ministry margins * What church planters should fill their schedule with
Helpful Resources:* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):You will either plan to advance the key things in the life of the church or someone else is going to plan those things for you. @Colby Garman
Proverbs 16:9 says “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” @clintjclifton
A lot of what the church needs to know is not necessarily going to come from the pastor. It’s going to come from the team of gifted people God has assembled to be the foundation for the church. – Dave Proffitt
I think of times in our ministry where a person had an idea that I, in a million lifetimes, never would have come up with. @clintjclifton
I want to plan to accomplish, but I also want to be prepared to pivot where I see God working. @Colby Garman
Often we have no idea what God’s doing. Our work is worship. We offer it to God because we love Him and He does with it what He sees fit. @clintjclifton
You’ve got to commit to prayer and to evangelism. You’ve got to connect with people. You’ve got to a servant leader. We need to train a disciple and we need to mentor. We need a coach and we need to recruit, recruit, recruit. We need to apprentice and become apprenticed. – Dave Proffitt
Year in Review: Episode 725One of the most important topics for pastors and church planters is improving their preaching. Host Clint Clifton and Noah Oldham discuss ways to continue to grow as preachers.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Two schools of thought when it comes to preaching * Three things young preachers can do improve to their preaching
Helpful Resources:* John Stott’s Between Two Worlds * Our Bivocational ministry course * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Most church planters consider themselves to be pretty good preachers yet, in my observation, most need to grow in their preaching. @clintjclifton
Most church planters need time and reps and seasons to grow as communicators so they can be effective in the long run to help the church be strengthened. @NoahOldham
An Indian proverb says, ‘He who has a good friend needs no mirror.'” @clintjclifton
When I’m preaching, I want to disappear, yet I often carry more of myself into the pulpit than I realize. I want Him to increase and me to decrease. @NoahOldham
Every time we imitate another preacher, it’s like a photocopy of a photocopy. @clintjclifton
We call sermon critiques “wins and opportunities.” There’s no losses. It’s an opportunity for growth. @NoahOldham
I heard Tim Keller say your first 300 sermons are garbage. So if you’re not to 300 yet, you should just assume your preaching needs a lot of improvement. @clintjclifton
Year in Review: Episode 724Narratives are micro-paradigms that cause someone to see an issue a certain way, process through it and then come up with how they are going to respond. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Michael Crawford and Clint Clifton about the importance of a church planter understanding how his own narrative intersects with narratives in the community he is trying to reach.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* Why it’s so important for church leaders to understand narratives * How a church planter can understand and explain his own narrative * What it looks like for a planter to learn a community’s narratives * What to do when a planter has misread a community’s narratives * How to avoid getting stuck in the rut of our own narrative and instead engage people
Helpful Resources:* Michael Crawford’s: Don’t Plant, Be Planted: Contrarian Observations About Starting a Church * Clint Clifton’s free ebook: Church Planting Thresholds: A Gospel Centered Church Planting Guide * New Churches free ebook: Building Your Core Team: Models and Best Practices * Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer * Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):Narratives are the dominant way by which people perceive, process and do life today. We have multiple narratives flowing through our country in regard to politics, race, the economy, etc. And you’re going to behave depending on which narrative you subscribe to. – Michael Crawford
As new churches interact with people, they’re really interacting with their micro-narratives. And so the issue then becomes, “Am I equipped to take the gospel and to help people understand these micro-narratives through the lens of the Bible, through the lens of who God is and what he’s done in the world?” – Michael Crawford
Church planters are taught to describe their own narrative in pitching themselves and their new churches, but I don’t think many conversations are happening about the narratives going on in their community around them and how that affects the day-to-day ministry. @ClintJClifton
What most church planters do is borrow someone else’s narrative. They’re crafting how their church is going to respond to what’s going on in their community and say, “Oh, that church over in that city, I really like how they do it.” That’s the absolute wrong way to go about it. @ClintJClifton
I want to be an expert in the narrative of the community, while simultaneously acknowledging that each person still has their own journey and story. @EdStetzer
The demonstrative effect of misreading is going to be relational dysfunction. That’s when you need to be able to say, “OK, well maybe I’ve read this wrong.” Then you go back to whoever you’re talking to and begin to asking them the questions all over again. – Michael Crawford
It’s a key missiological trait to be able to understand a narrative and graciously and humbly bring people to God’s meta-narrative, and show them how it fits in. – Michael Crawford
Year in Review | Episode 723Pastors and church planters feel the pinch of not having enough time. Host Clint Clifton talks with Todd Adkins and Jessica Thompson about the value of – and techniques for – organizing your week.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* The difference between delegation and leadership development * Why it’s important to set aside less time for doing and more for developing * The value of bringing alongside ministry partners who excel in areas where you’re weak * How task prioritization may be more important than time management * What the stickiness of your plant depends on
Helpful Resources:* Free podcasts:Building a Team from Scratch
Discovering Pastoral Potential
Multiplying Church Leaders
* Free ebook: Building Your Core Team
* Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
* Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):It’s getting harder and harder for pastors of new churches to have enough money to take care of their family, meet their obligations and survive in the cities God’s called them to reach. @ClintJClifton
You’re probably spending way too much time doing versus developing. The most practical thing you can do is set aside less time for doing and more time for developing. @ToddAdkins
You need to be disciplined enough to know what you have time for. What five things do I need to accomplish this week?Don’t let other people’s needs and demands move you from what you feel God has on your plate to do this week. – Jessica Thompson
What are the things that only you can do? That’s the category where you need to be doing and developing. @ClintJClifton
For a church planter who hasn’t launched yet, the absolute most important thing you can be doing is developing people. When you hit the launch phase, you’re going to need all those people, and the stickiness of your plant depends on the people, not the programming. @ToddAdkins
Build your team with people who are willing to step out in faith and cast your vision, being able to communicate clearly what God has called your church to do, because that’s going to draw people to the Lord. – Jessica Thompson
Church planting feels a lot like Whac-A-Mole. There’s a lot of things going on on a lot of different fronts and you can get into this pattern of frenzy and feverishness. The truth is, if I’m trying to hit every head that pops up, I’m going to miss some important ones. @ClintJClifton
Year in Review: Episode 722Many church planters set out to reach people with the gospel but often find their new churches full of folks from other churches. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Heiden Ratner and Vance Pitman about the challenge of staying outwardly focused to reach people far from God.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:* How to get a core team outwardly focused on reaching people who are not churched or not believers * How God used Heiden’s “idolatry problem with basketball” to draw him to faith in Christ * How a “divine appointment” gave Heiden an opportunity to meet a well-known UFC fighter and how they are trading text messages about faith * What personal practices can help planters be more evangelistic and engaging people who don’t know Christ * The best ways to help new believers grow in their faith and become fully devoted followers of Christ
Helpful Free Resources:* Developing a Core Team * Church Planting Primer * Church Planting Masterclass
Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): Here’s a very practical tip for this idea of building bridges into the city: Every city has a city manager and every city manager has a list of problems on their desk that’s their responsibility to solve. Go meet your city manager, build a relationship, find out what of those items on that list you can take off the list. @VancePitman
I love the Major Ian Thomas quote: “The same life Jesus lived, he lives now through us.” If we’re allowing Christ to live in and through us, he’s focused on lost people. He’s seeking. He’s saving. @HeidenRatner
Engaging adults who don’t know Christ leads to some messy challenges, but we must encourage people to still value that. @EdStetzer
Yes, it’s messy when you when you reach people in a place like Vegas. But it’s also pure. There is a purity about the gospel from these new believers that is contagious. It creates a freshness in the body of Christ that is worth going after. @VancePitman
Have the authenticity to be yourself, not feeling like you have to be somebody else in their walk with Christ. Be you. Everybody’s got a unique leaning, unique wiring, and so we’re trying to help people champion the things that make you be authentically you in the body of Christ, and you’ll find your fit. @HeidenRatner
Episode 721: Many pastors intend for their church to multiply, but very few actually start new churches. Host Clint Clifton talks with John Welborn about what churches that multiply do differently than those that don't.
Episode 720: If a planter isn't in a conflict now, they're coming out of one or about to go into one. Host Clint Clifton talks with Mike Crawford and Doug Logan about practical ways to handle conflict.
Episode 719: Pastors are so overwhelmed with responsibilities that they often move the bar really low to having a maintenance mindset, rather than pursuing a vision of multiplication. Host Clint Clifton talks with John Welborn about how to move from maintenance to multiplication.
Episode 718: What role does seminary play in the development of a fruitful church planter? Host Clint Clifton talks with Doug Logan and Michael Crawford about the pro/con of seminary for church planters.
Episode 717: What happens in churches when pastors don't properly plan for someone to succeed them? Host: Clint Clifton talks with Jess Thompson and Todd Adkins about the connection between developing leaders and successfully transitioning a plant to next-stage leadership.
Episode 716: Raising funds for a church plant in the expensive urban core of a city poses many challenges – among them the task of financing the ministry. Host Ed Stetzer talks with James Roberson and Taylor Field about their planting experiences in New York City.
Episode 715: Even if we say growth is really not a congregation's goal, there's a subtle pressure for our churches to always be numerically larger. Host Clint Clifton talks with Jess Thompson and Todd Adkins about five advantages to staying relatively small.
Episode 714: The complex diversity of places like New York City poses challenges and creates opportunities for church planting. Host Ed Stetzer talks with James Roberson and Taylor Field about the missiology of planting in such an environment.
Episode 713: People talk about calling in such subjective way that it's a little hard to pin down, but one of the most invigorating, satisfying things a pastor can do is tap the shoulder of someone who demonstrates ministry leadership qualities. Host Clint Clifton talks with Scott Pace and Shane Pruitt about specific ways to "call out the called."
Episode 712: Seasonal community outreach isn't a topic of widespread discussion but it's a very practical component to the ministry of a church planter. Host Clint Clifton talks with John Ames leveraging holidays to engage the community for gospel impact.
Episode 711: Is a multi-leader organization really a "two-headed snake"? Or is co-pastoring a restoration of a New Testament trend? Host Ed Stetzer talks with Jon Mollohan and Colby Garman about whether and how co-pastoring can work.
Episode 710: Planters face challenges raising up pastors, but they also have some advantages. Host Clint Clifton talks with Adam Muhtaseb and Greg Gibson about raising pastors from within your plant.
Episode 709: As you reach people for Jesus, inevitably they are going to ask what the church believes about a particular point of theology – and a pastor better be prepared to explain. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Trevin Wax and Colby Garman about why theology position papers matter in a practical way for a church planter.
Episode 708: Leveraging business for mission presents numerous challenges, yet there are strong arguments to be made for its benefits. Host Clint Clifton talks with Adam Muhtaseb and Greg Gibson about the value and tensions inherent in mixing the two.
Episode 707: There's so much to book writing that's unknown and kind of mysterious to those who desire to write a book. Host Clint Clifton talks with Ed Stetzer and Christine Hoover about steps aspiring writers need to take.
Episode 706: When disaster strikes your community, every church planter must see it as a God-given opportunity to get the gospel into lives. Host Clint Clifton talks with Taylor Field and Kay Bennett about ways a church can position itself to be ready to respond.
Episode 705: As we're coming out of Covid, how do we get churches thinking about church planting again? Host Ed Stetzer talks with Chuy Rodriguez and Catherine Renfro about raising the "church planting IQ" of a congregation.
Episode 704: Planters and church-planting networks and organizations are trying to figure out how they fit alongside other. Clint Clifton, Trevin Wax and Vance Pitman hash through the relational levels between and value of national and micro-networks.
I'm Trevin Wax. In October, I'm starting a new podcast called Reconstructing Faith that examines the state of the American church's witness. For years now, we've seen the church rocked by sin and scandal and our credibility as Christ's followers has been diminished. Reconstructing Faith avoids the simplistic knee-jerk reactions you see on social media and instead looks at the church the same way you'd look at your home after a natural disaster, say a flood. We'll examine the foundations of the church that have stood the test of time, both here in America and around the world. We'll also examine the rot in the church, the attitudes and practices that have sprung up over the decades like mold.
Episode 703: Church planters and their teams are on the lookout for best practices in starting kids ministry. Host Clint Clifton talks with Danielle Whitley, author of a new free resource, :10 Steps to Developing a Kids Ministry," which lays a great foundation for discipling young Christ-followers – for generations to come.
Episode 702: We often think of discipleship as a post-conversion process, but it also can be seen in a broader way. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Chuy Rodriguez and Catherine Renfro about disciple making as sharing the gospel, people responding to the gospel, growing in the truths of the gospel and then multiplying.
Episode 701: Most, if not all, church planters aspire to start a multiplying church. Yet often that doesn't happen because we have our missiology backwards. Host Clint Clifton talks with Vance Pitman and Trevin Wax about what they see as a more biblical approach.
Episode 700: Ministry wives face unique challenges, and fewer resources are produced to help them than their husbands. Co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Clint Clifton talk with Christine Hoover about her new NAMB podcast for ministry wives.
Episode 699: Church planters are thinking about financing permanent facilities, but probably no group of people is less equipped to go into commercial real estate transactions. Host Clint Clifton talks with Colby Garman and Ray Clark about the basics of financing church facilities.
Episode 698: Finding a facility for a new church is is one of the most challenging aspects of planting, particularly in an urban environment. Host: Clint Clifton talks with Colby Garman and Ray Clark about why creative facility solutions are needed now, more than ever.
Episode 697: No planter goes in thinking it is going to be easy, but none know quite how hard it's actually going to be. Host Clint Clifton discusses the incredible benefits of endurance in planting with Jeff Belcher and Amanda Hudson.
Episode 696: When a church sends out a planter, the relationship hasn't ended; it's just begun. Host Clint Clifton discusses with Jason Robertson and Dannie Williams how Sending Church pastors can provide meaningful support to planters as they face their inevitable challenges.
Episode 695: How you plant a church is shaped by missiology and what you end up with is shaped by ecclesiology. Host Ed Stetzer hashes through different approaches to both with Nathan Knight and Rivers Partin.
Episode 694: What is the mission of the church? To many, the answer seems obvious but the topic actually is pretty significantly debated. Host Ed Stetzer engages the subject with two guests – Nathan Knight and Rivers Partin – who approach the subject from significantly different directions.
Episode 693: Many times, church planters are disappointed when they work hard to rustle up support but walk away empty handed. Host Clint Clifton talks with seasoned Sending Church pastors Jason Robertson and Dannie Williams about why pastors who love church planting might say no when approached for funding.
Episode 692: When you are planting a church in a community that's new to you, getting deeply embedded in that community is extremely important. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Jeff Belcher and Amanda Hudson about the why and how of getting embedded in the fabric of your community.
Episode 691: Whatever you want to be true of your church in maturity must be embedded at the beginning. Host Clint Clifton discusses with Todd Adkins and Jamie Limato how a church planter should be thinking about his end goals from the very beginning.
Episode 690: Pastors often are criticized unfairly and need to forgive the sin, yet they also find themselves in the position of making mistakes that need to be forgiven. Host Clint Clifton explores various aspects of that challenge with Dave Harvey and Kathy Litton.
Episode 689: Church planting families face complex issues in today's increasingly secular social environment, especially when it comes to children in school. Host Clint Clifton tackles the multilayered topic with Noah Oldham and Kathy Litton.
Episode 688: A lot of planters and pastors want to read more but they are strapped for time. Trevin Wax and Todd Adkins offer some immensely practical ways to read more when you're really busy.
Description: Episode 687: Leaders are readers and if you're not a learner in this day and age, you've got a short shelf life as a leader. But acquiring books is difficult for a pastor whose finances are limited. Trevin Wax and Todd Adkins point out several ways to read great books on a tight budget.
Episode 686: The old maxim is "Church planting and money – it's hard to get them in the same room." But host Clint Clifton and experienced planter Peyton Jones discuss why church planting actually is free and they sketch out a pathway for planting without raising and expending large financial resources.
Episode 685: NAMB's Trevin Wax hosts a wide-ranging discussion of practical aspects of church planting in a Send Network session during the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.
Episode 684: One of the biggest challenges planters face is recruiting people and building them into a team. Host Clint Clifton explores the issue with Jamie Limato and Todd Adkins.
Episode 683: Sometimes church planters get a sense of entitlement about monetary support. Host Clint Clifton and Peyton Jones, author of "Church Plantology," discuss why a church might not want to support a planter and the best way to approach a prospective Sending Church.
Episode 682: Every church planter has experienced the link between prayer and progress in the ministry. It's easy, however, to focus more on progress than on prayer. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Dan Darling and Jessica Thompson about the crucial relationships between prayer and progress in the life of the church planter.
Episode 681: Sometimes church planters feel tension between being a pastor and a husband and father. Host Clint Clifton and guests Kathy Litton and Noah Oldham discuss how to deal with the practical issues "Pastor Dad" can face.
Episode 680: Serial church planting hasn't seemed to be a valued option in the world of church planting. Ed Stetzer talks with two experienced sequential planters – John Worcester and Jared Huntley – about the nuts and bolts of planting a church, positioning it for long-term efectiveness, then moving on to plant another.
Episode 679: Hector Medina came from a gang background and hated God and Christianity. Now he serves as pastor of Salvo Por Gracia in Claremont, California. Host Clint Clifton talks with Hector and his wife, Alicia, about how God miraculously took them from the brink of divorce to a fruitful ministry in church planting.
Episode 678: As a church planter, what does "sustainable" mean to you? Host Ed Stetzer discusses various aspects of quickly becoming sustainable with experienced planters Jared Huntley and John Worcester.
Episode 677: It's hard to get people who are on your side to give you honest feedback, but without it a leader is doomed to failure. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Dan Darling and Jessica Thompson about creating an environment for constructive criticism in your ministry.
Episode 676: The ministry demands of church planting can weigh heavily on a pastor, with the result that he finds himself "minoring on the majors." Clint Clifton discusses with Adam Muhtaseb and Nathan Knight the challenge of properly allocating time and energy to ministry priorities that put a church plant on the strongest foundation possible.
Episode 675: Trevin Wax and Clint Clifton review our new (free) Church Planting Masterclass, which offers 80 powerful videos intended to be used in two different ways: (1) If you're an aspiring planter or a church planter yourself and (2) to be tools you can use to equip other leaders in your church.
Episode 674: Churches with a desire to multiply will greatly benefit from the expertise of pastors experienced in developing and sending out planters. In this episode, Trevin Wax and Clint Clifton introduce the first part of our new Church Planting Masterclass, which is designed specifically for churches that want to multiply. This free course showcases practical advice from planting practitioners and well-respected leaders across the spectrum of evangelicalism.
Episode 673: When the preparedness of a prospective church planter is being assessed, different evaluators may come to different conclusions. Clint Clifton, Nathan Knight and Adam Muhtaseb, however, discuss several traits that should be automatic dealbreakers for an aspiring planter's approval.
Episode 672: Inevitably, Christians in the United States understand the kingdom of God through the filter of being Americans. In this New Churches and Church Leaders crossover podcast episode, co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Michael Crawford talk with Daniel Yang about the value of American Christians listening to what Christian voices outside the United States have to say about the kingdom of God.
Episode 671: Circumstances and context may differ for various church planters, but everyone can benefit from the experiences – good and bad – of other planters. Ed Stetzer, Clint Clifton and Michael Crawford each discuss, based on their previous church planting experiences, three things they would do differently in planting another congregation.
Episode 670: Not all church plants survive and thrive. Ed Stetzer talks with Michael Crawford and Clint Clifton about the various reasons plants can fail and what planters can learn from "autopsies" of those efforts.
Episode 669: Narratives are micro-paradigms that cause someone to see an issue a certain way, process through it and to then come up with how they are going to respond to an issue. Host Ed Stetzer discusses with Michael Crawford and Clint Clifton the importance of a church planter understanding how his own narrative intersects with narratives in the community he is trying to reach.
Episode 668: The past couple of years have been a difficult season for church planters and too many have thrown in the towel. Host Clint Clifton and veteran church planter Peyton Jones open up about their most discouraging moments in church planting and why they persevered.
Episode 667: In our volatile and fragile culture, unwise social media posts can cause great harm to the kingdom. Co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Michael Crawford discuss using on-line conversations for good with Jenique Saunders of McLean Bible Church - Arlington.
Episode 665: Church-planters face the daily challenge of parenting in a way that their children grow up to love the Lord and not be alienated by being "preacher's kids." Co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Michael Crawford discuss "the good, the bad and the ugly" of raising kids in a church planting context with Jenique Saunders of McLean Bible Church - Arlington, Virginia.
Episode 664: Different church planters are wired differently. Sometimes an entrepreneurial planter needs to leave a church in the hands of a "systems and processes" leader. Host Ed Stetzer talks with Michael Crawford and Clint Clifton about their planting experiences and how a planter can know when it's time to make that transition.
Episode 663: Pastors today must deal with unwarranted criticism, sometimes from members of their own flock. Co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Mike Crawford talk with Dean Inserra, church planter and author of The Unsaved Christian, about how pastors can deal constructively with critics in the church.
Episode 662: Many people in North America consider themselves Christians, but they lack saving faith. Co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Michael Crawford talk with Dean Inserra, church planter and author of The Unsaved Christian, about working the immense mission field of cultural Christianity.
Episode 661: When the Lord casts a vision of planting a network of multiplying churches, the planter finds himself sorting through all sorts of unexpected developments. Host Clint Clifton discusses some of the unique aspects of building a church planting "family" with Colby Garmin, teaching ministries elder at Pillar Church in Dumfries, Virginia, and Keith Wieser, who leads Resonate Church in Pullman, Washington, and the Resonate collegiate church planting network.
Episode 660: Pastors and church planters feel the pinch of not having enough time. Host Clint Clifton discusses the value of – and techniques for – organizing your week with Todd Adkins, director of leadership development at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, and Jessica Thompson, director of operations for the New City church planting network.
Episode 659: Choosing a church name is like picking an outfit you're going to wear for the rest of your life. Host Clint Clifton discusses the pro and con arguments for six categories of church names with Todd Adkins, director of leadership development at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, and Jessica Thompson, director of operations for the New City church planting network.
Episode 658: Each individual planter and every church context has a unique set of limitations and constraints. Host Clint Clifton discusses how those limitations can become strengths with Jessica Thompson, director of operations for the New City church planting network, and Colby Garmin, teaching ministries elder at Pillar Church in Dumfries, Virginia.
Episode 657: As pastoral work has in recent years grown more difficult, sabbaticals seem to be a growing trend. Host Clint Clifton discusses the need for, value of and different approaches to sabbaticals with Jessica Thompson, director of operations for the New City church planting network, and Colby Garmin, teaching ministries elder at Pillar Church in Dumfries, Virginia.
Episode 656: With most churches now starting with multiple-pastor, multiple-elders models, a de-emphasis on the role of deacons has occurred. Host Clint Clifton interviews Matt Smethurst, author of "Deacons: How They Serve and Strengthen the Church," about the value of deacons and dangers to be considered when implementing the diaconate in a church plant.
Episode 655: The "zero year" is the time of preparation that leads up to the church plant. Host Clint Clifton interviews Matt Smethurst, planter of a brand-new church in Richmond, Virginia, about the various "zero year" factors that moved him into position to start his plant.
Episode 654: Many church planters set out to reach people with the gospel but often find their new churches full of folks from other churches. Host Ed Stetzer discusses the challenge of staying outwardly focused to reach people far from God with Heiden Ratner, senior pastor of Walk Church, and Vance Pitman, founding pastor of Hope Church, both in Las Vegas.
Episode 653: Planting a church is challenging enough, but when your city is almost-completely unchurched, the task is truly daunting. Vance Pitman, founding pastor of Hope Church in Las Vegas and Heiden Ratner, senior pastor of Walk Church in the same city, share their church-planting experiences with host Ed Stetzer.
Episode 652: What should a church planter do who's at the soul level of tired? Host Ed Stetzer discusses the symptoms of ministry burnout with Jessica Thompson, director of operations for the New City church planting network, and James Hobson, lead pastor of Hill City Community Church in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Episode 651: Planting a church inevitably creates enormous pressures on the planter's family. Host Ed Stetzer discusses guardrails against those stresses with Jessica Thompson, director of operations for the New City church planting network, and James Hobson, lead pastor of Hill City Community Church in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Episode 650: Church leaders, at some point, will have a difficult time with a team member, which can lead to frustration, stress, anxiety or worry. Host Ed Stetzer discusses the challenges of leading difficult team members with Adam Muhtaseb of Redemption City Church in Baltimore and Kathy Litton, who leads NAMB's planter spouse development team.
Episode 649: Some people think pastors shouldn't be friends with members of the congregation. Others think that's a horrendous statement. Host Ed Stetzer discusses the challenges of having close friendships in church with Adam Muhtaseb of Redemption City Church in Baltimore and Kathy Litton, who leads NAMB's planter spouse development team.
Episode 648: Full-time paid ministry is fraught with perils. Host Trevin Wax and Ed Welch, a Christian counselor with more than 30 years of experience, sort out the various challenges and offer valuable insight into how to meet them.
Episode 647: At some point in church ministry, practically all pastors will experience betrayal or hurt from those near them. Host Trevin Wax talks with Ed Welch, a Christian counselor with more than 30 years of experience, about preparing for that and still putting your whole heart into ministry.
Episode 646: One of the most important topics for pastors and church planters is improving their preaching. Host Clint Clifton and Noah Oldham, lead pastor of August Gate church in St. Louis and NAMB's senior director of deployment, discuss ways to continue to grow as preachers.
Episode 645: Preaching to a small crowd offers both unique opportunities and particular challenges. Host Clint Clifton discusses them with Noah Oldham, planter and pastor of August Gate Church in St. Louis.
Episode 644: An explosive crisis in a church can destroy both the congregation and Christ's reputation in the community. Clint Clifton discusses crisis communication strategy with Christian Pinkston, founder of Pinkston, a public relations firm in Washington, D.C., that often helps churches with strategic communications.
Episode 643: Ed Stetzer, Tiffany Smith and Clint Clifton discuss the advantages and disadvantages of four different approaches to funding a church plant.
Episode 642: Next-generation missionaries and church planters are leveraging their careers for mission. Host Ed Stetzer talks with NAMB's Tiffany Smith and Clint Clifton about vocational options that work well for bivo/covo church planters.
Episode 641: Church planters tend to be more like jet fuel drinkers than candle burners. Host Ed Stetzer discusses necessary components of self-care with Michael Crawford, Send Network leader in Maryland/Delaware.
Episode 640: Multiplying leaders in a church can pose a significant challenge, especially in an urban context. Host Ed Stetzer discusses techniques for raising up leaders with Michael Crawford, Send Network leader in Maryland/Delaware.
Episode 639: When people experience powerful moments at church, they leave remembering having encountered the Lord and feeling changed. Clint Clifton and Todd Adkins discuss the challenge of "setting the table" for those moments without crossing the line into manipulation.
Episode 638: Systems for multiplying church leaders must have a healthy balance of the organic and pragmatic. Host Clint Clifton discusses how to create an effective system of leadership development with Todd Adkins, director of LifeWay Leadership.
Episode 637: One of the biggest problems a pastor faces is developing leadership. Host Clint Clifton talks with Noah Oldham, pastor of August Gate Church in St. Louis, about how you can find the future leaders for your church planting work right in your own congregation.
Episode 636: Residencies are crucial to multiplication in church planting, but how do you start and organize them? Host Clint Clifton discusses the practical components of residency with Noah Oldham, pastor of August Gate Church in St. Louis.
Episode 635: The physical health of a church planter directly affects his spiritual health – and both are critically intertwined with the work God has called him to do. Host Clint Clifton and Noah Oldham, NAMB’s senior director of church planting deployment, discuss their own fitness journeys and how the lack of fitness may point to deeper, unresolved spiritual issues in a person’s life.¬¬ Why community and accountability are essential for maintaining physical fitness.
Episode 634: Can a church-planter or team dream big on a shoestring budget? Co-hosts Clint Clifton and Todd Adkins explain why being "under-resourced" actually is a big advantage.
Episode 633: If a church planter has "parachuted" into an unfamiliar city, how can he best go about building a team from scratch? Co-hosts Clint Clifton and Todd Adkins offer a plethora of hacks that will promote success.
Episode 632: Church-based residencies are a growing trend in ministerial and church planter training. Co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Dhati Lewis discuss the complexities and simplicities of such programs and offer some valuable insight on how churches both large and small can launch residency programs.
Episode 631: What three main factors cause church plants to fail? Co-Hosts Clint Clifton and Todd Adkins discuss the role of isolation, conflict among team members and lack of self-awareness in the "slow-motion car crash" of church plant failure.
Episode 630: When should a church plant set its sights on planting a daughter church? Co-hosts Ed Stetzer and Dhati Lewis discuss the problems of planting too early and the importance of "planting pregnant."
Episode 629: What two things can we do to encourage more bivo/covo church planting – and what are the relational, financial and missiological benefits? Host Ed Stetzer and Brad Brisco, NAMB’s director of bivocational church planting, discuss "bivo/covo" church planting and how, depending on cultural context, it might be easier or more difficult than traditional church planting.
Episode 628: What are some traits of domineering leaders and how can you recognize them in your own life? Host Clint Clifton and Todd Adkins, LifeWay's director of leadership development, discuss healthy work relationships and how to guard against patterns of domineering leadership developing in new pastoral leaders.
Episode 627: Ed Stetzer and Clint Clifton engage in a pro/con discussion of different approaches to funding a church plant.
Episode 626: Host Ed Stetzer and Clint Clifton, NAMB’s senior director of resource and research strategy, explore the nuts-and-bolts issues of the call to church planting and how to get started.
Episode 625: Host Ed Stetzer and Brad Brisco, NAMB's director of bivocational church planting, discuss church planting movements and why "church multiplication movement" may be a better goal for church planting in North America. What thinking and behavior needs to change to see multiplication happen? What is the starting point?
Episode 624: While the words “church planting” don’t appear in the Bible, the entire context of the New Testament is entirely a church planting context. Host Ed Stetzer discusses the topic “Where is Church Planting in the Bible?” with Clint Clifton, the founding pastor of Pillar, a multiplying church in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., and NAMB’s senior director of resource and research strategy.
Episode 623: Podcaster Mike Cosper’s groundbreaking series, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill,” offers several crucial takeaways for pastors and church planters. In this second of two #NewChurches episodes, host Trevin Wax asks Cosper to share what he thinks church leaders should learn from one of the largest church planting movements in American history and its very public dissolution.
Episode 622: Podcaster Mike Cosper’s groundbreaking series, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill,” takes you inside the story of Mars Hill Church in Seattle – from its founding as part of one of the largest church planting movements in American history to its very public dissolution – and the aftermath that followed. In this episode, host Trevin Wax asks Cosper to discuss the origins of the podcast, explore the wisdom of even making such a podcast and explain what he hopes the outcome of its production will be.
It’s hard to imagine a Christian today not knowing what church planting is all about, but the truth is the most-googled church planting question is “What is church planting?” A lot of folks out there don’t know anything about church planting but this episode with Rob Wilton, founding pastor of Vintage Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and NAMB City Missionary for Pittsburgh, can change that.
We are excited to announce the relaunch of NewChurches.com, now powered by Send Network. Send Network is behind NewChurches.com and we are excited to provide free resources from church planting experts across the evangelical landscape who offer new insights and best practices on how to plant and multiply churches. As churches produce disciples, it's natural for those disciples to multiply themselves but it's also natural for new churches to form where there are new disciples being made. Another way of saying it... Churches make disciples and disciples make churches.
Daniel and Todd continue their discussion on discerning character, chemistry, and competency when hiring staff and volunteer leaders.
Daniel and Todd continue to discuss discerning character, chemistry, and competency when hiring staff and volunteer leaders.
Daniel and Todd discuss discerning character, chemistry, and competency when hiring staff and volunteer leaders.
Daniel and Todd discuss how to make the worship center look full in fluctuating attendance patterns post-COVID.
Daniel and Todd discuss what it looks like to build back better in regards to preaching.
Daniel and Ed discuss what can pastors expect as COVID restrictions end and more people return to church.
Daniel and Todd discuss what it looks like to build back better in regards to team development.
Daniel shares a panel from a CPLF gathering on new metrics for church planting post-COVID.
Daniel and Todd discuss what it looks like to build back better when it comes to staff.
Daniel shares a panel from a CPLF gathering on new metrics for church planting during COVID-19.
The post Episode 603: New Metrics for Church Planting During COVID appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed explore new, creative, and imaginative ways church plants are renting or leveraging the physical space.
Daniel, Ed, and Todd discuss how to tell the difference in trends and fads in regards to church multiplication and how churches will return as we move past COVID restrictions.
Daniel and Ed explore new, creative, and imaginative ways church plants approach evangelism.
The post Episode 599: New, Creative, and Imaginative Ways to Plant Churches, part 2 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss the choice between video preaching and live preaching.
The post Episode 598: Video Preaching or Live Preaching? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed explore new, creative, and imaginative ways to handle issues surrounding church planting.
The post Episode 597: New, Creative, and Imaginative Ways to Plant Churches, part 1 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss the nuance and the skill of changing your direct reports.
The post Episode 596: Changing Direct Reports appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue to discuss what it looks like to revitalize a church plant.
The post Episode 595: Revitalizing a Church Plant, part 2 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how you lead people you don't like.
The post Episode 594: Leading People You Don’t Like appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss what it looks like to revitalize a church plant.
The post Episode 593: Revitalizing a Church Plant, part 1 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how you do ministry planning effectively across sites of different sizes.
The post Episode 592: What Ministry Planning Looks Like appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss zoning issues surrounding finding a location for a church plant.
The post Episode 591: Church Plant Location Zoning and Other Issues appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what the relationship looks like between a campus pastor and the director level staff of the central location.
The post Episode 590: The Relationship Between a Campus Pastor and the Central Location Staff appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss what student ministry can look like in micro-churches.
The post Episode 589: Student Ministry in a Micro-Church Context appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss the nuances, tension, and best practices between a lead pastor and campus pastor.
The post Episode 588: The Relationship Between a Lead Pastor and a Campus Pastor appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed reconsider the effectiveness of events for evangelism in church planting.
The post Episode 587: Reconsidering Events for Evangelism appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss the system for leadership succession.
The post Episode 586: Leadership Succession appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
In Episode 585 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed revisit the discussion from episode three on fundraising. “In a context with so few believers, what strategies would you recommend for church planters to expand their network in order to raise financial support?” In This Episode, You’ll Discover: Ways to leverage new networks Different […]
The post Episode 585: Revisiting Fundraising That Works appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss church planting and multisite church property strategies.
The post Episode 584: Property Strategy appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed reconsider the question posed in the very first podcast about pitfalls, landmines, and blind spots in church planting.
The post Episode 583: Reconsidering Pitfalls, Landmines, and Blind Spots in Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss creating a rolling budgeting cycle instead of budgeting for an entire year at a time.
The post Episode 582: Creating a Rolling Budgeting Cycle appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss the role that churches play in church planting and how they can work with denominations and networks.
The post Episode 581: The Role of Churches in Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss one-on-one meetings with people in formal leadership roles.
The post Episode 580: The Effectiveness of One-on-One Meetings appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss why a church planter might consider partnering with a network.
The post Episode 579: The Role of Networks in Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss the role of performance reviews in a post-COVID church.
The post Episode 578: The Importance of Feedback and Evaluation appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss why denominations are still important in church planting today.
The post Episode 577: The Role of Denominations in Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd continue to discuss new systems for a post-COVID church.
The post Episode 576: Hiring and Firing in a Post-COVID Church appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue to discuss what to do when you inherit a building from a closing church.
The post Episode 575: Things to Consider When Inheriting a Building, Part 2 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what systems need to look like for a post-COVID church.
The post Episode 574: The Importance of Role Clarity appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss what to do if you inherit a building from a church that is closing.
The post Episode 573: Things to Consider When Inheriting a Building appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss figuring out your values when you are planting a church.
The post Episode 572: Creating Core Values appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how to determine if you are being called to change churches or campuses.
The post Episode 571: Should I Take a Job at a Different Church or Campus? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss creating teams to help with strategic and innovative thinking as you plan for the future.
The post Episode 570: Strategic and Innovative Teams appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue their discussion on cultural, theological, and missiological issues that pastors need to be aware of.
The post Episode 569: Current Cultural, Theological, and Missiological Issues, Part 5 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what systems are needed for a post-COVID church.
The post Episode 568: Systems for a Post-COVID Church appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue their discussion on cultural, theological, and missiological issues that pastors need to be aware of.
The post Episode 567: Current Cultural, Theological, and Missiological Issues, Part 4 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss things that church planters can learn from established church pastors.
The post Episode 566: What Church Plants Can Learn From Established Churches appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue their discussion on cultural, theological, and missiological issues that pastors need to be aware of.
The post Episode 565: Current Cultural, Theological, and Missiological Issues, part 3 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss things that established churches and pastors can learn about the church planting stage.
The post Episode 564: What Established Churches Can Learn From Church Plants appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue their discussion on cultural, theological, and missiological issues that pastors need to be aware of.
The post Episode 563: Current Cultural, Theological, and Missiological Issues, Part 2 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd continue to discuss creating an ideal team in order to thrive in a COVID/post-COVID world.
The post Episode 562: Organizational Life Cycles, Part Two appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss cultural, theological, and missiological issues that pastors need to be aware of.
The post Episode 561: Current Cultural, Theological, and Missiological Issues, Part 1 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss thee philosophy and framework around life cycles.
The post Episode 560: Organizational Life Cycles appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss an outline for a sermon series on church planting
The post Episode 559: Preaching on Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what the well curve means for churches in the middle.
The post Episode 558: The Well Curve appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how to measure success post-COVID-19.
The post Episode 557: Metrics in 2021 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss suggested priorities for the new year.
The post Episode 556: Priorities for the New Year appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed share encouragement for pastors and church leaders as we move out of 2020 and into 2021.
The post Episode 555: Encouragement for 2021 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how the church should multiply in the midst of a culture continuing to grapple with COVID.
The post Episode 554: A 2021 Vision for Multiplication appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss church multiplication in a COVID-19 era.
The post Episode 553: How to Multiply Your Church in a COVID-19 Era appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss strategies for staffing especially in light of this economic uncertainty.
The post Episode 552: Staffing Strategies During Economic Uncertainty appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue to discuss how COVID-19 has affected church planting.
The post Episode 551: How to Staff for a New Church Plant in a COVID-19 Era appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss planning for Christmas Eve in light of uncertainty.
The post Episode 550: Planning for Christmas Eve with Shutdowns and Uncertainty appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue to discuss church leadership during a pandemic.
The post Episode 549: What It Means to Be the Church in a COVID-19 Era, Part 2 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd continue to discuss succession planning and how to make decisions on a day-to-day basis during the transition.
The post Episode 548: Day-to-Day Decision Making in the Succession Process appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss church planting and church leadership in the COVID-19 era.
The post Episode 547: What It Means to Be the Church in a COVID-19 Era, Part 1 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd continue to discuss how succession impacts every level of leadership.
The post Episode 546: Succession at Every Level appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss planning out a one-year preaching calendar.
The post Episode 545: How to Create a Preaching Calendar appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss intentionality in a transition process.
The post Episode 544: The Benefits of an Overlapping Transition appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how a preaching calendar can be helpful.
The post Episode 543: Thematic, Topical, and Expository Preaching appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how a young church plant can rebuild after COVID.
The post Episode 542: Current Strategy for a Young Church Plant appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss the difference in science and art in church planting.
The post Episode 541: The Science vs. Art of Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how we shepherd the heart of our church in light of all that is going on.
The post Episode 540: Shepherding the Heart of Your Church appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how to address politics in preaching.
The post Episode 539: Addressing Politics in Preaching appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss why it is important to be an equipper who develops equippers.
The post Episode 538: Creating Equippers appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel introduces a conversation with Brian Sanders on micro church planting.
The post Episode 537: Brian Sanders on Micro Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss raising up coaches through the leadership pipeline.
The post Episode 536: Raising Up Coaches appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss what to do when you feel like you've reached the limit of your ability to lead.
The post Episode 535: Knowing Your Leadership Limits appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss leadership pipeline and rebuilding church culture after COVID.
The post Episode 534: Rebuilding Culture After COVID appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss the emotional state of what is going on and where people's hearts are in light of the current situation.
The post Episode 533: What Do You Do When You Don’t Have the Vision Anymore? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss staffing a new church plant or a new church campus during COVID.
The post Episode 532: Staffing for Planting a Church or Campus During COVID-19 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how to be better prepared for the next crisis.
The post Episode 531: Preparing for Crisis appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss if it is better to launch online or in-person.
The post Episode 530: Should I Launch Fully Online? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed continue their discussion on leading as pastors in the midst of these political times.
The post Episode 529: Leading During Difficult Political Times appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss the dilemma that many multisite churches are facing.
The post Episode 528: Challenges Multisite Churches Face During COVID appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how pastors can lead through the current political circumstances.
The post Episode 527: Politics and the Church appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss the pastor's job of discipleship.
The post Episode 526:The Job of Discipleship appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss the missiological implications of the potential aversion people would have to large group gatherings.
The post Episode 525: Is COVID-19 Fundamentally Changing the Soil for the Church? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss why scattering the church is as important as gathering the church.
The post Episode 524: Scattering and Gathering the Church appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss house church planting.
The post Episode 523: Should I Plant a House Church? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how to make the digital role more permanent.
The post Episode 522: Digital Pastor vs. Digital Champion appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss church planting in current times and in general.
The post Episode 521: I’m Planting a Church This Month appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how to meet as a church in person and digitally well.
The post Episode 520: Digital and Physical Ministry appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss if churches need a relaunching or a reopening mindset.
The post Episode 519: Reopening vs. Relaunching appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss leadership pipeline and the core competencies for leaders.
The post Episode 518: Leadership Pipeline and Core Competencies appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how and when to measure church plant success.
The post Episode 517: Measuring Church Plant Success appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss unique dynamics around hiring during COVID-19.
The post Episode 516: Hiring Practices During COVID-19 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss religious liberty and how that applies during this time.
The post Episode 515: Mandatory Masks for Worship? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss when you have to make the difficult decision to fire someone based on budget, not on performance.
The post Episode 514: Firing Someone You Don’t Want to Fire appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss planting a church in an established building.
The post Episode 513: Church Planting in Established Buildings appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what causes success to be killed and what leaders need to avoid those success killers.
The post Episode 512: Success Killers appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss racial justice issues and unity in the church.
The post Episode 511: Racial Justice and Unity in the Church appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss books you should be reading as a team.
The post Episode 510: Books to Read on Change Management appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how evangelism has changed during the pandemic.
The post Episode 509: How Evangelism Practices Have Changed During the Pandemic appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what we can learn about change management to include in our leadership development.
The post Episode 508: Change Management appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how to be successful in fundraising and planting a church during this time.
The post Episode 507: Fundraising and Planting a Church During a Pandemic appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss reopening a multisite church.
The post Episode 506: Reopening a Multisite Church appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss if feeling like the community is in need of a biblically-based church necessitates a call to plant a church.
The post Episode 504: Does a Need Necessitate a Call? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how their beliefs about church planting have changed.
The post Episode 503: How Church Planting Has Changed appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss starting new campuses during COVID.
The post Episode 502: Starting New Campuses During COVID appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss what thriving looks like and the importance of spiritual and emotional health.
The post Episode 501: Thriving in Leadership appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel, Ed, and Todd discuss how to best lead ourselves during this moment in time.
The post Episode 500: Leading Ourselves During Crisis [Full Version] appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how video services will be a part of pre-launch and multisite strategies in the future.
The post Episode 499: Pre-Launch and MultiSite Video Service Strategy appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how to assimilate new members to your church as you work to worship together through limited circumstances.
The post Episode 498: Assimilating Through Connection During Limitations appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss new ways of funding church plants.
The post Episode 497: Rethinking Funding Multiplication and Church Plants appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss redeploying staff or high level leaders.
The post Episode 496: Redeploying Staff appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss navigating COVID-19 as a church plant.
The post Episode 495: Navigating COVID-19 as a Church Plant appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss redeploying vulnerable population volunteers into different volunteer roles.
The post Episode 494: Redeploying Your Volunteers appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
In Episode 493 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss their hopes for the future of church planting. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: How the missional church movement is being influenced by COVID-19 Why waiting on the Lord is important during this time Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): “I think more churches are being planted […]
The post Episode 493: Hopes for Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what roles will be in churches when we reopen and how to prepare for those.
The post Episode 492: Roles in Churches After Reopening appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss preparing for the financial impact of COVID-19 in the short-term and mid-term.
The post Episode 491: Preparing for the Financial Impact of COVID-19 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd continue to discuss how to develop a future strategy.
The post Episode 490: Your Ministry Strategy for COVID-19 – Part 2 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss how coronavirus is affecting church plants.
The post Episode 489: Coronavirus and Church Plants appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how to develop a future strategy.
The post Episode 488: Your Ministry Strategy for COVID-19 – Part 1 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss timing for church planting.
The post Episode 487: When is the Best Time to Plant a Church? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss how to introduce church membership as part of a church plant.
The post Episode 486: Introducing Church Membership appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Bob Logan discuss coaching leaders for ministry and for personal growth.
The post Episode 485: A Template for Coaching Leaders (with Bob Logan) appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what multisite churches will look like in the future.
The post Episode 484: The Future of Multisite Churches appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
In Episode 483 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Bob Logan discuss best practices to help people take the next step. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: Why you need to make a personal contact to move people into ministries or groups How meeting online could affect taking next steps in the future Shareable Quotes […]
The post Episode 483: Taking the Next Step with COVID-19 (with Bob Logan) appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what the next months of church look like in light of the current COVID-19 situation.
The post Episode 482: Leading Through Change appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Bob Logan, author of The Church Planting Journey, discuss crisis leadership for church plants in the midst of COVID-19.
The post Episode 481: Crisis Leadership for Church Plants appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Josh Gagnon, lead pastor of Next Level Church, discuss what the future of multisite and church planting will look like post COVID-19.
The post Episode 480: COVID-19 and the Future of Church Planting and Multisite (with Josh Gagnon) appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Ed discusses how as a church we should respond to the coronavirus.
The post Episode 479: How the Church Should Respond to the Coronavirus appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss launching a campus in downtown.
The post Episode 478: Launching a Downtown Campus appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss vision highjackers when you are recruiting a launch team.
The post Episode 477: Vision Highjackers appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Josh Gagnon, lead pastor of Next Level Church, discuss dealing with disappointment when your dreams are crushed by extreme situations.
The post Episode 476: When Coronavirus Interrupts Your Plans (with Josh Gagnon) appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss current pitfalls, landmines, and blindspots in church planting.
The post Episode 475: Current Pitfalls, Landmines, and Blindspots in Church Planting appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss clarifying decision rights within a multisite context.
The post Episode 474: Clarifying Decision Rights appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss the process of discerning a call to church planting.
The post Episode 473: Discerning a Call appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Todd interviews Daniel on the most common lie leaders believe and what to do about it.
The post Episode 472: The Most Common Lie Leaders Believe appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss why there has been a decline of evangelism.
The post Episode 471: The Importance of Evangelism appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Todd interviews Daniel on how the gig economy changes the way we lead.
The post Episode 470: How the Gig Economy Changes the Way We Lead appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss the future of seminary education.
The post Episode 469: The Future of Seminary Education appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss what characters and abilities would make a great number two guy in a multisite campus.
The post Episode 468: What Makes a Great Number Two Leader? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Ed discuss discerning a call for church planting.
The post Episode 467: Am I Called to Be a Church Planter? appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
Daniel and Todd discuss developing plans for leadership in your church.
The post Episode 466: How to Develop a Plan for Leadership in Your Church for 2020 appeared first on NewChurches.com - Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.
In Episode 465 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss how to revitalize a small, older church.
“I recently moved back to my childhood church to take on the associate pastor role with the intention of becoming the senior pastor in a few years. The church is under 20 people and has an average age of 65 years old. The neighborhood has an average age of 33 years old. The conversation about replanting the church, revitalizing the church, has been met with a lot of resistance. They feel all we need to do is invite more young people to church and we’ll be fine. There’s also been the suggestion of having a contemporary service that I would lead on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night. What is your suggestion in regards to what the next steps should be in growing the church larger and growing the church younger?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * What missteps to avoid * How to launch a new service
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “Anybody who is going through a revitalization is going to have a similar path.” – @edstetzer * “Starting a second service as an evangelistic opportunity is not a bad idea.” – @edstetzer * “There are a lot of nuances in church revitalization.” – @edstetzer * “You need a revitalization process, but that process could take three forks in the road.” – @edstetzer * “What does it look like to create a launch team to plant a new church – like a church within a church?” – @danielsangi * “Because the average age of the neighborhood is 33, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to create a launch team and launch a service.” – @danielsangi * “As it relates to the succession side of things, I would try to gain clarity about the timeline as much as you can.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Watch Replanting With John Mark Clifton [Behind-the-Scenes] * Take the Essential Church Planting Course * Read Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer and Daniel Im
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 464 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss the top lies the average person is facing in their lives.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * What the seven lies are that people face today * How different generations are dealing with those lies
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “In the book I outline what those seven lies are and then what Jesus says.” – @danielsangi * “Every lie can apply to every generation but there are some that some generations are more susceptible too than others.” – @danielsangi * “The research says every generation is in or is fueling the gig economy.” – @danielsangi * “Every single one of these lies has a biblical counter too it that our world needs to know.” – @danielsangi * “As children were are asked what we want to do, as adults we are asked what we do, and at the end of our lives, what are we measured by? What we’ve done.” – @danielsangi * “Involvement in my child’s life is better than neglect, but underneath the surface, what this lies does is trick us into believing that our self-worth is tied directly to the performance of our children.” – @danielsangi * “As I was writing this book, the thing I have been praying constantly was that God would use this to bring the lost to Himself.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Read You Are What You Do by Daniel Im * Read No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im * Read Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer and Daniel Im
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 463 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss Daniel’s new book You Are What You Do.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * What the book is about * How the gig economy is affecting the members of our congregations
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “The idea that everyone has a side hustle is a global phenomenon.” – @danielsangi * “I have deconstructed the seven lies that are rising to the surface because of the gig economy.” – @danielsangi * “My prayer was that the dechurched and the unchurched would read this book and they would discover Christ in and through it.” – @danielsangi * “At the end of each chapter I break down the lie and what Scripture says about it.” – @danielsangi * “Obtaining freedom and flexibility is now more desirable that a McMansion with a three car garage.” – @danielsangi * “The gig economy has created the fertile grounds for freedom and flexibility to be our new god.” – @danielsangi * “I wrote this as a crossover book where it would be accessible to the dechurched and unchurched.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Read You Are What You Do by Daniel Im * Read No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 462 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss mergers and what that looks like for the future of the church.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * Why it has been said that mergers are losers * Why mission is important for a merger to be successful
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “Do mergers work or not? Usually it is completely rejected and goes south quickly, or it is a match.” – @toddadkins * “On the church plant side, there is a sense that mergers can be great if you are growing as a church plant.” @danielsangi * “Mergers can be beneficial if they are vision-driven and not just two dying churches trying to survive.” – @danielsangi * “Most mergers fail today for one of three reasons: finances aren’t clear, people aren’t clear, culture isn’t a match.” – @toddadkins * “If this church is on life support, but at some point in time shared a similar DNA, let’s pull from history, share those stories, and connect that with the future.” – @danielsangi * “If you are thinking about a merger, consider how it is mission-focused.” – @danielsangi * “Mission has to drive all aspects of a merger.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Listen to the Ask Me Anything podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 461 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed continue to discuss five ways we need to invest in church planting.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * Why we need to start finding the next generation of church planting leaders * What other approaches to church planting need to be considered
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “The reality is church planting is not the same as church planting leadership.” – @edstetzer * “We have to help people raise up a new generation of people who are interested in what it means to lead a movement focused on church planting.” – @edstetzer * “Many times a network or denomination leader of church planting has a shelf life of 2 to 3 years.” – @edstetzer * “Some people are temperamentally unfit to be an organizational leader, but they might make a great serial church planter.” – @edstetzer * “Let’s be in favor of all these different approaches to church.” – @edstetzer * “There are a lot of different ways church planting can happen, and that’s why the bivocational/covocational conversation is so important.” – @danielsangi * “How are we calling out to God for Him to supernaturally intervene – for him to be at work in the life of these churches that are planted that more are planted?” – @edstetzer
Recommended Resources: * Listen to Episode 459: 5 Ways We Need to Invest in Church Planting, Part 1
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 460 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss resources for learning more about emotional intelligence.
“Does anyone have a favorite resource on emotional intelligence? The ones I’ve read were good, but kind of dry. Seeing this as a huge need for some of the guys we are developing and we want a go-to resource.”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * What resources are most approachable * A breakdown of emotional intelligence
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “When it comes to emotional intelligence, or personality tests, it’s only good if it’s useful.” – @toddadkins * “Leaders need to have a high self-awareness – knowing their limitations and strengths.” – @danielsangi * “There is a formal and informal organizational structure. This is awareness of the informal leadership structure.” – @toddadkins * “Being able to catalyze change is something that you are constantly doing.” – @danielsangi * “Emotional intelligence is not just being able to read the room.” – @danielsangi * “Think about self-awareness, self-management, and social-awareness, social-management. In one of those squares you are weaker than in the others.” – @toddadkins * “If this is an area of weakness, I can build frameworks around it with reminders in my phone to address it.” – @toddadkins
Recommended Resources: * Read Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Graves * Read Primal Leadership by Daniel Goldman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee * Watch 90 Second Leadership – Emotional Intelligence
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 459 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss five ways we need to invest in church planting.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * How to work around structures that don’t serve the mission * Ways to effectively communicate the urgency of the mission to the next generation
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “Over time every mission-driven organization moves to maintenance mode.” – @edstetzer * “Remove structures that don’t serve the mission.” – @edstetzer * “Find permanent ways to work around structures that you can’t not do because of your denomination or network. Don’t let them be a bottleneck.” – @edstetzer * “We are constantly led by competing agendas.” – @danielsangi * “If you have that focused mission set, what does it look like for you to then multiply yourself and remove structures that don’t serve that mission so that you are effective in that mission?” – @danielsangi * “People today think church is meaningful to them, but often they don’t see the urgency of sharing the gospel.” – @edstetzer * “Gen Z has a significant minority that is robust in their Christian faith, and we want to build on that and have those who are committed to the Lord be committed to His mission.” – @edstetzer
Recommended Resources: * Read No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im * Read Meet Generation Z by James White * Listen to the 5 Leadership Questions podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 458 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss what you need to consider about staffing whether you are launching a church plant or a campus.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * When you need to add a paid staff person * How to work with an all-volunteer staff
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “You will have to train and equip some of those people in your core team like they were pseeudo-staff.” – @toddadkins * “A children’s staff person is one of the first that I would add unless the demographics of the area show there aren’t many kids.” – @toddadkins * “You need to have lay people in positions who are leading the different areas of ministry for your church or your campus.” – @danielsangi * “You need to have high capacity leaders who don’t just know how to lead others but know how to lead leaders.” – @danielsangi * “If all of your ministry team is volunteer, you won’t be able to work 9 to 5, and you will have to be creative in terms of when you do team meetings.” – @danielsangi * “The biggest thing you need to have is chemistry with that first staff person.” – @danielsangi * “Within a multisite context, you can hire an associate campus pastor that is not as experienced as you might need within a church plant context.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Read Staff Your Church for Growth by Gary McIntosh * Find out more about the Birkman Assessment * Listen to the 5 Leadership Questions podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 457 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss the 2014 church planting study and how it can affect how churches function in 2020.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * Why personality assessments are beneficial * How a framework helps you approach difficult conversations
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “I think that the church is the hope of the world in as long as it is a bearer of the gospel showing and sharing the love of Jesus.” – @edstetzer * “More churches are opening than closing, but the culture is becoming more secular.” – @edstetzer * “We need a revival of evangelism, we need church revitalization, and we need church planting.” – @edstetzer * “We need the people of God focused on the mission of God at a greater level and focus than we are now.” – @edstetzer * “Even in your context, what are those lies that you need to deconstruct so that you can present the gospel in a fresh way?” – @danielsangi * “Before we would share the gospel by starting with sin, but now we may need to start with creation.” – @edstetzer * “Ultimately the bridges across which the gospel will travel have changed, and knowing that is essential in 2020.” – @edstetzer
Recommended Resources: * Read the 2014 Church Planting Study * Read You Are What You Do by Daniel Im * Listen to The One Thing podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 456 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss how to raise better leaders.
“How do we help other leaders within a church lead well?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * Why personality assessments are beneficial * How a framework helps you approach difficult conversations
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “For every volunteer and leader in your church, use the framework of: are they humble? are they hungry? are they smart? to bring them up the leadership pipeline.” – @danielsangi * “It’s about serving each other well, which is lateral leadership.” – @toddadkins * “Even if you are working with your paid staff, you still need to work from the idea of lateral leadership.” – @danielsangi * “If I know where someone is coming from from a personality perspective, it gives me a tool to help me understand how to interact with that person.” – @toddadkins * “When it comes to conflict or it comes to love and patience, understanding goes a long way.” – @toddadkins * “The important thing within a church context is that you have a framework within which you are helping people develop, and they know you have that framework.” – @danielsangi * “If you use any of the Leadership Pipeline material, start with the fact that success is not progression up the pipeline, success is becoming more of who God wants you to be.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Read The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni * Learn more about Leadership Pipeline
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 455 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss how the 70/20/10 principle can be applied to Sunday morning worship services.
“I have a question in regards to the 70/20/10 adult learning principle. How do we make the church more practical? How do we make it split from that 70% to the 10%? Especially in regards to the actual service itself. Now the reason I am asking that question is I came from a blue-collar background. I’m a very practical person and a practical thinker. Now I’m pastoring a church in an area that is full of blue-collar workers. 8% of the population have college educations, so that means that 92% don’t. And these 92% are practical blue-collar workers who like to think, act, and serve with their hands more than they would like to meet up for coffee, that would terrify them. But if you asked them to go to a sporting event and talk with them shoulder-to-shoulder or even asked them to paint a house and you helped them, that would be the best way to have those conversations. However, when I look at the church service and getting someone to come along for that, it’s almost a complete offense in many ways. You start off by singing emotion-filled songs and the real manly-man doesn’t like to show their emotions, let alone sing love songs. And then you need to ask them to sit through a 30 minute talk that they haven’t done since high school. Then of course, the heart of it all is relationships face-to-face which terrify people in this particular demographic. How do we apply the 70/20/10 principle, especially in regards to the church service to make it a way that everyone can use their gifts and the blue-collar worker can come and serve practically, as well as to her and learn about Jesus in this church platform? Or is there really not a place for this, and it needs to be the focus throughout the week? If that’s the goal throughout the week, to lead people to Jesus through these relationships that are shoulder-to-shoulder, is the goal then to get them into the church service?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * What the 70/20/10 adult learning principle is * How to practically apply the principle to Sunday morning services
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “The whole principle was oriented toward mid-week rather than the Sunday morning church service.” – @danielsangi * “The principle basically states that 70% of the learning that we do is by doing, 20% of our learning is through receiving informal feedback from others, and the last 10% of how we learn is by listening.” – @danielsangi * “10% of the way we learn is through listening, so we still need to do it.” – @danielsangi * “It’s good to have some time together to worship the Lord and study the Bible, so that then you can live it out like life-on-life.” – @edstetzer * “If our Christian experience largely boiled down to people sitting in a room singing and listening to a speaker, then that would be problematic.” – @edstetzer * “Most people in church life spend more time in relationships than in worship service if they are engaged and involved in the church.” – @edstetzer * “What does it look like within the Sunday morning gathering to have expressions of the 70% and the 20%?” – @danielsangi * “Preaching isn’t the only thing that matters, but it does deeply matter.” – @edstetzer
Recommended Resources: * Read No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im * Read Starting Over by Dave and Jon Ferguson * Listen to the Group Answers podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 454 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss what multiplication looks like.
“Is there a difference between multiplying and reproducing?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * How multiplication becomes a movement * Characteristics of a movement
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “True multiplication is when you launch campuses who launch new campuses while they continue launching new campuses.” – @danielsangi * “If we were to reproduce today, we might get to multiplication tomorrow, but we will never get to movements unless we get to multiplication.” – @danielsangi * “Movements are made up of multiple churches multiplying themselves.” – @danielsangi * “Multiplication is contagious.” – @danielsangi * “Part of the reason people don’t get to addition, let alone multiplication, is a self-preservation or a defensive posture versus an offensive posture.” – @toddadkins * “In most areas there are plenty of people to win to Jesus, so rather than focus on how to keep people, it begins with your people catching the vision for the Great Commission.” – @toddadkins * “If you want to grow your church, you have to grow your people. Your people have to grow in spiritual maturity.” – @toddadkins
Recommended Resources: * Listen to the 5 Leadership Questions podcast * Read 1,000 Churches free e-book * Read Multiplication Today, Movements Tomorrow free e-book * Listen to the Group Answers podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 453 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss how a church should approach keeping a new church plant feel.
“How do you sustain a church planting feel — like risk taking, innovation, etc. — in a church that is 3 to 4 years old, especially if you aren’t the original church planter?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * If it should be expected to keep a new church plant feel long-term * Why it is important to create a team to help you as the church grows
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “You really can’t keep that church planting feel, partly because you don’t want to.” – @edstetzer * “It’s a normal life cycle of a new church to move from infancy to a greater sense of being.” – @edstetzer * “I would not run away from embracing maturity.” – @edstetzer * “Organizations are typically started with more of that entrepreneurial leader.” – @danielsangi * “As your church gets older, what often ends up happening, if you want to keep on growing that innovative entrepreneurial energy has to become part of the organization.” – @danielsangi * “Those systems are a mark and part of maturity.” @edstetzer * “Don’t expect yourself to be able to lead, handle, and operate in all of those functions at the same time.” – @danielsangi * “Recognize your gifting compared to the previous pastor’s gifting.” – @danielsangi * “If you can fill your team with gifted individuals in each area, then you can have a well-rounded team.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Read Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer and Daniel Im * Read Corporate Lifecycles by Ichak Adizes * Read Predictable Success by Les McKeown * Listen to the Making Disciples podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 452 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss how to approach a conversation with your lead pastor about your interest in church planting.
“How do you have a conversation about you wanting to plant a church with your lead pastor?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * How to approach your lead pastor if you are afraid of his response * Why your posture is important in this situation
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “The worst thing you can do is talk to a network or denomination leader about planting a church behind your lead pastor’s back.” – @danielsangi * “Whether you are blessed or bombed in this whole scenario depends on your posture.” – @toddadkins * “He is in authority over you. You are having to submit, at least in the moment, to his leadership.” – @toddadkins * “It is really hard to plant a church without a blessing from your lead pastor.” – @danielsangi * “Make sure as early on as possible you are bringing your lead pastor into the conversation so they can be praying for you.” – @danielsangi * “If you are wanting to plant a church two blocks away, that is going to be tricky.” – @danielsangi * “If you were a lead pastor and someone on your staff was super excited about planting a church, would you want to say no?” – @danielsangi * “The trust between you and your supervisor is so important for their health, your health, and your church’s health.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Listen to the Making Disciples podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 451 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss what it looks like to launch small.
“What’s your best advice for a planter who doesn’t have a core team of 50 (or even 10 for that matter)? For the more missionary minded “0 to 1 planter” who feels called to an area or people group?
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * How the process is different when you choose to plant organically * What options are available other than launch large
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “Start with two people, and then invite two others. When you get to four faithful families, start having Sunday services.” – @edstetzer * “It is a slower process to plant churches more organically like this, reaching one family at a time.” – @edstetzer * “In some areas, by the time you build a core group of 30 people, it takes four years to do that, and you can’t keep telling them it’s not a church. Just be a church.” – @edstetzer * “If you do want to launch small, then get another job. Be bivocational.” – @danielsangi * “Be like a missionary. Get a job and have a long view.” – @edstetzer * “The forks in the road shouldn’t be large launch or unsuccessful.” – @edstetzer * “If you are on church staff right now and have side hustles that you think could actually fully support you, give up some of your salary in your church so you can hire somebody else and build capacity that way.” – @danielsangi
Recommended Resources: * Read You Are What You Do by Daniel Im * Read The Church Planter’s Handbook by Larry Lewis * Take the Breaking the 200 Barrier course by Ed Stetzer * Read Slow Church by C. Christopher Smith and John Pattison * Watch Collaboration and the Surge Network [Behind the Scenes] * Listen to the Ask Me Anything podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 450 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss the role of a multisite director.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * When a multisite church needs a multisite director * What a campus pastor would need to exhibit to become a multisite director
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “If you are a church and you are looking to hire a multisite director, do not hire externally. Find someone in your church that is really passionate about it.” – @danielsangi * “Don’t think that a campus pastor can be a multisite director. It’s a different set of competencies.” – @danielsangi * “Communication is so important for a multisite director because they will be putting out a lot of fires.” – @danielsangi * “Does this person like people? Are they decent upfront and behind the scenes? Do they have the right attitude with other service teams? Those are all vitally important.” – @toddadkins * “That multisite director role is going to be a lot more administrative than it is up front.” – @danielsangi * “If your campus pastor is an incredible shepherd, multisite director might not be the best role for them because they might miss that part.” – @danielsangi * “More often than not we blame a lack of training or competence, when in reality we haven’t been clear.” – @toddadkins
Recommended Resources: * Read No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 449 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss creating a culture that values multiplication and sending.
“How have you seen established churches create a culture of sending when it has previously been largely self-interested?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * How you begin creating a culture of multiplication * Why conviction is important
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “A lot of times a church starts with missional energy that it loses over time.” – @edstetzer * “First, try to get things to multiply in general in your church.” – @edstetzer * “You don’t jump from nothing to something.” – @edstetzer * “You might want to work toward this for a couple of years.” – @edstetzer * “What I love about this question is that the answer is embedded in the question.” – @danielsangi * “The culture of invitation wasn’t birthed overnight.” – @danielsangi * “First of all, think about the conviction. Is there a conviction for sending?” – @danielsangi
Additional Resources: * Read Churches That Multiply by Elmer L. Towns and Douglas Porter * Read Designed to Lead by Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 448 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss the most effective ways to grow a church.
“What is more effective in growing a church – church planting or multisite?”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * How the idea of multiplication has been shifting * Why purpose and passion are more important than how you choose to multiply
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “There are way too many churches doing multisite that should not be doing multisite, but are doing multisite because it was the cool thing to do.” – @danielsangi * “Intentional and unintentional shifting from multisite to church planting is already happening.” – @toddadkins * “Multisite and church plants are both evangelistic in nature when they launch.” – @toddadkins * “If you are launching a campus because you have too many people or out of personal convenience, then you aren’t going to grow.” – @toddadkins * “The healthy markers of a person are the healthy markers of a church.” – @toddadkins * “Most of the people in our church do not share the gospel and do not use their gifts in service to Christ.” – @toddadkins * “You can very easily get distracted when you are doing multisite by all the other things that are going on in the ecosytem of which you are a part.” – @toddadkins
Additional Resources: * Listen to 5 Leadership Questions Podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
In Episode 447 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss tips for evangelism in a post-Christian era.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * What to do when current methods stop working * What role relationships play in the future of evangelism
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “As I am thinking about evangelism now, I am always considering, ‘What are we deconstructing and what are we reconstructing?'” – @danielsangi * “Evangelism takes longer and we have to ask apologetics questions in ways we never have before.” – @edstetzer * “When you think about the Engel Scale, there is this idea of in evangelism helping people understand that they do actually have a belief system.” – @danielsangi * “What they believe is a belief system. It’s not that they are completely neutral.” – @danielsangi * “That unseeded field means that we have to recognize that we have to throw some seed in places and ways, through apologetics and lifestyle evangelism, so that the gospel can be shared.” – @edstetzer * “When we look at evangelism in a post-Christian era, we have to be creative in ways we can do life together.” – @danielsangi * “Yes, there is still a role for big events proclaiming the gospel, but it needs to be in conjunction with that relational development through the people in your church.” – @danielsangi
Additional Resources: * Read You Are What You Do by Daniel Im * Learn more about the Engel Scale * Listen to 5 Leadership Questions Podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
This Episode’s Sponsor: Blackbaud Church Management connects your staff and congregation, ensuring deeper relationships and effective ministry. To see how to connect your church community with one holistic system, visit hello.blackbaud.com/blackbaudchurchmanagement.
In Episode 446 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss leader to team member ratios.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * Why the ratio of 1:4-6 is appropriate for the entire leadership pipeline * What to do if you are currently leading more than 6 people
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “There are teams of six for a reason. That’s the most effective team because of lines of communication.” – @toddadkins * “There’s additional research that says you can only have 6 to 7 meaningful relationships outside of your family.” – @toddadkins * “Am I dumping on people, am I delegating to people, or am I developing people?” – @toddadkins * “The reality is, if you have 20 leaders you can’t care for all of them. People will fall off the radar.” – @danielsangi * “You need to go from leading yourself, to leading others, to leading leaders.” – @danielsangi * “You need to figure out who the leaders are that you can lead, who can then lead the others.” – @danielsangi * “The leadership pipeline framework is so important whether you are a church of 50 or 50,000.” – @danielsangi
Additional Resources: * Watch 90 Second Leadership – The Complexity of Leading Large Teams * Read Team of Teams by Gen. Stanley McChrystal * Read No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im * Check out Leadership Pipeline * Listen to 5 Leadership Questions Podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
This Episode’s Sponsor: Blackbaud Church Management connects your staff and congregation, ensuring deeper relationships and effective ministry. To see how to connect your church community with one holistic system, visit hello.blackbaud.com/blackbaudchurchmanagement.
In Episode 445 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss a city approach to church planting.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * The social and economic barriers faced in planting in a city * Why it’s important to intentionally and strategically build a diverse community
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “When you think about planting in a city, you have the uber-wealthy, dual-income no kid families, single professionals, and the down and out who might be living there because of a shelter.” – @danielsangi * “People prefer to come to Christ without crossing social or economic barriers.” – @edstetzer * “To reach your neighborhood, you are going to be reaching across far more barriers than if you were in a more typical suburban church planting location.” – @edstetzer * “Church planters shouldn’t go in to a context and say I am going to reach the young, white, urban professionals who are moving into a gentrified neighborhood.” – @edstetzer * “Don’t be exclusive, but recognize that you probably are going to draw from a particular grouping, and as such you can intentionally seek to not let that group be the only group you engage.” – @edstetzer * “Most likely, the people who you attract at first are more like you, but then you continue to cast the vision to people who are not like you.” – @edstetzer * “If the people who show up are not as diverse as you had hoped, then keep intentionally, strategically building a more diverse community as you go.” – @edstetzer
Additional Resources: * Listen to Episode 443: Church Planting in Canada * Listen to The One Thing Podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
This Episode’s Sponsor: Blackbaud Church Management connects your staff and congregation, ensuring deeper relationships and effective ministry. To see how to connect your church community with one holistic system, visit hello.blackbaud.com/blackbaudchurchmanagement.
In Episode 444 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Todd discuss how to handle a church plant who is asking to become one of your campuses while also maintaining their autonomy.
“I have an interesting church dynamic question. Our church and leadership are very kingdom-minded and have a potential opportunity to launch one, possibly two, church campuses in the next twelve months. Here’s the twist: these campuses would launch under a different name. They are essentially current church plants that have approached us about becoming a campus with a live communicator/lead pastor at that location. We are working through the dynamics of what that would look like (financially, systems, etc.) and was curious if you knew of any other churches who are doing similar things. This is new territory and there is a lot to play at here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.”
In This Episode, You’ll Discover: * Issues you need to be cautious of * What a residency model and a multisite-to-plant model look like
Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches): * “There are some things to be careful of: is this a financial issue? what’s their worth ethic like? what’s the culture they’ve created and does it fit with your culture?” – @toddadkins * “If they want to keep their own church planters and names, then bless them, but don’t make them your campuses.” – @danielsangi * “This is going to cause you to lose momentum in your church.” – @danielsangi * “You could make a network for your city.” – @toddadkins * “A residency model is allowing the church planter to get his feet wet while also allowing him to build a launch team within the church.” – @toddadkins * “Are they going to be able to submit to your authority and whatever authority you submit to?” – @toddadkins * “I would be careful that they are looking for a handout instead of a hand up.” – @toddadkins
Additional Resources: * Listen to The One Thing Podcast
Help us Multiply the Mission: * Please subscribe * Leave a rating and review on iTunes * Ask a question by clicking Send Voicemail on the right hand side of NewChurches.com * If you’re on a phone or a tablet, then go to www.speakpipe.com/newchurches to download the app and record your message * When you’re recording, introduce yourself and your context in about 15 seconds and then record your question for 30 seconds
This Episode’s Sponsor: Blackbaud Church Management connects your staff and congregation, ensuring deeper relationships and effective ministry. To see how to connect your church community with one holistic system, visit hello.blackbaud.com/blackbaudchurchmanagement.