New Churches Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Wise Church Planting Jul 10, 2024

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

The Past and Future of Church Planting May 28, 2024

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 consumerism 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

The Discipleship Opportunity May 23, 2024

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

Small Groups for Women May 21, 2024

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

Christ-Centered Conflict Resolution May 16, 2024

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

Theological Training for Women in the Church May 14, 2024

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

The Soul-Winning Church May 09, 2024

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

Identifying and Raising Up the Next Generation to Lead Now May 07, 2024

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

Humility in Leadership May 02, 2024

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

Big Questions Facing the Church about Planting and Denominations Apr 30, 2024

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

The Importance and Opportunity of Church Planting in College Towns Apr 25, 2024

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

Creating a Discipleship Pathway Apr 23, 2024

Host Tony Merida meets backs up with longtime friend and Baltimore Send City Missionary Adam Muhtaseb to share their experiences with intentionally discipling the members of their church plants. Listen in to discover how you can embrace new pathways of discipleship in the life of your church and demystify the process along the way.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to define “discipleship” for new and seasoned believers alike
The role of the leaders versus that of the congregation in making disciples
The importance of diversity and flexibility when engaging your people in spiritual growth
How to institute and articulate the stages of discipleship development to your congregation
The value of establishing both relationships and processes for your organization’s culture of discipleship

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):

As we think about the Great Commission, we know that Jesus’ last command to make disciples really should occupy first place in our minds and hearts as we move among the nations trying to do just that. — Tony Merida

The good news is that this is fixed. It’s going to happen. Jesus is going to make you like Himself, and what a good gift to us. — Adam Muhtaseb

Discipling new converts versus people who have been Christians for a while is different. We have to accommodate new believers where they’re at and shepherd them along. Really healthy churches have good places to put new converts. — Tony Merida

The lead planter pastor cannot do it all. It takes the congregation, the community of faith. One of the things that new believers need is not programs or structures as much as they need relationships with mature Christians. — Tony Merida

In our American culture, we overemphasize the classes and the books, but there’s not enough emphasis on our dinner tables and the conversations we have around them. — Adam Muhtaseb

We can be great at teaching ecclesiology, missiology, and Christology. We can be great at developing the head and the hands, yet not so great at developing the heart. — Adam Muhtaseb

Becoming a Church that Multiplies Apr 18, 2024

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

Pastoring Through Politics Apr 16, 2024

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

The Joy/Tensions in Church Multiplication Apr 11, 2024

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

Why Every Planter Needs a Network Apr 09, 2024

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

Why Church Membership Matters Apr 04, 2024

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

Engage the City to Reach the City Apr 02, 2024

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

Innovative Outreach Strategies in Urban Ministry Mar 28, 2024

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

Overcoming Obstacles that Keep a Church Plant from Praying Mar 26, 2024

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

How to Make Your Core Team Thrive Mar 21, 2024

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

Why the Strongest Strategy is Planting in Plurality Mar 19, 2024

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

The Dynamics of Urban Church Planting Mar 14, 2024

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

Jesus' Power in Church Planting Mar 07, 2024

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

Encouraging Women in Evangelism Mar 05, 2024

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

Raising Up Women Leaders Mar 05, 2024

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

3 Practices to Endure in Ministry Feb 29, 2024

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

Responding to Criticism Feb 27, 2024

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

Spiritual Formation 101 Feb 22, 2024

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

Preaching to the Lost Feb 20, 2024

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

What Role Does Preaching Play in Church Planting? Feb 15, 2024

Episode 805

Host 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

Good Mentoring Relationships Feb 13, 2024

Episode 804

Hosts 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

Leading Your Church in Fearless Prayer Feb 08, 2024

Episode 803

Host 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

Preaching and Current Events Feb 06, 2024

Episode 802

Hosts 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

What Church Planters Can Learn from Spurgeon Feb 01, 2024

Episode 801

Host 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

Ministry Safeguards Jan 30, 2024

Episode 800

Hosts 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

The Role of Apologetics in Church Planting Jan 25, 2024

Episode 799

Host 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

Disciplines to Start in Early Ministry Jan 23, 2024

Episode 798

Hosts 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

Preaching the Resurrection Jan 18, 2024

Episode 797

Host 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

Creating Rhythms of Rest Jan 16, 2024

Episode 796

Hosts 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

Church Planting in the Face of Personal Challenges Jan 11, 2024

Episode 795

Host 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

Vision Casting for a New Year Jan 09, 2024

Episode 794

Hosts 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

Best of 2023: Connecting with Your Community as a New Church Planter Dec 14, 2023

Episode 793

What 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

Best of 2023: Giving an Effective Gospel Presentation Dec 12, 2023

Episode 792

As 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

Best of 2023: Preaching a Theology of Sending Dec 07, 2023

Episode 791

Hosts 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

Best of 2023: Did the Pandemic Change Church Planting? Dec 05, 2023

Episode 790

Did 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

Creating a Positive Staff Culture Nov 30, 2023

Episode 789

Host 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

How Do We Keep Pastors in the Game? Nov 28, 2023

Episode 788

Host 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

David Platt on Preaching with the Nations in View Nov 16, 2023

Episode 787

Host 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

Kids Ministry Nov 14, 2023

Episode 786

Host 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

Pursuing Jesus Nov 09, 2023

Episode 785

Host 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

Transitions and Leaving Well: Part 2 Nov 07, 2023

Episode 784

In 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

Transitions and Leaving Well: Part 1 Nov 02, 2023

Episode 783

Host 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

Using Demographics to Better Serve Your Community Oct 31, 2023

Episode 782

Hosts 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

How to Encourage Evangelism in Your Church Oct 26, 2023

Episode 781

Host 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

Cultivating a Multiethnic Kingdom Culture Oct 24, 2023

Episode 780

Hosts 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

Are Americans Open to Talking About Their Faith? Oct 19, 2023

Episode 779

Host 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

Essential Christianity Oct 17, 2023

Episode 778

Host 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

Connecting Sunday and Monday Oct 12, 2023

Episode 777

Host 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

How to Make Gospel-Centered Applications Oct 10, 2023

Episode 776

Host 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

AI and the Ethics of Preaching Oct 05, 2023

Episode 775

Host 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

Renewing the Importance of the Gathered Church Oct 03, 2023

Episode 774

Hosts 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

Considerations for Buying a Building for Your Church Sep 28, 2023

Episode 773

Host 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

Theological Accountability Sep 26, 2023

Episode 772

In 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

Rural Church Planting Sep 21, 2023

Episode 771

Host 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

Leading Well in Social Media Sep 19, 2023

Episode 770

What 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

Habits of Healthy Church Planting Couples Sep 14, 2023

Episode 769

Host 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

Leading and Supporting Planters from a Large Network Sep 12, 2023

Episode 768

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to identify which church planters you want to invest in
Ways to holistically advance your congregation’s giving culture
Where you can best allocate your energy, budget, and other resources as a church
Why you can’t miss out on developing your church’s “leadership cheat code”
The worst money pit a planting church can sink money into!

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):

Everything in the New Testament ties to this idea of churches planting churches together. You’re not planting a church; you’re being sent out by a church that is planting a church. — Vance Pitman

God uses churches of all sizes to reach all kinds of people, and different networks have different emphases. — Josh Howerton

You don’t have to be a large church to be a multiplying church; the size of the church doesn’t determine its significance. — Vance Pitman

There is a massive net gain, not just for the kingdom, but for your church when you become personally invested in planting and multiplying other churches. — Josh Howerton

Multiplication is not something we’re going to consider or treat as an option; it’s something we’re going to do, and it’s driven by a theological and missiological conviction. — Vance Pitman

I love to see our church planters believing that from day one we will multiply. It only happens when we’re trusting God for it. — Noah Oldham

How to Help Your Wife Thrive Sep 07, 2023

Episode 767

Host 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

Prayer and Church Planting Sep 05, 2023

Episode 766

Hosts 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

The Preacher as Theologian Aug 31, 2023

Episode 765

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why your personal definition of “theologian” may be ready for an update
The influence of church history and tradition upon our teachings today
The ways theology can impact your daily walk with Christ—and your people’s, too!
Sustainable rhythms of study for vocational and covocational pastors alike
How diversifying your reading can help you better connect with your congregation

Helpful Resources:

Fred Sanders’ article: Sent, But Perfectly, But Really
Interested in learning more? Start the free Preaching Masterclass.
Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

If you’re a pastor tasked with opening and expounding on God’s Word for the people He has entrusted to your care, you’re theologizing. — Trevin Wax

If you’re having to get up and preach, you shouldn’t want to preach yourself; you should want to preach God’s Word. It begins with the basic, fundamental level of interpreting God’s Word faithfully. — Trevin Wax

The pastor as theologian is not that you arrive; it’s that you’re continuing to sharpen your skills. — Ed Stetzer

Theology, at the end of the day, is not so we can fill our minds with knowledge. It’s so we can bow our knees in humility toward God and know Him better. — Trevin Wax

You’re shaping your congregation whether you realize it or not. Don’t you want to shape them in the best most God-glorifying way possible? — Trevin Wax

Who you are theologically shapes who your congregation is theologically. Make sure that who you are theologically is well-grounded, balanced, and biblical. — Ed Stetzer

Creating a Culture of Prayer Aug 29, 2023

Episode 764

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The transformational nature of prayer within Scripture
How the prayer life of the early church was cultivated
Why corporate prayer is essential to your congregation’s spiritual growth
Steps for incorporating sustainable prayer rhythms into your Sunday services
How the culture of the church begins with you as the pastor!

Helpful Resources:

Strategic Renewal’s Pastoral Network: The 6:4 Fellowship
Interested in learning more? Start the free Preaching Masterclass
Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

It has to be birthed in our own hearts that if we aren’t a praying church, we aren’t going to honor Christ, accomplish supernatural gospel advancement, or experience transformation. — Daniel Henderson

We watch people pray and see the Spirit of God move in power, and we’re like, “Wow! What is this?” But then we read the Bible and realize that’s what New Testament Christianity looks like. — Vance Pitman

There’s a difference between seeking revival from God and seeking God for revival. The only enduring motivation for prayer is that God is worthy to be sought, and that never changes. — Daniel Henderson

There has to be a worship-based motivation in our prayer that keeps us in the fight. — Daniel Henderson

When lost people attend a Christian church service, they actually expect us to talk to God and show them how they can do the same. When we relegate prayer to eloquent professionals on the stage, prayer becomes something unattainable for the average person. — Vance Pitman

Building a Theological Vision Aug 24, 2023

Episode 763

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Ways to effectively navigate cultural shifts and philosophies
How you can train your staff on pressing theological issues
The gift that tension brings us in our most difficult pastoral moments
Which topics to preach from the pulpit (or to save for your next discipleship class)
Helpful advice for reaching the “unchurched” people in your pews

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 find ourselves in a time when we can’t assume our people have a basic understanding of the gospel or on what the Bible teaches. — Ed Stetzer

I want our people to know I’m responsible before the Lord for them to be discipled, to have a Christocentric view of the world, and to be theologically conversant in understanding key doctrines of the Christian life. — Eric Geiger

What the church can offer now in a world that is so confused is to actually connect with the questions the culture’s asking; this is both theological and practical. — Eric Geiger

We’re not just screaming at the culture; we’re equipping our people to answer questions with both truth and grace. — Eric Geiger

Be careful before jumping into more complex topics because you want to walk your people through it wisely, biblically, and also in pastorally appropriate ways. — Ed Stetzer

Approach hard conversations with tenderness and compassion the way Jesus approaches us. Say the truth but also show it in a beautiful and gracious way. — Eric Geiger

Small Groups for Men Aug 22, 2023

Episode 762

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The ways gender-specific groups benefit men within our congregations
How simplicity aids us in discipleship planning
Steps you can take to guide your layleaders well
How you can address your men’s anxiety about joining a small group
The secret to providing childcare within your church plant!

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Start the free Preaching Masterclass
Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

The Scriptures clearly taught that Paul wanted to make sure there were older men training up younger men in the church, pulling them aside and training them to walk as godly men. The same is true with older women needing to train up younger women. — Spence Shelton

If nothing else—just out of obedience to God’s Word—if you’re a man with no male influences helping you walk with the Lord, you have to turn, look at Scripture, and recognize the deficit you’re missing. — Spence Shelton

Men need to be in spaces with other men dealing with God’s Word. — Spence Shelton

What were the disciples but a small group of 12 men who Jesus did life with for three-and-a-half years, raising them up, multiplying them out, and pouring into them? — Vance Pitman

We want everybody to be involved in intentionally gospel-centered relationships. So, depending on our people’s demographics in life, we provide different groups because discipleship is what matters for us; it’s the product, not the methodology, to get there. — Noah Oldham

Lead Your Church Through Change Aug 17, 2023

Episode 761

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How naivety can benefit our younger leaders
The importance of adjusting our approaches to change
What the COVID-19 pandemic taught us about pivoting
How to relate to layleaders through the lens of change
Why encouragement is absolutely essential in leadership

Helpful Resources:

Eric’s book: Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples
Interested in learning more? Start the free Preaching Masterclass
Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

You must begin with a really careful diagnosis of what needs to be changed, not thinking that all change is created equal. — Eric Geiger

We’re talking about the body of Christ, the family of God, and the bride of Jesus. The images that Scripture gives us aren’t for just any organization; this is the church, so we want to approach change very carefully. — Eric Geiger

Sometimes, as a leader, the need for change is intuitive to you in ways that are not intuitive to everybody else. — Ed Stetzer

Change is part of what it means to be a Christian. We were changed when we became Christ’s, but we weren’t just once-and-for-all changed; we are being changed and transformed. — Eric Geiger

In a church plant, you tend to attract more change-attracted people. They want to be there, but you must learn how to pastor them well. — Ed Stetzer

Starting Small Groups in a New Church Aug 15, 2023

Episode 760

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How NOT to start up a groups ministry in your new church plant
The importance of meeting and empowering your people where they are
Three qualities to look for in your small group leaders
Why your plant needs a disciple-making mentality
What you can do to avoid lay-leadership burnout!

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):

Clarity creates confidence, so give leaders clarity on what their expectations are. That’s going to give them the confidence to carry it out. — Spence Shelton

We plant because healthy churches plant churches and healthy groups plant groups. — Spence Shelton

We want to keep reaching people with the gospel. So, whenever you want to make disciples and reach lost people, that’s when you plant community groups. — Spence Shelton

We have to think multiplication at every level, and that’s not just multiplication of churches. It’s multiplication of disciples, which means multiplication of groups. — Vance Pitman

It’s not driven just by a systematized approach; if we’re not careful, we can make this a math equation. This is the activity of God in making disciples and multiplying churches for the expansion of His kingdom. — Vance Pitman

That’s what we’re after: making disciples. The Lord is the One who gives the growth. We are just here to seed and water, and as we see the Lord growing, we harvest. — Spence Shelton

Leadership Development for the Next Generation Aug 10, 2023

Episode 759

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The importance of growing young leaders’ competence and confidence
How to help Gen Z-ers navigate the uncertainties of ministry and leadership
What the next generation desires from their church leadership
Why we’re called to pave the way forward for the future church
What you can learn from the Next Gen members in your congregation!

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):

Gen Z seems to lack the confidence of older generations. They’re just as competent, smart, and bright, but they need more encouragement. They need to be brought along and encouraged to lead. — Todd Adkins

We are finding that the next generation is slower to commit to a local congregation, and part of that is their negative perception of the scandals and struggles of the church. — Ed Stetzer

Gen Z-ers don’t often see the church as a healthy place to exercise their spiritual growth, nor do they see it as a place to grow and develop as a leader. We have to seize that opportunity relationally, authentically, and in community. — Ed Stetzer

We’re coming from a completely different generation and perspective. We have to understand that they’re not going to take the same path we did and that the expectations they feel are different as well. — Todd Adkins

We need to be personal and patient with the next generation as we bring them along. If we’re not taking them anywhere, they’re not just going to show up anymore. — Todd Adkins

Warning Signs for Leadership Failure Aug 08, 2023

Episode 758

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The four steps to take when faced with your own failures
Which signs to watch for in your personal life as a leader
How pride precedes our greatest pitfalls as followers of Christ
The difference between disappointing versus disqualifying defeat
Why security in Christ is pivotal to flourishing in ministry

Helpful Resources:

Scott Thomas’s newest book: The Gospel Shaped Leader
Scott Thomas and Tom Wood’s book on coaching: Gospel Coach: Shepherding Leaders to Glorify God
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 you as a leader admit to making a mistake, it creates an atmosphere that allows others to know failure is okay and that we all make mistakes. — Vance Pitman

I think too often in the realm of spiritual leadership, we embrace the idea that we have to be Superman with the “S” on our chests. We don’t allow for the reality that we all make mistakes, fail, and hurt other people, but we have to be willing to admit that. — Vance Pitman

If you have built a culture of gospel and grace, you can freely put your mistakes forward, knowing that you’ll receive the gospel in return. It’s super important to build that out in your ministry. — Noah Oldham

The mistakes that disqualify leaders don’t happen overnight, and they’re not out of nowhere. There are often warning signs for months, if not years. — Noah Oldham

Pride is the complete anti-God state of mind. — Scott Thomas

To love your neighbors as yourself comes second, as opposed to what is first: To love the Lord your God. Even our ministries must come second to loving the Lord. — Scott Thomas

Mistakes that Leaders Make Aug 03, 2023

Episode 757

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The power of desperation within your leadership and prayer life
How a gospel culture impacts the church today
The correlation between birthing a church and birthing a family
Why you should take steps toward financial planning now
The reason your church’s leadership structure needs more than just you

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Start the free Preaching Masterclass
Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

The biggest mistake we make comes from the natural tendency of our flesh to do something when Jesus has invited us be something so that He can do something through us. — Vance Pitman

The reason we don’t pray is because we aren’t desperate. We’re not desperate because we’re just comfortable. We’re comfortable because we’re not trying to attempt something huge for God that He can only accomplish, and we don’t do that because we know our insufficiency. — Scott Thomas

God has chosen in His sovereignty to limit His activity to the prayers of His people. I’m not saying that God needs us, but God has chosen sovereignly to work in response to His people’s prayers. — Vance Pitman

A gospel culture describes a church that teaches and lives the gospel of grace, love, honesty, vulnerability, joy, and forgiveness. — Scott Thomas

The apostle Paul said the church should be like a functional family coming together in love. — Scott Thomas

That which is unhealthy can’t reproduce that which is healthy, and one of the reasons a lot of churches are not healthy is because they’re not planted by healthy families. — Vance Pitman

Leadership Challenges Post-Pandemic Aug 01, 2023

Episode 756

Host Ed Stetzer meets with 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What culture, leadership, and the weather all have in common
The importance of interpersonal connection within the church
How to move your people toward personal and congregational growth
The ways you can intentionally sow seed for a harvest season
Why honing in on discipleship and development is a must!

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Start the free Preaching Masterclass
Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

We’re living in a world where criticism is at a higher level. We’re also having to set different patterns and rhythms and are needing reservoirs of resilience at higher levels. — Ed Stetzer

People kept talking about a new normal, but it never came. The normalization is really inconsistency, not the predictability that we once had. — Todd Adkins

The challenges of leading in chaotic times mean that the levers you used to be able to pull to move things have shifted, so the structure and systems that were familiar to you and that you relied on are gone. — Todd Adkins

At the end of the day, it’s about relationship. I’m a result of good and godly people who couldn’t have asked you a good coaching question to save their lives. — Todd Adkins

The fruit of a volunteer is another volunteer; the fruit of a leader is another leader. — Todd Adkins

Men were Jesus’ method, and it really hasn’t changed that much. We think that we need to shift everything, but we just need to find a different way to do what we know has worked in the past. — Todd Adkins

The Ever-Learning Preacher Jul 27, 2023

Episode 755

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to grow your mental stamina
The importance of diversifying the content you consume
Why your “shortcuts” assist your greatest gains
How to capture the hearts, minds, and imaginations of your people
The biggest self-assessment question to ask yourself

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Start the free Preaching Masterclass
Check out our Church Planting Primer.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and intellectually, there’s a workout required for preaching, so you must have the right calorie intake for the right kind of output. — Trevin Wax

An ongoing intellectual stimulation is helpful for anyone who is teaching and preaching God’s Word. — Ed Stetzer

Part of the learning process is having something to offer through reading and listening to other great preachers and podcasts, while also getting to know the people God has called you to teach and shepherd. — Trevin Wax

Do we want to be wise and experienced with sermons that are fresh, full of insight, marked by the fragrance of Jesus, and with truth beautifully expressed? If so, then we must take steps now. — Trevin Wax

Not everyone’s a missiologist, but we should all be missionary-minded and inclined. — Ed Stetzer

Just like we’ve got to take care of our bodies, we must take care of our minds. We may have to shuffle our priorities to make it happen, but if we want to be ever-learning, we will prioritize it. — Trevin Wax

H3 Leader: Part 2 Jul 20, 2023

Episode 754

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Where to find zeal and wisdom in your discipleship development
Tips for finding joy within your church-planting journey
Why curiosity in one of your greatest assets in leadership
How rest is correlated to obedience
Why you may be feeling burned out

Helpful Resources:

Brad’s book: H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle.
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 lot of church planters assume they have to become pastors, but the reality is that Paul never pastored any of the churches he planted. He was the planter and apostolic missionary who raised up leaders. — Vance Pitman

When you ask a good question, you honor the person you’re asking, and you’re saying to them, “I’m really interested and want to know more.” — Brad Lomenick

Hunger doesn’t take skill or know-how, but it does take experience. It’s the mindset of walking into every environment with a posture of asking questions compared to just giving answers. — Brad Lomenick

Leadership is not sitting in a room with a whiteboard and dreaming up something great for God; it’s about living in dependence and in pursuit of Him, seeking what He’s doing in the world, and then leveraging our lives to get in on it. — Vance Pitman

Church planting requires hard work and a generation of leaders who are saying, “I’m willing to do the hard things.” — Noah Oldham

H3 Leader: Part 1 Jul 13, 2023

Episode 753

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The impact of generationally-led discipleship and development
Tips for steering your team further in the direction of their callings
How to find the balance between your work ethic and rest ethic
Why self-awareness is key in your own personal development
How humility transforms your faith in God’s faithfulness

Helpful Resources:

Brad’s book: H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle.
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):

Leaders are often utility players who wear a lot of hats, meaning they probably have a number of areas where they can and do need to grow. — Noah Oldham

It’s so easy to let your identity get wrapped up in what you do instead of who you are in Christ. Leadership isn’t a destination we reach; it’s a posture we cultivate. — Vance Pitman

Psalm 33 says, “The plans of the Lord are from generation to generation,” meaning we’re simply stewarding something that belongs to Him and that it’s going to continue in the next generation. — Vance Pitman

I’m always looking for transparency, vulnerability, authenticity, honesty, and self-awareness when it comes to humility. I want now more than ever to follow that kind of leader today. In the old days, it was “fake it ‘til you make it,” but today’s young leaders will see right through that. — Brad Lomenick

When it comes to calling and assignment, you have to find what that God has wired you to do, as well as what you’re passionate about. When you find this talent, passion, and connection all undergirded by God’s story, that’s when you are in the sweet spot. — Brad Lomenick

Sending Churches: From Parent to Partner Jul 06, 2023

Episode 752

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Tips for creating a church-wide lifestyle of abiding on mission
How to raise up sending leaders from inside your church
The importance of setting healthy expectations
How to foster a thriving relationship with those you’ve partnered with
Why your calendar prioritization matters

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’re all in to see the gospel change our society, there are no sidelines. — Adam Muhtaseb

When you create a sending culture—like the church in Antioch who sent people who sent people–your people will end up being a missionary force. — Adam Muhtaseb

Every church plant should have time set aside for Ephesians 4’s equipping the saints to do the work at the ministry. Our job is not to do ministry, but to equip the saints who do the work of the ministry. — Adam Muhtaseb

As a sending church, we want to help our planters theologically think through ecclesiology and contextualization. We want to care for their souls and make sure they’re ministering out of spiritual health—not merely out of gifting or hard work. — Tony Merida

The best kind of sending church sends from a context with a similar passion for church planting. So, church-planting churches become church-planting churches. — Ed Stetzer

The Legacy of Tim Keller on Church Planting Jun 29, 2023

Episode 751

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Dr. Keller’s influence on urban missions
The significance of his missionary mindset in pastoral ministry
How cultural engagement shifted his approach to church planting
What grieved Dr. Keller about modern evangelism
Why he didn’t recommend his early preaching style be replicated

Helpful Resources:

Ed Stetzer Live episode about Tim Keller: The Legacy of Tim Keller
Trevin Wax’s article on Tim Keller: Tim Keller into the Sunset (1950–2023)
Trevin Wax’s article on contextualization: Let’s Contextualize Tim Keller
Reconstructing Faith last episode: It’s Time to Rebuild
Book by Tim Keller: Center Church
Church Leaders article on Tim Keller: “Above All, He Loved Jesus”
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):

Tim loved church planting, and he loved church planters. — Ed Stetzer

Keller’s concern was that everybody had their own medicine they were in love with and that they were constantly belittling other people’s medicines for an ailing church and culture. — Trevin Wax

Tim was one of the first people to say that if you’re going to learn contextualization, you have to be an exegete of the culture and of the Scriptures so that you can bring the Scriptures into what you know. — Trevin Wax

What I love about Tim’s work is that he didn’t just tell you what to do; he taught you how to think like a missionary. — Trevin Wax

Tim would say that you want to present Christianity in such a way that people who aren’t believers want it to be true. That comes out in his preaching and theological vision for ministry as well. — Trevin Wax

Tim Keller’s church planting was driven by evangelizing secular people. That’s the future, and that’s where we’ve got to learn. — Ed Stetzer

Trauma-Informed Care in Your Church: Response Jun 22, 2023

Episode 750

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How trauma impacts discipleship
Why sustainability in outreach matters
The role of leadership in reaching the lost
Tips to determine your church’s serving capacity
Why a missionary mindset is your greatest asset

Helpful Resources:

Article: The Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
eBook: Establish a Local 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):

The city is where God has called us, and the church is the tool He established to engage the city with the gospel. — Vance Pitman

The churches that have the biggest impact among vulnerable populations are the ones showing up with their pastors and leadership there, saying, “Come do this with me.” — Cassie Hammett

The ultimate goal of engagement among vulnerable populations would be that they find a spot to belong in your church body. — Cassie Hammett

For something to make any sort of impact in serving vulnerable populations sustainably, biblically, and holistically takes a really long time. — Cassie Hammett

You have to assess what we are and who we are. Think about it in two lanes: resources and relationships. What are the resources we have, and what are the relationships we are connected to? — Vance Pitman

We want the gospel to be the answer for someone who’s gone through trauma. — Cassie Hammett

The Seasons of Preaching for a Pastor Jun 15, 2023

Episode 749

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why sincerity from the pulpit matters
Tips for establishing your rhythms of preaching
How to engage the unbelieving and disconnected
The role of current events in our preaching
Why your new church plant may need comfy seats!

Helpful Resources:

Adam’s Church Plant: Redemption City Church Baltimore
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):

Cast vision or values at the beginning. Treat your beginning series as more of an onramp series for those who are not familiar with the Bible. Walk through it together. — Ed Stetzer

Church is a family; it’s not just an event. — Adam Muhtaseb

When we go to church, we assume lost people don’t want to hear the Bible, but we have found that when we preach verse by verse through the text, engage their questions, and preach Christ from the text, lost people keep coming. — Adam Muhtaseb

You have to mingle with unbelievers during the week, and that will impact how you address them in the course of the sermon. — Tony Merida

When thinking about addressing unbelievers, one of the things we’re trying to do in Christ-centered preaching is show people the grand narrative. Most people coming in have no idea that the Bible is a unified book. — Adam Muhtaseb

A certain power comes through a sincere preacher when there’s an alignment between their life and their preaching. No one expects you to be sinless, of course, but it’s important that they see a real trustworthiness. — Tony Merida

Trauma Informed Care in Your Church: Assessment Jun 08, 2023

Episode 748

Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham meet with The Hub Urban Ministries’ Cassie Hammett to discuss how 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to assess and invest in the needs of your city
Tips for establishing relationships across sociocultural divides
How you can extend Christlike compassion to the world
How to redefine “vulnerability” as you know it
Why relational equity matters

Helpful Resources:

Article: The Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
eBook: Establish a Local 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):

Trauma-informed care is engaging others as people as you’re engaging them with the gospel. It’s understanding that people have all kinds of past histories that they bring into the discipleship process. —Noah Oldham

Anytime people gather on a Sunday for a service, that room is full of people who have a history of trauma. It’s not just vulnerable populations that experience trauma. —Cassie Hammett

A lot of vulnerability exists even outside of material poverty. It is incredibly helpful to have a wider lens for who might be experiencing vulnerability. If your lens is dialed in too tightly, it could keep you from seeing the people who most need to be seen in your community. —Cassie Hammett

Jesus saw the multitudes and felt compassion. That word “see” there means “to see and understand, to identify with, and to perceive.” —Vance Pitman

When you approach vulnerable populations from an asset-based perspective, you’re asking, “What do they already have? What can they contribute? What do they have to say about what’s happening in the city?” —Cassie Hammett

To move the needle for the vulnerable requires far more people at the table than just that population. It requires trust at every level of your city. —Cassie Hammett

What keeps tragic from becoming traumatic is our relationships. We all have tragedies, but when we have a relationship network around us, it keeps those tragedies from becoming traumatic. —Vance Pitman

Evangelizing the Next Generation Jun 01, 2023

Episode 747

What is the next generation looking for in 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to address the challenges of Next Gen discipleship
Why prayer is essential for effective evangelism
Tips for bridging generational divides
How you can model authentic discipleship
Engaging the next generation with true gospel hope

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):

With Gen Z, there’s an appreciation for boldness and conviction. Even if they don’t agree with what you’re saying, if they think you believe what you’re saying, there is an ear there. — Shane Pruitt

College and high school students are over fluff and puff; they are looking for spirit and truth. — Shane Pruitt

One of the best things we can do is help them remember that their whole purpose is to know Jesus, but also to make Him known. — Catherine Renfro

It’s a game changer for students when we can help them see that God can not only use them to make an eternal difference in the lives of their friends, but that He will use them if they’re simply willing and available. — Catherine Renfro

Students want to live with a purpose for a purpose, and they want to have influence. — Catherine Renfro

How to Mobilize Your Church May 25, 2023

Episode 746

We 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

Giving an Effective Gospel Presentation May 18, 2023

Episode 745

As 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):

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

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

Preaching a Theology of Sending May 11, 2023

Episode 744

One 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):

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

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

Managing Your Time as a Bivocational Church Planter May 04, 2023

Episode 743

Time 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

Connecting with Your Community as a New Church Planter Apr 27, 2023

Episode 742

What 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):

Keep being faithful and trust the Lord to build His Church. —NoahOldham

Principles for Multiplication Apr 20, 2023

Episode 741

You’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:

Download 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

Build Your Church Plant Through Evangelism Apr 13, 2023

Episode 740

New 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

Leading an Established Church to Support Church Planting Apr 06, 2023

Episode 739

Establishing 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

Growing as a Preacher Mar 30, 2023

Episode 738

Planters, 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: 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

Creating Faith Goals for Your Church Mar 23, 2023

Episode 737

How 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

Pastor Dad: Pastoral Ministry and Fatherhood Mar 16, 2023

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

Fighting Feelings of Inferiority Mar 09, 2023

Episode 735

Most, 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

Best Hiring Practices for a New Church Mar 02, 2023

Episode 734

We 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

The Long View: Church Planting with End Goals in Mind Feb 23, 2023

Episode 733

Everything 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

Executive Leadership in New Churches Feb 16, 2023

Episode 732

Regardless 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

Did the Pandemic Change Church Planting? Feb 09, 2023

Episode 731

Did 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):

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

Discipling New Believers Feb 02, 2023

Episode 730

Jesus 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

What Clint Clifton Would Want You to Know About Church Planting Jan 24, 2023

Episode 728

Clint 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

Funding: What Does it Cost to Plant a Church? Jan 12, 2023

Episode 727

What 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

Set Yourself Up for a Great Year! Jan 10, 2023

Episode 726

Looking 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: 3 Ways to Improve Your Preaching Dec 15, 2022

Year in Review: Episode 725

One 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: Organizing Your Week Dec 08, 2022

Year in Review | Episode 723

Pastors 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 | Reaching People Far from God Dec 06, 2022

Year in Review: Episode 722

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 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:

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

What Churches that Multiply Do Differently Dec 01, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The need to set aside time for leadership development,
provide clarity around the vision,
make your life available to developing leaders,
demystify spiritual leadership,
understand the financial component

Helpful Resources:

Free 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):

Almost every church planter I’m interacting with intends for his church to multiply, yet very few of them are actually sending out and starting new churches. There’s a huge gap between intention and the practice, and that gap is how difficult it is and the things you have to do day-to-day in order to make it a reality. @ClintJClifton

At Salem, we lost over 50% of our church to relocations. We were put in a position to say if we don’t raise up new leaders, then we’re sunk. It’s not just a vision. It’s also something that’s in practical application on a week-to-week and month to-month basis. @JWWelborn

As a church planter, as you gather your team, crystallizing and communicating the vision that this new church is not just one new church, it tends to gather the sort of people that really resonate with a multiplying vision. Crystallize that vision from Day One. @ClintJClifton

You have to open your life because discipleship, as it relates to being a spiritual leader, is more than just a classroom informational setting. @JWWelborn

People can’t imagine themselves becoming what you are until it’s not mystical to them anymore, until they they can understand it and see how normal it is. @ClintJClifton

We always say to our church’s residents that we want to do church in such a way that the average Joe looks up at the stage and says, “I could totally do that.” @ClintJClifton

If you prioritize church multiplication as an essential element of the vision God has given, then it’s going to cost you something. We are making sacrifices to provide to each neighborhood what they need most, which is a gospel-preaching church. @JWWelborn

From Maintenance to Multiplication Nov 17, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What causes pastors and churches to slip into maintenance mode
How success should be defined
Why a multiplication vision is essential for every church
The necessity of owning where you are as a church
How fear keeps a pastor from casting vision for multiplication

Helpful Resources:

Article: Church Planter Postpartum Depression?
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 every decision is run through the filter of “How do I survive?” … it’s a killer for multiplication, for advancing the mission and the kingdom of God the way we’ve been called to do. @JWWelborn

The reality that churches are dying all around us and every church is going to die should create this category in our mind where we say multiplication is essential because our church isn’t going to be here forever. @ClintJClifton

The only hope is aggressive disciple-making, leadership development and church multiplication. @JWWelborn

One of the first steps to actually becoming good at multiplication is owning where you are as a church. @ClintJClifton

Advancing the kingdom is perfectly fine, but when you start trimming budgets to make room for resources, then you’ve got members, who are paying the bills, saying, “No, I don’t think so.” That’s where it gets real. @JWWelborn

The worst thing for us is that isolation causes us to to slip into survival and maintenance modes. But when we’re in community and able to talk to one another, we can combat the enemy’s voice in our life and focus our energy and attention on things we know are actually right. @ClintJClifton

Success in casting vision really is determined by how far down the organizational chart people are communicating that vision. @JWWelborn

Developing an Exit Strategy Nov 10, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The difference between transitional and cultural leadership development
The value of having a leadership development pipeline
Why it’s important to look at succession at every level
How a church’s need for different leadership gifts frees a pastor to try new things
Where to get help in developing a succession plan

Helpful Resources:

NAMB’s Multiplication Pipeline training
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 successful in planting a church, there will come a time when you’ll start to think, “I wonder if I’m the person to lead this thing to the next stage of growth?” @ClintJClifton

Churches have two choices: You can either build leaders or buy leaders. Our problem is we have gotten out of the habit of building leaders. @ToddAdkins

From what I’ve observed, it seems so much driven by the pastor who’s leaving and what God is doing in their life and how they’re preparing their church for that. How prepared is the church? How attached are they to the pastor? – Jessica Thompson

If you constantly develop people, you’ll find you will be able to multiply. When your time has come to transition out, you’ll be ready to do that in a way that helps the church be successful. @ClintJClifton

In the maturity and stability of the church long-term, it needs its primary voice to be in the shepherd-teacher category. When a church is started, it needs its primary voice to be apostolic. @ClintJClifton

Your legacy is really what happens after you leave. It’s not what you do; it’s who you develop. @ToddAdkins

An amazing amount of humility is needed for all involved – the leader you’ve developed and the thing that God is calling you to do next. – Jessica Thompson

Financing Ministry in the Expensive Urban Core Nov 08, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The “three self formula” of planting indigenous churches
How starting with a nonprofit can help structure your approach
The importance of depending only on the God who called you
How facilities factor into the equation
Ways to prioritize missions giving in church planting

Helpful Resources:

Link: Bridge Church NYC
Link: Graffiti Church
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 way we got our apartment was our sending church co-signed for us. It was 600 square feet and we paid close to $3,000 a month for that. — James Roberson

We call it the “F word.” No one wants to talk about finances but it’s really important. — Taylor Field

Play the cards you’re dealt and focus on that. People always ask, “How many sources do you have?” We say, “One source, many channels.” We do have many challenges but it’s one source: our Heavenly Father. — Taylor Field

Your confidence must be categorically in God, because if it’s not, then you’re going to be depending on Big Bucks Tabernacle to fund you. I literally had individual, single-parent moms give me more than huge name churches. — James Roberson

You can’t get into that corrosive mentality of “You owe me.” You’ve got to know that God called you and He will fund what He’s called you to. Once you’re convinced of that, no city can stop the call of God. — James Roberson

What we said was “Lord, we don’t want to be a sofa. We want want to be a launching pad.” One of the root words for “salvation” in the Hebrew is “make a space for.” Having a space helped us become a launching pad. — Taylor Field

It’s important for church planters, especially in the urban core, to look beyond our own self-interest as a church. — Taylor Field

5 Advantages of Staying Small Nov 03, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The advantage of agility in mission
Why relational depth is so important
What forced ingenuity means in a smaller church context
Why smaller churches can handle failure better
Why volunteer dependency is such a good thing

Helpful Resources:

Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s book: Team of Teams
John Kotter books:
Leading Change
Accelerate: Building Strategic Agility for a Faster-Moving World
Lawrence Miller’s book: Barbarians to Bureaucrats
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 obviously we want to continue to reach people with the gospel. However, there are some advantages to your local church being modest in size. @ClintJClifton

The advantages of staying small are numerous. You always hear the speedboat versus freight liner analogy. One is easier to maneuver than the other. @ToddAdkins

A big church has more resources to put into an initiative but in large churches there’s this hesitancy toward change or doing something new. I think it’s harder to pivot to try new things when there’s this hesitancy. – Jess Thompson

When the lines of decision-making are very clear but they’re not very relational, it becomes a lot harder to do something outside the box. @ClintJClifton

Relational depth is the biggest bonus for small churches. That’s what we want spiritually – to be known, by our Creator, by each other. In large churches that’s hard to do. – Jess Thompson

John Kotter says organizations start relational and nodal, then move to hierarchical. Legacy churches and organizations tend to have their lunch eaten by the upstarts, who are more relational. The secret sauce to stay relational and grow at the same time is to have both. @ToddAdkins

Unfortunately the larger and more established you get, you tend to be innovative where you should be static and static where you should be innovative. But smallness allows you to say, “Oh, I can take initiative here.” It’s easier to take risks. Church planting tends to just attract people who can see that way. @ToddAdkins

Church Planting in the Big Apple Nov 01, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What makes New York City so complex from a missiological perspective
How to bridge economic disparities
The missiological challenges of changing neighborhood demographics
Factors that make it harder to plant a church in a place like New York City
The value of compassion ministries in building relationships

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):

New York City is seen as maybe the Mount Everest of church planting – a lot of folks have tried, a lot of plants have died. @EdStetzer

We sometimes say New York City is a not a melting pot, it’s a tossed salad. Where we started we rebuilt a synagogue. On one side is a “squat,” where people illegally occupied the building; on the other side there’s a luxury apartments. — Taylor Field

If you try to stop a person walking in New York, it’s like stopping a person mid-traffic in the South. — James Roberson

In more northeastern places, some of the most welcoming Christian folks – when they get changed, man, they get changed. It’s not cultural religion. @EdStetzer

Bonhoeffer says you can’t speak the words of God until you listen with the ears of God. The big thing is just to be a listener. Kindness crosses every culture. — Taylor Field

Trying to get them to understand the Calvary Road – suffering and trials – takes a long time in the city. You’ve come up here with a dream. God’s not really impressed with your dream. He wants to see you be sanctified and grow. — James Roberson

There’s also a missiological simplicity to New York City. Here the different people groups are all on top of each other. So there is that opportunity: every language, every tongue, everybody’s welcome. That could simplify things, rather than make it more complex. — Taylor Field

Calling Out the Called Oct 27, 2022

Episode 713

People talk about calling in such a 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.”

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Specific ways to use the “Calling Out the Called” resources
How the pastor plays a pivotal role in developing the planter
Ways the book and resources provide structure to talk about things like finances, what it’s like to live in a glass bowl or how to balance marriage and ministry
Indicators pastors might notice in church members that God might be calling them toward ministry
The important difference between teachability and agreeability

Helpful Resources:

Scott and Shane’s new book Calling Out the Called
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):

Think about the huge impact it could have if some pastors begin to get a vision for calling out called people in their church: new churches planted, lots of new people in ministry, more ministry happening. @ClintJClifton

We want to reignite the conversation of actually calling out the called – and when we do, what do we do with them? @rscott_pace

Our target is to equip the equipper, to help others in their ministry leadership calling, discovering specifically what it is, and then how to mature in that. @shane_pruitt78

Pastors and other church leaders are on the front lines. They’re able to observe what they see by way of giftedness and there are some objective criteria in terms of giftedness and ability, skills, passions that you recognize in others that you say, “Hey, have you ever considered a calling to ministry?” @rscott_pace

Look out for consistency, humility, teachability – and people who just love Jesus, love people, love to serve – meaning they’re already doing it without any kind of title or position, without any accolades. @shane_pruitt78

Teachability is another characteristic to look for, that they’re eager to learn and they have a passion for the church in general. They see the kingdom big picture, not just the immediate ministry need that’s in front of them. @rscott_pace

I want to challenge pastors to ask, “What’s it going to take for you to be the most influential minister in another minister’s life?” @ClintJClifton

Seasonal Community Outreach Oct 25, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Two common thoughts about community outreach that need to change
Some diagnostic questions we should be asking ourselves about outreach events
Two major considerations for planning community outreach
What your goal in outreach events ought to be
The importance of personal engagement and building relationships

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):

There’s not a whole lot that everybody in your community agrees on but even people who aren’t Christians recognize Christmas season. Statistically speaking, in the U.S. people are a lot more likely to go to church or at least to be introspective about spiritual things around holidays. @ClintJClifton

When you start to listen to and engage your community, you hear the values already in play. People are very excited during Thanksgiving or Christmastime about the idea of just pouring out resources to others and that people are entitled to compassion and kindness during that time. — John Ames

Almost 20 years into church planting, I almost won’t do an event if I don’t have a community partner and I think novelty is not nearly as important as I thought it once was. @ClintJClifton

I really like returning to that theological understanding that God is already on mission where where you’re going. Your goal is not to come in and create something new. Your goal is to find out where God is already at work in the community. — John Ames

Sometimes we can get all excited about something we’re going to do but we don’t ever think about the person we’re serving. We just think about us and how it’s going to make us feel. — John Ames

Some of it is just taking an event that’s already happening and looking for ways to make it more personal by leveraging your members to sit next to a stranger and engage them in conversation. @ClintJClifton

When you provide events that pull people in and engage that shared common interest, you’re already a step ahead. — John Ames

Can Co-Pastoring Work? Oct 20, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What “plurality health” means in church leadership
How scriptural injunctions and culture interact in leadership structures
Advantages and challenges of co-pastoring
How plurality done well feeds the quality of discipleship
The roles of plurality in church planting

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 have had the privilege of planting, depending how you count, six churches and the one that probably was the most difficult was the time we tried to plant with three co-pastors. @EdStetzer

Co-pastors sounds like the most difficult thing in the history of mankind to do well. Plurality health, however, is just making sure the leadership of a church is guiding one another to lead the church in a healthy way. — Jon Mollohan

It’s good for us to acknowledge that we are stepping into the wise application of some ideas that don’t get entirely fleshed out for us in the New Testament. But if we value plurality, it’s worth valuing at the very highest level. @ColbyGarman

Discipleship should be the greatest expression from the plurality or the leadership of the church. — Jon Mollohan

Church planters have to go into the room being willing to submit to others. That’s a key thing of plurality. @EdStetzer

When we broaden out the the voices that shape and define the church, we protect them against our own weaknesses and having a church built around our own strengths. We prepare the church for the day when we’re not going to be part of it. @ColbyGarman

It is so much fun to be a pastor when you know the elders have your back. You know they care for you. My elders are my friends. I’m actually doing ministry with these guys. — Jon Mollohan

Raising Pastors from Within Oct 18, 2022

Episode 710

Planters face challenges trying to raise 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How praying for or giving money to a church planter is different than raising leaders internally
Advantages of raising up leaders in a planter context
How to identify potential church planters in your congregation
Where to start developing a system for leadership development
The subtle but important difference between teachability and agreeability.

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):

Even megachurches with all the resources in the world are struggling to raise up leaders. @Adam_Muhtaseb

One advantage is that there’s less people, so you can already see who’s engaged, who’s faithful and then who has these more apostolic gift sets. It’s definitely more observable in a smaller context. — Greg Gibson

Jesus did not rent out the Roman Colosseum and start a service. He had dinner with 12 guys for three years. So who are you having dinner with? Who are you developing? @Adam_Muhtaseb

You’re imagining from the beginning something that’s going to work, not just for one or two people you have a personal relationship with, but you’re trying to create a pipeline where members can move through the process. @ClintJClifton

My impulse is always to want the excellent person, but in a sense I want to lower my standards a little and look for people who have high moral character, love Jesus and are willing to be faithful, to make sacrifices for him. — Greg Gibson

No one’s on the bench. We’re all being developed to our next step. Just what is our next step? @Adam_Muhtaseb

The professionalization of pastors doesn’t equate to church advance. So maybe if we de-professionalize pastoral ministry, we might make a little more progress. @ClintJClifton

Theology Position Papers Oct 13, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why a pastor should be the church’s resident theologian
How a position paper helps a church unify around how it will carry out ministry
Some ways a theology position paper can be used
What level of agreement members should be expected to have
Some pressing issues of our day on which a church may need to clearly articulate a view

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):

Someone’s going to be the resident theologian of your church. It ought to be you, because God has given you the responsibility of being the dominant theological voice in that congregation and because healthy doctrine matters. You ought to care about the unity of the church. @TrevinWax

A well thought-out and clearly articulated position statement – on some important subject in the life of the church – draws out where the Bible touches on the subject and how we actually live that out in the in the context of the local church. @ColbyGarman

I have seen pastors use position papers in the hiring process. I’ve seen churches get blown up because they bring on pastoral staff and find out they are not on the same page about a doctrinal issue and how you work out that issue. @TrevinWax

We have a real opportunity as pastors here to teach our churches how to gather around core historic Christian doctrine, while at the same time creating space for people in their discipleship to grow and develop and become more nuanced. @ColbyGarman

Clarity is good. People ask if it is unkind to lay out details. No, quite the opposite. It’s kind to tell people this is where we are on what sometimes may be difficult issues. @EdStetzer

Position papers really are useful when the the culture around us or the shared assumptions we might have change. If we don’t somehow articulate them, we move into categories of talking about those topics that are driven primarily by the culture. @ColbyGarman

Statement papers enable you to thoughtfully, convictionally, biblically, winsomely lay out what you believe. I say to people, “Take a look at that and then let’s talk through if you have additional questions.” @EdStetzer

Business as Mission Oct 11, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How a church leveraged a co-working space and coffee shop to buy a facility
How business can help plant churches in expensive cities
The challenges of mixing business and church
Whether business as mission muddies the water of “pure pastoral work”
Missiological advantages of business as mission

Helpful Resources:

Book: Gospel Patrons
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 naive to think that if you enter the business world with your church it will not take away your time. We had a lot of lost people coming to our building and we were making money, but I spent so much of my time on the businesses, it was driving me insane. @Adam_Muhtaseb

I wanted to be able to plant churches and not always have the the weight of the the financial need behind me. I was thinking about how we can plant churches in major cities that are super expensive and quickly think about sustainability and then reproducibility. — Greg Gibson

You have to clearly define your “why.” But I also want to sit in the seat of the prudent man and think in terms of stewardship: How can I turn what I have into more? — Greg Gibson

The reason we even do business as a church is because money is mission ammunition, and we want more bullets to shoot to adoption funds, church plants and staff. @Adam_Muhtaseb

It is a necessary follow-on from the focus on urban church planting. It’s inevitable that those who embed themselves in the most expensive cities in the world and try to do so on a bivocational, volunteer or a small church-planting salary would have to get creative in order to stay. @ClintJClifton

From Paul’s tent-making days to the modern covocational thing, church planting’s always had a foot in the marketplace and the marketplace has had a foot in the church. This is not a brand-new conversation. @ClintJClifton

I’m interested in training business guys in my churches to think about using their businesses as mission. The missiological impact of it begins to unfold exponentially. — Greg Gibson

So You Want to Write a Book Oct 06, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

First steps to discovering the publishing industry
The importance of having a well-known agent
Ways to actually accomplish the labor of writing
The role deadlines play
How to evaluate if you’re any good at writing

Helpful Resources:

Christine Hoover’s author page
Ed Stetzer’s author page
Clint Clifton’s author page
Michael Hyatt The First Step You Must Take to Get Your Book Published
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):

Writing a book is not just having the idea, not just having the desire. It’s putting your bottom in a seat and actually spending time doing it. It’s really an act of discipline. @ChristineHoover

Most books should be an article and most articles should be a Tweet. The expansion of ideas across chapters is a stunning amount of effort. If you want to write a book, you better start by writing some articles. @EdStetzer

I don’t read anything until I’m done and then I go back through and I re-read and edit myself pretty extensively. @ChristineHoover

Real writing is editing. Anyone can write something once. It’s your editing and re-editing where the pain comes, but it’s necessary. @EdStetzer

I have to go away for multiple days to get anything substantive done. Both of the major writing projects I’ve done were accomplished in two-, four- or five-day chunks of time. @ClintJClifton

You can self-publish and then be picked up by a publisher. That’s an increasingly common path as well. @EdStetzer

One way, especially for women, is using social media platforms to write and test things. When people resonate with certain topics, you realize, “Oh.” @ChristineHoover

How to Help When Disaster Strikes Your Community Oct 04, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Ways your church can be prepared ahead of time
How gospel opportunities are embedded in disasters
The importance of focusing on individuals in crisis
The value of seeing disaster response as worship
How churches should be engaging with nonprofits

Helpful Resources:

Send Relief website
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 somebody comes for relief items, it’s not the items they want the most. They want to tell their story. Listening to their story, debrief them, help them deal with what’s going on. Pray for them. The disaster has a person where they’re ready to hear about Jesus. — Kay Bennett

Throughout history, God has used His people in times of disaster and distress to advance the gospel. You help people rebuild their lives, one at a time, and it matters to every person you help. Focus on the one. — Clint Clifton

If we’re imagining what we’re doing as worship, as opposed to moving the needle in terms of correcting the problem, it makes a difference in your motivation for why you’re doing what you’re doing. — Clint Clifton

The bigger the crisis, the more personal we need to become. We don’t want to know people by their need. We want to know them by their name. Sacrifice is what’s going to touch people, where you pour out your life for other people. — Taylor Field

Churches should be engaged front and center in these issues and be known for their partnerships with nonprofits that spearhead these efforts. The church’s organized engagement has potential for incredible power. — Clint Clifton

When you engage with nonprofits, it opens a door for you that normally wouldn’t be available. You get to see the greatest needs in your area and you’re able to come alongside to meet those needs. It’ll be amazing what it does to give your church an identity. — Kay Bennett

When a crisis comes, make a three- to five-year plan, not a one-month plan. Because being embedded in your community is going to make a difference in a lot of different ways. Think about it not just as a crisis for a few weeks. — Taylor Field

Increasing Your Congregation's Church Planting IQ Sep 29, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why an established church would plant 15 minutes away
The importance of exposing churches to different models of church planting
Why the life cycle of a church has to be taken into account
The value of engaging local communities that are “different than us”
The importance of understanding everybody can do something when it comes to church planting

Helpful Resources:

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

A lot of congregations – new and existing – don’t really know how to articulate church planting as part of their vision. Maybe they don’t even feel church planning is very vital. @EdStetzer

The importance of church planting is taught, but a passion for it is caught. That comes from a church leader continuously showing passion. You talk about it. You give to it. You send people. That shows it’s important to us. @CatherineRenfro

If you leave the the majority culture, you find a new harvest and a new group of people in desperate need of new churches and the gospel. —Chuy Rodriguez

One of the advantages of being part of a denomination or network is you have churches of different ethnicities and backgrounds. That gives you an opportunity to engage in different ways. @EdStetzer

The more we engage our churches with the immigrant, with the widow, with the poor, the more they will realize that we need more churches. —Chuy Rodriguez

A lot of people wonder “Is church planting for me?” If every church member knew and really understood that everybody can do something when it comes to church planting, it makes it a lot easier to engage. @CatherineRenfro

I would suggest taking local mission trips. I truly believe the future of church planting lies in how we are going to reach the new people coming to our country. One of the best ways to get our IQ high as a church is rethinking local missions. —Chuy Rodriguez

Do Little Networks Matter? Sep 27, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What really holds church-based and micro networks together
How to maintain relationships so network values remain strong
What needs national and micro-networks can each meet uniquely
How large a church needs to be to begin multiplying
How national networks can collaborate

Helpful Resources:

Trevin Wax’s book The Thrill of Orthodoxy
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):

What really holds church-based and micro networks together is values collaboration. @VancePitman

It’s really good for us to recognize the concentric circles of care and love that make it more likely a church planter will be successful. @ClintJClifton

The ground is level when it comes to church multiplication, because it only takes one thing to multiply a church and that’s a ready leader. It’s all about discipleship. @ClintJClifton

The big mega-church in the New Testament missed out on Paul They sent him home. It was the small Antioch church that was able to build the relational equity with him where Saul became Paul. So who had greater impact? @VancePitman

As organizations grow, we go from barbarians to bureaucrats, from being willing to do whatever it takes to having lots of factors to consider. Sometimes the barbarians are just better suited. @ClintJClifton

But sometimes the bureaucrats have larger reach and extent of of influence too. @TrevinWax

The kingdom of God is bigger than any one denomination network or tribe. The endgame is about kingdom expansion to the ends of the earth. @VancePitman

Introducing Reconstructing Faith Sep 26, 2022

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. While there’s been a lot of bad news, we’ve got to remember the good news of the gospel and work within the church to restore and rebuild its witness so that people experience the majesty of Jesus. I hope you’ll join me.

Find out more at ReconstructingFaithPodcast.com.

Kids Ministry for Church Plants Sep 22, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why it’s so vital to instill energy in kids ministry volunteers
Ministry can be done even in less-than-ideal spaces
The importance of making ministry space fun and kid friendly
Qualities to look for in recruiting a kid’s ministry director

Helpful Resources:

Free new resource: 10 Steps to Developing a Kids Ministry
Youtube channel: Solid Foundation Kids
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):

This is such a critical point in a person’s life. As spiritual leaders of the church, we really want to take advantage of this opportunity God has given us to invest during these influential years. @Danielle Whitley

It’s critical for a church leader to be able to step into the space with volunteers and leaders with a sense of honor, optimism and joy that will be contagious among among your leaders. @ClintJClifton

There are so many things you can do, honestly in almost any given spot, to make it look fun and kid friendly when you follow these tips. @Danielle Whitley

Kids’ ministry, like church planting, is fraught with challenges and difficulties. But the fact you have an optimistic, positive, excited, encouraged outlook about the opportunity to invest in the lives of children is a game changer. @ClintJClifton

This type of attitude is going to create volunteers who will be excited about it. They’re going to be long-term leaders because they’ve caught onto the fact they’re actually investing in eternity by pouring into these children. @Danielle Whitley

We used this seminar in one of the residency sessions to actually train church planters. @ClintJClifton

With the seminar and the 10 basic steps, you are laying a strong foundation you’re going to be able to build off for years to come. You can apply it to really any ministry, including an existing church plant. @Danielle Whitley

Disciple-Making Strategies for New Churches Sep 20, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Different ways churches are effectively making disciples
The relationship between evangelism and discipleship in the new church
Varied approaches to church-based discipleship strategies
How to see disciples become disciple makers
Advice for church plants to have a disciple making culture

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 most effective churches I’ve worked with are translating academic education into practical implementation – complementing traditional tools with serving the community. It’s not just acquiring information but also putting it into practice so we grow in our walk with Christ. —Chuy Rodriguez

Oftentimes we talk about evangelism and discipleship as though it has to be one or the other. I don’t think you can have true discipleship without evangelism; I don’t think you can have evangelism without discipleship. Discipleship and evangelism go hand in hand. @CatherineRenfro

Discipleship is not follow-up. Discipleship is calling people to follow Jesus and the disciple-making journey starts at the even sharing the good news of the gospel with people, sharing what it means to follow Jesus. Disciple making includes conversion and spiritual growth and, ultimately, multiplication. @EdStetzer

We see one-on-one discipleship and group discipleship. I don’t think you can choose one over the other. Both are equally important. At the end of the day, I think relationships are the foundation of discipleship. @CatherineRenfro

As a new church grows, it takes on structure. All living things, when they become more complex, take on structure. We help people move from sitting in rows to sitting in circles, so they can have that life-on-life discipleship that makes makes the difference. @EdStetzer

A lot of times church plants, if they don’t grow in maturity, can become a mile wide and an inch deep. Church plants must have a disciple-making culture. @EdStetzer

You need a model of what it means to be a disciple and to disciple others. I’ve seen pastors who preach a lot about certain things but they are not the first ones doing it. I would say to most pastors, “Just be what you preach.” —Chuy Rodriguez

Engage the City. Make Disciples. Build the Church Sep 15, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Vance Pitman’s “inverted” church planting missiology
Scheduled activities that will help a church planter engage their city and make disciples
The difference it makes to start with a city, rather than a service
Leadership principles for planting churches that multiply
Steps that set up a church for long-term success in multiplication

Helpful Resources:

Trevin Wax’s book The Thrill of Orthodoxy
Eric Swanson’s book The Externally Focused Church
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 starting point is wrong when we start with the church. The starting point is the city and gospel engagement. The Great Commission is to make disciples. Jesus never said, “Go plant churches.” @VancePitman

When when you take the gospel to the city, the Gospel doesn’t skip over cultures. One of the reasons we have so many homogenous churches in North America is we start with a church service. When you start with a church service, you start with a culture that attracts people like itself. @VancePitman

It’s wisdom for a church planter to spend the majority of discipleship time with the most mature in his congregation, helping them become really effective leaders. It’s not so much about if a person is new to faith in Christ or if they’ve been a Christian for a long time. It’s about their trajectory toward leadership. @ClintJClifton

You’re basically focusing on making disciples who will then make disciples. @TrevinWax

When we talk about multiplication, often we limit that to talking about multiplying the church. But if you’re going to see churches multiplied, you have to think multiplication at every level. That starts with multiplying disciples. @VancePitman

In the beginning it feels like you’re doing it poorly, but you basically have to make the choice to go ahead and do it, even though all your ducks, proverbially speaking, aren’t in a row. That’s a hard thing for a conscientious pastor to do. @ClintJClifton

Jesus focused more on succession than he did on success. He planned for succession. He planned for the generation beyond him. Unfortunately in the local church in America, we spend 99% of our time focused on success. @VancePitman

For Ministry Wives Sep 13, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why a podcast specifically for ministry wives is needed
Some things ministry wives can learn from Christine Hoover’s podcast
Effective ways ministry wives are involved in church life
How Christine hopes the podcast will encourage ministry wives
Ways pastors can help their wives establish needed boundaries

Helpful Resources:

Christine Hoover’s Ministry Wives Podcast
Christine Hoover’s author page on Amazon
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):

Being a ministry wife often is a vocation without a job description. @EdStetzer

When we planted there were zero resources for me as a church planting wife. That’s what sparked my desire to serve and help women who sometimes feel unseen. They’re the unsung heroes of church ministry. @ChristineHoover

Ministry wives face unique challenges. We experience church very differently than our husbands, because it’s not our job. The dynamics can be really challenging. @ChristineHoover

The issue of ministry wives is a complex algorithm. You’ve got expectations and assumptions that come along with the faith tradition, as well as the unique personality of the wife. Those two things manifest themselves in so many different ways. @ClintJClifton

Pastors have a job description but one of the greatest challenges for pastor’s wives, especially within the first 10 years, is just figuring out who they are and what God has created them to do in their context. @ChristineHoover

The relational challenges are a big piece too – the blurred lines of ministry. It can be very confusing to know who you share things with, who you go to when you need help. @ChristineHoover

A big component is for the pastor to help his wife see herself, to see how God is using her. Sometimes it can be hard to see that in ourselves and so for the husband to say “I see God using you in this way,” that’s really encouraging. @ChristineHoover

Demystifying Church Facility Financing Sep 08, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Advice about how a facility’s price tag might translate into a monthly cost
The percentage of budget mortgage payments should be limited to
A standard expectation for how long you would be paying on a mortgage
How obtaining a permanent facility relates to the church’s mission
Some ways churches don’t have sound biblical ways of thinking about money

Helpful Resources:

Download our Church Plant Facility Guide
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 easiest rule of thumb is to look at a church’s annual income and multiply it by three to four times. Probably 98% of churches can use that to approximate what they could afford in a facility. — Ray Clark

Church planters are notoriously optimistic about the the future of their work. That needs to be tempered a little bit when we’re talking about getting into a multimillion-dollar facility promise for what amounts to decades. @ClintJClifton

Making a big decision like getting into a mortgage impacts how you function in ministry going forward. Some of the freedom to think about multiplication and sending out church planters goes away by making that decision. @ColbyGarman

We put a fence around the possibility of over-extending ourselves financially and we said we’re going to keep mission and ministry our priority. @ClintJClifton

Every single decision you as a leader make has a financial ramification. Every time you say yes to something, you’re automatically saying no to something else. — Ray Clark

Sometimes Christians have really off ways of thinking about money that make these conversations really hard. Like, “Hey we’re supposed to just have faith and all this talk about details and financing is uncomfortable.” @ColbyGarman

The No. 1 thing we run across is pastors who are the “tip of the spear” leader who just don’t engage in this conversation at all. — Ray Clark

Finding a Facility for Your Growing Church Sep 06, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Kinds of facilities commonly used by church plants
Some advantages and disadvantages of owning a facility
How to assess your readiness for a permanent facility
The importance educating yourself about local government rules
Where owning a facility should rank in your list of priorities

Helpful Resources:

Dan Mackett’s article: Creative Facility Solutions for New Churches
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 will use just about any space they can gather a crowd in: school cafeterias or auditoriums, movie theaters, small concert venues, hotel ballrooms and conference centers. @ColbyGarman

When you’re in the throes of church planting and things get difficult, you start to believe that if you had a facility, it would solve all the problems. That’s not true. In some ways, it creates problems. @ClintJClifton

Rightly thinking about facilities as a tool for ministry is probably the healthiest place a church planter could could start. The facility just facilitates the gathering of the church. — Ray Clark

Churches can take body blows of difficulty when they have a facility. But a family that’s not well relationally doesn’t get better by owning their own home. @ColbyGarman

Many church planters who think they’re ready for that step aren’t ready for that step. @ClintJClifton

The first place to start is really understanding where you’re at and the only way to understand where you’re at is to is to actually track income and expenses. A good rule of thumb would be about 25% of your budget allocated to your debt payment. — Ray Clark

One of the beautiful things about alternative situations is additional cash flow, but often that comes with additional operation. As a pastor, you’ve got to protect yourself against capacity creep. — Ray Clark

The Value of Staying Put Sep 01, 2022

Episode 697: No planter goes in thinking it’s going to be easy, but none knows 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The importance of staying through difficulty and the fruit of endurance
Why longevity in a community enables others to entrust you with valuable resources
How to navigate in a transient context and guard against the temptation to not get close to people
Advice for new church planters about “buckling up” for longevity
How enduring seasons of difficulty prepares you to experience a “sweet season”

Helpful Resources:

Clint’s article: Church Planter Postpartum Depression?
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 often tell church planters that the only way to ensure you won’t be a failure before you plant a church is to refuse to quit. Church planting is so challenging and if you have an escape hatch, the odds are when things are really intense, you probably will walk through one of those escape hatches. @ClintJClifton

We like the idea of being a consistent factor, a foundational person and a familiar face. It’s encouraging, especially for people who don’t take church life seriously, to see us always present. — Amanda Hudson

I look back at the seasons of difficulty as a gift now, where in the midst of them I saw them as the worst possible thing that could happen. If you stick it out when things are crushingly difficult, there comes a day you look back and say I’m so glad I didn’t quit. @ClintJClifton

Looking back is essential in the Christian life. When we remember past trials and we’ve seen the ways that God’s brought us through, that can definitely be powerful in moving us forward through the challenges in church planting. — Jeff Belcher

If you’re starting to wonder, “Did I do the right thing?” – the the answer is yes. Don’t don’t quit. Don’t give up. Church planting is difficult. We’re fighting for the eternity of people and so there’s a real adversary in the midst of that. @ClintJClifton

We refer to one another all the time as family, and families don’t quit one another. If we as planters come before our congregants and say we’re a family, then what does that say if we bail out when things get hard? That’s not the nature of the family of God. — Jeff Belcher

Walking away, like a father walking away from his family, is devastating. If when things get hard, we walk away, then that says a lot about the God we’re proclaiming to people. Commitment to church family is just foundational to planting. — Jeff Belcher

Supporting Those You Send Aug 30, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The importance of helping a planter enjoy the ministry
Ways to encourage planter spouses in the challenges they face
Specific stories about having a planter’s back in difficult situations
How you can help by advocating for that planter with other pastors
Signs a church planter is going through a terminal type of discouragement

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):

In the church I planted 20 years ago, we didn’t have a lot of meaningful encouragement outside of our church. It became a real lonely experience at times. @Jason Robertson

If they have a project early on, we participate in it. The journey is so serious but it can be fun, so just have fun with the planter. @Dannie Williams

Sometimes church planting spouses get the short end of the stick. They often are doing a lot of the heavy lifting for none of the recognition. It’s important to encourage church planting wives. @ClintJClifton

We did a retreat and one of the planter wives started crying with gratitude of how they had been treated like royalty. We just want to say to them, “We really do care about you. This is not just religious talk. It’s the real deal.” @Dannie Williams

One of our church planters got Covid and it ended up becoming pneumonia. He was in the hospital and we could not go in. His spouse could not be with him. We started every single day having a worship service and prayer meeting outside his hospital window. @Jason Robertson

It’s one thing for me to go to a random church that I don’t know and say, “Hey, will you support me?” It’s another thing for you to speak on my behalf with that pastor. @ClintJClifton

I think of it as if I were out there, what would God do for me? What kind of commitment would he have? He’s going to be motivating people to rally to the cause of kingdom advancement that you are part of. @Dannie Williams

What is the Mission? Why Does it Matter? Part 2 Aug 25, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Nuances in the theological motivation behind three church plants
Ways to strike a balance between alleviating earthly suffering and eternal suffering.
How to explain to your people what it means to be “incarnational”
Why ecclesiology is more than bylaws you use when your church encounters a problem
How being a church differs from being a mission idea or mission outpost

Helpful Resources:

Ed Stetzer’s book Breaking the Missional Code
Ed Stetzer’s article What 9Marks Purists Should Know About Church Planting
Christopher Wright’s book The Mission of God
Brad Briscoe’s books: Missional Essentials, The Missional Quest, Next Door 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 Christian understands that there’s more to this than trying to alleviate earthly suffering, but we have a deeper desire to relieve eternal suffering. @NathanKnightDC

My motivation is we see the kingdom of God breaking into the world. Part of our mission is to work to make the world more like Jesus would want it to be. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” @EdStetzer

We use very incarnational language: We’re the way Jesus shows His love to people in our neighborhood. We want to see people’s eternal destiny being changed. We also start with it’s an act of worship to serve and the results are up to the Lord. — Rivers Partin

It’s a kingdom work even if I don’t see someone repent that day, because we’re bringing about restoration in this place. We’re planting seeds and we’re allowing the Lord to to do the growing. — Rivers Partin

So much of the epistles are concerned about people not persevering and enduring. So when you think about the mission of the church, I’m going to front-load knowing so much of the work of the Church is to make sure and get the person to their deathbed still following Jesus under the power of the Holy Spirit. @NathanKnightDC

Your ecclesiology really matters. It’s one of the things that I think people don’t think about until there’s a problem. They think of ecclesiology as almost like the bylaws to use when we have a problem, but I think ecclesiology is a display of God’s glory that really matters. @EdStetzer

We spent most of our time just trying to understand what a church is and what a church does, what a pastor is what a pastor does, since that’s what we were endeavoring to be. As a consequence we front-loaded all that ecclesiology into the work of the church so that she would be set up to take in those new believers and then orient into our life together. @NathanKnightDC

What is the Mission? Why Does it Matter? Aug 23, 2022

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 it from significantly different directions.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How “bless and impact neighbor” intersects with “evangelize and congregationalize”
What “the BLESS acronym” stands for
How “equip the saints for the work of ministry” fleshes out in mission
How community impact and making disciples relate to each other
Whether community restoration is integral to church planting

Helpful Resources:

Craig Ott: The Mission of the Church: Five Views in Conversation
Christopher Wright: The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission
Michael Reeves and Daniel Hames: God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church
Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert: What Is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission
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 lack of clarity about the mission is actually a pretty recurring problem. We assume a lot about the church and what it is, about the mission and what it is, about the gospel and what it is. @EdStetzer

Our mission is really centered around neighbors being neighbors to one another, resting in the love of God for themselves and sharing that love with neighbors. — Rivers Partin

We see the mission of the church is to make disciples. So our mission statement is “Restoration Church exists to make disciples that delight in the supremacy of Christ here in Washington, D.C., and beyond.” @NathanKnightDC

I’m doing kingdom work and when I make the world more like Jesus would want it to be, I join Jesus on His mission. @EdStetzer

If someone wasn’t living out their faith in their community – having compassion for the hurting, wanting to bring the beauty of Jesus into broken spaces – I would say that what’s underneath is they’re not rightfully seeing the beauty of Christ. — Rivers Partin

The Bible has more to say about the work of the church than the average Christian thinks it does, and the more that we give ourselves to understanding what the Bible actually teaches about the work of the church, the church will be healthier. @NathanKnightDC

Our purpose is not cleaning the park. Our purpose is bringing restoration to something that is broken because that’s what the Lord does in our lives. Picking up the trash is a step toward being able to share our story. — Rivers Partin

Why I Would Never Support Your Church Plant Aug 18, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Red flags that might steer away a pastor from supporting you
What a pastor might do when approached by someone they think isn’t a good planting prospect
Where pastors see the “sweet spot” in a planting prospect
How a pastor who’s delicately stewarding resources might respond when a planter presents an unusually high monetary ask
Three principles to keep in mind when making the ask

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 red flag I react to the quickest is their disposition toward team ministry. You can tell pretty quickly if you’re dealing with a team player or with someone who just wants your money. @Jason Robertson

Often church planters think all they need is money, and that’s the problem of youthfulness in church planting. We think we have all the tools and resources before we’ve actually tried to do the work. @ClintJClifton

I met this one guy who was looking at planting as an experiment. If it didn’t work, well, it didn’t work. You can’t go into church planting like that. @Dannie Williams

Some guys are overly confident. Arrogance and pride is never a good thing going into church planting. Some guys are too timid. When you’re out in front and driving a vision, that takes a balance of being courageous and and filled with faith and confidence. @Jason Robertson

Either a person has a high view of God or a high view of himself. The higher the view of God, the more likely this guy is going to succeed, because a man needs to know God is sufficient and he’s not. @Dannie Williams

Money won’t cause you to succeed; money won’t cause you to fail. @ClintJClifton

Abraham would have never seen the ram in the bush if he hadn’t gone to the spot had the knife drawn back. @Dannie Williams

Embedding Into the Fabric of Your City Aug 16, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Practical ways of getting deeper into the culture of a community
How much you can learn by interacting with community and nonprofit leaders
Ways people see you differently when you live among them
The value of being covocational in a community
Why incarnational ministry matters from a biblical perspective

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):

Washington is a very diverse city where people like to talk and have conversations. It was just a matter of being outside on a Saturday. We have met more people just because of our dog. — Amanda Hudson

Most places have a history. One key thing to ask is “What’s the history?” I want to become an expert on the city where I live. @EdStetzer

There are lots of institutions that serve practical needs of the people but our church wanted to stand out. There’s something to being continually present that helps people see us as people who care about them. —Jeff Belcher

I don’t think we can plant churches via remote control. @EdStetzer

Living among our neighbors was incredibly valuable. In my 800-square-foot row home, we were averaging about 60 people a week because we were in a pedestrian context where people just walked to our house. —Jeff Belcher

I have loved knowing the ins and outs of DC to give people peace of mind … to help someone who comes into the city know the important things of just daily living. — Amanda Hudson

If we’re not living out the goodness of God before the people we’re serving, then we’re robbing others of the opportunity to see God in us. —Jeff Belcher

Build in the Beginning What You Want in the End Aug 11, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why it’s detrimental for a planter to hold off until the church is “ready for that”
How goals themselves can be recruiting tools
What values you should be communicating from the beginning
How choosing values is like buying a pair of pants
Why the stories you tell are so important

Helpful Resources:

Atomic Habits by James Clear
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):

James Clear says Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour. Systems are greater than our goals, to some degree, and habits over outcomes. —Jamie Limato

The regular rhythms of what you do day-to-day in pastoral work are going to affect the outcome a lot more than even your talking points or your big initiatives. @ClintJClifton

Clear and compelling vision is your currency. You can’t buy your way to the church you want. You want to build your way to the church you want. @ToddAdkins

Ultimately, creating more spaces on the net for people to take ownership is going to help lead to long-term success. —Jamie Limato

We actually failed at some of those things, but we failed at the right things. Falling and getting back up seemed to further solidify a commitment to multiplication. @ClintJClifton

Everything has an opportunity cost. Anything you say yes to is setting a precedent, and that precedent carried forward can grow out of control like kudzu. @ToddAdkins

Whether your church is 5 years old, 10 years old, 20 years old or 1 year old, plant those seeds immediately and just wait to see them grow. Water them by celebrating and talking and telling the stories about it. —Jamie Limato

Pastors are Professional Forgivers Aug 09, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to fight the tendency to become hardhearted and thin-skinned
How your response to others reveals your true grasp of the gospel
That forgiving sets you free from bondage to resentment
The most difficult part of extending forgiveness
How conflict can help you identify toxic elements in your life

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):

A lot of church members see pastors like the customer service desk at Walmart. They feel free to speak more critically toward toward the pastor than they would otherwise. @ClintJClifton

I’ve seen this issue with slander and also when I’ve made mistakes. We are called to love the church but it’s not because the church always embodies our beliefs on speech and forgiveness very well. I must be willing, like Christ, to pick up my cross and at times become the object of others’ imperfections, forgive and move on. @RevDaveHarvey

The trajectory of a maturing pastor is continually to have a tender heart and continually to be thick-skinned. @ClintJClifton

Ed and I call this “We’re smoking what we’re selling.” We have to go to the power of the gospel to move our hearts, to give us forgiveness, grace and mercy we cannot manufacture on our own. – Kathy Litton

A spiral of anger and bitterness takes you to a place where you’re not healthy and can’t distribute the kind of grace people in your congregation really deserve. @ClintJClifton

There’s a good outcome to own your sin and confess that and ask for forgiveness. It’s healthy for the church. It’s a signal that needs to be seen in the culture. I have to resist my flesh overtaking my spirit at that point. – Kathy Litton

The most difficult part of forgiveness is that we have to absorb the cost of another person’s sin and allow it to end with us. That’s a tipping point. All I can offer people is the cross, because the gift we received from Christ was not “I’ll forgive you, but it can’t cost me.” @RevDaveHarvey

Church Planter Kids in a Secular School Aug 04, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How issues affect both planter families and church members
Why there’s no one solution for these heart-wrenching and difficult decisions
How to evaluate various schooling options
How kids’ struggles with secular issues can galvanize Christian convictions
Problems that can develop when parents over-isolate their children

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):

Living in the urban core of Saint Louis, we were looking not only at low-performing schools but also the worldview being taught. We had to wade through that not only personally for us as a family but also for all the families in our church. @NoahOldham

Our planting wives are very strong women who are navigating these rocky waters of increasing secularization of the schools. They don’t want to vacate secular spaces. So they’re working hard to stay engaged in the mission field but also be responsible parents. – Kathy Litton

I’m raising adults, not kids, so I need I need these young folks in my household to be able to operate as adults. We came here to preach Jesus in a context of people who don’t know Jesus at all, so we’re on mission together as a family. @ClintJClifton

I remember hearing Eric Mason at a conference challenge planters to not send their kids to live the mission for them. The challenge was to not send my kids to do my dirty work. I should be leading from the front. @NoahOldham

It’s heartbreaking to watch your kids suffer and struggle, yet sometimes those struggles galvanize convictions in our children. The alternative to subjecting our kids to secular worldviews is isolating them, which can create this whole new set of problems. @ClintJClifton

Most homeschool kids I’ve known are able to have adult conversations in eighth grade. Our desire is not to keep them from information but to filter that information and explain it to them, so they understand and are able to explain with both both biblical conviction and compassion. @NoahOldham

The ultimate trust in the Father in this is really trusting Him with your kids. You don’t wait to trust God with children because now some new things must be considered with far more intentionality than we had before. – Kathy Litton

So Many Books, So Little Time Aug 02, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to make reading a priority
Several different media that will help you read more
How following a blogger may be better than reading the book
More efficient ways to read books
Why it’s important for preachers to read fiction

Helpful Resources:

Previous episode: Reading on a Budget
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 things you have to do is to develop other leaders so you can hand stuff off and have enough time to read. @ToddAdkins

You often can’t put yourself in the position to make the best decisions unless you’re reading well. @ToddAdkins

I have books in different places. I encourage people to make use of space well. And there are ways you can nudge yourself into a reading posture, where reading is really just part of the day.@TrevinWax

Communication is a work of imagination.@TrevinWax

Reading more is about setting yourself up, in a world of distraction, to read well. I don’t have my phone sitting next to me when I’m reading. Eliminating distractions is massive. @ToddAdkins

You have more time than you realize. If you want to read well, if you want to read widely, if you want to read a lot, have a book nearby all the time. And then in the dead times, you can knock out a chapter or two of a book.@TrevinWax

If you just commit to reading just 20 minutes a day, you will work through more than a dozen books in a year.

It’s not as hard as people think. It’s just the prioritizing of the time, eliminating distractions.@TrevinWax

Reading on a Budget Jul 28, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why it’s important to read widely
Ways to read well when you can’t afford books
How to know which books are worth investing in
The importance of discerning which books to keep long-term and which to give away

Helpful Resources:

Lead your church into a multiplication mindset with our Sending Church Masterclass
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 got to have a mix of both “book smarts” and “street smarts.” In planting, you got to learn from experience, but what you know translates into practice. @TrevinWax

You have to be selective. One of the best ways to do that is to find a couple other guys that are just as hungry to read as you are, because they’re going to help you by recommending good books. You often can borrow them from each other. @ToddAdkins

If you can’t afford books, read good book reviews. A well-done book review will summarize the book really well in a short amount of space, and then will probably get into some kind of either criticism or appreciation of the book. @TrevinWax

Some of the older books have moved into the public domain. Those are incredible books that have stood the test of time. @ToddAdkins

Books are more and more expensive these days. There’s nothing wrong with rereading the best books. @TrevinWax

Most of us have more books in our home than some of the great theologians and pastors of the Christian tradition ever had in their lifetime. Some of the great pastors and theologians didn’t have thousands of books. They had a number of books that they went super deep into. @TrevinWax

Your local library has digital ebooks available. You’re not going to get great theological classics there, but if you want to read about history or biography, you’d be amazed at how many you can download. @TrevinWax

Church Planting is Free Jul 26, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How much money a Sending Church usually is putting into a plant
When to start collecting offerings from the church plant
How a homeless man changed Peyton’s mind about congregational giving
How Paul laid the groundwork for the greatest kingdom expansion ever, without even preaching
Two major bottlenecks to multiplication

Helpful Resources:

Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches
Reaching the Unreached: Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art
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):

All the fundamental things needed for church ministry are free, and if you start there you’ll have a lot more positive experience when it comes to resources and and church planting. @ClintJClifton

If you’re spending the majority of your time trying to raise money to throw a church service that people either do or do not come to, imagine getting in a time machine and going back to tell the apostle Paul what you’re doing. Paul’s most likely going to say, “You don’t have to do all that. I didn’t do all that.” — PeytonJones

You should never let the lack of resources be an excuse for not doing what God’s put in your heart to do. @ClintJClifton

We started pretty early on but we never push for tithing. We would just tell people to “give what’s on your heart” and we taught them cheerful giving. We typically found that if we trusted people to give out of worship, it was great. — PeytonJones

Most churches around the world are not led by full-time vocational pastors. And yet the gospel has spread all all over the world – north and south, east and west, across mountains and oceans – and it did not do it on the backs of people who were paid for that work. @ClintJClifton

I’m going to always work another job to not be a burden to the church, so the gospel can spread faster. — PeytonJones

I think Covid was God tipping the hand, like “You can do this. You can get back outside and do stuff for free.” I think we got a taste, but I’m not sure we’ve swallowed the pill yet. — PeytonJones

Building a Team for Your New Church Jul 19, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The difference between core teams and launch teams
How a church planter can recruit team members when there’s nothing yet to show for their ministry.
The Swiss cheese and grid methods of gathering a team
How the leadership precedents you set are like kudzu
What a pastor needs to know about coaching when he’s building his 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):

One of the biggest barriers church planters often face is recruiting people into a team when there’s really no momentum for a church plant. @ClintJClifton

The higher level of competency and capacity leaders you are trying to recruit, the more important clarity is, because they are going to dig down into the layers of what you just said. They’re going to ask more questions. And the best thing to do is answer their question before they ask it. @ToddAdkins

We don’t know whether a person is living out the values and vision unless we ask questions and listen. —Jamie Limato

Leading as a coach, for me, moved ownership for every single problem from them being dependent upon me to them taking ownership and responsibility. And now it was shared leadership. —Jamie Limato

True success in ministry is transferring ownership to others, developing leaders to the point where they feel they are equipped for that work. It is a really fulfilling experience to have people around you who are doing the things you set out originally to do. @ClintJClifton

There’s a very good chance that those people you start with will not be as excited about the ministry when it starts to take root and grow and multiply. @ClintJClifton

The power of story is really compelling but it must be tied back to a specific value. @ToddAdkins

No One Owes You Support Jul 14, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The No. 1 reason people are going to fund you
What a planter should keep in mind as he approaches a church for support
The importance of humility when you ask for funding
The value of asking questions before starting your pitch
Why a church planter should consider a potential Sending Church’s own mission goals

Helpful Resources:

Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches
Friend Raising: Building a Missionary Support Team that Lasts
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 first time I got my NAMB letter, it said, “Thank you for what you’re doing.” I sat at my kitchen counter and wept. I had been church planting for years on multiple continents, but I had never ever had anyone thank me. — PeytonJones

A lot of churches have allocated money in their budget to support missions and church planting. Just because church planting money is sitting in a church’s account doesn’t necessarily mean they are or should give it to you. @ClintJClifton

Church planting assessments can be the death knell of a church planter. Everything sounds wonderful until that one question: What are you doing now in your community? If there is no action, it’s all smoke and no fire. — PeytonJones

Church planters don’t often consider the stewardship responsibilities of a Sending Church pastor when they ask for money. They don’t put themselves in the shoes of that pastor. @ClintJClifton

If I were a planter going into a prospective supporting church, I might start with questions: What are you passionate about? What kind of ministries do you like to support?” And I’m assessing whether I’m a good fit with this church. If I’m not, I can say to the pastor, “I don’t know if I’m the right fit for you.” — PeytonJones

You want to hear what a pastor’s pinch-points are in getting the church jazzed about mission. Then you want to show how your relationship with the church can actually be a means to that end. @ClintJClifton

When the church is reviewing who they’re going to cut to invest in someone else, guess who’s going: people with no relationship. — PeytonJones

Prayer and Progress Jul 12, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How the work of planting and the need for prayer often intersect in desperation
Ways the work of church planting can change your prayer life
How a church planter can maintain vibrant dependence on God
How God can miraculously intervene when we become utterly dependent on Him
Practices that can help entrepreneurial types build prayer into their lives

Helpful Resources:

Free ebook: Praying Bold Prayers
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 can focus so much on the the work of the Lord and not the Lord of the work. But as church planters we find ourselves dependent on the Lord and and His work every day, begging Him to do the work. @EdStetzer

In church planting, there’s so much doing, you might be tempted to not pray. But there’s a desperation too. When you’re starting a new work, you can’t help but pray. It seems to me they work together. @Dan Darling

This is a stereotype but the kind of people attracted to church planning seem to be people who are not naturally contemplative. There’s jet fuel drinkers and candle burners, and overwhelmingly the church planters are the jet fuel drinkers. @EdStetzer

What you can do is continually pray and have a heart attitude of dependency on the Lord and then cultivate that in your church. You are cultivating a life of prayer in your church so it is an overflow of what you are already doing and it’s coming out in your church. – Jessica Thompson

Henry Blackaby says that God purposely calls us to things bigger than ourselves so that we’re dependent on him. I found that to be so true. @Dan Darling

I’ve never been more dependent on the Lord than when I’m in a church planting situation. The frailty of the situation, the desperation of the need and the focus of the church planting team – for me, those moments point us to a deeper and more profound moment of prayer. @EdStetzer

A lot of times people link prayer to progress. We need to be real careful when we’re doing that because I know some men and women with incredible prayer lives who don’t have thousand-member churches. But that doesn’t mean their prayers aren’t just as earnest and persevering. – Jessica Thompson

Pastoring at Home Jul 07, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What makes a church planting couple thrive
Common struggles church planting families face
How church planning families release pressures
What a planting wife can do if her husband’s service is harming the family
Questions planters need to ask their families regularly

Helpful Resources:

Books mentioned in this 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):

Families deal with these issues every single day. When they are ignored over the long haul, it will be destructive to their marriage, to their witness, to their relationship with their children and to their church plants. – Kathy Litton

There’s so much pressure to take time away from the home. Most church planters are willing to sacrifice for the mission of God and what they don’t realize is they’re not just sacrificing themselves but also sacrificing their wife and kids. @NoahOldham

Sometimes being a pastor can feel at odds with being a dad and a husband. I remember one family member saying to me at one point, Can I get my dad back? I don’t need my pastor right now; I need my dad. @clintjclifton

When I thought about “pastor dad” early on, what I thought was teaching all about teaching and discipling. But my wife helped me understand she doesn’t need me to be her personal Bible study leader. What she needs me to be is a shepherd who listens intently and with compassion. My kids need that. @NoahOldham

My wife sometimes is used as an agent of God to rattle my attention back to where it should be on family matters. I get all laser-pointed at something and sometimes I’m not able to see the more important matters in the home. @clintjclifton

We all need a plurality of voices speaking into our lives. So many times church planting wives don’t feel they can share with anybody about issues going on in their home because it’ll taint their view and they’ll leave the church. @NoahOldham

Serial Church Planting Jul 05, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why it is important that we think in terms of and create pathways for serial church planting
What it looks like to be a sequential planter
What the finances of serial planting look like
Where the energy and motivation for sequential planting come from
The family implications of moving frequently

Helpful Resources:

Ed Stetzer’s book: Planting Missional Churches
Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
Are you ready to explore our Church Planting Masterclass?
Do you think our Sending Church Masterclass could be helpful to you?

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

I get a plant up to support level, work hard to find the takeover pastor and then turn it over. God puts it together in various kinds of ways. The denomination has helped at various times. Churches and individual friends helped us various ways. Every time we plant, we start over and piece it together. – John Worcester

If it sounds exhausting and draining to you, then it’s probably not how you’re wired and you probably shouldn’t do it. Starting new things energizes and excites me. I didn’t set out to be a serial church planter. I just realized I’m gifted at it. @Jared Huntley

One of the benefits of being a serial church planter is that you learn from your mistakes and you’re able to be a more effective church planter. @Jared Huntley

Our experience has been that it’s been really good for the family. It’s helped make us more dependent as a unit on one another rather than them getting dependent on on their peers. Our kids learned how to meet new people and go new places and do different things. – John Worcester

Most church planters in North America see church planting as an entrepreneurial beginning to something that’s probably a long-term vocation. They’re going to be pastor of this church. But many church-planting missionaries tend to birth missionaries. @EdStetzer

There’s a fine line between being wired and gifted by God as a serial church planter and being discontented and restless. That’s something each person has to wrestle through on their own and it can be helpful to invite others in to speak into that. @Jared Huntley

Some of the things to look for to discern whether this might be something God’s calling you to is if you’re energized by starting new things. Are you a self-starter? Do you have a track record of people following your leadership? Are you able to articulate and cast vision in a compelling way that other people want to get involved and jump in? Are you able to develop leaders? @Jared Huntley

From the Brink of Divorce Jun 30, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How God can take the most broken of souls and redeem it for His purposes
That our investment in gospel work sometimes pays off in ways we can’t imagine
How God uses our feeble efforts to do things we don’t even know about
That God can continue to give hope in the face of difficulty
How church planting is like a sheet of plywood

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):

No one really wanted to do anything with me in life. Society, my family, school, everywhere I went, that was the life I lived. — Hector Medina

I was such a baby believer, and I didn’t have nobody to walk with me, to guide me, or to tell me, “It’s all going to be okay. Trust God.” For me, giving up was the easiest, healthiest option for both of us, before he would kill me or something. — Alicia Medina

Hector and Alicia’s story is a story where God began to work in them and they, with obedience, stepped one step right in front of the other, and eventually God prepared them and equipped them for the work. @ClintJClifton

I needed to be humbled to enter this church planting. I think God was like, “Man, you can’t enter this like this.” — Hector Medina

One of the primary reasons church planters quit is because of isolation. @ClintJClifton

Finally, I said, “I need help. I know God’s called me. I just don’t know how to do it.” — Hector Medina

Church planting is a difficult and dangerous sport, but it’s worth it in the end, as God uses us to establish churches that become rooted in our community and proclaim the gospel of Jesus to others for generations. @ClintJClifton

Becoming Sustainable Quickly Jun 28, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The “three self” idea of church planting
How a planter can, from the beginning, plan for his own successor
What a reasonable amount of time is for a church to be financially self-sustainable
How to introduce the principle of giving to new believers
The value of holding up leadership that exemplifies giving

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 think a church planter should be consumed with “How am I going to reach the most people in the fastest possible way?” If he does a good job with that, then long-term sustainability takes care of itself. – John Worcester

An equal emphasis needs to be placed on developing leaders around you. If you can’t plant with a team, try to raise up a team as quickly as possible. If everything is dependent upon you as the planter, then you don’t have something sustainable. @Jared Huntley

Too many people say success is a full-time pastor pastoring a self-supporting church. It doesn’t have to be a full-time pastor. That is not the biblical norm and around the globe that’s certainly not the case. @EdStetzer

I like being intentional about giving other people space to lead and platforming other people. You should be aware of areas where you’re weak and allowing other people to run in their lane where they might be gifted in an area where you’re weak. @Jared Huntley

You have the best opportunity for the fastest growth momentum, the younger the church you’re in. As a planter, put your energy into getting the momentum to reach a lot of people as fast as you can. It’s out of that mix that you create the larger group where you find leaders. – John Worcester

We don’t want to sell our souls to get there, and we’ve got to trust God to bring about that growth. But there is a practical component to this: If more people don’t start attending our church, then you’re not going to become financially self-sustainable. @Jared Huntley

In the early days, when it’s evangelistic growth going on, I don’t emphasize giving a lot on Sunday mornings. Say something about it but don’t make it a big push. But when people are going to join the church, I teach about tithing and giving, and I promote leaders who are examples of giving. – John Worcester

Brutally Honest Feedback Jun 23, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to solicit and receive constructive criticism from trusted advisors
Insights about receiving feedback and passing it on to others
Some qualities to look for in people who will work around you
How constructive critical feedback can be redemptive for you
Why it’s hard to receive feedback and the role of emotional IQ

Helpful Resources:

Dan Darling’s free course: Using Online Conversations for Good
Michael Godfrey free article: Brutal Feedback is Your Friend
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 is hard to get people who are on your side to give you brutally honest feedback. All kinds of people want to give me brutal feedback, but not all are there to do it constructively in ways that are helpful. @EdStetzer

I think this is vitally important for every leader by allowing people into your inner circle who have permission to give you criticism. I’m not talking about cynics. If you start out pushing away honest criticism, what happens is you create this bubble around you. That’s really dangerous for a leader. @Dan Darling

I think ultimately you have to ask yourself, are you actually open to receiving the feedback? I think you have to separate what is being shared from your emotions, and really try to listen, ask questions and understand before reacting. Then you figure out what you can learn from it and improve. – Jessica Thompson

You may also need to think about the structure of your team. It’s very easy for a leader to surround themselves with people who are sycophants. You want people on your team who believe in you, but also know that you have frailties. @Dan Darling

It’s hard to receive feedback because we’re all insecure at some level. We all want to hear the good parts of the annual review, but not the bad parts. @EdStetzer

You need people in your life who don’t just feed your ego, but fill your gaps. You have to invite them in and have those relationships where you’re open to hearing that. – Jessica Thompson

A leader without a cycle of feedback is ultimately doomed to failure. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend. Profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” @Dan Darling

Minoring on the Majors Jun 21, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Ways planters often misallocate their time when beginning the church planting journey
The importance of equipping over “doing”
Why it’s critical to give more than lip service to prayer
The top priorities a church planter should focus on
How a church planter’s role shifts over time from missionary work to shepherding

Helpful Resources:

Free ebook: Building Your Core Team: Models and Best Practices
Free ebook: Church Planting Thresholds: A Gospel Center Church Planting Guide
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 advantages – and maybe even a disadvantage – of being a church planter having the opportunity to shape your own schedule and priorities. Any time I’m frustrated, I only have myself to blame. @ClintJClifton

Taking on outside ministry opportunities sucks your energy away from the the work God has called you to in the first three years. You should be laser-focused on multiplying and equipping leaders the first two years. @Adam_Muhtaseb

Planters plan too much and pray too little. Planters plan too much and pray too little. More time should be spent hearing from Christ before they plan him out of stuff. @NathanKnightDC

You should not be doing. You should be training other people to do so you can multiply and scale the ministry. @Adam_Muhtaseb

I’m not a great preacher and I’m comfortable with that. When I recognized there was a more fruitful preacher in our congregation, I quickly put him in that seat. @ClintJClifton

If you want to be a pastor, you should definitely be a pastor. Just do it at an existing church. But if you want to plant church, you need to be catalytic, a missionary. @Adam_Muhtaseb

Sometimes giving up on church planting has to do with a misallocation of energies and attention in the church planting journey. @ClintJClifton

Your Church Can Plant Jun 16, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Insights from three Church Planting Masterclass sample clips:

Matt Chandler on being a missionary in your city
David Platt on involving your family in in ministry
Heather Thompson on becoming a better communicator

Helpful Resources:

Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
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 really do have to think like a missionary. We expect missionaries who go to other parts of the world to examine the culture that they’re going to reach. And yet for some reason when we think about North America we don’t we don’t prioritize exegeting the culture as much. @TrevinWax

It’s not just that there are differences in cultures; it’s that our cultures are always changing. So even information about your city 20 years ago might not be relevant now. @ClintJClifton

There’s this popular idea of balancing family and ministry. We even have the phrase “Don’t sacrifice your family on the altar of ministry.” But I think sometimes we’re in danger of sacrificing our ministry on the altar of family. It actually goes both ways. They are your ministry and they’re your co-laborers in ministry. @ClintJClifton

It’s not sacrificing your family for ministry; your family is your ministry. You minister to your family and then you minister alongside your family. @TrevinWax

I love the idea that we’re not just bringing a person to a message; we’re wanting the message to get to a person. And it’s not the communicator that matters most; it’s what’s being communicated. @TrevinWax

When people come to church, they really want to hear what God says. The Bible is the best thing your church has going for you. You have something no one else has: the very Word of God. How could we not want to be the very best most effective communicators possible? @TrevinWax

What I’ve heard for years about Jonathan Edwards is that he was so clear in his message and so vivid in his articulation, but so monotone in his delivery. Yet he’s one of the most powerful preachers we could ever consider. @ClintJClifton

Your Church Can Send Jun 14, 2022

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 Sending Church 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Insights from three Sending Church Masterclass sample clips:

Jimmy Scroggins on the “ready leader”
D.A. Horton on the qualities of fruitful church planters
Craig Springer on the role of community in spiritual development

Helpful Resources:

Are you ready to enroll in our Sending Church Masterclass?
Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
Tim Chester’s book: A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

I’m close enough to church multiplication to know how difficult it is. In the beginning I wondered whether there really are any masters in church planting. But as I’ve watched this come together, I’ve learned so much and thought, “Man, these really are masters in their craft.” @ClintJClifton

Yes, masters, but they don’t come across in a pretentious way. You can tell they are continuing to learn and grow. There’s also a built-in aspect of contextualization. It’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of course. @TrevinWax

As diverse as this group of people is philosophically, the whole course presents really practical ideas. This is designed to be a tool, if you’d like to lead your church to multiply, you could use this as a part of your equipping for that. @ClintJClifton

A lot of people want to plant churches, but they don’t make the connection that you won’t ever become effective at planting churches if you don’t become effective at developing leaders. That’s a fundamental skill for every every church multiplier. @ClintJClifton

I’ve been hearing more and more about inviting people to the table of fellowship, that sharing meals together and listening in community shows that the spiritual journey starts with community from the beginning. @TrevinWax

The great missionary theologian Lesslie Newbigin always said the church is the hermeneutic of the gospel, the church is to make the gospel visible to people. There’s true evangelistic power in being invited into the community of the cross to witness what the life of Jesus looks like fleshed out.

People who don’t feel they’re that equipped for evangelism should recognize that spiritual conversations play a part in someone’s spiritual journey, moving them toward faith, even though they might not have been the one to cross the threshold of faith with them. @TrevinWax

Church Planting Dealbreakers Jun 09, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Whether a church planter could potentially not meet the scriptural qualifications for a pastor
The relative value of competence and character in the assessment process
The necessity of having a Sending Church behind a planter
How much and what kind of debt an aspiring church planter should have
Whether a planter’s primary goal should be multiplication or founding a biblical church

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):

As we think about this in the assessment process, sometimes there’s an ultra-focus on competence and virtually none on character. @ClintJClifton

Paul says he came “in weakness and trembling,” so he didn’t have much competence, but he had a lot of character. We need more of that. @Adam_Muhtaseb

If no church is sending you – if you are sending yourself – that should be a dealbreaker. If you’re part of a bad church, you need to align yourself with a good one. @ClintJClifton

If you’re not meaningfully involved in a local church, I see all kinds of red flags. @NathanKnightDC

One church planter had $300,000 of student debt. We ran a credit check and it came back good because he paid his bills. I had to say, “I just don’t think I can see you going out and raising funds for this new church, knowing that so much of that’s going to to your student debt.” @ClintJClifton

If a guy wants to plant and his wife’s not on board, it’s game over game over and not even a question. I wouldn’t join a church that my wife didn’t want to join. Just let it go and let God in His timing send you out when you’re ready and she’s ready. @Adam_Muhtaseb

I would just want to be clear that you’re doing this because of your devotion and affection for Christ, not because you like planting churches and want to multiply and have an influence. @NathanKnightDC

Our Most Discouraging Moments May 17, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Spurgeon’s perspective on quitting
The encouraging word that kept Peyton Jones going
Whether feeling discouraged is normal
How church planting is like marriage
How God uses even the darkest despair

Helpful Resources:

Book: Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches
App: Through the Word
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):

Charles Spurgeon was once asked by a student, “Did you ever think of quitting?” And he answered, “Yes, about once a fortnight.” — PeytonJones

In my first year of one plant, I drove to church on Sunday morning and there were hardly any cars in the parking lot. But there was this lady named Pam who said, “But Jesus is here,” and it gave me what I needed to keep going. — PeytonJones

I remember this Sunday where nobody showed up to help me unload the trailer. I set everything up and greeted people. I was so sweaty I had to change my clothes. I sang the songs, said the prayers, preached the sermon and greeted people as they left. Then I packed up the trailer. I told my wife, “I’ll never drive back in this parking lot again.” @ClintJClifton

I think a lot of planters may feel condemned by feeling discouraged. But that is normal. It comes with it. — PeytonJones

Every marriage goes through rough times. You’re going to have some real pain and at times you’re going to see things in yourself you don’t want to see. But you tough it out. — PeytonJones

In those moments, it feels so terminal. But it’s against that dark backdrop that the light of the gospel shines brightest. God shows He can redeem even the darkest despair. He can still use our lives for His glory, even when we are a mess. @ClintJClifton

If you are a church planter in that season, I want you to know there is only one thing you can do to ensure you won’t fail as a church planter and that’s to not give up. Trust in Jesus, put one foot in front of the other each day. Down the road, you’ll be grateful you did. @ClintJClifton

Building A Church Planting Family Apr 26, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Some of the challenges of creating continuity among network churches, while still allowing them to express their uniqueness
The trick of changing the scale of disciple-making to actually creating church planters
Ideas for structuring the network organization and making decisions as a group
The degree to which network churches should reflect franchise branding
The challenge of dealing with the subtraction aspect of multiplication
The importance of changing your mindset from linear to non-linear growth

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):

A lot of our motivation to keep the churches connected was we wanted people to have some continuity of experience in a military lifestyle where they experienced very low continuity. @ColbyGarman

Our process was going back and saying, “How do we get to having someone go out and plant the church?” and trying to reverse engineer that. @KeithWieser

How do you create something where the process of building disciples, you just change the scale to create a church planter? @KeithWieser

Our goal from the beginning was a network of generations of disciples. So they are connected to that individual who discipled them. Their planting church is really connected through that discipleship chain. @KeithWieser

From the beginning, we we decided we were just naturally organic. We wanted the commonality to be created by being trained within our churches. @ColbyGarman

The relationships are the glue that holds our network together. The reason we want to keep in this network is because we love one another. @ClintJClifton

The way we gather and discipleship-oriented structures are very similar. There are some things that are non-negotiables. @KeithWieser

We want to help military families feel like they’re walking into the same family, like going to a cousin’s house. You’re in the same family but there’s a lot of differences. @ColbyGarman

One of the most challenging things for us is being able to say what is the actual process versus the product and are we unified around the product? @KeithWieser

I went to a project and it wasn’t the way I would do it. Someone discovered something so much better and I’ve got to figure out how to help them to see the end and not do it like I would do it. @KeithWieser

Do I pursue you the path to multiplication or do I pursue the path to growth? @ClintJClifton

Multiplication looks like subtraction at the very beginning, and that’s the hard thing to be able to help people press through. @KeithWieser

The math doesn’t lie, and this is the math Jesus used from the very beginning. @KeithWieser

If you keep leaders to yourself, they sort of spoil. Whereas if you send them away, they prosper. God develops them in an incredible way that He wouldn’t have if they just stayed as a leader all the time. @ClintJClifton

There’s moments where you’re not even sure if this is going to work out, and then you see them get put into that crucible and that crucible does more for them than I could have ever done. @KeithWieser

Organizing Your Week Apr 21, 2022

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.

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
How prioritizing tasks is like a game of Whac-A-Mole

Helpful Resources:

Free podcasts:

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):

This is a subject that touches everybody but pastors and church planters particularly are feeling the pinch of not enough time. @ClintJClifton

Virtually every pastor I know who’s working in an urban context has some sort of other means of of income. The the days of studying your sermon for 35 or 40 hours are long gone. @ClintJClifton

Americans have been very very affluent, which means churches have been able to buy leaders instead of building leaders. @ToddAdkins

You have a wonderful opportunity as a church plant to start from scratch. But whatever you add, you must be able to staff well, either with paid staff, volunteers or leaders. @ToddAdkins

You have to become not a master doer and not a master delegator. It is about leadership development, about developing people. @ToddAdkins

Delegation is a lie. That is not leadership. Development is a higher form. It’s not just choosing the person and the position and practicing leadership placement. @ToddAdkins

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

It’s difficult because church planters are required to be so many things. They have to develop people. They have to teach. They have to lead. They have to be administrative and organized. To ask all that from just one person is hard. – Jessica Thompson

You need to know what God has called you to and where you are gifted and ask who you can bring alongside who excels in the areas where you’re weak. – Jessica Thompson

It comes down not so much to time management but really prioritization. @ClintJClifton

What are the things that only you can do? That’s the category where you need to be doing and developing. @ClintJClifton

When you’re starting a new church, you don’t realize how your involvement in something prohibits other people from jumping into that.If I’m doing something poorly or halfway, I indicate to somebody else that they’re not welcome in that space to make it great. @ClintJClifton

Sometimes the really important things feel very overwhelming and you put them off. My encouragement is to try to do first that thing you don’t want to do or that feels hard or heavy. Do it early in the week. Do it soon. – Jessica Thompson

There is a sense in which, when you’re first starting a church, you can’t avoid being the generalist. But as time progresses, you can move to being really focused on the things you’re most gifted to do. @ClintJClifton

Naming Your New Church Apr 19, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Six categories of names for new churches
Pro and con arguments for each category
Advice about gauging your target audience’s reaction to a proposed name

Helpful Resources:

Free ebook: 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 should probably go wherever you’re going to plant the church and talk to a couple of people, introduce the name to them and see what they think. What you think is awesome, they may have some reason why it’s not. @ToddAdkins

People try to be so creative in coming up with the church name and often the names are just too creative. So we try to encourage balance between uniqueness and clarity. – Jessica Thompson

Before you get too far down the line, find out whether your web domain is available. @ToddAdkins

The name of the church is going to determine if somebody is likely to visit, based on the impression they get from the name. @ClintJClifton

If it is a fairly common name for a church, you need to check to see if there’s already a church there with that name. @ClintJClifton

Church plants move around so much these days and most don’t settle in the place where they get started. @ClintJClifton

Being too specific in terms of a Scripture verse could limit non-Christians understanding it. – Jessica Thompson

You can Google it and what comes up in your search is pivotal. – Jessica Thompson

I like telling a story with your name and using a descriptive word. – Jessica Thompson

A denominational name is safe, but you also limit yourself. Know your audience and what you’re looking for. – Jessica Thompson

I don’t want to confuse the name of the church with something that is going to be announced on the radio as “This Sunday at the Carson Fairgrounds.” I don’t know whether it’s going to be Bigfoot and Gravedigger or a solid worship experience and fun for your children. @ToddAdkins

I’d probably choose something kind of classic, like some nice blue jeans that can fit in multiple contexts and I’m going to feel comfortable in. @ClintJClifton

Leveraging Your Limitations Apr 14, 2022

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 Garman, teaching pastor at Pillar Church in Dumfries, Virginia.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Each individual and every church context has a unique set of limitations and constraints
How God sovereignly uses those limitations to help us realize He is God and we are not
That individuals experience both categories and seasons of limitations
Why your limitations can be the very thing God uses to use you in a really significant way
How transience in the military community turned out to be a “cheat code” for Pillar Church and the Praetorian Project
The importance of finding joy in weakness and limitation
That a limitation also often has a strength associated with it
The values in “only being a small church” with limited financial resources

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Article: 3 Great Side Hustles for Church Planters

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

All of us are limited in significant ways that sometimes we’re aware of, sometimes we’re not. Every church context also has a set of limitations and constraints that make it unique. @ColbyGarman

Limitations are part of what God has sovereignly placed in us, put us in, as a way of realizing he is God and we’re not. @ColbyGarman

Perspective changes everything. Your limitations might be the very thing God uses to incredibly use you in a really significant way. @ClintJClifton

Your perspective on limitation is how you view it and what you tell yourself is possible. Challenge yourself to not see your limitations as weaknesses, but as an opportunity for God to be magnified. – Jessica Thompson

The Scripture teaches us that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. God actually is going to use our limitations more than He’s going to use our strength and our competency. @ClintJClifton

Our church and the Praetorian Project embraced the transience of the military community and saw movement as the method God is using to get people ready. It’s a lot easier to redirect a moving vehicle, than to jumpstart one. @ColbyGarman

Imagine trying to convince people in your church to move to another city to start a new church. What we did was put them in a spot where they were already going. The whole limitation just went away and became an advantage. @ColbyGarman

It has everything to do with looking at the situation differently than everyone else is. @ClintJClifton

I have a very lopsided gifting. I’m a one-trick pony: My trick is entrepreneurship or starting things. It wasn’t until I actually started to embrace that part of myself that I was able to make sense of what I am and how God made me and what I’m supposed to do with my life. @ClintJClifton

Clint described me as seasonal. I get on a campaign and I do a lot, then my energy is drained and I have to just wait for it to come back. @ColbyGarman

As a kid, I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I learned through taking StrengthsFinder that one of my top strengths is adaptability. I always felt weak in being able to have goals and dreams and thoughts. The other side of it makes me adaptable and able to go with change well. – Jessica Thompson

The size of church plants can seem to come up as a limitation. But there’s many things you can do at a small church that you can’t at a megachurch. – Jessica Thompson

In a smaller church, if you want to just go, “I want to work substantively to think about discipleship one to one or two to two,” you can go do that. To change that in a large church, it’s disruptive. The larger church gets, the more disruptive your change gets. @ColbyGarman

Twenty years ago, when we got in ministry, everybody was making things bigger and bigger. We were imitating the megachurch. When I’m with megachurch pastors, they’re talking about how to get smaller, not how to get bigger. @ClintJClifton

One other limiting factor is finances. Perhaps you’re in a community where there’s a lot of economic difficulties, or perhaps you’re just a broke church planter and and your ministry doesn’t have two pennies to rub together. That can be an advantage. @ClintJClifton

Jefferson Hernandez in Loudoun County, Virginia, found a way to make his side hustle missiologically advantageous. @ClintJClifton

It ends up inspiring other people, which becomes an advantage. Other people look at it and go, “Well, what’s my excuse? I don’t have an excuse. Look at Jefferson.” @ColbyGarman

In our early days, it pushed us to do things in a way that was reproducible. Substantive church is not that expensive. Reproducibility happens when we realize we don’t need resources, we need to develop people. @ColbyGarman

Sabbaticals for Church Planting Pastors Apr 12, 2022

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 Garman, teaching pastor at Pillar Church in Dumfries, Virginia.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Different reasons for needing to take a sabbatical
Various goals for and approaches to engaging in a sabbatical
How a sabbatical changes a pastor’s perspective upon returning to ministry
The role sabbatical plays in modeling healthy rest for a congregation
Ways taking a sabbatical can help other staff members

Helpful Resources:

Podcast: Symptoms of burnout
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 feels like sabbaticals are a growing trend. To me, it seems to correspond with the growing difficulty of pastoral work, the rate in which people are falling out of pastoral work. @ClintJClifton

For whatever reason, a lot of people are looking around at pastors, pastoral ministry, and going, “There’s a lot of wreckage, and are there any ways we can somehow stem the tide of that wreckage?” @Colby Garman

I think, society, as a whole, is placing more emphasis on mental health. How are you doing emotionally, mentally? And recognizing that is important. – Jessica Thompson

Maybe a generation or two before us, or maybe even me, earlier in my pastoral ministry career, viewed things pretty two-dimensionally. Now, I think I recognize there’s a lot more to people than meets the eye. @ClintJClifton

There’s been a lot of criticism for how millennials think about work. We grow up with a mindset that we’re laborers almost first and foremost. What can we accomplish, and what can we get out? Some people are looking around, going, “I don’t think that’s having great results.” @Colby Garman

Everybody does sabbaticals differently. A lot of times Sabbaticals result from signs of burnout. Some are policy driven. In our case, we thought, “This is a way to be a blessing, something proactive that we think might rejuvenate him and his family.” @ClintJClifton

I think there’s a reluctance on a pastor’s part to take sabbaticals. They think, “Well, I shouldn’t need it. Burning out for Jesus. Who’s got time for a sabbatical?” Then, if they took it, they didn’t feel like they were truly gone. – Jessica Thompson

One of the things I learned was that I was more tired than I thought I was. It took some time to recognize that. @Colby Garman

Some things can’t be renewed without taking time to think about them, to process them. The space and time for reflection helped me look at some things I wanted to strengthen that I didn’t even realize I needed to. @Colby Garman

Often, when I’m thinking about somebody going away on sabbatical, I’m thinking, “There’s a good chance they’re going to come back with a fresh perspective, or a fresh energy, for the work that’s going to be really beneficial to the organization long-term.” @ClintJClifton

I’ve seen people come back with a fresh perspective. It’s also a great time for a reset. It gave a chance to not fall back into the same patterns you had before. – Jessica Thompson

It’s a complicated thing, coming back, because that time, whatever shaping takes place, it’s going on outside the system. I’m thinking, “What should be different?” That means some shifting. @Colby Garman

We also see that some people just don’t come back. They might for a short amount of time, but they realize they don’t want to go back and do what they did before. It has a lot to do with where somebody’s at when they go on sabbatical. @Colby Garman

When a sabbatical is needed, one of the signs you will see is a general sense of apathy or irritability. Everything is frustrating. You’re not really a joy to be around. – Jessica Thompson

I’ve seen pastors who have a sense of guilt in leaving to take their Sabbatical. “I get this break, and the people doing ministry and church work around me don’t.” – Jessica Thompson

The burden of leadership and exercising your gifts and responsibilities wears you out. @Colby Garman

I heard Sean Sears say one time, “The best way to get refreshed is to get really tired doing something else.” @ClintJClifton

If you are weary before a sabbatical, there’s a thought that the sabbatical’s going to fix that. Some people don’t need a sabbatical. They need to learn how to have good rest rhythms in the flow of life and time. @Colby Garman

In saying, “I need it,” you are modeling, for your congregation and your leaders, how important rest is. – Jessica Thompson

It’s an act of rebellion for us to think things always depend on us and to work ourselves into the ground. That level of hard work doesn’t serve our congregations. @Colby Garman

If you’re considering asking for a sabbatical, you should commit to pray consistently for that before you ever broach the subject with a leader in your church. There’s a lot of landmines around that. @ClintJClifton

I would encourage you to be in close enough community with some other leaders in your church that they recognize those things about you early on. @ClintJClifton

The Forgotten Office: Deacons Apr 07, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What church planters should know from church history about deacons
How churches often wrongly inflate or reduce the role of deacons
How a church planter should prioritize establishing a diaconate
What dangers a planter should consider when looking for qualified deacons
Matt’s advice for church planters on women serving as deacons
The most overlooked responsibility of a deacon

Helpful Resources:

Matt’s book: Deacons: How They Serve and Strengthen the Church
Mark Dever’s book: A Display of God’s Glory
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 churches now are starting with multiple pastors, multiple elders, and in all of that ecclesiological shifting, as good as it is, there has been this de-emphasis on deaconing and on the role of deacons in church plants. @ClintJClifton

Deacons were a bold and bright witness to the gospel among the earliest Christians. That’s been detailed by secular historians and it’s really stirring to read some of those stories. @MattSmethurst

As the church began to become more hierarchical, the role of deacon shifted from being practical carers for the poor to being almost secretaries to the bishop. It was in the Reformation that the diaconate was restored to more of its biblical office. @MattSmethurst

The main thing I’d want a church planter to understand just from the history of deacons is that they’re very easy to get wrong. @MattSmethurst

There are a lot of ways to get deacons wrong, but they can be summarized in two ditches. One is to wrongly elevate the role of deacon to that of a de facto elder. On the other hand, sometimes the role of deacon is wrongly reduced to that of a glorified janitor. @MattSmethurst

I always thought it’s fascinating that the role that’s designated for service in the Bible has so many spiritual qualifications associated with it. The world says that kind of job is reserved for the person who doesn’t necessarily possess any qualities like that. @ClintJClifton

The reason, church planter, you should consider implementing deacons in your church is not just because it has some practical use. It’s because God is wiser than we are. @MattSmethurst

It’s one of those things that, once you see it, it’s hard to unsee. @MattSmethurst

The reason you should care about deacons is because the Bible does. Yes, it’s it’s useful, but it’s not true because it’s useful. It’s useful because it’s true. @MattSmethurst

I don’t think there’s a hard and fast timeline a planter has to operate according to when it comes to when he implements deacons. @MattSmethurst

You can have a church without elders but you can’t biblically have a church without members. We wanted to get elders in place and then, as needs arise, create diaconal positions that would help facilitate and accelerate the ministry of the Word. @MattSmethurst

There’s so much confusion for church planters around “When’s the right time to bring this in?” I try to lay out a suggested path: It starts with settling the doctrine, the church covenant, membership, eldership, diaconate. @ClintJClifton

As a complementarian, if you are in a church where deacons are functioning like elders, then you shouldn’t install women into the office. You first need to figure out what it means to be a deacon and what it means to be an elder. @MattSmethurst

A church impoverishes itself if it forbids what the Bible allows. @MattSmethurst

If you ever have someone say, “Well, women deacons, that’s a liberal move.” Well, say that to Charles Spurgeon and John Calvin and Tertullian. It’s not a product of our modern American gender debates. @MattSmethurst

In the Bible, we have a 1 Timothy 2:12, which forbids the office of elder to women, but we don’t have a 1 Timothy equivalent for the office of deacon. @MattSmethurst

When it The hardest situations with deacons are not in a church planting context. It’s in a more revitalization context, where a guy is inheriting a situation where deacons run the place and they’ve been misunderstood and misdeployed for years. @MattSmethurst

Deacons have in our lifetimes never been as needed or as useful, because pastors are beleaguered. This is why the diaconate exists: to make your life easier, not harder. @MattSmethurst

A Mark Dever book called “A Display of God’s Glory” describes deacons as mufflers and shock absorbers. They’re given to the church to be a balm, to bring about peace and and to smooth the way so the ministry of the Word in prayer can prevail. @ClintJClifton

If you have someone in your church who loves to push the drama button, that person is not yet ready to be a deacon. A deacon should be the person where conflict and gossip go to die. @MattSmethurst

The 'Zero Year' Apr 05, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How God first started to “mess with” Matt about planting a church in RIchmond
The way intentionally planting during the pandemic affected Matt’s decision-making process and the timing of the plant
What training, materials and resources he found helpful
Two things that most prepared Matt to be a church planter

Helpful Resources:

Tim Keller essay: Why Plant Churches?
Keller book: Center Church
9 Marks church planting resources
Ed Stetzer book: Planting Missional Churches
Tom Bernardo book: The Honest Guide to Church Planting
Free ebook: Church Planting Thresholds
Free course: Developing a 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):

The “Zero Year” is a time of preparation that leads up to the church plant. Sometimes this is spent in a church planting residency. Sometimes it’s focused on fundraising. And sometimes it’s just it’s all the logistical stuff. It’s just simply moving to the place that you’re going to plant a church. @ClintJClifton

When I started looking at some of the demographic trends, it became clear that Richmond is growing at twice the rate of both the state of Virginia and the nation as a whole. Just that population growth and the gospel need gave us just a real heart for the place. @MattSmethurst

One mistake church planters sometimes make is to use data alone to make the decision about where they will go. But I think there is a part of church planting that, especially because you’re going to settle into a place for a really long time, it’s got to be a place you really want to be. @ClintJClifton

Two-thirds of our people are not coming from other Richmond churches. They have moved to Richmond within the past two years, and that means they haven’t really been able to put down deep roots in a community, in a church. In that regard, the timing of this church plant is is really ideal. @MattSmethurst

In my mind – and I think this is true theologically and biblically – I feel like I’m going from the supply line to the frontline in the kingdom of God. Organizations like TGC are at their best when they don’t understand themselves to be the tip of the spear in terms of kingdom advance, but understand themselves to be equipping and resourcing those who are at you know on the front lines. @MattSmethurst

I’m 38 and not 28, and I think it has helped me come into this knowing who I am and also who I’m not, and therefore what my church is going to be like and what it’s not. I’m I’m not under the impression that I or River City Baptist Church can be all things to all people. @MattSmethurst

At the end of the day, ministry is about shepherding. @MattSmethurst

It’s actually arrogant to assume you don’t need training. Anointing yourself to just go plant a church in a vacuum is a little bit like baptizing yourself. @MattSmethurst

If you’re a Type A, Alpha Male entrepreneur with an idea a minute and you can carry a crowd, that does not qualify you to plant a church. Do you love God’s people? Are you a shepherd? Do you want to feed them with the word of God and not just the ideas of man? @MattSmethurst

I’m a perfectionist, an optimizer. I’m always wanting to tinker and tweak and improve. But one of my fellow elders keeps reminding me that we need to play the 30-year game. We don’t have to have this well-oiled machine hitting on all cylinders from the very first week. Apple didn’t start by releasing the iPhone 6, right? In other words, start basic and, as God provides, you can add other things. @MattSmethurst

I always tell church planters, “Act your age.” Because they come out of the gate wanting to have everything. One of the byproducts of acting your age, though, is to focus on the main thing, and the most obvious main thing, the biggest feature of this new church, is going to be your Sunday morning gathering. @ClintJClifton

Now there will be repercussions. People will say, “Oh, you don’t have a youth group.” You’re going to have to let people come and leave because you don’t have all the services they think are necessary, but that is better than trying to provide all those things when you’re not equipped. @ClintJClifton

Reaching People Far from God Mar 31, 2022

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.

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:

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

One of the things you can do is plant a church where there aren’t that many church people. If you come to a place like Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Denver, at least 90% of the population doesn’t go to church anywhere. It’s a target-rich environment for church planting, because there’s so many unchurched people. @VancePitman

It starts with a city perspective. Too many church planters have their heart wrapped around a church, but there’s nowhere in the Bible that Jesus said, “Go plant a church.” He said to go into cities and nations and make disciples. When we do that, churches are born as a byproduct. @VancePitman

If our goal is not to grow a church but to penetrate the lostness of the city, as we teach and preach and disciple, we’ll keep that in front of our people. @VancePitman

Those relational bridges introduce you to lost people in the community, who begin to see Christ in a different way because of your compassion, your service and your love. And they’re attracted to the gospel you’re presenting. @VancePitman

Planters also need to develop personal relationships. They have to think of themselves not as pastors of churches but as missionaries in cities and look for ways to build relationships and engage people with gospel conversations. @VancePitman

Our team didn’t do “together stuff” early on. I told them, “Your job when you get here is to get in a neighborhood and start building relationships. Look for places to connect your kids and build relationships. I challenged them to build their relationships outside of our group so their focus wasn’t our group. @VancePitman

It’s about building the relational equity that allows you to have conversations. If you’ll build a little bit of relational equity, everybody’s dying to get to know people and hear their story. That would immediately allow me to tell my story of Jesus and my life. @VancePitman

The other practical thing I’ve done is to leverage my hobbies. When I was a dad of young kids, coaching was a part of my hobbies and and I leveraged that. Now I’m a foodie and so I have a restaurant ministry. I go back to the same restaurants in Las Vegas and I’ve got several people that I’ve led to Christ who were either servers or managers. @VancePitman

Somebody recently asked me who I wanted to reach with our church. I just said I want to reach me as a high school young adult that was just totally unengaged, on my way to hell without knowing it. @HeidenRatner

We need new eyes as planters. We get so focused on the work and we miss the people in the process. There’s people everywhere, people all around our city. And so I pray, “Lord, help me see who you want me to see.” @HeidenRatner

We encourage people to not be home alone. Don’t be Kevin McCallister. We believe that the best way for you to grow is in the context of community. And so we love small groups at our church. It’s part of our culture where people are coming to know Christ and it feels weird if they’re not in a group. @HeidenRatner

That’s been huge for new believers in our church to be a part of a group, a part of a family. Discipleship has to happen in community. @HeidenRatner

Engaging adults who don’t know Christ leads to some messy challenges, but we must encourage people to still value that. @EdStetzer

In churches, we wind up, if we’re not careful, with these people that come to Christ and then all of a sudden we’ve created this subculture of Christianity within our culture and we live in our own bubble. 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. @VancePitman

What are the most important factors in spiritual maturity for those who are new to the faith? @EdStetzer

D.L. Moody once said that weekly church attendance is like blood to the person who is sick. It’s fresh. It’s moving. I just want to encourage that. @HeidenRatner

For the new believer, getting in the Word until the Word gets in you. @HeidenRatner

Just an 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

Church Multiplication in ‘Sin City’ Mar 29, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How Vance Pitman and his wife wound up planting a church in Las Vegas
Why the Pitmans were able to bring a team of 13 families with them to launch the church
The importance of helping a relocating team to think like missionaries, not like church members
How Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God tool helped launch Hope Church
What’s going on missiologically in Las Vegas
Why many church planters abandon their plans for multiplication
Some initial steps to start building a culture of multiplication in your church

Helpful Resources:

Article: 10 Signs a Church Leader Will Multiply
Article: Why Your Ministry Needs to Multiply
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 shouldn’t be out there planting without the support of a network. Let me encourage you to visit sendnetwork.com to learn about the benefits of cooperating along with a family of multiplying leaders all over North America. @EdStetzer

Where I’m from, people didn’t go to Las Vegas and, if they did, they didn’t tell anybody. People didn’t think Las Vegas is hell, but they think you can smell it from there. @VancePitman

We believe, convictionally, that churches plant churches; individuals don’t, networks don’t, denominations don’t. @VancePitman

I was convinced that the best way to plant a church was in teams. Paul is the greatest missionary church planner in the New Testament, and every time you read Paul’s name in the Bible, it’s followed by another word, “and.” Paul never went anywhere by himself. @VancePitman

People heard the activity of God in our story and what attracted them was the opportunity to leverage their life to join in the activity of God in a place where they could use their job skill and passion where they live work and play to live on mission. @VancePitman

I wish I’d known what I know now about “detoxing” our team before getting to our city, to think not like church members but like missionaries. @VancePitman

People often don’t realize that when you bring a group of people who have a common church experience into a culture that doesn’t have that, this is going to be cross-cultural in many ways for the people. @EdStetzer

I knew how to pastor a church but when I got to Las Vegas, I didn’t have one and so it was purely desperation. We had basic training. It was one day of training, and assessment was where they checked my pulse to see if I was alive. @VancePitman

When I got to Las Vegas, there was no Hope Church there planting churches I could partner with. We were starting literally with nothing, but the beauty of that is it produced a desperation. @VancePitman

We spent the first five months simply prayer-walking 50,000 households. We had three different churches pray over every name in the Las Vegas phone book. We started going back into those communities where we prayed and doing acts of service. @VancePitman

We began to make disciples. I think one huge mistake many church planters make is they launch too early, thinking the service is going to draw the disciples, when you need to make disciples and churches are born as a byproduct. @VancePitman

I challenge pastors all the time that if your church doesn’t look like your community, there’s a missiological issue with how you’re taking the gospel to the city. @VancePitman

When you get into a context that is multi-ethnic, you’re just part of the diversity. I just finished an interim in New York City. Nobody there is a local; everyone’s from somewhere else. It’s a wonderful opportunity. @EdStetzer

A lot of times we hear Las Vegas is “the city of sin,” but we like to say it’s “the city of Him.” God is at work in Las Vegas in some very real, tangible, fresh ways. @HeidenRatner

I think a lot of people are deterred by one street – Las Vegas Boulevard, and sin is definitely most glorified on this one street. But outside of Las Vegas Boulevard, this is a really big city: 2.6 million people, and 92% are unchurched. @HeidenRatner

I find a lot of people are waiting for an invite, waiting for somebody to have something compelling. Invite me to something. Give me an opportunity to know this Jesus. @HeidenRatner

Evangelism is key. I’ve sensed there’s really a hunger for something more. A lot of people are settling. Just give me something better. That’s one of the reasons why church planting in our city should be high on our priority list. @HeidenRatner

It does seem that, as the modern experiment is failing, people around the world are realizing that we’re not on a sustainable path. There’s just a brokenness all around and it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to point people to Jesus. @EdStetzer

Hope Church is the first church I was able to see multiplication modeled. As for Walk Church, it’s in our DNA. We are a church that was sent out by a sending church, hearing multiplication not just preached but lived out. @HeidenRatner

What we knew was if we’re going to plant a church, we’ve got to plan another church. We started by saying OK in our budget. We started putting prayer toward it from the very beginning. @HeidenRatner

There’s a kingdom collaboration emphasis in our city. If 92% are not going to church, there’s a whole lot of people to reach. So we’re championing each other, even across denominational lines. @HeidenRatner

We’re trying to say, “Hey, let’s win the city and the way we’re going to do that is through planting new, vibrant, evangelistic churches.” @HeidenRatner

I think many planters substitute the tool for the goal. The goal is not churches being planted; the goal is the kingdom of God being expanded in cities and nations all over the earth. @VancePitman

The local church is a temporary tool established by Jesus for the expansion of His kingdom. Every church Paul planted is dead and gone, but the kingdom is alive and well. @VancePitman

If we’re really going to penetrate lostness in the city, one church cannot do that by itself. But as we multiply the church, we can genuinely see the kingdom. @VancePitman

Call out the called. Somebody may not know they could do this and a word of affirmation from a key leader could spur them to think about planting. Not enough people are thinking about it. @HeidenRatner

Symptoms of Burnout Mar 24, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Five symptoms of burnout and how they manifest themselves in ministry settings
Two kinds of exhaustion
Three different types of friends needed for healthy ministry
How burnout manifests itself in a planter or his team’s life
Why pastors need to be in tune the connection between spiritual and physical health

Helpful Resources:

Chris Ash’s book, Zeal without Burnout
Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird’s book, Viral Churches
Book: The Body Keeps the Score
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 walked through seasons of burnout. Actually, at one point during Covid, I had to step away for a couple of days and regroup. @EdStetzer

Warren Bird says, “We must not allow ourselves to slip into a false spirituality that treats our bodily existence as if it can be separated from our so-called spiritual life, as if our spiritual life carries on independently from what’s happening in our bodies.” @EdStetzer

There’s a lot of bodies on the side of the road to church planting that burned out and didn’t recover, didn’t make it through the long haul. @EdStetzer

The reality is it’s challenging as a church planter. You need to be able to notice when you’re feeling burned out and have nowhere to go for encouragement or fulfillment or sustainability. @EdStetzer

When my friend Darren Patrick died, that was just too much for me. I wept for a day and into a second day. I realized I had pushed too far for too long and went to my doctor. We made some lifestyle changes. @EdStetzer

There’s the kind of tired that sleep can’t fix, and that’s where I was – a tiredness of the soul. @EdStetzer

Ideally, the best thing to do is to set up some strategies to maybe not quite get to burnout. Prevention would be great, but we’re all going to go through seasons of ministry that are just all-encompassing. – Jessica Thompson

It’s going to take a reset if you’re to that point where you’re just exhausted. It’s going to take sleep – actual sleep – and rest. – Jessica Thompson

Only you can know what revives you, those things your spirit feels revived in. It’s going to be intentionally resetting your life and adjusting the parameters that got you to that spot. – Jessica Thompson

We had no choice over Covid; it just smacked all of us. But what got to me more was the murder of George Floyd. There were moments I would weep uncontrollably. I’m so tired I can’t even go to sleep. It was the good news of the gospel of Jesus that kept my sanity in that moment. – James Hobson

Let’s do some preventive things, but sometimes burnout just slaps us in the face. If it wasn’t for my faith – a deep-rooted sense that it’s not my works for Jesus but Jesus works for me – I don’t know if I would have been kept. It was hard to stay together in that time. – James Hobson

Ultimately, it’s key for all of us to find out what self-awareness looks like. @EdStetzer

Church planting has always been a very social role. It’s always required a lot of us externally. Often the first symptom of ministry burnout is a loss of desire to be with people. – Jessica Thompson

If someone on the church planting team is rushing to his or her car to get away, that desire to be isolated is part of just being tired of people. When that becomes a reality, when there’s a growing resentment toward other people and desire to get away from them, that’s a cause for for concern. @EdStetzer

My 9-to-5 job is me being an extrovert, and I became an introvert but didn’t realize it. So, for me, all my relational energy is done so I’m going home. However, my wife who stays at home – we just had a baby – is like, “Hey, I’m I’m ready for us to go out.” And now I’m in the doghouse! – James Hobson

The only thing that sustains you in ministry is sustainable sacrifice. Burnout isn’t always all bad, but it needs to be the difference between a godly sacrifice that requires burnout and sacrifice that’s sustainable over time. – Jessica Thompson

One of my elders at a church plant said, “You know, it seems you’re on edge a lot.” He could speak into my life. So irritability can be a sign of burnout and, in general, that can hinder your spiritual growth. @EdStetzer

Out of these five symptoms, irritability is the one that almost causes the most external damage. A lot of these other symptoms are happening internally, but irritability is one that real quickly manifests itself in the life of the people around you. – Jessica Thompson

Irritability can taint your ministry really quickly. – Jessica Thompson

Growing up, I never heard the term “burnout.” I didn’t know what it was until I am lying in bed and just can’t move, and we’ve got service tonight and I’m really stressing out because I’m not there. – James Hobson

When I look back at that earlier church plant, I wish my lead planter or supervisor would have seen irritability in me and said, “Hey, James, why don’t you take the night off? Why don’t you you take the week off?” – James Hobson

When you’re on the edge of burnout, small things become big things. – James Hobson

The final symptom of burnout is sickness. Do you think most pastors are in tune with the connection between their spiritual and physical health? – Jessica Thompson

Send this episode to somebody and give them a hint, because this is a very real issue. @EdStetzer

We know and science shows us that stress, anxiety, all these things have a physical manifestation. The body keeps count. @EdStetzer

Realize your limitations and that those are God-given limitations. @EdStetzer

Psalm 29:11 says “The Lord gives strength to his people. The Lord blesses his people with peace.” Many times we can easily forget that God is our strength. – James Hobson

Only God can fill us. If you ever just need a reminder of why you’re doing what you’re doing for the Lord, maybe the season is difficult and you’re exhausted, I would encourage you to just read the end of Job and remember how much God can do with the little you are capable of. – Jessica Thompson

It’s being reminded of your salvation and the greatness of the God who loves you. Filling yourself up with truth because the Holy Spirit can fill you right back up. – Jessica Thompson

Church planning is not a “me.” It’s a “we.” @EdStetzer

Sometimes it feels like it’s all dependent upon you; it’s not all dependent upon you. The Lord builds the house and they labor in vain who think otherwise. So my exhortation to you is to recognize the symptoms of burnout. @EdStetzer

Burnout sounds like “It’s done. It’s out burn and out.” I would say that ultimately you can create a pace and a path forward, if you will be aware of your physical limitations, your spiritual need, your relational connectedness. @EdStetzer

Take time to connect with a mentor. If you don’t have one, connect with your denominational leader or church partner. Know that our newchurches.com resources are here to help you finish the long journey. We need you for the long haul. @EdStetzer

Loving Your Family While Planting a Church Mar 22, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Guardrails that can make church planting a thriving time for planter families
Four major considerations for a family when planting a church
How a planter can find a healthier relationship with his wife
Warning signs of problems that might be brewing

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):

A lot of time and effort is devoted to getting a church plant up off the ground. It requires a lot of the planter, as well as their family. Sometimes they lean too heavily on the family to fill in gaps where there aren’t staff and volunteers and leaders to help. – Jessica Thompson

Any prospective planter out there. You’re in a church right now. You’re about to finish seminary. I mean this with great seriousness: Don’t plant. Do something else. You want to be a teaching pastor? Just be a teaching pastor. – James Hobson

You want to test your marriage? Plant a church. – James Hobson

When people are coming to your church plant, they’re wanting to see an established church. If you want to plant a church, I pray you and your wife have counted the cost. – James Hobson

I don’t want to raise up or send out any church planters who haven’t fully counted the cost of what it’s gonna take. – James Hobson

When we go through assessments of church planters, not only are we evaluating the planter, but is the wife ready? Is the family engaged and knows what it’s going to take? Because it’s going to be a sacrifice for everybody. – Jessica Thompson

The spouse has to be on board. That is a key reality, because there is a price to be paid. @EdStetzer

One of the things Clint Clifton says all of the time to our planters is, “Stop trying to balance family and ministry. There’s always one that’s out of balance.” Instead of balance, try to blend. How can we find ways to normalize doing ministry with family? – Jessica Thompson

Two things: The planter’s wife doesn’t have to be friends with everybody in the church. And she is not the co-pastor of the church. @EdStetzer

I love when I see a husband and wife functioning and both equally engaged, but don’t impose upon your spouse the expectation you saw someone else’s spouse at some other church plant do. @EdStetzer

I wasn’t emotionally healthy enough to really be honest with my wife about what I did expect of her. I see a great vision statement for your church. What’s the vision statement for your family? I see the next 10 years for our church. What’s the next 10 years for our kids? – James Hobson

Set aside time. Carve out times where you’re focused on family. Be intentional about not letting them get deleted from your calendar. – Jessica Thompson

All of us thrive better under structure, so it might mean making some dinner reservations a couple of weeks out. It may mean signing up to be your kid’s Little League coach so you have to leave work at 5 and go hang out with him. – Jessica Thompson

Institute some things in your life that are going to draw you away from work toward your family. That is just as important as the vision casting and the leadership you’re implementing in your church. – Jessica Thompson

Counseling is not a bad word. I feel like the world is better at this than us. – James Hobson

Counseling is essentially somebody who has a doctorate in everything you’re going through, and they’re gonna give you solid gold – and we’re like, “Nah, I’ll pray about it.” – James Hobson

If you haven’t made any deposits in your marriage, when you go to withdraw and you’ve got nothing in the account, you’re gonna crumble. – James Hobson

We had what we called a Pastoral Apprentice Team. We required them to go through counseling during that time – and we paid for it – before they went out to plant churches. @EdStetzer

Added stress may reveal existing problems and could also bring new problems. We’ve got to normalize counseling. I probably sacrificed some of our relationship on the altar of ministry. @EdStetzer

Create some healthy boundaries and paths. Prioritize your family as you do this church planting journey. @EdStetzer

Leading and Loving Difficult Team Members Mar 17, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What church planters need to remember as they approach conversations with difficult teammates
The value of taking time to identify the strengths and weaknesses of difficult team members
The role different temperaments play in understanding the challenge
What to do when you put someone in a leadership position and things aren’t working well

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Church planters are not always the easiest folks to work with. By nature, we can be visionary, passionate and determined, which can create a relational strain on the core team. @EdStetzer

The good news is we see this happen in Scripture – planting teams not coming together perfectly. That helps us remember we’re just a bunch of sinners working things out together. – Kathy Litton

Before Jesus sent out the Twelve, he told them to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Juxtaposing those two concepts strikes us as leaders that we need to walk in grace and truth when we’re leading difficult people. – Kathy Litton

We are the Church of the Living God, and we want a team to be doing the right things. They don’t need all grace and no truth. A leader who’s giving more grace than truth doesn’t deal with issues along the way. – Kathy Litton

We all come at it from a different personality type. We must make sure we’re leading well, in ways that people can receive it. @EdStetzer

We have to consistently be consistent in speaking the truth in love. We also should always be looking for a redemptive outcome. – Kathy Litton

I tend to have bold faith that’s like “Let’s let’s tackle this issue on our team right away.” But I’ve found that’s not always the best approach and sometimes you need to give people time. @Adam_Muhtaseb

Planters overestimate what they can accomplish in two years and underestimate what can be accomplished in 10. @Adam_Muhtaseb

If you will walk alongside people, invest in people, even when you know they have downsides, just like you have downsides, the end result is that they see you vested in them. @EdStetzer

It’s a good thing people don’t all think like me, don’t act like me. And we can actually accept one another. @EdStetzer

It’s not a three-month conversation to help a leader who’s got some rough edges. It takes time, which is both a gift and a necessity in church planting. @EdStetzer

We don’t need clones of ourselves on on our teams. It takes some time to make those not-natural pieces fit together in a puzzle – but it’s worth it. – Kathy Litton

A younger person can reverse-mentor an older person. We just need to be willing to work through and not be thin-skinned about things. – Kathy Litton

I’m a challenge to lead. Like the gospel says, I’m such a challenge that the perfect Son of God had to live a perfect life and die a torturous death in my place to make me unchallenging. So I need to approach this with humility. @Adam_Muhtaseb

The thing I found most challenging, especially the first four years of church planning, was uncommunicated expectations from members on my team. @Adam_Muhtaseb

It can be such a challenge to lead folks who you sense are disappointed with you because you’re not able to be everything they want you to be. @Adam_Muhtaseb

Part of the progression of a church plant is that people – maybe new believers – start taking on some leadership roles and you’re kind of testing them in this place and space. If it grows, great. It connects them to the church so beautifully when they grow they grow into the role. @EdStetzer

Some difficult conversations don’t work and it is not uncommon that person might end up in a different church. That’s not the end of the world, but but you want to help them make that transition. @EdStetzer

Usually people get that It’s not working, and I’ll phrase it as a positive: “What’s next?” rather than “The last thing didn’t work.” I say, “Listen, is there something you think might better align with your gifts or you might have interest in?” @EdStetzer

The hardest part is when they think it’s going great – and it’s not. @EdStetzer

There’s a movie called “We Bought a Zoo.” There’s a line in there about having 20 seconds of insane courage. If you can just muster up 20 seconds of insane courage to say, “You know, it’s just not working,” then the conversation becomes much less awkward. @EdStetzer

I need to give people space. I can draw quick conclusions that aren’t always accurate, and I need to refrain from doing that. I can look back on a couple of people who turned out to be wonderful additions to a team and I had just gotten off on the wrong foot. – Kathy Litton

This is a very tumultuous time relationally for people, and everyone’s on edge, unsure, maybe struggling. Take the time to acknowledge that people are in a relationally more difficult space than they were just two or three years ago. We might need a little more grace than truth. @EdStetzer

Helpful Resources:

Free course: Developing a 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.

Friendship With Team Members Mar 15, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why it’s important for church planters to have life-giving friendships with their planting team
Advice about forging friendships with teammates without the perception of favoritism
Cautions about forming deep friendships with those serving on your team
How to “guard your heart” but not close it when friends leave your church
Whether to maintain a relationship when somebody leaves the church

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

When people leave who planted the church with you – and inevitably people leave – you’ve done life together and that is hard. Friendships with team and staff members is even more complex. @EdStetzer

It’s imperative that leaders have friends on our team, but some of the things I’ve learned the hard way have made me more wise, more cautious, more understanding. Spiritual maturity and wisdom have a lot to do with how those friendships turn out in the end. – Kathy Litton

There’s biblical precedent that the people you work with in church planting are not just your friends but your family. In John 15 Jesus says, “You’re not my servants anymore. You’re my friends.” If Jesus says that about some messed-up disciples, I probably can say that about the people I work with. @Adam_Muhtaseb

The end of Romans 16 is an acknowledgement from Paul to his friends, his “beloved,” like “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.” All these people are his friends. @Adam_Muhtaseb

I don’t know how we plant churches biblically without treating the people on our team like family. That being said, however, it’s really hard. @Adam_Muhtaseb

The reality is how much do you reveal? How do you kind of walk through this authenticity, which is necessary for friendship and community, when at the same time your your role is to lead? @EdStetzer

We need to be vulnerable. One of my favorite definitions of vulnerability comes from Paula Reinhardt, where she says vulnerability is a risk we take for a greater good. The greater good is transparency, opening our hearts and building a closer team – just being human as a leader and opening up your heart. – Kathy Litton

Some risk is inherent, because either their poor character or my poor character can at some point mess that up. As my own spiritual maturity has grown over the years, I’ve been able to have more healthy consistent friendships because I wasn’t messing them up with poor character or expecting too much from them. – Kathy Litton

I need their prayers. I need their support. I don’t need them to know all the details of any issue. – Kathy Litton

Having friends in the church really matters, particularly the elders and leaders. We have a deep community, but having friends in the church doesn’t mean I share the business of the church in that particular friendship. @EdStetzer

It takes maturity to not share everything with everybody, but there’s also wisdom in being in community with people as well. @EdStetzer

I don’t think you can make that problem completely go away. You have to have a lot of intentionality to step into their lives and keep the shared DNA of life together. – Kathy Litton

As leaders we need to be very well aware of showing partiality, but we can’t make stuff come out equal all the time. – Kathy Litton

We set an example of what it means to live in community, even in friendships outside the church. If we don’t have the capacity to build relationships outside our congregation, we’re probably not reaching our community very well. – Kathy Litton

If our church members see us at dinner someplace with someone who owns a local business and doesn’t go to our church, that’s a good example of us working hard to to not just swim in the pool of the church family all the time. – Kathy Litton

It starts with the realization that the team members aren’t my employees to build my platform. These are my families. So when I would have coaching meetings, I always start with, “How are you doing? How’s your walk with Jesus?” Just spending time with them has fostered trust and created relational capital. @Adam_Muhtaseb

We also have a phrase at our church: “No one drowns at RCC.” So if anyone feels like they’re drowning, you automatically get a break. I think those types of culture things have created an environment of safety and friendship in the office. @Adam_Muhtaseb

We care about each other and are for each other. I think the challenge comes, though, if you’re an effective church planter, you’re constantly pushing. It’s part of the job. So I’m not just trying to accomplish the goal, I’m also trying to love these people. @Adam_Muhtaseb

Rick Warren told me once that you have to think of pastoring as pastoring a parade. People come into the parade, are there for a while, then they leave the parade. But whenever somebody left the parade that we were super close to, that was hard. @EdStetzer

I can look back at and see how faithful God was to give us relationships with people who came into our lives. The ones who left didn’t diminish the value they gave us while they were there, and they helped shape us in in that time and in that season. – Kathy Litton

We have a set of friends that I call our playfriends. They come over. We don’t talk about anything serious. We play cards. We watch sports. We eat great food. Friends who help you get a break can end up being just as important as the ones that pray for us. – Kathy Litton

Sometimes pastors don’t play very well, but I think the long game is how we need to see those relationships. I can’t protect every friendship and make it last forever. – Kathy Litton

I know there’s going to be some wounds. We don’t have to deny that but but just have confidence that God’s got somebody else or that that relationship could be repaired in the future. – Kathy Litton

People come into our life and come out as leaders. That’s the sovereign hand of God and we have to rest in that. – Kathy Litton

We have to find a way for those goodbyes to be gospel goodbyes. Sometimes they’re hard conversations, but vulnerability and transparency really does matter. It’s going to be a balance that’s different for everybody. @EdStetzer

Helpful Resources:

“Naked Preachers are Distracting” article by William H. Willimon
Free Send Network ebook: Five Markers of Healthy Planting Wives
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.

The Downside of Professional Christianity Mar 10, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to be dutiful in pastoral ministry and still maintain your pursuit of holiness in Christ
Why your relationship to Christ in ministry can be negatively affected by shame
How to receive constructive criticism without it leading to a shame response
The way to distinguish between helpful, constructive criticism and negative criticism
How taking stock of your motives can help you maintain the fire and not lose your first love
The importance of keeping watch against vanity while building a church and ministry
How to maintain spiritual fervor and personal disciplines while working to feed and care for your flock
Two questions a pastor should always be ready to answer

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Chuck Swindoll says, “The scary thing about ministry is that you can learn to do it” – in the sense that you eventually become overfamiliar with holy things and begin to look at your ministry as a job, rather than a calling. @TrevinWax

Almost everybody that I know who’s in ministry starts out because they’ve got a sincere love of God and they really want to help people, yet we hear these stories of ministry leaders who have wandered off course. @TrevinWax

It’s not necessarily pastoral ministry that causes people to wander. People were wandering before they were in pastoral ministry and it expresses itself in pastoral ministry. As an educator in a seminary, I get evaluated twice a year, but a pastor gets evaluated every single week. @Ed Welch

Shame opens the entire Scripture to us in some ways. The entire storyline of Scripture is what will the Lord do for people who are unacceptable, not just before Him but before other people? @Ed Welch

If you’re not familiar with shame, you start to wonder do you really belong to Him? Because they’re the people he runs after, the ones who need him desperately. @Ed Welch

Pastors are going to be criticized – for decisions they make, for the way the way they preach or don’t preach. A lot of times young pastors may not be prepared for critical feedback, especially in those first years when they’re working a lot of things out. @TrevinWax

Criticism reminds us that the way we walk in the kingdom of Christ, with Christ, is a walk of dependence. @Ed Welch

Spurgeon was criticized by some people in his church and, the way the story goes, he seemed to be resilient in the midst of the criticism. How did he do that? His comment was, “They don’t know the half of it.” @Ed Welch

Get out in front of the criticism and speak our weaknesses, failures and sins to the Lord, because we know them better than the people around us. @Ed Welch

Young pastors could ask, “What is one thing that makes sense to my soul that I want to continue to grow in?” @Ed Welch

Once paid, full-time ministry becomes your livelihood, people will say, “This is what you’re you’re supposed to do because you’re paid to do it.” @TrevinWax

Once you are feeling competent in ministry, that is a danger sign, because it means we can get through the day on our own. There’s not this dependent calling out to Jesus. @Ed Welch

We should ask ourselves what are the things that happen in private that you don’t want anybody else to have access to and God himself doesn’t have access to it. @Ed Welch

There are quiet but dangerous places in our own soul. @Ed Welch

There can be a fine line between the motive to see the fame of the Lord spread and the enjoyment of whatever influence they have or platform their success might give them. @TrevinWax

The human heart is a messy thing. Whether we see it or not, a fear of crushing failure always feels like it’s nearby. You’re going to find vanity on one hand and this sense of worthlessness on the other. Both of them have their own dangers. @Ed Welch

Could you imagine saying to your church leaders, “Would you pray for me? I don’t want to live out of vanity and I don’t want to live out of being crushed by failure.” @Ed Welch

For a church planter, Sunday is relentless. The pace of public teaching means having to be in the Word of God in order to feed the flock. But you can be in the Word and actually be applying the Word to yourself less. @TrevinWax

Their devotional life gets swallowed up by their teaching ministry. The water’s passing through you, but you’re not really getting the nutrients you need as a leader. @TrevinWax

A standing item on the leadership’s agenda should be the pastor speaking about his own soul and asking for prayer from the elders. @Ed Welch

Helpful Resources:

Ed Welch’s article: How Far Do We Go with Vulnerability?
Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
Did you know our Church Planting Masterclass offers 80+ free videos on the church planting experience?

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Ministry Betrayal Mar 08, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How to deal with the experience of betrayal that anyone in pastoral ministry will have at some point
Ways to prepare for the possibility of betrayal and still put your whole heart into ministry
How a church plant’s growing pains can result in relational distance with members of the core team
The importance of setting expectations and boundaries to protect a pastor’s family from unfair expectations
How pastors can guard the hearts of their kids so they don’t develop a cynical or jaundiced view of the church
Ways to apply the truth of the gospel to families struggling through relational strain

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Spurgeon said “an unkind word from a stranger may have a very slight effect upon us. But if such a word should come from the lips of one we love, it would cut us to the quick.” @TrevinWax

Betrayal and that sense of hurt in relationships is something common to humanity, certainly expected in pastoral ministry, and yet it takes on a unique shape in church planting. @TrevinWax

Recognize that you will go through this experience and, when you go through it, there will be people in your church, even dear friends, who will struggle to understand what it’s like. @Ed Welch

I’ve heard leaders say, “Keep an emotional distance from the people you’re leading. Don’t have good friends in the church, just because of the depth of betrayal, the level of hurt can be so high.” @TrevinWax

You could say the same things about marriage: When are you going to choose to be self-protected and isolated? @Ed Welch

In Second Corinthians, Paul is in the middle of pastoral betrayal. He says “I’ve spoken to you freely” and then he invites them to open their hearts to him in return. That is an expression of love and not self-protection, so it it hurts more. @Ed Welch

There are different kinds of hurt and some kinds are an imitation of Christ in loving other people. There is a way we find grace in the midst of it. @Ed Welch

Would Paul say, “Open up your heart, even if you know it’s going to be broken”? @TrevinWax

The question is what that means for each pastor to open his heart to others. @Ed Welch

At a minimum, it means you are asking for prayer from other people. That’s what you do with your friends. It’s also a check on your own heart. It means you are not going to close your heart, but you are needy before the Lord and before other people. @Ed Welch

There are times when people who were part of the core will feel a bit of a relational distance from the church planter and his family, just by nature of the growing pains of that church. @TrevinWax

The sense of betrayal that people on the planting team sometimes might feel can backfire on the pastor. @TrevinWax

One thing you can do is to share your heart with your people in general and your care team in particular. A second is seeing your core team in the Ephesians 4 sense, where they are doing the work of ministry and you are supporting them. @Ed Welch

A lot of times, the feelings of distance or betrayal come in the form of criticism of ministry decisions. What’s really painful is that sometimes it’s directed at the planter’s family. @TrevinWax

As a church planter. I’m called to the church. My wife and children are very vulnerable. So ask your people to pray for them. If I’m asking people to pray for my family, they’re going to be less critical of them. @Ed Welch

It is hard to hate or despise people you’re praying for regularly. That’s simply the case, one of the ways prayer works on our hearts. @TrevinWax

A lot of pastors worry that the the stress of church planting, unfair expectations and the sense of ministry betrayal may bleed over into their kids and give their their kids a jaundiced view of the church. @TrevinWax

The most natural way into the gospel of grace is through confessing sin. I want to be a father who is quick to confess and and ask forgiveness. I want confessing sin to be a natural part of our week. That posture is going to protect our children as much as anything else. @Ed Welch

Creating a culture of confession has kids looking into their own hearts, seeing how they might have hurt others and hurt God, rather than just waiting on the experience of hurt that might come their way. @TrevinWax

Children who have really tasted and seen the goodness of the Lord have known the God who forgives their own sins and and they’re learning to be more charitable with other sinners, who are just like themselves. @Ed Welch

It’s incredibly painful to experience betrayal. We’re not going to find anything in Scripture that takes it away quickly. So we try to speak it to the Lord consistently and listen to Him. @Ed Welch

Our confidence must be more and more on the finished work of Jesus and His presence with us. That obviously isn’t going to change the feeling of broken relationships quickly, but it sets us on the path that is good, right and ultimately healthy. @Ed Welch

Helpful Resources:

Free course: Developing a Core Team
Books by Ed Welch
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.

3 Ways to Improve Your Preaching Mar 03, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Two schools of thought in church planting when it comes to preaching
Three things young preachers can do improve to their preaching

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

I believe God wants the church to gather and to scatter. There’s a rhythm of breathing in and breathing out. There’s a moment for monologue, a moment for dialogue and a moment for activating what we’ve learned. @NoahOldham

As I read the Scripture, we hear the challenge in the local church to preach the Word. So preaching is vastly important. @NoahOldham

A lot of factors contribute to the success or failure of a new church. And none of them quite impacts the church like preaching. It’s the most obvious feature of the church. @clintjclifton

Most church planters need to be consistently working on improving their preaching. @clintjclifton

Preaching is a main function of pastors in the church. We should seek to do it better and better all the time. @NoahOldham

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

John Stott says, “It may be more valuable to ask a friend to be candid with you about your voice or your mannerisms, especially if they need correction. 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

The pulpit is a place of self-forgetfulness when you’re talking about God and His Word. @clintjclifton

When you listen to somebody preach, you can tell who they love, who they listen to. @clintjclifton

I don’t need a preacher to be someone else. I need you to be you. @NoahOldham

Every time we imitate another preacher, it’s like a photocopy of a photocopy. @clintjclifton

We can’t help but be influenced by those who are really gifted communicators, but it’s really helpful to limit that intake if we want to hone our own craft and find our own voice in preaching. @clintjclifton

At August Gate, we set out this threefold standard: Is it faithful? Is it passionate? And is it compelling? @NoahOldham

Another thing preachers can do to improve their preaching – other than just listening to their sermons by themselves – is to create a culture in their new church where sermon feedback is welcomed and weekly. @clintjclifton

We call sermon critiques “wins and opportunities.” There’s no losses. It’s an opportunity for growth. @NoahOldham

Creating a culture of honest feedback at a level of church membership and in your team is super important. @NoahOldham

Soliciting feedback over and over communicates to your team and volunteers that you’re a person who wants to improve in your preaching and you’re approachable. @clintjclifton

It’s on you as the leader to create an environment where people know they can approach you and they’re not going to be sorry they did. We want to create a culture where sermon feedback is welcomed and frequent. @clintjclifton

Reps are everything for a preacher. Any time you can handle a mic or be in front of a crowd, if you want to grow as a communicator, do it – because it’s God giving you an opportunity to learn to find your voice in a different direction. @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

I would encourage those who want to improve their preaching to step back and take another role in communication in your church. Do the next steps or the announcements. It keeps me fresh and casting a vision in a new way. It keeps me sharp. @NoahOldham

Never think yourself more highly than you ought to and find other ways to communicate. That’s going to help you get out of the rut of what you normally do every week. @NoahOldham

Cross-train and do different things in the life of the church. @clintjclifton

Helpful Resources:

John Stott’s book Between Two Worlds
Free 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.

Preaching to Small Crowds Mar 01, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How whether you know the people you’re preaching to affects how well you communicate with them
Why preaching to a smaller crowd is more difficult than a large crowd
Some of the practices of preaching to a small crowd that need to become part of your toolbox
The value of focusing on a list of people in different demographics and different life situations
The problem of manufacturing energy when speaking to a smaller crowd
Opportunities in speaking to small crowds that don’t exist in larger churches
Insights about preaching to a camera when services are online

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

If you’re preaching to less than 100 – and it gets even more complicated when you get below like 30 – it feels small groupish. @clintjclifton

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that public speaking anxiety is the number one phobia, affecting about 73% of the population. In fact, it said that more people fear public speaking than fear death. @clintjclifton

Public speaking has this underlying fear of judgment and negative evaluation by others. We really value what our peers think about us, so public speaking is difficult. @clintjclifton

I’ve always found it much more difficult to effectively communicate to small crowds than to preach to larger crowds. @clintjclifton

Different people are built to communicate more effectively in different situations. @NoahOldham

The smaller the group gets, the more my brain focuses on “Is this person, that person, that person are they locked in? Is their light bulb coming on?” If it’s smaller, I really fixate on it. @NoahOldham

A small crowd with people I know is the hardest group for me to communicate with. If you make them teenagers, it gets very difficult! @clintjclifton

I love to speak with people I know, because I know what they’re needing, what they’re expecting, what they want. I don’t have to try to entertain. @NoahOldham

I don’t want to waste anybody’s time. The smaller the group is, the more you notice people looking at their phones, spacing out, getting up to go to the bathroom. They cause the speaker to start asking questions like, “Am I effective right now?” @NoahOldham

In the early months of planting our church, I was casting vision for a small group of people I knew intimately. That gave me an opportunity to really grow as a speaker for small groups. @NoahOldham

Frequency, repetition, experience and reps in speaking makes you more comfortable in front of people. It makes you a better communicator. @clintjclifton

One of the first things I learned was how to preach to who was there, that God had put people there on purpose who needed to learn the Word. @NoahOldham

Knowing where they’re at in life, knowing what we’re trying to build together, I’m able to preach to their moment in life. @NoahOldham

One of the things that helped me was to imagine I was talking to individual people and to have a lot of feedback on the sermon to make it sort of a small group-like situation and do Q&A after the service. @clintjclifton

Some of the most memorable moments in the life of our church, especially in those early days, came from those Q&A moments. But you’ve got to be on your toes, because you’re going to be asked some crazy questions, especially if you’re working with a mostly unchurched crowd. @clintjclifton

One week I preached about forgiveness and said, “It’s your responsibility to forgive as Christ has forgiven you.” A woman, a visitor, stood up after the service and said in front of the front of the crowd, “I was raped, and you’re telling me I’m supposed to forgive the person who raped me.” @clintjclifton

Some preachers tend to become actors when they get on a stage. In a small church, if you seem like an actor on a stage, it just doesn’t feel genuine. @NoahOldham

I need to recognize the kind of crowd in front of me. Different crowds often lend themselves to different strategies. @NoahOldham

With bigger crowds, there’s an energy in the room. When you preach in a smaller crowd, you almost either turn down the energy or you have to manufacture it, and I don’t want to manufacture energy. @NoahOldham

If God has ordained this crowd to be this size, then I think he wants to do something in this size of crowd. So let’s ask him to do that. @NoahOldham

We need to genuinely look at the people in front of me and say, “These are souls Jesus died for. He’s given them to us for such time as this. In his sovereignty, this is his purpose and plan for right now.” @clintjclifton

We take our Sunday sermons into our small groups. It’s like a breathing in and a breathing out. We take the solid of God’s truth and make it into the liquid of real life. @NoahOldham

A preacher is preaching to real situations that other people know about. There’s an opportunity for intimacy, community and intimacy when principle and application are very specific. @NoahOldham

Using small groups or a Q&A gives the congregation an opportunity to interact with each other about the Word, which further solidifies that teaching in their hearts. @clintjclifton

There’s a whole lot of online preaching happening right now. I think it’s is our punishment for making fun of televangelists for all these years. @clintjclifton

I want to be with people. I want to see the lights come on in their eyes. @NoahOldham

We’ve got to be open-handed in situations and say, “Jesus, what are you doing? What’s the strategy for getting your Word out?” Let us do that with a clear conscience and a heart full of faith. @NoahOldham

Don’t despise small beginnings. Don’t despise small crowds. The world was turned upside down by a small crowd. A church of 120 people lit this thing on fire. @NoahOldham

In a sense, Jesus pastored a small church that multiplied a lot. He gathered people together. He taught them. He broke bread with them. He equipped and sent them on mission. @clintjclifton

Keep in mind that those in the small crowd are souls. They are Jesus’ people He’s given to us. @clintjclifton

The church never outgrew my capacity to lead, especially in church planting. @clintjclifton

Helpful Resources:

10 Must-See Prospectus Samples
Find a church-planting residency near you
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

When Crisis Strikes Your Ministry Feb 24, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How a focus on enhance a church’s reputation can be an obstacle to its core mission
Steps young churches can take to mitigate risk and be emboldened to press forward and minister
The two categories of issues Pinkston finds churches most often face
The importance of having a communication strategy in place before a crisis happens
The three root causes of crisis in a church
What a church should do to have good risk-prevention policies in place
How a church planting pastor can introduce his congregation to the community through public relations

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Often we see a church focus on their profile in the community, probably for good reasons, but it almost always takes away from the focus on discipling their flock and loving and serving their neighbors. @cpinkston

Churches focused and intentional about being the church don’t find themselves in a crisis nearly as often as churches that are aiming to be something bigger than they probably should. @cpinkston

It seems like the moment we’re living in is a minefield that’s causing pastors to have fear and freeze in place, rather than move forward and bold faith to reshape their communities. @clintjclifton

We cannot walk in fear or serve our church in fear. @cpinkston

The amount of negative pressure that’s coming to churches and pastors almost feels overwhelming. @clintjclifton

You can’t out-communicate a set of bad policies. @cpinkston

Failure comes in not knowing best practices and implementing them in advance. @cpinkston

We tend to say, “This isn’t that big a deal. It’ll blow over” – and then it becomes a bigger deal. @clintjclifton

Crises are appointments by the Lord in his sovereignty as opportunities to glorify Him and an opportunity for you to walk it out faithfulness in front of your congregation without fear. They are painful, but the Lord redeems those things. @cpinkston

Hiding and denying is where these things escalate into major stories, and it’s avoidable. @cpinkston

Create a culture of transparency in your church and start building trust with your congregation. When something really bad does happen, that trust will take you a long way. @cpinkston

The best crisis communication strategy is to be proactively communicating and building a reputation before there is a crisis. if the first thing someone hears about you is negative. It is really really hard to transform that narrative. @cpinkston

When a church tries to elevate its profile for the wrong reason, people bristle at that and it’s counterproductive. But when your church can be known for sacrificially loving and serving their community, that resonates. @cpinkston

There’s a lot we do in outreach – one-to-one connections – and then people show up on Sunday as a result. But there’s a lot we do that just simply builds the church’s reputation and aren’t necessarily reflected in the offering plate or the attendance. @clintjclifton

Building rapport in your community is a marathon. @clintjclifton

Don’t avoid controversial issues but think about how you engage those topics. Talking through them in a winsome, gracious but biblically sound way is helpful to the congregation. @cpinkston

Pastors tend to overestimate their communication aptitude. @clintjclifton

Helpful Resources:

Visit Pinkston’s website
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.

4 Funding Models for Church Planters Feb 22, 2022

Episode 643: Ed Stetzer, Tiffany Smith and Clint Clifton discuss the advantages and disadvantages of four different approaches to funding a church plant.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Some of the advantages and disadvantages of four possible approaches to fund church planting:

The “Shark Tank” approach
The “School Fundraiser” approach
The “Get a Job” approach
The “Campus Crusade” approach

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Some assume that planting is like a business: You get a business loan and get started. But that’s not really the way it works. @clintjclifton

The “Shark Tank” approach depends really heavily on the quality of the church planter’s pitch. @clintjclifton

The missiological effect of that paradigm is that it cultivates top-down leadership. You automatically are going to be fighting that paradigm and have to be very intentional about unleashing the whole church. @tiffanydsmith

The least common approach is what I call the “School Fundraiser” approach. The church plant tries to raise money by selling things in order to fund the mission. @clintjclifton

One church we planted had a “baby shower” for our new church. You can buy our nursery equipment or our sound equipment. @edstetzer

I’m of the view that you develop the resources anywhere, in any way you can ethically and appropriately. @edstetzer

The posture of the individual is important. If the community feels like it’s a pushy car salesman kind of thing, then it’s going to be negative for the the missional movement. But if it’s a blessing to the community, then I think it would be super helpful. @tiffanydsmith

The church I’m involved in went into partnership with a developer and we’re building an apartment complex. Some of the revenue off the apartment complex will will fund our ministry and mission. @clintjclifton

The next one is the “Get a Job” approach and this is bivocational church planting. No fundraising needed. The planter works really hard until the church is able to offer enough support for the planter to become a staff member. @clintjclifton

One of the coolest aspects of this approach is that a lay leader or a member in the church is seeing before them a life lived out in the marketplace and that it’s a normal practice. @tiffanydsmith

I’ve seen people who are so intertwined in the community that their work gives them insight into the needs and the pulse of the community. They’re also building up relational equity. @tiffanydsmith

The next one I call the “Campus Crusade” approach, which seeks commitments from individuals to give regularly monthly amounts to support an individual missionary. @clintjclifton

This is a wonderful opportunity for people to be blessed by God to participate in the mission. @edstetzer

I love the idea of “We’re a family and so we’re supporting one another.” If you are recruiting 50 to 100 individuals to support the mission, they are a part of that mission too. It is highly relational. @tiffanydsmith

Helpful Resources:

Clint Clifton’s article – Demystifying Church Planter Funding
Bill Dillon’s book – People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Support
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!

Church Planter Friendly Jobs Feb 17, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Considerations you must keep in mind as you think about planting a church while having another job
Whether the bivo/covo trend actually is increasing
What vocations are really good fits for bivo/covo work
How well entrepreneurial work fits with bivo/covo planting
A New Testament perspective on bivo/covo work
Opportunities for next-generation missionaries and church planters to leverage their careers for mission

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

People who are bivocational or covocational are just amazing heroes. And bivocational pastors are much more common than most think. In some denominations, half the pastors are bivocational. @edstetzer

There seems in many many cases to be an assumption that the best church planting is fully funded. That’s not necessarily something statistical. @edstetzer

It is very very common to think of covocational or bivocational as Plan B. But it would be amazing to see a shift, because I think we’ll see more momentum into places the church normally isn’t present. @tiffanydsmith

It has been a talking point for years for bivocational pastors to be the heroes, but now we’re actually seeing stories of bivocational or covocational pastors deeply entrenched in their careers who also are fruitful pastors and church planters. @clintjclifton

Jobs that have start and end times and allow you to bring your best in planting seem to make the bigger difference. @edstetzer

Bivocational ministry was so normal in the early church that the believers were encouraged to give an extra blessing to those who were pulling double duty. @tiffanydsmith

Perhaps the most significant benefit of planting as a bivo/covo leader is that it gives the planter greater opportunities to connect relationally with people in the community. @edstetzer

The planter sees a genuine and real need in the community and then moves into that segment to meet the need naturally and connects to the community. @tiffanydsmith

Some planters are getting into a business connecting to people that the church would not typically have access to. @tiffanydsmith

Certain entrepreneurial ventures are really given to being great missiologically. There are missiological advantages to certain careers. @clintjclifton

A social entrepreneur explores business opportunities that have a positive impact on their community, in society or the world. @edstetzer

You end up not as two closed hands, but as two hands actually working together. @edstetzer

You have to be careful because you want to be a person of integrity and not planting a church using social entrepreneurship as a tool. @edstetzer

Right now, in our culture there’s a vacuum in relational connections. Whatever creative way we end up connecting in the community, we should give the highest relational salt and light and fruit of the Spirit we can. @tiffanydsmith

More often, it’s helpful for a church planter to be solving local problems in a local place and find a way to rally the community around that problem and place. Interacting with the same group of people provides new missional opportunities. @clintjclifton

Invite the Holy Spirit. Say, “Hey, show me a creative way to step into my vocation, step into my passion and maximize the gospel and the kingdom movement.” @tiffanydsmith

I would love to see the church unleashed. If we make the shift where everybody sees themselves on mission, sent and released into the world to be salt and light, then we’re going to see more movement and discipleship at a deeper, richer level than we’ve seen before. @tiffanydsmith

Helpful Resources:

Free article: Brad Brisco: 3 Benefits of Bivocational Church Planting
Free ebook: Brad Brisco: Covocational Church Planting
Steve Sjogren: Community of Kindness
Ed Stetzer: Planting Missional Churches
Daniel Im: You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love
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!

The Power of Moments Feb 08, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The four different types of moments a church planter wants to create for his congregation
Why it’s important to set the table but remember it’s the Holy Spirit who moves in powerful moments
Why events like “Pack a Pew Sunday” and elements like altar calls and membership were important in creating powerful moments
The challenge of remembering that people, not the program, are pre-eminent

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Not that you want to manufacture a moment but there are things that we can do that will make the environment most conducive to that. The Holy Spirit is the person that is going to be moving them, but you need to do everything in your power kind of to make that moment “happen.” @ToddAdkins

It’s important for us to have moments and mile markers in our walk with Christ. It’s also important to have moments and mile markers in the life of our church early on. @ToddAdkins

There was a sort of Charles Finney revivalism that crossed the line into what most church-planting pastors would consider manipulation. We’ve overcorrected and said, “We want everything to be organic.” And we’ve lost some of those critical opportunities in our local ministries. @ClintJClifton

I want to set the table. I want to light the candles but I want to recognize on my part that the real magical thing that’s going to happen in ministry is the work of the Spirit. It’s the work the Word does in somebody’s life. @ClintJClifton

I want to create an environment where people will come to the table so they might experience the Lord in a really special way. We want people to leave remembering having encountered the Lord and feeling changed. @ClintJClifton

Instead of doing the hard creative work of how we can create an environment or an experience where people are likely to grow, we’re just simply running the play we’ve seen happen so many times before. @ClintJClifton

Apathy lulls us into to not having those moments. We need to stop and take a fresh look at what we’re doing. @ClintJClifton

Part of what it is, is the inertia of your own success. And sometimes that success is just staying open. Sometimes it’s growth. @ToddAdkins

You’re not going to have margin to think about setting the table and lighting the candles. You’re just going to continue delivering meals to the table. And the next thing you’re throwing TV dinners there and you didn’t even know it. @ToddAdkins

The 90 days before the launch of the church are hard, just a grind. And then the next 90 days you have to build on that inertia of success. So even though you want to go home and slump in the chair and rest, you better have something planned to take advantage of that moment. @ToddAdkins

When I can plan what I’m going to do that first 90 days after a launch when we’re all kind of dragging, that’s going to rejuvenate your volunteers and you as well. @ToddAdkins

One of the biggest mistakes I see church planners making is thinking completely about the beginning of their church services, their launch day and thinking little or nothing about the life of their church in the systems and rhythms of their church after that first day. @ClintJClifton

It’s like thinking about the wedding a lot, but not about the marriage at all. @ClintJClifton

It’s fallen out of vogue to have big days – pack a pew Sunday, friend day – and it is a little corny, but in throwing that whole lot out, we have really lost something. @ClintJClifton

We need to take full of advantage of that moment that we have. And then look forward down the line to say, “Okay, and this is where we’re going.” @ToddAdkins

Two things today that we kind of push off, and that is the altar call and membership. Both of those got hijacked 40 years ago. Don’t throw those things out. Don’t treat them like they’re a tool, but do think of them as a moment. @ToddAdkins

Baptism is a very, very, very powerful moment in the life of that person that we should steward well. @ToddAdkins

The problem is when the program becomes pre-eminent. You have to remember the program is for the people, the people are not for your program. @ToddAdkins

Programs come and go but the real question is, how are we making sure that we are being absolutely wonderful stewards of the time that people are giving us and the experience that they’re given? @ToddAdkins

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer

Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?

Maximizing the Big Day bundle at EdStetzer.com

Books by Chip and Dan Heath

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes.

Systems for Multiplication Feb 03, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Three reasons leaders must be learners in front of those they lead
Components of the multiplication system at Clint’s Pillar Church
Why Todd’s program at McLean Bible Church focused on both core competency and role competency
Why Todd evaluates a residency program on inputs, throughputs and outputs
How Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, compares church planter residencies to medical residencies
The four phases Todd sees in leadership multiplication
The MAWL model of leadership development
Why Todd thinks you can’t tell in advance who’s going to be “successful” and who isn’t

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Your church would like to plant other new churches, but there are some day-to-day activities that are going to prohibit that, if you don’t have some systems set up for them. @ClintJClifton

‘Systems’ is not a dirty word. Sometimes, when we hear it, we think that’s a business-type thing. But God created the solar system and the circulatory system. @ToddAdkins

The pendulum between the organic and the pragmatic seems to go back and forth a lot. You have to understand from a biblical perspective a healthy balance of both things – putting on both your shepherd hat and your stewardship hat. @ToddAdkins

Leaders learn in front of people. If you are a leader these days and you are not a learner, then you have a really, really short shelf life. @ToddAdkins

It’s really important for us to not just be dispensers of grace, but receivers of grace, so we can be conduits all the time. @ClintJClifton

The gold standard for us is to have a member of our church go through that process, not somebody from the outside. But if we can’t find members to do it, that’s not going to stop us from planting a church next year. @ClintJClifton

When you have three elements together – knowledge, experience and coaching – that’s when transformation happens. @ToddAdkins

When I look at a residency program, I look at inputs, throughputs and outputs. @ToddAdkins

I want to be more hands-on with the people we’re developing. I want to do ministry alongside them. I want them to see me doing ministry and learn from the ways I do it bad and the ways I do it good. @ClintJClifton

I’m starting high directive and very little supportive. But that flips over time from directive to supportive. There’s very little directive at the end. @ToddAdkins

If you’re always focused more on what you do, rather than who you develop, you’re not going to be a “successful pastor,” in my opinion. @ToddAdkins

I started a church 17 years ago that’s multiplied 20 plus times. And now my greatest joy in life is watching the gospel go forth from those men in their ministries. @ClintJClifton

The greatest impact in my ministry will not be anything I do, but those I invest in and what they do for the glory of God. That’s where you find the deepest satisfaction in ministry. @ClintJClifton

Leadership is understanding that your fruit grows on somebody else’s trees. @ToddAdkins

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.

Discovering Pastoral Potential Feb 01, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Noah Oldham’s “cheat” for approaching people in whom he sees pastoral potential
How our free Church Planting Primer can help you get everyday Christians involved in starting new churches
Why August Gate Church practices foot washing as they bring in new members
How Clint’s church uses a preaching lab to surface planter candidates
How prospecting for planter candidates is like “shooting hoops”
What Noah Oldham means by “four H leaders”

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Very few churches who have cracked the nut of how to make members into missionaries. I want our churches, to be known for cultivating pastoral leaders from inside of our work. @ClintJClifton

One of the things I look for is people who care about the whole church flourishing. @NoahOldham

If you took all the fruitful church planters I’ve worked with, you couldn’t find a common denominator. It’s not as easy as noticing a quality or a characteristic, one quality or characteristic. @ClintJClifton

We have to decide as a church at August Gate, what kind of church do we want to plant? But also, what kind of church do we want to be? @NoahOldham

It all comes down to ecclesiology. We have to think about our ecclesiology and if we don’t have that settled, we’re never going to do this very well. @NoahOldham

When you look at the lists in 1 Timothy and Titus, you see these lists for older men and older women and younger women. It’s like, “Where’s the list for the younger men? What’s the list of eldership?” @NoahOldham

Every young man should aspire to be an elder. If we do that, we’ll never have a hard time finding pastors. @NoahOldham

The only difference in an elder and a regular Christian is that they’re actually doing the things we’ve all been commanded to do. @ClintJClifton

It’s like shooting basketball hoops. I’m going to take a lot of shots and probably not make all that many, but the more I shoot, the more I make. @ClintJClifton

I’ve found a lot of guys who live out the rich young ruler. They ask what they have to do to be a leader and walk away sad because they realize, “Ah, it’s just going to require more than I’m willing to give.” @NoahOldham

When I was planting, I felt like I was making all these huge sacrifices, but the truth is, God gave me a very dear family. Those who step away from planting because they think they’re going to miss out on something are forsaking the opportunity at something much, much greater. @ClintJClifton

You have to be wildly optimistic about pastoral potential in others, take people when they’re not ready and imagine what God could do with them the same way He did with you. @ClintJClifton

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Alexander Strauch’s book Biblical Eldership

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating / review on iTunes

Q&A: Church Planter Residencies Jan 27, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How Noah Oldham designed the August Gate church plant in St. Louis to be a multiplying church
How the August Gate residency is designed
The importance of pursuing people when you see they have potential to plant churches
Day-to-day practical components of a residency
Why residency requires a deep sense of humility
Why churches should maintain warm relationships with planters they send out

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Part of our vision is to be a church that plants more churches until the St. Louis Metro region is saturated with gospel. @NoahOldham

I don’t think there’s anything that’s contributed to the fruitfulness in multiplication in church planting, like having the residency. @ClintJClifton

We just talk about church planting all the time. Because of that, there’s always energy around it. @NoahOldham

Residency’s like a junk drawer category; it’s never clean and buttoned up. And it just means getting people ready for ministry. @ClintJClifton

A big part of our residency is giving somebody the opportunity to do things planters do, on top of what pastors do. @NoahOldham

We use the imagery of peeking behind the curtain. I say, “I’d like to invite you behind the curtain, to see how things go here and be a part of what we do behind the curtain so that you could get a sense for, if this is the sort of work that you feel drawn to.” @ClintJClifton

Equipping precedes calling. We got to be doing a lot of equipping, and usually calling grows out of the fertile soil of equipping, not the opposite. @ClintJClifton

Covenant members are the first level of leadership in our church. And then we’re always looking for covenant members who are serving above and beyond the standard. Who’s hungry for more? Always trying to call out the called. @NoahOldham

The number one qualification of an elder is that they aspire to the office. A lot of people don’t know they have permission to aspire to it until we give them permission. @NoahOldham

It’s really powerful when your pastor comes to you and says he sees gifts in you and invites you into a category most people aren’t invited into. That really begins to ignite a passion for church planting. @ClintJClifton

When you have been a pastor and a church planter, you can recognize those gifts in others and you should verbalize that. @ClintJClifton

For us, what we do in a residency comes down to who the guy is. What does he need? @NoahOldham

You’ve got to create your own way in training. You’re going to become familiar with a whole bunch of tools that apply to various situations. We basically have a syllabus that covers everything but, depending on the situation, we don’t always do all of it. @ClintJClifton

The ability to lead a church plant and to lead a team comes by being in a church plant and being on a team. @NoahOldham

It’s almost impossible too, to reproduce something you’ve never seen. @ClintJClifton

If you have a guy with the ability to plant a church and you know it is three to five years before he needs to plant, get him on your team and call it a residency. @NoahOldham

If planting churches is in your church’s DNA, you just can’t help but do it. @NoahOldham

Having a residency is sort of like having a girlfriend. You can’t describe it. You’ve just got to get one and then you’ll understand. @ClintJClifton

One of the major things I’m trying to do in residency is help somebody see themselves as they truly are. @ClintJClifton

Cage stagers don’t make it very far in residencies. @NoahOldham

Residency is simply discipling future church leaders. @ClintJClifton

If you have great leaders in your church, you’re going to lose them, one way or the other. You can either prepare them and send them or you can lose them and someone else prepares them and sends them. @NoahOldham

I want us to be the church that identifies those leaders, speaks life into them and helps them with their calling, but then also prepares them. @NoahOldham

We’re not starting franchises here. We’re starting a family. @ClintJClifton

Helpful Resources:

Free download: Church Planting Thresholds
Free download: Pillar Church residency syllabus
namb.net/residencies
Quick Start Guide
Starting a residency video
Find a residency
Send Network’s Multiplication Pipeline

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

Getting Serious About Getting Healthy Jan 25, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How Noah Oldham came to realize “something had to change” physically in his life
The first steps to take in getting a handle on your fitness
How a change in your physical life affects your spiritual life
That food, comfort and laziness can be used to hide areas of brokenness in your life.
How not addressing a fellow pastor’s lack of fitness can be doing him – and yourself – a disservice.
How lack of fitness undermines your respectability with your people
Why community and accountability are essential for maintaining physical fitness.
What to do when the people around you don’t value their physical health

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Usually when I see a friend that loses weight, or when I’ve lost weight myself, I’m very skeptical about how long it’s going to last. @ClintJClifton

Health for a church planter, both spiritually and physically, is critically intertwined in the work we do. @ClintJClifton

I found a personal trainer who works with pastors and he set me on a trajectory. I’ve not looked back. @NoahOldham

Something just clicked in my soul. Something has to change, and it has to be now. It’s never going to get easier. @NoahOldham

It’s not about changing your diet and exercise. You have to change your discipline. @NoahOldham

It really became a labor of love – one of the ways I unplug from the rest of the stuff I’m doing, to walk in discipleship with other men, to help them find the kind of freedom I found. @NoahOldham

In 2 Timothy, Paul says that in the last days, people will be without “self-control.” That word often is translated as “incontinent.” I realized that either I don’t care or I can’t control myself. @NoahOldham

We need the literal, the miraculous grace of God to do a work in us, and that’s what I saw happen in my life. The grace of God trained me to say no to myself and yes to the new paths he had for me. @NoahOldham

You’ve got to peel back some of the layers and deal with the heartache underneath this stuff. @NoahOldham

Often the physical is just a manifestation of another area of our life that’s probably just as messy, just as sloppy, just as unmonitored. We’re monitoring so many other things that we don’t look at this one until too late. @NoahOldham

One thing I saw was that I loved satisfaction and instantgratification more than I thought I did. @NoahOldham

When we start talking about looking to the marketplace to raise up pastors, we’re reaching into this pool of men who may say, “He’s the kind of guy I want to be.” @NoahOldham

We’re doing one another, as brothers, as pastors, a disservice, because if we’re both struggling with our health, we should be able to come to each other and say, “How do we do this together? How do we lock arms for one another?” @NoahOldham

The biggest challenge is that you have to come to the point where you say, “I’m not this kind of person anymore.” @NoahOldham

If I want to attract disciplined, ready, capable, sacrificial men, I got to show myself to be that. And there was an area of my life I wasn’t showing that. @NoahOldham

As pastors who don’t go to the bottle when we have problems, food is a ready escape for us. @ClintJClifton

There’s a culture that thinks people who exercise and care about their physical health is something weird people do. We think, “Everybody’s a little overweight, and that’s the way it is and it’s OK.” @ClintJClifton

Helpful Resources:

Website: pastorfit.com
Book: Breaking the Stronghold of Food
Have you checked 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.

Dreaming Big on a Shoestring Budget Jan 20, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why being “under-resourced” actually is helpful for a church-planting team
How a “we can if …” map can help you and a team process through a problem
How vision clarity and focus made a difference in how churches weathered the Covid crisis
Why attendance isn’t engagement, and engagement isn’t discipleship
Which comes first: clear vision or adequate resources

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Being “under-resourced” actually is helpful because it forces conversations and choices that are really healthy, long term versus perpetuating things that are not essential. @Todd Adkins

Being “under-resourced” causes you to boil down to essentials. @ClintJClifton

There’s a huge lie out there that in order to be creative and innovative, I need unlimited time and unlimited resources. You actually will be much better off having finite time and finite resources. @Todd Adkins

It’s easier and it’s more fun to attempt great things for the Lord on on a limited budget. Your resource “poverty” can actually be an advantage when it comes to growth. In our day, people are really skeptical of the big, wealthy and powerful. That gives a scrappy upstart an advantage over the well-funded franchise. @ClintJClifton

You can actually capitalize on the advantages that have been given to you as a church planter on a shoestring budget if you will just simply own it and and live in that reality. You should not see your your “poverty” as as a disadvantage, but as an advantage. @ClintJClifton

Clear vision always is followed by a sufficient resourcing. @ClintJClifton

We have measured attendance and called it engagement, and measured engagement and called it discipleship. @Todd Adkins

When we have a clear and compelling vision about what it is that we’re doing, then resources flow. If we focus on the resources and say, “Why don’t we have the resources?”, then the resources don’t necessarily come very easily. @ClintJClifton

When we’re headed in a direction that pleases the lord and that makes sense to the people who are around us, people are happy to be generous. @ClintJClifton

I want you to dream big even if you’re on a shoestring budget, especially if you’re planting a church. @ClintJClifton

If you are feeling under-resourced, you’re really under-inspiring, because there are people around you who have the ability to resource you. They just aren’t sure it is a good stewardship. @ClintJClifton

If people are serving in your church, they’re actually more likely to give – not only of their time but of their money as well. @Todd Adkins

As people come in and begin to serve, that’s when they put more skin in the game. @Todd Adkins

The clearer, the more compelling, the bigger your dream, the more easily donors will give to see that accomplished. If you’re lamenting the size of your budget and seeing that as the limitation to what you can do for the kingdom, you’re thinking of it backwards. @ClintJClifton

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 leave a rating and review on iTunes

Building a Team from Scratch Jan 18, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Several leadership hacks helpful for “parachute”planters
The power of a relationship that helps others move forward in the same direction over time
The value of clear role descriptions for team members
The two values of good training
The four kinds of moments you want to create in team building
Two good reasons to get involved in the Chamber of Commerce

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

I don’t recall who said it, but it’s true: People will will follow you if you’re uncertain; they won’t follow you if you’re unclear. @ToddAdkins

You don’t have to have it all figured out, but you at least need to have kind of a compelling vision for the future and have a place in it for each team member. @ToddAdkins

You need to have documented clarity: role descriptions for all your volunteers. You can get a win almost immediately simply by having a one-page role description in place. @ToddAdkins

You want to avoid the volunteer over-committing and coming back to you saying, “Hey I didn’t realize what this was.” @ToddAdkins

Clarity builds confidence for team members. @ToddAdkins

Good training does two things in equal parts: It gives both competence and confidence. @ToddAdkins

You don’t want to just recruit anybody that can fog a mirror. You want to think about the type of people you want to recruit and the way you want that to happen. @ToddAdkins

Some planters make “the big ask” in a safe, lighthearted way, and the person they ask isn’t quite sure if they’re serious. The more appropriate, more effective way is to have a serious conversation that creates a compelling moment they will not forget. @ClintJClifton

It’s not just the volume of impressions you’re making. It’s the quality of your interactions with people that make a huge difference. @ClintJClifton

Recruiting goes back to “seek first to understand and then be understood.” It goes back to just being insanely curious about your community. Schedule curiosity into your week. @ToddAdkins

Far too many times, ministry is something we do to people, not for people. @ToddAdkins

Helpful Resources:

– Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
– Are you ready to enroll in our free Church Planting Masterclass?
– Chip and Dan Heath books: Made to Stick and The Power of Moments
– Web-search “questions based selling”

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating/review on iTunes

Starting a Residency Jan 13, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How Blueprint Church was started to be a “blueprint” for other churches planting churches
The wide variety of training going on under the banner of “Residencies”
How residents learn the complexities of disciple making so members can be given the simplicity
The radical approach of training every biblically qualified person in your church, then allowing God to show them their calling

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

You need to be aware of a growing trend where churches are adopting a strategy to raise up church planters from within – or sometimes they kind of become within, do a two-year residency and then go out and plant churches. @edstetzer

At Blueprint Church, we say every covenant member is either a covocational church planter or a covocational church planting team member. @dhatilewis

We started Blueprint Church with a desire that we were going to be a church that’s planting other churches. We wanted to be a blueprint so we knew that was going to to take place. @dhatilewis

We didn’t necessarily have a timeline, per se, but we started doing different things and had an internship that led to an apprenticeship, and from apprentice to a residency. It was a leadership pipeline. @dhatilewis

Oftentimes we focus in on the calling. But if you train everybody who’s biblically qualified in your church, then God is going to match up people’s call to the burden in the cry-outs of the city. @dhatilewis

We had people living in our home for you months at a time and we would teach them how to be leaders. And we said, “You guys are our next small group leaders.” We would cast that vision with an expectation similar to Jesus’ call, “Follow me and you will become fishers of men.” @dhatilewis

We were beginning with the end in mind. It was discipleship with a very specific and targeted destination of where we’re going. We put it up on a higher bar. @dhatilewis

Once they became small group leaders, then they became ministry leaders, and then they became Titus to women and elders and then they become elders. In that call, we sent them out as teams to plant churches. @dhatilewis

Let’s just train everybody and let God bring out the calling in their lives. We started having a discipleship leadership program every member and allowed God to discover how that’s going to flesh out in their lives. @dhatilewis

Disciple making is not a ministry of the church; it’s the ministry of the church and residency is just one outgrowth of the call to discipleship.

While most large churches have gotten very much into residencies, you don’t have to be a really large church to engage this. @edstetzer

In residencies, there tends to be a curriculum and a series of expectations. We are seeing more churches taking on historically the role that might have been like an agency. @edstetzer

You can plant churches and not make any disciples but, ultimately, if you make disciples you will plant churches. @dhatilewis

This is not the Jetsons, where you can just press a button and then churches come out and disciples are made There’s a lot in this operating system. You got to own the complexity so the simplicity is given to your members. @dhatilewis

As a volunteer, part-time pastor, I limited myself to four things: preaching, meeting with leadership, leading a small group in my home and leading our pastoral apprentice team. @edstetzer

Helpful Resources:

Learn how to start a robust residency program at namb.net/residencies
Download the Residency Quick Start Guide
Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer”
Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Learn more about Dhati Lewis’ book, Among Wolves: Disciple-Making in the City
Learn more about Ed Stetzer’s book, Viral Churches

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes

3 Reasons Church Plants Fail Jan 11, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How many church plants don’t make it to Year 5
The difference between poetry and plumbing in church planting
The role of isolation in church plant failure
Why structure and systems matter as much as story and strategy
Two valuable tools in putting together an effective team
Two basic categories of church planter that affect success

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Watching a church plant fail is like watching a car crash in slow motion. @clintjclifton

A church planter puts his neck out there and says God’s calling me to plant a church. It’s It’s a very vulnerable venture. You say I believe God’s with me to do this and then you’ve got to close it down. It’s awful and just soul crushing.@clintjclifton

There are no no current statistics but the best I can tell is that about a third of church plants don’t make it to Year 5. @clintjclifton

Often, especially early on in ministry, we are more competent in poetry than we in plumbing. Church planting requires a different set of tools and skills than running a church that’s already established. The plumbing is what grinds us down. @ToddAdkins

If you’re not able to actually deliver on the dream, it will fall apart quickly. You cast a great vision, but eventually you’ve got to deliver on the dreams.@ToddAdkins

You’re moving from “the old old story” to story strategy. But as ministry grows and increases, skills have to be developed, both personally and within the church.@ToddAdkins

In a sense, every church plant that “fails’ isn’t a failure as long as the gospel was preached and Jesus was exalted. All gospel work has some mysterious promise in it. We we don’t know how it will pan out in the future in terms of its fruitfulness.@clintjclifton

Every single time, without exception, when I’ve sat down with a church planner who’s closing up shop, the term “isolation” has been used.@clintjclifton

Isolation is the No. 1 cause of church plant failure from my point of view.@clintjclifton

I don’t think we talk about Satan enough. Anytime you’ve got somebody isolated like that, I would say that feeling is coming from two different things. One would be Satan, because he doesn’t want you to succeed. The other would be the lack of structure, the systems that take the burden off you.@ToddAdkins

Say no – and continue to say no for the rest of your life – to a lot of things. Work just as hard on your clarity as anything else.@ToddAdkins

in order to serve the church really well, you’re going to have to rob something right now, and that’s the sermon. In a lot of our churches, all guys want to do is the poetry part. @ToddAdkins

A new church needs more that preaching, praying, loving and staying to come up out of the dirt.@clintjclifton

You’re clear on your story and your strategy. The problem is you haven’t done anything yet. When you actually start to do this stuff, you better have just as much clarity on your structure and systems.@ToddAdkins

You better be just as clear on your structure and systems as you are on your story and strategy.@ToddAdkins

The second most common reason church plants fall apart is conflict with team members. It’s extremely common, and often those conflicts are terminal for the church because it is too young and weak and vulnerable.@clintjclifton

The third thing in church plant failures is just a general lack of self-awareness when it comes to personal giftings. If you go into church planting without a really good handle on what you’re good at and not so good at, it can be detrimental to the life of the church.@clintjclifton

When you identify strengths and weaknesses you didn’t know you had, you’re going to understand yourself better and set up yourself a lot better for success.@ToddAdkins

Helpful Resources:

Todd Adkins: One Ministry Question podcast
Mark Dever’s The Deliberate Church Book
Learn more about the Myers-Briggs test and Emotional Intelligence
Learn more about StrengthsFinder
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
Leave a rating and review on iTunes

Church Plants Multiplying Early Jan 06, 2022

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.”

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

When the best time might be to plant your daughter church
What it means to “plant pregnant”
How Send Network’s new resources can make church planting easier
The four steps from being a church plant to becoming a multiplying church
Where the next generation of church planters is likely to come from
How a new church can start prioritizing financially for church planting
How to respond to the relational pain experienced by church planting teams

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

I wanted to be the last generation to leave the urban context for sound discipleship. I’m committed to raising up urban leaders in majority-minority, multi-ethnic spaces – which is another way of saying “urban.” That’s what North America is in all cities and what North America will be in 2040. @DhatiLewis

People ask me, “When is the time to plant our daughter church?” The rule of thumb has always sort of been that if you don’t do it within three years, you’ll never do it. Sometimes you heard people say, “Let’s get involved earlier, like in the first year.” @EdStetzer

One of the things we’ve intentionally done in Send Network is having people thinking that they need to “plant pregnant” – planting together with the understanding that one of your team members is coming in to be going out. So they plant with that DNA. @DhatiLewis

I have seen people with the “three years” multiplication mindset go in and plant healthily, and I’ve seen them, unhealthily at times, trying to plant whether they’re ready or not. @DhatiLewis

There’s lots of pain that comes from planting when you aren’t ready. You experience a lot of pain and trauma as a church, and you give some to the church plants, because they were expecting something from us that they didn’t get because we were still trying to take care of ourselves. @DhatiLewis

I wish I knew then what I know now. A plant needs certain things from the sender. You think that would be intuitive because you just went through the process, but when you’re looking at it from the other lens, you just don’t know you can’t provide it. @DhatiLewis

I’m really excited that Send Network is creating resources for sending churches. If we had what we’re giving now, it would have been a lot different for us. I still would have done it, but I would have done it a lot differently. There was some pain we didn’t have to experience. @DhatiLewis

I’ve encouraged church planters to say that from Year 1, they’re going to be involved in a church plant, but depending on how Year 1 goes, that church plant involvement could look different. Perhaps you partner in Year 1 and Year 2, and then mother by the time you get to Year 3. @EdStetzer

In Send Network, we that we believe every Send Network church is a multiplying church in the making. The question I like for us to think about is what is the easy, obvious and strategic next step to becoming a multiplying church? @DhatiLewis

You become a multiplying church once you’re discovering, developing and deploying people from within. What we try to do is give people exposure, get the congregation thinking beyond themselves. @DhatiLewis

We immediately try to get a church plant to become a supporting church – praying, participating or partnering. A supporting church becomes a sending church when you’ve helped someone discover their calling and go through training. The multiplying church has developed a system to discover, develop and deploy. @DhatiLewis

Everybody’s looking for that already discipled, already trained person to send out, and that well is running a lot drier. The next generation of church planters are either not saved in your neighborhood or they’re currently in your pews. @DhatiLewis

There are so many things I would do differently in planting churches, knowing now what I do, but that’s why I’m passionate about helping other churches to not have to face the pain we did. @DhatiLewis

Get involved early and often in church planting. While that’s going to look different in different contexts, some can go too early but most take too long. @EdStetzer

People early on need to be accustomed to the fact that you’re a church-planting church. It sets that agenda, you look for those opportunities, you raise up those leaders who are going to go out and make a difference. @EdStetzer

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer”

Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?

Among Wolves: Disciple-Making in the City

Please subscribe to the podcast

Leave a rating and review on iTunes

Why is Church Planting So Hard? Jan 05, 2022

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The difference between “bivocational” and “covocational”
The importance of developing a core team, regardless of how a church is being planted
How bivo/covo church planting, depending on cultural context, might be easier or more difficult
When church planting shifted from being a discipling experience to a “launch” experience
What two things we can do to encourage more bivo/covo church planting
The relational, financial and missiological benefits of covo church planting
How traditional church planters and pastors can encourage bivo/covo planting

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Sometimes we bifurcate our thinking about ministry. I think I think that, unfortunately, we have too many bivocational planters or pastors who compartmentalize their work in the marketplace and their mission or ministry. I don’t think that’s helpful. @BradleyBrisco

A bivocational church planter is someone who has a part-time job in the marketplace that they see as temporary. A covocational church planter, on the other hand, would be someone with a primary calling in the marketplace that they never intend to leave. @BradleyBrisco

How can you do what God’s called and wired you to do for the glory of God, but at the same time have a different imagination for church planting where you can start something while you’re in the marketplace? @BradleyBrisco

The most difficult time of church planting is when you’ve got nobody and you’re trying to start off from there. @EdStetzer

Sometimes I wonder if we have some foundational assumptions about church and mission and even leadership that actually make church planting more difficult. @BradleyBrisco

An understanding of the church as a vendor of religious goods and services can create a consumeristic monster. I wonder if there’s benefit in seeing the church as a more simple, more nimble, more missionary entity – which doesn’t make it easy by any means. @BradleyBrisco

More simple, organic church planting may actually be harder in some ways with the majority of people in our culture. I think it’s hard to say, “Listen, we’ve got a church. There’s no pastor in the sense you understand a pastor, and we meet in a home and it’s not a cult.” @EdStetzer

In an increasingly missionary context, in places where we’re really reaching into lostness, we have to have a “longer runway” perspective and we have to measure and count different things. We need to focus on more organic, relational discipling. @BradleyBrisco

Often our very first step of evangelism is we have to deconstruct the caricatures lost people have about christians and the church. The only way we’re going to do that is by doing life with them and actually building relationships. @BradleyBrisco

In bivo/covo church planting, when you don’t have this immediate need to get to financial self-sufficiency, there’s less pressure toward that Sunday morning gathering and you can evangelize and disciple a church into existence. @EdStetzer

If your goal was discipling people, rather than launching a public worship service, there’d be a lot fewer church planting failures because we had a different target and it made a difference. @EdStetzer

Sometimes we make church planting harder than it needs to be because we don’t do it with a team. If you’re bivo/covo, there’s just no other option. You have to do this with a team. @BradleyBrisco

My perfect scenario would be two or three covocational couples and two or three covocational singles planting a church together. Can you imagine the relational capital? And if each one gave six or more hours a week toward a church plant, think about the financial sustainability. @BradleyBrisco

We need to tell the beautiful stories of the bivo/covo planter who’s driving the school bus, the school teacher, the mechanic who’s planting a church. We have to do a better job of tapping into the power of the narrative. @BradleyBrisco

Start a bivo/covo pilot project on the side, and when that goes well, capture those stories and tell them to the rest of the congregation. That’s going to open up the eyes of other people to say, “Hey, I love what they’re doing. I think I could do that!” @BradleyBrisco

Helpful Resources:

Free on NewChurches.com:
– Course: Developing a Core Team
– Book: Covocational Church Planting
Ed Stetzer’s book, Viral Churches, on amazon.com
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
Leave a rating and review on iTunes

How Not to be a Jerk Dec 21, 2021

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

What can be done to guard against patterns of domineering leadership developing in new pastoral leaders
Some traits of domineering leaders and how you can recognize them in your own life
What a healthy work relationship has in common with a healthy marriage
Four signs you are a domineering leader
What “useful vulnerability” looks like in a good leader
How to fill in the blank: “If you’re a leader and you want to make everybody happy, just go _____”
What 1 Peter 5 says about God’s standard for those who lead His Church.

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

The rise and fall of Mars hill podcast has started a conversation around leadership that, while it has been happening already now has really come to a state of maturity where we are facing head-on the difficulties of domineering leadership that we also see manifested in smaller ways in in local churches. @ClintJClifton

We need to say OK, what can I learn from this and how is it going to move me forward in my relationship with Christ and and bring glory to Him and and His Church. It’s better to learn from somebody else’s mistakes before we learn for our from from our own. @Todd Adkins

You have to be careful about cheap leadership, which happens when you are a jerk and you use your “power” and position to get your way or to make it all about you or fill in the blank. @Todd Adkins

On the other side of it, cheap leadership is not leading at all, being so concerned about something that you don’t actually do much or move people forward because you don’t have the confidence or competence to make decisions and move forward. @Todd Adkins

This is a stewardship issue. It’s about recognizing the responsibility we have as leaders to not please everybody. At the end of the day, the burden on you is to lead, whether or not you make everybody happy along the way. @Todd Adkins

Someone once told me that pastors are professional forgivers and, if you happen to be on the side of receiving criticism, you’re going to have to have thick skin and a tender heart, not thin skin and a hard heart. You have a heart of receptivity toward the criticisms but don’t let them go into your marrow. @ClintJClifton

When you’re establishing a church plant, a really big part of the culture you’re creating is how you yourself are interacting with the people, the tone that you set, the things that you celebrate, measure, control or reprimand. All those things are key levers in setting that culture. @Todd Adkins

People can outrun their competence and character pretty quickly, if they don’t continue to be humble and they don’t intentionally put guardrails around themselves. They naturally drift toward domineering because of basic human nature. @Todd Adkins

Good leadership is a powerful weapon and it needs to be in the hands of somebody with good character who knows how to use it. We must be dedicated to truly and authentically developing leaders and passing along the character of Christ to them. @ClintJClifton

Part of it is recognizing that your legacy is not what you do, it’s who you develop; it’s not the organization you build, it’s the organism you build. It’s all about the posture at which you approach leadership and motivation. @Todd Adkins

You have to ask questions: What’s it like working on the other side of me? Do I give others the grace that I ask for? If I treated my spouse like this, how would they react? @Todd Adkins

Good leaders don’t react; they respond. And there’s a big difference: One is emotional and one is actual leadership. @Todd Adkins

Helpful Resources:

Free on NewChurches.com:
— Articles on leadership development
– Clint Clifton’s course: Church Planting Primer
– Our Bivocational Ministry course
– The Church Planting Masterclass
– Clint Clifton’s ebook: Church Planting Thresholds
Download Todd’s ebook, Leading Change in Your Church
Please subscribe to the NewChurches podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes or wherever you listen to this podcast

How Does Funding Work for Church Planting? Dec 16, 2021

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The three categories of church planters
The process for developing the financial resources to plant a church
Why denominational funding for church planting comes with strings attached
What is a church planting “side hustle” and what are some good options?
Why would a church planter not want to be “overfunded”?
How long should it take a planter to get to funding sufficiency?

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

The three categories of church planters are seen like “gold, silver, bronze,” but there are distinct advantages, missiologically speaking, to being bivocational, covocational or even a volunteer church planter.” @ClintJClifton

What approach you take to church planting depends upon what the call of God is on your life. We have a friend who describes himself as a “garbage man.” It’s a great union job that gives him freedom to plant churches after work. @EdStetzer

If you want to see a church planting movement, it’s going to be powered by bivocational church planting. @EdStetzer

Let me just say to those of you are bivocational church planters, how deeply thankful we are, because we think the model you’re using is how the Lord can and will work in very powerful ways. @EdStetzer

Church planting funding from denominations comes with strings. if you’re planting with us and we’re funding you, we’re going to have certain expectations of that funding. @EdStetzer

There’s definitely a “pay it forward” mentality in denominational church planting. Those expectations make good sense. It’s not just we want our brand to continue. We want the mission to continue. @EdStetzer

When it comes to denominational funding, church planters can be kind of utilitarian. It’s not wrong to say that’s not what we should do because that’s not who we are. @EdStetzer

When it comes to a church planting “side hustle,” it’s good to find a blend, something that allows you to to accomplish the goals of a church planter while you’re earning money. If at all possible, I want to combine my mission and my money making. @ClintJClifton

Is there a “sweet spot” in church-plant funding? The goal of a new church, financially speaking, is self-sustainability. That sometimes means we don’t take on a lot of bills, so we do things in an inexpensive way. But it’s tethered to how much the church grows, and you can’t know that before you begin the church. @ClintJClifton

Tweet Your Peeps:

What’s a good bivo/covo church planting job? #NewChurches

Helpful Resources:

Learn more about church planter funding
Free on NewChurches.com:
– Clint Clifton’s course: Church Planting Primer
– Our Bivocational Ministry course
– The Church Planting Masterclass
– Clint Clifton’s ebook: Church Planting Thresholds
Steve Sjogren’s book: Community of Kindness
Please subscribe to the podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes or wherever you listen to this podcast

How Do I Get Started in Church Planting? Dec 14, 2021

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Three components of calling to plant a church – and why a call from God is crucial
How “an overweight musician with facial hair” decided to plant a church at Marine Corps headquarters
How to discern that you’re in church planting for the right reasons
The value of church planting residencies and joining a church-planting team
The best scenario for getting started in church planting

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

My call to ministry and my call to Jesus were simultaneous. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life after coming to faith in Christ. I probably had a half-dozen church plants under my belt by the time I graduated from High School. @clintclifton
I think of calling in three components: The subjective piece that is a drawing, like in 1 Timothy 3, where Paul talks about someone aspiring to the office of an overseer. But the Bible also gives us clear qualifications about about those who serve in pastoral ministry. There also should be affirmation of other people in our life. @clintclifton
I do believe there’s a sense that when the going gets hard and it gets really difficult, you need to say God called me to these people in this place. I want people to have that rooted commitment that comes from God. @edstetzer
When people are intending to do full-time vocational church planting, competency is a big piece of it. Sometimes I encourage people to wade into church planting by joining a church-planting team before taking the jump to full time. @clintclifton
There are some extra-biblical qualities that are observable in people who tend to do better in church planting. Evangelistic fervor is a big one. Also you’ve got to be a self-starter. I also think it’s somebody who’s tenacious, who can take a blow and get back up and keep going. @clintclifton
There’s a lot of ways people can be involved in church planting and not be the church planter or the lead pastor. I think about the various people on my church-planting team who played critical roles – and the church wouldn’t have gotten established without them. @clintclifton
All different kinds of people can plant churches in all kinds of ways. If you can be involved in church, you can be involved in church planting. I think that’s the beauty of ultimately pressing forward together. @edstetzer
If you’re kicking the tires or dipping your toe in church planting, then a great way for you to begin to get a sense of confidence in your calling would be to join a church planting residency. @clintclifton
The best scenario is that a church recognizes either the giftedness of a person or the opportunity in a particular mission field and willingly, joyfully sends that person with resources and people to go and get it started. @clintclifton

Helpful Resources:

Free articles and courses on NewChurches.com
Shane Pruitt’s article, How Can I Know If I’m Called to Church Planting?
Please subscribe to the podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes or wherever you download your podcast

What is a Church Planting Movement? Dec 09, 2021

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. How is that defined? What thinking and behavior needs to change to see multiplication happen? What is the starting point?

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

How we can think and behave differently to begin to see church multiplication movements happen
What paths normalize everyday people for using their gifts as leaders in church planting
What three aspects of our culture framework exert downward pressure against church multiplication
How church planters can be more nimble and flexible about evangelizing and discipling churches into existence

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Everybody is using the term “church planting movement” in different ways and having different meanings. What is a movement and how does it relate to church planting? @edstetzer

We haven’t seen “church planting movements” as such in the West, but we have seen church multiplication movements, which we’ve defined as a movement of churches that multiplies the number of churches by 50% in a given year with 50% conversion rate to the third generation – and we’ve actually seen that. @edstetzer

How do we need to think or behave differently to begin to see some level of multiplication movement? It’s probably not complicated, but it’s multifaceted. There’s no silver bullet, but there are several things we can do. @BradleyBrisco

We need to help people see how they fit into God’s redemptive mission and not just the ministry of the Church. Help everyone in our churches discover their passion and wiring for mission, then equipping and resourcing to release them into that mission. @BradleyBrisco

Part of the solution is rethinking “church” to recognize and legitimize smaller expressions of church. Those expressions are going to be in neighborhoods, in workplaces and in social spaces. @BradleyBrisco

Part of activating all the people of God to start new things is giving them a new or different imagination for what church might actually look like in their context. @BradleyBrisco

We have to have a different, more simple starting point. We’re living in a rapidly increasing missionary context and must start with missionary behaviors and activities – discipleship and mission – to equip, release and empower the people in our congregation. @BradleyBrisco

Helpful Resources:

Free on NewChurches.com:
– Brad Brisco’s Covocational Church Planting: Aligning Your Marketplace Calling and the Mission of God
– Our bivocational ministry course
Ed Stetzer’s book Viral Churches: Helping Church Planters Become Movement Makers
Roland Allen’s author page on Amazon.com
Felicity Dale’s “Simply Church” book and blog
Please subscribe to the podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes

Where is Church Planting in the Bible? Dec 07, 2021

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The biblical basis for the concept and practice of church planting
Why new churches are so desperately needed in North America
How to resolve the tension between the need for revitalizing existing churches and planting new ones

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

We want to say church planting is in the Bible but those words – “church planting” – are not in the Bible. So how is it in the Bible if it’s not in the Bible? @edstetzer
The trinity is a true concept that we don’t get from one passage of Scripture that uses the word. It comes from an overview of the entire scriptures. Church planting is a lot like that. The context of the New Testament is entirely a church planting context. @clintjclifton
It is important is to see how the disciples responded to the Great Commission – not just by individually evangelizing but by going and planting churches. @edstetzer
If the normative expression of New Testament Christianity was tied up in church planting and today only 5% of American churches are involved in planting, what’s wrong and how do we fix it? @edstetzer
I see pictures of church planting in verses like Titus 1:5, that says “I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.” @edstetzer
There’s clearly a pattern, particularly in the ministry of Paul. Once Paul has established a beachhead in a city, he would expect that those churches would then plant churches. This was the normative expression of New Testament Christianity. @edstetzer
A lot of churches need to be revitalized, but people can spend countless hours, weeks, months, years revitalizing churches that don’t really want to be revitalized. It’s easier to birth a baby than it is to raise the dead. Stuck churches often want to stay stuck. @edstetzer
If your members don’t know they’re being revitalized, then you’re not revitalizing. @clintjclifton
I don’t think everybody should plant a church, but everyone can be part of church revitalization. @edstetzer
Even when there are established churches, the apostolic impulse tells us to start something new and then we have higher percentage of people who are converts who are engaging people not otherwise engaged by the Church. @edstetzer
There are models of church planting in the New Testament and we we talk a lot about models today. There are various expressions and models. even just in the New Testament. and not thinking about what we see going on around us today. @clintjclifton
The reason that Jesus didn’t say in the Great Commission, “Go plant churches,” is because the church was a new concept. So Jesus said, “Go, baptize, teach and make disciples.” In essence saying, “Plant churches,” because that is the substance of what the local church does.” @clintjclifton
I think about Jesus himself as the church planter. In Jesus’ gathering of the Twelve, all the elements of church existed, so in that way Jesus was a church planter. He planted a small church that multiplied a lot. Jesus himself is our true hero church planter. @clintjclifton
I believe there is an explicit call to church planting in the New Testament, and that’s the Great Commission, because the apostles responded by planting new churches and because the substance of the Great Commission is the the essence of what the church does. @clintjclifton
The disconnect is the Great Commission commands us to start new churches, so we would be disobedient if we weren’t involved in starting new churches. But beyond that, there is an obvious need for new churches. Eighty percent of churches are plateaued or declining. @clintjclifton

Helpful Resources:

Interested in learning more? Check out our free Church Planting Primer”
Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
Please subscribe to the podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes

What Pastors Should Learn From ‘The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill’ Dec 02, 2021

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Insights about “the most successful church planting generation in American history”
The crucial role mutual trust plays in any model of church polity
How a pastor can benefit from negative criticism
What the real, lasting legacy of Mars Hill Seattle will be
The danger of getting obsessed with horizons, instead of loving the people in front of you

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

A lot of people went into church planting and found it to be extremely taxing in ways that were traumatic for them. Yet Leadership Network says Gen X was the most successful church planting generation in American history. – @MikeCosper
You have to define your terms. How do you measure life transformation? Are we talking about people living in community and confessing their sins to each other or are we talking about transfer growth and lots of baptisms? – @MikeCosper
People talk about pastors having character flaws, but Luther broke some eggs to make his omelettes. He was a cultural warrior. People wanted to kill him. Don’t give me a one-to-one comparison that a guy living in a comfortable suburb, who treats his staff like garbage, is “just another Luther.” That’s not an excuse. – @MikeCosper
For the most part, every stage of the Reformation was an attempt to move power, transcendence, access to God and the clarity of the gospel down to the people. We find all kinds of ways to excuse expressions of power, when power well-used throughout history is liberating for the people who live under the authority of the one who is expressing power. – @MikeCosper
Any tried, true and tested church polity probably is going to function pretty well, but at the end of the day it has to be a system where people are invested who can trust one another. – @MikeCosper
We’re slow to fire pastors when they exercise these abuses but we’re also slow to call out and discipline leaders at lower levels of the organization. We don’t want to hurt people’s feelings. We really want to give people the benefit of the doubt. – @MikeCosper
We see that over and over in the Driscoll story. Older leaders feel compassion for Mark, see his talent, see what’s possible, so they give a ton of grace for a very long period of time with the hope their relationship is going to help him mature. We do that on a small scale all the time. – @MikeCosper
A lot of church planters underestimate the strength of character that is required of them to endure the difficulties of church planting. – @TrevinWax
You have to come back to the core idea, as a leader in the church, that I don’t have to get my way all the time. – @MikeCosper
There’s an energy and adrenaline required to plant a church that’s completely exhausting. There’s a need to plow through really rough soil for a really long time in a lot of these church-planting situations. – @MikeCosper
You need to find some relationships where you can go to people and say to them, “How do you experience me as a leader? How do you experience me as a friend? How do you experience me negatively? And believe them. That’s where I think we drop the ball. – @MikeCosper
The short-term legacy of the Mars Hill story is a cautionary tale, but there’s a longer view that says the real, lasting legacy are hundreds of churches across the country that, thanks be to God, did not have the same leadership challenges and networks that have been influenced by the enthusiasm and energy around those hundreds of church plants. – @Trevin Wax
Churches almost always have some kind of life cycle. It may be five years; it may be 150. Part of what’s cool about that is that it creates such a mystery about the long-term outcomes of our ministry. You may look at your ministry and think, “Man, what an absolute failure,” but Billy Graham 2.0 was on the front row of your church and felt a call to ministry. – @MikeCosper
For church planters, there’s so much of the call to say, “Keep your head down and love the people who are in the room. Don’t get obsessed with the horizons.” – @MikeCosper
Looking at the history of entrepreneurial church planting, I’ve become allergic to the word “vision,” because it goes everywhere and often ends up meaning whatever the lead pastor wants to make sure happens. It can become very distracting from the very simple things Scripture calls us to do. – @MikeCosper
Did you miss Part 1 of the #NewChurches interview with Mike Cosper? Click here to hear his fascinating conversation with Trevin Wax about Cosper’s groundbreaking podcast series, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.”

Helpful Resources:

Listen to Mike Cosper’s podcasts, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and Cultivated.
Learn more about Mike Cosper’s books on his Amazon.com author’s page.
Please subscribe to the podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes
Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?

Mike Cosper: Maker of ‘The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill’ Nov 30, 2021

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 first of two episodes, 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The “Rise and Fall” podcast reveals that God was doing a life-transforming work at Mars Hill Church, but interviews with people who lived the story also expose an environment that “left a lot to be desired” in terms of faithful biblical leadership.
The zeitgeist of our age has caused this particular story to resonate far and wide. Nevertheless, this narrative, long-form, storytelling podcast is going to be a great resource and story-telling example for the church for many years to come.
Churches have become very centered on the personality of their lead pastor, but the role of the pastor is not to primarily put themselves on display, but to be a servant of the Word.
Pastors must focus on telling the heart of the gospel story but also have to realize they can’t control how their people take it in or what they do with it. When people go off in unintended directions, a pastor must have trustworthy, good critics and continue to be faithful with the work.

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Catch Part 1 of #NewChurches’ interview with podcaster Mike Cosper, whose “Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Church” takes you inside that fascinating story.
In the podcast, you hear from people who directly lived the story and recognized God was doing a life-transforming work but it also was an environment with a lot to be desired when it comes to what it means to faithfully lead. – @trevinwax
I definitely believed from the beginning that doing narrative, long-form, storytelling podcast was going to be a great resource for the church. – @MikeCosper
There’s something about the zeitgeist right now where this particular story is resonating far and beyond. – @MikeCosper
The pulpit attracts a certain kind of narcissistic personality and pastoral narcissism is an expanding phenomenon because of social media, sermon podcasting and the like. – @MikeCosper
Because church has become so personality-centered, churches identify so much with the personality of their lead pastor. – @MikeCosper
The role of the pastor is not to primarily put themselves on display. It’s to be someone who’s a servant of the Word, a servant of the gospel. – @MikeCosper
My hope is the greater legacy of the podcast is that it invites people to use the medium to tell all kinds of stories. The church has all kinds of beautiful stories to tell. – @MikeCosper
The danger of a lot of Christian storytelling is that we are so focused on getting to the redemptive part of the story that we end up skimming on the suffering or failure part of the story. – @MikeCosper
You have to focus on telling the heart of the story, but you know you can’t control how your audience takes it in or what they do with it. – @MikeCosper
As a pastor, you pour your heart into your church and love your people. But when people go off in weird directions, you can’t internalize that too much. You try to be faithful with the work. – @MikeCosper
You have to have good critics you trust and then you put it in the Lord’s hands and go, “OK, I did the best I could with this.” – @MikeCosper

Helpful Resources:

Listen to Mike Cosper’s podcasts, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and Cultivated.
Learn more about Mike Cosper’s books on his Amazon.com author’s page.

Please subscribe to the New Churches podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes
Visit newchurches.com and enroll in Church Planting Masterclass here.

What is Church Planting? Nov 16, 2021

Episode 621: 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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

A simple definition of “church planting.”
The two primary reasons church planting is important.
The difference between church starting and church planting.
How to decide if and where to plant a church.

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

Of the eight most-googled church planting questions, guess what’s No. 1? “What is church planting?” – @EdStetzer
Starting new churches is important for two primary reasons. First there’s a great need. Second, because the Bible commands us to plant churches. – @EdStetzer
I love J.D. Payne’s simple definition of church planting: “Evangelism that results in new churches.” – @robwiltontv
I’m more a missionary who plants the gospel to see people reached by Jesus, who are trained up to become leaders of the church, then equipped to fulfill the Great Commission. – @robwiltontv
Andy Stanley once said, “Don’t call me a church planter. I took a thousand people from my dad’s church and started a church.” So there is church starting. Church planting should be something more evangelistic. – @EdStetzer
Most churches that are started are not planted; planting takes a certain intentionality. – @EdStetzer
Vintage church came out of the harvest. My wife’s coworker came to faith in Jesus and then that movement of reaching people who were far from God, who weren’t plugged into a church, formed Vintage Church. – @robwiltontv
Church planting is about getting a church started where there is a need for one. – @robwiltontv
You’re looking for places where there might not be a gathering community. Or it might be because there’s an underrepresented gospel presence because of decline. Sometimes the need is because of growth. Sometimes there are churches that are not connecting with a significant segment of people. – @EdStetzer
I like the word “plant” because it requires a soil of lostness in which a church plant would grow. Where are those pockets of lostness where ultimately a church plant can begin and thrive? – @EdStetzer
How should I decide where to plant a church? Start by putting your “yes” on the table. Let God put it on the map. Be obedient to his call to that place and to that people. This is not some sort of manmade job career choice. This is a call of God. – @EdStetzer
As you walk through the Word, there’s prayer, there’s your passions, your performance, people and places. God works through all those things. God always breaks my heart for a people. – @robwiltontv
A key part of church planting is it’s not about creating a place for you to preach. It’s not about “I’m really excited about a building.” It’s a call to a people. – @EdStetzer
At the end of the day this is about organizing the mission to be as effective as possible to fulfill the Great Commission. We want to go into towns and plant seeds of the gospel to see those people saved. Then we raise up leaders to mobilize for the ministry, so we plant churches that plant churches that plant churches. – @robwiltontv

Helpful Resources:

Please subscribe to the podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes
Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer”
Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?

Episode 620: Introducing the New NewChurches.com Nov 11, 2021

Episode 620: It’s no secret that church planting is tough. Church planters and the pastors of the churches that send them need trustworthy guidance and we think we have a unique opportunity here to convene some of the best thought leadership across denominational and network lines to help us see lots of churches planted in North America and beyond.

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.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

The website will 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.
This podcast will continue to offer trustworthy guidance from some of the best thought leadership—across denominational and network lines—for the kingdom cause of multiplying church plants in North America and beyond.
We are extremely excited about Church Planting Masterclass. Church leaders like Matt Chandler, Heather Thompson Day, David Platt, Trillia Newbell, J.D. Greear, and DA Horton and more give brief “TED talk”-like instruction covering everything an aspiring church planter needs to know.

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

“NewChurches.com will share free resources for church planters who want to plant churches that are sharing the good news of the gospel and making a difference for Jesus” – @edstetzer
“NewChurches.com wants church planters to be remarkably fruitful, not caught up in learning things others already have learned, so they can focus on being simply faithful.” – @edstetzer
“Send Network wants to see healthy, multiplying churches in every community across North America … new churches everywhere for everyone.” – @dhati
“I want to be the last generation that has to leave the urban context to find discipleship.” – @dhati
“NewChurches.com is here to come alongside and resource pastors and planters to see church multiplication happen.” – @TrevinWax
“We want to mobilize church planters, resource them well, be in constant communication with people on the front lines of church planting and deliver the supplies to other front-line ministers.” – @TrevinWax
“We are broadening the table at the New Churches podcast, hearing from men and women from different cultures, contexts and backgrounds. We want church planters to be challenged and broadened.” – @edstetzer
“This will be a ‘FUBU’ – for us, by us – podcast for church planters struggling with the same issues others have struggled with.” – @dhati

Helpful Resources:

Please subscribe to the podcast
Leave a rating and review on iTunes
Visit newchurches.com and enroll in Church Planting Masterclass here.

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Helpful Resources:

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Helpful Resources:

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Helpful Resources:

Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):

In This Episode, You’ll Discover: