Exponential NEXT Podcast

Planting Churches with Disciple Making DNA

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 02:39:26 +0000

Is your church plant built for disciple making?

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The North American model of church is not based upon disciple making, but that can be changed in a new church plant. Join Bobby and Paul as they describe how to plant new churches with disciple making DNA.
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Welcome to One Eighty, welcome to Disciple-Making. Over the next 8 weeks, we will be turning our focus to creating a discipleship culture as we look ahead to our 2024 Global Exponential Conference March 4-7th.

This podcast is one of several workshops from Exponential’s Global 2023 Conference in Orlando. You can grab the Evangelism Resource Kit for this workshop and more to train you and your team: https://multiplication.org/product/evangelism-2023-orlando-workshops-resource-kit/

To learn more about Exponential events, visit: https://exponential.org/events

For all other links: https://shor.by/Exponential

Does Your Discipleship Include Good Theology?

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 21:00:45 +0000

Discipleship MUST always be guided by good theology.

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On this episode join Bobby and Carl as they explore why it’s more important now than ever to have good theology. They will talk about practical tools the local church needs in this cultural moment.

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Welcome to One Eighty, welcome to Disciple-Making. Over the next 8 weeks, we will be turning our focus to creating a discipleship culture as we look ahead to our 2024 Global Exponential Conference March 4-7th.

To learn more about Exponential events, visit: https://exponential.org/events

For all other links: https://shor.by/Exponential

What’s the Difference Between Discipleship and Evangelism?

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 11:43:02 +0000

Welcome to One Eighty, welcome to Discipleship. Over the next 8 weeks, we will be turning our focus to creating a discipleship culture as we look ahead to our 2024 Global Exponential Conference March 4-7th.

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On this episode we are talking about how Jesus’ style of evangelism always led folks to follow Him. So many times we try to separate evangelism and discipleship. That leaves us with weak Christians and an even weaker church. Walk with us through the exploration of the Master’s plan for evangelism that leads to discipleship.

Speaker: Dan Leitz

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To learn more about Exponential events, visit: https://exponential.org/events

For all other links: https://shor.by/Exponential

Five Practical Prayers to Equip Your Members for Their Personal Mission Field

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 20:17:23 +0000

Are your members equipped for the personal mission? Many of us tried turning our churches into evangelistic “fishing ponds.” That didn’t work. We taught our members to invite others to church instead of equipping them to go and make disciples. So, let’s turn our equip our members as “spiritual archaeologists” uncovering treasure in the people around them. The goal is to embolden ordinary Christ-followers to enter and explore friendships among the 70 percent of Americans no longer interested in Christianity. If you are looking for a simple, practical and profound way to grow your church on mission, this is the episode for you.

Evangelism Series // Week 5

Speakers: Ralph Moore

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This podcast is one of several workshops from Exponential’s Global 2023 Conference in Orlando. You can grab the Evangelism Resource Kit for this workshop and more to train you and your team: https://multiplication.org/product/evangelism-2023-orlando-workshops-resource-kit/

To learn more about Exponential events, visit: https://exponential.org/events

For all other links: https://shor.by/Exponential

The Lost Cause Movement

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:51:50 +0000

Dive into a live Q&A session with Faith Eury Cho, Albert Tate and Aaron & Hannah Barnett as they unpack some keys to an evangelism culture and why evangelism is not a Lost Cause.

Evangelism Series // Week 4

Speakers: Faith Eury Cho, Albert Tate, Aaron & Hannah Barnett

To learn more about Exponential events, visit: https://exponential.org/events

For all other links: https://shor.by/Exponential

The Delight of Small Ministry in Small Places

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:00:34 +0000

A few years ago, a ministry friend and partner of mine was attending the Exponential conference in Orlando when he overheard a conversation between two prospective church planters that went something like this:

Planter 1: “How big is the city where you’re planting?”

Planter 2: “About 15,000”

Planter 1: “Hmmm, I wouldn’t plant in a city any smaller than 22,000.”

My friend had to laugh to himself. At the time, he had been a senior pastor in a town with a whopping population of 25 for 15+ years. The church has since sent a significant percentage of its congregation to plant in other rural towns in Kansas.

Imagine the faith required to send hundreds of your members to go and start new works elsewhere when you minister in what some might consider a wilderness! That call sounds like a death sentence for ministry.

A death sentence is an apt description of how many Americans perceive rural ministry. Rural towns are where pastors who couldn’t cut it in the “big time” go to die. Rural ministry is “junior varsity” for those either training for the big leagues or those who will never measure up to move on to “bigger and better” places.

If you need more convincing, look at those we typically platform and clamor to learn from so we can implement the methods that made them “successful.” You won’t find a small-town pastor who has faithfully and effectively served their community for decades often because their ministry isn’t large enough to be of any notable consequence. Have you ever wondered what we are missing when we overlook the small ministries and places of the earth?

Jesus loved small ministries and places.

Jesus loved small ministries and places. He was born into tiny, insignificant circumstances: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2, NIV).

He grew up in Nazareth (population in the hundreds), a village whose reputation is expressed by the following question: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46).

Both Jesus and John the Baptist began their ministries in the more sparsely populated regions of Israel. Jesus was unimpressed by crowds and consistently resisted the pull to build a large brand, network, or movement. He did the opposite of what we would advise him to do today, and I have a feeling we wouldn’t be calling him to be the headliner at our conferences. Again, what are we missing when we overlook the small people and places of the earth? Could we be missing the heart of Christ himself?

My husband and I have been ministering in rural Kansas for 20 years. Because I am a talented speaker, singer, and musician, some have asked me why I don’t seek a position at a megachurch or move where my gifts could be put to “better use,” somewhere I could be more visible and have better opportunities.

In response, I point to the day God called me to serve rural communities. I was the new worship pastor for the church in the town of 25 I mentioned previously, and I was reading Return to Worship by Ron Owens. In his chapter titled “To Get or to Give?”, he tells the story of a young lady with a gorgeous singing voice who had been serving her small-town church faithfully, but had recently left to join the choir of a megachurch having been persuaded that she would get more out of a “bigger and better” church that could amplify her talent. He likened her story to David’s theft of Bathsheba in 1 Samuel 12.¹

As I read that story, the Holy Spirit said, “You will not be a ewe lamb.”

That day, I committed to serving alongside Jesus in the small, seemingly insignificant places he leads me. My life and ministry are deeply blessed and enriched as a result.

Christ is powerfully present in small places.

So, back to the question: What are we missing when we overlook the small ministries and places of the earth? First, Christ is powerfully present in small places. Of course, he is present everywhere and values all people, but there is a potency in his gaze toward the poor, the powerless, and the disregarded. Throughout Scripture, God intentionally gravitates toward the underprivileged. He chooses the younger sibling over the eldest – not because one is better, but to radically work against the human tendency to elevate some people at the expense of others. He chooses Israel – not because they are the most powerful or populous nation, but because of their insignificance to the world’s great empires that his glory might be made manifest amongst humanity’s weakest. God is with those unimportant to the world because they are profoundly important to him. If we want to be in all the places where Jesus is, there must be no flyover country, nowhere too small or insignificant to be worth our time, nowhere that is beneath our notice.

Not only is Christ present among the small and despised, but his heart and character are revealed through them. If you want to learn to be like Jesus and draw close to him, follow his ministry pattern. Jesus intentionally turned away from the powerful and prosperous and set his gaze and favor on the foolish, the weak, the overlooked, and the outcast, or, as the gospel authors put it, the tax collectors and sinners, those who recognized their need for a savior.

In doing so, those with power and prestige were drawn to him, their curiosity piqued by this strange new teacher who taught with authority and dared to overlook them. I don’t think they would have paid much attention to Jesus had he come to them first, and he loved them enough to dismantle the lie of their own self-importance. He knew that proximity to the least of these produces the best leaders: Servants who are humble, gentle, and lowly, disciples who never graduate from their need to learn, not just from Jesus but from those to whom they are sent.

While rural ministry is prone to pitfalls like any other ministry, there is a unique opportunity in these places to die to self and learn humility. What could be more against the grain of American culture than seeking the small and ordinary and resisting being swept into the current of capitalistic consumerism that often produces churches that look and act more like corporations than the kingdom of God? Most rural people do not care and are unimpressed by titles, education, wealth, and positions of authority. They love and are proud of their community and want to see it thrive. They value togetherness and developing deep, rooted relationships committed to the long haul, and they aren’t necessarily interested in seeking what is bigger and better.

If you want to learn how to pursue what Friedrich Nietzsche called “a long obedience in the same direction,” rural communities are great places to do so.

Rural people often love and care for one another well and know how to appreciate the simple stuff of life. If you want to learn how to pursue what Friedrich Nietzsche called “a long obedience in the same direction,” rural communities are great places to do so.

For the past couple of years, I’ve had opportunities to enter collaborative spaces with people whose ministries are far grander than mine. While I have appreciated and learned a lot from them, this competitive sense of jockeying for importance still exists. The cultural waters we swim in make it nearly impossible to avoid. Who will offer the most profound word? Who has the best visionary ideas to offer? Who has the best connections? Honestly, it’s exhausting to me, and I often feel like an imposter, a fish out of water. My tiny area of the world is dwarfed in comparison.

Amid these experiences, God has opened a way for me to participate in a ministry to the ladies at the local jail in our small town. I told my husband recently, “Out of all the numerous opportunities I’ve had recently, my time spent with the women at the jail is my favorite. I could meet with them for the rest of my life and be content.” There is something so beautifully refreshing about communing with people who have nothing to hide, people for whom masks and pretending are useless. I laugh when I think about how little I do, how unnecessary I am, and how God’s purpose for me is more about what he wants these women to teach me than what I have to teach them. All I do is share the story of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit moves.

I have the incredible privilege of coming along for the ride and witnessing Jesus at work in the hearts of these least of these daughters who are so dear to their Father’s heart. If you want to be where Jesus is, if you want to learn to be more like him, find the least, the last, and the lost in your city, be it big or small, and resist the tendency to overlook and “despise the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:10).

There are a couple of quotes by Roland Walls from my Celtic Daily Prayer Book that keep me grounded when I am discouraged by my own smallness and tempted to seek the type of success and notoriety the world deems valuable. I hope they encourage you like they have me.

Preoccupation with numbers and busyness is always a symptom of disease. ‘Success’ in the Christian enterprise has to pass through this lonely man, Jesus, who failed completely. So, somehow or other, theologically, and therefore spiritually, the success addict’s disease is that he’s left the centre, because the centre isn’t very encouraging. And therefore it has something to do with what does he think about Christ, and whose son is He, and how far did He get? You can always keep the success story going with the resurrection – but the resurrection of Christ isn’t the flip-over of the coin, it’s showing the value of the coin. It’s the crucified who is risen and therefore got the approval of God. So we’ve got to beware lest we come back with an easy theology of resurrection to justify success.²

Be content to live an anonymous, unspectacular, misunderstood life among people. Choose where possible those places and jobs where people are oppressed or deprived. Let Christ transfigure the darkness in ourselves and in the world. Let there be great care to maintain the simplicity of presence . . . Love what is obscure and little for there you will find Christ.³

– Celtic Daily Prayer Book

These quotes give me pause and remind me to cling tightly to what it means to enter the kingdom of God. It is coming to the end of ourselves, realizing the joy and privilege we’ve been given to participate in God’s mission through small, ordinary acts of obedience, knowing that it’s not about us. May you discover the joy and wonder of Jesus, the God who became small for us, and may you embrace the small spaces he delights to dwell wherever you are in the world.

Notes

Ron Owens, Return to Worship: A God-Centered Approach (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 79.
Celtic Daily Prayer Book Two: Farther Up and Farther In (London: William Collins, 2015), 1407.
Celtic Daily Prayer Book, 1408.

Is Church Revitalization the New Church Planting?

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 13:00:34 +0000

In a post-Covid world, almost every church finds itself in somewhat of a revitalization process. But even before Covid, a multi-faceted approach to planting new churches and revitalizing older churches was beginning to emerge as a unique strategy for addressing the staggering need of reaching a post-Christian world.

More and more younger leaders today are considering the possibility of church revitalization as an alternative or a means of church planting. In this month’s article, church revitalization expert Dr. Gary Moritz addresses a few advantages leaders and church planting churches should consider before planting a new church. It is possible the church you are wanting to plant already has seeds growing just below the surface. I encourage you to join this growing conversation.

– Dave Rhodes, Director of Church NEXT

In the ever-evolving landscape of American Christianity, a significant paradigm shift has been underway in recent years. Church revitalization has emerged as the new face of church planting. This transformation is driven by a complex interplay of factors, including shifting demographics, resource constraints, and a deeper appreciation for the untapped potential within existing congregations. In this article, we examine each of these factors.

Shifting demographics are driving the change.

Changing population dynamics in America have a profound impact on society, politics, the economy, and various other aspects of life. Several key demographic trends have been shaping the United States in recent years, and understanding these shifts is essential for policymakers, businesses, society, and especially the church.

One of the most notable demographic changes in the United States is the aging of its population. This shift is primarily driven by the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, those born between 1946 and 1964, who are reaching retirement age in large numbers. Many established churches in the United States are grappling with aging memberships, aging pastors, dwindling attendance, and the challenge of connecting with younger generations.

Most have no succession plan in place. According to Lifeway Research, the age demographics of the church mirror those of our country’s aging population with churchgoers twice as likely to be 65 and older.¹The average age of the lead pastor in America is 51.²According to the SBC, 18 percent of pastors are over the age of 65.³

This aging population in the church means that the number of churches that will need church revitalization in the future will only grow. As churches and pastors delay succession to a younger pastor and leader, the average age of the church increases and has the potential to die with its congregants.

How many church planters are we producing now? According to Lifeway research, more is needed.⁴

The number of churches that need to be planted to keep up with population trends of closure is too high for the number of churches we are planting.

Seminaries simply can’t keep up with the number of pastors needed for the number of churches to be planted. But what if we could close less churches? What if we replaced older leaders with younger leaders? What if we could mobilize lay leaders within existing churches? In other words, what if part of the way we increased churches was through revitalization? And what if we concentrated on revitalization as much as we have concentrated on church planting? We might just solve our church planting problem.

Resource constraints are driving the change.

Church revitalization has gained prominence as an alternative to church planting because it addresses the issue of resource constraints that church planters often face. Starting a new church often requires significant financial resources for land, construction, and initial operations. Revitalization may be a more financially viable option for organizations with limited resources. In other words, church revitalization brings resources to the table that church planting doesn’t. Here are several kinds of resources available in revitalization:

Optimizing Existing Assets: Revitalization leverages existing church facilities and resources, efficiently using established infrastructure.

Stewardship of Existing Resources: Revitalizing an existing church can be a more cost-effective approach than starting a new one from scratch because many of these churches have giving congregations. Many of these congregations have many different forms of financial assets that simply need to be stewarded well and repurposed.

Cultural and Historical Significance: Established churches often have deep roots in their communities, with a rich history and cultural significance. Revitalizing these churches allows you to preserve and build upon that heritage, which can appeal to existing and potential members. In other words, the community often sees the church as part of its history and therefore has incentive to see the church thrive – and can often be part of resourcing that reemergence.

Environmental Stewardship: In an era of increasing awareness of environmental concerns, revitalizing existing church buildings can be seen as more sustainable than constructing new structures, which can have a significant ecological footprint.

Adaptive Reuse: Revitalization can involve creative and adaptive reuse of church facilities, making them multipurpose spaces that serve the needs of both the congregation and the broader community. This can enhance the church’s relevance and impact and provide potential divergent revenue streams.

Growing recognition of the untapped potential within existing congregations is driving the change.

Church revitalization has gained attention and significance in recent years because there is a growing recognition of the untapped potential within existing congregations. As churches delve deeper into understanding the untapped potential within existing congregations, there is a growing appreciation for the unique strengths, assets, and opportunities that these congregations possess. This deeper appreciation has contributed to the shift toward prioritizing revitalization. This shift in focus reflects several key factors:

Community Engagement: Revitalizing an existing church enables immediate community engagement. Established churches already have connections and relationships within.

Sustainable Growth: Church planting can be resource-intensive and may face challenges in gaining a foothold in a community. Conversely, revitalization may offer a more sustainable path to growth by leveraging existing relationships and resources.

Discipleship and Leadership Development: Revitalizing a church often involves identifying and developing local leadership within the congregation. This can lead to the growth of new leaders who can play key roles in the church’s ongoing ministry.

Holistic Approach: Revitalization often involves addressing the congregation’s and community’s spiritual and physical needs. This holistic approach can result in a more well-rounded ministry that addresses a broader range of needs.

Think About Cultural Resistance

Church revitalization does have its drawbacks – drawbacks that church planting and church planters get to avoid. So it’s not all roses. Here are a few of those drawbacks:

Resistance to Change: Not all church members are receptive to the shifts required for revitalization, leading to potential conflicts and divisions. Change is becoming harder after COVID-19 lockdowns. People seem to be digging their feet deeper in society. The sociological phenomenon is the resistance to not change and getting back to the way things seem to be the behavior, and the sociological temperature.

Navigating Resistance: Church leadership often faces the challenge of navigating resistance while maintaining unity and a shared vision. Navigating this kind of resistance isn’t easy and can take a toll on the leader. It requires the kind of leader who can lead with clarity. When the focus on clarity is central, then vitality will emerge. As a good friend, Jim Randall from Auxano, says, “The conversation has changed with the normalization of revitalization mainstream.”⁵The awareness is more significant, so the conversation is more straightforward. Resistance happens when clarity is not apparent.

Communication and Education: Open communication and education about the reasons for revitalization are critical in addressing resistance. But this means the congregation must choose to be learners. Education plays a crucial role in overcoming resistance, but you can’t educate people who refuse to learn. However, many congregants may not be aware of the broader trends affecting churches today, such as declining church attendance among younger generations or changing worship preferences. Providing educational materials, workshops, or sermons on these topics can help congregants better understand the need for revitalization in the context of more significant societal changes.

While church revitalization offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to recognize that the choice between revitalization and church planting should be based on each church organization’s specific context, goals, and resources. Both approaches have their merits, and the decision should align with the church’s and its community’s unique needs and circumstances.

However, the ascent of church revitalization as the new face of American church planting marks a transformative era in American Christianity. Revitalized churches reinvigorate established congregations by harnessing existing resources, nurturing spiritual revival, and engaging with their communities. While challenges persist, this shift promises a hopeful future for American Christianity, where tradition merges with innovation to reach and inspire new generations of believers.

As we move forward, church revitalization is not just a trend, but a necessary and impactful strategy for the growth and relevance of the church in the United States.

Notes

1. https://research.lifeway.com/2022/01/05/22-vital-stats-for-ministry-in-2022/

2. https://www.zippia.com/pastor-jobs/demographics

3. https://sbcvoices.com/more-full-time-senior-pastors-over-65-than-under-40

4. https://research.lifeway.com/2021/05/25/protestant-church-closures-outpace-openings-in-u-s/

5. https://www.thechurchvitalitynetwork.com/podcasts/vitalnomics-the-church-vitality-podcast/episodes/2147975819

Is The Gospel Still Good News?

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 10:00:18 +0000

“Gospel” literally means “good news” … but if you ask many people in our increasingly pluralist and secular world, Christians who claim it as our central truth are less and less associated with anything resembling “good news”! This workshop will equip you in ways to share the gospel, in ways that sound like it’s truly good news again, especially to those in the next generation on whom the future of the church realize. We consider realities of our cultural moment, and how our changing mission field needs new and different strategies than the past decades. And we’ll discover tangible ways to display and declare the gospel in the stories that shape the adults of tomorrow.

Evangelism Series // Week 3

Speaker: Ben Connelly

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To learn more about Exponential events, visit: https://exponential.org/events

For all other links: https://shor.by/Exponential

LNP 49 | Overcoming Resistance to Soul Care

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 13:00:29 +0000

The topic of soul care is often surrounded by confusion or suspicion by hard-driving leaders. Ben Cachairis helps us see this from a senior leader’s eyes, with the hope of integration and flourishing ministry.

GUEST: Ben Cachiaris, Lead Pastor of Mountain Christian Church

HOST: Mindy Caliguire, Director of Healthy Leaders NEXT

Should We Deconstruct Church Planting?

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 23:02:14 +0000

Evangelism Series // Week 2

Deconstruction has long been the activity of young people inside and outside of the church. However, this new wave of deconstruction has unique challenges that are deeply sociological and theological. In this episode, Daniel Yang explains how church planting models from 1980-2020 are falling short in addressing this new wave of deconstruction but also why Gen-Zers represent hope, not just for new models, but also for how God is redeeming their deconstruction for the greater good of the Church in America.

Speaker: Daniel Yang

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To learn more about Exponential events, visit: https://exponential.org/events

For all other links: https://shor.by/Exponential

Unveiling Your Purpose

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 14:00:40 +0000

A remarkable 57 percent of Americans indicate that they search for purpose in their lives on a monthly basis. Additionally, a concerning 42 percent of Generation Z individuals have received a diagnosis related to a mental health concern. The Gen Z demographic confronts heightened levels of anxiety and depression attributed to academic pressures, social media […]

11 Innovative Ministries – Part One

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 13:00:48 +0000

Next Ventures is an innovative approach to finding, connecting, and learning from emerging leaders who are shaping the future of the church. We begin the process by collaborating with our Venture Partners – churches and ministries with national influence – to discover a new wave of innovative projects and leaders and then provide them with […]

Peace Be With You

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 15:00:51 +0000

Passing the Peace Growing up in the Catholic church, I always looked forward to the point in each Mass when the priest would invite us to turn towards others nearby in order to “Pass the Peace,” saying to strangers, family members, and friends: “Peace Be With You.” Perhaps you hold similar memories from your faith […]

The Four Stages of Discipling This Generation, And How We Finally Move Past Stage One

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 13:30:25 +0000

We’ve all encountered this at some point: We’re just living our lives. Minding our own business. Living the dream. And then one day we get a Facebook message from someone we haven’t seen in ages. We think, “What could it be? Why would they message me after all these years? Are they in trouble? Are […]

God’s Lost Cause

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 01:31:32 +0000

Evangelism Series // Week 1 Dive deeper into the conversation of God’s Lost Cause with Dave Ferguson, Aaron Barnett and Hannah Barnett. • The Need for Reviving the Lost Cause: Problem: Evangelism has become a taboo word. Doing evangelism is seen as culturally inappropriate. Even many Christians feel like evangelism is wrong. But at the same time, […]

The Four Stages of Discipling This Generation

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 21:04:19 +0000

So we’ve all encountered this at some point. We’re just living our lives. Minding our own business. Living the dream. And then one day we get a Facebook message from someone we haven’t seen in ages. We think, “What could it be? Why would they message me after all these years? Are they in trouble? […]

LNP 48 | Reigniting Interest in the Local Church

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:00:29 +0000

If you’re passionate about the intersection of faith, community, and generational shifts, this episode is your compass for navigating these uncharted waters. Join Aaron Barnett & Hannah Gronowski Barnett as they discover pathways to revitalizing our churches and inviting the next generation to rediscover the beauty of the Church. HOSTS: Hannah Gronowski Barnett and Aaron […]

Staffing the Post-Pandemic Church with Volunteer Leaders

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:00:42 +0000

One of the most important characteristics of great leaders is that they are not afraid to empower the people around them. Derek Sanford, the Lead Pastor of Grace Church in Erie, Pennsylvania, embodies this as well as any leader that I have had the chance to be around. The culture of Grace Church exudes the […]

The Evangelism Blind Spot That’s Hiding in Plain Sight

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 22:05:28 +0000

Last month, we at Christ Together released a new study on the State of Evangelism in the Church and while much of it highlighted trends we have seen before, there was one piece of data that provided an insight that was not just stark, but surprising. (You can download the free infographic here.) You see, […]

LNP 47 | Microchurches for the Next Generation

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 13:00:49 +0000

Older paradigms of student ministry were focused on centralized expressions that required the next generation to be good inviters. Gen Z believers are hungry for more. They recognize they’re living in a fully post-Christian world and longing for equipping that will empower them to be effective disciplemakers in their schools and within their friend groups. […]

Microchurches for the Next Generation

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 13:00:35 +0000

Every year, more than one million young people will walk away from the Christian faith. The young people in America are considered to be the first post-Christian generation in our nation’s history. Statistically, most people decide on their faith by 35 — and the oldest millennial is now 39; the oldest Gen Z is 19. […]

Run and Tell

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:22:59 +0000

At the end of the last piece from Albert Tate (“What Are You Doing Here?”), Jesus was talking with an isolated Samaritan woman beside a well. He came into her world and invited her into his, establishing a relationship and challenging her to be vulnerable. Then He tells her to go get her husband, knowing […]

LNP 46 | Mind the Gap

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:00:37 +0000

How is you church stepping into the gap? The gap between your church and your community won’t just close itself. It requires a change in mindset. In this podcast, Gabe Norris and Ken Thomas, of Connect Ministries, share proven strategies and practices that they have discovered from their work with more than 2,000 churches who […]

How to Become More Innovative

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 13:00:46 +0000

There is a pervasive myth out there that innovation is the exclusive domain of artists, entrepreneurs, and creative types. But is it possible to cultivate innovation? Is there a hack for pastors and ministry leaders looking to become more innovative in our changing culture? Are there habits and practices that can foster innovation? The answer […]

Engaging the Next Generation

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 13:00:38 +0000

In an era of rapid societal changes and shifting values, many local churches are facing the challenge of engaging the next generation. With declining attendance and waning interest, it is crucial for churches to adapt and find innovative ways to connect with younger individuals. This article explores strategies and approaches that can help reignite the […]

How to Be a Hero Maker

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 01:10:57 +0000

At the beginning of this series, I referenced the idea of a magnet that can pull us toward a certain standard of what makes a church “successful.” While this prevailing model of the church has yielded significant Kingdom good, it has the potential to pull us away from the kind of Kingdom multiplication we long […]

What’s Your Story?

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 22:09:46 +0000

Let me share the story of Perpetua, born in 182 AD to a wealthy family in Carthage. When she was just 22, Perpetua was arrested and put in a Roman jail. All she had to do to go back home to her infant child, her husband, her family, and her life of privilege was to […]

Time to Create New Norms

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 13:00:18 +0000

Fifty-five years ago, nearly half of Americans smoked and only 100,000 regularly took a jog. Then, in 1968, Dr. Kenneth Cooper wrote his groundbreaking book, Aerobics, clearly laying out the case for aerobic exercise by explaining the benefits. Cooper, at the time a physician in the U.S. Air Force, wrote the book and his wife, […]

It’s Your Move

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 13:32:10 +0000

I was born in South Korea and moved to Los Angeles when I was five. I remember wondering, “Is there a God?” You see, my great-grandfather was one of the first church planters in South Korea, but the gospel didn’t quite translate down the generations, so I grew up in a non-Christian home. I didn’t […]

LNP 45 | Parents And The Next Generation

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:00:26 +0000

In this episode, we will discuss the importance of parents and their role within the Next Generation and the church. As Next Gen leaders, it’s vitally important to have a strategy within the church for parents to integrate themselves with the lives of their children. Sam McDowell shares the importance of the parental role within […]

Informal and Formal Disciplemaking: Movements Require Both

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 13:00:52 +0000

Moses tells the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “The Lord, your God, the Lord is one,” and “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” We know these were the significant guiding values for the people of Israel. It was the centerpiece of their faith, detailing […]

Embracing a Multiplication Operating System

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 20:56:55 +0000

You are perfectly designed to get the results you’re getting. You’ve likely heard some form of this principle before, and it may have felt discouraging, especially if you weren’t happy with the results you were getting at the time. But the good news is that you can change your design and change your results. Moving […]

LNP 44 | Mobilizing Women Around the World

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 12:00:53 +0000

All In Ministries International wants to mobilize an army of women to make disciples and impact communities around the world. In this episode, Susan Freese, Founder and President, shares her heart for training disciplemakers in developing and under-resourced parts of the world… and the reason one African leader commented, “You have awakened a sleeping giant.” […]

A.I. and the Future of Preaching

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 13:00:48 +0000

The best artificial intelligence chatbot in history was released by the A.I. research company OpenAI toward the end of 2022. ChatGPT (the GPT stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer”) acquired 1 million users within the first five days of launch, making it the fastest adopted technology service in the modern age. By April 2023, that number […]

Two Shifts to Accelerate Mobilization

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 21:00:37 +0000

This article is the third in a series of resources to help you move beyond the pull of being a church focused on addition. In this series, we will be highlighting five shifts necessary to move your church from addition to multiplication. You can read about the first shift here, and you can find the […]

LNP 43 | The Future is About Integration

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 12:00:55 +0000

We listened. We learned. The second finding from our “Listening Tour,” the Future is About Integration, is explored further with Cheyanne Skeldon, a leading voice in Next Gen ministry, technology for growth, and helping leaders live whole lives through Life Planning and Coaching. Guest: Cheyanne Skeldon Partner Success Manager, GLOO Host: Mindy Caliguire, Director of […]

The Right Scorecard

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:20:04 +0000

This article is the second in a series of resources to help you move beyond the pull of being a church focused on addition. In this series, we will be highlighting five shifts necessary to move your church from addition to multiplication. You can read the first article in the series here. Larry and Deb Walkemeyer […]

Leveraging Your Ministry to Equip Parents as Spiritual Leaders in the Home

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:00:26 +0000

It’s a little uncomfortable to say, and maybe a little uncomfortable to hear, but God never created youth or kids’ ministries. God’s design and continued desire is for parents to walk confidently in their role as the primary spiritual leaders in the lives of their children. We can see from the beginning of the early […]

The 3 Keys to Releasing the People of God into the Mission of God

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:00:21 +0000

The future of the church is directly related to the people of the church living life on mission. While this is always true, it is even more important in a growingly post-Christian world. The days of a simple “attractional” model of church are quickly declining. What is needed is for every church to multiply disciples […]

Love Your (Actual) Neighbor

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:00:47 +0000

I just want to share a bit of my story. I was radically transformed and saved by Jesus. I was reading the Scriptures in my room one night, and I had an encounter with God. I hadn’t been raised in church. The only thing I’d known about church is I went to a funeral in […]

Work|Life Balance – A Modern (and Dangerous) Myth Integrate

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 13:00:33 +0000

Understanding Priorities Many years ago, I would have been a fan of a planning process we are all familiar with: Name various dimensions to your personal life, assess how you’re doing in each, prioritize them based on level of need, then create a plan to advance. The first time I recall being guided into an […]

You Gave Words to the Angst I Was Feeling

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 06:50:33 +0000

What’s next for you, as a church leader? We are in a unique time period in the history of the church in the West. The pandemic accelerated some trends that were already in motion and shined the light on some brokenness in the church that had sometimes been hidden by rising attendance numbers. As we […]

Divided We … Fail

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 08:50:46 +0000

If you go back to 2020, it’s like Satan called an all-staff meeting. He got everybody in the room and said, “All right. New strategy. We actually don’t have to defeat the church anymore. We’re just going to divide them. Because if we divide them, they’ll defeat themselves.” We’re just going to divide them. Because […]

LNP 42 | “What Do We Do With The Kids?!” 4 Rhythms that Will Begin to Answer the Question

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:00:02 +0000

Hugh Halter and his family have been involved in forming and leading microchurch networks for the last three decades. They’ve wrestled with every question you can imagine. The one question that matters the most is, “What about our kids?” Not surprisingly, most people who have explored the microchurch paradigm are asking the same question. Hugh […]

Righteous Brood: Making the Mission of God a Family Story

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:00:45 +0000

It was a Friday, and I was outside working on a building we were in the process of renovating in Alton, Illinois. Our family had moved after our first church plant from Portland, Oregon, to Denver, Colorado, for our second plant. And now we found ourselves in Alton all because our son Ryan’s physical disability […]

Love is Not Rude

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:41:36 +0000

Are you willing to allow God to shape you into ANYTHING so that evangelism is revived in your ministry? A group of professional people posed the question, “What does love mean?”, to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds. Here’s a small collection of some of the top responses: “When my grandmother got arthritis, she […]

LNP 41 | Reimagining Church for the Marketplace

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 13:00:58 +0000

Many pastors know that their church should be impacting the marketplace – they just don’t know how to do it. In this podcast, Dave Rhodes interviews Kingdom Dreams Initiative Founder and Grace Marietta Lead Pastor Ben Hardman to talk through how to reimagine your church’s impact beyond Sunday morning and beyond the walls of the […]

How to Think Like a Church that Effectively Meets New People

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:00:54 +0000

The future of the church isn’t simply about building new buildings or designing new events. At its core, the future of any church rests in the new people it engages. In this month’s article, my friends Gabe Norris and Ken Thomas, of Connect Ministries, lay out four questions every church team should wrestle with if […]

What Are You Doing Here?

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:40:24 +0000

In John 4, Jesus is traveling through Samaria. There he discovers a woman at a well. He immediately provokes her and says, “Give me something to drink.” I can hear the attitude as she responds, “First of all, you are a Jew, and Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. So why are you even talking […]

When Tithes and Offerings are Not Enough

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:30:52 +0000

One third of churches in the U.S. are in the red this year¹, living “paycheck to paycheck.” Some of these will close. According to Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird, authors of the book Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work, just over 25 percent of the churches in America are somewhere between death and life support.² These churches […]

Should I Hire a Young Leader for My Ministry?

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:05:01 +0000

If you Google “Should I hire a young leader for my ministry?”, you will gather 48.4 million opinions in less than one second. This is not a neutral topic. Yet, it is unbelievably important. In the book Rookie Smarts, Liz Wiseman shares a striking paradox, “When the world is changing quickly, experience can become a […]

Love is Kind

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 20:37:18 +0000

I’ve experienced kind love and that kind of love is transformational! The kind of love I’ve experienced—and that I want for you, your church, and your community–is the kind of love we see in Jesus. Jesus was kind. Jesus was kind to all people—especially those who were being abused, overlooked, and experiencing injustice, so it’s […]

LNP 40 | Helping the Next Gen Grow into an Adult Spirituality

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 13:00:31 +0000

We have been given the wildly important responsibility of walking alongside young people as they make this transition from childhood to adulthood; a transition we know often results in young people abandoning their faith – or at least their commitment to a spiritual community. In this episode, we welcome Willow Creek Online Campus and Next […]

The New Epidemic is Loneliness

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:00:09 +0000

In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murphy released an 85-page advisory about a new epidemic devouring its way across the country. But he wasn’t talking about a new virus or bacteria. And it wasn’t some new drug or addiction. No, the Surgeon General of the United States warned us about the epidemic of […]

LNP 39 | Innovation and the Future Church

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:00:35 +0000

What are some of the most innovative ideas for the future church? In this episode, Jon Wiest, Director of Innovation NEXT, shares the rationale and importance of innovation for the future church and how Leadership Network is investing in the type of ministries and projects that historians will one day conclude were critical to the […]

Cultivating Kingdom Imagination

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 13:00:30 +0000

In 2022, we slowly emerged from the collective grief and trauma of the COVID-19 global pandemic and we were yet again face-to-face with the endemic of racism. As we were trying to navigate our new normal, our church began to look back and reflect on what God had done in and through us during that […]

LNP 38 | The Inflection Point

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:00:34 +0000

We listened. We learned. The first finding from our “Listening Tour,” the Inflection Point, is explored further with Stephan Tchividjian, who leads National Christian Foundation in South Florida and is the Executive Committee Chair for the national LeaderCare board. Guest: Stephan Tchividjian, Co-Founder and President of the National Christian Foundation of South Florida and Co-Executive […]

The Storyteller’s Toolbox: 10 Principles for Crafting Compelling Stories of Impact and Transformation

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 13:00:57 +0000

Every pastor is a storyteller. But just because we tell stories doesn’t mean that we are telling stories well–or at least as well as we could be telling them. Leading well pushes us to tell stories well. Stories are the folklore of the culture. They set the tone, carry the values, inspire the movement, and […]

Making Faith Their Own

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 13:30:26 +0000

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul writes, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me” (v. 11). Is it not the heart of every pastor, parent, and leader who works with […]

Innovation as Stewardship

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 13:16:23 +0000

Innovation is often born out of adversity. Problems, setbacks, and challenges require us to find new paths forward. New solutions are needed. But this is not always the case. There are other times when innovation is the result of God’s blessing and favor. Stewarding a move of the Spirit feels more like riding a wave […]

The Hardest Task for Leaders

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 13:51:41 +0000

A Leader’s Biggest Challenge? What is the biggest challenge you face as a leader? Building a cohesive team? Communicating a clear vision? Developing strategy towards that vision? Is it securing funding? Navigating the demands of family and physical health? Recruiting volunteers and staff members? Seriously. Stop for a moment and reflect: What’s your biggest challenge […]

LNP 37 | State of the Microchurch in the West – Part 2

Tue, 30 May 2023 12:58:31 +0000

Join Leadership Network’s Microchurch Next directors Rob Wegner and Brian Johnson, with guest Doug Paul from Catapult, for Part 2 of “State of the Microchurch in the West.” Over the course of three gatherings in 2022 hosted by Leadership Network, microchurch networks from across the US gathered to explore three questions, “How did we get […]

Can a Denomination Become a Movement?

Thu, 25 May 2023 11:50:59 +0000

Are you a denominational leader longing for a disciple-making and church multiplying movement amongst the leaders you oversee? Have you ever wondered if a denomination could become a movement again? It’s a big question, but the answer is yes, it’s possible. In a recent conversation, Dr. Ed Love and Dr. Larry Walkemeyer discuss their practical […]

LNP 36 | Who’s Driving Your Church… and Why That May Be a Problem

Tue, 23 May 2023 12:54:20 +0000

In this podcast Dave Rhodes and Shane Stacey interview David Loveless. Together they talk through issues of vision and relational disciplemaking and how these can cause even pastors and leaders with the best of intentions to inadvertantly sabotage their ministries right in the middle of its greatest growth. Guest: David Loveless, Executive Director of Campuses […]

Microchurch Movements: The Starting Point Is Returning to Jesus

Mon, 22 May 2023 19:20:43 +0000

In 2020, we (KC Underground) felt a particular passion to begin equipping leadership teams in the systems and structures that have shaped our team. We had learned so much from the way Tampa Underground shared their lives and resources with us, we felt ready to extend our own story to others. This also felt important […]

LNP 35 | Digital Community Is a Community Worthy of a Church

Tue, 16 May 2023 12:48:57 +0000

Wherever community exists, there are churches. Some of the largest churches on the planet are in Korea. Some of the smallest are in India. Whether big or small, we see God moving in these unique expressions globally. But what of digital communities? Are digital communities worthy of a church? Let’s ask Mark Lutz, church planter […]

3 Leadership Shifts That Changed Everything

Mon, 15 May 2023 13:47:55 +0000

Here at Church NEXT, we are always looking for stories of pastors and leaders who are innovatively imagining the church of tomorrow. In this month’s article, Ben Hardman (pastor of Grace Marietta and founder of Kingdom Dreams Initiative) identifies 3 shifts that he made as a pastor that led him to reimagine the church he […]

Go on a Metaverse Mission Trip

Mon, 15 May 2023 13:33:59 +0000

Church, Meet the Metaverse Mission Field Sure, we can argue about the ecclesiology of a church in virtual reality. There are some points of conversation there. These will all get worked out over time. But we cannot argue about the missional opportunities inside virtual reality; there’s nothing to discuss. The implications of the metaverse mission […]

LNP 34 | Longing to Belong

Tue, 09 May 2023 12:38:56 +0000

The next generation is searching for a place to belong. Our culture is offering them communities, networks, clubs, and more, but the Church offers the best answer. What if we as Church leaders created spaces for the next generation to feel seen, valued, and cared for? On this episode, Generation NEXT Directors Aaron and Hannah […]

5 Daily Habits That Won’t Improve Your Day, but Will Change Your Life

Mon, 08 May 2023 14:26:29 +0000

There are moments in our life and leadership journey when the stakes are really high—the heat turns up, the inevitable waiting season starts, the personal crisis hits, or it’s time to begin a transition. These moments don’t happen often (or at least they shouldn’t)—but when they do, we aren’t ready. Why? Because no one practices […]

Is It Time to Change Wineskins?

Mon, 08 May 2023 14:16:38 +0000

The rabbis of old had a saying, “Without wine, there is no joy.”1 This was especially true at a wedding. In the first century, weddings were a big deal and often accompanied by multiple days of gift-giving and speechmaking. Plates were kept full, and the wine kept flowing. Perhaps this explains why Mary turned to […]

LNP 33 | Transforming a City

Tue, 02 May 2023 12:38:37 +0000

We have all been commissioned by God to make disciples. Many others have been called to plant new churches. But what would it look like to see an entire city transformed? In this episode, Hugh Halter, founder of Brave Cities, shares how to build kingdom ecosystems and a new way of being the Church. A […]

How Do We Disciple Artificial Intelligence?

Mon, 01 May 2023 13:34:36 +0000

Artificial Intelligence: Greatest Invention of the Modern Era or the Downfall of Human Civilization? Let’s stop here for a second and recognize how far the technology has come, really, in the past four months. Some see the awesome potential of creativity within AI. I admit I have published many articles that have been artificially infused, […]

Farewell to Pastor Math: Forging Humility in Leaders

Mon, 01 May 2023 13:02:50 +0000

Rounding Down Last week I caught up with the new point leader of an organization I’ve been working with recently, and we began discussing their marketing reach. When I asked how many people were on their email list, the answer was 70,000… which I take to be pretty strong! I asked how engaged that audience […]

LNP 32 | What Is the State of Soul Care NOW?

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 13:10:21 +0000

Are you a jet-fuel-drinker or a candle-lighter? Either way, there’s inspiration and help for you as Soul Care’s first ever podcast launches at LN with a series on what we are hearing from leaders about the current state of soul care in their own lives and in their organizations. You’ll get our Top 4 Learnings […]

The Uncommon Church

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 13:54:16 +0000

As an apostolic leader, I have always been drawn to the “build,” the “starting from nowhere.” Watching something come forth out of the ground enthuses me. I feel the same about what we are currently doing at Lives and Souls Missional Church—“The Uncommon Church.” And yet this time, it is also something very different. Journey […]

LNP 31 | The Church & AI

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:08:45 +0000

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve recently seen Artificial Intelligence take the world by storm. Bing’s ChatGPT, and Google’s Bard, are bringing artificial intelligence to the forefront publicly. But, what is the church supposed to do with this technology. Is AI to be trusted? Are there ulterior motives? We’re bringing Kenny Jahng from […]

Who’s Driving Your Church—and Why That May Be a Problem

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 20:10:13 +0000

Have you ever fallen asleep at the wheel? I (Shane) have, and it’s not a fun experience. One Thanksgiving, back in college, I was driving along I-80 through snow-covered Pocono Mountains with a carload of friends. I’m not sure if it was the late nights after a holiday weekend catching up on me, the McDonald’s […]

Why Churches Should Utilize Personas and Target Audiences on the Digital Mission Field

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 16:36:08 +0000

Pastor, are you tired of thinking It’s not working! when trying to reach people online? Do you feel like no matter how hard you try, nothing works? You’re not alone; many churches struggle with this challenge. With every obstacle, though, there is an opportunity. Leveraging personas and intentional audience targeting can help your church reach […]

A Conversation With Noemi Chavez

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 15:58:18 +0000

Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post called Evangelism From a GenZ Perspective in preparation for our Exponential Global Conference. With evangelism as the central theme, it was on the forefront of our hearts and minds as we entered the week-long equipping session that was Exponential 2023. At the conference, I had the pleasure […]

What Happened in the 1990s?

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 16:16:42 +0000

Growing Numbers of Americans with No Religious Affiliation In 1972, only 1 in 20 Americans had no religious affiliation. They were primarily atheists and demographically young, white, and liberal. The prediction that atheism would follow modernity in the West simply didn’t hold true for the United States. The sexual revolution of the 60s, the anxiety […]

Mental Health, Church Leadership, and Meeting the Need

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:41:22 +0000

The Mental Health Crisis Affects the Church Mental health has never been more important than it is now. After enduring a global pandemic, millions of Americans were stuck at home unable to distract from internal turmoil with work, accomplishments, or social status. As a seminarian and trauma therapist, I can confidently say that the world […]

A Conversation With John Mark Comer

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:56:15 +0000

LNP 30 | State of the Microchurch in the West – Part 1

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:59:08 +0000

Join Leadership Network’s Microchurch Next directors Rob Wegner and Brian Johnson, with guest Doug Paul from Catapult, for Part 1 of “State of the Microchurch in the West.” Over the course of three gatherings in 2022 hosted by Leadership Network, microchurch networks from across the US gathered to explore three questions, “How did we get […]

It’s Better to Be Led Than Smart

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:39:17 +0000

I recently shared a story with a group of leaders that seemed to encourage them in their integration of spiritual formation and leadership, and I hope it encourages you today as well. I believe it sheds light on a topic that is vital to our new way of leading from soul health: cultivating our capacity […]

How Artificial Intelligence Imagines the Bible

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:23:30 +0000

There’s that scene in Blade Runner 2049 when the main character, played by Ryan Gosling, visits Dr. Ana Stelline. She’s the memory maker for the “replicants”—artificial human figures who play a prominent role in law enforcement as well as in the apprehension of any rogue, older versions of themselves. Replicants embody artificial intelligence (AI) in […]

A Conversation With Christine Caine

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 19:04:57 +0000

LNP 29 | Before You Ask “What’s Next?” for Your Church

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:30:15 +0000

It’s easy as a leader to be swayed by silver-bullet promises as you think through what’s next for your church. In this podcast Dave Rhodes and Shane Stacey talk through the problem behind the problem many of us are trying to solve. Instead of offering a silver-bullet solution, Dave and Shane will prompt you into […]

Church Project: A Church of House Churches

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 19:55:49 +0000

Church Project started in 2010 as a Church of House Churches™. What began with 40 people and two House Churches has turned into a movement of thousands of people, in many House Churches locally. And, other Church Projects have been planted regionally, nationally, and globally. Church Project has no phone number… no central place to […]

The Now, The Next, and The Never Again – Part 2

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 15:38:30 +0000

The Promise of Shalom Are you flourishing in every area of your life? Should it matter that you do? I’d like to suggest that it does matter. A great deal. It matters to you, to your family, to your team, to your community… and yes, it matters to God. I love the connection that theologian […]

4 Types of Ministry Innovation

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 02:05:48 +0000

What do the wheel, compass, printing press, lightbulb, automobile, computer, internet, and smartphone all have in common? They were all breakthrough innovations that radically reshaped our world. Innovation is fundamental to solving the world’s greatest problems. It’s also necessary for survival. The influential business consultant Peter Drucker once famously quipped, “Innovate or die.”1 To innovate, […]

LNP 28 | Digital Strategies Beyond Weekend Services

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 18:24:53 +0000

Pastor, respect your physical church service enough to not broadcast it live. But that doesn’t mean your church should abandon digital. Instead, there are many, many other strategies that your church should be doing digitally. Take Tyler Sansom, lead pastor of Church Anywhere/First Capital Christian. Their medium-sized church has an incredible, well-developed digital strategy that’s […]

Easter Prep: The Gospel You Might Be Missing

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 06:48:46 +0000

The big day is coming quickly. It’s almost Easter Sunday and all over the world pastors are working hard to show up on this Super Bowl of Sunday preaching with their best. As we now fully emerge on the backside of the Covid epidemic with impressions of revival in our midst, it’s no secret that […]

LNP 27 | Life After Altspace

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 23:20:47 +0000

AltspaceVR is dead. Well, not quite yet, but as of March 10, 2023, Microsoft will be sunsetting their social VR platform AltspaceVR. Of all social VR platforms, AltVR had the most churches. Where are these churches going? And how is Microsoft closing actually a good thing for the Church in the social VR space? We’re […]

The Now, The Next, and The Never Again – Part 1

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 03:31:48 +0000

Following the pandemic and painful discord in the American Church in its wake, I had been thinking—and telling friends privately—“I hope the whole thing burns to the ground.” YEESH. Sounds terrible, I know. But that was the energy I felt, confident that whatever amidst us is real and enduring would absolutely persist and could emerge […]

Rediscovering Your Church’s Digital Why

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 13:22:27 +0000

The digital age has revolutionized the way we communicate church, but in many ways it has yet to influence how we “be” the church. As a result of COVID, hundreds of thousands of churches learned how to stream church services online to stay in touch with the people who were locked out of the building. […]

Our Friend, the Desert

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 11:44:08 +0000

I distinctly remember the conversations that permanently reshaped my faith and leadership in the fall of 2021. The first happened in one of my church’s pastoral staff meetings. My lead pastors instructed all of us to make a four-day, silent prayer retreat in the northern woods of Wisconsin a top priority. My heart sank faster […]

Microsoft’s Altspace Closes, and the Church Moves On

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 13:57:49 +0000

When Your (Virtual) Church Home Is Taken Away… The virtual reality social space scene just got quieter: Microsoft, owner of the popular virtual world platform AltspaceVR, decided to shut it down. It doesn’t come as much of a surprise, though, because Microsoft is primarily a work productivity company and not one that specializes in virtual […]

How To Share The Gospel

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 19:41:05 +0000

Is evangelism a lost cause in the American church? Why aren’t more Christians sharing the gospel? What evangelism methods are most effective in 2022 (and beyond)? Join us for a conversation with Exponential CEO Dave Ferguson and evangelism expert guest speakers. They’ll discuss answers to these questions alongside practical wisdom and actionable advice for leaders […]

State of the Microchurch Movement in the West

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:33:30 +0000

Where Does the Microchurch Movement in the West Find Itself? In 2022, Exponential NEXT convened a Learning Community of leading microchurch practitioners and network leaders. The goal of this community was to catalyze and collate the biblical, missiological, and cultural learnings of the microchurch movement in America in order to help current and future microchurch […]

What’s Next for Your Church?

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 23:35:16 +0000

The Church in America is in crisis. At least that is what we have been told. Every day it feels like there is another article or another statistic that corroborates some form of data that highlights the Church’s decline. And if we are not careful, as pastors and leaders, this can trigger our anxiety and […]

Evangelism From a GenZ Perspective

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 00:07:55 +0000

GenZ is complicated in more ways than one. We are often misunderstood. When it comes to evangelism, GenZers can’t seem to make up their minds: are we on fire for the gospel or is evangelism politically incorrect? GenZ’s indecisive mindset is both hurtful and helpful. On the one hand, GenZ is the most radical generation […]

What’s NEXT for Digital, and Why Your Church Must Care

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:58:59 +0000

Discover Your Church’s Digital “Why?”—and Don’t Be Surprised When It Has Nothing to Do with Broadcasting Church Services Leadership Network is announcing Digital Church NEXT! We had so much fun doing Metaverse Church NEXT in 2022 we just had to bring digital into the foray. We documented the difference between digital and metaverse previously, and […]

Help! I’m Not an Evangelist!

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:43:22 +0000

The call to evangelism over the last century of Church history has left little doubt in the mind of believers about the need to share the Good News of Jesus. Countless sermons, podcasts, books, tools, and resources have been developed and shared, all for the purpose of inspiring Jesus followers to do the work of […]

Report on Innovations in Church Financial Models

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 08:21:59 +0000

One third of the churches in the U.S. are in the red this year.1 Some of these will close. According to Jim Tomberlin and Warren Bird (2020), who wrote the book Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work, just over 25% of the churches in America are somewhere between death and life support. These churches are […]

Report on Global Trend in Church Planting

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 08:11:59 +0000

Over the last century, the face of Christianity has radically changed. The past five hundred years of church history has often focused on European churches and their descendants. Yet as historian Philip Jenkins has noted, the last one hundred years has seen a new shift in the center of gravity for the Christian movement southward […]

How to Talk About “Good News” with Your Neighbors

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:49:48 +0000

What is “good news” to your neighbors? Is it when you shovel their sidewalks, drop off a meal when they’re sick, or check in on them when you haven’t seen them in a while? Or maybe it’s inviting them to the football game, winning the lottery, or getting a large tax refund! Whatever it might […]

Change Stewardship: Key to Evangelism Effectiveness?

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 13:57:59 +0000

One of my favorite sound bites from Jesus is John 4.23. He uses this trippy phrase: the time is coming and is now here. Whenever I read that I slip out of exegesis mode and into sci-fi mode. Like—what? Coming and now here? Which is it? This phrase gives us the perfect way to think […]

When You Meet Resistance

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 13:44:49 +0000

What do you do when people don’t welcome you? When neighbors don’t want to be bothered? When you’re tired from caring? When nothing is working? When you meet resistance? Not all of our jobs or vocations make it easy to make friends. Imagine when your neighbors find out you’re the police chief, local judge, school […]

Evangelism in the Power of the Holy Spirit

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:42:09 +0000

Very early in life we experience our limits. We learn what we can and what we cannot do. We make adjustments to live within our capacities and abilities. We learn to accept them. We master managing our strengths so we can live within our comfort zone. We don’t like stepping into situations that take us […]

The Narratives of Evangelism

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 14:57:31 +0000

Our core values shape and define our language and our narratives—how we talk about what matters most to us. This is why “outsiders” or visitors can discern so much about our true values in one visit to a new church. If your church says one of its core values is caring about the surrounding community […]

Evangelism Isn’t a Lost Cause

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 14:20:42 +0000

Is evangelism a lost cause? This is the question our friends at Exponential are asking this season and we (Dave and Gábor) are here to answer with a resounding “no!” In our decades of ministry, including in Soviet Bloc countries, we have seen the bright light of the gospel shine in very dark places. The […]

What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love!

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 15:58:31 +0000

You are welcome for the earworm in the title of this post. The song from Jackie DeShannon was released in 1965, and the sentiment is as true now as it was then. The world needs the love of Jesus… a love that is unconditional and eternal.. a love that makes life full and abundant.. a […]

Accountability: Key to Evangelism Effectiveness?

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:39:52 +0000

We’d probably all agree that accountability is good and even necessary, yet sometimes when people reach a certain level of leadership, they can fall into the trap of believing they don’t need to be accountable to anyone anymore. They stop doing the very things that got them to the position they currently hold. Unfortunately, the […]

The Values of Evangelism

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 14:43:33 +0000

At the center of any culture are values—convictions of the mind, and passions of the heart. When we lead well, we’re asking ourselves key questions: What do we believe? What do we care about? What is the most important thing we need to be doing right now? These are the issues and conversations that stir […]

How to Share the Gospel Masterclass

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 01:28:45 +0000

Exponential CEO Dave Ferguson invited three key leaders in the evangelical world to share their thoughts and expertise on sharing the gospel: Dr. David Docusen, Tomy Wilkerson, and John Wentz. Ferguson shared that there is a lot of confusion around the topic of evangelism, especially among practicing Christians, a truth that sparked the conversation. What […]

Lessons in Ministry: Waiting and Failing

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 13:00:48 +0000

My wife and I have served in ministry since the late 1970s. During this time, we’ve seen the Holy Spirit transform lives, we’ve experienced joys and sufferings that have drawn us closer to Jesus, and we’ve seen the care of God in communities around the world. An early experience in our journey helped me learn […]

State of Evangelism in America

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 00:08:02 +0000

On Tuesday, December 6 Exponential CEO Dave Ferguson and Wheaton College evangelism expert Dr. Rick Richardson connected to talk about the state of evangelism in America. Dave and Rick covered a lot of ground in their fascinating conversation. Rick shared research he’s completed with his team that shows only 10% of American churches are growing […]

Jesus, Friend of (Notorious) Sinners

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 13:49:40 +0000

Imagine that Jesus was coming to speak at your local church. Throughout the New Testament, we see that Jesus taught in the synagogues on a regular basis, so it’s not too far of a stretch to think that he might be scheduled to speak in a church if he was traveling around today. You get […]

Evangelism Among the Unchurched

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 13:00:05 +0000

Every church operates differently, but we all share one similar charge—to share the love of Christ with people far from God. Since Jesus left the disciples, we have carried the gospel across the globe. But, when we think of how to connect with unchurched people in our community, we can be left scratching our heads.‍ […]

Evangelism in Reformation

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 02:13:41 +0000

The church is reforming. Unlike the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s, which was primarily about the theology of salvation, the current reformation we find ourselves in is about the nature of what it means to be the church. We believe the core issue at stake is the priesthood of all believers (POAB). The main reason […]

4 Ways Your Church Can Use Tesla’s New Humanoid Robot

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 17:13:55 +0000

I was driving in my neighborhood the other day when I noticed my neighbor’s Roomba-like device mowing his yard. I’ve heard of these automated mowers, but this was the first one I’ve seen in action. The circular robot was no taller than a skateboard, driving around mowing the lawn unassisted by humans. While I can’t […]

Neighborliness as Evangelism

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 08:52:40 +0000

“How is your faith working for everyone around you?” I had just finished a teaching on evangelism at Southeastern University when I posed this question to a group of students gathered around a simple metal table at Portico Coffeehouse. We explored Mark 12:28-34 and the concept of neighborliness earlier in the evening. In this passage, […]

Building Evangelism Confidence With Digital Tools

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 22:57:46 +0000

“What are you doing with a software company?” My background in church planting and Christian ministry raises this question consistently around my work at Faithlife and it’s a good one. When I explain why, people lean in. Our mission: equip the church for ministry. As leaders in the Church, our mission is to equip the […]

How the Holy Spirit Equips us for Evangelism

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:37:21 +0000

Jesus’ mission is always to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and he calls upon his followers to remember that as God sent him, so he sends all of us (John 20:21). As we take steps of obedience to reach out to those around us and make Jesus known to them, God equips us […]

The Force Behind William Wilberforce

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 19:42:54 +0000

Have you heard of William Wilberforce? I’ve asked that question enough times to realize that much of the time, the answer is no. I don’t know him personally, considering he would be two hundred and sixty-three years old if he were still alive now. Yet there’s quite a bit to be learned about him and […]

The BBQ And Jesus Connection

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:59:46 +0000

The year 2020 was a milestone for many people. We remember who we were before then and now after. I’ve been a pastor for 24 years. My specialty has been rebuilding youth ministries and helping other youth pastors shift their ministry to reach more young people. I loved hearing youth leaders say, “I IMPLEMENTED YOUR […]

The Holy Spirit Equips Us For Evangelism

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:23:32 +0000

Picture a world where God decided not to involve us in sharing the good news of Jesus with others. Instead, he rescues people without any believers’ involvement. What would that world look like? Let’s imagine that in this strange world you go to a church where everyone became a follower of Jesus without any human […]

Evangelism in Virtual Reality: How to Start

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 19:01:41 +0000

Digital missions fields offer unique opportunities to engage in the work of evangelism in new and exciting ways. The metaverse is a series of modern technologies currently being utilized and, in some situations, yet to be released. These technologies, often falling under the umbrella of “web 3.0,” include virtual reality, augmented reality, “mixed” reality, blockchain, […]

The Strength of Anonymity in Virtual Reality

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 06:53:39 +0000

Doing virtual reality ministry is, simply put, ironic. There are many things within virtual ministry that the average church leader perceives as a negative when in reality, it’s a strength. I love seeing churches explore virtual reality. It’s a joy to watch pastors, planters, and practitioners make virtual reality ministry happen, resulting in a physical […]

Spirit Empowerment: The Key to Effective Evangelism

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:39:50 +0000

Sharing our faith through the work of evangelism is one of the core identifying marks of a follower of Jesus. In Matthew 28:18-20 we see Jesus telling his earliest followers to go and make disciples. In the book of Acts, he empowers them to begin making disciples by sending the Holy Spirit. From the very […]

What Life Is Like As An Urban Church Worker

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:59:41 +0000

For me, ministry is much more than just preaching in a packed church. For some, that may be an excellent metric to use. However, the moment we as church leaders start to focus on those metrics is the moment we veer off. Ministry goes beyond the four walls of the physical church house. As a […]

ACTS 5’s Ananias, Sapphira, and the Jerusalem DAO

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:25:15 +0000

As discussed on Metaverse Church NEXT, Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DOAs) can be an incredible opportunity for churches to utilize blockchain and cryptocurrencies. According to DigiDay, DAOs are “kind of like clubs for crypto enthusiasts, only they typically operate under a shared goal, give each member equal say in making decisions, and can potentially have more money than […]

Evangelism Capacity Starts at Your Digital Front Door

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 01:13:55 +0000

My wife and I closed on our first home at the beginning of the summer in 2022, and we have what I now know to be a “side-load” garage. Evidently this is a desirable feature, as it is often the first compliment we get from friends and family visiting the house. A side-load garage is […]

Is Evangelism a Lost Cause?

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 00:31:08 +0000

In the book of Acts we see Jesus leave the church a vision of a movement when he challenged the earliest Christians to reproduce from their own local context (Jerusalem) into “Judea, Samaria and the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). As multiplication activists, most of us innately understand the power of following Jesus’ personal […]

The Launching Pad Church Story

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 15:08:52 +0000

When God called me into the church-planting world, I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I was parachuted into the city of Mount Vernon by the Alliance to revitalize a dying church riddled with scandal. I quickly realized that I needed to fully lean on God for direction. What I thought was a […]

New: Evangelism Visual Guide from Cru Church Movements

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:09:46 +0000

Evangelism Visual Guide from Cru Church Movements How do we share the gospel today? Exponential and Cru are proud to introduce a visual guide based on extensive Cru research that can help you answer this question. We began with a desire to listen to the city—to deeply listen to their words regarding their thoughts on […]

LNP26 | Helping Young Leaders Find Their Voice

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:41:08 +0000

Are you struggling with keeping young adults in your programs? Are you feeling tired from trying new methods to reach young leaders today? This show is packed with great insight and wisdom on how to reach and engage the next generation by empowering their voice. The next generation, besides being “builders,” loves investing their voice […]

LNP25 | Creating Churches Where People of Color Feel Safe, Valued, and Heard

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:37:45 +0000

GenZ is the most ethnically diverse generation our country has ever seen. If we want to effectively reach this group, we must lean in, learn, and adjust to welcome them into our church communities. In this episode, we welcome Linga Ndambasha and Eli Bonilla to teach us about their experiences as young people of color […]

LNP24 | Shepherding the NEXT Generation

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:32:39 +0000

Have you felt the weight of ministering to the next generation? It can feel overwhelming as we try to guide them through the many challenges they face. This week, Grant and Cheyanne Skeldon will join us and share from their unique experience of intentionally shepherding the next generation. Together, we will unpack the practical tools […]

LNP23 | Triggers and the Next Generation

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:28:41 +0000

“I feel triggered.” Many of us have heard young adults use the phrase, what does that really mean? Is it just a random term or Gen Z idea? Or is it connected to something deeper that is impacting the lives and minds of the next generation? In this episode, we are welcoming Ben Bennett, director […]

LNP22 | Addressing the Trauma in the Next Generation

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:24:06 +0000

We cannot heal the pain of the next generation if we don’t understand how to walk with them through the trauma of their story. Many of us don’t understand what trauma is, or how it affects our self-esteem, relationships, businesses, and more—making it hard for us to live, lead, and serve with a sense of […]

LNP21 | Creating a Mental Health Strategy for Your Church

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:18:49 +0000

In this episode of our Mental Health series, professional therapist Lindsey Blodgett will discuss how every leader can help their church develop a plan to bring hope to the next generation. This practical conversation will equip you with the next steps to build a comprehensive strategy to bring help and healing to people struggling with […]

LNP20 | Urbanomics: How to Fund an Inner City Mission

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:11:47 +0000

Inner cities have been left behind, neglected, and underserved. But there are still leaders incarnating and making a tangible difference. In order to keep the church doors open, many inner city church leaders are using creative and innovative methods to fund the kingdom dream God has for them and their communities. In this episode, you […]

LNP19 | Launching a Side Hustle

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:06:10 +0000

Many church leaders in America are plagued by financial insecurity—not only in their ministries, but also on the homefront. In this episode, you will learn about everyday missional side hustles that are helping church leaders not just survive, but thrive. Every church leader has the potential to be self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency. Leadership Podcast Series: […]

LNP18 | How to Accelerate a Missional Approach to the Marketplace

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 06:59:58 +0000

What would it look like if “normal” Christians were to consider that it is God’s plan for them to carry out their missional calling within the marketplace and not in spite of it? Church planters are invited to see the marketplace as a mission field and find ways to address the concerns of people who spend the majority of […]

LNP17 | Finding Fresh Ways To Fund God’s Work

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 06:54:51 +0000

Everyday church leaders can find themselves consumed with searching for that magic bullet called resources. If God gives vision, we must follow him and pursue the opportunities that are before us, trusting in his provision while also considering funding options. See how one church is hurdling the challenges of finding resources and what God is doing […]

LNP16 | Investment As Mission

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 06:49:11 +0000

Stories of impact are popping up all over the country. God is on the move in unique ways like never before. As the Church emerges in this next season we must model what it means to be leaders who understand the seasons and times. In this episode you will hear about one man’s journey towards […]

Micro Churches Australia: Not one story

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 15:28:40 +0000

Micro Church Australia is not one story. It’s not one movement. It’s a movement of movements. As a young woman in church leadership in 2012, God convicted me of the need to reach our local community in Melbourne. So, with the blessing of our sending church, a group of us left our church’s walls to […]

Opportunities for Churches Today

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:30:19 +0000

Opportunities within Community Experiences There is no shortage of church programs right now. You can find something for different generations, seasons of life, and interests. Yet, people are thirsting for more. They desire connection. One of the greatest opportunities we have at our disposal right now is the ability to make and create authentic friendships […]

LNP15 | How the Kansas City Underground Emerged

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 05:21:55 +0000

Of Kansas City’s 2.2 million people, 1.8 million are unreached or have no meaningful engagement with the gospel, and we’re not okay with that. From what we’ve seen, the predominant model of church planting will not be a sufficient strategy by itself to see gospel saturation realized in our city, where every man, woman, boy, […]

LNP14 | The Phases of a Microchurch Leader

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:50:45 +0000

Guest: Brian Sanders If we do not know to whom we have been sent, we will never become effective disciple-makers. If we do not make disciples, we will not see the Church continue to emerge. Without clarity on our own personal calling in disciple-making, we can only hope that the work we do for Jesus […]

LNP13 | Rhythms of Healthy Microchurches

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:34:39 +0000

Guest: Hugh Halter Founder, Lantern Network A better framework for understanding microchurches has less to do with an event or a place; rather, seeing each as a family on mission. While every family looks different, we know that a healthy family will have healthy rhythms that bind them together and define who they are and […]

LNP12 | Microchurches Emerge from Gospel Planting

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:28:39 +0000

Guest: Dr. Aila Tasse Founder and President, Lifeway Mission International Why would Jesus tell someone who desperately wants to leave his network to follow him, “No”? Because Jesus is smart. He’s strategic. In fact, if you take a step back and look at the whole story, you see that this was the entire point of […]

LNP11 | How the BLESS Rhythms Lead to Microchurches

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:21:03 +0000

Guest: Jon Ferguson Author, Speaker We remember these five rhythms through the acrostic of B.L.E.S.S.: BEGIN IN PRAYER LISTEN AND ENGAGE EAT SERVE STORY BLESS is five simple rhythms, it isn’t a program or a series of linear steps. BLESS isn’t about adding something; it’s about infusing everyday activities we’re already doing with new gospel […]

LNP10 | Prayer as the Fuel

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:15:30 +0000

Guest: Lee Price Pioneering Initiatives Lead Team | NOVO Prayer has been the fuel for seeing disciple-making movements emerge globally and historically. When disciple-making movements emerge, microchurches emerge. Everything we do must start from a place of deep abiding and listening to the Lord. We learned that instilling regular prayer rhythms both individually and corporately […]

LNP9 | Who Can Lead a Microchurch?

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 08:46:37 +0000

Guest: Stacy Gaskins International Planting Team | Underground Network Church leadership has often been confined to a select few. In fact, the idea of “calling” has often been reserved for a select class of Christians we have labeled “the professionals.” As we explore the microchurch paradigm, we will have to be more creative when we […]

LNP8 | What Is the Difference Between Small Groups and Microchurches?

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 08:40:26 +0000

Guest: Jeff Vanderstelt Executive Director | Saturate The microchurch conversation continues to gain traction as predominant model churches are asking new questions about form and as next generation leaders explore new expressions of the Church. A continual question that emerges in the conversation is, “How are microchurches really any different than small groups?” In this […]

LNP7 | What Is a Microchurch?

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 04:42:15 +0000

Guest: Lucas Pulley Executive Director | Underground Network What makes a church…a church? Three people doing Bible study over coffee? Is that church? When and how does a small group of people become a church? Rob Wegner and Brian Johnson interview Lucas Pulley, Executive Director of the Tampa Underground, about definitions of microchurches. We will […]

LNP6 | NEXT in the Metaverse Church

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:58:41 +0000

Leadership Network Podcast | Episode 6 Guest: VRTiger, Lead Pastor, Oasis Church VR Host: Jeff Reed – Metaverse Church NEXT Director Web3 technology is said to be ushering in the “age of experiences.” Gamers use this technology for incredible simulations, and communicators and educators are using virtual experiences as opportunities for learning. What does this […]

LNP5 | NEXT in the Metaverse Church

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:57:21 +0000

Leadership Network Podcast | Episode 5 Guest: Michael Beck, Director, Fresh Expressions Host: Jeff Reed – Metaverse Church NEXT Director The more we examine successful digital and metaverse churches, the more evidence we see that healthy expressions are more micro in size than mega, which really starts to ask the question: what would a microchurch […]

LNP4 | NEXT in the Metaverse Church

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:56:40 +0000

Leadership Network Podcast | Episode 4 Guest: DJ Soto, Lead Pastor, VR/MMO Church Host: Jeff Reed – Metaverse Church NEXT Director Let’s get a sneak peek of the future. Actually, it’s not really the future; it’s already here. Web3 is typically defined as the third generation of online services. Let’s use some fun words: artificial […]

LNP3 | NEXT in the Metaverse Church

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 17:55:40 +0000

Leadership Network Podcast | Episode 3 Guest: Pastor Brock, Founder, 4X Christian Fellowship Host: Jeff Reed – Metaverse Church NEXT Director What does evangelism look like in the metaverse? Those in the know talk about the opportunities in this massive metaverse mission field to relationally connect with people and share Jesus with others in virtual […]

Your Hidden Resource

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 15:30:44 +0000

Every Sunday, I go to church, hoping someone will notice me. As the sermon concludes, I wonder if it will be a catalyst for us to grow and do more for Christ. Yet, I leave thinking, “They don’t see me. As a seasoned female entrepreneur, I am doing tremendous work outside the church. Sadly, my […]

NEXT Ventures: 12 Ministries to Follow

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 23:29:20 +0000

Last week, more than 70 mission-minded leaders and entrepreneurs gathered in Austin, Texas for NEXT Ventures, an innovative approach to finding, connecting, and learning from pioneering leaders as they present projects that shape future expressions of the Christian church. Project leaders submitted concepts in early 2022 and Leadership Network NEXT Ventures leaders chose 12 finalists […]

Church in a Virtual Reality Bar?

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 15:30:59 +0000

“Hey Jeff, I’m thinking about opening a Bar in Virtual Reality, specifically VRChat.” My friend Joey is a Digital Pastor in Ohio and part of a Metaverse Learning Community I lead through Leadership Network. I had recently challenged him to launch something ministry-focused in the Metaverse. His reply to starting a VR Bar wasn’t a […]

The Emergence of a Church Network

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 13:30:41 +0000

Channel Church began with a vision to go from Berkeley to the ends of the earth. The quest for multiplication was always a passion; however, early on, we focused on a church growth model rather than kingdom multiplication. As a result, the church grew multifaceted without actually multiplying churches. Members longed to live out their […]

3 Reasons Why Your Church May Not Be Growing

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 15:30:18 +0000

Many pastors and church planters across America will spend their time reading and listening to successful leaders advocating for breaking church growth barriers of 200, 500, 800, and even 1,000 people. They will attend conferences and take courses to learn how to copy and paste church strategies that, unfortunately, distract from what God has called […]

Faith-Driven Church Planting

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 19:33:40 +0000

When you are in church planting circles long enough, one of the words you hear repeatedly is vision. Church planters and pastors will spend weeks and months crafting a vision statement for their future church. It is an integral part of starting a church. In retrospect, I wish someone had told me I need more […]

Bringing Evangelism into our Communities and the Metaverse

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 19:32:14 +0000

The innovators doing ministry in virtual reality have discovered that evangelistic conversations are easy in the metaverse. One reason is that people will talk about most things in the metaverse. Regardless of what they believe, people don’t seem to have a problem talking about their beliefs in public virtual spaces. Christianity has a P.R. problem […]

Mental Health Obstacles in Virtual Reality

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 18:48:04 +0000

The mental health implications of the metaverse are untested and scary. Virtual reality (VR) thrives on lack of control, and vices are flaunted with little to no consequences. The virtual can even push to the physical, leading to alcoholism, drug use, and prostitution. Plus, VR in itself is an addictive medium. The mental health implications […]

Planting a Life-Giving Church

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 19:46:52 +0000

The Conversion Have you ever been through a wilderness season in your life? A dry season where it felt like you may not make it to the other side? A season where you felt lost? We all have been there at one time or another, and for me, it was when I was 18 years […]

The Primary Task of the Church

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 19:45:48 +0000

Considering the grand story of God’s redemption, it is almost impossible to overstate the importance of Jesus’ words, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Not only does his Great Commission link the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry with the post-ascension church, but this command encompasses all the other commands. In doing so, […]

The Need for Soul Care

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 21:22:54 +0000

Ten years ago, the missional movement was in full swing. People talked about “being the church” instead of “going to church.” To reach this ideal, leaders began to talk about “doing life together” and established rhythms of hanging out, eating meals, and simply gathering. The call went something like this: “You’re going to eat anyway. […]

Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Person of Color

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 21:20:34 +0000

Many churches and organizations feel either pressure or genuine desire to create diversity among their staff. However, if you move too quickly without asking the right questions, you could easily make things worse for both you and the hire. Are You Convinced You Need a Person of Color? First, are you convinced you need a […]

Why Sameness Is Counterproductive

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 14:29:17 +0000

The Problem with Sameness We cannot arrive at justice in our country by advocating for sameness. Sameness means that we lack variety, uniformity, or monotony. In the New Testament, sameness is contrary to the nature of God. When you look at the Godhead, there is no sense of sameness. What we see in the Godhead […]

Are We Developing Disciples of Jesus?

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 14:46:56 +0000

Growing up in the church, I observed our pastor taking the good news of the gospel to every corner of our city. The pastor never focused on numeric growth but always asked the question, “Are we developing disciples of Jesus?” We did not have the language, the systems, or the processes that are available today. […]

Here Is the Church…

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 16:16:11 +0000

The greatest resource your church has is not your staff or building. It’s your people. Remember the old hand gesture rhyme we all learned as kids? “Here is the church. Here is the steeple. Open the doors, and where are all the people?” Since the church was never a building, let’s focus on people. The […]

Will Churches Become Decentralized?

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 15:53:18 +0000

Will Churches Get Bigger or Smaller? Bigger churches will follow the megachurch model and find ways to succeed by big-church standards. Large churches with large budgets will continue to connect their people to their programming and systems. Megachurches, at some level, will continue to reach people. Their formula keeps working or can be adapted to […]

Taking Time for Grief

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 15:18:59 +0000

Our society expects everything to be fast and timely. We want a clear return on the investment of our energy, and nothing should be idle. Most people value their time and time management. They want good experiences and to feel like their time has been well spent. In all truthfulness, is the fast-paced approach always […]

LNP2 | NEXT in the Metaverse Church

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 16:00:37 +0000

Leadership Network Podcast | Episode 2 Guest: Jason Poling – Lead Pastor, Cornerstone Church Host: Jeff Reed – Metaverse Church NEXT Director Jason Poling was probably the first pastor in America to pastor a physical church as well as a church in the metaverse. As Lead Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Yuba City, Jason felt […]

LNP1 | Metaverse 101: Discovering the Next Great Mission Field

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:00:09 +0000

Welcome to the Leadership Network Podcast. This podcast offers weekly, focused sessions on what is NEXT for the church and its leaders. As leaders, we can get “zoomed in” on our day-to-day, when we often need to “zoom-out” and have vision for the big picture. Leadership Network Podcast helps us look past the now to […]

LNP1 | Metaverse 101: Discovering the Next Great Mission Field

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:00:09 +0000

LNP1 | Metaverse 101: Discovering the Next Great Mission Field

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:00:09 +0000

The Biblical Model Begins with Apostles and Prophets

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 17:32:26 +0000

Peter and Paul were not only effective disciple-makers and movement catalysts, they also functioned mightily in the realm of Holy Spirit revelation and power. Jesus, post-resurrection, told Peter and the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came to fill them with power. Receiving the Holy Spirit was essential to the birth of […]

Shared Experiences: The Key to Understanding Digital and Metaverse Discipleship

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 21:21:02 +0000

As COVID restrictions continue to relax, most churches have returned to physical buildings. Did broadcasting church services work for your congregation? You had viewers watching your church services, but who were they? Did you know their names or stories? Or were they just a number on an analytics report? Many churches are glad this digital […]

3 Ways to Help Middle Schoolers Understand What You Are Saying

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 23:48:51 +0000

“Let’s water down the high school content so middle schoolers can keep up.” Have you said or heard that before? When communicating to middle schoolers, it’s not about watering down or dumbing down the message; it’s about breaking down the message. Here’s the difference: Why do we cut a hamburger into tiny, bite-sized pieces for toddlers? Young […]

The Importance of Coaching in Microchurch Networks

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 23:40:04 +0000

It’s all about the stories. When life is hard, stories remind us that we’re not alone. They tell us that life can be good. They inspire and empower us to seek God’s Kingdom. And, through stories, we see the work of God. I’ve known some incredible stories of people walking alongside and reaching out to […]

Does Virtual Reality Church Compete with Physical Church?

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 01:20:23 +0000

There’s a misconception that virtual churches compete with physical churches. The fear is that people will stop attending church if there is a virtual option. However, are we seeing this happen today? A Different Audience The people reached by metaverse churches generally don’t go to physical churches. They can be atheists, agnostics, and de-churched people […]

A Pop-Cultural Examination of World-Destroying A.I.

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 15:15:14 +0000

Humans have been dreaming of artificial intelligence for over 100 years. One of the earliest references is a favorite film of mine, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, in 1927. Does science fiction become science reality? Is artificial intelligence going to be a power of good or evil? Is articifial intelligence a threat to our society? Does science […]

Frontiers: How to Cultivate a Spirit-Fueled Culture

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 19:05:02 +0000

In 2015, a UPS driver walked into our church’s office to deliver a package. The driver spotted me from the entrance and shouted, “Darren! I’ve been looking for you! I’m healed! Your prayer healed me! I went back to church. I’m reading my Bible. I can’t even believe it!” I grew up in a church […]

Redefining Real(ities)—Virtual No More

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 15:35:38 +0000

The other day, someone asked me, “You don’t really believe it counts if someone accepts Jesus in virtual reality, do you?” My response, “You tell me; do you think it counts when someone sins in virtual reality?” The Reality of Virtual Reality I’m going to be transparent with you for a second. I twinge whenever […]

Counting vs. Measuring

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 15:33:46 +0000

When it comes to keeping score, churches in North America typically focus on three metrics: buildings, budgets, and the number of people in seats. There is nothing inherently wrong with counting each of these things. However, we need to ask if keeping score of how big our buildings are, how much money people give, and […]

What Kind of Shape Are You In?

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 23:20:54 +0000

Reimagining Leadership Have you ever tried to roll a triangle? Cavemen figured out long ago that circles make better wheels than pyramids do. This analogy is a clue for movement thinking. If we want our organizations to proliferate as dynamic movements, then we must discover movemental types of leadership systems. The first challenge for most […]

Gutenberg’s Heresy and the Metaverse Precursor

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 15:04:35 +0000

As near as I can tell, Helen Keller first said, “The heresy of one age becomes the orthodoxy of the next.” To be honest, it surprises me a bit to read that from Helen Keller. I have much respect for her and what she overcame, but I didn’t realize this theological bent in Helen Keller. […]

The Miracle of Church Planting

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 23:26:41 +0000

Every church that stands is a miracle from God. This is good and challenging news for anyone that feels led to launch a church. Church planting in America today is blessed with an abundance of support systems, strategies, and resources for pastors and leaders. However, raising up a faith-filled and disciple-producing community from the ground […]

Discover the Wrong You Were Born to Make Right

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 15:08:16 +0000

Discover There is a wrong you were born to make right, and I guess there is something deep within you that has always known this to be true. It’s the passionate flicker of anger that flashes when you see someone suffering, and it’s the knot that forms in your chest when you encounter injustice in […]

How to Create an Engaging Next Gen Ministry

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:49:29 +0000

Your first thoughts about the next generation might include violent games, loud music, and lots of energy. While some of those descriptions might be true, there are deeper and more creative ways to engage the this group. I have learned that they don’t want to be consumers, but instead, producers. So whether you are building […]

Can Social Media Bring Revival to Gen Z?

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 18:43:59 +0000

What if the next sustained culture-shifting move of God or nation-spreading revival wasn’t birthed in a conference or a stadium? What if it came through screens to millions in Generation Z? You don’t have to love social media, but perhaps you should have an appreciation for it. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on Matthew 9. After a […]

Discipling the Overlooked

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 18:42:29 +0000

The Overlooked Generation Z is often called “the next generation,” but that title is somewhat of a misnomer. Generation Alpha is at least seven years old, so Gen Z is a now generation. We are growing up quickly, and the window for us to be discipled at a prime age is elapsing. Statistics show some […]

The Acts 9:31 Empowerment Model

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 20:35:11 +0000

Pushing my 1969 GTO muscle car down main street was an embarrassing irony for my 12th grade soul. I had the fastest car in town, but it was out of fuel and consequently, out of power. In my busyness and distraction, I had failed to spend time at the gas station. Too often this is […]

The Next Generation Is Being Unleashed

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 19:56:42 +0000

Finding a Dream to Follow At the age of 16, I dreamed of changing the world in a grand way. I hoped to use my life to unleash justice in the world, and my young soul longed to rescue the oppressed. However, I didn’t have a clue where to begin. For months, a whisper was […]

Want to Up Your Sermon Game? Try Preaching in Virtual Reality

Tue, 31 May 2022 20:43:54 +0000

Pastor, want to discover why you should be excited about preaching in virtual reality? Let’s go back to 1946. Born in 1900, Edgar Dale was an American educator. After securing his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, he spent some time working for the Eastman Kodak Company. Dale was a part of some of the […]

What the Next Generation of Leaders Needs from You (but Maybe Isn’t Telling You)

Thu, 26 May 2022 01:07:30 +0000

Tell Them They Can Do It Growing up, I spent so much time attending and serving at my church. I would be there every Sunday morning and evening plus Wednesday nights. However, I never considered vocational ministry until my youth pastor invited me to become an intern during my senior year of high school. This […]

Microchurch Leaders: The Emergence of Church Project

Thu, 26 May 2022 01:06:48 +0000

What did God intend the Church to be like? When I knew God was calling me to pastor in the local church, I prayed that he would let me be a part of returning the church to what He originally intended for it to be. Yet, for the many years of working in churches, I […]

Meet Your Church’s R&D Department

Thu, 26 May 2022 01:06:06 +0000

Innovation is difficult within the church. As a non-profit, we never want to be seen as wasting money on experimentation. Time is also short since our next weekend service is always less than 167 hours away. It’s hard to stay on top of things, and who wants to keep pivoting? No wonder so many feel […]

Unleashing the Creativity in the Next Generation

Thu, 26 May 2022 01:05:03 +0000

The Creative Generation What does it look like to unleash creativity in the next generation? In a generation made up of multitasking, multi-talented individuals who are full of passion and being raised in a social media-immersed world, creativity is anything but scarce. According to USA Today, Generation Z is the most creative generation yet. It […]

Psalm 139 Is True, Even in the Metaverse

Tue, 17 May 2022 04:30:02 +0000

The metaverse is different, it’s true. And historically, Christians fear what’s different. Humans fear what we don’t understand. So it’s easy to ignore potential Kingdom movements because they don’t align with our opinions. But remember, God eventually forced Jonah to Nineveh. Historically, Christians fear what’s different. On a recent episode of Metaverse Church NEXT, Mindy […]

What Church Unity Is … and Isn’t

Wed, 04 May 2022 19:42:26 +0000

In churches that are reaching unchurched people, there are always going to be issues of unity. Because the issues reach across political lines, we have to wade through messy political discussions. Because they reach across ethnic boundaries, we have to wade through uncomfortable cultural clashes. Because they reach across financial boundaries, we have to discuss […]

5 Key Ways We Create and Cultivate Culture

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 14:00:26 +0000

Since the beginning of creation, humanity has been creating and cultivating—bringing into existence new ideas and new life, while simultaneously establishing a culture where ideas and life either flourish or flail. As Andy Crouch states in his book Culture Making, “Like our first parents, we are to be creators and cultivators. Or to put it […]

Empowering the Church for Missional Movement

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 22:34:35 +0000

In this new season of (almost) post-COVID ecclesiology, we’re seeing pastors, church leaders, and planters struggle to find movement. Not only are congregants increasingly tired, mentally retreating, and instilling new rhythms in their life, but leaders are facing these new paradigms as well. All of this results in lower attendance and engagement, with tired leaders […]

Celebrating the Faithfulness of God

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 21:20:12 +0000

Earlier this year, two healthy multiethnic churches in and near Charlotte, NC, celebrated double-digit anniversaries. Together with the people of Mosaic Church (Charlotte), founding pastors Naeem and Ashley Fazal celebrated sixteen years of fruitful ministry on the north side of the city. Further south, founding pastors Derwin and Vicki Gray celebrated twelve years of similar […]

Planting Glocal Churches for the World

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 23:11:28 +0000

As followers of Christ we have been called to make disciples and to bring life and hope to a world of decay, disease, and death. The New Testament is a wonderful example to us of the kind of disciples that are needed for our world. As we read the Sermon on the Mount and follow […]

How Church Leaders Can Empower and Pursue Millennials and Gen Z

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:34:57 +0000

Paralysis by Analysis We live in a society of increasing technology and fast-moving information. This can cause information overload which can lead to analysis paralysis. Analysis paralysis can lead to decision fatigue, which leads to indecision. This is why people like Steve Jobs wore the same clothes every day to save mental capacity for key […]

Plant and Multiply vs. Extract and Disciple

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:34:31 +0000

It’s very possible that I’ve learned more about the nature of spreading the Gospel from watching zombie movies than going to seminary. True story. At the very base level, the zombie apocalypse occurs because infection infiltrates relational networks. Friend bites friend, wife bites husband, zombie-dog bites neighbor (I’ve seen weird zombie movies). People within relational […]

Three Timeless Communication Strategies

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 01:13:31 +0000

I’ve long believed that successful leadership depends more on good communication than it does on making all the right decisions. Many leaders fail not because of bad decisions, but because they didn’t take the time to communicate their decisions to the right people, at the right time, in the right order. In my experience, 20 […]

Three Pursuits That Will Change Your Worship

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 01:12:02 +0000

Recently, in our house, my youngest daughter started doing two things that had her worlds collide a little bit. She began watching the TV Series House. During this time, she also was told to watch Dead Poets Society. For those of you who don’t know why watching those two things had her worlds collide, I […]

Blackaby’s Experiencing God, Metaverse Edition

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 09:49:42 +0000

I was having a conversation the other day with a friend (at a Starbucks, not in the Metaverse) and we ended up talking about books that really impacted us throughout our lives. As a former Christian bookstore owner, I could rattle off a ton of influential books throughout my lifetime. However, the books that are […]

Pursuing NEXT with Leadership Network

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 13:00:51 +0000

Leadership Network holds a historic, unique, and critical purpose in the development of thought leaders for the Church and in catalyzing the megachurch movement of the past 35 years. Since 1985, Leadership Network’s role has been to “convene leadership conversations and foster innovative movements that seek to activate the Church to 100X impact thereby transforming […]

Jason Poling and the Math of the Metaverse Mission Field

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 22:52:32 +0000

Cornerstone Yuba City is a pioneering example of what a church can look like if it multiplies into the Metaverse Mission Field. Pastor Jason Poling leads this relatively small and older church located in Northern California. Within recent years, Jason’s volunteer leadership approached him about launching a church in the metaverse. After praying, and exploring […]

How Do Microchurches Emerge?

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 07:21:43 +0000

Genesis 12:2-3, “I will bless you…and you will be a blessing…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” This passage was a revolutionary moment in history. In a world of tribal, violent, exclusive polytheism, the voice of the one true God speaks and introduces universal, loving, inclusive monotheism. God says, “I have a […]

Empowering the Church

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 01:07:52 +0000

Be Empowered: Accelerate Your Vision in 2022 with Forge America

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 18:00:19 +0000

Be Empowered – Accelerate Your Vision in 2022 Episode #3: Forge America Empowering the Church for Missional Movement In this new season of (almost) post-Covid ecclesiology, we’re seeing pastors, church leaders, and planters struggle to find movement. Not only are congregants increasingly tired, mentally retreating, and instilling new rhythms in their life, but leaders are facing […]

Catch the Wind of the Spirit and Move

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 01:36:06 +0000

Reactions to an empowered life and leadership are likely all over the map. Excitement. Skepticism. Curiosity. And perhaps confirmation, good or bad, of your own past experiences.

Be Empowered: Accelerate Your Vision in 2022 with Emotionally Healthy Leadership

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 18:00:58 +0000

Be Empowered: Accelerate Your Vision in 2022 The Enneagram and Spiritual Practices: discern the best rhythms and disciplines to guide your personal formation and leadership. What if we used the Enneagram as more of a fluid tool toward spiritual maturity than a static personality assessment? Could we curate personalized practices that would allow for greater […]

The Controversial Metachurch: Fighting the Wrong Battle

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 03:11:15 +0000

I’ve said a lot of controversial statements in my life surrounding church and technology. Comes with the territory. Truthfully, I’ve seen probably 10x negative feedback on the idea of a metachurch compared to anything I’ve said before. That being said: “The heresy of one age becomes the orthodoxy of the next.” – Hellen Keller To […]

Microchurches Within The KC Underground

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 02:55:23 +0000

Spiritual Family The theme of family weaves throughout the narrative of Scripture. Jesus himself instituted and affirmed the biological family. He called people to be faithful in marriage (Matt. 19:1–9) and honor their parents (Mark 7:9–13). Similarly, Paul thought it wisest for most people to marry and have children (1 Cor. 7:8–9; 1 Tim. 5:14) […]

Are MicroChurches Just Small Groups with a Different Name?

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 02:43:47 +0000

Back in the early 2000s, leaders began traveling from all over the world to join us in Tacoma, Washington to engage in a full immersion learning experience we called Soma School. We had been piloting Missional Communities for several years and had found significant success in missional living and disciple-making practices. We discovered over time […]

Be Empowered: Accelerate Your Vision in 2022 with Glocal.net

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 02:52:48 +0000

Be Empowered – Accelerate Your Vision in 2022 Planting Churches in the Public Square that Impact the World As followers of Christ we have been called to make disciples and to bring life and hope to a world of decay, disease and death. The New Testament is a wonderful example to us of the kind […]

Empowered Culture

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 02:34:52 +0000

The Spirit-Empowered Culture By Dave Ferguson, President, Exponential 2022 Culture is a leader’s single greatest asset. Why? Because culture works 24/7. Culture never rests. A church’s culture continually reinforces its values. What is your church’s culture? Here is a glimpse at the culture of the first-century Church. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and […]

Empowered Life

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 04:37:59 +0000

Keeping In Step With The Spirit By Dave Ferguson, President, Exponential 2022 Living in sync with the Holy Spirit is not meant to be a one-time event but an ongoing occurrence in the life of a believer. An empowered life is one of dynamic, active engagement with the Spirit of God. It’s a relationship. An […]

Empowered Heart

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 03:53:31 +0000

An Empowered Heart By Dave Ferguson, President, Exponential 2022 In Matthew 28, Jesus says “Go.” He is essentially saying, “Get moving, guys.” But then in Acts 1 Jesus says to “wait.” The more I ponder these two instructions from Jesus, the more I believe he is saying we have to wait and then move. For a […]

The Empowered Life: Filled with the Spirit

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 22:22:57 +0000

Excerpt from The Empowered Life: Practical Ways to Demonstrate a Naturally Supernatural Lifestyle By Alex & Hanna Absalom Being filled with the Holy Spirit is such an extraordinary thing to consider. Imagine this: God the all-powerful and everywhere-present creator and sustainer of the universe lets you and me invite Him to come and live inside of […]

Empowered: Wait and Then Move

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 22:54:08 +0000

Wait and Then Move By Dave Ferguson, CEO & President, Exponential Being empowered by the Spirit can be very confusing! As a leader, I tend to think in terms of goal and accomplishment. I want to be productive, and I want those around me to produce too. I was even taught it was good to […]

EMPOWERED: Empowered Heart – There’s Always More

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 00:17:07 +0000

Excerpt from Empowered: Pastoral Perspectives on Life and Leadership in the Spirit, Chapter 1: Empowered Heart by Todd Proctor and Josh Harrison with contributions from Harvey Carey, Kathleen Doyle, Darren Rouanzoin, Craig Springer, Chris Wienand and Jon Tyson. The earliest Christians saw themselves not as a new movement but as the expansion of a relationship […]

EMPOWERED: Empowered Heart – It’s About Relationship

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 22:50:46 +0000

Excerpt from Empowered: Pastoral Perspectives on Life and Leadership in the Spirit, Chapter 1: Empowered Heart by Todd Proctor and Josh Harrison with contributions from Harvey Carey, Kathleen Doyle, Darren Rouanzoin, Craig Springer, Chris Wienand and Jon Tyson. A vibrant relationship always requires two willing parties. The Bible reveals to us a God who chooses […]

Heart Logic: Living Unhindered

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:39:09 +0000

Most of us haven’t truly stopped to evaluate the contents of our hearts. We simply move through life with our heart’s unseen voice shaping our conclusions about the things and people around us. The problem with this kind of living is that our hearts are pretty good at convincing us that we’re wise to listen […]

Missional Vibrancy and Financial Viability – Part 2

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 01:29:46 +0000

Missional Vibrancy and Financial Viability, Part 2 — Featured Guest: JAY MOON — Author and Professor of Evangelism & Church Planting and Director of the Office of Faith, Work, and Economics at Asbury Theological Seminary MARK DEYMAZ — A recognized leader in the Multi-ethnic Church Movement Host: BILL COUCHENOUR — Director of Learning Communities at […]

In the Presence of Jesus Book Tour

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 08:51:45 +0000

Book Tour: In the Presence of Jesus: A 40-Day Guide to the Intimacy with God You’ve Always Wanted Featured Guests: PAUL BANE — Founder of Mindful Christianity MATT LITTON — Author and bestselling collaborative writer Host: Deb Walkemeyer — Co-Pastor of Light & Life Christian Fellowship in Long Beach, CA — In the stress, noise, […]

EMPOWERED: Life in the Spirit

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 01:18:27 +0000

Excerpt from Empowered: Pastoral Perspectives on Life and Leadership in the Spirit by Todd Proctor and Josh Harrison with contributions from Harvey Carey, Kathleen Doyle, Darren Rouanzoin, Craig Springer, Chris Wienand and Jon Tyson. A quick reading of the book of Acts re-familiarizes us with the original story that a rag-tag group of wide-eyed, […]

Unlikely Fighter Book Tour with Greg Stier

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 19:03:35 +0000

Book Tour — Unlikely Fighter — Featured Guest: GREG STIER — Greg is the founder of Dare 2 Share Ministries, a speaker, former pastor, church planter, and youth leader, as well as the author of numerous books. Host: PEYTON JONES — Peyton Jones is an author, church planter, leadership trainer, podcaster and writer. He also […]

Missional Vibrancy and Financial Viability – Book Tour

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:00:15 +0000

Book Tour: Missional Vibrancy and Financial Viability — Featured Guest: JAY MOON — Author and Professor of Evangelism & Church Planting and Director of the Office of Faith, Work, and Economics at Asbury Theological Seminary Host: BILL COUCHENOUR — Director of Learning Communities at Exponential, he provides strategic and operational oversight of Exponential’s R&D and […]

Is your church digital presence relevant?

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 20:00:51 +0000

Is your church digital presence relevant? Making your presence known the right way… Helpful insight for how to have an effective digital presence can be overwhelming to find these days with so many approaches and products available for church leaders. You need real world applications with practical advice for your new or existing churches as […]

Minimalist Mega and Micro Episode 6 — How Do You Start a Church of House Churches?

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 11:02:15 +0000

Starting a church is a daunting task. But starting a “Church of House Churches” has elevated challenges, as there are few examples clearly available, and the ideology is culturally new in the western church. In this episode, we discuss the steps to take as you begin a church consisting of house churches, and the non-negotiable […]

FCP 6 | Angela Craig and Pursuit Church Live

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 09:14:49 +0000

Pursuit Live Church was birthed out of the truth that God leaves no one out. He loves, accepts, and welcomes everyone. He has given us technology as a gift to reach every corner of the world with the message and hope of Jesus. Since its inception in 2017, PCL has grown to nearly 16,000 followers […]

EMPOWERED: Moving With the Spirit

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 02:19:20 +0000

There must be more than this. So, what are we waiting for? The one command that Jesus gave his followers before igniting his movement was “Do not leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my father has promised . . .” (Acts 1:4). Jesus is telling them to anticipate — to wait for — a […]

Missional Vibrancy & Financial Viability

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 22:31:37 +0000

Do you know churches or church plants that are struggling with finances? What if the financial models that most American churches relied upon for many years are no longer working? If the COVID pandemic accelerated the existing trends in churches, is it time to move away from reliance solely upon tithes and offerings to other […]

Mobilizing Missional Disciples: Reimagine — Planting New Expressions of the Church Led by Everyday People Costing Zero Dollars

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 20:25:39 +0000

Mobilizing Missional Disciples Reimagine: Planting New Expressions of the Church Led by Everyday People Costing Zero Dollars New, fresh and dynamic expressions of church that live out new paradigms, seek justice, and mobilize missionaries in everyday life are popping up like weeds growing through the cracks of concrete sidewalks. However, because they are small […]

Improv Leadership – How to Lead Well in Every Moment

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 18:00:39 +0000

Podcast — Improv Leadership How to Lead Well in Every Moment It’s time to improvise. Featured Guests STAN ENDICOTT – Stan is co-founder and chief cultural officer at Slingshot Group. DAVID A MILLER – David is currently the Chief People and Product Officer at Novus Global. — Anyone who’s learned the basics of an instrument […]

The Revolutionary Disciple – Walking Humbly with Jesus in Every Area of Life

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 19:05:41 +0000

The Revolutionary Disciple Is It Time for Another Revolution? Featured Guests: JIM PUTMAN – Jim is the senior pastor of Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho. CHAD HARRINGTON — Chad is the owner of Harrington Interactive Media. — Seismic culture shifts leave Christians wondering how to effect lasting change. While the Bible calls disciples […]

Mobilizing Missional Disciples: Remission — Moving a congregation of members to a community of missionaries

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 17:00:28 +0000

Mobilizing Missional Disciples Remission — Moving a congregation of members to a community of missionaries There’s never been a more important time to mobilize the people of God in the everyday spaces of life. So how then do we take a congregation of members and see them transformed into a community of missionaries? How […]

Minimalist Mega and Micro Episode 5 — Can a Mega Church Successfully Create Context for Discipleship?

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 22:00:08 +0000

Church leaders clearly understand that creating a context for discipleship is our primary calling. Yet it seems many churches struggle to accomplish this clear calling. Some consider size as a predominant factor in the ability of a church to accomplish its discipleship calling. Yet, the first church initiated by the Holy Spirit was immediately comprised […]

Minimalist Mega and Micro Episode 4 — How Does a Mega Church Transition to Distributed Lay Pastoral Leadership

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 19:00:38 +0000

Can a mega church be predominately lay led? Many mega church pastors love the idea of a simple church with empowered lay pastoral leadership. Yet, transitioning a large and existing church may seem impossible. In this episode, we will discuss steps mega churches have taken to transition their church into identified, empowered, entrusted lay pastoral […]

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 12 — Reactivate Spiritual Dependency

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 19:00:22 +0000

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 12 — Reactivate Spiritual Dependency Are you listening to the Holy Spirit’s leading on all aspects of ministry? As pastors, we know when we are lead by the Holy Spirit in our ministry sinners are set free, marriages are restored, and disciples are made. But leading a […]

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 11 — Recommit to Multiplication

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 19:00:47 +0000

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 11 — Recommit to Multiplication Multiplication was embedded into the lifestyle of the Early Church. For the earliest believers, multiplication was as natural as breathing. The way it happened was simple and easily transferable to the 21st-century reality. Disciples made disciples. Leaders made leaders. Church made churches. […]

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 10 — Reconsider Core Values

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 20:41:08 +0000

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 10 — Reconsider Core Values As leaders, we often use “multi” words to describe what we want our congregation to look like — multicultural, multi-generational, multi-ethnic. And, we’re motivated to use all of these “multi” words in our core values — because we want to look like […]

Together — We Are the Answer to Jesus’ Prayer

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 19:33:22 +0000

Together Again Episode 4 — Together We Are the Answer to Jesus’ Prayer Featured Guest — GRANT SKELDON, Next Gen Director for Q Ideas Host — CHAD CLARKSON, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Houston Church Planting Network Jesus’ last prayer is recorded in John 17:20-21, and it was for us to be one “Together.” […]

Book Tour Podcast — When The Universe Cracks

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 22:00:22 +0000

Book Tour — When the Universe Cracks Living as God’s People in Times of Crisis When the Universe Cracks is a sweeping, multifaceted look at the role of crisis in the life of faith from an esteemed gathering of pastors, faith leaders, and experts. You’ll find honest and realistic reflections to help you navigate a present trouble […]

Together – What Unites Us?

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 07:20:21 +0000

Together Webinar Series What Unites Us? Feature Guest: DANIEL YANG – Daniel is the Director of the Send Institute, leading and overseeing all of its initiatives. Prior to directing the institute, he planted a church in Toronto where he also helped recruit, assess, and train church planters through the Send Network and the Release Initiative. […]

Together Podcast Series – Together: The Great Collaboration with Ralph Moore

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 17:30:01 +0000

Featured Guest — Ralph Moore is the Founding Pastor of the Hope Chapel movement. Host — James Grogan is the senior pastor of Community Church Movement, a growing network of churches founded in Chula Vista, California, which includes congregations in Southern California and Baja California, Mexico. He is the lead pastor of EastLake Church which […]

Together Podcast Series – Together with a Network

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 01:23:44 +0000

Together: Together with a Network Featured Guests: Brandon Grant — founding and lead pastor of Rise City Church in Lakeside, CA Nathan Hawkins — West Regional Executive for Stadia Church Planting Host: Bill Couchenour Right before Jesus left planet Earth, He reminded His closest followers of His vision for how the mission would be accomplished […]

Together Podcast Series – Together As Family

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 21:44:56 +0000

Together Episode 3 —Together As Family GUESTS: DAVE & ANN WILSON, Co-Founders of Kensington Church HOST: DAVE FERGUSON The Great Collaboration starts with intimacy with God and then is lived out in an intimate marriage and healthy family. Doing life “Together” sees the family as the first priority of ministry and not a distraction from difference […]

Book Tour Podcast – Believing is Seeing

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 21:38:03 +0000

Believing is Seeing with author DR MICHAEL GUILLEN Best-selling author, Emmy award–winning journalist and former physics instructor at Harvard. Is your worldview enlightened enough to accommodate both science and God at the same time? Dr. Michael Guillen, a best-selling author, Emmy award–winning journalist and former physics instructor at Harvard, used to be an Atheist—until science […]

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 9 – Refocus Church Habits

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 21:19:29 +0000

In this webinar, Steve Pike (Urban Islands Project), Jason Bowman (ArtSpeak Creative), and special guest Wes Davis (newlife Church) will discuss how to refocus church habits, from being calendar driven to mission driven.” In the last decades of the 20th century, many churches moved to the suburbs. That was great.That’s where the souls were. But […]

Minimalist Mega and Micro Episode 3 – Why Does a Micro Church Movement Need a Central Connectivity Beyond Individual Identity?

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 20:21:06 +0000

Minimalist Mega and Micro Episode 3 — Why Does a Micro Church Movement Need a Central Connectivity Beyond Individual Identity? The idea of Micro Church or House Church for many involves individuality, rather than connectivity to a greater whole. Yet, individuality often hinders multiplication, potency, and long-term endurability. In this episode we will discuss the […]

Minimalist Mega and Micro Episode 2 – What Makes a Micro Church a Church?

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 23:40:47 +0000

What constitutes a church? What is the difference between a small group of people who gather, and a small church that gathers? In this episode, we will discuss the important clarifications that make a church a church, and separate it from a group of any kind.

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 8 – Refresh the Metrics

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 23:35:34 +0000

In the last decades of the 20th century, many churches moved to the suburbs. That was great.That’s where the souls were. But more and more, people are moving back into the cities. And the culture-shaping “urban mindset” — which is often post-Christian and even pre-Christian — is spreading everywhere. In this webinar, Steve Pike, Dan […]

Together Podcast Series – What Unites Us?

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 23:31:47 +0000

We are the body of Christ — diverse in gifting, diverse in our contexts and diverse in service — but we are united by our commitment to the Lordship of Christ and His mission. When we collaborate and work together, we become a fuller expression of the body of Christ better able to accomplish the […]

Book Tour Podcast – Grace Bomb

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 23:26:49 +0000

In Grace Bomb, Pastor Pat Linnell equips us to join a movement of simple obedience with world-changing impact. Grace Bombs are intentional acts of love prompted by the Holy Spirit—offering an extra tip to a hardworking server, giving up a seat on an airplane, or making a meal for the ER nurse next door. When […]

Mobilizing Missional Discipleship — Recalibrate: Forgotten paradigms at the heart of the future church

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 23:23:26 +0000

Mobilizing Missional Disciples Recalibrate: Forgotten paradigms at the heart of the future church — Featured Guest: BRIAN SANDERS — Founder of the Underground Network Hosts: RYAN HAIRSTON — National Director of Forge America BETH WOLFF — Pastor at Clarksburg Church in Clarksburg, MD — How do we navigate the many challenges we face in order […]

Book Tour Podcast: Faith Driven Entrepreneur

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 17:12:22 +0000

The work you do today—the company you’ve built, the employees you work with, the customers you serve, the shareholders you report to, all of it—serves as an active part of what God wants to accomplish on earth. You are not alone in this journey. Join other faith-driven entrepreneurs as, together, we identify the values, habits, […]

Podcast: Together as a Church

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 17:08:36 +0000

Living in togetherness is always a part of following Jesus. It wasn't optional for Jesus. It wasn't optional for the first apostles. It wasn't optional for the first Christians, and it's not optional for us! The church was designed to be God's eternal community where we experience reconciliation with Him and with others. Too many […]

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 7 – Recalibrate the Timeline

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 01:01:44 +0000

Podcast: Together with God

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:55:19 +0000

The first component of the Great Collaboration is doing life together with God. Before God will create community through you, He must first be in community with you. Only a whole and healthy leader who lives in communion with God can lead their family, team and church into greater experiences of community with God and […]

Book Tour Podcast – Planting a Church Without Losing Your Soul

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:52:03 +0000

What does it take to be a church planter or other ministry entrepreneur? Most leaders start out with passion, a sense of calling, and a focus on building ministry skills. Such things might get some results, but they are not enough to sustain a healthy ministry―or a healthy life. Beyond the vocational capacities every church […]

Book Tour Podcast: Designed to Heal

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:44:06 +0000

Our bodies are designed to heal. We fall off our bikes and skin our knees—and without effort on our part, the skin looks like new in a few days. But while our skinned knees heal easily, it can sometimes feel like our emotional and relational wounds are left gaping open, broken beyond repair. If our […]

Book Tour Podcast: A Field Guide for Genuine Community

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:37:19 +0000

You show up at church every Sunday. You see people you know. You listen to a sermon together. And then you go home feeling just as isolated as you did before. What’s going on? We all know that a church is supposed to be a community. The trick is to actually make it one. Communities […]

Podcast: Together the Great Collaboration

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:32:25 +0000

Right before Jesus left planet Earth, He reminded His closest followers of His vision for how the mission would be accomplished and gave us this third ‘great’ in John 17:22-23: “…that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to […]

Mobilizing Missional Disciples — Repentance: The catalyst for individual formation and community transformation

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:29:57 +0000

Mobilizing Missional Disciples Repentance: The catalyst for individual formation (discipleship) and community transformation (mission) — Featured Guests: CANDACE LEWIS — President-Dean of Gammon Theological Seminary JAIME JIMENEZ — Pastor of Mission and Mercy at Christ the King Presbyterian Church Hosts: RYAN HAIRSTON — National Director of Forge America BETH WOLFF — Pastor at Clarksburg Church […]

Minimalist Mega and Micro Episode 1 – What Makes a House Church a Church?

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:25:42 +0000

What is the difference between a small group and a house church? And what is the difference between a small group leader and a house church pastor? Some people simply adjust nomenclature, and accomplish no real change at all. Both consist of smaller groups of people, who have leaders. But, the distinctions create significant differences. […]

Podcast: How Big is Your Circle?

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:55:21 +0000

The vision of the church as the body of Christ does not pertain only to one local church. The body of Christ is made up of many churches, and each part of Christ's body has something unique to offer the rest. When we open ourselves up to learn from one another and work together in […]

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 6 – Redeem Architecture

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:51:08 +0000

It’s time to get creative with space! A building can be more than a place for weekly services. Your location can generate revenue and create community connection & transformation. In fact, you may not even need a physical space. If the pandemic taught us anything about faith communities, it proved “church” is not limited to […]

Church Planting Nuts & Bolts Episode 11 – Church Plant Marketing

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:46:53 +0000

If you want to reach your community, then one of the first steps is making sure that your neighbors know you exist. Raising awareness through marketing will help ensure that you won’t wind up being your neighborhood’s best kept secret. In this webinar, Sean Cronin and Patrick Bradley will sit down with Chris Pasik, lead […]

Frontlines Episode 29 – Finding Rest as a Pastor

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:43:00 +0000

With so many responsibilities and distractions vying for our attention, too many of us have built unhealthy cycles of rest. As a result, we burn ourselves out, striving and straining against God's intent for our lives. We can only sustain a life of purpose if we learn to truly rest.

Book Tour: Building a Multiethnic Church: A Theology for Reconciliation

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:02:44 +0000

America has become a beautiful mosaic filled with many colors and ethnicities—but does your church reflect this change? Are you longing to be a cross-cultural leader who can guide the church into a multicolored world for the sake of the gospel? If so, Building a Multiethnic Church will give you the tools to embrace an invigorated community […]

Podcast: Funding Your Mission in 2021

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 18:56:20 +0000

What are the “New Frontiers in Nonprofit Fundraising” that Christ-centered ministries and churches are pressing into as they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing landscape that has resulted? Which ideas and strategies to fund the mission are gaining the most traction in these new frontiers? In this informative webinar, Warren Bird and Chris Willard […]

On Leadership Episode 7 – The Most Fundamental Component of Leadership: PASSION

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 21:12:12 +0000

What made Jesus' teachings different from those of the Pharisees? Authority. Passion. Conviction. “To be the Leader, you do not have to be the most brilliant. You do have to be the most passionate.”

Church Planting Nuts & Bolts Episode 10 – How to Utilize Digital Technology to Reach People

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 21:08:29 +0000

Digital ministry has opened up a wide range of possibilities for church leaders to reach new people and engage those already involved in their church. However, it has also added an unexpected layer of complexity that can make leveraging technology difficult. In this practical webinar, Joel Pazmino will interview Jeff Reed, director of digital church […]

Podcast: Building a Multiethnic Church: Best Practices

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 21:02:49 +0000

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 5 – Reclaim the Ecosystem

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 20:55:05 +0000

Every church faces isolation. Whether you’re a startup, or you’ve been around for decades, it’s easy to silo yourself and miss out on what’s around you. Yes, the good news message is the gift you offer your community. But did you know your community has a gift to offer you? Here’s what you might be […]

Podcast: 6 Proven Tips for Keeping Remote Team Members

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 20:50:31 +0000

Join Krisha Buehler, Vice President of Human Resources at Belay, and Obe Arellano, Director of Exponential Español, for a conversation on keeping remote team members accountable. Many organizations are moving towards decentralized structures that allow employees to work from home or other places outside of a central office. While that can increase job satisfaction and […]

Practical Multiplication Episode 23 – Becoming a Multiplying Church

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 20:46:45 +0000

Most of us know that we need to plant more churches to reach new people. However, when it comes to actually sending out church planters from our churches, there are inevitably a list of reasons why multiplying should wait until later. Those unresolved tensions keep us from expanding the kingdom to our fullest capacity. In […]

Special Message from Dave Ferguson

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 17:51:36 +0000

Have you missed being TOGETHER with our Exponential family? Dave Ferguson has a special message about Exponential’s fall Regional Conferences, where we will finally be Together Again! This fall, Exponential is hosting five in-person Regional Conferences across the country full of inspiration and equipping — the perfect opportunity to build momentum with your entire team and overcome […]

It’s time to network together again!

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:35:10 +0000

Are you ready to NETWORK at the Exponential Regional Conferences? You’ve already got your ticket, right? If not — click here to purchase now! We can’t wait to see you — but when you get here what can you expect? GOOD QUESTION. The time has come to be together again in person! This fall, Exponential is hosting five […]

No More Zoom Backgrounds! We Can All Get Together for This

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 19:49:49 +0000

In the “before-times,” people would gather in a large room and experience content and conversations together. There would be music, laughs, learnings, and in the in-between times, something we would call “networking” … but in these more recent times, we’ve all customized our Zoom backgrounds and figured out how to communicate virtually with our teams. […]

Leading Your Team Well Episode 5 – Leading Multiple Generations of Staff

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:10:33 +0000

Generational differences range from small and insignificant to suprisingly drastic, especially when it comes to the workplace. Older generations value different environments and cultures in their jobs than younger generations. This presents a challenge to any church leader faced with a staff that is made up of more than one generation. It's not always immediately […]

Cracking the Code of 21st Century Ministry Episode 4 – Rethink Team Building

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:06:22 +0000

Here’s the one question you need to consider when choosing a potential team member: Is this person on mission with Jesus? Fill your team with disciple-makers on a mission to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10.) In this episode, we’re interviewing Dr. David Docusen. He and his family have successfully built a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural […]

Elevating Generosity and Stewardship Episode 5 – Developing a Strategy

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:01:44 +0000

Hope is not a strategy. We’ll talk about Christ Fellowship’s comprehensive strategy to elevate generosity and stewardship.

Book Tour Podcast – Spacemaker

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 22:56:33 +0000

We all worship someone or something, and for many of us, technology and/or the habits enabled by technology shape our worship. If we are to make space and better know ourselves, we will need to rethink our relationship with the online world and recalibrate our patterns in more constructive ways. Our struggle with time and […]

Practical Multiplication Episode 22 – The Need for Urban Church Planting

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 22:52:57 +0000

Urban environments present unique challenges to church planters, both from a financial and a cultural perspective, which causes some to be hesitant to plant in the middle of a city. However, with increasing populations, the need for urban church planting has never been greater. In this episode, Ralph and Myron will sit down with veteran […]