All Episodes

228: How to Get People to Step Up at Church (Without Asking for Volunteers)

227: Why People Stop Volunteering at Church (And How To Fix It)

226: Why You’re Struggling to Get Church Volunteers (It’s Not What You Think)

225: 4 Simple Intergenerational Ideas to Stay Connected This Summer

224: Maybe Sports Aren’t the Enemy (And Neither Are Vacations)

223: What If Summer Is Exactly What Your Ministry Needs

222: Mistake #7: Not Giving Them an Easy Way to Quit | Church Volunteer Series

221: Mistake #6: Recruiting (Yep, Just Stop It) | Church Volunteer Series

220: Mistake #5: Planning First, Asking for Help Second | Church Volunteer Series

219: Mistake #4: Requiring Them to Come to Meetings | Church Volunteer Series

218: Mistake #3: Treating Volunteers Like They’re Volunteers | Church Volunteer Series

217: Mistake #2: Making Their Jobs Easier For Them | Church Volunteer Series

216: Mistake #1: Not Asking Them What They’d Rather Be Doing | Church Volunteer Series

215: The Digital Ministry Your Small Church Is Already Doing (And How to Do It Better) | with Leslie Kons

214: Outside the Bubble: Why Our Outreach Isn’t Working & What We’ve Been Missing

213: The Church Women Who Shape Our Faith (Without Ever Holding a Title) | with Traci Mason

212: What Women Really Need (And Why Church Programs Keep Missing It) | with Jessica Francavilla

211: What Actually Works in Ministry With Women | with Abigail Doust

210: Burnout Isn’t Anyone Else’s Fault (And That’s Actually Good News For the Church)

209: Small Churches Got Honest: What 2025 Revealed About Pressure, Hope, & What’s Next

208: Rest This Christmas: Jesus Holds Your Church Together (Not Your Year-End Numbers) | Church Finance Series (Part 6)

207: When Money Gets Messy: Fear, Power, and the Conversations Small Churches Avoid | Church Finance Series (Part 5)

206: Rethinking Your Church Budget: From Scarcity to a Story of Possibility | Church Finance Series (Part 4)

205: Why People Aren’t Giving to Churches (And the Hopeful Shift That Brings Generosity Back) | Church Finance Series (Part 3)

204: Models That Work: Paid Pastors, Bi-Vocational Leaders, and Fully Volunteer Churches | Church Finance Series (Part 2)

203: Money & Mission: Why Revenue Doesn’t Save the Church | Church Finance Series (Part 1)

202: Do No Harm - Sorting Through Counselors, Coaches & Confusion (and Why It’s Worth the Effort )| with Licensed Therapist Kati Quigley

201: Do No Harm - What Churches Can Do to Support Real Healing | with Licensed Therapist Kati Quigley

200: Do No Harm - The Hidden Damage of Pastoral and Biblical Counseling | with Licensed Therapist Kati Quigley

199: Church Spotlight: A Really Free Market - How One Small Church Is Reaching Its Community | with Ruth A. Popkin

198: Navigating Pastoral Transition Without Losing Your Peace (or Your People)

197: Reaching Young Families In An Older Church: What Small Churches Can Really Offer

196: Say It Louder for the People in the Back! Women, Small Churches, & Culture Change

195: "We’ve Always Done It This Way." The Small Church Lie That Keeps Us Stuck | with Ebonie Mukasa

194: Pastor. Pastor’s Wife. Volunteer. Leader. Are We Really That Different? | with Kristen Joy Humiston

193: The “Strong Woman” Lie That’s Breaking Us In Small Churches | with Dee Bryce

192: Women, You’re Not Too Emotional (You Might Not Be Emotional Enough) | with Becky Brown

191: Stop Saying People Aren’t Committed - It’s Hurting Your Ministry

190: Grace, Bullies, & Boundaries: How To Stay In The Conversation

189: When “Grace” Protects Bullies: How We Confuse Avoidance With Christlikeness

188: The Small Church Pay Debate: A Question That Drives Me Crazy!

187: When Your Church Feels Like It’s Dying: What to Do (and What’s Still True)

186: Planning Your KidMin Year | with Lauren Jackson

185: Finally, A Children’s Curriculum Made For Two Or More (Literally) | with Ali Thompson

184: Breaking Down Ministry Silos: Why Collaboration Matters in Small Churches

183: Church Spotlight: Building a Church-Wide Team - Involving All Ages in Children’s Ministry | with Heather Harkins

182: We Turned Discipleship into a Lecture: What Happened to Heart & Soul?

181: Let’s Stop Using ‘Biblical’ to Divide the Church

180: When Dysfunction Becomes the Culture—and No One Talks About It

179: Stop Using People: Volunteers Aren’t a Workforce—They’re Your Ministry

178: Church Spotlight: Unity in Action: Small Town Churches Collaborating to Meet Community Needs | with Carla Adams

177: The Small Church Advantage & The Vital Role of Laity | with Teresa Stewart

176: Getting on the Same Page: Trust & Understanding Between Pastor & Volunteers | with Doug Beutler

175: Church Spotlight: Outreach Ideas To Increase Visibility and Connect with Your Community | With Sarah Harlow

174: More Volunteers, Jesus-Style: Developing People, Not Just Programs

173: Recognizing & Connecting With Hurting Kids: Broken Families, Shifting Realities, & Small Churches | with Melissa J. MacDonald

172: Beyond Inclusion: Helping Every Child Find Their Place in Church | with Kim Botto

171: Teaching Today’s Teens: Leveraging Their Limited Availability, Perceived Apathy, & Growing Agency | with Mike Haynes

170: A Great Children's Ministry Doesn’t Require A Building, A Budget, Or A Brand | with Angela Marks

169: Engaging Adults With Disabilities In Your Small Church: Respect, Support, & Connection | with Victoria White

168: Church Spotlight: How A Planning Party Sparked Creativity, Community, and Collaboration | Kelly Wilson

167: Healthy Responses To Church Conflict: What to Do When Silence Isn’t The Solution | Brenna Fields Hayes

166: Church Spotlight: We Added Dignity To A Food Pantry With A Sit-Down Cafe | Alastair & Nicola Bruce

165: Small Churches & Big Events | with Cheri Kulhawick

164: Finding Your Place: Embracing Unique Gifts & Talents In Ministry | with DG Wynn

163: Scheduling Volunteers & Tools That Help | with Justin King

162: 3 Types Of People Who Visit Your Church Website (& Why It Matters) | with Derek Maxson

161: Helping Women Connect, Grow, & Thrive In Different Stages & Seasons

160: Why Copying Other Women’s Ministries Doesn’t Work & How To Find What Does | with Dee Bryce

159: Women’s Ministry & Embracing God’s Unique Assignment For You | with Aimee Nelson

158: Beyond Events: The Incredible Impact Of Organic Relationships In Women's Ministry | with Charmaine Stulp

157: My Favorite End-Of-Year Journaling Prompts

156: Emmanuel “God With Us” & The Power of WITHness in Ministry

155: The Weight Of Christmas & How To Lighten The Load | with Troy Matchett

154: 5 Simple Steps To Stop Othering And Start Including | Accessibility & Inclusion Series Part 6

153: Creating A Welcoming Place For Unchurched Youth & Non-Traditional Family Structures with Sandy Smith | Accessibility & Inclusion Series Part 5

152: Doing Ministry With Those With Disabilities with Rebecca Wall | Accessibility & Inclusion Series Part 4

151: How To Create A Safe Space For Neurodiverse People Of All Ages With Ruth A. Popkin | Accessibility & Inclusion Series Part 3

150: Got Room For Wheels? Let’s Talk Mobility With Joanne Petersen | Accessibility & Inclusion Series Part 2

149: Welcome Place For All: Accessibility, Inclusion, & Belonging In Small Churches | Accessibility & Inclusion Series Part 1

148: Healthy Church Systems: 6 Key Principles Of Trauma-Informed Ministry with Pete Singer

147: Why Using A Blue Christmas Service This Year Can Boost Community Outreach And Increase Connection

146: 4 Steps To Turn Church Conflict Into Peacemaking Possibilities | with Pastor Doug Marshall

145: How To Get Greater Buy-In And Better Attendance In Women’s Ministry

144: Actually Fun (& Meaningful) Games For Smaller Teen Classes & Youth Groups | with Zach Hartman

143: Best FREE Resource For Church Sexual Abuse Prevention & Response With Kris Buckman & Brad Eubank

142: Mental Health Awareness Month & How A Small Church Can Make An Impact | with Laura Howe

141: Building Community In A Disconnected World: Why An Alone Person Is An Emergency | With Rachael Swihart

140: Embracing The Gaps In Youth Ministry With Mike Haynes

139: You're Never Too Old To Learn The Guitar Or Start A Women's Ministry | with Pamela Yates

138: Sunday School Teaching Tips For All Ages | with Waynell Henson

137: Please Don’t Tell Me … “Ministry Would Be Great If It Weren’t For The People”

136: Helping Small Churches Thrive | Interview with Karl Vaters

135: Five Things To Get Unstuck & Experience The Ministry God Has For You

134: How A Small Church Became A Hub For Disaster Relief, Racial Reconciliation, & A K-12 School | with Dr. Dawn Baldwin Gibson

133: Small Church Mindset Shifts, Strategies, & Support | A Story Of Renewal With Allison Marco

132: Church Growth & The Comparison Trap | with Cledra Gross

131: Encouragement From A Small Church Pastor’s Wife | with Joni Topper

130: You Can’t Lead Well If You Don’t Teach Well: Healthy Leadership Is Others-Centered

129: We Can’t Love Well Without Understanding: Church Health & Community

128: You Can’t Be Well, If You Don’t Love Well: Church Health & Loving Others

127: You Can’t Serve Well If You Aren’t Well: Church Health & Personal Healing

126: Balancing Work, Family, & Volunteering At Church | with Bill Gunter

125: A Creative Approach To Midweek Discipleship | with Stephanie Carlson

124: Could A Podcast Work For Your Ministry? It’s Easier Than You Think | with Tim Hull

123: How To Build A Legacy Kids’ Ministry In A Small Church

122: The Genius Envelope Idea For Intergenerational Connection | with Adrienne Dillard

121: Neurodiversity, Storytelling, & Fidget Toys | with Krissy Richardson

120: Why Relationship Comes Before Discipleship With Unchurched Youth | with Pastor Sunny Brown

119: How To Make All-Age Worship Work (& Why We Should) | with Andrew Pressley

118: Children’s Ministry In Small Churches: Here’s The Gift We Have To Offer | with Natalie Frisk

117: 7 Things To Do When You're Tired Of Church Ministry

116: Why Celebrating Mother's Day In Church Is Complicated

115: Recruit & Retain More Volunteers: Make These 5 Changes To Your Volunteer Environment

114: How To Host A Tea Party That Makes An Impact

113: Great Ministry Starts With Where You Are And What You Have

112: Church Growth: Why Numbers Don't Equal Success

111: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Planning Parties

110: How To Embrace Core Values To Increase Ministry Results, Consistency, & Support

109: From Small Church Pastor To Community Pastor | with Pastor Jeff Shouse

108: 23 Specific Ways To Build Relational Ministry Into Your Life

107: The Top Question To Ask If You Want A Successful Small Church Ministry In 2024

106: 5 Steps To Start A Women's Ministry From Scratch

105: How To Develop More Vision For Your Small Church Ministry

104: How To Help More People Find Your Church | with Justin Nava

103: Help Your Church Move From “More Events” To “More Purpose” | with Becky Sargent

102: Best Care Ministry: Teach People To Care Even When They’re Afraid | with Kari Bartkus

101: Nine Rapid-Fire Answers To Top Small Church Challenges

100: Behind The Scenes At Small Church Ministry With Maggie Dupree

099: 5 Steps To Handle Disagreement & Preserve Unity (Yep, It Can Be Done!)

098: Ministry Exhaustion: How To Recognize Signs & Seasons Before It’s Too Late | with Shannon Carroll

097: Two Strategies To Help Change A Small Church Culture From Numbers-Focused To People-Focused

096: Expert Tips For Better Church Communication & Event Promotion With Barbara Carneiro

095: 5 Keys To Lead Children’s Ministry Well In Small Churches | with Sara Vojtaske

094: Understanding Trauma In The Pews & What It Means For Your Small Church | with Janyne McConnaughey

093: How One Small Church Turned Their Passion For Foster Families Into Statewide Impact & Community Partnerships

092: Small Church Pastors: Shared Expectations, Support, & The Truth About Why They Aren’t Great At Everything

091: Christmas Edition | Easy Tips For Set-Up And Decor That Draw People In To Experience God (Not Just Learn About Him)

090: Effective Outreach: Moving From Programs & Events To Outreach As A Lifestyle | with Ebonie Mukasa

089: Teaching Children In Smaller Settings & The Power Of Object Lessons | With Anne Marie Gosnell

088: Secrets & Strategies To Avoid Ministry Burnout This Christmas

087: The Power Of A Small Church Christmas: Do These 3 Things (No Burnout Required)

086: Teaching Children In The Digital Age: What’s Different & How We Can Do Better | with Brittany Nelson

085: 3 Keys To Start (Or Restart) A Successful Ministry: Women, Children, Outreach, & More

084: Is A Grief Ministry Right For Your Small Church? With Karen Altizer

083: Children’s Ministry In Small Churches: Prioritizing Relationships Over Programming With Tyler Bates

082: Singles Ministry In Small Churches (We Need To Do Better) with Sabrina McDonald

081: Why Loving Volunteers Well Is Infinitely More Important Than Recruiting | Becoming Series Part 5

080: Is A Lack Of Volunteers Leading You To Solve The Wrong Problem? | Becoming Series Part 4

079: Why Empathy Might Be The Missing Factor In Your Volunteer Equation | Becoming Series Part 3

078: Every Volunteer Is Worth This | Becoming Series Part 2

077: Volunteer Issues Are Almost Always Leadership Issues | Becoming Series Part 1

076: Anniversary Edition: 5 Steps To Turn Milestones Into Celebrations That Propel You Forward

075: 3 Steps To Turn The Summer Volunteer Slump Into A Season To Remember

074: Are You Too Busy In Ministry?

073: Better Websites For Small Churches With Marc Hyde (5 Things To Fix)

072: What Are You Doing About Missions? With Reno Anderson

071: Outreach 101: How One Small Church Went From Feeding One To Feeding Hundreds Every Week | With Shineka Dixon

070: Stop Looking For The Perfect Program (& What Matters A Whole Lot More)

069: Small Youth Groups, Mighty Ministry | With Youth Pastor Don Joel

068: Children & Youth Ministry In Small Churches: What’s The Pastor Got To Do With It? | With Ryan David Sims

067: Try This If You Want Kids To Remember What You Teach With Joy Wendling

066: If You’re "Just" A Volunteer, You Can Do More Than You Think

065: Streaming, Church Planting, & Healthy Ministry With Phil Thompson

064: Why We Chose To Be A For-Profit Ministry (& What That Even Means)

063: Why Stepping Away From Ministry Is A Necessity Not A Luxury

062: Interdenominational Events & Partnerships: Tips To Keep The Focus On Who Unites Us Instead Of What Divides Us | With Amy Satterfield

061: Ministry "In The Middle" With Dee Bryce: Lessons Of Perseverance

060: 3 Simple Steps To Innovative Community Outreach | With Miles Larson

059: Close To Home: How Small Churches Can Make An Impact In Diaspora Missions | Special Guest Tim Rickel

058: Small Churches & Global Missions: How To Build True Partnerships | Jeff & Christine Stanfield From World Gospel Mission

057: Spreading Peace In Nepal | A Small Church Conversation With Charmaine Stulp

056: How To Facilitate A Bible Study When You Don’t Know Enough (& Why That Actually Might Be A Good Thing)

055: Level Up Your Women’s Ministry: How To Move From Fluff To Life-Change

054: "Among you as one who serves" | An Interview With A Small Church Bivocational Pastor, Tony Bryce

053: Is Your Small Church Called To Big Impact? | A Conversation With Reverend Timothy Jackson

052: A (Re)Solution For Competing For Dates & Volunteers In Your Small Church

051: Are You A Small Church Where People Gather Or Where People Connect? | A Conversation With Kristen Joy

050: Social Media & Small Churches: Why It Matters & How To Do It Better With Sheila Chester

049: When Volunteers Are Faithful | Responding To Volunteers Part 4

048: “We’ve Always Done It This Way” | Responding To Volunteers Part 3

047: When Volunteers Commit But Don’t Show Up | Responding To Volunteers Part 2

046: “Been There, Done That” | Responding To Volunteers Part 1

045: Sneak Peek Into The Live Launch Party Of The Small Church Network

044: Why Volunteers Really Say “NO” (& What to Do About It)

043: What Everyone's Talking About: Never-Before-Seen Help & Hope for Small Churches

042: The Most Affordable, Flexible Worship App For Small Teams & No Teams With Zarc Porter | Worship & Tech Series Part 8

041: What’s A Blue Christmas Service? (& Why We Might Need It More This Year Than Ever) | Worship & Tech Series Part 7

040: Basic Tech For Small Churches With Darin Elquist | Worship & Tech Series Part 6

039: How To Teach Yourself Tech When There’s No One Around To Learn From - With Matt Hernando | Worship & Tech Series Part 5

038: Reading, Response, & Reflection Find Their Place In Modern Worship | Worship & Tech Series Part 4

037: Why Aren’t They Singing? Zarc Porter Shares Tips For More Engaged Worship | Worship & Tech Series Part 3

036: What To Do When Worship Feels Stagnant In Small Churches | Worship & Tech Series Part 2

035: 5 Keys To Develop A Worship Team When There’s No One To Recruit | Worship & Tech Series Part 1

034: Leading in Small Churches: What Makes it Different and How to Do it Best

033: One Best Solution To Bridge Generation Gaps In Women’s (Or Men’s) Ministry

032: Church Growth For Small Churches: Dealing With Feelings Of Failure When What You’re Doing Isn’t Working

031: Healthy Expectations for Pastors In Small Churches (& What You Might Be Doing Wrong)

030: How To Build Widespread Support for Stronger Child Safety in Your Small Church

029: Keeping Your Children’s Ministry Safe With Smaller Budgets & Smaller Teams

028: Why I Left My Church & Why I Went Back

027: How to Bounce Back From Burnout (Tangible Tips For You & Your Volunteers)

026: Why We Don’t Have A Conference For Pastors’ Husbands (& A 1000 Other Things)

025: No More Boring Handbooks! Create a Ministry Handbook That Increases Momentum, Builds Trust, & Recruits Volunteers Too!

024: Where We’ve Been & Where We’re Going (The Story of The Creative Little Church)

023: Seriously Unforgettable Volunteer Appreciation

022: How to Share What You’re Learning to Influence Change

021: Does Your Logo Need An Update? 7 Steps For Small Churches

020: Yes, You Can Fire A Volunteer (But You Might Want To Do This Instead)

019: Incredible Tips For The Best Ministry Fair (& Why You Should Do One)

018: Personality Inventories & Spiritual Gifts Assessments (& Where We Get It Wrong)

017: 3 Quick Wins Plus 2 Long-Term Strategies To Get More Volunteers In Children’s Ministry

016: 5 Fresh Ways to Structure Children’s Ministry If You’re Short Volunteers Or Just Need A Break

015: Beyond Behaviors: Where Successful Mixed-Age Sunday School Begins

014: Create a Volunteer Culture of Loyalty & Longevity | Volunteer Series Part 5

013: Set Up Volunteers to Succeed in Your Small Church | Volunteer Series Part 4

012: Avoid The Top 7 Mistakes Small Churches Make When Recruiting Volunteers | Volunteers Series Part 3

011: Increase Your Pool of Church Volunteers & Identify the Right Ones Before You Ask | Volunteer Series Part 2

010: Strategies to Find, Keep, and Develop More Volunteers in Your Small Church | Volunteer Series Part 1

009: Do You Need Written Job Descriptions for Volunteers in Small Churches?

008: How Rest, Stillness, & Health Relate to Work in Small Church Ministry

007: The Beauty of Intergenerational Ministry in Small Churches (& How Your Church Can Experience it too!)

006: Choosing a Curriculum for Children’s Sunday School in Small Churches (& Why It’s Not Quite as Important as You Think)

005: The Best Way to Find Out Why People Aren’t Coming (& Why Your Assumptions are Probably Wrong)

004: How to Host Meetings People Actually Want to Come To

003: Debunking The 80/20 Rule (It’s Not a Rule; It’s A Symptom)

002: Why It's Not About the Numbers (& It Never Was)

001: 4 Reasons Small Churches are Awesome (& Why I Started This Podcast)