Enduring Churches Podcast with Alan and Trent

Episode 303: How do we engage the next generation?

Episode 303: How do we engage the next generation?

1. Reaching kids and reaching students are different
   1. Gen Z & alphas
2. Activity-based ministry is out
3. Meaningfulness and sincerity
   1. why they matter
   2. why their spiritual lives matter
4. Relationships still matter
   1. especially unpaid people
   2. they want to partner with you

 

 

Episode302: Why How We Grow Matters

Episode302: Why How We Grow Matters

 

Areas we should see consistent growth Our ability to empathize Our willingness to accept criticism Our desire to train new leaders Our capacity to live at a ministry pace Our knowledge of our own strengths and weaknesses   Why is this important because ministry is hard, and most people don't understand it. because life is challenging and filled with conflict and trouble. because people fail to reach their potential because we cannot be everything for everyone because we struggle spiritually

Episode302: Our Interview with Dave Hastings of Standing Stone Ministry

Episode302: Our Interview with Dave Hastings of Standing Stone Ministries

Want to know more?

Standing Stone Ministry

 

Episode 301: The Ever-Changing Church Landscape

Episode 301: The Ever-Changing Church Landscape   The influence Non-Denominationalism (the only form of church that is really adding)   Speaks  to the issue of organizational distrust Speaks to the issue of church "free agency" Reflects  a rejection traditional models of church Demonstrate a disdain for labels...for example "I attend a Baptist church but I'm not Baptist." Shows people want to own their faith and have concern about someone dictating faith to them. Draws people with smaller bureaucracy.   If you are a denominational church what can you do. Recognize your people are largely more indifferent towards your denomination than you are. Make sure your local identity is clear. Inform but don't over-inform people about your denomination   If you are non-denominational Make sure your theology is clear Look for ways to collaborate with like-minded churches Consider future leadership needs

Episode300: 5 Coming Attractions You Don't Need to Miss

Episode300: 5 Coming Attractions You Don't Need to Miss

 

Coming attractions are a big part of a movie experience. What does the future at a movie theater hold? WELL fewer people go to the movies and most people don’t have a clue what movies are coming out in the near future. Times have shifted.   I was in Colorado perfoming a wedding this past weekend. Something really struck me. Two locations…one where a mega church once stood in what would be (in my estimation be building worth in the tens of millions of dollars). The other is a church that at one time housed maybe 250 people in an amazing location and a property worth several million. Neither church congregation even exists today. Tragic!   This story plays several times over in Colorado and all across our nation. We would be short-sighted not to pay attention to the lessons we can learn from coming attractions. I know from these two churches’ stories that the mega church died due to scandal and the other church died with a leader who had a track record of terrible leadership. - Alan   What are some of the coming attractions we must see?   1) expect a growing distrust of clergy and organizations. In many people’s minds, the larger the organization, the larger cover-ups must be.   2) Expect a need to change leadership style. Once upon a time, strong leaders led, and followers followed. Today, strong leaders build a collaborative team and lead through teams.    3) Expect unchurched people to be messy additions to your congregation. When a new family attends your church, they may have little or no church background. Do you have clear pathways to help their faith grow? People will come your way if you do.   4) Expect some churches to fail. I don’t want to see any of our churches fail, but reality tells a different story. Failure to adapt and change, failure to be outreach-minded… Most churches wait until they are too far down the death trail to get help.     All churches end - but that does not mean they failed - They are placed by God at a place in time and location on purpose for a purpose!   5) Expect buildings to get more costly. Churches should consider asking how the building use can increase. Home school co-ops, chamber of commerce meetings, business leader lunches…put your buildings to use. Busy buildings are more financially viable.

Episode 299: Serving Up Some Summer: Serving with Summer missionaries

Episode 299: Serving Up Some Summer: Serving with Summer Missionaries

I know its November but in order to have a summer missionary serve in your ministry, you have to start now if not earlier.   Should we have summer missionaries serve with us? Inexpensive staff Short term commitment Helps a young person learn about ministry   How to prepare Plan out the who what when why and how Who - why type of person would be best to serve with you?also how many ie 1 male or female or 2 male or 2 female What would you want them to do?  Will that be enough to keep them busy?   Be reasonable and allow for some time off and fun experiences. Set up schedule - typical is June 1 to July 30  Be prepared to explain the why to your church so that you have buy in for providing housing and other needs How will you provide their needs?  Housing, food, transportation.   How to find a summer missionary - Do 1-5 in December     Do 6-9 in January through April      Start by asking other area churches Connect with local College Campus ministries Ask your state or national denomination Develop your elevator speech Why should they come to serve with you? What will they experience? What is the time frame of service? It should sound fun! Develop marketing materials - fliers and other items with QR that leads to a website explaining your place of service. Interview potential missionaries Have them take a personality inventory ask yourself "could I deal with this person daily for 2 months?" Make a commitment to help them grow. - plan to have them do bible study with you and meet weekly During the summer plan a couple of fun activities to take them on. Send them home feeling blessed - financially, swag etc (get your church to make a big blessing bag to send with them back to school. Keep in touch. Send text or cards letting them know you are praying for them in school.

Episode 298: Our Interview With Kevin Baker of Martha Rd Baptist Church

Episode 298: Our Interview With Kevin Baker of Martha Rd Baptist Church in Altus Oklahoma

Kevin has served MRBC for over twenty years. Aln once pastored the church.

 

Episode 297: Our Interview with Jeremiah Abell about Being a New Pastor

Episode 296: Our Interview With David Krueger About a Long Ministry

Episode #294: The Irreplaceable Role of Patience

Episode #294: The Irreplaceable Role of Patience   Understanding Patience   Patience is forged through difficulty Job 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully ." CSB Col 1:11–3:12. 10 Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. - CSB Jas 5:10–2 2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. - CSB 2 Ti 4:2 So often, wherever we see patience in the Bible, we see a struggle of some kind We have struggles with difficult people We have struggles with uncontrollable circumstances We have struggles with ourselves   Some helps for developing patience Press the pause button time to think and reflect intentionally Pray unceasingly giving our struggles to God Practice empathy Seek to understand others Prune your emotions what is healthy and what is unhealthy? Press on stay the course, it may take longer than you expect