200churches Podcast: Ministry Encouragement for Pastors of Small Churches

Pastor Bryan and Tammy came to Red Lodge Alliance Church in the year 2000. They raised their boys in Red Lodge and have become a constant presence of love and faith in the community. Pastor Bryan, in his quiet and unassuming way, shares his story of consistency and faithfulness as pastor of this church that welcomes outsiders who've moved in as well as long established Red Lodge residents. As...

Dan Reiland wrote a unique kind of book last year - a devotional book specifically for leaders! He has never written one like it, and it is to nurture the hearts of leaders in 2022, when they might be beaten down some by the past few years. Jeff and Jonny spoke with him for Jeff's "Coaching For Pastors" podcast, but they intended to air it on the 200churches Podcast as well - and th...

Jeff kicked off the Coaching For Pastors Podcast as a daily podcast for pastors - two months ago on March 7. Since then, there have been Monday-Friday episodes that are all under 10 minutes per episode, and a Saturday "Weekend Edition" episode that is long form and includes a conversation with a guest who has expertise to bring to the ministry conversation. Today, on Episode 380 - I incl...

What a fantastic conversation this is with Cherith Nordling , theologian, professor, mentor, author, and lover of Jesus and his Church. This is her 3rd appearance on our podcast, having joined us for episodes 231 & 264 in 2017/2018.  She is on a teaching team for the upcoming Hebrews Class at the OpenTableConference.com where her bio says this: Cherith is a theologian, writer, and mentor in Ch...

Jeff and Jonny talk about making ministry changes in a church, but first asking the question - "Is it worth it?" Is the cost you will have to pay to make the change, worth the benefit that will result, and how do you determine that? Jonny remembered literally all the way back to Episode 02 - Handling Sacred Cows In Your Church , and decided this episode is the part 2 update on sacred cow...

Today Jeff talks to pastors about two fundamentals that transform us - meditating on God's Word, and meditating on a question... listen to learn the question! :-) Enjoy!

Mark Messmore is the lead pastor of Mount Olivet Christian Church in Williamstown KY. Mark talks with Jeff and Jonny about his adventures in ministry - like writing a book on preaching titled Simple Preaching Prep - A guide to finish your first sermon and flourish beyond , and also dueling with the challenges of ministry and personal life. Mark shares openly from a very vulnerable place, in a way...

Jeremy Norton is the lead pastor at Mountainview Church in White Horse, the Yukon Territory, Canada. Check out what Jeremy is doing in the video on THIS PAGE . It is really encouraging that he and his church are reaching out to the northern areas of Canada to evangelize and disciple all people. Jeremy has been a "friend of the podcast" for many years, and appeared also on episodes 233 an...

Jeff and Jonny talk with Dr. Doug Bursch about his latest book titled Posting Peace - Why Social Media Divides Us and What We Can Do About It. Doug has extensively researched, written, and considered the impact of social media on our culture and churches. He suggests a redemptive approach toward social media by Christians. Since the most important conversations are happening online, he does not wa...

Craig T. Owens is a Michigan pastor and author of Shepherd Leadership - The Metrics That Really Matter .  Craig talks about how pastors can measure church and ministry health in our post-pandemic reality. Craig led his church through a lot of change over the past two years and eventually into a new facility. We discuss Craig's book and the metrics that point to a healthy ministry. Enjoy!

Bob Tiede has been working with CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) for almost 50 years! He is an exceptional leader who, for the last 9 years, has been the content creator for the website LeadingWithQuestions.com . At Bob's site, you can download his four books for FREE! They give you all kinds of great leadership fodder to help you as a leader lead with questions instead of simply tell...

Jon Ritner, from Ecclesia, a church in Hollywood CA , joins Jonny to talk about the impact of our post-Christian culture on how we approach ministry in 2022 America. Jon's book, Positively Irritating: Embracing a Post-Christian World to Form a More Faithful and Innovative Church , came out in 2020 and is exactly about what the subtitle says! Jonny and Jon talk at length about that, and pastor...

Brian Russell has been a seminary prof at Asbury Seminary for more than 20 years, where he has been training men and women for ministry. He had his Master's, then PhD,  was a seminary professor, but it was even after that when he finally learned contemplative practices that have changed his life, maybe even saved his life. His new book is Centering Prayer - Sitting quietly in God's prese...

Charles Stone is not a neuroscientist or neurologist! Stone is a pastor who has done extensive research into neuroscience and leadership especially related to ministry. He is working on his PhD and has been in pastoral ministry for 40 years. He talks with us about the half dozen or so books he's written now about our brains, neuroscience research, and ministry. You can find Charles HERE ! Enj...

Jonny and Jeff talk with Dr. Jeannine Brown from Bethel Seminary in Minnesota about her soon to be released commentary on Philippians. Jeannine talks about the things that surprised her, inspired her, and challenged her. She shares a personal story about how the Apostle Paul in Philippians was her companion through a difficult time in her life, just when she was writing the book. This is one of ma...

Alex and Alyssa are church planters in Lincoln NE with a uniquely interesting approach. People like Alex and Alyssa are going to change the world, one community at a time. The Millennial and GenZ generations are now the hope of the Church! When I met Alex I was so excited about what he and Alyssa were doing that I knew I would have to record with him, and then share it with you. Jonny and I had a...

Jeff and Jonny reflect on Ava Green's ingenuity and improv as she takes her church completely portable, on Zoom, yet still meets hours each week with them! This episode will get your creative juices flowing! Enjoy!

Jeff and Jonny return LIVE for the first time in 8 months! We catch up on Jonny's digital ministry, talk Carey Neiuwhof's future series, small church resources 9 years ago and today, and also talk about Jonny's wife Kayla, and how she published her first book - To Light Their Way - Prayers and Liturgies for Parents . This was a fun breaking back into podcasting episode for us!

Scott Dalen, a small church pastor near Omaha, Nebraska joins Jeff on this episode to talk about the new normal, the liturgical year and Lectionary, and how he maintains life-giving relationships even in the blur of ministry. Another encouraging episode for pastors of small churches! Enjoy!

After an 8-month break, Jeff begins Season 03 of the 200churches Podcast. Jeff and Jonny will be bringing new content for a new year! Today, Jeff speaks to pastors about what Lifeway Research has presented as the pastor's greatest personal need for 2022, after polling 1,000 pastors! This need of so many pastors can be so easily met...

Leonard Sweet joins Jeff on the podcast today! They talk about loving your ZIP code well around your local church, plus a bunch more! You can find more of Leonard Sweet at https://www.leonardsweet.org .

Michael Adam Beck joins Jeff and Jonny adds his two cents as well on this episode. Michael is a seminary professor, author, pastor, consultant, ministry coach, and a leader in the Fresh Expressions of the Church movement. He has co-authored a book with Leonard Sweet titled, Contextual Intelligence. Do you know what digital virtuality is? If not, listen up because it's fascinating and it exist...

A Brand New Episode that feels so retro! Jeff and Jonny are LIVE in studio together for this episode, talking about what they've been up to, catching their listeners up on the goings-on in their lives and ministries, and sharing what  ministry is like in the (almost) new era.

How can I create this Coaching For Pastors episode and not share it with my 200churches listeners?? Here is another parallel episode for you - one I know you need! Enjoy! Check out Keith at Center Hope !

200churches listeners - this is a parallel episode with my Coaching For Pastors Podcast! This is episode 6 from that podcast and I think you're going to love it! Later this week another 200churches episode will be released, but I wanted to you get the benefit of this one. Two NASA engineers talking Church health and strategy - it's a fascinating conversation! Enjoy. If you like this epis...