Church Leadership Lab

In this episode, we sit down with Tali Kauflin, Executive Director of Accounts and Services at Clever Marketing. She leads the Clever team through process development, client services, leadership coaching, and personal development. She has worked in a variety of roles in ministry. In this conversation, we discuss: How to think about church marketing. Measuring marketing success with a kingdom mind...

In this episode, we sit down with Ben Stapley, speaker, consultant, professor, and executive pastor at Life Christian Church. He's a creative with a diverse background including expertise in creating and capturing memorable moments for non-profits, organizations, and churches. In this conversation, we discuss: Strategies for revitalizing church services. How to inject creativity into the mund...

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Kovacs, executive director of the Gospel Care Collective, member of the association of biblical counselors, and adjunct professor at Heritage Theological Seminary. In our conversation, we discuss the following: The current state of health for today’s pastors. Helpful ways to engage those struggling with mental health. The importance of vulnerability, communi...

In the episode, we sit down with Mark MacDonald, a church communication expert with over 20 years of experience. He’s held positions as a pastor, communications director, marketing VP, creative director, and consultant to churches of all sizes. In the conversation, we talk about: Why it’s important for a church to develop a communication strategy. Easy wins churches can have to improve their commu...

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Thacker, an author, assistant professor at Boyce College, and Director of the Research Institute at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. In our conversation, we talk about: How to think wisely about technology. How to combat the various traps of technology. Approaching new technology as a church leader. Ways to set...

In this episode, we sit down with Clark Campbell, Founder and CEO of RVRB, a video-first agency specializing in event and branding amplification. In our conversation, we talk about the following: The power of storytelling and social media. Practical social media strategies for churches. How to leverage storytelling within a mid-size church. How to add value to your social media and videography Joi...

Join us for part two of our conversation with Alan George as we dive into: What's leadership in the church truly about? The importance of measuring the immeasurable in ministry. How to find rest and refuge for our souls amid the busyness of ministry.  Links from the show: Connect with Alan George: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website | Blog | Church Website | YouTube Resources Mentioned:...

Kacie and Scott recently sat down with pastors and church leaders at a conference and asked “what’s going well in ministry right now?” and “what’s one component of a healthy church?”.  In this episode, you’ll hear from church leaders across the country who are leading in different contexts and in churches of various sizes. We hope this encourages you and the work you’re doing in your ministry.

In this episode, we sit down with Alan George, a digital ministry expert who spent 10 years as the Online Pastor at Life. Church . In part-one one of our discussion, we cover leveraging technology to make the truth of Jesus accessible to all. In our conversation, we talk about: How pastors and church leaders can leverage digital platforms to reach beyond the church walls and regularly connect peop...

In this episode, we sit down with Holly Tate, Senior Vice President of Leadership Development at Leadr. In our conversation, we talk about the following: Why staff development is essential. Defining your priorities as a church leader. Recognizing the important versus the urgent. How to create a great place to work with a healthy culture. Join the conversation as we talk about what the church is mi...

In this episode, we sit down with Jim Sheppard, CEO and Principle at Generis. In our conversation, we talk about the following: Leading and discipling your church towards giving. Having the right mindset around money. How to increase generosity in the church. Digital tools and generosity. Join the conversation as we talk about how to view generosity within the church, how to leverage your church s...

In this episode, Scott & Kacie recap the recent Healthy Church Summit we hosted on June 1st. The Summit introduced the roadmap for Ministry Brands and shared details about the new Healthy Church Hub. In this episode, they discuss: The innovation that will most impact church leaders. How the Healthy Church Hub will help empower healthy churches What the future looks like for connecting churches...

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Minter who founded and pastored Reston Bible Church in Northern Virginia for 47 years. After a successful succession, Mike has gone on to write and serve as a pastor to pastors, helping leaders to persevere while maintaining healthy rhythms. In our conversation, we talk about the following: Root Causes of Why Pastors Are Leaving Ministry. 3 Warning Signs for...

In this episode, we sit down with Sean Bublitz, who spent two decades in ministry (Community Christian Church and Granger Community Church) and now serves full-time as a Ministry Consultant with the Unstuck Group. In our conversation, we talk about the following: Understanding the Church Lifecycle. Self-assessing questions to understand the health of your church. The biggest threat to the culture...

In this episode, we sit down with Nils Smith, digital marketing and ministry consultant and founder of Amplify Social Media. In our conversation, we talk about the following: Common mistakes churches make when it comes to their digital presence. The intersection of digital innovation and ministry. Small steps to take to be more active on social media. Advantages of outsourcing your social media. J...

In this episode, we sit down with Ken Thomas, President and Founder of Connect Ministries. In our conversation, we talk about the following: The history and impact of Connect Ministries.  Why camps are way more than just “something for the kids to do”. How events and camps are catalysts for connection. Common mistakes churches when planning for Summer camps and events. How churches can develop gro...

In this episode, we sit down with Karl Vaters, teaching pastor at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, author of multiple books, and small church leadership expert. In our conversation, we talk about the following: How to Define a Small Church. Benefits and Challenges of a Small Church. How to Find Rest as a Small Church Pastor. How to Measure the Health of a Small Church. Join the conversation as we...

In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Deatherage, a church media and communications consultant who works with churches and non-profits to find the right tech solutions. In our conversation, we talk about the following: How to create a digital communications strategy in the church. Common church website mistakes. How to maximize your communications channels. Join the conversation as we talk ab...

In this episode, we talk with Creative Arts Pastor and CEO of Creative Level Leadership, Nicole Lucas. In our conversation, we talk about the following: Transitioning from Peer to Leader: Navigating the Change. Leading Creatives: Wins and Challenges. Communicating with Creatives: How Leaders Can Be Effective. Relational Equity: Why it’s Important. Ways to Increase Your Church’s Creativity.   Liste...

In this episode, we sit down with Jessica Bealer, the Director of Ministry Engagement at Generis. She's been leading in ministry for 22 years. Six of these were spent overseeing standards, systems, staffing, and atmosphere for the family ministry of Elevation Church. She's overseen the launch of twenty locations and is considered a specialist in multisite.  In our conversation, we talk a...

Easter weekend is a busy season for church leaders. A lot of time is spent planning, preparing, and doing ministry, but what about when the weekend is over? Hopefully, your heart is full and most likely your tank will be empty. So what do you do? How do you recover? In this episode, Scott & Kacie give 7 practical ways (plus a bonus) that church leaders can rest well post-Easter weekend to ensu...

In this episode, we sit down with Jacob Shipley, a social media strategist who previously worked for YouVersion Bible App and is currently over the Digital Customer Experience at Tyson Foods.  In our conversation, we talk about the following: Creating an effective social media strategy How to carefully plan your social content Steps to take to repurpose your content How to define success in social...

In this episode, we sit down with Ted Lowe, Speaker, Author, and Founder of Marriedpeople.org. In our conversation, we talk about the following: Common traits of healthy marriages. How your thought life and mental health can change your marriage. How to identify when a marriage is becoming unhealthy. How to create healthy boundaries as a church leader. Ways to cultivate healthy marriages within yo...

This week we sit down with Jessica Moore, a church generosity coach,  and talk about how to increase a culture of generosity at your church. In this conversation we discuss: • Common misconceptions about increasing giving and the conversation that surrounds it. • Low-hanging fruit for churches that will impact and help increase generosity. • Using technology to increase biblical stewardship. Liste...

On this episode, we sit down with David Choate to talk about how churches can best communicate in the digital world we live in. Digital communications are not just about crafting a witty social media post or clickbait email. Digital communications is a way to expand the walls of your church and use digital tools as megaphones to share the good news of the Gospel. The way you leverage digital commu...