Church Talk TV

Jump into the art of visitor retention with Bill T-B in this week’s Catalytic Conversation. Discover practical strategies to transform first-time guests into engaged community members. Learn the secrets behind making meaningful connections, ensuring every newcomer feels valued. Join us on Thursday at 10 CDT as we unlock the potential for growth in your congregation.

Welcome to the Growing Church Network Catalytic Conversations podcast with host Bill Tenney-Britton. In this episode Bill explains why hospitality is the crucial factor in turning first-time visitors into returning guests, especially during the holiday season. He covers the importance of web presence, guest parking, greeters outside, clear signage, ushers, conversation-based connection techniques,...

Sure, "Everyone" knows who you are ... or at least knows what your church is all about. Right? Probably not. In fact, you'd be surprised how little your community knows about your church, even if you're highly visible in your community. And there's a great way to test that ... and once you know the truth, there are plans you put into place to "fix" the problem that you probably don't even know you...

Join us for another lively conversation with Drs. Kris and Bill as they uncover the real priorities driving your church. They’ll explore how to spot the difference between what you say you value and what you actually prioritize. Using practical exercises and biblical examples, they’ll reveal your church's true core values and give you tools to help align them with your mission.

The vast majority of churches in the United States seem to have embraced the model of congregational chaplaincy. The church hired the pastor to take care of the flock. The problem with that model is that it's not biblical and it guarantees that the church will decline to the point that it must close. In this episode, Drs. Kris and Bill have a lively conversation about leading a congregation to the...

It's that time of year when planning summer, fall, and event winter events is upon us. Instead of creating events that only a few neighbors attend, and virtually nobody shows up for worship as a result, Drs. Kris and Bill will show you how to create events that will allow your neighbors and connect them with your congregation and with your Sunday services.

If you are a marketing pro, you already know the difference between Impressions and reach. Impressions are the number of times a particular ad is displayed, and reach is the number of people who connected with that ad in some meaningful way. When it comes to the church, the effectiveness of your reach is largely based on who sees the Impressions. If this sounds confusing, don't worry, Drs. Kris an...

Ever wonder why so many church growth initiatives fail? It's because there's a lack of strategy in most of them. In this episode, Drs. Kris and Bill have a lively conversation about  The core strategy that it takes to grow a church today.

How do you define “Ministry Failure”? Too often, it’s not defined at all, so “dead” ministries are still in operation months and years after they should have been gently “put down.” In this episode, Drs. Kris and Bill look at ministry failure, how to diagnose it, and how to learn from it.

Too many church leaders look at growing churches in their community as if they were the enemy ... or as if there was some secret sauce, a magical spell, or a potent pill that made the growth happen. "What do they have that we don't have?" Believe it or not, it's not the smoke machine, rock band, and youth group that's growing that church. In almost all of those churches, it's something completely...

Christianity is not and never has been a solo sport. There is no Christianity without the church. Similarly, church leadership is not a solo sport. There is no church without a team – or teams. However, in most churches, there is some serious role confusion about what church leadership is all about, who's really in charge, and how decisions are made. In this episode, Drs. Kris and Bill have a live...

Drs. Kris and Bill engage in an insightful conversation about the vital role of church hospitality in their podcast, "First Impressions Last: Securing a Second Visit." They explore surprising statistics that reveal low retention rates for first-time church visitors and discuss the psychology behind guest experiences. The episode emphasizes the importance of forging genuine emotional and intellectu...

If you have a blurry vision, your church will have a bleak future. It amazes us how often we see the deer in the headlights look from church members when we ask, "What is your vision for the future of this church?" A church without a unified and compelling vision is a church that is going nowhere pretty rapidly. In this episode, Drs. Kris and Bill have a lively conversation about developing strate...

Join Drs. Kris and Bill as they dive into the crucial topic of crafting an effective church mission statement. They’ll explore what sets a great mission statement apart, how to anchor it in biblical principles, and how to make it a living, guiding force for your church. Discover the power of a clear, compelling mission statement.

Every church has more than its fair share of bullies – I call them Rats in my Herding Cats book. The truth is, it only takes one to make life on earth a bit of hell for the pastor and for those who are trying to lead the church in Mission fulfillment. However, ultimately the bullies aren't the real problem. It's the rest of the zoo that's killing churches. In this episode, Drs. Kris  and Bill  Hav...

It’s a perpetual problem. A visitor manages to make their way to your worship service, but before you can make a real connection, they’ve darted out the door without a word to anybody. TRUTH: If you can’t retain your guests, you can’t grow your church. In this week’s episode, Drs. Kris and Bill have a lively discussion about four things you can do to turn your visitors into returning guests.

Join Drs. Kris and Bill for a lively conversation on crafting sermons that resonate deeply, presenting simple solutions to complex problems, and embedding actionable calls to action for transformative impacts. Discover the 10 things your sermon must and must not have to transform lives today.

Every week, you sweat bullets to create a sermon that invites your church members and guests to live a transformed life. But studies have shown, all that work you've done is little more than a foggy memory by Monday and forgotten completely by Tuesday. This week, Drs. Bill and Kris are doing something different ... join them as they dig into the world of ChatGPT and show you how to leverage your s...

The stats are in and they're not pretty. 53% of US Churches have not yet reached their pre-COVID numbers (Hartford Research, 2024) and 66% of US Churches are in some state of decline. And to that the recent report that pastors (and by extension, churches) are falling lower in the "We Trust You" polls and that spells T.R.O.U.B.L.E. At least part of the reason for the failures is that most of those...

Quick question: you've been tasked with finding a new church treasurer. Which of the following traits will you prioritize in the selection process? (1) Experience in Accounting; (2) Longevity as a Church Member; (3) Church Giving History; (4) Personal Spiritual Practices; (5) Financial Education. In this episode, Drs. Kris and Bill have a lively conversation about getting the right people into the...

Easter's coming ... the busiest, most stressful time of the year for most pastors. Let's face it, there's a lot on the line – it's likely the best attended worship service you'll have all year! But then comes the let-down: the week after Easter when none of those visitors return. In this episode, Drs. Kris and Bill have another lively conversation. This time they're talking about about how to turn...

Artificial Intelligence is here ... and it looks like it's here to stay. But is that a GOOD thing, especially in the church? Rumors are that some pastors are letting the "godless" cloud-based computers to write their sermons for them. This week, Drs. Kris and Bill share what they've learned about AI and how church leaders can use this new tool without compromising the truth of the gospel.

There are very few jobs in today's world that are more demanding and frustrating and demeaning and ultimately fulfilling than that of a church's Lead Pastor. In this episode of ChurchTalk TV, Drs. Kris and Bill have a lively conversation about what it means to be a "successful" lead pastor ... and what the role of that pastor is in today's church.

This week, join Drs. Kris and Bill for an engaging and insightful discussion on revolutionizing church giving. This episode is packed with dynamic strategies, from harnessing the magnetic power of storytelling to demystifying transparent budgets, all aimed at igniting a culture of generosity. Tune in for transformative tips that promise to elevate your church's financial stewardship and community...

We get so tired of hearing pastors tell us how busy they are, but when we ask them what's keeping them busy, it's the wrong kind of busy. If you're too busy maintaining the status quo, putting out fires, chasing shiny squirrels, or playing Pastor Fetch, then you won't want to miss this episode. Drs. Kris and Bill have a lively conversation about prioritizing your New Year around the mission critic...