Healthy Church Podcast

Every healthy church has a clear understanding about what they value, their mission, vision and strategy to be effective.  On today's podcast, Larry and Drew discuss the intro for a series of upcoming podcasts breaking each of these things down to help churches successfully plan towards health and actually live each of these imperatives out. Values - The WHY - you do what you do. Mission -  T...

On this episode of the HCP Larry leads our conversation about the body of Christ serving one another. In this time, we need to use the gifts God has given each of us to be a blessing wherever we can. Drew talks about losing his mom recently and how the church stepped up and served his family and what an incredible blessing it was for them and what he's learning as a result. As a special addit...

HCP welcomes Pastor and Author Daniel Im. Daniel has written several amazing books on church planting (Planting Missional Churches), ministry (No Silver Bullets), and his latest book on soul health (You Are What You Do - and 6 other Lies). The conversation starts by discussing the succession process Daniel has been walking through for the last couple of years and what that has looked like for his...

In this first HCP episode of 2021, hosts Larry Barker and Drew Cline discuss a few of the many lessons we've learned from 2020. Without a doubt this past year was one of, if not the hardest year any of us has ever faced. As pastors we were forced to take a step back, remember what was most important about our call and mission and then lean forward into the unknown of what 2020 had to offer. I...

HCP hosts welcome guest pastor Mitch Friedman from Journey Bible Church near Austin, TX. Pastor Mitch was raised in the Jewish faith but found Jesus after a successful Oil and Gas Career had begun. The Lord changed his heart and with that, his aspirations of worldly success. He's a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, has worked in several mega-churches and then planted JBC 17 years ago....

On this podcast, Larry and Drew talk about what it looks like to lead a healthy team.  Pastors should offer every team member Grace, Honesty (courageous conversations), Proper placement in where to serve, and Prayer. They also talk about leadership traits that help facilitate health on a team like: - Brokenness (God teaches us the most in the valley, not on the mountain) - Uncommon Communion (Are...

On this episode of the Healthy Church Podcast, Larry and Drew welcome Pastor Rick Mills from Elizabeth, CO. Rick planted Journey of Faith Baptist Church in 2004 and has worked primarily as a bi-vocational minister. Around Thanksgiving Rick tested positive for COVID 19 and continue to lead through deacons and other volunteers in the church. Rick talks about those challenges and opportunities that C...

Our interview with Dr. Steve Crawley was so helpful we asked him to stay and continue our conversation. In this episode we continue our first discussion on "Conversations on Leadership" but focus specifically on MARGIN (Making extra time and space in our lives for rest, health, family, hobbies, and most importantly - Sabbath). We also discuss DISCIPLESHIP and the program Steve has been l...

On this episode of Healthy Church Podcast, Larry and Drew welcome Dr. Steve Crawley to the show. Steve has his PHD in Leadership and the conversation touches on many different points around that topic. There seems to be a shortage in godly leaders in the church and the guys talk about why that is and how to see it change. Steve shares about transactional leadership as well as the more effective tr...

On this episode of Healthy Church Podcast Larry and Drew welcome their wives to the studio to discuss what it's like being married to the pastor. Shelby Barker and Lori Cline share stories of expectations and wounds related to serving alongside their husbands in the ministry. They talk about the most difficult aspect of being the pastor's wife, the greatest blessing of  being the pastors...

On this episode of the Healthy Church Podcast we discuss getting back to the main thing - Making disciples! We talk about learning to serve your context and engaging your church members to be used of God wherever they live and work. God is with us to the end of the age - even in the middle of a crazy political season and a pandemic! His great commission hasn't been put on pause - we're s...

On this podcast, Larry and Drew finishing their previous conversation about Leading in Conflict. Conflict is not something we can avoid in church leadership. Like any relationship, there will be moments of disagreement and hurt feelings. We must step into uncomfortable conversations at times to seek forgiveness or understanding. Jesus has given us the blueprint for dealing with conflict in Matt. 1...

In this podcast Larry and Drew begin the first part of a discussion around "Leading Through Conflict". As church leaders we all face situations and seasons of conflict. They are never easy to navigate, but God has given us some direction in His word to lead us in how we respond, love and engage through conflict. In this episode we discuss: Spiritual Opposition Lines of Authority Are Some...

Today Larry and Drew have Pastor Bill Elliff of Summit Church in Maumelle, AR and author of several books, to the program.  Bill shares his heart and passion for the Church to be a place of prayer and how we as leaders can learn to incorporate it more in the culture of our churches.  Bill also mentions several resources in the podcast: Praying the Bible - Donny Whitney 21 Days of Prayer and Fastin...

Discipleship has become a buzz word in the church over the last few years because in many ways it has been overlooked, or at the very least not been done so well by the greater church.  As church leaders we've come to realize that we need to do a better job on investing in the lives of people. The goal is not just more information or data, but that we can help people truly become who God want...

On this episode - Larry and Drew continue the discussion about knowing when to leave a ministry position. One thing pastors may face is the temptation of thinking the "grass is greener" some where else. We can often wish for more people, bigger buildings, a better salary, different team members and so on. God however, may want you stay put on the dry and barren land that is your current...

On today's episode of the Healthy Church Podcast, Drew and Larry discuss the difficult question in ministry about when to leave. Whether it's a succession plan or relational dynamic that causes you to consider leaving your ministry post. It's important that we lead with humility and connectedness to the Lord for His direction. Often ministry leaders can fall into different traps tha...

On today's podcast Larry and Drew discuss what it takes for Pastors to continue to lead through so much of the unknown in this Covid reality. We trust the Lord, we continue to have honest conversations about how we're processing our questions and struggles, and we continue to be faithful as we wait on the Lord. Larry reminds us of a thought from Tony Evans, in that the Lord hasn't p...

Have you ever wanted to sit down and ask a few questions to one of the leading pastors in one of the fastest growing churches in the country? That's exactly what we got the chance to do. (Recorded this past March 2020). Bob Russell was the pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He started at 22 years old when the church had 120 members and 20 plus years later he retired when...

In the never ending days of COVID -19 its so easy to grow weary. We continue to try and be an encouraging voice to our churches and assure them that soon we will getting back to normal, or at least we pray that is the case. Deep down however, we sense that we don't have what it takes, that we're not enough, or that we're going to fail in one way or another. GOOD! When we finally rea...

Larry and Drew welcome their mentor and friend Jerry Kidd to help tell the story of what God has been up to for the last three and a half years replanting Temple Baptist Church in Little Rock, AR to South City Church. They discuss conversations and miracles leading up to the decision to replant and change the name of Temple. They also talk about the role prayer, strategy, and the Holy Spirit playe...

Larry and Drew welcome special guest Ali Chambers to the HCP! Ali is the pastor and church planter of Mosaic Church in Memphis, TN, where they vision to be a multi-cultural body of believers. Conversations on RACE are not new for Ali and he gives some of the most thought provoking and engaging answers the guys have heard. Check out this podcast where these three pastors discuss what it means to be...

In this timely episode Larry and Drew share their hearts concerning recent events with George Floyd and the chaos going on in many US cities as a result.   Larry asks Drew about the replant of Temple Baptist Church into South City and what steps were taken in consideration of race issues and how it even affected the new name and why.  They also explore the early church and its struggle with race i...

In this podcast Larry and Drew discuss what valuable lessons have been learned in this season of quarantine and lock-down. Larry gives his TOP 5 lessons and they discuss how important it has been to recognize all that God has wanted to teach us. Our hope is that we won't return to "business as usual" but allow this season to shape us, convict us and inform us towards what changes ne...

Larry and Drew talk about the very real struggle pastors and church leaders face with the on-going stresses of making decisions. "Decision fatigue is the biological effect of continuously flexing one's decision-making muscles. The more choices a person makes throughout the day, the more challenging each one becomes for the brain. Eventually, the brain begins to look for shortcuts."...