Practical Church

There are a lot of things needed when planting a church, but are some of the most important things? In this episode, we share 4 in particular that new churches need in order to be healthy. Welcome to episode 253 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the four key things we discuss in this episode: Discipleship plan Outside counsel Elder process Church Budget CONNECT AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE Be su...

We all know the discouragement of people no longer coming to our churches. In this episode, we share six reasons in particular that often lead to people no longer coming (and what you can do about it). Welcome to episode 252 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the six reasons we discuss in this episode: The preaching is not engaging They are not welcomed They are not followed up with There is...

Mistakes are bound to happen, but what about ones that are easily avoidable? In this episode, we share six common mistakes churches make. Welcome to episode 251 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the six mistakes we discuss in this episode: Non-geographically targeted Facebook ads Not uploading separate, sermon only video Not updating their website Not giving people time to turn in their Bibl...

Healthy additional staff raise support to join your church's staff is a great way to grow your staff team and help you build a healthy church. Welcome to episode 250 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the six tips we discuss in this episode: Ask people to raise support Avoid giving all responsibilities away until full support is raised Raise support for full time or part time, but make it cle...

You have to pick songs every week for your weekend service(s), but is it possible to do it in a more effective and helpful way? In this episode, we share six tips for choosing songs for your weekend service. Welcome to episode 249 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the six steps we discuss in this episode: Get ahead in sermon prep Go over your sermon with your worship leader Use a song bank Co...

With all that goes on in vocational ministry, it can be easy to lose sight of things. In this episode, we share six important reminders for pastors and church leaders. Welcome to episode 248 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the six reminders we discuss in this episode: You are not cool You will not save your city You're willingness to be vulnerable will determine how lonely you feel You wil...

Most churches have some sort of group structure. So how do we get more people to sign up and engage in your groups? In this episode, we share eight practical tips for more small group sign ups at your church. Welcome to episode 247 of Practical Church Planting. You can watch this episode below, or  subscribe to the podcast  and get our episodes delivered right to you. Here are the eight tips we di...

You're in vocational ministry because you want to help people experience and know Jesus. So how can you help more people do that? In this episode, we share six underrated church growth strategies. Welcome to episode 246 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the six strategies we discuss in this episode: A consistent preaching prep schedule Automated follow-up process Acknowledge new people with a...

We all know that ministry can be full of distractions. Many external, but many self-imposed distractions as well. So what we can we do about them? In this episode, we share seven simple ways to overcome distractions in ministry. Welcome to episode 245 of Practical Church Planting. You can watch this episode below, or  subscribe to the podcast  and get our episodes delivered right to you. CONNECT A...

While there are many helpful things churches should do to engage people with the Gospel, there are also things to avoid. In this episode, we share six unhelpful things you and your church should not do. Welcome to episode 244 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the six things we discuss not doing in this episode: Think social media is the best way to keep your church informed about upcoming ev...

One of the best ways to keep your church up to date with what is happening at your church is through a church newsletter. But can you make and send one people will actually read? In this episode, we share seven tips to make your newsletters more effective. Welcome to episode 243 of Practical Church Planting. You can watch this episode below, or  subscribe to the podcast  and get our episodes deliv...

We all want more leaders in our churches, but how can we get more of them? In this episode, we share seven tips for building leaders in your church. Welcome to episode 242 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the seven tips we discuss in this episode: Invite them to take a step Give away responsibility Setup quick feedback loops You must be willing to let it go Make no promises have the courage...

While preparing for sermons takes a lot of work, does it have to feel like hard work? In this episode, we share five tips to make your sermon prep seem effortless. Welcome to episode 241 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the five tips we discuss in this episode: Create a consistent schedule Get ahead Talk through your sermon with others Plan your series out ahead of time Invest in your start...

Ministry can be hard, but it doesn't always have to be as hard as we make it. In this episode, we share seven things you can do that will make your life in ministry easier. Welcome to episode 240 of Practical Church Planting. You can watch this episode below, or  subscribe to the podcast  and get our episodes delivered right to you.   Here are the seven things we discuss in this episode: Get ahead...

If we were to plant New City today, what are the things we would focus on? In this episode, we share seven things church planters (and existing churches) should do. Welcome to episode 239 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the seven things we discuss in this episode: Upload sermon audio and video from day one YouTube Preach through books of the Bible Weekly newsletter Monthly non-churchy even...

There are many ideas in ministry that sound good on the surface but aren't actually true. In this episode, we discuss five popular ministry ideas that are wrong. Welcome to episode 238 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the five wrong ideas we discuss in this episode: All you have to do is be faithful Theological training is overrated Your meeting space isn't that important Preaching the Gosp...

Money can be tight for churches and church plants, but there are certain things well worth the investment. In this episode, we share five recourses that churches should be spending money on. Welcome to episode 237 of Practical Church Planting. You can watch this episode below, or  subscribe to the podcast  and get our episodes delivered right to you. Here are the five resources we discuss in this...

Ministry can be difficult and discouraging, but it is worth it. In this episode, we share six encouragements for smaller churches. Welcome to episode 236 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the six encouragements we discuss in this episode: Your church technically isn't that small You don't have to be all things to all people Don't be afraid to ask other churches for resources Focus on one issu...

Engaging infrequent church attendees has always been a desire for churches. As we move out of COVID and the changing dynamics it has brought us, this challenge is as great as ever. In this episode, we share 7 ways to engage infrequence church attendees. Welcome to episode 235 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the seven ways we discuss in this episode: Get people serving Have a quality livestr...

YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world (behind Google). Yet, many churches miss out on simple things they can do to make a big improvement on their channel. In this episode, we share with you eight simple things you can do today to drastically improve your channel. Welcome to episode 234 of Practical Church Planting. Be sure to check out New City's YouTube channel for practical e...

We all want to effectively communicate while preaching. However, some commonly used phrases can cause people to disengage. In this episode, we share seven preaching phrases to avoid. Welcome to episode 233 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the seven phrases we talk about in this episode: The Bible says We all know Turn in your Bibles (with no context) Naming people in your church (with no con...

We all want to better connect with new people who come to our church. One of the best ways to do this is to get guests to fill out a connect card. In this episode, we share with you seven ways to make that happen. Welcome to episode 232 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the seven tips we discuss in this episode: Mention your connect card every Sunday Get it professionally printed Ask for mini...

In this episode, we share (what we believe) are helpful opinions you should in regards to ministry and church planting. Welcome to episode 231 of Practical Church Planting.  Here are the 12 opinions we discuss in this episode: You should look at your people's giving Never say you are busy Be intentional about getting a woman on staff Preach through books of the Bible Don't preach longer than 35 mi...

What are some important markers of a good sending church/church planting residency? And if you lead a church that wants to plant churches, what things should you look for in a future church planter? In this episode, we share eight things future church planters should look for in a sending church. Welcome to episode 230 of Practical Church Planting. Here are the eight things we discuss in this epis...

Every church faces the challenge of finding a meeting space. In this episode, we share why we believe a 24/7 facility is better for your church plant than being portable. Welcome to episode 229 of Practical Church Planting. You can listen to this episode below, or  subscribe to the podcast  and get our episodes delivered right to you.   Here are the six reasons we discuss in this episode: Outgrowi...