The Church of the Heart Podcast

Avoiding Isolation It has often been said that among house churches the greatest strength is also the greatest weakness. The strength of the small group church is relationship, flexibility and intimacy. The weakness, of course, is the tendency to become isolated. In this episode I’m going to be talking about the necessity of avoiding the house church “silo” and to be part of the...

Can Summit Fellowships live in a legacy church? Can partnerships develop between “one-another communities” and traditional churches? What does that kind of partnership look like? This is another chapter draft of an upcoming book about churches of the heart.

Defend the Unity in the Bond of Peace Another segment of the upcoming book, In Search of a Church of the Heart —The Journey from Where to Who . This episode discusses the potential of a church of the heart to rediscover the power of oneness. From the tower of Babel to the birth of the Church, unity releases amazing power. As the church of the 21st century, what might we imagine?

A podcast taken from two chapters of an upcoming book entitled, “In Search of a Church of the Heart.”

Whadaya do with the Kids? Dan continues to explore the all-important topic of how we in summit-style fellowships care for and encourage our children. Today’s episode is an excerpt from a future book called, “In Search of a Church of the Heart – The journey from where to who.”

A creative guide for all ages to learn God’s word together. Micheal Harris returns to discuss the Parables curriculum and it’s use in small-group church communities. At last there is an answer for the question asked by so many who meet in small, relational expressions of the church: So, what do you do with the kids? The answer to the question is found IN the question, namely “WIT...

Micheal Harris talks about intergenerational fellowship Dan interviews Micheal Harris who has been engaged in children’s ministry for 50 years. His experience includes large traditional churches and simple churches of just a few families. In this interview, Micheal talks about his philosophy of ministry with children and some of his experiences with the youngest members of our community. Men...

Evangelism by Overlapping Circles. Evangelism in small-group churches is by relationship. As new people come into a fellowship, it grows requiring the group to multiply. A few members start fresh, stepping out with a small footprint. The prayer is that eventually this new group leaves a bigger footprint.

Can You Ever Graduate from Church? Dan talks about a new demographic in the church: The “Dones. ” These are brethren who have decided there has to be something more than just going to church. Could this be the next church planting wave? People finding other people who love Jesus and building Kingdom communities. What a concept!

The church is meant to show the world the whole picture… The Enneagram assumes nine personality types. Are we more like Jesus when we are together?

The quarantine experience may very well have left a surprising legacy of church life. Maybe this lockdown was an incubator for new churches—vine churches—that are small, agile, and significantly, everywhere. Maybe online meetings can be seeds for new communities.

We’re called to be generous, so how does giving work in churches of the heart? As a humanitarian crisis emerges in Europe, house churches tackle the call to generosity and caring.

1st Thursday Today’s episode is a recording of a regular online gathering of house churches called “1st Thursday.” It is a glimpse of how a church of the heart looks in real time. The presenters are Benjamin and Heid Sadler of the Restoration Summit Fellowship. The Sadlers are also the lead musicians in a band called Chasing Ebenezer .

Dan waxes eloquent about time. How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon! December’s here before it’s June. My, how time has flown! How did it get so late so soon? ~ Dr. Seuss In a solo contribution, Dan breaks a long podcast silence with some thoughts about relationships and the time it takes to cultivate them.

The key to house church intimacy begins with a meal. Dan and Jody talk about the importance of sharing a meal in a house church. In addition, they offer some tips about how to pull it off. A Word About This Episode Please forgive some of the sound quality. We’re still getting dialed in as we adjust to new studio space. Stay tuned!

Part 2 of 2 episodes about home as ministry outpost When the church meets in a home, it isn’t about decor and “feng shui.” it’s about the touching of hearts and the presence of the Spirit. Dan and Jody talk about the special “furnishings” of a church of the heart. Mentioned in this Episode When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus’ Vision for Authent...

Part 1 of 2 episodes about home as ministry outpost. Is your home your castle? Refuge? Hiding place? Or can your home be a ministry outpost and a place for a church of the heart? Dan and Jody talk about the implications of bringing the church home. Mentioned in this Episode The Great Good Place by Ray Oldenburg Post about the cost of a building

Part 2 of the discussion of authority and submission. The second episode of a discussion of submission and authority based on Dan & Jody’s book, Sword of Submission . This interview/discussion was originally posted at the Two Worlds Media website in February of 2017 as an episode f the Read Between the Worlds Podcast .

Each Member’s Unique Gifts are Discovered in a Church of the Heart As members of a Church of the Heart grow together it is an adventure to watch as the Holy Spirit draws spiritual gifts from out of the group. Dan and Jody talk about this journey of discovery. Mentioned in this Episode The Open Church by Jim Rutz

A Look at Ephesians 4 The New Testament isn’t to be seen as a set of rules to obey, but as an instruction manual or a “playbook” for the church to use as she grows and matures as the Body of Christ. Today’s discussion draws from Ephesians 4 where the Apostle Paul describes the work of what are called the “the equipping gifts.”

Discovering the Jewels in a Church of the Heart At the table is where everyone in a church, adults and children, discover they belong and deserve to be heard. In the midst of it all is the person and presence of Jesus.

Ongoing Discussion from Acts Dan and Jody continue the discussion about the importance of cooperation and contribution within a church of the heart.

Part 2 of a discussion about leadership in churches of the heart. In modern churches, elders often look like a board of directors. Is that what leadership is in a church of the heart? Dan and Jody discuss leadership and how it relates to servanthood. Mentioned in this Episode Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You  by E. James Wilder, et al. Paul’s Idea of Community  by Robert Banks Acts 1...

A Look Back to the Young Church As the young church began to reach out into other cities, leaders emerged. The term, “elder” was used to describe some of them. How were these early leaders different from what we commonly think of. Dan and Jody begin a multi part discussion of this and other aspects of a church of the heart.

Episode 3 in a series about how to meet as a Church of the Heart What does it mean to be lead by the Holy Spirit? In Acts 2 we see the church meeting and responding to the Spirit. Can we expect Him to lead in the church today?