The Church Things Podcast

Every conscientious follower of Christ wants to see others become disciples of Jesus.  But what can churches do to reach those who are outside the church or those who may be unbelievers?  In this episode, Kerry and Becky discuss three things churches can do to reach God's lost children.  Join the discussion!

What are some of the warning signs that church ministries may be going rogue?  What are some of the dangers of rogue ministries?  How might church leaders prevent the growth of rogue ministries in their churches?  Join Kerry and Becky as they discuss these questions!

In Part 2 of "How to Improve Your Church's Online, Digital Presence," Josh Watkins, minister for the Okolona Church of Christ in Louisville, Kentucky, advises church leaders on how they can beef up their church's online presence.  He recommends specific equipment that church leaders may purchase, discusses struggles that church leaders face regarding technology, and offers help...

What basic steps can church leaders take to begin their church's online presence?  What can churches do to improve their online worship assemblies?  Why should church leaders concern themselves with what their church does online?  Learn what one church and their leaders are doing and how they are addressing these and other questions in Kerry's conversation with Josh Watkins, minister of...

In this episode, Bryce identifies some features of live streams he has seen that are noteworthy and recommendable.  He also mentions what he sees as some of the mistakes and miscues churches commit in their live streams.  From checking camera angles to a willingness to adapt sermon plans that may be more relevant to ways in which church leaders may consider the needs of both outsiders and insiders...

How important is it for a church to have an online, digital presence in addition to what goes on at the church building?  Should church leaders continue to offer live stream worship after they resume in-person assemblies?  What makes for a quality live stream worship experience?  In this episode, Bryce Kidwell offers what he has learned from his extensive experience to discuss these and other ques...

What challenges have churches faced during the pandemic?  How can they and church leaders make the most of this difficult time?  What changes might they consider?  In this episode, Kerry talks with Patrick Odum, longtime minister of the Northwest Church of Christ in Chicago.  They discuss some of the challenges churches have faced, what the future might look like for churches post-pandemic, and su...

Make it easy for people to give electronically.  Empower leaders with purchasing guidelines.  Don't let big givers dictate your church's vision and strategy.  Becky and Kerry discuss these and other suggestions regarding how to handle the church's money in Part 3 of their series, "The Church and Money."

Should churches allow contributors to earmark their gifts to support their pet projects or special interests?  What about the advisability of various fundraising programs in the church?  Should church leaders construct a "faith budget" or one that is more "realistic"?  Kerry and Becky address these questions in the second podcast in their series on "The Church and Money.&q...

With this episode, Kerry and Becky begin a three-part discussion of the Church and Finances.  In this episode they discuss six suggestions for how to talk about money in the church, from seeing giving as a spiritual topic and not neglecting to talk about this subject to saying "Thank you" for the faithfulness people show when they give.

In the final episode in their series, "How to Help Your Church Get Off Dead Center," Becky and Kerry discuss the importance of keeping the church's goals before the people, tracking the church's progress, and celebrating victories.  

Kerry and Becky discuss Steps 6 and 7 in their series, "How to Help Your Church Get Off Dead Center."  They are: Choose 3-5 core strategies for accomplishing your 5-year vision and identify the role that each ministry and each person plays in reaching the church's 12-month goals.

Do you know where you believe God is calling your church in the next five years?  Do you have a vision for where you want the church to go five years from now?  And have you identified shorter-term, twelve-months goals that will help you achieve your five-year vision?  Join Kerry and Becky as they discuss vision-casting and goal-setting for your church in episode number three in their series, &quo...

Do you know what spiritual maturity looks like and how to encourage movement from spiritual infancy to adulthood?  In this second episode in their series, "How to Help Your Church Get Off Dead Center," Kerry and Becky discuss the importance of determining what a follower of Jesus looks like and then identifying a step-by-step path that helps people become devoted followers of Christ.  

What can church leaders do who feel that their church is not making any real progress?  That it's just stuck.  In this episode, Kerry and Becky suggest that step one to getting unstuck is identifying the mission of the church.  Where there is clarity about the mission and alignment behind the mission, progress can follow.

In this final episode in their series, Opportunities Created by the Pandemic, Becky and Kerry discuss the opportunity of professional church staff to equip the church for ministry.  Ideally, church leaders do not hire staff to do ministry for us.  Rather, they hire staff to equip us to do ministry.  This ancient proverb has application in the church: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a...

The COVID-19 pandemic has kept Christians from meeting in person with one another.  As a result, many may feel isolated and alone.  But we are hard-wired for community.  So, what can church leaders do to encourage the building of relationships where "church" really happens?  What systems can they put in place to help people connect with one another?  This is episode #6 in the series, Opp...

In this episode, Becky and Kerry consider the opportunity that churches have to focus on their local community.  Perhaps it's time for church leaders to earmark more of the church's funds to help those in their local community that they are trying to reach.  This is the fifth episode in their series, Opportunities Created by the Pandemic.

In this fourth installment in their series, Opportunities Created by the Pandemic, Kerry and Becky suggest that this may be an ideal time for church leaders and churches to simplify their ministry strategy.  This may be, for example, the right time to move from a program-centered strategy to a path-centered one.  To focus on a singular path to spiritual maturity, rather than offering multiple prog...

COVID-19 presents an opportunity for church leaders to go back to the basics.  To identify once again what is the church's mission, vision, and strategy.  In fact, the pandemic may force churches to return to the basics and answer fundamental questions anew, such as "Where are we going?" and "How will we get there?" as the threat of the decline of church contributions loom...

In this episode Becky and Kerry discuss one of the opportunities for churches that has been created by the coronavirus pandemic: the opportunity to give greater attention to the church's online presence.  What is the value in churches continuing to stream their worship services after the pandemic is over?  What other online resources can churches take advantage of during this crisis?  These a...

The coronavirus pandemic has surely affected the church in many ways.  How should church leaders respond to it?  In this episode Kerry and Becky discuss how and what church leaders can communicate to their church during such a crisis.  It's the first in a series devoted to an exploration of how church leaders can respond to the present pandemic.

In this episode, Kerry interviews Bill Stone, a successful businessman, to get his take on what recommendations he might make to church leaders.  Their conversation has to do with business principles that may be applied to churches to help them thrive.  His advice to church leaders is that they give attention to vision, expectations, results and accountability.  This is Part 2 of this conversation...

In this episode, Kerry interviews Bill Stone, a successful businessman, to get his take on what recommendations he might make to church leaders.  Their conversation has to do with business principles that may be applied to churches to help them thrive.  His advice to church leaders is that they give attention to vision, expectations, and results.  This is Part 1 of this conversation.

What is the value of better communication from church leaders to the church?  What should be communicated and why?  What can church leaders do to improve their communication to the church?  These are a few of the questions Becky and Kerry discuss in this episode.