The Small Church Ministry Podcast

After decades of ministry in small churches — including years as a pastor’s wife — Abigail Doust has learned what truly serves women and what quietly pushes them away.  In this episode, we talk honestly about moving beyond stereotypes, events-for-events’-sake, and one-person leadership, and toward ministry that helps women feel seen, known, and spiritually formed.  This is a grounded, experience-r...

Burnout doesn’t happen because your pastor failed, your church is unhealthy, or no one stepped up to help. It happens when we believe we have no choice and keep serving under pressure instead of agency.  In this episode, we talk honestly about why burnout isn’t someone else’s fault, why that truth can feel uncomfortable at first, and why it’s also the doorway to real change.  You’ll hear:  The sto...

As we wrap up 2025, we’re looking at the conversations that truly landed with small churches - the episodes and quotes that sparked response, resonance, and even pushback.  Topics like decline, pressure, money, conflict, and culture change weren’t just popular; they named real life. In this episode, we explore what that tells us.  And why honesty mattered more than neat solutions. You’ll hear: Wha...

This final episode in the finance series is a gentle reminder that the weight of your church’s future was never meant to sit on your shoulders.  We talk about the very real year-end stress small churches feel, how Jesus measures ministry differently than we do, and why rest is an act of faithfulness, not neglect.  If your church feels tired or stretched this month, this conversation will take the...

Money conversations in small churches get tense for reasons that go way deeper than dollars - fear, pressure, old stories, and unspoken roles all show up at the table.  In this episode, we talk honestly about why finances can feel so emotional and how clearer, healthier conversations bring the room back together.  It’s real, relatable, and the kind of clarity that lets everyone breathe again. You’...

Most small-church budgets weren’t really created; they just grew over time. Leftovers from last year, assumptions from a decade ago, and line items no one can quite explain anymore.  And when a budget is shaped by nostalgia, fear, or “what we used to do,” it can make a church feel like it’s failing even when it’s not.  In this episode, we explore how to see your budget as a story and how to shift...

This episode unpacks one of the most misunderstood issues in small churches: declining giving.  It’s not that people have stopped being generous - generosity is everywhere. The real challenge is that many churches have slowly lost the connection between giving and a visible, meaningful impact.  When we stop assuming stinginess and start rebuilding trust, clarity, and a real mission, generosity has...

A large part of a small church budget often goes to paying the pastor. Most small churches assume there’s only one “real” model of leadership - usually the one we’ve always known - and anything different feels like failure, pride, or danger.  But there’s no single “biblical” or “more noble” model here. Healthy, vibrant churches exist in every structure: fully paid, bi-vocational, and completely vo...

This episode reframes the entire money conversation by separating the Church from the nonprofit structure that houses it.  We name the fear, pressure, and assumptions that swirl around finances - and then clarify why revenue impacts the organization, not the mission.  When we stop confusing the two, financial decisions get calmer, clearer, and more grounded. You’ll learn: The difference between th...

Finding the right kind of help shouldn’t feel complicated - but between long waitlists, confusing titles, and church mixed messages about therapy, it often does. In the final part of the Do No Harm series, Laurie and licensed therapist Kati Quigley talk about what makes finding help so hard, and why it’s still worth the effort.  Together, they unpack the difference between a counselor, coach, and...

In small churches, we’re often the first people others turn to when life falls apart - whether we’re on staff, leading worship, teaching kids, or serving on the elder board.  In Part Two of the Do No Harm series, Laurie and licensed therapist Kati Quigley talk about what churches can do to help create more emotionally healthy spaces.  This isn’t about becoming counselors, giving advice, or providi...

When the Church tries to heal what it doesn’t understand, even good intentions can cause real harm.  In this first conversation of the Do No Harm series, Laurie and licensed therapist Kati Quigley talk about the unseen damage that happens when untrained pastoral or biblical counseling takes the place of trauma-informed care.  It’s not about blame; it’s about awareness, wisdom, and protecting the p...

In this Church Spotlight, Ruth A. Popkin shares how her small church started A Really Free Market - a ministry built on listening, not assumptions.  Instead of following trends, they followed people, meeting real needs with dignity and creativity. It’s a story of simple generosity that’s reshaping how small churches think about outreach. Listen in for: How to listen to your community before decidi...

When a pastor retires, moves, or suddenly steps away, small churches often feel lost in the in-between. If this is hitting home for you, you’re not alone. Pastoral transitions are on the rise as more pastors retire and fewer step into ministry roles.  In this episode, Laurie talks with Kari Bartkus, who served on her church’s pastoral transition team, about what it really looks like to help your c...

If your church feels “too old” or “too small” to reach young families, this episode is packed with simple, practical ideas you can try this week.  We’re talking about how small churches can connect with young families—not by doing more, but by showing up differently. It’s not about flashy programs or keeping up with trends.  It’s about presence, warmth, and creating spaces where tired parents feel...

You don’t need a title to change the culture of your church. You’re already carrying influence—whether anyone names it or not.  In this Lead Well replay, we’ll talk about how emotional health, spiritual maturity, and everyday presence shift the room around us—and why that matters more than chasing status or hustling harder. What you’ll hear in this episode: Why influence isn’t about titles, but ab...

Tradition can be beautiful — but when “we’ve always done it this way” becomes the default answer, it stops being wisdom and starts being a wall.  In this episode, we talk about why resistant church culture burns women out, silences new ideas, and quietly drives people away. And honestly? It’s costing us more than we realize. What you’ll hear in this episode: Why “we’ve always done it this way” fee...

In small churches, titles can build invisible walls—like pastors’ wives on one side, “regular” women on the other. Or ministry leaders here, and occasional volunteers over there. But those labels don’t tell the whole story, and they often keep us from the deep, honest community we long for.  In this episode, Kristen Joy Humiston and I share from both sides of the wall, uncovering how much more we...

Women have often been told to be strong, hold it together, and do it all for everyone else. But the truth? That version of “strength” is quietly breaking us — and it’s breaking our small churches too. In this episode, we name the lie, call out the pressure, and talk about a better way to live and serve. What you’ll hear in this episode: Why the “do it all” mindset isn’t holy at all How invisible l...

Women in small churches often feel like we have to hold it all in or keep it together for everyone else. But shutting down emotions doesn’t make us stronger — it cuts us off from one of the main ways God shapes us. In this episode, Becky Brown and I bust the myth that emotions are a weakness and show why they might be your greatest strength. What you’ll hear in this episode: Why “managing” your em...

When people don’t show up, it’s easy to assume they don’t care. But labeling them “uncommitted” doesn’t make us stronger leaders—it just makes us bitter, burned out, and less curious.  In this episode, we’re calling out the commitment myth that keeps showing up in church conversations—and talking about what it really means to lead with presence, hope, and agency.  Because what we believe about peo...

If you listened to Episode 189, you know we tackled the hard truth about what happens when grace gets twisted into protecting bullies in the church.  This episode stands on its own — but it’s also a continuation of that conversation. We’re getting real about how to handle church conflict in a healthy, biblical way … and why the space between ignoring bad behavior and asking someone to leave matter...

Sometimes “just be gracious” is really code for “don’t rock the boat.” But when grace gets twisted into silence, avoidance, or fear, it stops looking like Jesus.  In this episode, we’re talking about the quiet damage that happens when harmful behavior is tolerated in the name of patience or peace.  What do you do when you’re not in charge but can’t ignore the dysfunction? Let’s get real about boun...

That question — “Would you keep doing your ministry if you weren’t paid?” — drives me nuts.  Ministry isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither is pay. Some serve as a career, others as a calling — and both deserve respect.  This episode isn’t about right or wrong; it’s about honesty, healthy boundaries, and giving yourself permission to choose what works for your life, whether that includes a paycheck...

If your church is shrinking, struggling, or just doesn’t look like it used to—it can feel like failure. But what if it’s not? In this episode, we talk honestly about fear, change, and what actually makes a church vibrant (hint: it’s not numbers). Because while buildings close, callings don’t—and Jesus isn’t panicking. You’ll hear: Why panic isn’t a strategy—and what to focus on instead How to grie...