The Small Church Ministry Podcast

Listen in as the top leading experts in small church ministry, Laurie Acker & Karl Vaters, discuss the church growth movement, post-Covid impact, and the future of smaller congregations. Connect with Karl Vaters: www.karlvaters.com Join our free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry RESOURCES MENTIONED Get the Ministry Bundles here ! Support the show SUBSCRIBE...

This week we are sharing a mainstage talk from last week’s live conference, Married To The Pastor.  Whether you’re a volunteer, ministry leader, or pastor, this episode is for you.  We’re unpacking the 5 things you need to get unstuck in any challenge, calling, or circumstance.  Listen in to learn …  How to cultivate hope when you’re feeling defeated Why your success and fulfillment are not depend...

When Pastors Anthony & Dawn Baldwin Gibson set out to plant a church, they had no idea they would be feeding thousands, helping to heal a community, and building a school. Not only have they built community partnerships in their local area, but they also help other smaller churches identify needs, mobilize volunteers, and find resources they need to serve their communities.  Listen in as Dr. G...

After years of small church setbacks and church trauma, Allison and her husband were on the verge of walking away from ministry.  After finding our community, this pastoral couple made simple mindset shifts that not only changed their personal trajectory but also greatly influenced their church culture to move from unhealthy to thriving.  From feeling burned out to feeling totally blessed, listen...

Comparing numbers seems unavoidable in church ministry. For those of us in small churches, comparison can leave us feeling defeated.  Today’s guest shares why numbers are not the end of the story and often send people in directions that are not based on biblical truth.  Join the conversation with ministry leader Cledra Gross as she unpacks a bit of her journey from a big church to a small church a...

Life and ministry in a small church isn’t always easy.  We share seasons of dwindling numbers, missing volunteers, and wondering if we’re making a difference. And yet, the unique impact of small churches is also undeniable.  In this heartfelt episode, pastor’s wife and ministry leader Joni Topper shares her heart and ultimate motivation to serve and to keep on serving in a small church. Connect wi...

In this episode, we’re unpacking the difference between leading and teaching and why both are vital in our serving. We’re talking about getting beyond knowledge transfer and inspiring others to personal growth and transformation. This is what Jesus did. Listen in to learn how. See our resources for sale: resources.smallchurchministry.com RESOURCES MENTIONED Get the Ministry Bundles here ! Support...

This episode continues our series about healthy churches, starting with us as individuals and continuing into our relationships. Too often, when we think of church success, we immediately jump to evaluating programs, attendance, and finances when the real success in our local churches is evidenced by how we love. Learn how to grow in understanding for those the hardest for us to love - and why it...

If asked to describe the church today, many people might not put “loving” at the top of their list.  In this episode, we’re unpacking why this is and what we can do about it.  For many churches, our efforts to do more, serve better, and meet our program goals result in neglecting the very people we’re trying to love. The best tools, strategies, and ideas only go so far. If we’re not loving well, a...

Too many small churches are filled with saints who are overstretched and disheartened. Our modern church culture hasn’t done us any favors with its focus on church attendance over loving our neighbors.  Our bent toward over-programming is exhausting the volunteers we have left and not producing the fruit we think we are working toward.  We wonder what is going on and if we can even do better in ou...

Today’s guest has been serving in children’s ministry for decades and keeps coming back for more.  Listen in as Bill Gunter shares a bit of his ministry journey including church transitions, how he balances a volunteer position with a full-time job, and what keeps him inspired to keep on serving. Connect with Bill Gunter: smallchurchkidmin.com   RESOURCES MENTIONED Get the Ministry Bundles here !...

In this episode, guest Stephanie Carlson shares how their church’s midweek programming went from age-segregated to all-age-inclusive.  Stephanie wondered if there was a better model of discipleship than the typical big-church strategy of separating ages. She kept coming back to these four questions: Why are we separating families? We say we’re “equipping,” but are we?  Parents don’t feel like they...

From sermons to faith conversations, podcasts can be a great medium to build stronger connections and deeper learning.  Listen in to this interview with Tim Hull, owner of Sonimoprhic, as he shares his experience helping smaller churches expand their ministry impact with podcasting. We’re sharing podcast ideas for: Easier replay listening of missed sermons Sustaining community between annual women...

What do you do when kids don’t come to Sunday school and teens have better options than youth group?  When parents don’t prioritize church and our communities no longer recognize Sundays as sacred?  Learn how to let go of what’s not working and grab hold of what is.  Listen in to hear simple shifts and doable next steps for any size church to build a ministry legacy that starts today and impacts g...

If you don’t have enough people for a preschool class, a junior high youth group, or a study for young married couples, join the club!  But what if that was a gift and not a liability?  Listen in to this episode as guest Adrienne Dillard shares: Why intergenerational ministry is the best Best tips for growing more connections across the generations How to use the Envelope Fundraiser Idea to get pe...

Listen in for some great Sunday School insights and storytelling tips from children’s ministry expert Krissy Richardson.  After serving for decades in small churches with a sensitivity to neurodivergent children, Krissy learned of her own autism with a later-life diagnosis in her 30s.  Whether you’re looking to learn some teaching tips or you’d love a better understanding of different learning sty...

Is your smaller church truly a welcome space for all?  As idyllic as this sounds, reality often sets in at the first sign of unchurched youth who don’t seem to “know the church rules” or visiting friends who seem difficult or disrespectful.  After decades of experience as a pastor, teacher, parent, community leader, and advocate, Sunny Brown joins us on today’s episode with deep wisdom for reachin...

Andrew Pressley joins us in this episode to share his take on all-age worship and why children don’t need a separate worship space for great discipleship. As an associate pastor, veteran music minister, and director of KidsCore (a ministry for children's worship and music that is used in small churches all around the world), Andrew shares his heart, wisdom, and extensive experience in how to...

If you think you need more volunteers or more kids, we want you to think again. According to children’s ministry expert and professional curriculum writer, Natalie Frisk, with smaller numbers come amazing opportunities. After growing up in a small church and then serving as a children’s leader on a large church staff for years, Natalie and her husband find themselves now raising their child in a s...

How are you feeling about ministry right now?  I hope you’re feeling fantastic!  But if you’re not, I’ve been there. In fact, if we’re being honest, we all have.  Instead of beating yourself up for losing your passion or (worse yet) pressing through hoping it’ll get better, listen in for practical steps to give your ministry mood a lift.  Perfect for personal application or to share with team memb...

Mother’s Day is complicated.  For some, it’s a special day to honor a mom who was there when we needed her most or at least did the best she could. For others, Mother’s Day is a painful reminder of loss, unmet needs, and sometimes tragic memories.  It can also be a slap in the face if the role of mother is held up as ideal fulfillment, where non-mothers are pitied or perceived as “less-than” with...

If your small church needs more volunteers, you’re not alone.  When you’ve tried the sign-up sheets, creative announcements, and personal asks - and you’re still coming up short - it’s time to step back and look at your volunteer environment.  Every church has a “volunteer vibe” - and it’s either helping to draw volunteers in or it’s repelling them from coming near.  Listen in to hear: 5 essential...

Too often the impact of our ministry doesn’t match the time and effort we pour into it.  Instead of wondering if you’re making a difference, plan on it!  Listen in to hear the three most important questions to ask when planning your next event.  I’ll be sharing three specific examples of tea parties with three different purposes that lead to different results.  Great ministry isn’t always about do...

Not enough volunteers? Not enough kids? Not enough funds? You’re not alone.  Ministry can be tough.  In fact, it can be so full of challenges that it’s easy to focus on what we lack - which leads us nowhere good.  The truth is that God has given us all we need to enjoy a ministry full of depth and good growth.  Listen in for tips to start turning what you already have into a small church ministry...

When it comes to ministry success, most people are measuring the wrong thing. We’ve got to remember that God’s economy is different than ours - and a lot different. By measuring church accomplishment by numbers, we take our eyes off deeper ministry opportunities, experience a false sense of ministry success or failure, and miss out on the growth God has for us as individuals and for His church. In...