The Vital Podcast

In this episode, Canon Mark Eldredge and Fr. Brian Pape follow up on the wisdom shared by Bishop Walters on the last episode about making a ministry move by giving testimonies. In these real life "making a move" stories, you'll glean some of the practical ways the principles play out that can help you discern your own situation.

As a leader, how do you know if it's time to make a move? The Rev. Brian Pape joins Bishop Trevor Walters and explores this topic on this episode of The Vital Podcast.  Bishop Trevor helps us identify several critical questions to help us get unstuck in our discernment.

In this second episode of our new series on Transitions in the church Canon Mark and Fr. Brian discuss the vital difference between “change” and “transition” and introduce us to William Bridges and his three stages of change concepts grounded in the Biblical story of Exodus.

Canon Mark and Fr. Brian share excited news about the Big Picture for the Vital Podcast, how it is now going to take a Seasonal Approach, offering vital conversations and having more guests for humble collaboration with our listeners. The first season’s topic will be on Pastoral Transitions. Mark and Brian introduce this important and relevant topic and begin the discussion on this vital need in s...

Canon Mark introduces the Rev. Brian Pape, new Senior Consultant at Anglican Revitalization Ministries, and a new partner working with the American Anglican Council. On this episode, they talk about a new season of developing and coaching new leaders in local churches and engaging the work in revitalization currently happening all across the ACNA.

In this episode, Canon Mark talks with the Rev. Greg Miller and Andreena Williams, with the Church Army, about renewing local churches across the ACNA and the need to partner to meet the needs in our movement. They also discuss Canon Mark's upcoming teaching at Trinity School for Ministry on January 19-20, 2023.

On this episode of the Vital Podcast Canon Mark and his repeat guest, The Rev. Pete Matthews, explore the importance and practical application of proclaiming the Good News in church and giving invitations for people to respond in faith. Christmas services often see unchurched visitors attend and are a great opportunity to bring them the Good News as is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those...

In this episode, Canon Mark addresses the need for church leaders to prayerfully plan now for the upcoming year. Time to plan won't just drop in your lap this busy season, but making the time will bear much fruit in 2023.

Canon Mark interviews Fr. Pete Matthews, rector of St. Patrick’s Anglican Church in Lexington KY. St. Patrick’s is a church that is strong and balanced in the ITALs of church health. Fr. Pete shares some great ideas that will be encouraging to your and your church to. Through the Revive Process with Anglican Revitalization Ministries, they have developed strategies to get healthy in the “V” too!

In this episode Canon Mark welcomes back his friend Sean Jecko to continue the conversation about doing evangelism through the local church. They emphasize the need to focus the congregation on identifying a specific people group in the community and then developing unique strategies to reach them with the Gospel. This also serves as a short preview of a workshop they will be giving as a pre confe...

In this episode Cn. Mark interviews The Rev. Joe Porfidio, who is in the middle of leading a church through the revitalization process. Fr. Joe became rector of a congregation that  declined from an ASA of over 80 down to 19.  By applying the principles and strategies taught in Anglican Revitalization Ministries, with much prayer, the church is now averaging over 50 and growing. With God all thing...

In this episode,  Canon Mark shares his thoughts as he comes out of the Anglican Church in North America Provincial Council and discusses the church closure statistics reported by the ACNA. He shares insights from our assessment of over 12% of ACNA congregations that show a vital need for revitalization, and he explores just how to prioritize getting your church healthy again!

Listen to Part 2 of Canon Mark’s discussion with his guest, The Rev. Herb Bailey. Herb and Mark pick up where they left off last time talking about Social Justice and Evangelism and how they relate to one another biblically.

With Easter Sunday fast approaching, Canon Mark discusses the “I” of the the vitals of church health: Intentional Worship. He describes the importance of being intentionally hospitable to guests and asks the questions about how ready your church is to be hospitable to your visitors before, during, and after they come to your worship service.

 In this episode, Canon Mark interviews the Rev. Herb Bailey, who is a leader in various ways in the Anglican Church in North America and works with Church Army. They discuss the similarities that Church Army has in their mission with the work of the AAC's Anglican Revitalization Ministries. Having met Herb at the recent Matthew 25 gathering, Canon Mark is looking to get into more of how the...

Canon Mark explores the hot topic of social justice in the church today. What does it mean for many? What can it mean for a healthy, biblically-faithful local church? The issue of true, biblical justice goes hand in hand with the proclamation of the Gospel given from God to the world through the scriptures, not through the world's post-Christian, secular worldview.

Canon Mark answers the question on whether the principles of church growth and health used in Anglican Revitalization Ministries and other ministries in the Church are really just rehashed principles from a previous generation. Do we need to be fresh and new in order to be successful in our mission of fulfilling God's Great Commission?

In this episode Canon Mark digs further into the vital area of being on mission to your local community with his guest, Sean Jecko, branding and marketing expert specializing in breaking down demographics for the purpose of communication, who shares his insights and expertise on how to identify those around you God may be calling you to reach.

In this episode Canon Mark reflects on the Holy Name of Jesus and explores how his name impacts both our personal and church vision for evangelism - the V in the VITALs of church health. 

On this episode of the Vital Podcast we continue to look at the important principle that there is no revitalization without renewal. Canon Mark and his guest, the Rev. Brook Batchelor, who is part of the Anglican Revitalization Ministries team, discuss church renewal needs and how your church can experience it.

Since the starting point for revitalization in the local church is always renewal, in this Vital podcast Canon Mark addresses this priority. There are three renewals that are necessary: personal renewal, relational renewal, and missional renewal. Because you can’t have relational and missional renewal in the church without first having personal renewal, Mark gives encouragement to you about having...

In this Vital episode, Canon Mark launches the new AAC Anglican Revitalization Ministry podcast and talks about the challenges facing the local church and the local leader on a quest to bring health and vitality to his or her congregation.