200churches Podcast: Ministry Encouragement for Pastors of Small Churches
200churches Podcast: Ministry Encouragement for Pastors of Small Churches
Jeff Keady and Jonny Craig: Pastors, Leaders, Bloggers, Podcasters, and Encouragers
Jeff and Jonny are pastors who want to encourage pastors of “smaller” churches. All most pastors see online are the churches that have grown into the thousands in just a few years, the ones that spread out around the city through multiple services and multiple campuses. The ministry leaders with the most influence are the mega church pastors with mega ministries, staffs, and dollars. Praise God for what He is doing in these large and influential churches! We benefit from their vision and influence.Jeff and Jonny know that there are hundreds of thousands, that have 200 or less in attendance. The work of these pastors and ministries can get lost in the shuffle, and they want to encourage, equip, support, inspire, and cheer on the pastors of 200churches – those churches with around 200 people, give or take a hundred or two! When they talk with guests like N.T. Wright, Scot McKnight, Dan Reiland, Carey Nieuwhof and so many more, they always turn the conversation to small church pastoral ministry.With humor, passion, conviction, and care Jeff and Jonny share methods and inspiration for the small church pastor. If you are a lay, bi-vocational, or solo pastor, the 200churches Podcast is for YOU!
Episode 424 - Rick Warren Coaches First Time Church Planter Willie Johnson
What a blast to use my podcast to introduce Rick Warren to a church planter who hasn't even launched his first public service yet! Willie Johnson is with REDEFINE CHURCH in St. Louis MO. Rick's project these days is FinishingTheTask.com. I asked Rick to coach Willie, from his perspective as a church planter who has handed off his church to the next guy - with Willie and his team yet to launch their very first service.Willie would never ask this, so let me ask this for him - would you like to bless this new church plant?! Why not give them a one-time, or recurring gift as they get started? I love promoting what others are doing! Full disclosure - my church is forming a partnership and has sent thousands of dollars to Redefine Church, and I welcome you, if God so leads, to bless them also. They are a church plant with the Christian & Missionary Alliance!Enjoy this church planting coaching session!
Jun 27, 2023
1 hr 24 min
Episode 423 - The Secret Power of Kindness with Greg Atkinson
Greg Atkinson was on the 200churches Podcast 10 years ago! Way back in July of 2013 he joined us, when we were only six months old as a podcast - and now, ten years later he is back for the fourth or fifth time - with a great episode about something so fundamental to our Christian life, that we almost miss it: KINDNESS.Check out Greg's book: The Secret Power of Kindness - 10 Keys to Unlocking Your Capacity to Change the World.Check out Greg at GregAtkinson.com where you can find his other resources including coaching and consulting, his First Impressions Conference info, and more!Thanks for helping us encourage so many pastors Greg!
Jun 16, 2023
45 min
Episode 422 - The Necessity of the Neighborhood Church with Sam Rainer
Jeff talks with Sam Rainer, Pastor of West Bradenton Baptist Church in Florida, the President of Church Answers, and the author of the new book - The Surprising Return of the Neighborhood Church.Sam is a great example of a 200church pastor who refuses to imagine a limit on his impact based on the size of his church. This is an encouraging conversation! Sam and his father Thom are co-hosts of the Rainer On Leadership Podcast - check it out. Their podcast is also on YouTube.
Apr 26, 2023
54 min
Episode 421 - Prayer, Evangelism, ChatGPT, and Church Answers with Thom Rainer
Thom Rainer is the co-host with his son Sam of the Rainer On Leadership Podcast, and the founder of ChurchAnswers.com and ChurchAnswers.University. Thom is a research guy and a data guy and has studied the church for many years. He has written many books which you can see listed HERE. Thom and Jeff spoke about Thom's book, Pray and Go, which releases in June 2023, and about ChatGPT and pastors, and Thom's ministry membership site, Church Answers.We talked about the HopeInitiative.com which helps church leaders change the culture of their church to reflect the heart of God for lost people.For information about Church Answers University and questions about potential partial scholarships, contact [email protected]
Apr 12, 2023
48 min
Episode 420 - Finally! A Framework For Relational Discipleship with Robby Angle
Robby Angle is the CEO of Trueface.org and joins Jeff today to talk about what he and his team are doing with Trueface, about his life and background, and about how Trueface is resourcing churches with training in best practices for discipleship.As Jeff said on the podcast, Trueface.org is offering some great training for you and your small group leadership, so you should definitely check it out!Check out Robby's new book - The Cure For Groups - How to lead a small group people will talk about the rest of their lives!And check out these other Trueface-related episodes:Episode 61 with John Lynch - How Not To Impress God As A PastorEpisode 64 with John Lynch - The Pastor's Secret To Breaking Sin's PowerEpisode 304 with John Lynch - A Truckload of Pastoral Encouragement and HopeEpisode 239 with Steve Mason -  What Authors and Small Church Pastors Dream of - A Story of Radical Life Change
Apr 5, 2023
56 min
Episode 419 - The Art and Heart of a Shepherd with Tony Franklin
Pastor Tony is the pastor of Nicholasville United Methodist Church in Nicholasville Kentucky. You are in for a real treat with a humble, godly, 200church pastor from Kentucky. Enjoy!Check out Tony' book, Jesus, The Four Gospels in Politics HERE!
Mar 16, 2023
1 hr 6 min
Episode 418 - We Talk About David's Book: When Church Stops Working - Meeting With God In Your Living Room
David Wentz was a pastor for 38 years, originally an Engineer by vocation, and now an author and equipper of pastors around the world. Lots of kids and grandkids (I've forgotten how many!)David and I speak for a bit about the revival at Asbury, and revivals in general - quite interesting to me. But we talk mostly about the ability of the church to thrive outside of a building - meeting with God in living rooms.You can check out David's books here!A HELLO Video from David is hereAnd His Website is HERE!
Mar 9, 2023
1 hr 1 min
Episode 417 - She's Writing the 1 Peter Volume of the NICNT - and We Talk About It! A Fascinating Conversation with Dr. Jeannine Brown
She's still writing the 1 Peter volume of the New International Commentary on the New Testament. She is on the NIV Translation Team. She has written three commentaries on Matthew and one on Philippians, as well as a book called Scripture As Communication, a book on biblical hermeneutics.We talk about 1 Peter's content, but also what happens from the time you get the assignment to write a commentary on a book of the Bible, until it's actually published and on the shelf!Check out Jeannine's books here.Check out the Stetzer Church Leaders Podcast with Karl Vaters HERE!
Mar 2, 2023
1 hr
Episode 416 - Rick Warren Talks Ministry, the SBC, Transition, Finishing Well, and More!
On the eve of Saddleback's ouster from the Southern Baptist Convention, Rick Warren marched through a long conversation with me and Jonny. Rick talks about that in this episode. It's obvious he's not happy about it, but as always he remains gracious. Undaunted by rejection, Rick is focused on his new calling, as the leader of FTT, Finishing The Task. He is pushing ahead to see what we in the Christian and Missionary Alliance call Great Commission Completion! Rick recently finished his pastoral ministry of 43 years at Saddleback.  I (Jeff) was at his conference in 1997, when I was 34 and he was 43.  At that time Saddleback was 17 years old and 13,000 in attendance. They would more than double in the next 25 years.You can find everything Rick is up to, with all the links, at PastorRick.com!Rick is a teacher, coach, and adviser of pastors - you will get A LOT out of this episode! Enjoy!
Feb 22, 2023
1 hr 21 min
Episode 415 - Wondering at the Beauty of God with Steve Dewitt
Steve Dewitt is a husband, and father of two daughters, an author, pastor, and Christian leader. This is a conversation about his most recent book, and so much more! You're going to like Steve!Check out a lot (not everything!) of what Steve is up to below...Steve's Radio/Podcast Ministry: The JourneyBethel Church where Steve is Lead PastorSteve's First Book: Eyes Wide Open: Enjoying God in everythingSteve's Second Book: Enjoying God In Everything - A Guide to Maximizing Life's PleasuresSteve's Gospel Coalition articles
Feb 15, 2023
57 min
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