Explore every episode of the podcast The Church Lobby
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 114: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon, with Austin Carty | 23 Oct 2025 | 01:05:44 | |
If you’re a preaching pastor, you know what it means to feel the burden and the joy of preparing and preaching a sermon every Sunday. No matter how many years we’ve done it, we can always use a little more help to do it better. Karl Vaters talks with Austin Carty about the craft of writing and delivering a weekly sermon, based on Austin’s latest book, Some of the Words Are Theirs: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon. Austin is the pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church, a small congregation in Anderson, SC. Karl and Austin talk about several of the aspects that go into sermon prep, including:
Links:
BONUS EPISODE (Subscribers Only) Five Questions to Help You Preach a Well-balanced Sermon, with Austin Carty One of the most important aspects in sermon prep and presentation today is making sure you know and acknowledge that there are points of view that are different from yours. But how do we recognize these points of view, while preaching the truth from God’s Word? Austin Carty helps us negotiate this potential minefield in a short conversation with Karl Vaters, based on Austin’s new book, Some of the Words Are Theirs: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon, by helping us ask these five questions:
Links: Some of the Words Are Theirs: The Art of Writing and Living a Sermon | |||
| Ep 113: What I Found on the Other Side of Church Growth, with Paul Dazet | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:42:11 | |
What happens when all the church growth principles that were working in your church, suddenly stop working when you need them the most? Karl Vaters interviews Paul Dazet about what happened to him, as the pastor of a fast-growing church shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer. Over 100 members left, saying things like “I just can’t handle being sad at church,” and “It used to be so energetic. Your illness changed the whole vibe.” Paul’s illness and the shaved head that went with it were seen as a show of weakness, need, and vulnerability that many people were uncomfortable seeing on a church platform. But it’s not all bad news. Paul also walks us through the positive changes he has made in his approach to pastoring, including allowing space for lament, and how he now defines ministry success. Links:
Bonus video The Five False Jesus’ of the “Successful” Church, with Paul Dazet Paul Dazet found out that a numerically-growing church isn’t necessarily a healthy church. In this Bonus content, Karl Vaters talks with Paul about the 5 ways churches can be tempted to see Jesus that are not what Jesus intended for his church. They are:
Links:
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| Ep 104: What Is the Minimum for a Church to be Viable? with Sam Peters | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:54:36 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Sam Peters about the microchurch model, and more specifically, what are the minimum aspects that need to be in place for a church to be a church? If you’re serving a small church that’s considering if you have a viable path forward, the microchurch model is worth considering, and Sam offers some help for thinking about it in fresh, new ways. Sam Peters is a church consultant, and the author of several books, including Small Church, Big Opportunity; BIG Faith: Six Key Factors that Grow Your Faith in God, & Rebuilding Stronger: Navigating the Post-Pandemic Landscape of Worship. Links:
Bonus video The Limitations of the Institutional Church in Reaching the Community Karl Vaters interviews Sam Peters about some of the limitations that are now coming to light about the institutional church model (building, salary, etc.) that we’ve both spent our lives in. The challenges we talk about include: 1. Physical and Financial Constraints: Many churches invest most of their resources into maintaining buildings and programs rather than directly engaging the lost. This is especially difficult for smaller congregations. 2. Passive Churchgoers Instead of Active Disciple-Makers: Institutional churches can unintentionally foster a consumer mindset, where members attend services but are not equipped to lead or disciple others. 3. Limited Reach Beyond Church Walls: Most churches expect people to come to them rather than embedding the Gospel in everyday life and relationships. 4. Slow Adaptation to Cultural Shifts: In an age of rapid change, large churches with complex structures often struggle to pivot quickly to meet new challenges and opportunities. 5. Overemphasis on Sunday Gatherings: The primary focus in many churches is the Sunday experience, but disciple-making happens most effectively in smaller, relational environments. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 017: Pastoral Transition with Gary Garcia | 20 Oct 2021 | 00:54:30 | |
My podcast guest this week is Gary Garcia — again. This time we talk about Pastoral Transition from a unique perspective. I was Gary’s lead pastor for 25 years, then Gary became the lead pastor, while I stayed on the pastoral staff with him. In this episode Gary and I talk about
Some key points about making a successful pastoral transition will include:
Links from this Episode: Find Gary on Instagram
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| Ep 016: Pastoral Longevity and Ministry Partnership, with Gary Garcia | 13 Oct 2021 | 00:41:29 | |
Karl Vaters and Gary Garcia have worked together at the same church for 29 years. For the first 25 years Karl was the lead pastor. For the last 4 years Gary has been the lead pastor. This is the first of two episodes with them. In the next one they will talk about everything surrounding the pastoral transition, but in this episode they talk about
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 015: Interim Pastors, with Tom Harris | 06 Oct 2021 | 00:47:50 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Tom Harris about the important, but underserved topic of Intentional Interim Pastorates. Tom is the co-author of Soaring Between Pastors: 8 Actions to Thrive During a Pastoral Transition. He also serves as the president of IPM: Interim Pastor Ministries. In this conversation, Tom and Karl talk about the importance of interim pastorates, including how an intentional interim can help prepare a church to hit the ground running when they call a new pastor. Links from this episode:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 014: Long Term Pastorates, with Rich Brown | 29 Sep 2021 | 00:41:37 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Rich Brown on the importance of long-term pastorates. Rich is the author of Extended Stays: A Closer Look at Longer Pastorates. He has served for decades as a pastor and in Christian higher education. Currently he serves with IPM (Interim Pastor Ministries). In this conversation, Karl and Rich talk about why long-term pastorates are good for the church, the pastor, the pastor’s family, and for the community we're called to reach. Including:
and more. From the Episode: Rich@interimpastors.com Extended Stays by Rich Brown The Forgotten Church by Glenn Daman Turnaround Strategies For the Small Church by Ron Crandell Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’Dell Growing Young - Fuller Seminary Church Revitalization in Rural America by Tom Cheyney Small Church Checkup by Kay Kotan & Phil Schroeder Leading the Smaller Church by Glenn C. Daman To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 013: Small Churches In Denominational Leadership, with Matt Henslee | 15 Sep 2021 | 00:31:14 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Matt Henslee about the importance of having small church representation in denominational leadership. In addition to being a small church pastor and authoring/co-authoring several books, Matt has recently been appointed to leadership in his denomination (the Southern Baptist Conference) on both a regional and national level. Karl and Matt talk about how this came happened and how important it is for all church groups, including denominations, to make a place for small church pastors in leadership. Links from this Episode:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 012: Small Church Pastor Personality Types, with Jean Morgan | 01 Sep 2021 | 00:28:30 | |
Karl interviews Jean Morgan, a small church pastor who wrote a Master’s thesis about the correlation between a pastor’s personality and the size of the church they serve. In this conversation, Jean and Karl talk about
What we discover is that our effectiveness in small church ministry is less about our personality type and far more about 1. Our feelings of effectiveness 2. Listening closely to our calling, not to the outside voices that tell us we need to hit certain numbers 3. How God can use any personality type to accomplish his will for his church
Jean's Masters Thesis can be found here https://karlvaters.com/small-church-pastor-personality-types/ To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 011: Trauma, Brain Science, and Ministry, with Lori Andrews, Ed.D. | 18 Aug 2021 | 00:43:09 | |
Karl talks with Lori Andrews about trauma, its effect on the brain, and how to use this information as we lead through challenging times. Topics include:
Lori has a doctorate in Education, specializing in chronic trauma and broken family systems, with training in neurobiology. She works with at-risk youth, and she has spent many years in small-church ministry.
Links from this episode: Freshhope.us mentalhealthgracealliance.org To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 010: Writing For Ministry, with Drew Dyck | 04 Aug 2021 | 00:41:57 | |
Karl interviews Drew Dyck about Writing for Ministry, including
Drew has spent decades as a writer and editor for major church publishers, and is the author of several books, most recently "Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible and Brain Science (A Guide for Sinners, Quitters, and Procrastinators)." Links from this episode: “Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control From The Bible And Brain Science” https://www.drewdyck.com/your-future-self-will-thank-you Twitter Handle @drewdyck drewdyck.com To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 009: First Impressions, with Greg Atkinson | 29 Jul 2021 | 00:47:39 | |
Greg Atkinson is one the world’s leading voices in First Impressions for churches. He also wrote "Secrets of a Secret Shopper: Reaching and Keeping Church Guests" as a guide for small churches. In this conversation, Karl Vaters interviews Greg about
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 008: Recovering & Thriving In the Post-Pandemic Church pt. 2 | 21 Jul 2021 | 00:29:49 | |
There’s a lot of talk lately about what it will take to recover from what we've all been through over the past two years. And understandably so. It will take years for us to get a grip on what has happened, what’s still happening and how it’s still changing everything. In this two-part series, Karl Vaters shares several lessons about responding, recovering and thriving through a challenging season. This information comes from hundreds of conversations he’s had with small church pastors, denominational leaders and others over the last 18+ months. In this episode (Part 2), Karl covers the four essential principles that have made the differences between 1) churches that struggled the most during the pandemic, and will continue to struggle in the future, and 2) churches that have stayed healthy, become stronger and are likely to thrive into the future. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 103: Helping Small Churches Win Guests, with Desmond Barrett | 22 May 2025 | 01:01:36 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Desmond Barrett about how small churches can do a better job at reaching, welcoming, and keeping guests. Desmond is the author of Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance, which is a short, but very practical book that pastors will find great benefit in. Karl and Desmond talk about:
Links:
Bonus video 5 Options When a Church Property is Too Big for the Congregation, with Desmond Barrett Karl Vaters talks with Desmond Barrett, the author of Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance, about a subject that is a challenge for a growing number of congregations. What can you do when a church facility that was built to hold hundreds of people has just a handful or worshipers left? The five options they discuss are:
Links: Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 007: Recovering & Thriving In the Post-Pandemic Church (Pt. 1) | 15 Jul 2021 | 00:32:23 | |
There’s a lot of talk lately about what it will take to recover from what we've all been through over the past two years. And understandably so. It will take years for us to get a grip on what has happened, what’s still happening and how it’s still changing everything.
In this two-part series, Karl Vaters shares several lessons about responding, recovering and thriving through a challenging season. This information comes from hundreds of conversations he’s had with small church pastors, denominational leaders and others over the last 18+ months.
In this episode (Part 1), Karl covers:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 006: Video Ministry Using Devices You Already Own, with Craig Forrest | 07 Jul 2021 | 00:37:02 | |
An interview with Craig Forrest, who’s spent decades shooting and editing film and video for ministries and network TV. Craig is passionate about helping people communicate the message of Jesus in a compelling way. In this interview, Karl Vaters talks with him about video ideas and tips that can be used in any size of church on a limited/nonexistent budget. CraigForrest.com (https://www.craigforrest.com/) MatchstickMedia.org (https://www.matchstickmedia.org/) Six Ways to Sunday podcast (https://soundcloud.com/craig-d-forrest-813372280) For a Transcript of this episode visit the Pivot Blog Support This Work: Visit the Website (https://karlvaters.com/) Subscribe to weekly Newsletter (https://karlvaters.com/subscribe/) Contribute financially through Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/karlvaters) Visit our Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrcGS0_tkxklJyB7wn9-aZA)
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| Ep. 005: Small Church Conferences | 30 Jun 2021 | 01:08:26 | |
Recorded in an RV at the Big Little Church conference in Camas WA, Karl talks with four people who host conferences for small church leaders. The conversation covers: Why they started their small church conferences What big church conferences can do to include the needs and voices of small church leaders First steps if you want to host a small church conference Guests: Carl & Kalani Culley of BigLittleChurch.com Dale Sellers of 95Network.org Chris Vitarelli of SmallChurchBigDeal.com Links from Episode: Big Little Church Conference (http://www.biglittlechurch.com/) Small Church, Big Deal (http://smallchurchbigdeal.com/) 95Network (https://www.95network.org/) First 5 app - Devotional tool (https://first5.org/) To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 004: Decision Fatigue, with Ira Antoine | 23 Jun 2021 | 00:58:50 | |
In my conversation with Ira Antoine we talk about Decision Fatigue. You know, that exhaustion you feel when there are just ... too ... many ... decisions to be made and no one else to make them! Ira has pastored of Minnehulla Baptist Church in Goliad, Texas for 14 years and he is also the Director of Texas Baptists Bivocational Pastors Ministry. Ira offers a lot of practical help for an issue that every leader will face during seasons of challenge including “What is decision fatigue? Why are we facing it? And what can we do about it?” Links From Episode: Streamyard.com (https://streamyard.com) Texas Baptists Convention (https://texasbaptists.org/) Personal e-mail: ira.antoine@texasbaptists.org To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep. 003: Can a Pastor Change the Culture of a Small Church? | 16 Jun 2021 | 00:27:28 | |
A church’s culture is defined as “the unwritten set of rules that governs everything a church does.” In a big church, the pastor and staff set the culture, but in a small church the culture is set by the long-time regular members and attenders - even if they don't know they’re doing it. In this episode, Karl Vaters walks through the three steps that a small church pastor must use to lead the culture.
Karl also walks through the key types of church cultures and how to address each one. Links from Episode: Dirt Matters by Jim Powell To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 002: Making a Positive Impact on Social Media, w/ Doug Bursch | 07 Jun 2021 | 01:01:37 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Doug Bursch about his new book, Posting Peace. It's all about how social media is impacting us so much that it even changes how we see ourselves and relate to each other. But Doug also offers hope for how we can be peacemakers and reconcilers in our online behavior. As the first interview of this podcast, Karl introduces the Lightning Round questions, with questions and answers that are both profound and a little bit of fun. Buy Posting Peace (https://www.ivpress.com/posting-peace) To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 001: Can A Small Church Be An Effective Church? | 07 Jun 2021 | 00:40:30 | |
Yes, small churches can be strong, healthy and effective. In this opening episode, Karl Vaters looks at the three main issues that must be in place in order for that to happen. 1. Realize you can be effective 2. Discover how small churches function differently from big churches 3. Understand and use the unique DNA of your small church for God’s glory To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| EP 000: Introducing Can This Work in a Small Church | 21 May 2021 | 00:04:08 | |
Why would someone create a podcast called "Can This Work In A Small Church?" Because small churches are different. A lot of what we learn from our big church friends needs to be tweaked for the small church environment. And sometimes they need to be done completely differently. In this episode, Karl Vaters introduces you to what this podcast is about, and what's coming up. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 102: Five Trends In Technology and the Church, with Brad Hill | 08 May 2025 | 00:50:45 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Brad Hill about some of the latest findings concerning the church and technology. Brad is the Chief Solutions Officer at Gloo, an organization that came out of nowhere a few years ago, and now seems to be everywhere. After clarifying Karl’s curiosity about who/what Gloo actually is, they talk about some of the important findings from a recent study Gloo conducted with Barna. If you’re not an early adopter of technology, this can help you navigate the fast-changing landscape without getting bogged down in details. The five findings Karl and Brad discuss are:
Links:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 101: Ministry Sustainability without Money Stress, with Eric Hoke | 24 Apr 2025 | 00:48:25 | |
Eric Hoke is known as the “I Help Pastors Get Jobs” Guy. Karl Vaters talks with Eric about how to build long-term sustainable ministry, reduce financial stress, and create value in the marketplace by becoming an intentionally covocational pastor. Eric’s new book, Market Street Pastor: Ministry Sustainability without Money Stress, addresses many of the issues involved in making the shift toward covocational ministry. This conversation covers the subjects of:
Links from this episode:
Bonus Content How to Build a LinkedIn Profile that Will Get Job Leads, with Eric Hoke LinkedIn remains a primary online site for those seeking employment, and it’s especially helpful for pastors seeking covocational employment. In this very practical conversation, Eric Hoke talks with Karl Vaters about some common mistakes to avoid and opportunities to take advantage of that will get you noticed—and get the side hustle job that suits your skills and needs. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 100: The Pastor, the Bible, and Growing Up In a Pastor’s Home (with Albert Vaters) | 10 Apr 2025 | 00:47:24 | |
For Episode 100, Karl Vaters has a very special conversation with his father, Albert Vaters, about the pastor’s relationship with God’s Word, the Bible. In addition to each of them spending 40 years as pastors (over 80 years of combined pastoral ministry!), they were also both raised as preacher’s kids, so they can speak from multiple perspectives about life in a pastor’s home. In this conversation, Karl and Albert talk about:
Links:
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| Ep 099: Russ Taff, on Childhood Trauma, Church Hurt, Alcoholism, Fame, Redemption, and His New Album | 27 Mar 2025 | 02:05:25 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Russ Taff. One of the great voices of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) in the 1970s-90s, Russ won five Grammys, 13 Dove Awards, and was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame three times (with the Imperials, the Gaither Vocal Band, and as a solo artist). He also spent decades struggling with alcoholism, church hurt, and shame, stemming from the severe trauma he experienced in the pastor's house of his childhood. This interview is raw. It’s real, and it’s very emotional. In addition to talking through his testimony at length, Karl and Russ also take a song-by-song walk through his newest album, which is a journey through his story of pain, trauma, lament, and redemption. Links:
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| Ep 098: Ten Things They Didn't Tell Me About Leadership, with Alberto Bello | 13 Mar 2025 | 00:50:28 | |
Alberto Bello is a church planter in Bakersfield CA, and he’s written one of those books everyone says they could write, Ten Things They Didn't Tell Me About Leadership. Karl Vaters talks with Alberto about that book, the experiences that led to it, and the lessons to be learned from it. Including:
Links: | |||
| EP 097: Getting Your Church on the Road to Greater Health, with Mike Rubino | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:53:16 | |
Mike Rubino is a pastor in the unique ministry environment of Long Island NY. He’s also the founder and director of Church Revitalize, which helps churches that need to revitalize their ministry, through cohorts, coaching, and more. Karl Vaters talks with Mike about church revitalization, with a focus on Mike’s new workbook, The Revitalize Roadmap: Getting Your Church on the Road to Greater Health. Subjects include:
Links:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 096: Disability Inclusion In the Church, with Barb Stanley | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:41:12 | |
Every church should be open to everyone who wants to attend. So, we need to be more purposeful about making sure we're not unintentionally denying access without realizing it. Barbara Stanley oversees Wonderful Works Ministry, which equips churches to serve families affected by disability. They have a large and growing set of resources to help churches of all types. Karl Vaters talks with Barb about a variety of subjects, including:
Links: | |||
| Ep 95: The Clergy Sabbatical Toolkit, with Sean Nemecek | 30 Jan 2025 | 00:49:51 | |
A clergy sabbatical is not a luxury for the few, it’s an essential element in recalibrating your ministry and reestablishing healthy habits for ministry longevity. Sabbaticals are having a moment right now. With the accelerated pace of life and ministry, we’re recognizing their value in a fresh, new way. Sean Nemecek and the team at Pastor In Residence Ministries have been working with pastors for years, helping them get the most out of a sabbatical. And now they’ve put it all in one place with the Clergy Sabbatical Toolkit,, a practical guide that will help pastors, their congregations, and their families. Karl Vaters talkes with Sean talk about the aspects of an effective sabbatical, including:
Links: Bonus Content Anger, Depression, and Temptation: Dealing with the Unexpected on Your Sabbatical, with Sean Nemecek Stuff happens when you step away from the hectic pace of everyday ministry life to take a multi-month sabbatical. Most of it is good, some of it is surprising, and if you’re not ready for it, some of it can cause damage. Thankfully, Sean Nemecek and the team at Pastor In Residence Ministries have been working with pastors for years, helping them get the most out of their sabbaticals. And now they’ve put it all in one place with the Clergy Sabbatical Toolkit. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with Sean about some of the unexpected things that happen on sabbatical, so you can be prepared to get the most out of your time of refreshing and renewal. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 112: Making Room for Loss and Grief In Life and Ministry, with Leanne Friesen | 25 Sep 2025 | 00:52:05 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Leanne Friesen about grief. Specifically, how pastors, family members, and other caring people can help give people the room to process their grief when they go through a profound loss. Karl and Leanne also talk about how to process those feelings ourselves. Leanne is a former pastor and is the author of Grieving Room: Making Space for All the Hard Things after Death and Loss. She talks with wisdom and compassion about the difficult, but important principles she learned as she went through the death of her sister more than a decade ago. Links:
Bonus video How to Give People Room When They’re Not “Getting Over” Their Grief, with Leanne Friesen Karl Vaters interviews Leanne Friesen about one of the hardest aspects of grief – what happens when you can’t seem to “get over it” the way people seem to think you should? As Leanne explains, when a loved one dies, the ones who have lost them need room for grief to be a part of their lives for the rest of their life. By recognizing this, they can deal with it in a much healthier way. Links: To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 94: Using Storytelling Techniques to Make Your Message Stick, with Payton Minzenmayer | 16 Jan 2025 | 00:49:53 | |
Have you ever noticed that people don’t pay attention to sermons the way they used to? It may not be the fault of shorter attention spans (not exclusively, anyway). There’s a lot more happening — and we, as pastors and communicators can do something about it. Karl Vaters talks with Payton Minzenmayer. He's a pastor, and the founder of ChristianStoryLab.com, a new website that offers great ideas to make our writing and speaking more engaging by using the aspects of story — just like Jesus did. Some of what they talk about includes:
Links:
You can follow Payton on LinkedIn and X. Bonus video (Supporters and Subscribers only) 3 Simple Habits to Elevate Your Writing and Speaking, with Payton Minzenmayer Storytelling is the most powerful form of communication. But most of us could use help to do it better. Karl Vaters talks with Payton Minzenmayer, of ChristianStoryLab.com, about the three habits Payton uses every day to strengthen his storytelling muscles. They’re simple, repeatable, and so helpful. Links: To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 93: Cultivating a Multiethnic Kingdom Culture, with Jamaal Williams and Timothy Paul Jones | 02 Jan 2025 | 01:00:54 | |
According to John’s vision in Revelation 7:9, heaven will be filled with people who are still recognized by their ethnicity (every nation, tribe, people, and language). So, if we want the church here and now to reflect that, Sunday mornings must stop being the most segregated time of the week. That’s the premise of Karl Vaters’ conversation with Jamaal Williams and Timothy Paul Jones, the co-authors of In Church as It Is in Heaven: Cultivating a Multiethnic Kingdom Culture, which Karl named as one of his best nonfiction books of the year for 2024. Jamaal and Timothy focus on what we can do to create a more kingdom-minded approach to ethnic diversity, while acknowledging that ethnic diversity is not the point of the church, but a byproduct of the gospel message. Links:
Bonus video 3 Steps to Move Your Church Toward Multiethnic Generosity, with Jamaal Williams and Timothy Paul Jones One of the habits (liturgies) that Jamaal Williams and Timothy Paul Jones suggest in their book, In Church as It Is in Heaven: Cultivating a Multiethnic Kingdom Culture, is to help your church move toward multiethnic generosity. Karl Vaters talks with them as they suggest a simple plan to visit a faithful, gospel-driven church outside your own ethnicity or culture once every three months. Embrace this habit as an opportunity to learn from sisters and brothers in other cultures. And when you do, walk through these three steps:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 92: How Christianity Became The Air We All Breathe, with Glen Scrivener | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:45:33 | |
The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus changed everything. Not just for eternity, but for the world here and now. According to Glen Scrivener, the author of The Air We Breathe, How We All Came to Believe In Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality, most of what we now consider to be self-evident human values were not so evident or common before Jesus. In this conversation, Karl and Glen talk about:
Podcast Links:
Bonus Summary How Good Theology Became the Basis for Good Science, with Glen Scrivener Good theology and good science are good friends. In this short conversation with Glen Scrivener, Karl Vaters asks him about the three legs upon which this reality sits. These three principles become clear when we have a better understanding of the first three chapters of the Bible:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 91: The Prophetic Voice of Deconstruction, with Scot McKnight | 05 Dec 2024 | 00:44:26 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Scot McKnight about what we can learn from those who are deconstructing their faith. This conversation is based on the content of Scot’s new book (co-written with Tommy Preson Phillips), Invisible Jesus: A Book about Leaving the Church and Looking for Christ. This is a challenging book and a challenging conversation, especially if you are to the right of center theologically and politically (like Scot and Karl). But I encourage you not to write it off for those reasons. Scot makes the case, through personal observation and thorough statistics, that people who use a term like “deconstruction” are probably not leaving Jesus, but are usually trying to find a simpler, more genuine representation of him than what they’ve seen in many of our churches. Deconstructors are asking important questions and shining a light on issues we need to pay attention to. Links from this Episode:
Bonus Content Summary
The Three Stages of Deconstruction From chapter 6 of Invisible Jesus: A Book about Leaving the Church and Looking for Christ, Scot McKnight shares the three distinct steps most deconstructors go through (Liminality, Elimination, and Liberation), and what they mean. Knowing these phases can be very helpful for us, as church leaders, to be involved in the conversation with them. When we step into this space instead of running from it, we have the chance to learn, and to guide them as they seek to draw closer to Jesus. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 90: How Bible Reading Can Jumpstart Your Church’s Discipleship, with Matt Lucas | 21 Nov 2024 | 00:51:34 | |
Karl Vaters interviews Matt Lucas about starting your congregation on the road to spiritual maturity through increasing their Bible reading. Specifically, how reading the Bible at least four times a week is so powerful, it's been called "The Power of Four." Matt is the CEO of Our Daily Bread (known for their quarterly devotionals) and The Center for Bible Engagement. Karl and Matt talk about:
Links:
Bonus Content Summary A Congregational Survey to Help Track Your Congregation’s Spiritual Maturity, with Matt Lucas How do you know if your congregation is maturing? Tracking church attendance is not enough. Matt Lucas and the team at Our Daily Bread are creating a powerful new tool to help pastors and their congregations. In this Bonus Material, Karl Vaters talks with Matt as he shows us this new tool, explaining what it will do, how easy it will be, and how you’ll be able to use it to lead your congregation well. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 89: Vibrant Ministry After Retirement Age, with Lisa Northway | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:50:00 | |
Retirement isn’t what it used to be. In the U.S. military, retirement is mandatory at 62 years of age, but U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain (MAJ) Lisa A. Northway is an exception to that. Lisa, who’s currently stationed in Fort Sill, OK, has been called the “Grandma Moses” of the Army Chaplaincy. She recently received permission to extend her chaplaincy for a few more years. In this podcast, Karl Vaters talks with Lisa about how to have vibrant ministry past retirement age, including
Links from this Episode:
Bonus Content Navigating the Challenges of Being a Woman In Ministry, with Lisa Northway What roles does the Bible allow women to serve in the church? This is a hot-button topic, for sure. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain Lisa Northway about the challenges she faces as a woman in ministry, and how to address those issues among the troops she serves. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 088: The Gift of Small: Embracing Your Church’s Vocation, with Allen T. Stanton | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:46:51 | |
Small churches aren’t a problem to fix, they’re a unique part of the body of Christ that has gifts we need to embrace. Karl Vaters talks with Allen T. Stanton about the importance of embracing what’s right about small churches, not in spite of being small, but because they’re small, in a conversation based on the content of Allen's book, The Gift of Small: Embracing Your Church’s Vocation. Some of the subjects they cover include:
Links:
Bonus Content Four Practices to Help Your Small Church Stay Nimble, with Allen T. Stanton Karl Vaters talks with Allen T. Stanton about the importance of:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 087: Covocational Pastoring: What It Is, And Why You Should Consider It (with Jon Sanders) | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:46:28 | |
Working a side hustle is no longer the exception for pastors, it’s the norm. Embracing it might answer a lot of your (and your church’s) needs. Karl Vaters talks with Jon Sanders about the rise in covocational pastoring and why it’s something more pastors, especially small-church pastors, should take seriously. Jon is the co-host of the EntrePastors Podcast and the co-founder of EntrePastors.com (with Les Hughes). The culture around us is shifting. The idea that someone entering the workplace will get a single full-time job to pay the bills is a rarity. And the church is no exception. But, unlike the secular marketplace, we shouldn’t be playing catch-up with this. We can lead. Jon and Karl talk about several important aspects of bivo/covo ministry, including:
And more. Jon also serves as the Director of Coaching for the 95Network, a ministry that specializes in serving small to midsize churches. Podcast Links:
Bonus Material Finding a Covocational Job That Fits a Pastor’s Skills and Schedule, with Jon Sanders What marketplace jobs work well for covocational pastors? The skills you have honed as a pastor are highly desirable in the secular marketplace. But how can they be turned into a paying job that won’t interfere with your pastoral calling? In the bonus conversation I talk to Jon Sanders of EntrePastors.com about how to make that transition, including several real-life examples of pastors who have made that transition well. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 086: Vibrant Ministry From A Traditional Building In A Difficult City, with Tim Walker | 26 Sep 2024 | 01:00:13 | |
Why would a young church planter choose to do ministry in the poorest neighborhood of a city in crisis? Many churches are fleeing the inner cities. Grand old church buildings with deep histories sit empty. But Tim Walker and Restored Church are facing these realities head-on in Wilkes-Barre PA. Karl Vaters talks with Tim about subjects like:
Links from this episode:
Bonus Content How To Foster Pastoral Collaboration In Your Town, with Tim Walker Karl Vaters talks with Tim Walker about how he and other pastors in his town have created a network of ministry collaboration that blesses all churches and reaches the community more effectively. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 085: The Necessity of Being Offended by Jesus, with Chase Replogle | 12 Sep 2024 | 00:45:19 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Chase Replogle about one of the most controversial, but unavoidable topics today—living with offense without being offended. This material comes from his just-released book, A Sharp Compassion: 7 Hard Words to Heal Our Insecurities and Free Us from Offense. Karl and Chase talk about why offense is a necessary part of life, how to use it well, and deal with it properly. Subjects include:
Chase Replogle is also the author of The 5 Masculine Instincts: A Guide to Becoming a Better Man, and is the host of the Pastor Writer Podcast. He pastors the Bent Oak Church in Springfield, Missouri. Links from this episode:
Bonus Content Summary The Danger Of The Cult Of Self-affirmation Karl Vaters talks with Chase Replogle about the dangers of using self-affirmation as a guide to life and truth. Recent surveys have shown that self-affirmation, and specifically “how I feel at the moment” have widely replaced universal truths in many people’s lives. It’s also made its way into the church. While 91% of U.S. adults agree that “the best way to find yourself is by looking within yourself,” 76% of practicing Christians agreed with that statement. As Chase wrote in A Sharp Compassion, “Religion has not disappeared from America, as so many feared; instead, it has, like everything from our entertainment to our diets, become personalized. It has shifted from the risk of offense to the affirmation of the self.” | |||
| Ep 111: Using AI To Find Great Sermon Illustrations, with Darrell Stetler | 11 Sep 2025 | 00:48:39 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Darrell Stetler about a new AI program Darrell has created, called Sermon Illustrator. After a short introduction to what AI is, and some of the advantages and dangers of using it, they narrow in on this tool that helps pastors with a very specific task – finding illustrations (stories, metaphors, historical events, and so on) that can give your well-prepared sermon a story, a photo, a video, or another illustration that will help your content connect in a memorable way. Podcast Links:
Also from Darrell Stetler:
Social media:
Bonus Content Some Strengths and Dangers of Using AI for Sermon Prep, with Darrell Stetler Karl Vaters interviews Darrell Stetler about what AI is good for, and some of the dangers AI poses, specifically when it comes to prepping Sunday sermons. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 084: How To Do A Great Trunk-or-Treat At Your Church, with Darrell Stetler | 29 Aug 2024 | 00:47:02 | |
In September and October over 1.2 million people will search online for “Trunk-or-Treat near me.” Here’s how to be one of the churches they find. Karl Vaters talks with Darrell Stetler about practical steps to help churches of any size put on a high-quality, gospel-centered Trunk-or-Treat event. Darrell is a small-church pastor in Oklahoma City and he has created a free 23-page guide called Trunk-orTreat Planning for Churches: A Step-by-step Guide. Karl and Darrell talk about:
Podcast Links:
Also from Darrell Stetler:
Social media:
Bonus Summary Yes, Your Church Can Do Trunk-or-Treat without Compromising Your Christian Values, with Darrell Stetler If you have problems with Halloween, I'm right there with you. Not a fan. In this short video, Darrell Stetler and Karl Vaters talk about:
Bonus Content Links:
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| Ep 083: Flyover Church: Jesus' Ministry in Rural Places, with Brad Roth | 15 Aug 2024 | 00:45:42 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Brad Roth about the content from his new book, Flyover Church: How Jesus’ Ministry in Rural Places Is Good News Everywhere, for which Karl wrote the foreword. Topics include:
Brad is also the author of The Hunger Inside: How the Meal Jesus Gave Transforms Lives, and God's Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church. Links:
Brad Roth Bonus Chat summary One New Person: Toward An Authentic Metric For The Rural Church Karl Vaters talks with Brad Roth about how and why metrics work very differently in rural churches than in urban and suburban churches. As Brad wrote, “Most of us don’t need numbers to know whether our church is thriving. Numbers often stand in for intuition and attempt to substitute with a dashboard what can only be learned through years spent with a people in a place.” To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 082: Pastoring Difficult People, with Craig T. Owens | 01 Aug 2024 | 00:55:38 | |
Sometimes pastors are our own worst enemy, so we need to recognize that God chose us for this work. There’s probably not a single pastor (at least not a long-term pastor) who can’t relate to the title of Craig T Owens’ latest book, When Sheep Bite: Help for Shepherd Leaders Who May Have Felt the Painful Bites. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with Craig about what those bites mean, where they come from and what to do about them. Then they spend the bulk of the episode covering the chapters that make up the meat of his book:
Links:
BONUS MATERIAL Navigating Your Way Through Good Stress And Bad Stress, with Craig Owens Karl Vaters interviews Craig T Owens about the fact that there are two kinds of stress that we all face:
In life, as in ministry, it’s essential that we know the difference, and that we’re aware of how to reduce the negative, while embracing and growing with the positive. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 081: Should Your Church Consider the Microchurch Model?, with Frank Wooden | 18 Jul 2024 | 00:49:27 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Frank Wooden about Microchurches. Frank has been a church planter for decades, but is now concentrating on the Microchurch model as a valid, healthy alternative in a changing cultural landscape. Karl and Frank talk about:
And more
Links:
Bonus Content Summary How to Help an Existing Church Adapt to the Microchurch Model Karl Vaters talks with Frank Wooden about the value of the Microchurch model as an alternative for a church in crisis. They discuss how this model might help answer financial challenges, the importance of being proactive, what to do with a church’s institutional assets if they adapt this model, and how to address concerns from mature members. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 080: Practical Ideas that Work In Small Churches, with Laurie Acker | 04 Jul 2024 | 00:33:29 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Laurie Acker about the changing face of small church ministry, especially as it relates to recruiting, training, and relying on the volunteers who are so essential in helping small churches survive and thrive in a changing world. Laurie runs SmallChurchMinistry.com, an online ministry that provides resources and support for volunteers and ministry leaders in smaller churches. Ministries like this are so important because they help provide practical help for the volunteers who do small-church ministry without any prior training. Links from this episode:
Bonus Content Karl Vaters talks with Laurie Acker about Using a Planning Party to Jumpstart Youth/Kids Ministry. She suggests who should be involved, when to hold the meeting, and more. Karl and Laurie also talk about how healthy small churches are uniquely suited to meet the needs of youth and kids in an environment that values relationships and connection over programs and professionalism. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 079: Church Collaboration and Killing Consumerism in a Post-Christian Context, with Dan Nichols | 20 Jun 2024 | 00:49:45 | |
Pastoring in a post-Christian context is different. The more counter-cultural our faith becomes, the more important it is to understand that Christian consumerism is deadly and church cooperation is essential. Karl Vaters talks with Dan Nichols about these subjects, including:
Dan Nichols is the pastor of Grace Christian Fellowship in Cortland NY, and the founder of Northeast Collaborative. Links:
Bonus Content Karl Vaters talks with Dan Nichols about Creating a Spirit of Generosity in a Local Church. Dan’s church takes an offering every year that they give away in its entirety to ministries outside their church. This year it will go to nine other local churches that they work alongside. Karl and Dan talk about how that kind of generosity happens, and what a pastor can do to start moving a church away from fear and toward being outrageously generous. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 078: De-sizing the Church (pt 10): First Reactions from Church Leaders | 06 Jun 2024 | 00:31:35 | |
As we come to the end of our ten-part series based on De-sizing the Church, we’re highlighting portions of conversations Karl Vaters had with five church leaders from various backgrounds about their first reactions to reading the book.
Links:
To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||
| Ep 077: De-Sizing The Church (pt 9): The Danger of Idolizing Outcomes, with Mike Rubino | 30 May 2024 | 00:19:38 | |
Karl Vaters talks with Mike Rubino about his First Reaction to the first chapter of De-sizing the Church, The Danger of Idolizing Outcomes. Karl and Mike look at:
When we’re obsessed with doing something that Jesus never told us to do we’re always in danger of it becoming an idol. And the weight of that is more than we can bear. Mike Rubino is the pastor of Cornerstone Bible Church, Port Jefferson Station, on Long island NY, and the founder of the Church Revitalize Center. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. | |||