Ep 113: What I Found on the Other Side of Church Growth, with Paul Dazet

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:

• Paul’s article on Substack
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pastorpauldazet/
• Instagram - @pauldazet
• Twitter / X - @pauldazet
• Bluesky - @pastorpaul.bsky.social‬
• Libby
• Hoopla

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:

1. “Jesus wants you rich” (Prosperity Jesus)
2. “Jesus votes red, white, and blue” (Nationalistic Jesus)
3. “Jesus is disappointed in you” (Judgmental Jesus)
4. “Jesus only loves people who look and believe like us” (Exclusive Jesus)
5. “Jesus is here to meet your every need” (Consumeristic Jesus)

Links:

• Paul’s article on Substack
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pastorpauldazet/
• Instagram - @pauldazet
• Twitter / X - @pauldazet
• Bluesky - @pastorpaul.bsky.social‬

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