The Small Church Ministry Podcast

In this special episode, we’re taking a peek into stories of hope from our conference for small churches last weekend plus sharing about our next “best thing!” On the heels of this event, we’re excited to open the doors to the Small Church Network!Listen in to hear how Small Church Ministry has been impacting churches with community, support, and resources, and learn how you can be part of this global movement of small churches growing in impact. The Small Church Network offers:An ongoing community for support, led by small churches for small churchesMonthly training, both live and recorded, to share within your local congregationOpportunities for breakout discussions, co-working, and mentorshipLive gatherings in multiple timezones for regional and global accessAnd lots moreCheck out the Small Church Ministry Network >> https://smallchurchministry.com/network/Check out our future conference dates >> https://smallchurchsummits.com/waitlist/Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay updated on the new episodes I release weekly. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network:  https://smallchurchministry.com/network/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

Today we’re talking about the most affordable and flexible app that we’ve found for churches looking at options for:lyric projectionadding fuller sound to your regular worshiphelp for no song leaders or missing instrumentssolutions for no band at allWhether you’re a “push play” kind of person or you’re looking for flexibility to add more dynamics to what you’re already doing, join the conversation with Zarc Porter from The Worship Zone as he shares about the ISingWorship app. Zarc is an award-winning music producer and songwriter with an incredible ministry to small churches.Connect with Zarc Porter here:https://www.theworshipzone.com/https://www.isingworship.com/Get on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay updated on the new episodes I release weekly. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

As Christmas tunes and holiday decor start making their way into retail stores, more people than ever are struggling with loneliness, depression, & conflicting emotions.“Happy Holidays” and “Christmas Cheer'' stand in stark contrast with the honest emotions many people experience during this season: loneliness, grief, and depression. It’s no mystery that holiday months are some of the most difficult for people who have suffered loss; in fact, many avoid church during this time. Small churches have an incredible opportunity to step into this season where dark and light so obviously coexist. Tune in to hear:How church often makes holidays worse for peopleHow to welcome both happy and sad this holiday seasonHow acknowledging loss doesn’t diminish, but actually heightens the Light of ChristmasWhere the Blue Christmas Service came from How to make a Blue Christmas Service fit your community12 Ideas to Reach Out to the Hurting This Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas >> https://smallchurchministry.com/church-outreach-ideas-thanksgiving-advent-christmas/A Blue Christmas Service Makes Space for Healing & Hope during the Holidays >> https://smallchurchministry.com/blue-christmas-service/Get the Done-For-You Blue Christmas >>   https://smallchurchministry.com/christmasGet on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay updated on the new episodes I release weekly. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: Get the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

In this episode, small church pastor and tech guy, Darin Elquist, shares why more people should get their hands on the soundboard in your church. After getting scolded for playing with the church soundboard when he was 12, Darin went on to become a proficient tech guy and a musician too. Darin has extensive experience in live sound reinforcement and other areas of tech, but sound is where he feels most at home. Darin has worked large events and small, with experience in modifying, repairing, and installing sound equipment in all kinds of places; however, he specializes in helping small churches get the sound they need, not only for worship services but other needs as well.Listen in as Darin shares …How to avoid the top mistakes many small churches are makingWhy you might want to get a better mic before you replace your soundboardHow to know if your sound issues are caused by the people running it or the actual equipmentThe top qualities to look for in your next sound and tech traineeGet on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay updated on the new episodes I release weekly. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

Join us as Matt Hernando shares some of his biggest lessons learned in tech ministry, including how he went from being willing with no experience to becoming the one who trains others to serve. Matt is the Multimedia Ministry Leader at Crossings Church Innerbelt, a church plant in St. Louis, Missouri. Listen in to hear...What motivates him to keep serving How you can overcome a few of the biggest challenges in small church techWhy great tech ministry requires practice, just like baseballConnect with Matt!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthernandoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nodoubthernando/Website: https://mattchernando.medium.com/Get on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay updated on the new episodes I release weekly. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

Instead of hunting for the next perfect worship song to deepen your worship service, consider adding extra intention with readings, responses, and reflections. Spoken and silent worship elements have a way of engaging minds and wills in addition to our hearts. For some, the idea of responsive readings and other spoken forms of worship are limited to traditional worship settings, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Listen in to hear …. How to use spoken & silent worship elements effectively in modern worship as well as traditional settingsWhy authentically spoken worship elements can be more effective at engaging millennials than hip, new worship songsHow reading elements can be the bridge between the team on the stage and the people in the seatsWhy personal response is a bigger indication of worship engagement than corporate volumeSmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/networkGet on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference happening in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay up to date on the new episodes I release every week. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

If you wish your congregation would sing out more or you’re looking for ways to engage your congregation in deeper worship, this episode is for you. Worship leader & award-winning music producer, Zarc Porter, joins us from the UK to share the lessons he’s learned over years of worship leading. He tackles the uniqueness of small church worship leading with not only great tips but some perspective shifts that get at the heart of worship.Listen in to hear... Why the right song in the wrong key is a huge mistake (& how to choose the right one)Tips to minimize distractions from the platformHow everything changes when the congregation becomes the lead worshipperConnect with Zarc Porter here: https://www.theworshipzone.com/https://www.isingworship.com/Get on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference happening in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay up to date on the new episodes I release every week. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

If Sunday music feels a bit stale in your small church, listen in for some ways to lead people deeper into worship no matter what worship style or size of your team. When we start believing we need better music, a bigger band, or more talented singers, we’re not thinking right. Worship goes way beyond music. While music can certainly contribute to great worship for many people, we don’t need music to worship. In fact, for some people, music will never be the primary way they connect with God or experience His presence. And that’s okay.Tune in to this episode to hear … That leading worship is not the same as worshipping in front of peopleWhy worship leading is less about you and more about themHow changing the worship style of your congregation might not be what they needCreative ways to help non-singers worship God on Sundays apart from musicCome Thou Fount: A Creative Worship ResponseGet on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference happening in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay up to date on the new episodes I release every week. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

Developing a worship team In a small church can seem impossible when there are no singers, musicians, or sound engineers in sight. While big churches can put out a call for team members and move forward with a selection process, small churches face a different challenge - and a much greater opportunity. Here’s the difference: people in small churches aren’t recruiters; we’re developers. Whether you lead hymns or praise, organ or electric guitar, song leader or worship team, tune in for this series on worship & tech ministry in small churches.In Part 1 of our Worship & Tech in Small Churches Series, we’ll be talking about …The difference between recruiting & developing (& why you need to make the shift)How to wait well, including what worship looks like when all the pieces you want aren’t in placeCreating environments for church members to experience & experiment with musicEquipping others to develop gifts that you don’t have and you can’t teachSetting people up for success instead of failure and frustrationGet on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference happening in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay up to date on the new episodes I release every week. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/academyGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/

Leading well in small churches requires a unique set of skills. In fact, excellent small church strategies look very different from those in large church settings. One of the troubles arising in many church leadership programs and organizations today is that the majority are led by leaders of large churches trying to teach those in small churches how to do ministry better. While the motivation is beautiful, the impact is limited and sometimes even detrimental. Small church ministry isn’t simply less or smaller ministry; it is a different kind of ministry that requires specialized skills and considerations. If you want to level up your leadership in small churches, the best place to learn is from successful small church leaders. Listen in to hear:Why small churches are positioned to change the planetThe distinct differences in small churches that affect leadership needs6 skills that the best small church leaders possessHow you can become a better leader for your small churchGet on the invite list to our Worship + Tech Conference happening in October 2022!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"I love Laurie and The Small Church Ministry Podcast!!" << If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people -- just like you -- in small churches! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about this episode!Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. This is the best way to stay up to date on the new episodes I release every week. If you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!Follow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Summits: https://smallchurchsummits.com/The Small Church Academy: https://thesmallchurchacademy.com/Get the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showFollow Us:Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministryCreative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministrySmall Church Network: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/