The Small Church Ministry Podcast

If you struggle with involving the younger generation in your women’s ministry, you’re not alone. In fact, in most ministry areas, there’s a certain type of person who shows up and quite a few others who stay on the sidelines. If you want to broaden your reach, listen in to hear how involving others in the planning process might just bring the change you’ve been hoping for. In this episode, we’ll talk about … Two main reasons people want to involve the uninvolvedWhy humility and love are more important than great event planningHow planning parties work to grow your reach and how to throw one of your ownWhich 4 ingredients you can’t skip if you want people to feel heard and valuedRate, 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!Women's Ministry Bundle >> https://smallchurchministry.com/womens-ministry-bundle/A 4-Week Plan to Start (Or Restart) a Women’s Ministry with 7 Easy Steps >> https://smallchurchministry.com/how-to-start-a-womens-ministry/Sign-Up For The Free 5-Day Challenge >> https://smallchurchministry.com/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/

Today we’re taking a look at what to do with feelings of disappointment, frustration, and failure - when everything you’re doing isn’t working and your efforts to bring new people in aren’t paying off. We’ll be talking about … Why your feelings do matter and how they do have more of an impact than you thinkA few of the most damaging and unbiblical statements we all should stop repeatingHow a few corrections in your view of “church” might make all the difference Sign-Up For The Free 5-Day Challenge >> https://smallchurchministry.com/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/

What exactly should pastors in small churches be doing to earn their keep? And who gets to decide this anyway? Today we’re talking about power struggles, job descriptions, and why a calling shouldn’t resemble indentured servitude. In this episode join me to talk about …How to solve personnel issues before they erupt like a volcano spewing deadly lavaWhy labeling personnel conflict as a spiritual attack might be holding back growth on all sides (and personal responsibility too)And for pastors on the brink, you might get a little clarity to stay or to goServe Well Study >> https://thecreativelittlechurch.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1135356/?action=signup 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/

Most people on the planet would agree that, of course, we want to keep our children safe. And yet, when many small churches try to put current best safety practices in place for their nursery, children’s Sunday school, or KidMin, they’re often met with resistance. Questions like these popup, with a lot of emotion attached: “Are all these policies really necessary?” “Why do I need a background check when I've been teaching Sunday School for 25 years?” “If you don’t trust me to change a diaper, you shouldn’t put me in the nursery.”If you want to experience support instead of push back for upping the children’s safety standards in your church, listen in for seven specific steps to help turn the struggle into a celebration instead. Taking wise steps to move forward with purpose will go a long way in protecting the kids in your care, keeping your volunteers serving more joy and confidence, and growing a reputation of excellence in your community.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/

Instead of your small church being a rather scary place for visiting families, learn how to make your small church one of the safest places in your community. While the familiarity of a small church leads to comfort and trust for its members, that’s not a shared trust for visiting families.In this episode we’ll talk about challenges facing many small churches in regards to best practices for safety in children’s ministry, and what to do about them. The obstacles of smaller budgets and less volunteers doesn’t excuse us from high standards in protecting our kids, our volunteers, and the reputation of our churches. Although small church ministry is different, it should never be less. Join me for the discussion on what matters (and why) in regards to safety & policy in children’s ministry. Plus we’ll throw in a few creative solutions for funding background checks and having an extra set of hands in situations where 2 adults in a room might be challenging. In episode 30, we’ll follow up with how to make policy changes a celebration instead of a drudgery as these shifts create some amazing changes & forward motion in your church culture. Key areas in today’s episode:Screening & Training Volunteers Adequate & Safe SupervisionRegistration, Consent, & Check-in/Check-OutBathroom Trips & DiaperingLimited Access to Children’s AreasRate, 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: 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/

The church is God’s design for His people, and it also can be a messed up place. It’s no secret that many seek out large churches for the chance to be anonymous, which is the choice to be surrounded by community and yet removed from it. In small churches though, there’s no hiding. I believe this is God’s plan - to be seen and to be in community. But what happens when that community is full of faulty humans? When it’s not a safe place? When people are hurt? In fact, why in the world would the Almighty God choose to be represented by a community of messed up people? Let’s talk about how this imperfectly plays out. What do we do when the church fails us or when we fail the church? I’ve had plenty of reasons to leave the church, and I’m sure you do too.If you’re tuning in to hear our typical awesome small church strategies and creative ideas, you have my blessing to skip this episode and choose another! This episode is less about the doing and more about the imperfect humans being utilized in the process. Tune into this episode if  …  You’re curious what happened when a very active pastor’s wife stopped going to churchYou don’t understand how people who once loved the church leave and never come backYou’re carrying around some church hurt of your own and you don’t know what to do with You want to know how to better support others who are strugglingCheck out The Small Church Pastors' Wives Conference >> https://smallchurchsummits.com/pw2022/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: 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/

If you or your volunteers are showing signs of burnout, you’re not alone. You also don’t have to stay there! Most small churches function with a small group of committed people who don’t want to disappoint God, their pastor, or the people who fill the pews. Sometimes that commitment leads to exhaustion and, little by little, the joy of serving slowly begins seeping away. Whether you’re the pastor, ministry leader, or prefer to stay in the background, no one is immune to burnout. If you’re human, you’re at risk.This podcast is for you if …Your team seems to be fading in commitment and passionYou wish you had the motivation you remember when you first signed to serveYou want some tangible tips to refresh your personal vision or your teamCheck out The Small Church Pastors' Wives Conference >> https://smallchurchsummits.com/pw2022/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/

There are a million great things your small church could be doing. How do you choose? Listen in to this episode to:Hear the answer to why we don’t have a Pastors’ Husbands Conference in 2022Learn 5 questions to consider in choosing where to focus your resourcesDiscover some freedom in NOT doing it allCheck out The Small Church Pastors' Wives Conference >> https://smallchurchsummits.com/pw2022/ 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/

God is a God of structure … and yet, He is anything but boring!Whether you’ve taken time to develop a ministry handbook that’s collecting dust in the corner or you’ve avoided putting one together in lieu of shiny objects and curly-tailed squirrels, I have news for you! Ministry goals, organization, and policies don’t have to be boring. And it’s totally worth the time to communicate better and breathe some life into crucial things that matter.Listen in to learn about a ministry handbook that can be a life-changer in your small church, from creating great relationships to growing the volunteer team you’ve been praying for.Done right, a Ministry Handbook has the potential to …Build trustIncrease momentumTurns spectators & naysayers into raving fansBecome the best volunteer recruitment tool on the planetRate, 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/

Welcome to a very special time at The Creative Little Church! We’re going to be celebrating our 2nd Anniversary since my very first online workshop, and it has been quite a ride. I’m often asked where this vision came from and what we’re planning for the future. Listen in for a casual peek into the last few years of The Creative Little Church.In this episode,Learn how this whole thing got started & whyGet a behind-the-scenes view of where we’ve been as well as where we’re goingHear answers to a few frequently asked questions Plus … you’re invited to celebrate with us at our week-long Anniversary PartyThe Anniversary Party happens next week (June 19-25, 2022) on Facebook with special interviews, prizes, discounts, and a limited-time release of conference replays at a special anniversary discount.5-Day Challenge: Do Small Church Better >> https://smallchurchministry.com/ My Soul Cries Out Devotional >> https://www.amazon.com/dp/1671208528/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_8QMFFTBG6B6Z16GMAB5X The Little Book of Youth Ministry >> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085LKBNHW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_6CKY4S139H2C8DGNHS3SRate, 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: 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/