The Church Office

Gavin recently sat down with Evangelical Alliance's Director of Advocacy Danny Webster to talk about one thing- Martyn's Law. Listen in as Gavin and Danny discuss some of the changes this new law could bring for our churches. Thanks again to Danny for giving up his time. If you'd like to find out more, here's an article from the Evangelical Alliance on the topic:   https://www.eauk.org/news-and-views/martyns-law-where-does-this-leave-my-church-and-christian-events

Gavin Smith, the seasoned church manager at Christ Church in Newport for 21 years, shares his insights on church administration. He humorously discusses social media's impact on church culture and the shift from 'rota' to 'team' dynamics. Gavin highlights the crucial roles church workers play and how their everyday tasks can foster community. He also emphasizes the importance of supporting administrative teams to empower their contributions. The conversation blends personal experiences with valuable lessons for church leadership.

Join Joe and Hannah as they dive into the art of church communications. They share their journeys into media creation, from drones to digital partnerships born out of pandemic networking. Discover practical strategies for effective outreach and how to engage newcomers via social media. The hosts also challenge traditional volunteer recruitment, advocating for diversity in skills. Listen in for insights on tailoring messages to meet diverse needs and the importance of authenticity in church messaging.

John Truscott, a friend of the podcast and an expert in church operations, dives into the often-avoided topic of reviews in church life. He and host Gavin tackle the importance of reflection and assessment for growth. They highlight how evaluating past events can enhance future performance and planning. The duo emphasizes the value of external perspectives in leadership, encouraging inclusive discussions to uncover hidden issues. Ultimately, they advocate for a culture of constructive feedback to foster collaboration and spiritual growth within the church.

Dan Steel is a former market researcher who transitioned into pastoral ministry and has been involved in church planting for over twenty-five years. In this podcast Dan and Gavin talk about his new book "Wise Church Planting: Twelve Pitfalls to Avoid in Starting New Churches," In the book Dan examines the common challenges that cause nearly a third of new churches to falter within four years. Drawing from interviews with 80 church planters across 27 countries, he identifies internal issues such as character flaws, disunity, and misaligned priorities, as well as external obstacles like opposition and unmet needs. Hope you enjoy the podcast.

In this podcast Gavin interviews Pete Greasley one of the founding Elders at Christchurch in Newport. Pete has served in Pastoral Ministry for 40 years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience. Gavin and Pete talk about enjoying the gospel, not taking your self too seriously and finish their discussion by talking about building teams and having a diversity of different gifting. We hope you enjoy the conversation. To find out more about Christchurch please check out their website: www.christchurchnewport.co.uk   To find out more about the church office please check out www.thechurchoffice.co.uk  

In this enlightening discussion, Pete Grizzly, a ministry veteran with 40 years of experience, sheds light on the often tricky topic of pastor compensation. He explores challenges pastors face in securing fair salaries, emphasizing the significance of transparency in salary negotiations. Pete highlights the need for structured benchmarks to eliminate bias and advocates for better financial support for pastors, including housing and retirement benefits. The conversation also dives into the often-overlooked contributions of pastors' spouses and the importance of budgeting for sustainable pastoral care.

"One of the things that struck me about Matt during our conversation was his wonderful heart to serve leaders in Christian Ministry." Gavin recently had the joy of sitting down with Matt Waldock, co-pastor of City Church Manchester and UK Gospel Coaching Director. If you have not heard of Gospel Coaching then this is a really good introduction into what it is and the benefits of having a gospel coach. https://www.cmmnet.org/pages/uk  

Join Gavin and John wright, the Operations Manager at Frinton Free Church, as they talk through the first part of the 2024 Check-in survey. They enjoyed talking through the results that related to the pressure points that admin and Ops roles faced this year and where people had experience grace at work in their churches. During the podcast John also shares a little bit about his experience of partnering with UCAN (UK Church Administrators Network). We hope you enjoy the podcast.

In this Episode Gavin talks to Lourens Du Plessis from Stewardship who leads the team that guide and strengthen churches and Christian charities with their governance and finances. It was great to talk to Lourens about the challenges that churches are facing in the area of good governance. It was also a joy to talk about the gift of administration and how effective it can be in a local church. We hope you enjoy todays podcast.  www.stewardship.org.uk