In this episode, Pastors Chris and Matt are joined by Brad Straarup to discuss GrowLeader's newest service, the Church Health Assessment! They discuss the importance of assessing the health of various aspects of a church, such as worship, children's ministry, and overall culture. They emphasize the need for regular self-assessment and external assessment to identify areas of improvement and ensure growth. The conversation also touches on the value of feedback, the role of leadership in driving change, and the importance of aligning with the vision and values of the organization. . . . . Episode Resources: - NEW Church Health Assessment: https://www.growleader.com/churchhealthassessment  - PC's Personal Questions: https://hubs.li/Q02JYd4k0 . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access FREE church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . . Thank you to our partners! - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:27 - GrowLeader + Motion Conferences 02:38 - About Brad Straarup  03:32 - Church Health Assessment 17:38 - Personal Dashboards 19:53 - Personal and Organizational Questions 29:45 - Thank You, Partners!

As leaders, what can we do to reach the next generation for Jesus? In this episode, Mark Pettus– the President of Highlands College, joins Pastors Chris and Matt to discuss the importance of student ministry and leadership development in the church. They emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach that includes both large events and small group discipleship and highlight the significance of personal connections and access to pastors and leaders in the church. They touch on the challenges faced by the current generation, such as loneliness and the negative impact of technology, and the importance of providing a cause for young people to believe in. Lastly, they unpack the need for more leaders in the church is also addressed, with a focus on raising up the next generation of church leaders through programs like Highlands College. This is a great episode to inspire your whole team to develop the next generation of leaders! . . . . Episode Resources: - Motion Night Info: https://www.motionstudents.com/events/motion-night - Motion Midweek Info: https://www.motionstudents.com/events/motion-midweek - Sunday Message "Fighting for the Next Generation": https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/fighting-for-a-generation - Interested in Highlands College: https://highlandscollege.edu/ . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Join us in person for Financial One-Day: https://www.growleader.com/financial-one-day - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access FREE church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . . Thank you to our partners! - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:46 - Intro 09:17 - The Importance of Student Ministry 33:10 - Thank You, Partners!

What can we do to reach the unreached? In this episode, Rob Hoskins the President of OneHope, joins pastors Chris and Matt to discuss the importance of global missions in churches today. While discussing how to prioritize missions and sharing personal stories, they highlight the impact of digital missions and the role of the local church in reaching children and young people with the Word of God. The conversation emphasizes the urgency and opportunity for global missions and encourages pastors to be actively involved in missions efforts. . . . . Episode Resources: - Hear more from Rob Hoskins: https://robhoskins.onehope.net/ - Learn more about OneHope: https://onehope.net . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Join us in person for Financial One-Day: https://www.growleader.com/financial-one-day - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access free church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . . Thank you to our partners! - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader - Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:30 - Intro 02:12 - A Missions Mindset 31:14 - Thank You, Partners!

What is the secret to being a High Road Leader? In this conversation, Pastor Matt interviews Dr. John C. Maxwell about his new book, High Road Leadership, and the importance of being a high road leader in a divided world. They discuss the motivation behind Maxwell's continuous work and his passion for evangelism. They also touch on the upcoming book that Maxwell is co-writing with Pastor Chris, which focuses on Jesus as the ultimate High Road Leader. The conversation emphasizes the need for personal growth and intentionality in leadership, as well as the importance of representing Jesus and living out Christian values in a divided society. . . . . Episode Resources: - Hear more from Dr. John C. Maxwell: https://www.youtube.com/@MaxwellLeadershipOfficial - Get a copy of High Road Leadership: https://store.maxwellleadership.com/New-Releases_c_210.html - Highlands Resources | Growth Track: https://resources.churchofthehighlands.com/courses/4 . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Join us in person for Financial One-Day: https://www.growleader.com/financial-one-day - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access free church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . . Thank you to our partners! - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader - Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:20 - Thank You, Wesleyan Investment Foundation! 00:52 - Intro 06:37 - The Urgency of Impact 08:34 - High Road Leadership 31:07 - Thank You, Partners!

Ministry can be tough and so the best way to do it is in a community! In this episode, Pastor Dino Rizzo joins us to discuss the importance of planting churches and how the Association of Related Churches (ARC) is supporting leaders to do just that. Dino emphasizes the importance of training and supporting church planters, as well as the funding model used by ARC. He also highlights the need for churches in cities that currently have a low number of churches while explaining the importance of collaboration, relationships, and community in the church planting process. This episode is a great reminder of the amazing things God is doing through the local Church and the importance of doing ministry together! . . . . Episode Resources: - Plant a Church through ARC: https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/ - Become an ARC Partner: https://www.arcchurches.com/partners/ - Support Churches through ARC: https://www.arcchurches.com/give/ . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Join us in person for Financial One-Day: https://www.growleader.com/financial-one-day - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access free church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . . Thank you to our partners! - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader - Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:43 - Intro 01:57 - The Heart of ARC 19:08 - Keys to Church Plant Success 31:18 - Thank You, Partners!

What is the best way to reach people for Jesus? Share your personal faith journey! In this conversation, Pastor Chris Hodges discusses the importance of sharing your faith and reaching out to those who are far from God. He emphasizes the need for personal evangelism and teaching church members how to share their faith. The conversation highlights the key principles of recognizing God-given moments, refocusing on how we live our lives, and relaying the message of hope to a broken world. This is a great episode to reignite a passion in your team to share their faith and create a church culture where every church member is prepared to give an answer for the hope they have. . . . . Messages on Evangelism from Pastor Chris: - GrowLeader Podcast Episode 40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITyP-tz7ESM - This is My Story | July 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdXGKUKhgMw - Salt and Light | July 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eopU2zFsxzw - How Do I Share My Faith? | September 2015: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/salt-and-light1 . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Join us in person for Financial One-Day: https://www.growleader.com/financial-one-day - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access free church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . . Thank you to our partners! - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader - Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:27 - Intro 01:46 - Sharing Our Faith 13:40 - The Message of Hope 32:26 - Thank You, Partners!

What is the secret to excellence and growth in ministry? In this episode, Pastor Chad Veach joins us to discuss what he has learned over the last 10 years and shares his experience visiting Highlands College. We start by discussing the importance of creating a culture of honor before delving into the principles of being a builder and the spiritual aspects of leadership. We also discuss topics from growth and challenges of starting a church to the need for counsel/outside perspectives and the importance of excellence in leadership. To close it out, Chad shares his personal growth plan, which includes daily Bible reading, intentional learning, and focused time for strategizing and planning. This episode provides both practical advice and encouragement that we can all use as leaders! . . . . Episode Resources: - Highlands College Discovery Day: https://highlandscollege.edu/events/discovery-day/ - HC Chapel with Chad Veach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ahrToOLifY&list=PLQRK0ih6QoAOBNj9cklfnULAEDAZi2bvg&index=2 - Leadership Lean-In with Chad Veach: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershipleanin - Unleash your leadership potential with our NEW show notes with Discussion Questions! https://bit.ly/GLP53ShowNotes - Hear more from Chad Veach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMDQA4pywVA . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Join us in person for Financial One-Day: https://www.growleader.com/financial-one-day - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access free church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . . Thank you to our partners! - Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/growleader - The StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:36 - Intro 01:34 - Chad Veach at Highlands College 08:49 - Being a Builder 14:37 - The Principle of Excellence 26:33 - Personal Growth 31:01 - Thank You, Partners!

In this episode, Chris Hodges and Matt discuss the importance of intentional evangelism and discipleship, emphasizing the need to preach the gospel in every service. They highlight the 12 steps every believer needs to take in order to grow in their faith, covering areas like knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference. The episode also provides resources for churches to effectively disciple their members and help them on their faith journey.

What is the secret to membership engagement? In this episode, Blue Van Dyke, the founder of StudioC, joins Pastors Chris and Matt to discuss the importance of member engagement in church growth. He shares his background in marketing and strategy, and how he applied those principles to help churches engage their members. StudioC provides a personalized messaging platform that allows churches to target their members with personalized content based on their stage in the member lifecycle. This is a great episode to learn how you can help your members feel known, cared for, and encouraged as they take steps in their faith journey. StudioC is accessible to churches of all sizes, and you can learn more about them through the links below! . . . . Episode Resources: - Unleash your leadership potential by following along with our Show Notes with discussion questions and Timeline below! https://hubs.li/Q02pMpmN0 . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Join us in person for Financial One-Day: https://www.growleader.com/financial-one-day - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access free church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . .  Thank you to our partners! - Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:24 - Intro 01:09 - Membership Engagement System 02:28 - About Blue Van Dyke 13:04 - Starting StudioC 23:29 - Know the One 27:06 - Thank you, Partners!

What are the key characteristics of a growing church? In this episode, Pastors Chris and Matt discuss the importance of taking inventory and detecting problems within your church early. They introduce a new health assessment tool from GrowLeader and share the eight qualities that all growing churches possess, including passionate spirituality, gift-oriented ministry, empowering leadership, functional structures, inspiring worship, holistic small groups, need-oriented evangelism, and loving relationships. This is a great episode to share with your team so we can all be looking for areas we can improve to reach more people! . . . . Episode Resources: - Unleash your leadership potential by following along with our Show Notes with discussion questions and Timeline below! https://hubs.li/Q02n4N1d0 - Received updates on Church Assessment: https://share.hsforms.com/10rT-P4odTkiLNS49X2CCqQc7x14 . . . . All things GrowLeader: - Register for upcoming Regionals in 2024: https://www.growleader.com/regionals - Learn more about Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring - Access free church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources - Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive - Watch the GrowLeader Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowLeaderTeam . . . . Follow along on Socials: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@growleader - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader . . . .  Thank you to our partners! - Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/growleader - StudioC: https://www.thestudioc.org/growleader - Wesleyan Investment Foundation: https://www.wifonline.com/growleader . . . . Timeline: 00:00 - Highlight 00:29 - Intro 03:46 - Church Assessment 11:30 - Natural Church Development 18:27 - 1. Passionate Spirituality 20:53 - 2. Gift-Oriented Ministry 22:42 - 3. Empowering Leadership 24:48 - 4. Functional Structures 25:37 - 5. Inspiring Worship 29:58 - 6. Holistic Small Groups 30:29 - 7. Need-Oriented Evangelism 31:09 - 8. Loving Relationships 34:07 - Thank you, Partners!