The One Thing

January can feel like a weird limbo—Australia practically shuts down, and people are in and out all month. Bur don’t just coast; use this time wisely: Capitalising on the post-Christmas momentum Welcoming new faces Preaching with purpose Using the downtime strategically Supporting the lonely Developing long-term plans Investing in leaders Reseting ministry teams Reading and reflecting January’s not a throwaway month—it’s a launchpad. Make it count. TOOL BOX: 332: What do I need to think about on Term 1 315 Organising my Preaching Program You're Not Crazy with Sam Allberry and Ray Ortlund (Podcast) Fire Up! with Dave Jensen (Podcast) Aspire with Paddy Benn and Aaron Smith (Podcast) Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll (Book) Growth and Change by Andrew Heard (Book) CREDITS: This episode was brought to you by The Leadership Development Program The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Data is just a tool, but it's an important tool. Its real purpose? Loving and serving your people better. A snapshot of data can give you an idea of your church health. Scott and Derek dive into: Average Attendance: Are people showing up consistently? Growth Rate: Are you growing each year? What's a healthy growth rate? Conversion Growth: How many new believers are you seeing? What's a good target? Community Reflection: Does your congregation reflect the diversity of your local area? Secondary Giving: Beyond general giving, how generous are people with time, talent, and resources? Newcomer System: Are first-time guests sticking around? If not, what’s falling through the cracks? Staff-to-Attendee Ratio: Do you have enough leaders? What's a good ratio? TOOL BOX: Church Health Consults Knowing What to Measure and Why Seminar Measure What Matters Book CREDITS: This episode was brought to you by Church Suite The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Should we plant new churches or invest in revitalizing struggling ones? If you had to choose, where would you lean? Know Yourself: Are you wired to pioneer something new, or are you better suited to steady, transformative work? Listen In: What are others saying about your strengths? Seek out feedback. Maximise Impact: Which option has the greatest gospel potential? Foundation or Fresh Start?: Planting means starting from scratch; revitalising means building on an existing foundation. Nurture or repot: And if you choose revitalisation—how do you know when to keep nurturing and when to repot entirely?  TOOL BOX: Church Planting Podcast Gospel Workers Questionnaire Church Planters Questionnaire  376 Why Everyone Needs to Know About the Church Planter Questionnaire  Church Planting is for Wimps Church Health Consults  CREDITS:This episode was brought to you by Church Suite The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

You might not ever plant a church, but you should be looking for people who can. Where are you going to send them if you think they might be suitable?  Hopefully you'll send them straight to the Church Planter Questionnaire on the Reach Australia website. Here's what you need to know about it before you send them the link. Gospel Workers Questionnaire: For anyone considering serving in ministry. Church Planters Questionnaire: Specifically for those thinking about leading a church plant. These self-assessments are most helpful when followed by a debrief conversation to fully unpack the results. Defining Success in Church Planting: Sustainability and effective outreach. Convictions: Strong gospel convictions and a concern for the lost. Competencies: Visionary leadership and emotional intelligence (both of which can be developed). Team Size: A larger planting team often signals greater success potential. TOOL BOX:Gospel Workers Questionnaire Church Planters Questionnaire Church Planting Prospectus Church Planting Australia Podcast CREDITS:This episode was brought to you by Exdia The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Chris Mann (Cornerstone Box Hill, Sydney) and Rob Abboud (MBM Church Blacktown, Sydney) launched churches in 2024! What happens when you aren't prepared Seeing and getting your teams working The difference between week one and week two The process of seeing new people start to get integrated What makes a good lead-up process, including the assessment process Keeping alignment on track with both the launch team and new people coming in Watching for the moments of God working TOOL BOX: Church Planting Australia Podcast Gospel Workers Questionnaire Church Planters Questionnaire Reach Australia National Conference '25: watch for the planting conference MBM Blacktown Cornerstone Anglican Box Hill CREDITSThis episode was brought to you by Worship Tools from CCLI The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Term One: It seems an eternity away. After all, we haven’t even got to Christmas yet! But the key to starting strong in Term One is getting on track in Term Four. Think ahead about the five important things for Term One Ensure you’re ready to welcome new people coming into church Aligning new leaders and staff is crucial. How will you do it? Be prepared for mission opportunities: plan ahead Think ahead about the 5 important things for term 1 Make sure you are ready to catch the new people coming into church The importance of alignment for new leaders and staff is key. How will you do it? Being prepared for mission opportunities: plan ahead TOOL BOX: 332 What Do I Need to Think About in Term 1 2024 279 What Do I Need to Think About In Term 1 2023 280 Joining A New Staff Team 166 Refreshing Your Staff Meetings Part 1 167 Refreshing Your Staff Meetings Part 2 315 Organising My Preaching Program CREDITS: This episode was brought to you by EA Insurance The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Mike Snowden, a missionary with an Anglican church in Willoughby, shares his insights on the crucial bond between local churches and global missions. He emphasizes that engaging in world missions can invigorate local ministries and foster generous congregations. Snowden discusses the importance of supporting missionaries and how personal relationships enhance these connections. He advocates for a balance in mission support, focusing on both quality and quantity, and highlights the role of local churches in sending out their members for broader outreach.

How does global mission partnership work? "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now," (Philippians 1:4-5). The Philippian church was not just concerned about how the gospel was going in their city, but where Paul was ministering as well. Partnerships at a church and an individual level Missionaries on home assignment at your church - what's helpful and what's unhelpful? Why link the visits of missionaries to local mission? How missionaries can be great for community building Using tech to support and encourage people around the world TOOL BOX: Ideas for Praying for Missionaries Ideas for Caring for Missionaries CMS Support CREDITS:This episode was brought to you by The Team Development Program The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Carey Neiuwhof has looked at some of the changes in North America, but what about the changes in Australia? We are closing more churches than starting. Is closing a church a bad thing? Fill in the blanks: we only have one church for every XXXX people in Australia How long do Australian churches take to become viable? Why too much funding is a problem for church plants Why authenticity matters Doing it alone: when does it work? What to look for in a planting core team TOOL BOX: Church Planting is Changing: Here's How to Change With It by Carey Nieuwhof Gospel Workers Questionnaire Church Planters Questionnaire Church Planting Australia Podcast Reach Australia National Conference '25: watch for the planting conference  CREDITS: This episode was brought to you by VCA The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

25% of people in churches will have switched in the last 5 years. Changing churches is hard, but it's meant to be. When is a good time for people to move churches (geography, kids and families)? What are some of realities of people switching? How do pastors pastor people doing a switch (both leaving and gaining)? What about people moving to a church plant?  TOOL BOX: How to Walk into Church Unmissable Church 301 How do I Help People come to Church? (Part 1) about Unmissable Church 302 How do I Help People come to Church? (Part 2) about Unmissable Church Integration Pathway Love Your Church  CREDITS: This episode was brought to you by Compassion The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠ To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠. For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠ To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.