Revitalize and Replant

Discussion on the upcoming law amendment in the Southern Baptist Convention, the importance of treating each other with love and grace during conflicts, understanding the significance of the 'pastor' title, debating the proposed law amendment on women in pastoral roles, and navigating the challenges and potential consequences of a law amendment.

Conflict in churches is often rooted in spiritual immaturity, while prayer is often neglected in the midst of conflict. Scarring conflict can occur, but when it leads to honest conversation and repentance, it can be beneficial for the church.

Church conflict can be about issues, personalities, and preferences. Some church members can be tools of the devil. Conflict can stem from unresolved past issues. Short-term pastorates often indicate a problem with the people in the church. Some pastors are the cause of conflict.

Explore different tips for recruiting volunteers in the church, including changing the culture, showcasing the impact of volunteer roles, and personal engagement. Also, celebrate the 100th episode and learn how to engage volunteers and utilize their gifts.

This podcast discusses the profiles of at-risk pastors, including narcissistic stars, leaders with no boundaries, and floaters. It also raises five questions to identify if one falls into these categories. The importance of humility, character, and the dangers of early success are highlighted, along with the need for mentors.

In this episode, Mark Clifton and Mark Hallock discuss how pastors and church leaders can deal with discouragement in ministry. Resist the tendency of comparison. Keep the long game in mind. Find your value in the cross. Celebrate discipleship growth among your flock. Love the church you have, not the church you wish you had. When you feel discouraged, that’s your cue to plead with God to give you a heart for evangelism. Create a strategy to go after the sheep.

In this episode, Mark Clifton and Mark Hallock discuss how to minister to senior adults in your church. Stop treating senior adults like children. Senior adults need to be challenged with meaningful opportunities for ministry. Lean into their experiences and use them! Use senior adults in worship leadership. Don’t just entertain them; disciple them. Help senior adults lay down the idol of church as they know it.

In this episode, Mark Clifton is joined by Kyle Bueermann to discuss some reasons people may not be singing in your worship gatherings. They don’t know the songs. We are singing songs not suitable for congregational singing. We are singing in keys too high for the average singer. The congregation can’t hear people around them singing. We hae created worship services which are spectator events, building a performance environment. The congregation feels they are not expected to sing. We fail to have a common body of hymnody. Worship leaders ad lib too much. Worship leaders are not connecting with the congregation. Resources mentioned: 9 Reasons People Aren’t Singing in Worship by Kenny Lamm

In this episode, Mark Clifton and Mark Hallock discuss some ways pastors and church leaders can minister to kids in their primary worship gathering. Greet them by name and engage them in conversation. Acknowledge to the parents in the worship service how grateful we are that their children are here. Acknowledge the children in the worship service, and say something specifically to them. Provide clear direction about our children’s ministry every Sunday morning and the options that are available. Provide a packet of worship materials just for children that they can pick up and bring with them into the worship service. Take a moment to explain, especially to children, the purpose of baptism and Lord’s Supper each time those are celebrated. Find ways to actually include the children in your worship service leadership. Resources mentioned: Every Kid Matters by Mark Hallock and Frank Trimble

In this episode, Mark Clifton and Mark Hallock call an audible from their original topic and discuss why ministry to children matters in revitalization. Kids matter because they are created in the image of God. Kids need to experience intergenerational worship. How the pastor treats young kids will impact young families’ involvement in church. Resources mentioned: Every Kid Matters by Mark Hallock and Frank Trimble