Discover the importance of growth and change in church leadership, as Andrew Heard's upcoming book is hailed as a game-changer. Learn how to navigate the challenges of implementing change and why older leaders may struggle to embrace growth. Uncover the emotional and relational energy needed to lead change effectively in ministry.

Gospel ministry in the Indian Ocean is growing rapidly.Anglican Primate James Wong leads the ministry in Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius and is visiting Sydney, on a speaking tour of the Church Missionary Society Australian Summer Conferences.Archbishop Wong charts a course for further growth in ministry in his region.Plus he outlines the detailed back room work taking place to reset the Anglican Communion, following the failure of the Church of England leadership to repent, ahead of the significant Global South meeting in Cairo in June.Archbishop Wong is an advisor to the Gafcon Primates Council and serves on the leadership group of the Anglican Global South Fellowship.http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/growth-archbishop-james-wongThe Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

The massive drop in church attendance is a crisis facing churches across the Western World and there are external pressures and internal weaknesses that need to be addressed at every level of the church.We highlighted a few months ago the attendance drop in Sydney Anglican Evangelical Churches in the last ten years. Raj Gupta first called it a plateau problem.  But the data released at last September’s Synod shows it’s now much worse.  From a high in 2015, attendance in 2019 was down 7.5 percent. And in 2022, attendance was down a further ten percent.Even allowing for a covid factor even assuming some sort of bounce back these are figures that we should talk about.Andrew Heard, the senior pastor of EV Church on the Central Coast, has challenged Evangelical Anglican leaders in Sydney to look at their hearts, head and hands, saying there’s a heart problem and a skill deficit.David Rietveld is senior pastor of Dapto Anglican Church to the South of Sydney, and the author of ‘Being Christian after Christendom' partially agrees with Andrew but gives more weight to the problems in the soil. The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

We catch up with Australian Christian musician for one of our funniest ever episodes, but with a serious message.Colin talks with Dominic Steele about managing life as a public Christian, living with integrity in family, church and while engaging in the secular media.Colin draws on his experience with Play School to share top tips for kids' ministry and shares his insights on planning public Christian events.We delve into Colin’s approach to songwriting and how he balances truth and clarity within simple songs, designed for kids.Plus Colin launches a new and exclusive song "If you have ever made a mess, say yes!”Colin also confronts controversial questions such as  ESV or NIV, Ford or Holden… and answers tough questions about what he would do if Archbishop?Join us for a wild and fun ride as we explore the heart of this amazing Christian leader.Check Colin's website: https://colinbuchanan.com.au/https://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/bestof-colin-buchanan-archbishopThe Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

Paul Grimmond, a lecturer at Moore Theological College in Sydney, shares profound insights on anxiety from a biblical perspective. He discusses how anxiety, often misunderstood, can be viewed as a gift that fosters spiritual growth. Grimmond also emphasizes the mind-body connection in understanding anxiety, highlighting the importance of self-talk and counseling. He explores the biological roots of anxiety, personal experiences with panic attacks, and offers holistic approaches to managing anxiety through faith and lifestyle choices.

As we head to 2024 most of us are recasting ministry teams for the new year.But how can we do this without making some of the mistakes that we have made in 2023?How do we do better with staff teams  and all the various volunteer ministry teams across our church?And even in the best places - there’s an inertia that we will slip back to functioning as rosters… How do we fix that?Grahame Fuller is a long term senior leader at EV Church on the Central Coast.  Jo Gibbs is the Effective Teams consultant for Reach Australia. http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/relationships-results-rhythms-ministry-teamsThe Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

How can we make our Christmas Services better?With just a few days to Christmas, and while some of us are well planned, some of us are still scrambling around putting things together.Whether it’s Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, or a kids gathering, carols or Gingerbread and Wreathmaking...What are the pitfalls we can fall into?  How do we avoid them?James Galea is senior minister of Freshwater Anglican Church. Dave Jensen will be working next year with the Sydney Anglican Churches Evangelism and New Churches team to encourage best practice evangelism.http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/improving-your-christmas-talkThe Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

Andy Stevenson, Director of Sydney Anglican Youthworks, and Ruth Lee, experienced youth worker at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, dive into the evolving landscape of youth ministry. They discuss the challenges Christian teenagers face in a secular world and explore practical strategies for collaboration among churches. The duo emphasizes the importance of trust in ministry, integrating large events with local initiatives, and fostering deep friendships among youth. Their insights underscore the need for adaptability and community support in nurturing faith amidst cultural shifts.

Poverty is fundamentally relational says David WilliamsWhat might a theology of caring for the poor look like? The bible’s terms for the poor (widow, orphan and alien) are all relational terms which describe someone who has lost relationships and as a result have lost connection with the land.David and his wife Rachel started serving as missionaries in Nairobi, Kenya in 1999. David now serves as principal of the Australian Church Missionary Society Training College St Andrew’s Hall, where Australian missionaries are trained for six months, before heading out to the field.David has just given a provocative paper at the Anglican Aid conference at Sydney’s Moore Theological College and has agreed to come in and discuss it.The issue for David is not just academic, with his first significant engagement with poverty, starting when working in the slums of Nairobi 20-plus years ago.The Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.

The Church of England has abandoned the teaching of Jesus with prayers for same sex blessings potentially to start before Christmas. ‘Tragic’ says Gafcon.‘Disastrous’ says the Global South. ‘Deeply Troubled’ says the Church of England Evangelical Council‘First order difference requires first order differentiation’ says Vaughan Roberts ‘It is hard not to dissolve into a flood of tears’ says the Mark Thompson the principal of Sydney’s Moore College. ‘The Archbishop of Canterbury should resign’ - says the Church Society’s Lee Gatiss.The English General Synod has crossed a line that evangelicals across the world had been praying and hoping would not happen.The General Synod expressed its support by a tiny majority of just a few votes for the continued implementation of the House of Bishops proposals to change the position and practice of the Church of England with regards to sexual ethics and marriage. We now expect the English bishops to commend prayers of blessing for same sex couples by mid-December (and provide dedicated services soon after), to prepare guidance which will make it possible for clergy to marry their same sex partners, and that future ordinands will not to be asked to indicate whether their lifestyle and personal relationships are in keeping with the doctrine of the Church of England.Vaughan Roberts is one of the UK’s leading evangelical ministers within the church of England.  Vaughan is senior pastor of St Ebbes in Oxford.http://www.thepastorsheart.net/podcast/vaughan-roberts-on-english-synodThe Church Cohttp://www.thechurchco.com is an excellent website and app platform built specifically for churches.  Support the show--Become a regular financial supporter of The Pastor's Heart via Patreon.