New Churches Podcast

Episode 775 Host Ed Stetzer meets with author, ethics expert, and his own colleague Dr. Scott Rae to chat about the ethical implications of ChatGPT and its impact on preachers, planters, and pastors today. Tune in to discover why AI can’t replace the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s people. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: How sermon prep relates to physical fitness Why discipline and accountability are non-negotiables in this modern preaching age The dangers of keeping pace—or failing to do so!—in the realm of technology How AI differs from the vetted resources we know and trust The role of the Holy Spirit in each and every step of your preaching process Helpful Resources: Ed’s sermon at Talbot Chapel: Grace Alone Kenny Jahng’s ChurchLeaders Episode: What Church Leaders Need to Know about AI Mihretu Guta’s ChurchLeaders Episode: How the Church Should Respond to the Ethical Dangers of AI Yvonne Carlson’s ChurchLeaders Episode: How to Use AI Effectively in Your Ministry Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): I have no difficulty with bivocational church planters utilizing someone else’s sermon outline, though it’s a question of attribution and more. Whereas AI is a plagiarism machine that gathers and brings together other people’s thoughts. — Ed Stetzer I’m troubled to think that the temptation to use AI for more and more and more will eventually become irresistible, to the point that it’s writing a first draft and you’re becoming an editor rather than someone generating it from scratch. — Scott Rae You can have ChatGPT write you a script, but you’re basically just a voice actor reading a script. Pastors can be good at articulating things, but that’s not the same as wrestling with the text for what God has for the people He has called you to lead and serve. — Ed Stetzer The pastor should have the experience we’ve all had of beating our heads against the wall until the light comes on and you realize what the text is saying and how it connects to your people. It’s that “Aha!” moment that I’m afraid ChatGPT may rob you of. — Scott Rae Most of us overprepare for our sermons and have way more content that we can actually cover in the time allotted to us. The Spirit’s work in sermon preparation is just as much as the delivery itself. I don’t want to use tools that short circuit the activity of the Spirit, but enhance it. — Scott Rae I want to wrestle with what I’ve prepared, what I think God wants me to deliver to my audience, what is consistent with the author’s intent, and what is the appropriate application to the text. — Scott Rae The post AI and the Ethics of Preaching appeared first on New Churches.

Episode 774 Hosts Noah Oldham and Vance Pitman sit down with Send Network’s Vice President for Planter Development Tony Merida to discuss why we are called to gather as the body of Christ. From topics like Christ’s incarnation to the COVID-19 pandemic, listen in to discover how your presence impacts the life and culture of the local church. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: The pros and cons of online streaming How God’s presence is encountered through physically gathering Ways to combat the entertainment-driven consumer mentality of the modern age Why gathering is more than just a Western interpretation of Scripture How to “read the room” on your family conversations within the body of Christ Helpful Resources: Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): We not only have a new Father, but a whole new family through adoption into the gospel. I not only get to call God “Abba Father,” but I get to call those who look and have radically different backgrounds than me my brothers and sisters. — Tony Merida The senior pastor and worship pastor are not leading worship; they’re the lead worshipers. So, don’t sit in a green room. Be engaged in every moment of worship because you want your people to see that gathering together matters. — Vance Pitman Jesus didn’t just Zoom from heaven and tell us what to do, but He incarnated Himself and lived among us. The Word became flesh. We are embodied beings, and our faith is best lived out in embodied ways. — Tony Merida Church is not an event you attend or watch; it’s a family to which you belong. So many of the “one anothers” in the New Testament cannot be lived out apart from fellowship, community, and gathering together. — Vance Pitman Don’t get so locked in on Planning Center that you don’t leave room for the Holy Spirit of God to move and redirect your time of gathering. — Vance Pitman The post Renewing the Importance of the Gathered Church appeared first on New Churches.

Episode 773 Host Ed Stetzer joins with rural pastor and planter Will Basham to discuss God’s faithfulness over a decade of ministry at New Heights Church. Listen as they dive into the fundamental details of purchasing a church building, along with creative ways to engage your community and congregation in each season along the way. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: Tips for financial discernment and wisdom Church planters’ testimonies of the Lord going before them How growth can be viewed as a discipleship opportunity The importance of clear communication in giving Ways for your people to be the church, from “cafetoriums” to pizza shops, on a school campus or at the park! Helpful Resources: Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): I love to ask people to give. It’s a blessing to offer an opportunity to be blessed. ­— Ed Stetzer The key is to have a strategy and a facility that match your community. — Ed Stetzer In designing your church, you’re sending a message about the kind of church you want to be. You’re sending a message to the people of faith that this is a place for them. — Ed Stetzer It’s so easy to get distracted on the building as a church planter, especially a church planter leading in unconventional places. I spent so many years saying, “The church is not a building; the church is the people until we get a building.” — Will Basham Planting is a constant effort. You can’t let off the gas pedal of mission because you got a building. It’s taught me that more than anything else, I have to keep the mission in front of our people. — Will Basham The post Considerations for Buying a Building for Your Church appeared first on New Churches.

Episode 772 In this episode, hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham talk with pastor, planter, and professor Tony Merida on the significance of an accountability that reaches past moral convictions. Tune in to discover all you have to gain from your sending church and network as you discredit false doctrines and get to the non-negotiables of your gospel-driven mission. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: Tips for establishing theological convictions within your next new members’ course How shared stances build mutual trust between co-laborers of the gospel The role of the sending church vs. sending network in addressing theological concern Two paths for preparing and raising planters within your own congregation Why you may need to return to “the ministry of the phone call” Helpful Resources: Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): At the end of the day, Jesus will hold me accountable to what I teach and expects His church to be faithful to sound doctrine. Moral accountability is so important, but theological accountability is something we should be talking about, too. — Tony Merida If you go back to the New Testament missiology, the apostles’ letters not only corrected missional and practical issues but dealt with theological issues that needed to be addressed. — Vance Pitman Consider all the great confessions of the faith that have been passed down to us. These core doctrines can be read in a very academic, dry way or in a worshipful way that really builds your faith. — Tony Merida We’re not talking about a relationship of cops and robbers or being the theological police; we’re talking about brother-to-brother encouragement and pouring theological investment into each other’s lives. — Vance Pitman In Colossians 1, Paul doesn’t start by talking about problems and heresy. He starts by giving a real picture of Christ, then talking about the problem. If people understand who the real Christ is, they begin understanding the real gospel. — Tony Merida John the Baptist lost his head over what he believed about marriage, so let’s not goof around as if everybody’s going to love us. We have to be bold while dealing with controversial issues in a way that’s gentle, winsome, and warm, but also in a spirit of boldness. — Tony Merida The post Theological Accountability appeared first on New Churches.

Episode 771 Host Ed Stetzer sits down with rural pastor and planter Will Basham to discuss his heart for reaching the lost in rural America. Regardless of our own backdrop, this church-planting mission remains the same for us, too, as we go and make disciples. Here’s how God is reaching the lost in Milton, West Virginia, and how you can join in on His mission. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: How the Imago Dei should impact our pursuit of the lost and searching The difficulties and blessings found in rural church planting What planters in the urban context can learn from rural America How to address worshipping through giving in your church context What the gospel teaches about the polarization of today’s social climate Helpful Resources: Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): Anywhere there are people created in the image of God is an important place for ministry. — Will Basham When we devalue an area culturally, people in that cultural context—those in the inner city, as well as in rural America—know that they’re undervalued by the culture. — Ed Stetzer It’s about teaching faithfulness in a lot of little areas. It’s not about trying to shake people down for money but teaching our people about sacrificing and worshiping through giving. — Will Basham When we forget the gospel or try to mingle it with political or social issues instead of keeping it above them, we become misguided and just part of the noise. — Will Basham Our church is trying to teach people that in a sea of faces, they’re not forgotten. — Will Basham God is at work in the rural context and calls people there. Maybe you are called to go there or to partner with others who are answering the call to reach these spaces as well. — Ed Stetzer The post Rural Church Planting appeared first on New Churches.

Episode 770 What exactly are the benefits of engaging with social media? Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham team back up with pastor and planter Josh Howerton to share insight into social media’s role in ministry. Here’s how your online presence can assist you in sharing God’s truth and shepherding His people as you seek to plant new churches. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: The three spiritual giftings of church leaders How online platforms can hurt or help you as you live on mission The significance of connecting with your congregation in the online sphere Why you should take your time with developing and strategizing your online content Tips for establishing online limits and accountability Helpful Resources: Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): Social media can be a field full of landmines. — Noah Oldham Shepherding and Bible teaching isn’t just 40 minutes once a week. Our people are spending dozens of hours online, and we’re leaving our sheep to the wolves when we decide to not engage. — Josh Howerton I engage online because I want to have the conversation where my people are. I don’t want my pulpit to get hijacked by the current cultural issue, but I do need to help my people with those concepts. — Josh Howerton A reason to think about why these issues matter, as well as why we need to speak about them, is because it’s not political; it’s about being the immune system of our culture. — Vance Pitman You want to have a ministry that edifies the wise, corrects the foolish, and—though this is something with a bit of an edge to it—drives away the evil. — Josh Howerton Attracting a mob is like getting attacked by snowballs. When it’s done, you realize it actually didn’t hurt you that much. But you have to be wise and thoughtful from every angle. — Josh Howerton The post Leading Well in Social Media appeared first on New Churches.

Episode 769 Host Ed Stetzer teams back up with long-time ministry leaders Christine and Kyle Hoover to share their wisdom gained through all their years of marriage and church planting. Tune in to discover the lessons they learned the hard way—from calendars and communication to rest and recreation—and how you can better invest in your marriage as a priority ministry, too. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: Tips for establishing sustainable rhythms of rest Why you must establish boundaries within your time commitments What your cell phone usage says about your mental and emotional health The importance of owning your identity in Christ How your calendar communicates your priorities—for better or for worse Helpful Resources: Ed’s leadership podcast: The Stetzer Church Leaders Podcast Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): You could fill every minute of every day with new ideas for church planting; you have to intentionally make decisions for you and your spouse to be together. — Kyle Hoover A lot of church planters fit their family time in however and whenever they can, which communicates to the family that they’re secondary. — Kyle Hoover A lot of pastors, church planners, and their wives think they’re the exception to the rule of rest. Church planting is nonstop, but that’s exactly what runs you into the ground. — Christine Hoover Cultivating your relationship is a primary ministry God has given you; it’s not a place to just rest until you go out and do more ministry. — Christine Hoover It’s worth it to financially and timewise invest in your marriage so that you can endure in ministry while cultivating your marriage. — Christine Hoover  In almost all circumstances of leaving, the people who go with you are your family. Investing in those long-term relationships is better for your church plant as you invest in your family. — Ed Stetzer The post Habits of Healthy Church Planting Couples appeared first on New Churches.

Explore the significance of churches planting churches, the role of a larger church in supporting planters, and the strategic opportunities for different sized churches in church planting. Discover the importance of supporting and developing anchor churches and the value of teams in church planting. Don't miss out on this valuable kingdom advancement!

Episode 767 Host Ed Stetzer chats with ministry leaders Christine and Kyle Hoover about how church pastors and planters can better serve their wives while leading their congregations. Tune in to discover how understanding balance and boundaries, along with calling and communication, will allow your wife to flourish the way God designed her to. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: How creativity can help you resolve conflict within your ministry and marriage Tips for establishing boundaries as a ministry spouse Why your feelings aren’t a burden to God or His church How intentionality and discernment can lead you toward your unique ministry calling The importance of establishing healthy rhythms from the earliest days of your church plant Helpful Resources: Ed’s leadership podcast: The Stetzer Church Leaders Podcast Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): The best thing a husband can do is study his wife, have conversations with her about what she is passionate about and gifted for, and as soon as possible, help her find her spot in the church plant that incorporates those gifts. — Christine Hoover In the framework of intentionality, is the default approach to just hand off responsibilities to your wife? Or are you being intentional to turn every stone to find a different scenario that works better? — Kyle Hoover Treat your wife with the same kind of care and intentionality that you would if she were a lay or staff person, not assuming things based upon her being your wife.  — Kyle Hoover Church planning tends to attract people who are very driven and who are going to fill their time with work because they’re excited about starting something new. This entrepreneurial mindset can often lead to a marriage and a family out of balance. — Ed Stetzer My ability to engage others in the church is going to change over time because of the season of life that I’m in. It comes down to knowing my context, knowing myself, and knowing what the Lord has asked me to do. — Christine Hoover The post How to Help Your Wife Thrive appeared first on New Churches.

Episode 766 Hosts Vance Pitman and Noah Oldham offer their insights into what it means for a church to truly be a house of prayer. Here’s how your congregation can more intentionally be in tune with the Lord in each new season of church planting, establishing healthy prayer rhythms as you go. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: The impact of starting your church well and finding your footing early on Why your inclination toward self-reliance is more than likely stunting your growth How prayer can cultivate your mission field Tips for measuring success in the life of your church The example Jesus set in picking a launch team! Helpful Resources: Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer. Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass? Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review on iTunes. Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches): Prayer, along with the Word of God, should be the centerpiece of what we’re doing and what we’re about. — Vance Pitman Jesus said that when the lost world thinks about you as a people, they ought to say, “I don’t know everything about those people, but I know they talk to God over there.” — Vance Pitman We don’t pray before we work; prayer is the work, and then God works. Unfortunately, today, we often think prayer is what we do before we get to the real work. — Vance Pitman We’re not about success; we’re about kingdom fruit. — Noah Oldham The power’s not in our praying. The power is in the One we’re praying to, and when we seek Him, He begins to move in power. — Noah Oldham The post Prayer and Church Planting appeared first on New Churches.