The Church Lobby

Karl Vaters interviews Peyton Jones, a church planter and church planting specialist. He’s written several books, most recently, Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches, which is the basis for this conversation.Peyton and Karl talk about a lot of issues regarding church planting, but mostly about how most of our common perceptions of church planting are built on a faulty foundation. Not a church planter? Don’t let that stop you from listening. There’s a lot in this for every church leader.Links from this episode:Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting ChurchesReaching the Unreached: Becoming Raiders of the Lost ArtThrough the WordMinistry NinjaNewbreed TrainingTo get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

An interview with Jason Moore about how to blend online & in-person worship.Jason is the founder of the Both/And seminars which helps churches of all sizes create a better worship experience for both the online audience and the in-person congregation.In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks to Jason about how a church of any size can use online and in-person church to make each a better experience for worshipers. If you’re having a hard time with your online experience, or even if you’re doubtful about its value listen to Jason’s heart, his experience and his ideas, including…How online worship has gone from being expensive and rare to a common and essential aspect of church ministry – leaving many of us to play catch-up.How to ensure that the online church experience doesn’t to detract from in-person worship, but can add to it.The need to readjust the goal of church from getting people in the room to getting the message out.The fact that the main roadblock to a high-quality online/in-person experience isn’t money, it’s intentionality.Links from the episode:Midnightoilproductions.comfacebook.com/midnightoilproductionsinstagram.com/midnightoilprod/mail@midnightoilproductions.comOpen Broadcast SoftwareUnsplashTechsoup.orgTo get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

Karl Vaters interviews Matt Branaugh about the important subjects of law, tax and finances in the church. Matt is an Attorney at Law and Content Editor for Church Law & Tax.In this conversation, Karl and Matt talk about some of the biggest recent issues in these important areas – you know, the things we hate to deal with, but need to take care of. Thankfully, Matt knows how to talk about them in compelling, clear and applicable ways.This conversation will help you know that you and your church are not alone if you’re facing these issues, where you can go to get help, and how to be proactive instead of waiting for something bad to happen.Links:CLTMatt Branaugh at Church Law & TaxChurchLawandTax.comChurch Law and Tax StoreRichard R. Hammar at Church Law & TaxArticlesThe Top 5 Reasons Churches and Religious Organizations End Up in CourtMinimizing the Risks of Child Molestation in ChurchesYour Church Needs an Insurance CommitteeSeventh Circuit: Clergy Housing Allowance Is ConstitutionalHousing Allowance BasicsHow to Safely Reopen Your Church and Reduce Legal LiabilityLightning RoundWorkflowy.comChristianLegalSociety.orgTo get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

Karl Vaters interviews Bob Roberts Jr., a pastor, author, global strategist and more. Bob has a heart for Jesus, for the Gospel, for all kinds of people, and for the role of the small congregation in fulfilling God’s mission. Karl and Bob have a free-wheeling conversation that touches on many subjects, all of which can help every church and every church leader.Links from this episode:My Promised Land by Ari ShavitArt and Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto FujimuraGlocal.netMultifaithneighborsnetwork.orgTwitter & Instagram: @bobrobertsjrBobRobertsjr.com To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

My podcast guest this week is Gary Garcia — again.This time we talk about Pastoral Transition from a unique perspective. I was Gary’s lead pastor for 25 years, then Gary became the lead pastor, while I stayed on the pastoral staff with him.In this episode Gary and I talk aboutWhy that happenedHow we did itHow it’s been going sinceSome key points about making a successful pastoral transition will include:We need to know God is calling us to do it, even if it’s outside our comfort zone.We must spend the necessary time to talk, think and pray about it. It’s better to do it well than do it fast.Each needs to support the other. The former lead pastor must truly let go of control, and the new pastor needs to honor the past without being intimidated by it.Links from this Episode:DownloadYouthMinistries.comFind Gary on Instagram To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

Karl Vaters and Gary Garcia have worked together at the same church for 29 years. For the first 25 years Karl was the lead pastor. For the last 4 years Gary has been the lead pastor.This is the first of two episodes with them. In the next one they will talk about everything surrounding the pastoral transition, but in this episode they talk aboutHow to stay in ministry long-termHow to stay fresh while in the same churchHow to work together wellAdvice for those wanting to stay strong in ministry for the long haulTo get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

Karl Vaters interviews Tom Harris about the important, but underserved topic of Intentional Interim Pastorates. Tom is the co-author of Soaring Between Pastors: 8 Actions to Thrive During a Pastoral Transition. He also serves as the president of IPM: Interim Pastor Ministries.In this conversation, Tom and Karl talk about the importance of interim pastorates, including how an intentional interim can help prepare a church to hit the ground running when they call a new pastor. Links from this episode:InterimPastors.comSoaring Between Pastors To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

Karl Vaters interviews Rich Brown on the importance of long-term pastorates.Rich is the author of Extended Stays: A Closer Look at Longer Pastorates. He has served for decades as a pastor and in Christian higher education. Currently he serves with IPM (Interim Pastor Ministries).In this conversation, Karl and Rich talk about why long-term pastorates are good for the church, the pastor, the pastor’s family, and for the community we're called to reach.Including:Some shocking stats about pastoral tenureWhy a series of short-term stays can be problematicHow to make a long-term stay effective for everyoneHow to grow deeper through transition without relocationand more.From the Episode:Rich@interimpastors.comExtended Stays by Rich BrownInterimPastorMinistries.comThe Forgotten Church by Glenn DamanTurnaround Strategies For the Small Church by Ron CrandellTransforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O’DellGrowing Young - Fuller SeminaryChurch Revitalization in Rural America by Tom CheyneySmall Church Checkup by Kay Kotan & Phil SchroederLeading the Smaller Church by Glenn C. DamanTo get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

Karl Vaters interviews Matt Henslee about the importance of having small church representation in denominational leadership.In addition to being a small church pastor and authoring/co-authoring several books, Matt has recently been appointed to leadership in his denomination (the Southern Baptist Conference) on both a regional and national level.Karl and Matt talk about how this came happened and how important it is for all church groups, including denominations, to make a place for small church pastors in leadership. Links from this Episode:Jonah Over CoffeeReplanting Rural ChurchesPreachingSource.com To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

Karl interviews Jean Morgan, a small church pastor who wrote a Master’s thesis about the correlation between a pastor’s personality and the size of the church they serve.In this conversation, Jean and Karl talk aboutThe way Jean made this assessmentThe initial resultsThe possible impact of his results for us as small church pastors What we discover is that our effectiveness in small church ministry is less about our personality type and far more about1. Our feelings of effectiveness2. Listening closely to our calling, not to the outside voices that tell us we need to hit certain numbers3. How God can use any personality type to accomplish his will for his church Jean's Masters Thesis can be found here https://karlvaters.com/small-church-pastor-personality-types/To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.