A Plain Account

Jason Buckwalter shares the story of his new ministry opportunity and we walk about how to integrate "my ministry" with "the church's ministry."--On this episode of the Sacred & Small podcast, our own Jason Buckwalter talks about the new ministry opportunity that he has accepted. In addition to his responsibilities as pastor at Fulton Heartland Church of the Nazarene, Jason will also be the chaplain of Westminster College. Jason shares this story of how this new ministry came to be, what he’s learned about Westminister, and how he’ll approach his ministry there. We also talk quite a bit about the concept of “my ministry” vs. the “ministry of the church,” and how to better integrate the church and our life together into one cohesive movement of the Kingdom of God.The rundown:Bucky’s new ministry opportunity at WestminsterThe decision-making process of starting a new ministryEthnography at Westminster“Your ministry” vs. “the ministry of the church”Approaching ministry on a college campus

Jessica Hill, chief public policy officer for MOCADSV, talks about domestic violence and how the church can engage with DV agencies and victims.--This week on Sacred & Small, the Jasons were pleased to welcome Jessica Hill onto the podcast. Yes, Jessica is Jason Hill’s wife, but she also has over a decade of work with domestic violence agencies throughout the state of Missouri. Jessica joined the podcast to tell the story of how she got involved in domestic violence advocacy, her leadership of the Safe House of Southeast Missouri, and her new role in public policy with MOCADSV, a statewide coalition of domestic violence service providers.The rundown:Jessica shares her story.Advocacy as a calling (not unlike a call to ministry.)The work of MOCADSV.Domestic violence — the vital informationDomestic violence and the churchWe hope you enjoy this episode! If you or your church are interested in engaging in ministry to victims of domestic violence, or if you think someone in your congregation is experiencing domestic violence, please message us! We would be happy to put you in touch with service providers in your area.

Karl Vaters, author of "Desizing the Church," discusses the impact of the church growth movement on the church and where we go next.---In the second of a two-part conversation, Karl Vaters joins the Jasons to talk about his latest book Desizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What’s Next.The church growth movement has had a monumental influence on the way that pastors and church leaders understand the church, pastoral success, congregational viability, and even the perceived work of the Holy Spirit. Some of it was positive. Much of it was not. In Desizing the Church, Karl Vaters walks through the history and impact of the church growth movement and what it means for small church pastors. This episode should help you better understand how the church growth movement impacts your ministry and your church and discover healthier ways to pursue congregational revitalization that aren’t so dependent upon numbers and statistics.Jason Buckwalter and I, Jason Hill, both highly recommend Desizing the Church for pastors of any size, but particularly for our audience of largely small church pastors and readers! Give it a read! You can pick it up from Amazon or your favorite book seller.

Karl Vaters, author of "Small Church Essentials" and "Desizing," shares the story of his experience with small churches and his ministry toward small church pastors.---On this week’s Sacred & Small podcast, author and speaker Karl Vaters joins the Jasons to share his small church story. Karl is the author of 5 books, including The Grasshopper Myth, and Small Church Essentials. His most recent book, Desizing the Church, addresses the rise of the church growth movement, how it changed the evangelical church’s ecclesiology, and how what comes next.Karl has over four decades of experience ministering in small churches and to small church pastors. In this episode, the first of two with Karl, he shares his call to ministry and his approach to pastoring during the rise of the church growth movement. If you would like to learn more about Karl’s ministry, check out his site - karlvaters.com.Or read his books: The Grasshopper Myth, Small Church Essentials, 100 Days to a Healthier Church, Desizing the Church, and The Church Recovery Guide.

The Jasons are back to talk about critical reflection and it's role in congregational revitalization. --Critical reflection. We’ve talked about it regularly on the podcast. What is it? How do we do it? Why is it important?In this episode of the Sacred and Small Podcast, the Jasons dig into the concept of critical reflection and use some of their own summer experiences to consider the subject.Crticial reflection includes concepts like lament and repentance and, in the end, helps us move as individuals and churches toward sanctification, better alignment with God’s will and way.As you listen to this episode, take a moment to consider your own summer. How did God move? What challenges did you run into? Reflect on those things and consider what God would like to teach you and your people through those experiences.

The Sacred and Small Podcast returns with the Jasons as they talk about their summers and how to make the most of the rare quiet seasons in church life.

Missouri DS Mike Palmer joins the podcast to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing the small church from his perspective as a longtime District Superintendent.---In the final episode of season one of the Sacred & Small podcast, Pastor Mike Palmer, District Superintendent of the Missouri District Church of the Nazarene joins the Jasons to talk all things small church.Pastor Mike first shares the ethnography and demographics of the Missouri District Church of the Nazarene. The Missouri District is a district made up of almost entirely small churches — churches of around 200 or less in worship attendance. Pastor Mike has served the district for 19 years as DS and even longer as a pastor and evangelist. He has seen it all, and he shares from his experience about the challenges facing both small churches and small pastors and how the church can overcome them.He also advocates for the small church and small church pastors. The small church has a great opportunity ahead of them and is capable of doing even greater things than larger churches, if the pastor and people are willing to pursue God’s mission and not get caught up in power struggles and traditions. Join with our conversation! We would love to hear what challenges you think are facing the small church and what opportunities God is calling small churches to.

Missouri District Church of the Nazarene District Superintendent Mike Palmer shares the story of his call and ministry. ---In this week’s episode, Pastor Mike Palmer, District Superintendent of the Missouri District Church of the Nazarene, joins the Jasons to talk about his pastoral journey. Pastor Mike is retiring in the summer of 2025 after 19 years of service in the DS role.In this episode, Pastor Mike and the Jasons talk about Mike’s call to ministry and his experience as an evangelist/revivalist before being elected to the DS position. Revivals and evangelistic gatherings, like the old camp meetings, aren’t as popular as they used to be. We discuss why that is, the important role that experiences play in our greater spiritual life and discipleship, and the ways that churches/districts are filling those gaps today.We are so grateful to have Pastor Mike with us and wish him all the best in his retirement!

Sabbath is a command from God. How do you practice your sabbath rest? Do you incorporate seasons of rest into the life of your church? Let's talk about it!---Sabbath is one of the 10 commandments. But when the week gets busy, it seems like one that pastors — including the two Jasons — too willingly break. In this episode of the Sacred & Small podcast, the Jasons talk about the concept of sabbath and their personal practices of rest. We then talk about the importance of rest for our congregations, and how we try to work in seasons of rest and recovery for our people.How do you and your congregation practice rest? We would love to hear from you!

Church life seems to build toward this climactic moment at Easter. Anyone else experience a letdown the next week? In both attendance, expectations, and energy? Let's talk about it!---The Easter letdown. The Jasons don’t know who coined the phrase but we have both experienced it.In this episode of the Sacred and Small podcast, the Jasons gather to talk about how their Easter and Holy Week services went, what went well and what didn’t, and what they expect over the next few weeks.Don’t let the Easter letdown get you down! Christ is resurrected. And that’s good news for the church, even when you aren’t having an egg hunt.