The Small Church Ministry Podcast

Laurie Graham Ertl
  • 5.0 (106)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

The only podcast created for volunteers and everyday leaders in smaller congregations, this show embraces small church ministry as a place where God is already at work. Founder of Small Church Ministry and the Small Church Network, Laurie Graham Ertl shares why small churches matter—not as a scaled-down version of something bigger, but as powerful communities with their own unique strengths. Each episode offers creative solutions to real challenges with a mix of honest encouragement, leadership skills, and actionable next steps.  Laurie hosts the show with a perspective shaped by decades in ministry on every side of small church life—as a volunteer, staff leader, and pastor’s spouse. She knows both the pressure and the beauty of small churches firsthand, and brings steady encouragement, practical wisdom, and deep care for both volunteers and ministry leaders.

  1. 4d ago

    242: Your Church Wants to Reach New Families. So Why Aren't They Coming?

    Your small church wants to reach new families. You’re planning events, finding volunteers, inviting people, and trying hard, but sometimes the families you’re hoping to reach still aren’t coming.  In this episode, we’re looking underneath the outreach ideas to question some of our assumptions about today’s families, what “successful” outreach actually means, and whether trying harder is really the answer. In this episode: ➡️ Why it matters that we want to reach new families ➡️ The assumptions we may be making about what today’s families actually want and need ➡️ Why a successful event doesn’t necessarily lead to connection with your church ➡️ The difference between creating a transaction and building a relationship ➡️ Why your small church probably doesn’t need to try harder, but may need to start somewhere different RESOURCES MENTIONED Join the Everyday Influence Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

  2. Aug 11

    241: Healthy Responses to Unhealthy Church Leadership

    Churches are made up of people, and people aren't healthy all the time. So what do we do when church leadership isn't at its best?  In this episode, we're talking about how to recognize unhealthy patterns, respond wisely, and become healthier ourselves along the way. Inside this episode: ➡️ Why not every difficulty equals an unhealthy church ➡️ Common unhealthy patterns that often get normalized ➡️ Questions to ask before speaking up, staying, or stepping away ➡️ How to support your church without carrying what isn't yours RESOURCES MENTIONED Join the Everyday Influence Check out our upcoming events Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

  3. Aug 4

    240: Is "We've Always Done It This Way" Keeping Your Small Church Stuck?

    Most churches don't struggle because people don't care. They struggle because they're trying to solve today's challenges with yesterday's ideas. In this episode, we share one of our favorite strategies for creating a culture of learning that helps overcome resistance to change, develop volunteers, and move our churches forward.  We'll also pull back the curtain on why Small Church Ministry has invested so heavily in online events over the last six years, and why we hope they become more than just another event on the calendar. In this episode: Why fresh perspectives help churches move forwardHow outside voices create new conversationsWhy hope is one of the most practical things you can buildHow online events can become part of your church's culture, not just your calendar RESOURCES MENTIONED Join the Everyday Influence Check out our upcoming events Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

  4. Jul 28

    239: Healthy Churches Grow by Developing Everyday People | Leading Well Conference

    What if one of the most important things your church could do isn't add another program, but intentionally develop the people you already have?  Recorded live at our Leading Well in a Small Church Conference, Laurie Graham Ertl shares why healthy churches don't depend on one pastor working harder.  They grow as everyday people learn to build trust, take ownership, solve problems wisely, and become the kind of people healthy churches are built on. RESOURCES MENTIONED Join the Everyday Influence Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

  5. Jul 21

    238: Reaching the Churched, the Unchurched & the Dechurched | with Pastor Patrick Dailey

    Reaching your community starts with understanding your community.  Pastor Patrick Dailey explains why the words churched, unchurched, and dechurched matter more than ever, what it means to minister in a post-Christian culture, and how small churches can create natural opportunities to build relationships with the people around them. In this episode: ➡️ What it means to minister to the churched, the unchurched, and the dechurched ➡️ Why "post-Christian" changes the conversation for today's church ➡️ How a family STEAM Night became a bridge into the community ➡️ Why small churches are uniquely positioned for this moment CONNECT WITH PATRICK DAILEY ontariocommunitychurch.org patrickjosephdailey.com instagram.com/iampatrickdailey RESOURCES MENTIONED Get your FREE ticket to the Leading Well Conference: www.smallchurchsummits.com Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

  6. Jul 14

    237: The Future Of The Small Church: What Has To Change? | with Dr. K. Kale Yu

    The church is changing. The question is whether we're willing to change with it.  In this conversation, Dr. K. Kale Yu shares why the future of the small church won't be built on better programs or bigger budgets, but on ordinary people who are equipped to live out their faith every day. In this episode: ➡️ Why today's church is facing more than a decline in attendance ➡️ The mistake many churches are making when trying to "fix" ministry ➡️ Why the future of the church depends on everyday people, not just pastors ➡️ What small churches can learn from the changing culture around them ➡️ One challenge every pastor needs to hear about leading the church into the future CONNECT WITH DR. K. KALE YU kkaleyu.net Enkindle: Reviving the Church from Within (The Spark Initiative): a.co/d/07fF1Hil RESOURCES MENTIONED Get your FREE ticket to the Leading Well Conference: www.smallchurchsummits.com Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

  7. Jul 7

    236: How to Make Your Small Church Matter in the Community

    What if the future of your church isn't determined by how many people attend on Sunday, but by the difference you make the rest of the week?  In this episode, Pastor Raymond Cabello shares how his church shifted from focusing inward to becoming a trusted, active presence in its community.  You'll hear practical ideas for building partnerships, serving with limited resources, and helping your small church make a bigger impact right where God has placed it. In this episode: ➡️ Why serving your community starts with a mindset shift ➡️ How to build meaningful partnerships with schools, nonprofits, businesses, and other churches ➡️ Practical ways to make a big impact with a small budget and a small congregation ➡️ How opening your church beyond Sunday can strengthen your community presence ➡️ Encouragement for pastors leading churches that feel small, stuck, or overlooked CONNECT WITH PASTOR RAYMOND CABELLO crosskeysbaptistchurch.org facebook.com/CrossKeysBC instagram.com/crosskeys youtube.com/@crosskeysbc tiktok.com/@pastor_ray RESOURCES MENTIONED Get your FREE ticket to the Leading Well Conference: www.smallchurchsummits.com Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

  8. Jun 30

    235: We've Expected Too Much from Pastors - and Underestimated Everyone Else

    I've been told more than once that the real leverage point in a church is the pastor. Get the pastor healthy, and everything else will follow. I don't buy it.  In this episode, we're talking about why pastors matter, why ordinary people matter too, and why healthy churches are usually built by lots of people growing, participating, and taking ownership together. In this episode, we're talking about: Why we've put so much pressure on pastorsThe role ordinary people play in a healthy churchWhat shared ownership actually looks likeWhy participation matters more than observationHow healthy churches are built together RESOURCES MENTIONED Join the Network for $6 for your first month here! Join our free Facebook Community Get your FREE ticket to the Reaching New Families Training! >> smallchurchministry.com/families Support the show SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this. 🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week! FOLLOW US: ➡️  Website: smallchurchministry.com ➡️  Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry ➡️  Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry ➡️  Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership

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About

The only podcast created for volunteers and everyday leaders in smaller congregations, this show embraces small church ministry as a place where God is already at work. Founder of Small Church Ministry and the Small Church Network, Laurie Graham Ertl shares why small churches matter—not as a scaled-down version of something bigger, but as powerful communities with their own unique strengths. Each episode offers creative solutions to real challenges with a mix of honest encouragement, leadership skills, and actionable next steps.  Laurie hosts the show with a perspective shaped by decades in ministry on every side of small church life—as a volunteer, staff leader, and pastor’s spouse. She knows both the pressure and the beauty of small churches firsthand, and brings steady encouragement, practical wisdom, and deep care for both volunteers and ministry leaders.

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