The Church Lobby

Karl Vaters
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The Church Lobby Podcast

Karl Vaters interviews church leaders about the important issues of faith and ministry. It's called The Church Lobby because: The church lobby is where the church meets and does ministry. The church lobby moves conversations from the stage to the floor. The church lobby is a good place to take the temperature of a church’s health. Karl Vaters is the author of several books, including Small Church Essentials and The Grasshopper Myth. Formerly known as Can This Work In a Small Church?, this podcast primarily looks at church leadership from a small church perspective.

  1. 12 SEPT

    Ep 085: The Necessity of Being Offended by Jesus, with Chase Replogle

    Karl Vaters talks with Chase Replogle about one of the most controversial, but unavoidable topics today—living with offense without being offended. This material comes from his just-released book, A Sharp Compassion: 7 Hard Words to Heal Our Insecurities and Free Us from Offense. Karl and Chase talk about why offense is a necessary part of life, how to use it well, and deal with it properly. Subjects include: How Jesus intentionally used offensive words in strategic situations to bring about desired resultsThe importance of discipleshipHow the absence of close relationships makes us more offendableHow church leaders can help those who struggle with being offendedAnd more Chase Replogle is also the author of The 5 Masculine Instincts: A Guide to Becoming a Better Man, and is the host of the Pastor Writer Podcast. He pastors the Bent Oak Church in Springfield, Missouri. Links from this episode: Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer   Bonus Content SummaryThe Danger Of The Cult Of Self-affirmation Karl Vaters talks with Chase Replogle about the dangers of using self-affirmation as a guide to life and truth. Recent surveys have shown that self-affirmation, and specifically “how I feel at the moment” have widely replaced universal truths in many people’s lives. It’s also made its way into the church. While 91% of U.S. adults agree that “the best way to find yourself is by looking within yourself,” 76% of practicing Christians agreed with that statement. As Chase wrote in A Sharp Compassion, “Religion has not disappeared from America, as so many feared; instead, it has, like everything from our entertainment to our diets, become personalized. It has shifted from the risk of offense to the affirmation of the self.”

    45 min

  2. 29 AUG

    Ep 084: How To Do A Great Trunk-or-Treat At Your Church, with Darrell Stetler

    In September and October over 1.2 million people will search online for “Trunk-or-Treat near me.” Here’s how to be one of the churches they find. Karl Vaters talks with Darrell Stetler about practical steps to help churches of any size put on a high-quality, gospel-centered Trunk-or-Treat event. Darrell is a small-church pastor in Oklahoma City and he has created a free 23-page guide called Trunk-orTreat Planning for Churches: A Step-by-step Guide. Karl and Darrell talk about: The benefits of having a church Trunk-or-TreatPicking a themeWho it’s designed to reachWhen to start planningRecruiting volunteersHow to gather info from attendersHow to follow up Podcast Links: Free 23-page Planning Guide with Trunk-or-Treat Ideas for ChurchesThe Gospel Trunk-or-Treat Planning SystemPrevious Darrell Stetler Interview (Ep 38) Also from Darrell Stetler: NewStart Discipleship CurriculumFree New Believer Bible Reading Plan (1 Page PDF)Free audiobook on Discipling Your ChildrenFree NewStart Discipleship Journal: A 54-page Discipleship Bible Study for new Christians.Free one-hour Discipleship Training workshop Social media: facebook.com/darrellstetler2facebook.com/newstartdiscipleshipyoutube.com/@newstartdiscipleshiptwitter.com/newstartdisc Bonus Summary Yes, Your Church Can Do Trunk-or-Treat without Compromising Your Christian Values, with Darrell Stetler If you have problems with Halloween, I'm right there with you. Not a fan. In this short video, Darrell Stetler and Karl Vaters talk about: Why our churches do a trunk-or-treatThe three attitudes Christians can have toward HalloweenThe misunderstood non-pagan origins of HalloweenWhy it’s okay for churches to offer a safe, Bible-based alternative   Bonus Content Links: Halloween: A Distinctively Christian HolidayFree 23 Page Planning Guide with a...

    47 min

  3. 15 AUG

    Ep 083: ​Flyover Church: Jesus' Ministry in Rural Places, with Brad Roth

    Karl Vaters talks with Brad Roth about the content from his new book, Flyover Church: How Jesus’ Ministry in Rural Places Is Good News Everywhere, for which Karl wrote the foreword. Topics include: How the rural church is different from the city and suburban church, not just in scale, but in typeHow metrics are very different in the rural churchThe lure of strategyThe radically different pace of rural ministryAnd more Brad is also the author of The Hunger Inside: How the Meal Jesus Gave Transforms Lives, and God's Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church. Links: DoxologyProject.comBook: God's Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural ChurchBook: The Hunger Inside: How the Meal Jesus Gave Transforms LivesBook: Flyover Church: How Jesus' Ministry in Rural Places Is Good News Everywhere ​Brad Roth Bonus Chat summary One New Person: Toward An Authentic Metric For The Rural Church Karl Vaters talks with Brad Roth about how and why metrics work very differently in rural churches than in urban and suburban churches. As Brad wrote, “Most of us don’t need numbers to know whether our church is thriving. Numbers often stand in for intuition and attempt to substitute with a dashboard what can only be learned through years spent with a people in a place.” To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

    46 min

  4. 1 AUG

    Ep 082: Pastoring Difficult People, with Craig T. Owens

    Sometimes pastors are our own worst enemy, so we need to recognize that God chose us for this work. There’s probably not a single pastor (at least not a long-term pastor) who can’t relate to the title of Craig T Owens’ latest book, When Sheep Bite: Help for Shepherd Leaders Who May Have Felt the Painful Bites. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with Craig about what those bites mean, where they come from and what to do about them. Then they spend the bulk of the episode covering the chapters that make up the meat of his book: When the Sheep Flatter YouWhen the Sheep Criticize YouWhen the Sheep Gossip About YouWhen the Sheep Slander YouWhen the Sheep Question Your AuthorityWhen the Sheep Abandon You Links: When Sheep Bite: Help for Shepherd Leaders Who May Have Felt the Painful BitesShepherd Leadership: The Metrics that Really Mattercraigtowens.comChurch Metrics that Really Matter, with Craig T. Owens (Ep 043)   BONUS MATERIAL Navigating Your Way Through Good Stress And Bad Stress, with Craig Owens Karl Vaters interviews Craig T Owens about the fact that there are two kinds of stress that we all face: Unbalanced, unhealthy stress, which we call distressBalanced, healthy stress, which is known as eustress In life, as in ministry, it’s essential that we know the difference, and that we’re aware of how to reduce the negative, while embracing and growing with the positive. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

    56 min

  5. 18 JUL

    Should Your Church Consider the Microchurch Model?, with Frank Wooden

    Karl Vaters talks with Frank Wooden about Microchurches. Frank has been a church planter for decades, but is now concentrating on the Microchurch model as a valid, healthy alternative in a changing cultural landscape. Karl and Frank talk about What Microchurch is Why it’s so appealing right now Some cautions to be aware of Three reasons the Microchurch model can work for a church of any size How the Microchurch model might be the answer for many churches in crisis And more Links: KC Underground Tampa Underground The Discovery Bible Study Method Clayton Christensen fwooden@socalnetwork.org Bonus Content Summary How to Help an Existing Church Adapt to the Microchurch Model Karl Vaters talks with Frank Wooden about the value of the Microchurch model as an alternative for a church in crisis. They discuss how this model might help answer financial challenges, the importance of being proactive, what to do with a church’s institutional assets if they adapt this model, and how to address concerns from mature members. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    49 min

  6. 4 JUL

    Practical Ideas that Work In Small Churches, with Laurie Acker

    Karl Vaters talks with Laurie Acker about the changing face of small church ministry, especially as it relates to recruiting, training, and relying on the volunteers who are so essential in helping small churches survive and thrive in a changing world. Laurie runs SmallChurchMinistry.com, an online ministry that provides resources and support for volunteers and ministry leaders in smaller churches. Ministries like this are so important because they help provide practical help for the volunteers who do small-church ministry without any prior training. Links from this episode: Website: https://smallchurchministry.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallchurchministry/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smallchurchministry Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry Small Church Network & Academy: https://smallchurchministry.com/membership/ Email: Laurie@smallchurchministry.com Book: One Thing Remains Bonus Content Karl Vaters talks with Laurie Acker about Using a Planning Party to Jumpstart Youth/Kids Ministry. She suggests who should be involved, when to hold the meeting, and more. Karl and Laurie also talk about how healthy small churches are uniquely suited to meet the needs of youth and kids in an environment that values relationships and connection over programs and professionalism. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    33 min

  7. 20 JUN

    Church Collaboration and Killing Consumerism in a Post-Christian Context, with Dan Nichols

    Pastoring in a post-Christian context is different. The more counter-cultural our faith becomes, the more important it is to understand that Christian consumerism is deadly and church cooperation is essential. Karl Vaters talks with Dan Nichols about these subjects, including: Negotiating a cultural shift in a longstanding church Partnering with other churches Bridging the big/small church divide And more Dan Nichols is the pastor of Grace Christian Fellowship in Cortland NY, and the founder of Northeast Collaborative. Links: Northeast Collaborative The Bible Project GotQuestions.org Bless App Soularium Sean McDowell YouTube Constable's Notes Everand ​Bonus Content Karl Vaters talks with Dan Nichols about Creating a Spirit of Generosity in a Local Church. Dan’s church takes an offering every year that they give away in its entirety to ministries outside their church. This year it will go to nine other local churches that they work alongside. Karl and Dan talk about how that kind of generosity happens, and what a pastor can do to start moving a church away from fear and toward being outrageously generous. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    50 min
  8. De-sizing the Church (pt 10): First Reactions from Church Leaders

    6 JUN

    De-sizing the Church (pt 10): First Reactions from Church Leaders

    As we come to the end of our ten-part series based on De-sizing the Church, we’re highlighting portions of conversations Karl Vaters had with five church leaders from various backgrounds about their first reactions to reading the book. Drew Dyck (author and editor) talks about the dangers of Christian celebrity. Peyton Jones (author and church planter) discusses how churches operating under the church growth paradigm are more likely to be in decline than growth. Greg Atkinson (author and church consultant) highlights the importance of broadening our understanding of church size and health. Stan Givens (pastor) comments on the importance of churches working together, and the essential role of discipleship. Sean Nemecek (author and soul care coach) looks at the high rates of burnout due to chasing numbers, and digs into the revivalist history of the Great Awakenings. Links: De-sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What’s Next Church Plantology The Weary Leaders Guide to Burnout Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    32 min
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About

Karl Vaters interviews church leaders about the important issues of faith and ministry. It's called The Church Lobby because: The church lobby is where the church meets and does ministry. The church lobby moves conversations from the stage to the floor. The church lobby is a good place to take the temperature of a church’s health. Karl Vaters is the author of several books, including Small Church Essentials and The Grasshopper Myth. Formerly known as Can This Work In a Small Church?, this podcast primarily looks at church leadership from a small church perspective.

Information

  • Creator
    Karl Vaters
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Church Lobby

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