Ministry At Scale

Chad Williams - Five Q
  • 5.0 (1)
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The Ministry at Scale Podcast brings you the latest trends, interviews with experts and practical tips to help your ministry multiply it's impact. Brought to you by Five Q a digital agency with a kingdom impact. If you want to know how to grow your ministry in the digital space this podcast is for you.

  1. 2d ago

    #100 - Solving Problems With AI Innovation| Don Barger

    What does a hotel key card have to do with 400,000 people hearing the gospel? Don Barger, Director of Innovation and Artificial Intelligence at the International Mission Board (IMB), shares the unexpected story of how one small, tangible idea helped one of the world's largest missions organizations go from AI skepticism to full-scale adoption — in just a few years. Key Takeaways Easy wins change everything. The IMB's first AI pilots were deliberately small — translation of internal communications, a digital responder, and donor processing — and those quick wins gave skeptics something real to believe in before any large-scale rollout began. A few hundred NFC cards sparked 25,000 chatbot conversations. Don distributed programmed NFC cards at a single event, and within days, 25,000 people had tapped in and engaged with the IMB's AI chatbot — a result that came from one simple, low-cost idea. FaithBot was built for triage — and became a global evangelism tool. Originally designed to protect digital responders from high-volume, low-quality traffic, FaithBot now has over 400,000 users worldwide across multiple languages, spreading largely through organic, word-of-mouth sharing. Leadership sponsorship is the non-negotiable. Don invested significant time early on helping the IMB's President and EVP understand AI deeply enough to champion it. The entire senior leadership team completed an MIT Sloan course on AI business applications — and their buy-in made everything else possible. Your AI belief statement must come before your AI tools. The IMB established clear ethical guardrails before building anything, including a firm line: AI will not provide soul care. Defining what you won't do with AI is just as important as knowing what you will. Yesterday's skeptics make tomorrow's best advocates. Some of the IMB's loudest AI champions today were among the most resistant voices a year ago. Making innovation accessible and irresistible is what turns doubters into champions. Ready to Move from "Should We?" to "Here's How We Start?" If your ministry is still stuck in the "should we?" conversation around AI, this episode will help you move to "here's how we start." Don's framework is practical, proven, and deeply mission-focused — and it's exactly the kind of real-world perspective ministry leaders need right now. Listen to the full episode and then ask yourself: what's your hotel key card moment? Resources Don Barger — Director of Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, International Mission Board (IMB) FaithBot — AI evangelism chatbot: https://chat.faithbot.io/ Don Barger's Substack — AI, Innovation, and Faith: donbarger.com International Mission Board (IMB): imb.org Digital Ministry Conference 2026: digitalministryconference.com Launch AI by Five Q — Ready to move from AI experimentation to measurable ministry impact? Learn more at fiveq.com/launch

    26 min

  2. Jun 5

    #99 - Why 95% of AI Projects Fail | Gregory Richardson

    95% of AI projects are failing — and your ministry can't afford to be part of that statistic. Gregory Richardson, founder of Six Levers Consulting and a 35-year veteran of cybersecurity and technology leadership, brings a rare combination of deep tech expertise and unashamed Christian faith to one of the most important conversations in ministry today. This episode will challenge the way you think about AI, risk, and what it means to be a faithful steward of technology. Key Takeaways Gregory has sat in the boardrooms of companies like Blackberry and McAfee, served ministries like Global Media Outreach, and spent decades wrestling with what it looks like to be a faithful Christian in the middle of a secular tech world. In this conversation, he brings that hard-won wisdom directly to ministry leaders navigating the pressure to adopt AI responsibly. Here's what stood out most: 95% of AI projects fail — and the reason may surprise you. Gregory references a study conducted in partnership with the MIT Media Lab (confirmed Q4 of the previous year) showing the vast majority of AI initiatives collapse not because of bad tools, but because of poor strategy, misaligned leadership, and a lack of governance before deployment. Christians belong in the tech space — on purpose. Gregory shares vulnerably about spending decades feeling torn between his corporate identity and his Christian calling, only to discover that his presence in secular tech environments may have been the only "on-ramp to Jesus" many of his colleagues ever encountered. AI governance isn't optional — it's stewardship. Gregory walks through why ministries and organizations must establish AI policies before they begin experimenting with tools, drawing on his background as a former CISO to explain the cybersecurity and ethical risks that come with ungoverned AI adoption. Your team is your biggest AI risk and your greatest AI asset. The conversation digs into how staff behavior, shadow AI usage, and a lack of training create real vulnerabilities — and how intentional, human-first implementation changes everything. Faith and technology aren't competing callings — they're complementary ones. Gregory's framework of "Six Levers" offers a practical lens for leaders navigating how to steward AI in a way that honors mission, protects people, and advances the Kingdom. Deep Bible literacy matters more than ever in an AI age. Gregory delivers a powerful challenge around discernment, theological grounding, and the danger of applying Scripture out of context — drawing a direct line between how we read the Bible and how we evaluate the promises AI vendors make. Community is a competitive advantage. Gregory describes "The Table," a free monthly gathering he hosts for business and ministry leaders to share what's working, what's failing, and how to move forward — together. Ready to Stop Experimenting and Start Multiplying? If your ministry is feeling the pressure to "do something with AI" but isn't sure where to start, this episode is your roadmap. Gregory's experience spans Fortune 500 companies, global ministries, and educational institutions — and his perspective will give you both the clarity and the confidence to move forward wisely. Don't miss this one. Listen to the full episode now. Resources Six Levers Consulting — sixleversconsulting.com Gregory Richardson (Personal Site) — gregoryrichardson.ai Connect with Gregory on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorypkrichardson/ Harvard Business Review Article (with link to MIP Report) — https://hbr.org/2025/08/beware-the-ai-experimentation-trap Lord of Spirits Podcast — Referenced by Gregory as a resource for Christians who want to develop deeper Bible literacy and hermeneutical understanding. https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits/ Launch AI by Five Q — Ready to move from AI experimentation to measurable ministry impact? Learn more at fiveq.com/launch

    1h 8m

  3. Jun 4

    #98 - From Siloed Data to 25% Donor Growth | Nathan Hill

    Your ministry is stretched thin, your data is scattered across disconnected tools, and your donor acquisition budget may be reaching the wrong people. In this session from the Digital Ministry Conference, Nathan Hill of AVID walks through a real-world case study showing how Bible League Canada decreased their cost to acquire a new donor by 20% — and grew new donors by 25% — by unifying their tech stack and adding AI-powered automation. Key Takeaways New donors are worth far more than year one. Based on data from 43 ministries representing approximately $1.4 billion in annual revenue, the average first-year donor gives $81 — but that number jumps to $214 in year two and $322 in year three and beyond. Siloed data is silently costing you. Most ministries rely on their CRM as their primary donor data source, but critical giving history, engagement data, and transaction records live in disconnected tools — leading to stale prospecting lists and wasted ad spend. A unified tech stack changes everything. Bible League Canada brought all of their donor data under one roof using AVID as their fundraising operating system, enabling a more complete "golden record" of their donors — and dramatically improving the accuracy of their lookalike audience targeting on Meta. Automation is the multiplier. It's not enough to unify data once — the speed at which audiences are refreshed directly impacts how effective your acquisition campaigns are. Nathan explains how automated suppression (removing existing donors from acquisition targeting) alone eliminates significant waste. The long-term kingdom impact is the real number. A sample organization Nathan shared was on pace for $7.4 million in donor revenue this year. By investing in an acquisition growth strategy, their three-year revenue outlook jumped from $7.1 million to $10.5 million — a 47% increase over three years. AVID vs. an Enterprise CRM. Nathan noted that when compared to one of the most sophisticated marketing CRMs available for this use case, AVID led to a 143% increase in donor acquisition by comparison. If you're ready to stop wasting acquisition budget on the wrong audiences and start building a donor pipeline that compounds over time, this episode is your starting point. Nathan breaks down a practical, proven framework that any ministry fundraising team can begin applying today — no massive tech overhaul required. Resources Nathan Hill – Vice President of Marketing, AVID | avidai.com Connect With Nathan – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-peter-hill/ Bible League Canada Case Study – Referenced throughout the session | https://bibleleague.ca/ AVID Fundraising Scorecard – Predictive analytics tool | https://avidai.com/components/scorecard/ Digital Ministry Conference – digitalministryconference.com Five Q | Launch AI – https://aiofferings.fiveq.com/

    17 min

  4. Jun 2

    #97 - Jake Carlson: AI Evangelism in Action — 140,000 Gospel Conversations a Month

    What if your ministry could share the gospel with someone in a closed country at 2 a.m. — in their heart language — without a single missionary present? Jake Carlson, founder of The Apologist Project, is already doing it. In this session from the Digital Ministry Conference 2026, Jake shares how conversational AI is becoming a force multiplier for the Great Commission — and why the parable of the talents applies directly to how your ministry approaches this technology. Key Takeaways AI can meet seekers where they are — geographically, linguistically, and spiritually. Over two-thirds of the world's population is online, and The Apologist Project's conversational AI is available in 192 languages, covering approximately 99% of the globe — including the ability to embed small language models onto devices that can be brought into closed countries. People open up to AI in ways they often won't with other humans. Jake explains that without fear of judgment or being tracked, seekers — especially those in restricted regions — are far more willing to ask honest spiritual questions through an AI interface than in person. Biblically grounded content is what makes the difference. The Apologist Project doesn't just use any AI model — it curates a trusted library of ministry content (including partnerships with Got Questions Ministries and Ligonier Ministries) to ensure every response is anchored in biblical truth, no matter what the user asks. Contextualization is built in. Jake describes a version of their chatbot specifically designed for Muslim seekers, which draws on Quranic verses alongside biblical truth to meet users at their starting point and gently guide them toward Jesus. AI can identify where a seeker is spiritually — and respond accordingly. The platform uses AI to evaluate conversations against frameworks like the Engel Scale to expose the right next step — whether that's a resource, a follow-up contact, or a crisis hotline for sensitive conversations. Real traction, real impact. The Apologist Project is currently processing approximately 140,000 prompts per month — that's someone using their conversational AI every 20 seconds of every day — and growth is accelerating, especially in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Turkey. Handoff to the human community remains the goal. Jake is clear that AI isn't the destination — it removes intellectual barriers and then passes the seeker on to a ministry on the ground, an online missionary, or other digital discipleship resources to continue the journey. AI is here — and ministries that choose to steward it wisely are already seeing Kingdom fruit. Whether you're just beginning to explore how AI could support your outreach strategy or you're ready to integrate a biblically grounded conversational tool into your digital ministry, this session will both challenge and equip you. Don't just take notes — take the next step. Watch the full session now and reach out to The Apologist Project if your ministry is ready to partner. Resources The Apologist Project: apologistproject.org Connect with Jake Carlson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakecarlsonded/ GotQuestions Chatbot (partner): gotquestions.chat Ligonier Ministries (partner): ligonier.org Full session on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7R7R-JAcG0&t=4s Digital Ministry Conference: digitalministryconference.com Five Q Launch AI: https://aiofferings.fiveq.com/

    16 min

  5. May 1

    #96 - Saved for Good Works: How Toby Weiss Built a Tech Career in Service of the Kingdom

    Most ministries don't have a technology problem — they have a strategy problem. Toby Weiss, Co-Founder and CEO of Rooted Software, spent 14 years as the Global CIO of Jews for Jesus before launching a company with one purpose: helping ministries stop patch-working technology together and start wielding it strategically. In this episode, Toby shares what he's learned across hundreds of ministry engagements — and why the hardest part of a CRM rollout has nothing to do with software. Key TakeawaysThe "hodgepodge" trap is real — and costly. Ministries often solve technology problems one at a time, leading to a patchwork of disconnected systems. Toby explains why reaching a point of strategic maturity — typically around $1–2M in annual revenue — is when organizations need to step back and make deliberate, integrated technology decisions. Outsourced IT is often smarter than in-house. For ministries with fewer than 150 staff, Toby makes a compelling case that outsourced IT delivers broader expertise, greater availability, and lower cost than hiring internally — often cutting IT expenses by 50% or more while actually increasing service levels. Not all CRMs are created equal — and the wrong fit is expensive. Toby walks through key decision variables: Is the vendor primarily serving nonprofits or faith-based organizations?Do you need an off-the-shelf solution like Virtuous, or a more customizable platform like SiteStacker?Is best-of-breed or all-in-one the right fit for your organization's workflow? Data migrations are harder than they look. With well over 100 migrations completed, Toby explains why moving from one CRM to another isn't a simple export/import — it involves complex field mapping, business process changes, merge/purge logic, and multiple QA cycles. Treating it seriously from the start saves enormous pain. People and process beat technology every time. During a multi-country CRM rollout at Jews for Jesus spanning 11–12 countries, Toby learned that the technology decisions took six months. Getting people across cultures, languages, and compliance requirements (including GDPR) on board? That took 12 years. Calling and business strategy aren't mutually exclusive. Rooted Software was founded with the mission statement "We exist to help followers of Jesus leverage technology effectively." Toby shares how that conviction — rooted in Ephesians 2:10 — shaped every decision from the company's name to who they serve. Ministry can happen on and off the clock. Outside of Rooted, Toby co-founded Hope 680, a nonprofit that goes out twice a month across six cities in the San Francisco Bay Area to share the gospel with the unhoused. His story of a homeless man in London randomly opening a Bible to Luke 12:28 is one you won't want to skip. If your ministry's technology feels more like duct tape than a strategic asset, this conversation is for you. Toby offers a free consultation and brings zero pressure — just real expertise and a genuine heart to serve. Listen to the full episode, then visit rooted.software to schedule time with Toby directly. Resources Connect with Toby & Rooted Software Email: toby@rooted.softwareWebsite & Scheduling: rooted.softwareLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toby-weiss/ Hope 680 Ministry hope680.org Books Mentioned Addiction and the Local Church by Andy Constable & Mez McConnellThe Heart of Addiction by Mark E. ShawThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Other Resources Virtuous CRMSiteStackerThe Addiction ConnectionLaunchAI by Five QFive Q

    45 min

  6. Mar 27

    #95 - Faithfully Leading in Big Tech with Rich Robison

    What does it look like to carry your faith into one of the most skeptical environments on earth—and actually lead a movement there? Rich Robison is an Engineering Manager at a major big tech company, and he didn't choose to work there. God closed every other door until he finally listened. In this episode, Rich shares what happens when you fully surrender your career to God—and how the mission field might be closer than you think. Key TakeawaysGod's leading doesn't always look like a clear path forward. Rich spent six months resisting a door that God kept holding open, slamming his face into the doors he wanted to walk through until he was ready to listen.Joining a Christian group at work on day one was an act of faith. Hitting "join" made his faith publicly visible across the company—a small decision that carried real professional risk and set the tone for everything that followed.Rich now leads a global Christian group spanning five continents, organizing Bible studies, holiday events with household-name speakers, and leadership development—all on a volunteer basis alongside demanding day jobs.The shift from engineer to people leader came from a deep sense of responsibility for others. Rich describes his leadership role as more shepherd than manager—caring about the whole person, not just their output.Being a Christian in big tech means your witness is always on. Rich reflects on the Gandhi quote—that people are drawn to Christ or pushed away based on how believers actually behave—and how that shapes the way he shows up every day.Ministry in the workplace starts with prayer and submission, not a strategy. Rich challenges listeners to stop trying to engineer a plan and instead invite the Spirit to lead, starting with small, faithful steps like a weekly lunch Bible study.Your everyday life is already your mission field. Whether or not you work for a ministry, you are in ministry—and the people around you are watching how you live it out. If you've ever felt like your career and your faith exist in two separate worlds, this conversation will challenge that divide. Rich Robison's story is a reminder that God is at work in every boardroom, every Slack channel, and every leadership decision—and that the most strategic thing you can do is surrender first. Don't miss this episode. ResourcesBEMA Podcast – A Scripture-focused podcast that goes deep on theology and biblical context, with communities worldwide for group discussion. bemadiscipleship.comLaunch AI by Five Q – AI adoption for ministries built on a human-first framework. Learn more at fiveq.com/launch

    38 min

  7. Mar 19

    #94 - Faith and AI with Yvonne Carlson

    In this episode of Ministry at Scale, host Chad Williams interviews Yvonne Carlson, the Chief Technology Officer at Global Media Outreach (GMO) and co-director of the Missional AI Conference. Together, they explore the intersection of technology, faith, and the transformative potential of AI in ministry. Key Takeaways Yvonne’s Journey: From childhood curiosity in her father's garage to becoming a CTO, Yvonne discusses how her passion for technology and missions led her to GMO. The GMO AI Strategy: Yvonne emphasizes starting with vision and mission over technical questions, detailing how GMO developed an AI task force and a white paper to guide their approach. Human-First AI Policy: The conversation dives into GMO's foundational commitments, which include biblical alignment, transparency, and keeping a "human in the loop" to enhance—not replace—human ministry. Practical AI Use Cases: Yvonne shares real-world examples of AI in action, from data analysis and finance to grant writing and personalizing outreach, illustrating how it frees up missionaries for deeper discipleship. Security & Ethics: A critical look at the risks of AI, including data privacy (PII) and the importance of using secure, private AI environments rather than free, public tools. The Future of Missional AI: An invitation to the Missional AI Conference in San Jose, featuring experts like Dr. John Lennox and Pat Gelsinger, to discuss the theological and practical implications of AI. Be sure to listen to the full episode. Resources: Missional.aiYvonne’s LinkedInPractical AI Podcast

    39 min

  8. 06/02/2025

    #93 - Blending AI with AU: Pathway to Victory’s Secret Formula for Engaging Hispanics

    Featuring Kendell Stellfox, Executive Director of Partnerships with Kerux Group Recorded live at the Digital Ministry Conference 2025. In this insightful session from the 2025 Digital Ministry Conference, Kendell Stellfox—Executive Director of Partnerships at The Kerux Group—challenges ministry leaders to stop and consider not just what content they produce, but who it's for and how it’s received. As demographic shifts redefine our cultural landscape, Kendell unpacks the critical need to contextualize ministry content in a way that meaningfully connects with emerging audiences—especially the growing Latino population in the U.S. Rather than simply translating English sermons or content into Spanish and calling it outreach, Kendell presents a compelling case for heart-level connection—grounded in empathy, strategy, and cultural understanding. He shares the journey of Pathway to Victory as a model: a ministry that thoughtfully reimagined its messaging for the Latino audience and experienced exponential reach and impact. For digital marketers, pastors, and ministry leaders, this session is packed with valuable insights: Why demographic shifts demand new strategies for engagementThe pitfalls of relying solely on AI for content creationHow to contextualize your message to resonate with multicultural audiencesA real-world success story of Pathway to Victory's Latino outreach Tune in to hear how your ministry can multiply its kingdom impact by blending the speed and scale of AI with a deep understanding of audience culture—and walk away with a framework for reaching the next generation with relevance and compassion. Resources Mentioned in the Episode: Learn more about Pathway to VictoryLearn more about The Kerux GroupText “Kerux Group” to 777007 to receive slides and explore partnership opportunities Connect with Kendell Stellfox: LinkedIn: Kendell Stellfox

    15 min
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About

The Ministry at Scale Podcast brings you the latest trends, interviews with experts and practical tips to help your ministry multiply it's impact. Brought to you by Five Q a digital agency with a kingdom impact. If you want to know how to grow your ministry in the digital space this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Chad Williams - Five Q
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    97
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Chad Williams - Five Q
  • Show Website
    Ministry At Scale