The Church Lobby

Karl Vaters
  • 4.8 (35)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

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. 14h ago

    Ep 135: Afraid of God? Ryan Lokkesmoe on How Paganism Has Invaded The Church (And A Way Out)

    Karl Vaters interviews pastor Ryan Lokkesmoe about a problem many pastors are facing in their churches, even if they haven’t been able to identify it yet. Many of our church members are accidental pagans. Karl and Ryan talk about how so many ancient pagan practices have made their way into many of our lives today—without us knowing it, turning many good Christians into accidental pagans. This affects their lives, how they act in church, what they expect of it, and most importantly, how they view God and their relationship with him. Ryan is the lead pastor of Community Church at Lake Wylie, a congregation in the Charlotte area, and is the author of several books, including his newest, Accidental Pagans: Untangling the Roots of Our Fears about God — and Discovering Who He Really Is. Links:Accidental Pagans: Untangling the Roots of Our Fears about God — and Discovering Who He Really IsRyanLokkesmoe.comTeam Leadership: Lessons from the Apostle Paul, with Ryan Lokkesmoe (The Church Lobby, Ep 046)NETBible.org

  2. Aug 13

    Ep 134: More than Money: Nathan Meador & Heath R. Curtis on Stewardship for the Care of Souls

    Karl Vaters talks with Nathan Meador and Heath R. Curtis about how to take a more Bible-based and holistic approach to stewardship in the church. It’s not a plea for finances, it’s a basis for a healthy church, life, and ministry. Based on Nathan and Heath’s book, Stewardship: For the Care of Souls, this conversation focuses on tending well to everything God has entrusted to our care. Especially as pastors, this includes the congregation we’ve been entrusted to serve, and all the responsibilities, challenges and joys that go with this calling. Their conversation includes several penetrating insights, including: How stewardship and the care of souls are related to each otherHow repentance plays a key role in stewardshipHow a pragmatic theology of stewardship is not stewardship at allHow to change the culture so that stewardship focuses on more than the survival of the institution Links: Stewardship: For the Care of Souls Bonus Content SummaryHow to Preach on Stewardship, with Heath R. Curtis and Nathan Meador In this subscribers-only bonus material, Karl Vaters talks with the co-authors of the book, Stewardship: For the Care of Souls about their three main approaches to preaching/teaching about stewardship in a fast-changing culture, where the annual tithing sermon just isn’t cutting it anymore. Together, they discuss the approaches of: The lectionaryThe sermon seriesLectio continua To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

  3. Jul 30

    Ep 133: The Octogenarian YouTube Pastor: Mike Bayer on Building an Online Brand, Senior Ministry, and More

    How do you start a YouTube channel at the age of 81, and reach 25K subscribers in less than 6 months? That’s what pastor Mike Bayer did. Now he’s at over 44K subscribers, and it’s providing him with a second source of income in his later years of ministry. Karl Vaters talks with Mike about how he made YouTube work for him, plus: The importance of intentional ministry to senior adultsHow to use your church’s YouTube channel for better engagementIdeas for making an income outside the walls of the churchMinistry adjustments for the fourth quarter of life And more. Links:Old Me Living Better: YouTube ChannelOld Me Living: Skool channelMike’s Facebook PageSnugSafe.comThe Aging Pastorate: Sam Rainer on the Looming Pastoral Retirement Crunch (Ep 128) There is no bonus content for this episode. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

  4. Jul 16

    Ep 132: An Insider's Critique: Todd Wilson Examines 70 Years of the Church Growth Movement

    Karl Vaters interviews Todd Wilson about some of the lessons that we need to learn when we look back at the Church Growth Movement. Todd is the co-founder and founding CEO of Exponential, so he critiques the Church Growth Movement as one of its leaders. This gives him a unique perspective we need to hear. Karl and Todd talk about the content of Todd’s new book, How Did We Get Here? Examining 70 Years of the Church Growth Movement. They cover topics such as: How the modern church has adopted a Consumer-Driven Operating SystemHow Donald McGavran’s Church Growth methods and language were co-optedWhere the “church as business” model came fromWhat must come nextAnd more. Links:How Did We Get Here? Examining 70 Years of the Church Growth Movement (Free e-book w registration)How Did We Get Here? Examining 70 Years of the Church Growth Movement (On Amazon)Multipliers: Leading Beyond Addition (Free e-book)Email Todd at Todd@multipliers.orgTechsoup.orgThe Unexpected Origins of the Church Growth Movement, with Dr. Gary McIntosh (The Church Lobby, Ep 027)De-sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next (by Karl Vaters) Bonus Content Summary12 Dilemmas Within the Church’s Prevailing Operating System, with Todd Wilson In Todd Wilson’s book, How Did We Get Here? Looking Back to Look Forward, he refers to the current church systems as functioning under a faulty operating system, and he describes 12 dilemmas within that system. In this subscriber-only content, Karl Vaters talks with Todd about several of these dilemmas. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

  5. Jul 2

    Ep 131: The Normal Church Song: Thomas Austin Sings About Why You Shouldn’t Try to be a Megachurch

    “What's wrong with being just a normal church?” That’s the question at the center of Thomas Austin’s song, Normal Church. In this episode, Karl Vaters interviews Thomas Austin about the content of his song, including where the idea for it came from, some of the criticism he’s received for it, and what message he’s trying to convey through it. Some of what comes through in this conversation includes: Thomas’ love for the churchHis (and Karl’s) desire to see normal churches not try to be something they’re notThe problems that happen when normal churches try to copy the megachurch modelThe desire for authenticity among younger generations And more. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

  6. Jun 18

    Ep 130: Overcoming Discontent: Chris Maxwell on Finding Contentment in Life and Ministry

    Discontent is a tricky monster. It’s so easy to spot it in others, but easy to overlook in ourselves. Karl Vaters interviews pastor Chris Maxwell about what contentment is not (laziness or mediocrity), what it is (an inner peace), what causes so much discontentment, why contentment is essential for healthy lives and ministries, and so much more. This is based on the content of Chris’ new book, Contentment: What You’re Searching for May Already Be Yours. Bonus Content SummaryHow to Practice Contentment In Our Calling, with Chris Maxwell Karl Vaters talks with Chris Maxwell about 6 simple steps we can practice to overcome discontent and embrace the inner peace of contentment, including” Redefine SuccessEmbrace LimitsCelebrate the OrdinaryStay Curious, Not CompetitiveLet Joy Lead YouStay With God, Not Just the Goal This is based on the content of Chris’ new book, Contentment: What You’re Searching for May Already Be Yours. Links:Contentment: What You’re Searching for May Already Be Yours.The Bible Project To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

  7. Jun 4

    Ep 129: Run to the Brokenness: Kevin Foster on How Your Church Can Stand Out by Serving

    Kevin Foster is the founding pastor of LifeBridge Community Church in Fresno, CA, a church that made a radical shift in emphasis several years ago when the brokenness of the people in their lower income city led them to run to the brokenness. Karl and Kevin talk about: Redefining success in ministryHow young leaders are not rejecting ministry—they’re rejecting the narrow definitions they’ve seen modeledA new way to look at church metricsHow to finance ministry to broken people and a lot more. LinksRun to the Brokenness: How Your Church Can Be the Center of Your CommunityRuntotheBrokenness.com Bonus ContentHow to Overcome the Occupational Hazards of Ministry, with Kevin Foster Karl Vaters talks with Kevin Foster about the hazards of ministry that so many pastors experience, and how to overcome them. They include: 1) Becoming a Casualty of Others’ Brokenness 2) Leading Through the Tension of Frustration 3) Comparing Yourself to Other Churches Kevin is the founding pastor of LifeBridge Community Church in Fresno, CA, and the author of Run to the Brokenness: How Your Church Can Be the Center of Your Community. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.

  8. May 22

    Ep 128: The Aging Pastorate: Sam Rainer on the Looming Pastoral Retirement Crunch

    Karl Vaters talks with Sam Rainer about some massive changes that are happening, and how the looming pastoral shortage will affect everything about the way churches function in the next generation or two. Based on Sam’s article, The Coming Massive Wave of Retiring Pastors and Church Staff, this conversation covers what caused this crisis along with some hopeful solutions including the rise of bi- and co-vocational ministry, opportunities for interim pastor ministry, the importance of planning your pastoral succession, and so much more. Links: The Coming Massive Wave of Retiring Pastors and Church Staff (article)Church AnswersChurch Answers University certification programCalendlyKarlVaters.com/OnDeck Bonus Content How To Prepare Your Church for Your Pastoral Retirement, with Sam Rainer Karl Vaters talks with Sam Rainer about what you can do prepare your church if you’re a pastor who’s set to retire soon, including the following three proactive steps: Evaluate your leadership pipelineCreate flexibility in your staffing model.Honor and utilize experienced pastors. To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter. Mentioned in this episode: On Deck Landing Page

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4.8
out of 5
35 Ratings

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 - 2026
  • Episodes
    139
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Church Lobby

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