200churches Podcast: Ministry Encouragement for Pastors of Small Churches

Bob Tiede has been working with CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) for almost 50 years! He is an exceptional leader who, for the last 9 years, has been the content creator for the website LeadingWithQuestions.com. At Bob's site, you can download his four books for FREE! They give you all kinds of great leadership fodder to help you as a leader lead with questions instead of simply telling people what to do.

When you tell people what to do, your ideas are the only ones in play, but when you lead with questions you quickly mine the entire collaborative brain of the group - for the BEST ideas.

You're going to love this very helpful, very practical, and extremely actionable episode - enjoy!

Jon Ritner, from Ecclesia, a church in Hollywood CA, joins Jonny to talk about the impact of our post-Christian culture on how we approach ministry in 2022 America. Jon's book, Positively Irritating: Embracing a Post-Christian World to Form a More Faithful and Innovative Church, came out in 2020 and is exactly about what the subtitle says!

Jonny and Jon talk at length about that, and pastoral burnout from the last two years. But, they open up with a great story - while they pastor in churches 2,000 miles apart, they were both impacted personally by the same person, and have never known each other. It's a great story! Jeff is absent except for the intro, so make sure to listen to his segment, or he'll feel bad! But he also shares some keys to truly appreciating this episode.

Brian Russell has been a seminary prof at Asbury Seminary for more than 20 years, where he has been training men and women for ministry. He had his Master's, then PhD,  was a seminary professor, but it was even after that when he finally learned contemplative practices that have changed his life, maybe even saved his life.

His new book is Centering Prayer - Sitting quietly in God's presence can change your life. He talks with us about his book, and how sitting silent before God has transformed his heart and life... enjoy!

Charles Stone is not a neuroscientist or neurologist! Stone is a pastor who has done extensive research into neuroscience and leadership especially related to ministry. He is working on his PhD and has been in pastoral ministry for 40 years. He talks with us about the half dozen or so books he's written now about our brains, neuroscience research, and ministry.

You can find Charles HERE! Enjoy Episode 370!

Jonny and Jeff talk with Dr. Jeannine Brown from Bethel Seminary in Minnesota about her soon to be released commentary on Philippians. Jeannine talks about the things that surprised her, inspired her, and challenged her. She shares a personal story about how the Apostle Paul in Philippians was her companion through a difficult time in her life, just when she was writing the book. This is one of many episodes in our Seminary Series - episodes with Seminary profs - FREE education! Enjoy!

Pick up Jeannine's Commentary on Philippians here!

Alex and Alyssa are church planters in Lincoln NE with a uniquely interesting approach. People like Alex and Alyssa are going to change the world, one community at a time. The Millennial and GenZ generations are now the hope of the Church! When I met Alex I was so excited about what he and Alyssa were doing that I knew I would have to record with him, and then share it with you. Jonny and I had a great conversation with Alex - Enjoy!!

Jeff and Jonny reflect on Ava Green's ingenuity and improv as she takes her church completely portable, on Zoom, yet still meets hours each week with them! This episode will get your creative juices flowing! Enjoy!

Jeff and Jonny return LIVE for the first time in 8 months! We catch up on Jonny's digital ministry, talk Carey Neiuwhof's future series, small church resources 9 years ago and today, and also talk about Jonny's wife Kayla, and how she published her first book - To Light Their Way - Prayers and Liturgies for Parents. This was a fun breaking back into podcasting episode for us!

Scott Dalen, a small church pastor near Omaha, Nebraska joins Jeff on this episode to talk about the new normal, the liturgical year and Lectionary, and how he maintains life-giving relationships even in the blur of ministry. Another encouraging episode for pastors of small churches! Enjoy!

After an 8-month break, Jeff begins Season 03 of the 200churches Podcast. Jeff and Jonny will be bringing new content for a new year! Today, Jeff speaks to pastors about what Lifeway Research has presented as the pastor's greatest personal need for 2022, after polling 1,000 pastors! This need of so many pastors can be so easily met...