Church Chat

Welcome to another episode of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having.

In this special episode of Church Chat, we’re doing something a little different. Recorded live at the EFCA East One Voice Leadership Conference, Josh Ott and Matt Saxinger turn their breakout session on podcasting into an actual podcast about podcasting.

We chat about why podcasting can be such an effective ministry tool, creating conversations that go deeper than a Sunday morning, reaching people when and where they actually have time to listen, using podcasts for discipleship and evangelism, navigating difficult conversations with more nuance, sharing the stories of people in your church and community, extending the life of your sermon content, and creating something authentic without needing a huge budget or production team.

We also get practical about choosing the right format and audience, preparing for interviews, how much editing is really necessary, microphones and recording gear, hosting and RSS feeds, audio versus video, episode length, consistency, promotion, measuring success, and why sometimes the best way to start is simply to start.

Show notes

• https://efcaeast.com/podcasting-ministry-tool/

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Welcome to another episode of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. 

Today, we’re talking to Jeff Travis, Adult Ministries Pastor at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church.

We chat about knowing when it’s time for a ministry transition, creating a culture where leaders can safely explore what’s next, why groups are a philosophy but community is biblical, why life groups aren’t for everyone in every season, building vulnerable community, why accountability should be a result instead of the goal, creating groups that multiply, helping people move from attending to belonging, the value of church membership, developing healthy leaders and more!

Jeff Travis is married to Teagan, and together they have two daughters, Cece and Ellie. He earned a B.A. in Youth Ministry and Christian Education from Cedarville University. Jeff loves helping people experience freedom in Christ and the joy of genuine community.

Mentioned in this episode:

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School — teds.edu/church-chat

TEDS Cohorts — cohorts.teds.edu

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Welcome to another episode of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having.

Today, we’re talking to Trent Thompson, Senior Pastor of West Shore Free Church. We chat about stumbling into ministry, how to discern your calling, what no one tells you about becoming a lead pastor, simplifying church vision, helping people build relationships with those who don’t know Jesus, protecting your family from the demands of ministry, making real friends when you’re a pastor, rhythms that help leaders stay healthy and more!

Trent Thompson is the Lead Pastor at West Shore Free Church in Mechanicsburg, PA. Trent grew up in Dallas, TX, where faith, family, sports, BBQ, and the Cowboys shaped much of his early life.

He attended Texas A&M and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School before moving to Austin, where he met his wife, started a family, and served in ministry alongside close friends.

Above all, Trent keeps coming back to the truth that his identity is rooted in being loved by God because of Christ.

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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Welcome to Season 3 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Chris Nerreau, VP of Technology at Sermon Ai. We chat about building a software as a service business from scratch, AI and the intersection of technology and ministry, guardrails for Christian AI use, how AI can be a good barometer on character, how we can use AI to make more space for relational ministry, dealing with a resistance to change and more!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Sermon Ai

Chris Nerreau is the founder of, and current VP of Technology at, SermonAi, a platform created from the conviction that nothing should stand between God’s Word and God’s people. With more than thirty years of experience in technical sales and manufacturing systems, he’s dedicated his career to harnessing innovation for meaningful transformation.

Drawing on his dual background in technology and ministry, Chris founded SermonAi to remove barriers that hinder faithful preaching and study—empowering pastors to research deeply, write faithfully, and preach powerfully. He and his wife, Karen, have been married for more than thirty years and are blessed with three children and two grandchildren.

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• LinkedIn
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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Matt Saxinger, Lead Pastor of Susquehanna Valley Church. We chat about fail culture vs try culture, why now is the church hurt era, how to avoid church hurt, tools for church culture shaping, where trust breaks down most often in the church, helping hurting congregants heal, what makes a church safe or unsafe and more!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Toxic Work Environments and Building Healthy Teams with Matt Saxinger
• Sharon Says So on Carey Neiuwhof Podcast

Matt Saxinger has served in the EFCA for 14 years. He is currently the Lead Pastor at Susquehanna Valley Church in Harrisburg, PA. He has a heart for the gospel and seeing the next generation rise up in leadership.

Connect with Matt:

• Instagram
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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Tony Balsamo, Lead Pastor of Integrity Church and one of our District Superintendents here at EFCA East. We chat about the strengths and weaknesses of being bi-vocational, longevity in churches, platforming other people, submitting to the process, what to do with the barrage of cultural expectations on churches and pastors, the one thing pastors should be better at, and more!

Tony Balsamo serves as founding and lead pastor of Integrity Church. He loves to teach, preach and lead people towards a passionate love for Jesus.

Tony aslo serves as a co-District Superintendent of EFCA East, a district of the EFCA spanning from New York to Virginia. He loves to connect with, coach, and encourage pastors in the district as they share in the mission of multiplying transformational churches among all people.

Tony began his education at Trinity College, earning an Associates in Theological Studies, and continued his education at Masters International University of Divinity, earning his Bachelor of Biblical Studies, Masters in Ministry, and Doctorate in Practical Theology. Tony continues to serve as an adjunct professor at Masters.

Born and raised on Long Island, Tony married the love of his life, Laura, in 1996 and enjoys time with their 4 sons, Joshua, David, Jonathan, and Gabriel. He loves being outside camping, hiking, biking, and driving long distances with his family.

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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Greg Wollenhaupt, Care Director at Faith Church in Allentown, PA. We chat about reinventing yourself in ministry, what it looks like to serve in one church for decades, the losses associated with growth, creating an environment where people feel like they belong, the importance of sabbaticals, advice for a thriving ministry marriage, ministering while grieving and more!

By day, Greg Wollenhaupt is the compassionate Care Director at Faith Church, ensuring that every member feels supported and valued. By night (and weekend), he's the reigning Poppop of six energetic grandchildren, a title he holds with a touch of exhaustion. Married to the amazing Sue Wollenhaupt, Greg knows that behind every great man is an even greater woman, reminding him where he left his keys.

An aficionado of glamping, Greg believes in experiencing the great outdoors with all the comforts of home, because why should nature mean sacrificing a good cup of coffee or a comfy chair? His idea of roughing it includes a fully stocked RV and a reliable Wi-Fi signal.

Whether he's providing care at church, sharing stories with his grandkids, or setting up the perfect glamp-site, Greg does it all with a smile, a joke, and perhaps a marshmallow or two.

Connect With Greg:

• Email
• Facebook

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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
• TEDS Bulletin

Welcome to season 2 of Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Marc Ramirez, District Superintendent of EFCA Southeast. We chat about how to discern God's will for a big transition, staying connected to the local church when your role changes, understanding church context, being an influencer vs a decider, how to maximize interactions with people you lead but don't see very often, how to leave well, leading with clarity, and more!

Marc Ramirez is the District Superintendent of EFCA Southeast. For 18 years previously, Marc served as both an associate pastor and senior pastor of Fellowship Church. During that time, he implemented a vision and strategy that led to significant growth in church attendance, church staff and the expansion of the church worship center. Marc has also functioned in leadership roles with his district cluster group and pastoral care team.

Marc received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Misericordia University, Pennsylvania, and a Masters from Liberty Theological Seminary, Virginia. Before serving as a pastor, Marc worked for 12 years in the corporate sector, including time in South Florida.

Connect With Marc:

• Email
• Facebook

Mentioned In This Episode:

• EFCA Southeast
• Church Chat Cedrick Brown

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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
• Henry Center Lectures
• TEDS Bulletin

Welcome to Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Benjamin Vrbicek, Lead Pastor of Community EFC in Harrisburg, PA. We chat about questioning your calling, creative solutions when your church doesn't have the resources it needs, cultivating healthy relationships with your elder board, an amillenial ordination, persevering through rejection, how writing and reading influences preaching, books, and more!

Benjamin Vrbicek, is the Lead Pastor of Community EFC in Harrisburg, PA. He and his wife, Brooke, have six children. Benjamin enjoys reading, wrestling with his children, dating his wife, eating at Chipotle, and riding his bicycle in the early hours of the morning. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri and a masters in divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary. He has written for Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and For The Church. He is a content creator for Gospel-Centered Discipleship and a member of the Gospel-Centered Discipleship Writers’ Guild.

Connect with Benjamin:

• Blog
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• Facebook

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Steve Anderson on Church Chat
• Jason Abbott on EFCA East blog
• Amillennial Ordination
• All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• Four Seasons In Rome by Anthony Doerr
• Jared Wilson
• The Imperfect Pastor by Zack Eswine
• The Storm-Tossed Family by Russell Moore
• Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

Listen to more Church Chat episodes.

Connect with EFCA East

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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
• Henry Center Lectures
• TEDS Bulletin

Welcome to Church Chat, the show that has the conversations about ministry you wish you were having. Today, we're talking to Greg Strand, EFCA Executive Director of Theology and Credentialing. We chat about doctrinal purity, the significance of silence, theological guardrails, EFCA's denials and affirmations, cancel culture and the Church, theological anthropology, the next generation of theologians, and re-framing deconstruction.

Greg Strand is EFCA executive director of theology and credentialing, and he serves on the Board of Ministerial Standing as well as the Spiritual Heritage Committee. He and his family are members of Northfield (Minnesota) EFC.

Mentioned In This Episode:

• The Significance of Silence
• The Six Way Fracturing of Evangelicalism
• Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoffer
• EFCA's Denials and Affirmations
• Evangelical Convictions
• The Evangelical Free Church on Learning to Say Yes and No by Trevin Wax (September 19, 2024).
• Baby Dedication Service Sample by Greg Strand (May 8, 2022).
• The Bible, Dogmatic Rank, and a Statement of Faith from the Spiritual Heritage Committee
• Theological Anthropology
• Tyler Staton Ruth Sermon Series

Listen to more Church Chat episodes.

Connect with EFCA East

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Thanks to our episode sponsor:

• Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
• Henry Center Lectures