Church Leadership Lab

In this episode of the Church Leadership Lab Podcast, we sit down with Tim Stevens, founder and CEO of Leading Smart. Tim is an author, speaker, and leadership expert who has a passion to come alongside executive leaders and teams.

We explore how churches can build thriving staff cultures that align with their mission and values.

In this conversation, we discuss:
• Why staff culture is crucial for churches of any size.
• Practical steps to assess and improve your team culture.
• How to embed staff values into the DNA of your organization.
• Tips for hiring and onboarding with culture in mind.
• Creative ideas to keep staff values front and center.

Join us as we dive into creating healthier, more impactful church teams with Tim Stevens.

SHOW NOTES: https://bit.ly/4jjEh2P

In this episode of the Church Leadership Lab Podcast, we sit down with Barbara Carneiro, founder of Word Revolution, and church communication strategist.

We explore how churches can communicate clearly and purposefully to better fulfill their unique missions.

In this conversation, we discuss:
• The unique archetypes of churches.
• Meeting key human desires in ministry.
• Recognizing and embracing church identity.
• Practical church branding strategies.
• Balancing focus between identity and audience.

Join us as we dive into how churches can communicate with clarity and purpose with Barbara Carneiro.

SHOW NOTES: https://bit.ly/40zso1H

In this episode, Kendall Conner and new cohost, Jessica Moore, explore practical steps for nurturing and enhancing healthy church operations.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• How to communicate to insiders and outsiders.
• Using data for effective discipleship.
• Increasing staff and volunteer effectiveness.
• Improving your church's safety.
• Boosting congregational engagement with digital tools.

Join us as we dive into practical steps for healthy church operations with Kendall Conner and Jessica Moore.

SHOW NOTES: https://bit.ly/3DCwMUu

HEALTHY CHURCH ASSESSMENT: https://bit.ly/4gUn2Dm

Since it’s Christmas week, we won’t have one of our normal episodes for you today, but we wanted to take a quick moment just to send a special message to you. From all of us here at the Church Leadership Lab podcast, we wish you a very merry Christmas. 

This season, we’re taking a moment to reflect on how thankful we are for you—our amazing listeners. From everyone on our podcast crew to the entire team at Ministry Brands, we want you to know how much we appreciate you. 

It’s an incredible privilege to speak into your lives each week, to share meaningful conversations, and to help empower you to lead a healthy church. 

Looking ahead to 2025, you can expect more inspiring conversations with experts and thought leaders, packed with wisdom to help you build a thriving, healthy church. So keep tuning in! 

We hope you have an incredible holiday season and a very happy New Year. We’ll see you in 2025! 

SHOW NOTES: https://bit.ly/3PdhdVP

In this episode, we sit down with Samuel Gualtieri, visual artist, entrepreneur, and founder of Pop Signs.

We explore how to create a fun, welcoming environment at your church and the importance of first impressions.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Healthy church components and leadership.
• Creativity in church problem-solving.
• The influence of a great welcome to church.
• Visual and digital impressions for churches.
• The significance of volunteer engagement.

Join us as we dive into creating a fun, welcoming environment at your church with Samuel Gualtieri.

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In this episode, we sit down with Wes Gay, a Storybrand certified copywriter and founder of Wayfinder.

We explore effective communication strategies for church leaders to cut through the noise and engage their communities.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The importance of clear church communication.
• Simple steps for speaking to what matters to people.
• Using a story-telling format in your messaging.
• Emphasis on clarity over creativity.
• Addressing real needs in your communication.
• How to build interest around your announcements.

Join us as we dive into how to get people to pay attention with Wes Gay.

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In this episode, we sit down with Ben Stapley, Executive Pastor at Zarephath Christian Church with over 20 years of experience in leadership, communication, and creativity.

We discuss the significance of meaningful meetings and how they can elevate church leadership and staff engagement.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Managing meeting time effectively.
• Preparing as leaders and participants.
• Engaging participants and fostering trust.
• Inviting necessary participants only.
• Creating a safe environment for questions.

Join us as we dive into Leading & Participating In Meaningful Meetings with Ben Stapley.

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In this episode, we sit down with Carl Barnhill, creative entrepreneur, motion designer, and founder of Church Visuals.

We explore how visual media can enhance gospel communication and engage modern congregations.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Carl's journey in church media.
• Effective visuals in engaging younger generations.
• Starting with ready-made media.
• Tips for small churches using visuals.
• Importance of visuals in sermon retention.

Join us as we dive into how to visually communicate the gospel with Carl Barnhill.

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In this episode, we sit down with Greg Wiens, founder of Healthy Growing Leaders and organizational consultant with over 40 years of experience.

We explore the importance of leading with an understanding of one's unique wiring.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Assessments for personal leadership insights.
• Growth mindset importance for effective leadership.
• Emotional intelligence development in leaders.
• Personalized discipleship over mass programs.
• Unique calling and wiring in ministry.

Join us as we dive into how to lead with your own unique wiring with Greg Wiens.

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In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Talley, lead pastor of Vibrant City Church and an experienced ministry leader.

We explore creative seasonal outreach ideas for engaging your community.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• How to spread the word about your church.
• Engaging community through seasonal events.
• Maximizing holiday seasons for outreach.
• Leveraging social media for event promotion.
• Importance of relationships over programs.

Join us as we dive into Seasonal Outreach Ideas To Engage Your Community with Jonathan Talley.

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