Church Leadership Lab

In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Lippi, writer, speaker, and conference director at Church Facilities Conference & Expo (CFX).

We explore how churches and ministry leaders can empower and provide care to volunteers to help them thrive in their roles.

In this conversation, we discuss:
• The heart behind volunteering in ministry
• Keys to making volunteers feel seen and valued
• Building healthy communication with volunteer teams
• Creating relational and operational volunteer cultures
• Recognizing signs of volunteer fatigue or feeling stuck

Join us as we dive into how churches can support volunteers to help them succeed with Stephanie Lippi.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4oCN6qA

In this episode, we sit down with Darcy Danson, creative team lead at Ministry Brands and a seasoned designer who blends creativity with purpose. 

We explore how visual design can bring clarity and creativity to your church’s communication and identity.

In this conversation, we discuss:
• Why visuals matter in church ministry
• Building a consistent church brand
• The power of color, fonts, and style guides
• Empowering creative teams and volunteers
• Tools and resources for church design
• Clarity and hospitality through great visuals

Join us as we dive into Cultivating Clarity and Creativity in Your Church through Visual Design with Darcy Danson.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4haGFIs

In this episode, we sit down with Laura Howe, founder of Hope Made Strong, mental health clinician, and host of the Care Ministry podcast.

We explore how church leaders can prioritize their own mental health while creating caring, resilient church cultures.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Recognizing compassion fatigue and burnout
• Setting healthy boundaries in ministry
• Building care teams and support systems
• Creating a safe culture for mental health
• Empowering peer support within the church

Join us as we dive into How Church Leaders Can Prioritize Mental Health in Their Ministry with Laura Howe.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/48UbuiB

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace professional care or counseling. Kendall Conner, the Church Leadership Lab Podcast, and Ministry Brands are not mental health professionals. If you or someone you care about is struggling, please seek help from a qualified mental health provider.

In this episode, we recap our recent Healthy Church Summit and some of the key takeaways we learned about planning an impactful Christmas service. We share 5 practical tips that will help guide your ministry to make your upcoming holiday season your best yet.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The importance of prayer in planning
• Building the right creative planning team
• Choosing creative spaces for brainstorming
• Incorporating classic carols and music
• Crafting messages with clear next steps
• Overcommunicating to first-time guests

Join us as we dive into this Healthy Church Summit recap and learn how to plan a memorable Christmas service from start to finish.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4pJFxzt

Watch the Healthy Church Summit on-demand: https://bit.ly/46kLA65

In this episode, we recap our recent Healthy Church Summit and some of the key takeaways we learned about holiday communications. We share 5 practical tips that will help to communicate things clearly about your ministry's Christmas and end-of-year plans.

In this conversation, we discuss:
• Planning ahead for seasonal communications
• Leading with “why” instead of just details
• Centralizing church event information
• Prioritizing the most impactful promotions
• Equipping your congregation for word-of-mouth invitations
• Making event information easy and shareable

Join us as we dive into this Healthy Church Summit recap and learn how to cut the chaos from holiday church communications.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/46jD47k

Watch the Healthy Church Summit on-demand: https://bit.ly/46kLA65

In this episode, we sit down with Corinne Noble – kids pastor, author, coach, and founder of Kid Min Corinne Ministries.

We explore how kids and family ministry leaders can amplify their creativity and confidence as they invest in the next generation each week.

In this conversation, we discuss:
• Sparking creativity with limited resources
• Building confidence as a kids ministry leader
• Engaging families in discipleship at home
• Overcoming volunteer shortages and challenges
• Prioritizing relationships over entertainment
• Partnering with parents through effective communication

Join us as we dive into leading with creativity and confidence in your kids ministry with Corinne Noble.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4nB3OGd

In this episode, we sit down with Wes Herms, Senior Channel Manager at AvidXchange with over five years of experience helping organizations streamline their accounts payable through automation.

We explore how churches can lighten the load of financial tasks by implementing smart systems and automation tools.

In this conversation, we discuss:
• Digitizing and automating accounts payable processes.
• Reducing risk and increasing financial security.
• Saving time with remote approvals and workflows.
• Integrating AP automation with church software.
• Real-life stories of churches benefiting from smart systems.

Join us as we dive into Easing the Burden of Church Financial Tasks with Smarter Systems with Wes Herms.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/45WXV02

In this episode, we sit down with Nils Smith, social media strategist and digital marketing expert who helps churches, nonprofits, and businesses maximize technology for their mission.

We explore how ministry leaders can create authentic spiritual impact and meaningful community through effective use of social media.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The purpose behind ministry social media use
• Moving beyond announcements to real engagement
• Empowering volunteers for digital ministry roles
• Responding well to messages and comments
• Avoiding common church social media mistakes

Join us as we dive into How Ministry Leaders Can Create Spiritual Impact on Social Media with Nils Smith.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4p1wWrL

In this episode, we sit down with Josh Denhart, founder of LeadMinistry.com, author, speaker, and former children's pastor.

We explore a practical framework for reaching your community for Christ, offering wisdom and actionable steps for church leaders.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The deeper purpose behind community outreach
• Dangers of inward-focused churches
• The "good works, goodwill, good news" framework
• Earning the right to be heard
• Real-life outreach examples and stories

Join us as we dive into A Framework To Reach Your Community For Christ with Josh Denhart.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/3UPhQYy

In this episode, we sit down with Tyler Harden, church growth consultant and co-founder of Firm Foundations Marketing.

We unpack practical strategies for clarifying your church’s identity and mission to foster growth and unity.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Communicating your church’s identity clearly
• Common challenges in defining mission and vision
• Engaging leadership in the identity process
• Differentiating mission from methods in ministry
• Reaching the right people in your community
• Making your vision contagious and actionable

Join us as we dive into How to Clarify Your Church’s Identity and Mission with Tyler Harden.

Show Notes: https://bit.ly/468x2oX