Want to avoid dead air and awkward pauses in worship services? Planning for flow can help. Bill and I share how we plan for a smooth flow in worship services, plus the small steps we take that make a big difference. Get in touch: calledpodcast.com and [email protected]

Pre-planning funerals give you a chance to talk (and live) the Gospel. Here's how to help church members pre-plan, plus a bunch of advice on funerals and burial in general. Get in touch: calledpodcast.com/called-010 and [email protected]

How can you lead a great committee or staff meeting? And how can you influence a meeting for the good when you're not running it? Bill and I talk about purpose, organization, and most importantly, energy - with a side of fried chicken and social connection. (Plus the all important question: should you forward this episode to your head of staff?) Get in touch: [email protected] and calledpodcast.com/called-009

Spoiler alert: it's flexibility! Why you need it, how to develop it, and how to encourage your congregation toward it - plus an ear toward the Holy Spirit's leading. Get in touch: [email protected] and calledpodcast.com/called-008

What should we DO with patriotic holidays in the church? Celebrate them? Mention the occasion in a pastoral prayer? Run for the hills? Bill and Sarah talk about the challenges of patriotic holidays and offer healthy ways to approach them. Get in touch: calledpodcast.com and [email protected]

It's hot outside, and the church has left the building. How can we learn from the downsides of summer, and lean into the positives? Bill and I share how we make summer a productive season of the church year, starting with the big one: enjoy the breathing room. Get in touch: [email protected] and calledpodcast.com

Change is one of the great constants of the world - right up there with death, taxes, and the love of God. But even though it's inevitable, we're often reluctant to change, and get anxious when change happens. Bill and Sarah share strategies for how they've cultivated our own openness to change and why they think that openness is vital to ministry. Get in touch at [email protected] and calledpodcast.com

Where should you start when you move to a new ministry? Here are six strategies to help you settle in: 1. People are #1. 2. Get to know the landscape. Literally. 3. Find out what's normative. 4. Seek out the sacred cows. 5. Figure out what to do now - and what to postpone. 6. Give yourself some grace. Get in touch: calledpodcast.com and [email protected].

Weekends can be really tricky for us church workers. They're busy for us, but often, that's when our families and friends have time to spend together. Bill and I share how we've navigated the challenges—and opportunities—of working on the weekends. Get in touch: [email protected] and calledpodcast.com

Celebrate the good things with your ministry team, learn from what didn't work so well, and think about where to go next. (Plus the important question, "When should the next program year begin?") Get in touch: [email protected] and calledpodcast.com