Not Alone

Is your ministry ready to respond when a crisis affects someone in your community? Becoming a Ready Church is an incredible ministry to reach your community in time of need.

Shawn Ames, relief director for the SBC of Virginia, connected with two active members at a Ready Church. Tim Grandstaff and Ernie Rogers of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg share experience with Shawn that can help your church get ready.

Not Alone Podcast Episode 21

One day your church may be in the process of looking for a new pastor. Where will your church find this shepherd? Most churches are familiar with the path of using a search team or search committee. Perhaps not as familiar is developing another pastor from within your congregation.  

In today's Not Alone Podcast episode, pastors Matt Gregory and Clint Woods from Soul Purpose Community Church in Bealeton, Virginia, discuss the two paths churches take. Listen to the benefits of producing home grown pastors.

Not Alone Podcast Episode 20

There are essential elements needed to create a vibrant women's ministry. No matter how small or big your congregation, this podcast covers how to build a new team or strengthen your existing one. Dolly Mink, women's ministry coordinator for the SBC of Virginia, shares her leadership experience and helpful tools with Donna Paulk, women's ministry team leader for the SBC of Virginia.

Not Alone Podcast Episode 19

Pastors don’t often have the opportunity to hire staff members, and you want to make the best choice when those opportunities come. Mark Custalow, SBCV Regional Catalyst in Hampton Roads, talks with Dr. Chris Dowd about how to make good hiring decisions when hiring staff. 

Dowd is a co-founder and leading elder at Bedrock Church in Bedford, VA and the newly appointed Church Planting Director at Liberty University. He previously served with Custalow on the SBCV’s church planting team where they developed and led a church planter recruiting and equipping process in which they assessed dozens of church planting candidates. In this not Alone Podcast episode, they discuss things to look for and common mistakes to avoid. 

Not Alone Podcast Episode 18

It is not difficult to identify dividing factors in our culture today. However, we must encourage brothers, pastors, and co-laborers to not be silenced or intimidated by the culture but to continue to keep their minds steadfast on Christ (truth) and impact congregations with truth that when lived produces light and salt to the glory of God.

Milton Harding, church and pastor relations strategist for the SBC of Virginia, speaks with Danny Campbell, pastor of The Tabernacle in Danville, Virginia, to discuss the culture pain points and how we can honor Christ in the way we relate to one another.

Not Alone Podcast Episode 17

Missional living is not just a one day a week concept, and it looks different when you compare communities in a rural setting to an urban environment. So, how do you successfully do this? John Sharp, church planting strategist for the SBC of Virginia, speaks with two pastors to go behind the curtain to see how two different churches are leading this lifestyle. Pastor Dave Farris from Northstar Church in Pulaski and Pastor Charles Wilson from The Hill Church in Roanoke to discuss creating a missional culture in the church.

Not Alone Podcast Episode 16

One of the first lessons you learn in bi-vocational ministry is to manage your time, or your time will manage you. Travis Ingle, southwest regional catalyst for the SBC of Virginia, talks with Brandon Estep, senior pastor of Garden Baptist Church in Grundy, VA, about bi-vocational ministry, time management, setting priorities, and sharing the Gospel. 

Not Alone Podcast Episode 15

Ministry leaders have had to overcome challenges from the last year and develop new ways of discipling. One church discovered strategies and initiatives that led to life transformation among their youth and their families, as well as ministry leaders. 

Mike Camire, Next Gen ministry strategist with the SBC of Virginia, talks with Seth Peterson, student pastor at First Baptist Church in Norfolk, VA, about different strategies and initiatives that Seth and his team used to continue the overall mission of the student ministry at FBC Norfolk during the past year of obstacles and cancellations. He also shares some things that he does when the stress of ministry becomes heavy.

Not Alone Podcast Episode 14

May is National Foster Care Month. What if every SBC of Virginia church cared for seven foster families and children? What an impact we could make, helping foster children and foster families know that they are not alone.

Dr. Todd Chipman invested time with the SBC of Virginia to help churches begin thinking about how we are uniquely equipped to meet the needs of these vulnerable children. Chipman is the pastor of The Masters Community Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Dr. Chipman is also the assistant dean of graduate studies and assistant professor of biblical studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. And he is the author of Until Every Child Is Home: Why the Church Can and Must Care for Orphans.

Not Alone Episode 13

Prayer is more than just getting through a daily devotion. Rather, God is inviting His children to come into His presence to abide with Him and to encounter Him. God is calling His church to be a praying people. This podcast conversation will lead us to be intentional in building a vital prayer strategy in our own personal lives, in the life of our families, and in the life of the local church that God has placed each of us in to serve Him.

Darrell Webb, prayer strategist with the SBC of Virginia, talks with Chris Schofield, director of the office of prayer for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, about the necessity of prioritizing prayer in the life of every believer.

Not Alone Podcast Episode 12