Practical Church

Contextualization should be rated, not overrated.

Welcome to welcome to episode 160 of Practical Church Planting.

Contextualization is important and helpful in helping you reach the people in your area. However, it can also be overrated and even unhelpful if we make it a bigger deal than it should be. In this episode, we discuss these four reasons as to why contextualization is overrated:

• Building relationships doesn't need a contextualization study
• Helpful, engaging, and applicable preaching works everywhere
• Contextualization can become an excuse for inaction
• The best way to contextualize is to do things and see what works

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get practical tips delivered right to you.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

Be firm on your theological convictions. Here are some reasons why.

Welcome to welcome to episode 159 of Practical Church Planting.

It can be hard to be honest with people on certain theological positions your church might hold. However, it is better for you and your church not to shy away from these things. In this episode, we discuss these four reasons why you shouldn't be weak on your theological convictions:

• Long term headaches are much worse than short term uncomfortableness
• Be a shepherd not a sheep
• People need clarity to make the best decision for them (and your church)
• People will respect you/your church

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get practical tips delivered right to you.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

Is your children's ministry safe?

Welcome to welcome to episode 155 of Practical Church Planting.

Is your children's ministry area safe? Not only that but does it also appear safe? The safety of kids is vitally important for their well-being, as well as for the comfort of the parents dropping their kids off. One of the quickest ways to have first-time guests not return is missing the mark in this area.

So in this episode, we discuss these six standards you should set for the safety of your kid's ministry:

• Men should never change diapers
• Men should never take kids into the bathroom
• Have (at least) two leaders per room
• Entrances & exits should be properly accounted for
• Know your ratios
• Have outlet covers

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get practical tips delivered right to you.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

How is your kid's check-in process? Let's make it better

Welcome to welcome to episode 157 of Practical Church Planting.

The kid's ministry check-in process is a vital but often overlooked area that can cause either positive or frustrating experiences at our churches. In this episode, we discuss these six things you can do to ensure your check-in process goes smoothly:

• Allow for self check-in
• Have a plan for new families
• Use Planning Center
• Have reliable wife in the kid's area
• Have at least two volunteers working check-in
• Print tags for families as they are walking in

Welcome to welcome to episode 155 of Practical Church Planting. You can listen to this episode below, or subscribe to the podcast and get our episodes delivered right to you.

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get practical tips delivered right to you.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

Church finances can lead to all sorts of issues if you are not careful.

Welcome to welcome to episode 156 of Practical Church Planting.

While no one sets out to run into issues with your church's finances, it can easily happen if we are not intentional with our systems and structures. In this episode, we discuss these four ways your church can be transparent with its finances:

• Send quarterly updates
• Involve your management/elder team
• The lead pastor should take his hands completely out of the finances
• Involve volunteers (who also give)

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get practical tips delivered right to you.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

Being a young pastor can have its challenges. Here are some things that may help.

Welcome to welcome to episode 152 of Practical Church Planting. You can listen to this episode below, or subscribe to the podcast and get our episodes delivered right to you.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to being a young pastor. In this episode, we discuss these five tips to help you out:

• Learn from your congregants, you don't have to disciple all of them
• Be intentional about what you year
• Pick a few people to be intentional with to start
• Show your people you care and they will listen to your preaching
• Don't be weak on your theological positions

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get practical tips delivered right to you.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

Watch out for these things.

Welcome to welcome to episode 154 of Practical Church Planting.

As we enter into a new year, there are things we should do and avoid if we don't want our churches to struggle. In this episode, we share these six things that may cause your church to struggle in 2020:

• If you aren't clear about your mission and/or vision
• You livestream when you shouldn't
• You don't record your sermons
• Lack of committed time in prayer
• You aren't confronting your own issues
• You're not honest/upfront about church finances with your people

Did you know that you can watch the Practical Church Planting podcast? Connect with us on our Facebook page or our YouTube Channel.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

How to reach more people in 2020.

Welcome to welcome to episode 153 of Practical Church Planting. You can watch the episode below, or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode.

It's the start of a new year and you likely want to engage with and reach more people this year. Because of that, we share these four ways you can do exactly that in 2020:

• Social media presence
• Serve event/events
• Talk about your mission more often
• Be proactive about planting a new service or church plant

Did you know that you can watch the Practical Church Planting podcast? Connect with us on our Facebook page or our YouTube Channel.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

We all agree the Gospel is the most important thing, yet it's easy to forget.

Welcome to welcome to episode 152 of Practical Church Planting.

Most would agree that the Gospel should be somehow shared in every sermon. And yet, sometimes it's hard to connect it to a particular passage you may be preaching out of. Or perhaps with everything you are trying to say, you simply forget it. In this episode, we share these four reasons why we should include a Gospel presentation in every sermon:

• Many of your people can't tell you what the Gospel is
• Not everyone listening is a Christian
• People need to be reminded of the Gospel
• Scripture points towards Jesus

Did you know that you can watch the Practical Church Planting podcast? Connect with us on our Facebook page or our YouTube Channel.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.

A better staff equals a better church.

Welcome to welcome to episode 151 of Practical Church Planting.

The growth and development of church staff directly impacts the growth, development, and health of a church. In this episode, we share these five reasons to do year end reviews with your staff:

• Clarity in staff performance
• Set expectations for next year
• Development doesn't happen by accident
• You measure what you care about
• High achieving organizations do it

Did you know that you can watch the Practical Church Planting podcast? Connect with us on our Facebook page or our YouTube Channel.

Have questions or want encouragement from other church planters? Join the Practical Church Planting Facebook group.