RE: CHURCH

Churches without undershepherds are vulnerable. Listen as Marshall Fant interviews Bruce McAllister about questions a church should ask itself to evaluate when it should call an interim pastor to provide some stability during a transition. The goal of a transitional pastor is to preach and assist the church in its search for the next pastor, not to become the next pastor. GFA currently has 12 seasoned ministry couples serving in its interim pastor program. To express an interest in becoming an interim pastor with GFA or finding an interim pastor, please contact Marshall Fant at [email protected]. 

Next: Pastoral Succession that Works by William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird is a helpful resource for churches seeking pastors.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, social justice is "justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society." Poverty, feminism, LGBTQ, and progressive immigration are current hot button social justice issues today. How can we better understand our culture without adopting worldly views in order to be salt and light? Listen as Marshall Fant discusses this topic with two 35-year-old pastors: his son, Marshall Fant IV who pastors Harvest Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC, and Jonathan Threlfall, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Concord, NH.

A healthy church is one that is continually making disciples. Listen to Marty and Pam Masitto share how the Lord used them to help a struggling church in Florida get back on its feet and begin growing again. Marty and Pam Masitto have served in the ministry for 45 years. They currently serve as one of the couples in GFA's Interim Pastor Ministry.

This story of John Turner's assuming the pastorate at Grace Baptist Church in Hampton, VA, begins with the previous pastor deciding to retire. He had pastored the church for 15 years and wanted to pave the way for a smooth transition to the next pastor. However, he didn't want the church to just hire someone different than himself; he was concerned that Grace Baptist know itself, its community, and who it needed to call. This led to him initiating a church consultation with Marshall Fant. The review provided the church with clear direction about its ministry needs, the demographic of its community, and what kind pastor would be prepared to lead it forward.

When you are seeking God's direction, what does He expect of you? Shortly after Jack Mitchell's life direction changed with his salvation, he faced  the dissolution of a partnership with an unsaved man, a lawsuit, and loss of employment. Jack and Jennifer Mitchell took the next step of faith and God provided. Find out how the Lord led them into medical missions as you listen to episode 36 of RE: CHURCH.

What would you do if you married a man who professed to be a believer but was not? If you were counseling a woman in that scenario, what practical advice would you give her? 

That was the Mitchells' situation for the first 14 years of their marriage. Listen as Marshall Fant and his wife, Gretchen, interview Jack and Jennifer Mitchell about their marriage journey in episode 35 of RE: CHURCH.

Because we live in a fallen world, violence against churches continues to grow. So what is church security? What are some steps you can take to create a safe environment at church? Matt Beach and Matt Storey bring their experience in law enforcement and foster care to the table as Marshall Fant interviews them about this topic in Episode 34 of RE: CHURCH.

Because of his passion on this topic, Matt Beach began Setting a Watch Ministries to assist churches wanting help with basic security measures, site evaluations, and effective plans to protect their congregations. Learn more about this resource here.

How do you pursue a close walk with the Lord? How does accountability with a Christian brother help in all areas of life? What is the balance between being personal but not vulnerable to the wrong people? Listen as Marshall Fant III interviews his son, Marshall Fant IV, who pastors at Harvest Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC, about the need for openness and discretion as pastors seek a culture of accountability in the local church.

Hospitality opens the door for sharing the Gospel with international students, the mission field right at our door. Many of these students are from cultures that think differently than we do as Westerners. So how can we share the Gospel with them? Listen at Marshall Fant interviews Joseph, Rachel, and Gretchen about presenting the Gospel to people from honor-shame cultures.

Statistically, 1 in 300 people in the United States are international students. So how can you reach out to these strangers and sojourners living near you? Listen at Marshall Fant interviews Joseph, Rachel, and Gretchen about their ministry with this demographic. Learn how hospitality sets the table for sharing the Gospel with this mission field right at our door.