RE: CHURCH

Considering starting a new outreach to children or gearing up for summer ministries? Looking for materials to help you? Bible Visuals International (BVI) exists "to support Christians worldwide in evangelizing and discipling children by supplying quality teaching tools and relevant training for the purpose of helping children see Jesus." In this episode, Marshall Fant interviews Tom Luttmann, Executive Director of BVI, about the print and digital materials this non-profit supplies to help churches, parents, teachers, and missionaries reach children with the Gospel. With experience in both children's ministry and publishing, Tom Luttmann has served as BVI's executive director since 2010. Check out BVI's resources at biblevisuals.org.

Christ is faithful to His promise to build His church, but as the seven churches in Revelation illustrate, individual churches are raised up for a season. So what are some indicators of when a church should merge or close? How practically can a church work through a merger? In episode 109 of RE: CHURCH, Rick Arrowood shares with Marshall Fant the story of how he led a church through a merger. Pastor Arrowood and his wife, Dolly, have served in pastoral ministry for 42 1/2 years, and they are currently part of GFA's interim pastor program. Go to gfamissions.org/church-mergers/ for the full show notes.

What are some common areas of discouragement for women in ministry, marriage, mothering, and influence in the world? How can a woman seek refreshment in her relationship with the Lord? In episode 108 of RE: CHURCH, Marshall Fant discusses this topic with Denise and Dale Cunningham. Denise has been married to Dale Cunningham for 42 years and for the last 21 years has served alongside him at Boones Creek Bible Church, where he is the senior pastor. Denise is a mentor to other women and seeks to encourage them through her blog, RefreshHer, and podcast, Refresh Her.

Go to gfamissions.org/encouraging-words-for-women for the full show notes.

Churches sometimes go for long periods of time—even years—between pastors. In some cases, the church is unprepared for a change. So how can a pastor transitioning out of a church prepare the assembly to call its next pastor? Marshall Fant interviews Pastor Dan Boyce, senior pastor of Hill Village Bible Church in Hill, NH, about this topic. Pastor Boyce, who has had a lifetime burden to mentor men for the ministry, says that while preparing the next pastor, it is also important to prepare the church for a transition in leadership.

As King David neared the end of his life, he named the mighty men who had helped him rule as king. While the role of assistant pastor is often viewed as a stepping stone to the senior pastorate, God calls some men to serve as second men for the duration of their ministries. David Stockard is one of these men. He and his wife, Linda, have been in ministry for 47 years, and for the last 14 years, he has served as an administrative pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Taylors, SC. Marshall Fant has seen the giftedness of this couple firsthand as he has served as interim pastor at Faith Baptist since the summer. In this episode, Marshall Fant interviews the Stockards about how to view the role of a second man and serve effectively in it.

Go to gfamissions.org/three-keys-to-ministering-as-a-2nd-man/ for the full show notes.

With preaching, shepherding, and administrating claiming your time as a pastor, how much are you prioritizing mentoring men for ministry? Mentoring is the model Paul established in 2 Timothy 2:2 with his protégé Timothy. Pastor Dan Boyce, the senior pastor of Hill Village Bible Church in Hill, NH, has taken seriously the idea that, "There is no success without successors." For about a decade, he mentored John Lashuay, who now pastors Pine Island Bible Church in Warwick, NY. In this episode, Marshall Fant interviews both Dan Boyce and John Lashuay about their mindsets and what this process looked like practically.

Visitors often check out a church's website before ever walking through its doors. Are you using this online tool effectively? How can you communicate your church's vision to reach people for Christ and engage believers and unbelievers alike? In this podcast, Marshall Fant discusses this topic with Chris Pennington, assistant pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Liberty, UT, where he has served for six years. He has helped develop the Sego Lily Foundation app to help believers reach LDS people.  

Go to gfamissions.org/how-effective-is-your-church-s-website/ for the full show notes.

Have you ever squirmed in your seat during verbal announcements at church, wishing for more conciseness? Communicating effectively with a congregation can be a challenge. In this podcast, Marshall Fant interviews Josh Crockett, senior pastor of Morningside Baptist Church in Greenville, SC, about his church's implementation of video announcements. In addition to theological training, Pastor Crockett holds an undergraduate degree in communications and business. One of his desires is to communicate Morningside's mission: "Loving God. Loving each other. Loving our world." 

Go to gfamissions.org/communicating-with-your-church/ for the full show notes and video.

What are some reasons for considering implementing small groups in your church? What are some of the benefits and dangers? In episode 102 of RE: CHURCH, Marshall Fant interviews Gary Reimers, senior pastor, and Chris Lynch, assistant pastor, about how Cornerstone Baptist Church in Greenville, SC, implemented small groups after much research, discussion, and prayer.

See gfamissions.org/why-small-groups/ for the full show notes.

What security threats and ministry risks does your church have? What practical steps can you take to minimize them? How can partnering with an insurance company help your church proactively address these? In episode 101 of RE: CHURCH, Marshall Fant interviews Jason Rochester of American Church Group of South Carolina. In partnership with Brotherhood Mutual, this company insures churches, Christian colleges, Christian schools, camps, and mission boards. Go to gfamissions.org/church-security-and-safety for the full show notes.