The Church Answers Podcast

https://youtu.be/bmbsWaFI-Jo

Thom and Mark say goodbye in these final three episodes. In this second of three parts, they recall some of the highlights and most fun episodes of the podcast.

Resources:

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

“An Interview with Keith Getty: The Queen of England, a New Album, the Resurgence of Hymnody in the Church, and a Few Funny Thoughts (Part 1)”

“An Interview with Keith Getty: The Queen of England, a New Album, the Resurgence of Hymnody in the Church, and a Few Funny Thoughts (Part 2)”

She Reads Truth

* Linwood Baptist Church

* Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

* Thom and Mark say Goodbye to Each Other - Part 1: How This Podcast Started

* STAY TUNED! Thom and Mark say Goodbye to Each Other - Part 3: Where Thom and Mark Go from Here

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/wlpE-VXllLg

Thom and Mark say goodbye in these final three episodes. In this first of three parts, they explain why the podcast is ending and how it began.

Resources:

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

International Harvester hat

* “Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures” by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

Revitalize Network

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

STAY TUNED! Thom and Mark say Goodbye to Each Other - Part 2: Highlights of the Podcast Over the Years

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/Zp-lc83I1bk

Thom and Mark remain obnoxious optimists about the revitalization of churches. Numerous indicators are pointing to this hope. In the final of these three episodes, they discuss how the greater awareness of issues in revitalization has created new communities of revitalization leaders. These networks are instrumental in dealing with the loneliness factor in revitalization.

1. Revitalization has moved dramatically from losing to recovering.

2. Revitalization is one of the fastest-growing disciplines in local churches today.

3. Revitalization has become a call for many leaders.

4. Revitalization networks have become places where revitalization leaders can deal with the loneliness factor.

 

Resources:

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

Revitalize Network

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

Why We Have Hope for Revitalizing Churches - Part 1: The Awareness Issue

* Why We Have Hope for Revitalizing Churches - Part 2: The Evangelism Issue

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/OAc6sC4Ww50

Thom and Mark remain obnoxious optimists about the revitalization of churches. Numerous indicators are pointing to this hope. In this second of three episodes, they point to the increase in the discussions and responses to the evangelism mandate.

1. Moving from a season without evangelism.

2. New solutions for evangelism.

3. The only way to grow.

4. Outward focus for attitude improvement.

5. Lifting all the purposes through effective evangelism.

 

Resources:

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

Why We Have Hope for Revitalizing Churches - Part 1: The Awareness Issue

Next week!: Why We Have Hope for Revitalizing Churches - Part 3: The Fellowship Factor

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/5hlsD5ypMmk

Thom and Mark remain obnoxious optimists about the revitalization of churches. Numerous indicators are pointing to this hope. In this first of three episodes, they share why the awareness issue has become so positive for revitalization.

Bad news is good news.

Denominations and networks have become aware as well.

Awareness leads to solutions.

Awareness helps with the loneliness factor.

 

Resources:

* Five Major Developments for Churches with an Attendance Under 250

* The New Very Large Church

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

Coming Soon!: Why We Have Hope for Revitalizing Churches - Part 2: The Evangelism Issue

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/40-J_8p6uOQ

We are seeing many smaller churches become healthier and make great strides for the gospel. In this second of two parts, Thom and Mark look at the action shifts that took place with members and leaders of these smaller churches on the rise.

1. Understanding the micro-business revolution.

2. The power of one or a few.

3. Moving obediently into evangelism.

4. Finding and meeting the need(s) of the community.

5. The power of consistency.

 

Resources:

* Five Major Developments for Churches with an Attendance Under 250

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* The New Very Large Church

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

The Hope Initiative

Invite Your One

* Know Your Community

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

Listen to part 1 of this series: "The Rise of the Small Church - Part 1: Attitudinal Shifts"

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/CSHcMMphqr8

We are seeing many smaller churches become healthier and make great strides for the gospel. In this two-part series, Thom and Mark first look at the attitudinal shifts that took place with leaders of these smaller churches on the rise.

1. Understanding the micro-business revolution.

2. Resisting the attitude of "smaller is inferior."

3. Resisting the attitude of basing your worth (and the worth of your church) on the size of the church.

4. Resisting the attitude that smaller churches have insufficient resources.

5. Resisting the attitude of comparison.

 

Resources:

* Five Major Developments for Churches with an Attendance Under 250

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* The New Very Large Church

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

COMING SOON! Episode #289: "The Rise of the Small Church - Part 2: Action Shifts"

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/NS62CqZTtlQ

Mark Clifton's book, Reclaiming Glory, has been a foundational book for church revitalization. In this podcast, Thom interviews Mark about the release of the updated edition of the book. You will not want to miss some of the nuggets Mark drops. Those nuggets will be powerful tools for your church.

1. Why did you update Reclaiming Glory?

2. What does "reclaiming glory" mean for church revitalization?

3. Why should we even care about dying churches?

4. What are some keys to successful church revitalization?

5. Why is a revitalized church a "gospel legacy?"

 

Resources:

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* Books by Lyle Schaller

* “Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions” by John Piper

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/i6gs-a75Bbo

It is almost cliche to say revitalization is tough. But it is a challenge. Thom and Mark speak with countless pastors and staff who don't think they are up to the task. This three-part series may prove to be a blessing to those who are discouraged and wonder if they can lead the revitalization. In this third episode, Thom and Mark offer answers from revitalizers who have done well.

They were Acts 6:4 leaders.

They learned to deal with criticism in a healthy manner.

They were mentored or in a peer group or both.

They took care of their families.

They led with short-term wins.

 

Resources:

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

* “Five Ways I Am Eliminating Perfunctory Prayer in My Life” by Thom S. Rainer

Collaborate with ministry leaders around the world! Join us at Church Answers Gold!

Episode #284: “Leading a Church Revitalization Even When You Don't Feel Like You Are a Leader - Part 1: Why Some Revitalization Leaders Don't Think They Are Leaders”

Episode #285: “Leading a Church Revitalization Even When You Don't Feel Like You Are a Leader - Part 2: Four Common Leadership Obstacles in a Church Revitalization”

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.

https://youtu.be/ygwSCcQ4js8

It is almost cliche to say revitalization is tough. But it is a challenge. Thom and Mark speak with countless pastors and staff who don't think they are up to the task. This three-part series may prove to be a blessing to those who are discouraged and wonder if they can lead the revitalization. In this second episode, Thom and Mark look at four of the more common leadership obstacles in revitalization.

1. No training and education can fully prepare you for revitalization.

2. Change leadership is one of the most complex topics to understand.

3. Most leaders don't grasp the complexity of knowing what to do with facilities.

4. Discouragement is pervasive in church revitalization.

 

Resources:

* Check out the NEW Revitalize and Replant podcast with Mark Clifton

* North American Mission Board Church Replanters

* “Reclaiming Glory, Updated Edition: Creating a Gospel Legacy throughout North America” by Mark Clifton

* Coming soon! The NEW Church Answers Podcast

* Church Answers Central, Silver Membership

* Episode #284: “Leading a Church Revitalization Even When You Don't Feel Like You Are a Leader - Part 1: Why Some Revitalization Leaders Don't Think They Are Leaders”

* COMING SOON! Episode #286: “Leading a Church Revitalization Even When You Don't Feel Like You Are a Leader - Part 3: Five Key Leadership Traits of Effective Church Revitalizers”

 

Episode Sponsor:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new churches. To learn more about what it means to become a replanting pastor or to explore resources for replanting and revitalization in your own church, visit ChurchReplanters.com.