Many churches are stuck with outdated or overly complex bylaws that limit their effectiveness and create unnecessary conflict. In this episode, we unpack the top five issues with church constitutions and bylaws—and how your church can fix them.

Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu of The Malphurs Group bring practical insights from years of helping churches navigate governance and leadership challenges. If you’re new to the podcast, we help churches get healthy and grow through strategic planning and leadership development.

In this episode, we cover: → [00:02:34] Why relying on bylaws instead of policies leads to dysfunction → [00:07:17] How complexity makes compliance nearly impossible → [00:11:26] What happens when bylaws are designed for the wrong church size → [00:14:03] The risks of outdated or unbiblical governance structures → [00:20:54] How vague or conflicting authority erodes trust and accountability

Resources & Links: → 🧰 HealthyChurchesToolkit.com – Start your free 7-day trial and access our course on building a biblical board, plus sample policy manuals → 📘 Read the full article: malphursgroup.com/297→ 👥 Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram→ 🌐 Learn more about our work: malphursgroup.com

Looking to level up volunteer engagement in your church? In this episode of The Church Revitalization Podcast, we break down the best times and strategies for recruiting volunteers, drawing from current trends and real-world ministry experience. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or new to church revitalization, these insights will help you build a strong, servant-hearted volunteer team.

Hosts Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu—church consultants and revitalization experts—unpack practical principles and share firsthand stories to help you effectively connect people to their calling in your church community.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The top 5 moments to recruit volunteers (and which one you’re probably missing)

• Why getting people serving early matters for church “stickiness”

• How to leverage membership classes and spiritual gifts for team-building

• The strengths and pitfalls of ministry fairs and seasonal “pushes”

• Why recruiting is everyone’s job, not just the staff’s

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Try the Healthy Churches Toolkit free: healthychurchestoolkit.com

• Free access for international listeners: healthychurchesglobal.com

• Read the full episode article: malphursgroup.com/296

Connect with us on social & discover more revitalization resources at malphursgroup.com.

Ready to transform your volunteer culture? Hit play and let’s get started!

Myth-busting Spiritual Gifts! In this episode of the Church Revitalization Podcast, Scott Ball and AJ Mathieu tackle three of the most widespread misconceptions about spiritual gifts. They dig into where common beliefs miss the mark, how spiritual gifts assessments really work, and why understanding gifting is so important for engaging church members in meaningful ministry.

Your hosts, Scott Ball and AJ Mathieu, are church health experts with The Malphurs Group. Every week, they take practical, actionable topics and break them down into bite-sized episodes to help your church thrive. Whether you're a lead pastor, volunteer, or just passionate about church revitalization, this show is for you!

Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s episode:

• (02:20) Why spiritual gifts assessments are helpful but not authoritative

• (07:44) The Spider-Man analogy: You have to try out your gifts to know them!

• (12:25) Are Paul’s lists in the epistles exhaustive? What’s really being communicated?

• (18:07) Why spiritual gifts (and assessments) still matter in every church

• (20:32) Practical steps to help your congregation discover and use their gifts

Links & Resources:

• Try the Healthy Churches Toolkit free for 7 days: healthychurchestoolkit.com

• Read the full episode article and recap: malphursgroup.com/295

• Connect with The Malphurs Group on social: Facebook | Twitter/X 

Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and let us know how you’re helping your church thrive!

Unlock the secret to effective volunteer placement in your church! In this episode, we dive deep into why getting the right person in the right role—right now—matters, with a special focus on temperament and its impact on ministry effectiveness. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting out, you'll discover actionable steps for aligning volunteer strengths with real church needs.

Join hosts A.J. Mathieu and Scott Ball from the Church Revitalization Podcast, brought to you by the Malphurs Group team. With years of hands-on experience in church leadership and revitalization, A.J. and Scott bring clarity, energy, and practical wisdom each week to help church leaders thrive.

What’s Inside This Episode:

• Understanding the difference between temperament and personality—and why it matters [03:30]

• Quick overview of the DISC assessment and how it fits church volunteer roles [11:12]

• Signs of volunteer misalignment and practical solutions for burnout [18:45]

• How to use the new Divine Design Discovery Tool for customized volunteer recruitment [4:27][23:17]

• Building leadership pipelines and aligning teams for greater health [22:14]

Links & Resources:

• Try the Healthy Churches Toolkit free for 7 days: healthychurchestoolkit.com

• Deep dive article & show notes: malphursgroup.com/294

• Connect with us on social media for more weekly insights

Discover how understanding temperament can energize your volunteers and transform your church—listen now and start building your healthiest team yet!

Why do some unhealthy churches seem to be growing rapidly? In this episode, we peel back the layers behind fast-growing churches and explore whether all that glitters is truly gold. Join us as we discuss the hidden factors that can fuel church growth and how to discern authentic health from surface-level success.

Your hosts are Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu from The Malphurs Group. Each week, we bring practical insights and real-world advice to help pastors and leaders revitalize their churches and lead with confidence. Whether you're a first-time listener or a longtime subscriber, we’re here to help your church thrive.

In this episode, we cover: - The dangers and appeal of charismatic leadership [06:01] - How consumer-oriented programs can spark attendance without real transformation [10:03] - The impact of location and demographics on church growth [15:29] - The role of transfer growth and what it really means for church health [20:13] - Practical steps to focus on healthy discipleship and mission [22:50]

Links & Resources: - The Healthy Churches Toolkit: healthychurchestoolkit.com - Full episode article & resources: malphursgroup.com/293 - Connect with us: Website - More revitalization tools and leadership tips: YouTube

Looking to build a thriving, healthy church? Explore the Healthy Churches Toolkit and other resources linked above!

Is your church’s vision stalled or ineffective? In this episode, we break down actionable steps to create and communicate a compelling vision that drives real growth and engagement within your congregation. Discover how clarity and strategy can move your church forward, whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing your current direction.

Join hosts Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu from the Malphurs Group, whose expertise in church revitalization empowers ministries worldwide. Their passion: helping churches thrive with practical insights, real data, and biblically-rooted strategies.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why vision clarity directly boosts church growth (1:20)

• The first step: a “discernment” phase combining data and prayer (3:58)

• Crafting a vision draft that inspires buy-in (5:24)

• Cascading vision from the pulpit to every ministry area (11:24)

• How to measure, track, and celebrate progress—avoiding common pitfalls (17:04)

Links & Resources:

• Discover tools & start your 7-day free trial: Healthy Churches Toolkit

• Show notes & episode article: malphursgroup.com/292

• More from the Malphurs Group: Website

Follow us on social for more church leadership tips and updates!

Is your church overwhelmed by a maze of groups, classes, and ministries—or struggling to get people engaged at all? On this episode, we break down how to streamline your discipleship ministries for greater clarity and real spiritual growth.

Your hosts, Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu from The Malphurs Group, bring years of hands-on experience revitalizing churches. Each week, they share practical strategies for church leaders to create healthier, more effective ministries—no matter your church’s size or context.

In this episode:

• [00:02:14] Announcement: New “Six Areas of Groups Ministry” Masterclass partnership (and why it matters)

• [00:07:04] The real issue: Why variety confuses people and stalls engagement

• [00:08:53] The program vs. process mindset (and how to shift gears)

• [00:12:25] Building a clear, 3-5 step discipleship pathway—what primary and secondary ministries are (and aren’t)

• [00:26:31] Practical steps to combine, align, or sunset ministries for maximum impact

Episode Links:

• Try the Healthy Churches Toolkit for free: healthychurchestoolkit.com

• Read the full article: malphursgroup.com/291

• Connect with us on social: facebook.com/malphursgroup | twitter.com/malphursgroup

Take your next step toward a healthier church today!

In this episode, we dive into what it takes to develop a healthy, growing small groups ministry that actually connects people and fosters transformation. Whether your church uses Sunday School, home groups, or a hybrid model, this conversation will challenge assumptions and offer practical steps forward.

Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu are joined by Adam Erlichman from Build Groups—a national consultant helping churches grow their groups ministry by 30–50% in under a year. Adam shares powerful stories, best practices, and a major new announcement about exclusive training content now available through the Healthy Churches Toolkit.

In this episode:

• (00:03:08) Why Sunday School vs. Small Groups is a false dichotomy

• (00:05:36) What most churches get wrong about launching groups

• (00:10:31) The right metrics to track group health (and the ones to stop using)

• (00:26:37) What qualitative factors reveal if your groups are thriving

• (00:30:16) A behind-the-scenes look at the brand new Build Groups Masterclass

Links & Resources:

🌐 Main Site: malphursgroup.com

📖 Read the full article at malphursgroup.com/290

🎥 Start your free 7-day trial & get the Build Groups Masterclass

🤝 Connect with Adam Erlichman and the Build Groups team

Read the full show notes at: https://malphursgroup.com/289

Welcome to the Church Revitalization Podcast, where we tackle the real issues facing today’s church leaders. In this episode, hosts Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu dive into the top five things worship leaders should stop doing right now. With candid stories from Scott’s own years as a worship leader—and A.J.’s trademark humor—they break down common pitfalls and offer practical advice for creating a more engaging, distraction-free worship experience. Whether you’re a worship leader, senior pastor, or just passionate about church health, this episode will challenge your perspective, spark some laughs, and help your church worship grow stronger.

Do pastors really know who's attending their church every week? In this episode of the Church Revitalization Podcast, A.J. Mathieu and Scott Ball dig into the common myth that "only half the church is present on any given Sunday"—and challenge assumptions about church attendance. They discuss the roots of this belief, why it persists, and, most importantly, why getting the real numbers actually matters for effective ministry and discipleship.

Learn practical ways to move beyond gut feelings and start gathering actionable data on church engagement—plus, helpful ideas for tracking attendance without burdening your team or your church members. Whether your church is large or small, knowing who's truly present is key to intentional shepherding, boosting engagement, and making better strategic decisions.

Show Links:

• Full show notes & article

• Start your free trial of the Healthy Churches Toolkit: healthychurchestoolkit.com

• Global listeners: access the toolkit for free at healthychurchesglobal.com

For more practical insights to help your church thrive, follow the Church Revitalization Podcast and connect with the Malphurs Group team each week!