Becky and Kerry discuss the need for followers of Jesus to build relationships with those who don't yet know Jesus in this episode. In Part Four of their series on what churches can do to reach new people, they discuss the process by which strangers become neighbors, neighbors become acquaintances, acquaintances become friends, friends become family, and family members becomes missionaries of the gospel of Jesus to their neighborhood or community. While practical suggestions are offered for buil...
Mar 20, 2022•30 min
In Part Three of their series on what churches can do to reach new people, Kerry and Becky discuss the need for churches to identify and love their mission field. We want to reach every one with the gospel of Jesus, but trying to reach "everyone" often results in reaching no one. After identifying specific groups churches may identify as those they want to reach, Kerry and Becky mention a few ways churches can love and serve those they desire to reach.
Mar 14, 2022•29 min
In this episode, Part Two in their series on what churches can do to reach new people, Kerry and Becky go back to the scriptures and talk about the missionary fervor of the early Christians. Not only were they zealous to share the gospel of Jesus, but they were also a prayerful people. Two things we can do, then, to renew our passion for the lost is to become devoted to prayer--to lean on the power of prayer--and to immerse ourselves once again in biblical passages that speak of our mission to r...
Mar 06, 2022•19 min
What can churches do to reach new people? In this episode, Kerry and Becky go to scripture and back to the basics for answers to this question. Could outreach be as simple as loving one another as Jesus has loved us? Could it be as simple as having a dogged resolve to pursue unity in God's church? In this episode, Becky and Kerry argue that doing these things, obeying the plain commands of Jesus, is a pretty good start to reaching those who don't know Jesus!
Feb 28, 2022•19 min
Why do sincere and capable Bible students disagree on what the Bible teaches? Why don't we all understand the Bible alike? After discussing three possible reasons, Becky and Kerry focus on one of the primary reasons: we all read the Bible in our own cultural context. We have been influenced by our culture to read and understand the Bible in certain ways. The question is not whether we will be influenced by our culture, but whether we will be bound by it!
Feb 20, 2022•21 min
Many Christians interpret some commands, like 1 Corinthians 11:6 and 1 Timothy 2:9 as situation-specific, while interpreting others, like 1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Timothy 2:12 as timeless. There may be good reasons for understanding some of the commands in the epistles as timeless and others as situation-specific. However, this episode encourages Christians to take seriously the situational and occasional nature of the New Testament letters and strive for consistency in biblical interpretation....
Feb 13, 2022•23 min
Our custom may be to interpret scripture as timeless and universal. We may tend to read the New Testament letters, for example, as containing specific commands and prohibitions that have direct application for all people in all ages. But should we? Since the letters are occasional or situation-specific documents, written to address specific problems in certain first-century churches, should we treat the specific prohibitions and commands there as directly applying to us? In this episode, Kerry a...
Feb 06, 2022•20 min
In this episode, we discuss the occasional, situational nature of the New Testament letters. What does this mean for Bible students today? What difference does it make for how we apply scripture? Calling all those who want to learn how to better understand and apply the sacred writings to think about and reflect on the content in this episode!
Jan 29, 2022•25 min
In this episode, Kerry and Becky discuss one of the first and most basic rules of Bible study: Observe to whom a passage is spoken. Before interpreting and applying scripture, we must determine whether a passage was spoken to us or to others. Why is this so important? Because ignoring the distinction that the Bible was not written to us, but for us, can easily lead to the misinterpretation and misapplication of God's word. The aim of this episode is to help church leaders and every Christian to ...
Jan 24, 2022•21 min
What can a church leader who is tired, bored, and maybe even, depressed do to make a fresh start? To renew his or her passion for ministry? Kerry and Becky discuss five suggestions for making a new start in ministry.
Jan 16, 2022•32 min
What are some of the most common threats to small churches? In this episode, Kerry and Becky identify five hazards that small churches often face and offer a few suggestions on how they can be overcome. Interim Ministry Partners has reported that 91% of all Church of Christ attendees belong to churches of less than 250 members. Further, 55% of Church of Christ congregations have an average attendance of just thirty-four people. So, church leaders will likely discover that this podcast episode is...
Dec 12, 2021•23 min
What can church leaders do to cast a vision for their church? In this episode, Kerry and Becky talk about the importance of a vision and some suggested steps for casting a church's desired future. You'll want to hear this podcast as you prepare for a brand, new year!
Dec 05, 2021•18 min
In part three of our series on the role of elders, Becky and Kerry discuss their work as overseers, or bishops. After briefly mentioning some of the relevant New Testament passages on the subject, they turn to what "exercising the oversight" means in practical terms.
Nov 28, 2021•18 min
In last week's episode Kerry and Becky discussed the role of elders. In this week's podcast they discuss the elders' role as shepherds. After looking at Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34, Ephesians 4, John 10, and other passages in the Bible, they identify three functions of biblical shepherds. No doubt, to shepherd God's people is a tough assignment! But, it's God's will that someone care for his people, and surely, he will provide the grace, strength, and wisdom that is needed to carry out these important ...
Nov 14, 2021•21 min
After a brief glimpse into the backstory of New Testament elders, Kerry and Becky examine the practice of appointing elders for every church in the first century and take a quick look at what those elders did for those churches. Elders who are trying to imitate the elders of the New Testament churches will find this podcast to be informative and thought-provoking. This podcast only highlights their work as elders, not as shepherds or overseers.
Nov 07, 2021•14 min
Church leaders often track attendance, giving, and baptisms, but what are they doing to track other important metrics of their church's health and growth? In this episode, Kerry and Becky discuss the importance of tracking metrics in five phases of spiritual growth. Also, they offer suggestions on what may be measured in those five phases. For example, they talk about how one might measure engagement with those who may be disinterested in God, the church, and spiritual things. For church leaders...
Oct 31, 2021•19 min
How important is it for church leaders to track or try to measure such things as individual spiritual growth, church health, and church growth? What is the rationale for doing so? In this episode, Becky and Kerry discuss six reasons for tracking church health and growth. Feel free to join the discussion! Your feedback is always appreciated!
Oct 24, 2021•17 min
Kerry and Becky identify three levels of guest engagement--a church's pre-guest strategy, welcoming first-time guests, and encouraging returning guests to take a step toward community--and "the win" for each level. Then, they identify and discuss a simple strategy for engaging guests to take a next step in their journey toward Christ. Please join the discussion in Part Two of the series, "Helping Guests Engage Beyond the Sunday Assembly."
Oct 16, 2021•18 min
In this episode, Kerry and Becky discuss three levels for engaging guests to the Sunday assembly. Then, they identify and discuss three barriers to such engagement. What can church leaders do--and what should they not do--to encourage guests to go beyond just sitting in a pew on Sunday? Tune in for Part One of this discussion!
Oct 11, 2021•15 min
Highly-effective churches have influence in their communities. They are like salt and light, like "a city set on a hill." In this episode, Kerry and Becky discuss three strategies used by best-practice churches to "pastor their local community." This is Part 4 in their series, "Best Practices of Highly-Effective Churches."
Oct 03, 2021•22 min
"It's not enough to belong to the church; church members must be encouraged to embrace the values of Christ." The question for church leaders is: How can that be done? What some of the most effect churches do to create ownership is the topic of this episode, number three in the series, "Best Practices of Highly-Effective Churches." Here, Kerry and Becky discuss three strategies church leaders can use to create ownership among congregants of a discipleship agenda.
Sep 19, 2021•17 min
Becky and Kerry discuss a second best practice of effective churches in this episode, a best practice that was identified by the REVEAL survey of over 1,000 churches. It is: embed the Bible in everything. They share three strategies for making the Bible a defining characteristic of your church culture.
Sep 19, 2021•13 min
Here are three strategies for overcoming inertia and getting people moving. This is episode number one in the four-part series, "Best Practices of Effective Churches."
Sep 13, 2021•18 min
What is "the restoration principle"? Is the restoration principle valid? In this final episode in the "Summer Shorts" series, Kerry answers these questions and defends the notion of going back to the Bible for a norm or standard for the church today. He encourages church leaders and Christians to reproduce vital elements of the Christian religion of the first century in our day. To return to the pure and simple religion of Jesus Christ! Listen in and give your feedback!
Aug 22, 2021•11 min
In the early years of the Restoration Movement in America, Alexander Campbell and other leaders pled for nonsectarian Christianity, for followers of Jesus to be "Christians only." Not only does scripture speak against division, but also for Christian unity. Undenominational, nonsectarian Christianity is still a goal worth pursuing! Join the discussion as Becky talks about the need to go back to the scriptures, and lay aside human names, creeds, and philosophies. This is episode #5 in the "Summer...
Aug 16, 2021•11 min
In episode #4 in the "Summer Shorts" series, Becky talks about Barton W. Stone's commitment to holy living and to the disciple's separation from worldly values. Our desire to restore some of the elements of the New Testament church in our day should also mean that we should not overlook the restoration of the way Jesus wants his followers to live.
Aug 07, 2021•8 min
Is your church a place where people feel safe and free to ask their questions and express their doubts? Does your church welcome open dialogue and robust debate regarding what the Bible teaches? In this podcast, Kerry recalls some of the writings of Alexander Campbell from his 1830 Millennial Harbinger which support the practice of promoting open dialogue, allowing people to hear all sides of an issue, and judging for themselves what they believe the Bible teaches. This is episode #3 in the "Sum...
Aug 01, 2021•10 min
One of the slogans of the nineteenth century American Restoration Movement was "No creed but the Bible." With this clarion call, leaders were urging Christians to look to the Bible alone as their religious authority, and to resist the tendency of religious systems to bind their human opinions and preferences on others. Is there a need for us to hear this word today? Listen in and join the discussion! This is episode #2 in the "Summer Shorts" series.
Jul 25, 2021•10 min
In this podcast, Kerry introduces us to James O'Kelly, Rice Haggard, and events in the late 1700s that led to the beginning of the American Restoration Movement. What we can learn about religious authority from some of the great pioneers of the faith is the subject of this episode.
Jul 18, 2021•9 min
What might what some sociologists are calling "the great resignation" affect churches? If more people are looking for meaning in their lives, and if they choose to look to the church for purpose and meaning, what can church leaders and churches do to welcome them? In this episode, Kerry and Becky discuss eight suggestions for making the Sunday worship assembly more guest-friendly.
Jul 11, 2021•24 min
