The Propel Podcast

Welcome to the Propel Podcast, inspiration and innovation to grow your church, hosted by Larry Witzel. This podcast offers every presentation from the annual Propel Conference on church growth. Our goal is to offer practical training for effective evangelism in the Seventh-day Adventist ministry context, but we know the principles we talk about here are applicable in many other churches, as well. So, wherever you’re doing ministry, welcome to the Propel Podcast! The 2026 Propel Conference will be in Silver Spring, MD, April 12–15, 2026!

Last refreshed: July 26th, 2025 at 6:40 PM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Richie Halversen: The Darkness Will Not Overcome

In this episode, Richie Halversen shares his story of growing up in an evangelist's family and how God helped him overcome opioid addiction. He encourages us to take the circumstances we’re in, and the weaknesses we have, and allow God to use them to grow His kingdom through His power and strength. Episode sponsor: NADMinisterial

Jul 03, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 9

Dr. César De León: Dealing with Church Conflict

Dr. De León leads the final breakout session in the church revitalization track at the 2023 Propel Conference, talking about how to deal with conflict in your church. He points out that conflict is inevitable, but the way you handle the conflict can make an eternal difference. He talks about the sources of conflict, including the desire for stability and the feeling of shame. He also encourages us to look deep within our own hearts and acknowledge our own faults and contributions to the problem....

Jun 26, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Tyler Long: Revangelism

Tyler Long talks about Revangelism, a 6-phase program he has developed at the Washington Conference to help revitalize churches, whether they are growing, plateaued, or declining. He discusses personal preparation, building relationships in the community, how to find Bible study interests, and how to create a welcoming environment for your guests. This was a breakout session in the church revitalization track at the 2023 Propel Conference. Episode sponsor: The Hope of Survivors...

Jun 19, 2023•1 hr 55 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Dr. Roscoe Shields Jr: Revitalizing the Sharon Church

In this breakout session from the church revitalization track, Dr. Roscoe Shields Jr talks about his journey of revitalizing the Sharon Church. This presentation was given less than 2 years after he arrived as senior pastor, and in his first 18 months there he baptized over 60 people. He talks about how God led him to use social media and online marketing as the cornerstone of his growth strategy. Episode sponsor: EvangeLead

Jun 12, 2023•1 hr 54 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Ryan Whitehead: A Spirit of Friendship

In this breakout session in the church revitalization track at the 2023 Propel Conference, Ryan Whitehead takes a look at the foundation of the Evangelism Pyramid, friendship. He talks about how we can build a better foundation of friendship in our churches, looking specifically at the importance of warmth and intentionality. Episode sponsor: eAdventist

Jun 05, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Dr. Roger Walter: The Evangelism Pyramid

In this talk from Monday morning of the 2023 Propel Conference, Dr. Roger Walter talks about how the language we use is not clear to our unchurched friends. He points out that most of the activities at a church are for the current church members and emphasizes the importance of making friends with people outside the church. He also provides an overview of the Evangelism Pyramid and how to apply it to your church evangelism planning. Episode sponsor: Adventist World Radio...

May 29, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Bill McClendon: Are Your Dreams Big Enough?

In this presentation from the opening night of the 2023 Propel Conference, Elder Bill McClendon asks the question, why do some Seventh-day Adventist churches grow, and others don’t? He talks about the power of passion, vision, and faith, and inspires us to embrace God’s plan for each of our churches to grow. Episode sponsor: Adventist Learning Community

May 22, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Jose Cortes Jr: The State of the Church

In this opening presentation of the 2023 Propel Conference, Jose Cortes Jr talks about some metrics that have been developed for measuring the health of churches in North America. He reveals statistics about how many churches are multiplying, how many are growing, how many are plateaued, and how many are declining across the division. He talks about why churches die, and more importantly, the mindset required to help them grow. He looks at the biblical method of baptism, considering it enrollmen...

May 15, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Dr. Roger Walter: Evangelism Testimony & Propel Conference Vision

In this first episode of the Propel Podcast, Larry Witzel talks with Dr. Roger Walter, senior pastor of the Adventist Community Church in Vancouver, Washington. He is also the president of EvangeLead, a nonprofit promoting evangelism leadership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In this conversation, Roger talks about the early ministry experience that led him to embrace public evangelism, and shares a model for evangelistic success that he calls the Culture of Evangelism Pyramid. They also ta...

Apr 12, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 1

← Prev

Hosted on Transistor

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android