Good morning, pastor!

When I (Jonny) first started ministry at our church, I figured I could do everything myself. Sure, I would use volunteers in the ministries I was overseeing, but the leadership was all going to run through me. After all, I always know the best way, right?

Um, wrong.

The reality was, many of my volunteers were naturally stepping into leadership roles, but without any input or leadership from me, things were becoming a mess. I figured that as the "pastor" I always had to be the "leader," but pretty soon I figured out that if our ministries were going to succeed, I needed to develop leaders at every level.

Today on EPISODE 189, Jeff talks to the President of Elim Fellowship, Chris Ball. Chris has been developing leaders for decades and provides tons of practical and powerful content on how you can develop leaders in your church and ministry. Whether you're a young pastor, a pastor in transition, or someone who has been at their church for years, you will be challenged and encouraged by Chris' story and insights.

If something Chris says about ministry transitions caught your attention, check out episode 136 with Dave Ronan. Or, if you're a young pastor just getting started, our conversation with Dan Reiland is a perfect episode for you. And if that's STILL not enough, check out theFour Common Leadership Traps pastors can very easily fall into.

Finally, don't forget about the upcoming Small Church Big Deal Conference on October 1st in Fenton Michigan! Jeff and I and Karl Vaters will all be presenting on Saturday and on Friday night Jeff and I will be hosting a meet and greet and talking with small church pastors. Chris Vitarelli is hosting the conference and it's going to be an awesome time for small church pastors to be encouraged and equipped--so register TODAY!

Links from episode 189:
Entre Leadership
Catalyst
Injoy
Kris Vallotton
Andy Stanley
Craig Groeschel

As always, thanks for listening, and we hope you have a great week!

Jonny (and Jeff)

Episode 188!Remember when you were just starting out in ministry? Those crazy days where everything was new and exciting? I remember my first few days, weeks, and months working with Jeff and feeling like a sponge waiting to soak up everything I could.

I was eager. And hungry.

And eventually, I was frustrated.

Ministry frustration sets in when our hopes and expectations start to wilt in the harsh light of the reality of ministry. All pastors--those of us fresh off the boat and those weathered by years at sea--encounter moments and seasons of frustration.

But that doesn't mean we have to sit down and cry.

On this week's podcast, we have long time listener and sometime guest Scott Dalen back to talk about ministry frustrations pastors face--and how to get through frustration and on to fruitful ministry. If you've ever felt frustrated in ministry, this episode is for you!

For more with Scott, check out episode 172 and our conversation about using social media to augment and improve your weekend messages, or check out an old Monday Morning Pastorfrom the video archives. If this week's podcast left you looking for even more ways to stay encouraged, check out 5 Ways to Stay Encouraged in a Small Church or episode 167 with Chris Vitarelli as we talk about the frustrations of unmet expectations.

And SPEAKING of Chris Vitarelli, we're only about a month away from the Small Church Big Deal Conference--created by Chris Vitarelli--in Fenton, Michigan. If you're anywhere in the Midwest--or are willing to travel there--you won't want to miss out!

God bless and have a great week!

Jonny (and Jeff)

Joe Jansen, from Elim Fellowship in Lima, NY joins us one more time on the 200churches Podcast - to deliver a virtual ENCOURAGEMENT OVERDOSE to small church pastors!

Joe brings the HEAT and delivers the LOVE to you, pastors! He shares six "C"s that you can use to assess your own ministry and heart health, but before, during, and after he infuses encouragement all along the way.

Jeff and Jonny got back together for one day, in what was otherwise one month apart during the summer vacation time, to record the IN and OUT to this episode - and they had FUN doing it!

We promote on this episode the Small Church Big Deal Conference in Fenton, MI on Saturday, October 1! We hope that many of you can join us for this conference where we will be speaking and teaching along with Karl Vaters, from NewSmallChurch.com and his blog on Christianity Today, PIVOT.

Check out the Small Church Big Deal Conference right here!

Dr. John Pletcher is the lead pastor of Manor Church in Lancaster, PA. He is the author of Henry's Glory - A Story for Discovering Lasting Significance in Your Daily Work, and EmotiConversations - Workng Through Our Deepest Places.

​With Jonny gone, Jeff talked with John about emotions in the ministry and how pastors should handle them. This is another fun, introspective, and hopefully, encouraging episode!

John also appeared on episode 74, How to Multiply Workplace Missionaries in Your Small Church. Also in the episode, we mention Dave Ronan, who appeared on episode 72, How To "Crush It!" In Leadership When Beginning A New Ministry. These are both great episodes to go back to!

​Enjoy this conversation with John Pletcher and then go ahead and treat yourself to EmotiConversations!

We have another cheerleader on the podcast for all of you small church pastors, in the likeness of Michael Nations, today we talk with Joe Jansen, from Elim Fellowship in Lima, NY. Joe is on your side!

I (Jeff) carted the 200churches gear and podcast studio halfway across the country and set up a remote location in Lima, NY at the Elim International Headquarters. It was great to sit, in person, with Joe and talk to him about how he coaches and encourages pastors in over 170 churches around the country.

If you are at a point when you could use just a little encouragement, this episode is for you!

Just this past Sunday I attended a church for the first time, a small church. I told the pastor about 200churches, and he gave a heavy sigh, and talked about how much he needed encouragement to continue on in the ministry.

So, small church pastor, this one (like every one!) is for you. Enjoy! :-)