In this 45-minute episode, Jeff and Jonny unpack five practices, that if you will do in your 200church, will radically increase leadership clarity in your small church!
The five practices are these: 1. Clarity expectations 2. Communicate until you over communicate 3. Individually recognize people and what they are doing 4. Celebrate both the BIG and small wins in your church 5. Discover trends in your church This was a blast to record and produce for you - and we hope that you are encouraged and blessed by this episode! Our gift to you. Enjoy! :-) In this episode we mentioned these two people: (no, we won't provide a link to TRUMP2016!) The Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast David Fitch (probably our guest on episode 145!) 
We all face it pastors, it's just a reality - people leave and will leave our churches. We can't avoid it, can't deny it, and shouldn't be surprised by it - people move on sometimes.
But how to you handle the pain of rejection, or what may feel like betrayal? You have to go all the way back to episode 03 of the podcast to find us talking on this topic last. That was 140 episodes ago! Take some time to listen to this, be encouraged that you are not alone in this as a pastor, and put some of the ideas in this episode into practice. Enjoy! You can find Dave Jacobs at SmallChurchPastor.com! You can buy his book by clicking on the image below...
Is your creativity running dry? This episode is a verbal pinterest board of idea creativity for your small church!
When was the last time you had a new idea in your church?
What was the last new ministry you started in your small church? Have you reimagined, then literally upgraded, any of your current ministries in the last year? What foundational principles and practices guide your creativity and idea generation? These are just some of the questions that Jeff and Jonny deal with in this episode, #142. They also touch on the NFL and fantasy football, where Jeff is almost completely incapacitated in the conversation. Jonny confesses to losing thousands in Fan Duel... well, kind of... FOR REAL THOUGH... Keeping quality ideas flowing into the life of our church is not easy, but it is important, as our churches are hospitals for some, and hothouses for others. Our churches, when gathered in our facilities, have huge opportunities to encourage both the body of Christ present, as well as the communities we live in. Then, our churches, when spread throughout our communities, have great opportunities to be the body of Christ in the world. In order to make a difference - we must be constant idea generators, and ministry reimaginers... maybe reimagineers? We hope this episode causes you to rethink some of what goes on around your small church. Sometimes the most profound benefits come from the most simple ideas. Your people are more than worth your re-imagining! As promised in this episode, here is a pic of our stellar fall season decorations in the 200churches Podcast studio! Idea generation and creativity at its BEST baby!
As you can imagine, or re-imagine, it took us quite a while to decorate the studio!
 I love kids! Well, actually, in groups they drive me crazy – if I were honest. I can’t wrangle wiggly, giggly, squirmy kids too well. They stress me out! I love order and decorum too much, and it’s been way too long since my own kids were in the single digit age range. Actually, it’s pretty bad when my favorite character is Miss Trunchbull from the movie “Matilda”! Yikes! But yes, I do love kids! I wrote a post a while ago about my practice of giving away free stuffed animals to every kid in my church. If you haven’t read it, you should. Jonny and I did another episode of the podcast recently with our own Director of Children’s Ministry – which you can find here. But for today, I want to give you what I think are the top five things that children need from their pastor, and we can all provide these to the kids in our churches: 1. Kids need to have a great relationship with their pastor! There’s no reason why a kid should be ignored by his or her pastor. Pastors have huge influence, and with just a little time and elbow grease, a smile here and a back pat there, we can make good connections with all the kids in our small churches. 2. Kids need to experience being loved, valued, and recognized by their pastor! All this takes is intentionality, kindness, and time. When we talk with a child, look them in the eye, affirm them, ask them how they’re doing, etc. – all these things build up the kids in our lives. 3. Kids should experience a pastor who knows and values their family! When I was a kid, I had the very conscious sense that my pastor did not know or care about my family. Wait a minute! That was my first pastor – but my second pastor cared very much, not just for me, but for my parents and siblings as well. A kid thinks, “If my pastor doesn’t really care about my family, I know that he or she doesn’t care about me either!” 4. Kids need to know their pastor well enough to realize that he or she loves Jesus! This involves some transparency and openness on your part. You might think this strange with children – but no, it’s honest and helpful! Tell children your Jesus story. Let them know that you struggle with prayer sometimes too. Share with them how Jesus has blessed your life and why you love him. You influence them. They will follow your lead. 5. Kids form their view of God through the lens of the church, therefore kids need to see the church loved well and led well by their pastor! If you show up, like my first pastor did, and head out the door two years later – well, then you have just sent a very negative message to every kid in your church. Love your people, and lead them and feed them well. Then the kids in your church will really believe that the things you have said about God and the church are true! Jesus once said something about children and millstones. Don’t be that person, Pastor! Be a pastor who loves the people of your church so much that the children realize that God is real, and his LOVE is real too! I love kids. Because Jesus does. Even if they do drive me up the wall. Only sometimes. And just a little… I may want to act like Danny DeVito in “Matilda” (I'm big, you're little!) But, I hope I act a little more like Miss Honey – who loves and cherishes her students. 
FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT FOR THIS EPISODE!
Melissa MacDonald met us on our recent trip to Vail, CO and talked all things Children's Ministry and Pastors! This is a great episode, probably the longest episode we've ever produced - but FULL of great inspiration, encouragement, tips, and practical wisdom as it relates to church leadership, mission, vision, and Kid's Ministry.
Melissa's great book, MISSING: AN URGENT CALL FOR THE CHURCH TO RESCUE KIDS, is available below. Her website is full of practical wisdom and encouragement for your Children's Ministry staff and volunteers at MelissaJMacDonald.com. Melissa talked about the following Children's Ministry Curriculum - and here are the links below: TRU - Then, click here for the free 7 Family Ministry Essentials from TRU Curriculum! D6 2nd Generation What's In The Bible? 
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