Norma V joins Jeff live in his church office studio to talk about her path to, and passion for missions! Norma is a sharp lady who has spend more than 8 years in Mexico, 20 years in Venezuela, and several years in Native culture. Norma has committed her life to ministry, leadership development, discipleship, and spiritual and soul formation.

We love having women church leaders like Norma on the podcast, as they give us great ministry perspective and wisdom. She referenced the International Training Alliance and encouraged our listeners to inquire online and see if they might want to be a part of it! Check it out!

This is a very encouraging podcast episode - ENJOY!

Jeff is joined by friend of the show and host of the Small Church Big Deal Conference, Chris Vitarelli, to talk about Chris' own ministry journey, how he came to love small churches, and the heart behind his upcoming conference in Fenton, Michigan. You will be encouraged by Chris' story and by his heart for the Church and the work he is doing. If you can make it to Michigan on October 12 and 13, make sure you do! But even if you can't, you can enjoy the wisdom of conference speaker Dave Jacobs by heading over to his Podcast Series page.

Ray Hollenbach is a HUGE fan of the 200churches Podcast, texting Jonny and me after many of our episodes come out. He gives us feedback, almost always positive, (okay, always positive!) and is a great friend and encourager.

Ray lives online at www.studentsofjesus.com. You, should check out his site, his books, his coaching, his blog posts, etc. Ray has a sharp mind and warm heart.

Ray joined us to talk about what we as pastors accept as leadership models in ministry. He takes exception to the modern "pastor as CEO" model of ministry leadership. He shares his passion for what he believes pastoral ministry really is all about.

Ray recently tweeted, Phrases like “visionary” and “executive decision” do not appear among our examples, but such phrases are all too common in the North American church, and this episode unpacks this tweet in audio form...

Pastor, you will be challenged by Ray in this episode, and we are happy to share it with you! Enjoy!

Tony Morgan, from The Unstuck Group, joins Jeff and Jonny LIVE and in the flesh as the three of them converse on what it means to get your church back on mission, back on the road to reaching people in your community who have no hope! Tony's organization helps get stuck churches - Unstuck! This is a very helpful and encouraging episode! 

Right on the front end of the episode, before everything else, Jeff shares all the information you need to find The Unstuck Group's resources online. They have a book, a blog, a YouTube channel, and a podcast, just to name a few of the free resources!

So much great stuff available through this episode. Take advantage of it all! 

See you next week! Enjoy the episode!

Jonny and I would be completely over the moon if you and your church decided to collaborate with our guest today, to help toddlers, kids, and young people, avoid the ugly and horrible world of sex trafficking!

Al Henson is the founder of Compassionate Hope - found at www.compassionatehope.org - and is so powerfully committed tp helping young ones in Southeast Asia avoid being trafficked. He shares some of his own story, which turns into the story of Compassionate Hope. Our goal in sharing Al's story is that some of you might realize just how much Kingdom work your small church actually can do.

If one child is saved from a horrible life and finds LIFE and HOPE in Jesus, because of Episode 290 of our podcast, all 5+ years of this podcast will have been worth every minute of work we've put into it! No lie!

Check out the Compassionate Hope website, search Google for all things Compassionate Hope, and enjoy this episode!

Jeff and Jonny debrief with each other, and process out loud - the sad situation that Willowcreek Church, Bill Hybels, and some suffering women find themselves in. These events have rocked the ministry world to its core.

Jeff and Jonny do not usually talk about current events of the day, but the events with Bill Hybels and Willowcreek, aligned in time with the Global Leadership Summit - simply cannot be ignored.

This is not an exhaustive critique of things, but a conversation among pastor friends simply trying to process and understand.

We refer to this episode of the Theology on Mission podcast.

Jonny referenced this Missio Alliance blog post titled 7 Questions All Pastors Need To Ask Themselves Post-Hybels

The guys offer their heartfelt prayers and compassion to the women involved who have suffered so much, to the beautiful people of Willow, to the Hybels family, and finally to Bill Hybels himself. God uses everyone, even those with broken hearts.

May the lives of the women who have suffered find beauty and redemption as they reach for the comfort and encouragement of the Savior. May the Hybels family find reconciliation in the Gospel they have believed. May the people of Willow see their brightest days are yet ahead...

If you're stuck somewhere in your life or ministry, chances are it's because you are avoiding a Crucial Conversation. On today's episode, Jonny and his guest Pam Dykstra (Master Trainer with VitalSmarts) unpack what Crucial Conversations are and why you need to be having them in your family, with your friend, and in your ministry. Not all conversations are "crucial," but the small percentage that are can make all the difference in your life and ministry. You are sure to be challenged and blessed by Pam's experience and wisdom today! To get started in your own life, take the test that Pam and Jonny discuss for free at the VitalSmarts website today!

Jim Drake is the pastor of Parkview Baptist Church in Bluefield VA and the guest on episode 287! Jim has been sending a Sunday morning text message to Jeff for a couple years now, as he has to about 200 other ministry workers every week when he prays for them

Recently, when Jeff received the usual Sunday morning text, he replied back and invited Pastor Jim onto the podcast. Jim had a 20 year Air Force career before moving into full time pastoral ministry. In this episode he tells the story of how God moved him from instructing military to edifying the body of Christ.

This is another encouraging episode featuring a real, live, small church pastor!

Enjoy!

This week, we're diving into a special bonus episode to chat with Kayla Craig, host of Upside Down Podcast. You may remember her from Episode 262, where she talks about being married to someone in ministry. (Hint: That someone is Jonny.) Kayla grabs a mic at the kitchen table and invites our 200Churches listeners (Hint: That's you!) to the Upside Down Gathering, a two-day event Sept. 21-22 in Chicago, exploring faith, culture, and God's upside-down Kingdom.

In this short + snappy conversation, Kayla gives an inside peek into the Upside Down Gathering, which will feature pastors, authors, and speakers who are living out the Gospel in creative and Jesus-centered ways. (We're especially excited to hear Pastor Dominique Gilliard and Pastor Sandra Maria Van Opstal!) If you're looking for a place to be equipped and empowered to do justice, think creatively about ministry, and prioritize community, we're inviting YOU to join us Chicago in the fall!

Kayla even drops a code (It's: "200") for an EXTRA 10 percent off already discounted two-day tickets. Even if you can't attend, this would be a great place to send small groups, support staff, or ministry leaders in your church family. We love their emphasis on diversity and their intentional choices on everything from sponsors to food! :) Jonny will be there, Jeff will be wishing he was there, and we hope to see YOU at the Upside Down Gathering this fall.

Enjoy this chat, and as always, don't be a stranger!

Until next time,
Jeff and Jonny

Every so often we record an episode that you just know is going to be a different kind of an episode - a significant one, with the potential to help many others. This is one of those episodes.

Pastor Vinny Provenzano from the Derby Campus of NewLife Church in Trumbull CT contacted us several weeks ago to share the impact of our podcast on his life. As we heard his story, we knew we needed to share it with you.

After you listen, be sure to visit WeChoseLove.com to see how Vinny is encouraging others who going through similar struggles.