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Russ Taff, on Childhood Trauma, Church Hurt, Alcoholism, Fame, & Redemption (Ep 99)
A preacher’s kid with a ton of unacknowledged trauma becomes one of the world’s most heralded Christian singers. This is the Russ Taff story.

There’s A Pastor Reading This Who’s Living A Secret Life
Confessing voluntarily instead of hoping no one finds out (which they will), is your best chance at healing.

Want Quality Over Quantity? Here Are Four Questions Every Ministry Must Ask
Ministries must resist the temptation of shortcuts and superficiality. We must ask ourselves: What are we compromising for the sake of growth?

The Biggest Difference In Big/Small Church Leadership
Small church leadership relies on the pastor’s presence, big church leadership compensates for the pastor’s absence.

Ten Things They Didn’t Tell Me About Leadership, with Alberto Bello (Ep 98)
“I’m living the dream because for the first time in my ministry life and leadership, I understand why my journey was so challenging.”

27 Benefits Of Putting An Expiration Date On New Ministries
Here’s a great way to open your church up to innovative new ideas by minimizing the risk – or at least the sting – of failure.

Creatively Bivocational: Think Local, Lucrative, Low Bar to Entry
What are you good at that you can convert into a small business to help fund ministry?

The New Normal: 9 Realities And Trends In Bivo/covocational Ministry
Bivo- and covocational ministry is more than a pit-stop on the way to “real” pastoring. It’s as real as it gets. And it’s becoming very common.

Getting Your Church on the Road to Greater Health, with Mike Rubino (Ep 97)
Revitalization will require that you lead with the heart of a shepherd, the head of a researcher, and the hands of a servant.
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Author
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Karl Vaters produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of five books on church leadership, including his newest, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next. His other books include The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials.
Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast, The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry, featuring in-depth interviews about topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context. He has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience.
You can follow Karl on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn, or Contact Karl to inquire about speaking, writing, and consultation.
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