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What Innovative Churches Do That Imitators Miss
Don’t copy the churches you admire. Learn from their principles, then extend them into places that only your church can go.

Why the Body of Christ Still Matters, with Brad Edwards (Ep 118)
“To be blunt, elevating the spiritual realm and devaluing the material world is not biblical Christianity.”

Seasons, Cycles, and Serenity
We can’t control the seasons of our life, or of the church we’re called to lead, but we can do something about the cycles.

Using John Kotter’s Change Theory In Small Church Leadership
“At each step we agreed on the problem, figured out a solution together, and worked together to change for the kingdom’s sake.”

A Last-Minute Christmas Sermon Idea – Keep It Simple, Keep It Weird
One of the challenges of preaching for Christmas is holding two very different truths in hand without falling into one of two traps.

The Growing Problem of Gambling Addiction in the Church, with Dr. Donald Lichi (Ep 117)
Spiritual leaders can help struggling believers by educating themselves about the problems of gambling addiction.

This Year, Rediscover The “Why?” Behind Your Church’s Christmas Traditions
Asking “why?” can help a church infuse Christmas celebrations with greater hope, joy, mission, and purpose.

Want To Read The Bible In 2026? Try The Bible Reading Coach Podcast
A year-long Bible-reading plan designed to help beginners and mature believers get more out of your journey through God’s Word.

How Your Church Can Help People Recover from Grief, with Jeff Forrey (Ep 116)
An important conversation about grief, recovery, and how your church can help people, both inside and outside the congregation, deal with grief in healthy ways.
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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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