It’s been said that the first rule of leadership is to define reality.
This is profoundly true.
In this video teaching, I take an entertaining look at the events of Apollo 13 (the movie and the real-life events) to make a vivid point about how to lead well through crisis in a small church that needs to change.
This is a segment from my full-length seminar talk, Big Churches, Small Churches: What’s The Difference?.
For more information about this and other full-length sessions that I can present at your pastors seminar, webinar or multi-day workshop, go to my Speaking Menu page. You’ll find more video clips like this as they’re created, plus a contact form to inquire about available dates, and a full menu of session titles.

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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