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Three Undeniable Realities of Pastoral Ministry (Video)
Virtually all pastors will pastor a small church for at least some time in our ministry So let’s figure out how to do it well.

Yes, We Should Celebrate Church Growth
Church growth should always be a part of every pastor’s prayers, passion, and strategy. Especially when it’s kingdom growth.

The Clergy Sabbatical Toolkit, with Sean Nemecek (Ep 95)
A clergy sabbatical is not a luxury for the few, it’s an essential element in recalibrating your ministry and reestablishing healthy habits for ministry longevity.

Shouldn’t Every Church Try To Grow? (The Quick Answer Is “No”)
Nowhere did Jesus, Paul, or any of the disciples even hint that striving for greater numbers should be a goal of Jesus’ followers.

The Future Of Churches Will Be Really Huge — And Very Small
When the big keep getting bigger and the small keep multiplying, will mid-size churches get squeezed out?

Three Ways A Small Church Can Be An Effective Church (Video)
People will come to small churches, but they won’t give up quality to do so. But quality looks different in a small church than a big church.

When Church Growth Goes From Invigorating To Debilitating
Pastors who are motivated by the push to get bigger year-over-year are vastly outnumbered by the pastors who are discouraged by it.

Reclaiming The Priority Of Preaching And Prayer
Preaching and prayer are Christ’s priority for pastoral ministry. These responsibilities should be championed above any other task within a pastor’s role.

Using Storytelling Techniques to Make Your Message Stick, with Payton Minzenmayer (Ep 94)
Jesus always told stories. The Gospel is a story. The Bible is God’s story. Let’s get better at telling them.
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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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