Épisodes

  • Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21

    Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21
    Jul 22 2022
    Church planting and church revitalization are two sides of the same coin. However, there are still many who wonder why plant churches at all. Why not just revitalize churches? In the last episode of Season 1, John and Caleb look at the reasons why we should value and support Church planting and how they are a powerful tool in spreading the gospel. We do not have to choose between church planting and church revitalization. They work hand-in-hand. Church plants help fulfill the Great Commission New Churches More Effectively Reach: Young Adults New Residents New People Groups Church plants innovate and learn in ways that benefit the whole body. Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    21 min
  • Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20

    Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20
    Jul 15 2022
    Last week, John and Caleb introduced the topic of church revitalization in the Knowing God Podcast. In this second part, John and Caleb talk about how churches return to health, gain a healthier place in their communities, and shepherd their members to greater purpose and ministry. Outline: Pastors must pray, preach, and stay. Establish a sense of urgency. Define the present reality but be a voice of hope. Cast vision that defines a better future. Lead through change. Be intentional with relationships. Have “tactical patience” (Mark Clifton) Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    23 min
  • Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19

    Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19
    Jul 8 2022
    With 80-90% of all churches either in a plateau or in decline, church revitalization is a vital ministry for most pastors. In this episode of Knowing God Podcast, John and Caleb introduce the topic of church revitalization. The goal for all churches, regardless of age and where they are on the life cycle, is to be healthy. Thus, pastors who are church revitalizers are often pointing their congregations to greater health so that they might be more faithful to the Great Commission. Outline: Defining “revitalization" Metrics for health Why revitalization is extremely difficult This is a stewardship issue Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    20 min
  • Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18

    Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18
    Jul 1 2022
    Digital engagement strategies for churches are here to stay. While it is safe to say that Covid-19 altered the way we experience church, the internet was already shaping the way we experience life and worship long before March of 2020. In this episode, John and Caleb conclude their discussion of digitizing church by offering some “yellow lights,” or appropriate ways to extend the church’s mission digitally with wisdom. Yellow lights: Wisdom is needed with digital engagement. We must acknowledge that we are living in a time of experimentation. Understand that “the medium is the message.” Tech will extend, eliminate, retrieve from the past, and can turn in on itself. Digital environments can fill in the other 6 days a week with helpful content and a means of community and discipleship. We need to understand that just because we have not done church “this way” before does not mean that it is automatically wrong. In-person gatherings will not go away. Reaching Gen Z with the gospel will demand adaptation and evaluation of digital tools. Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    19 min
  • Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17

    Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
    Jun 24 2022
    Last week, John and Caleb introduced the all-important discussion of digitizing church. In this episode of Knowing God Podcast, we look at how innovators are using the internet with little restraint. Is this the correct approach? And should we readily adopt any new digital method to help fulfill the Great Commission? These “green lights” will be assessed in our conversation. Green lights: The church can use any digital tool possible. VR church is in its infancy, and this is a new mission field. The Church has always used technology. The Bible has no framework for digital gathering. Most aspects of membership can be achieved digitally. During COVID-19, we and thousands of other churches partook of the Lord’s Supper digitally. Was that invalid? The Internet is the biggest “third space” in history. Does in-person attendance always equate to higher engagement than digital? Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    18 min
  • Digitizing Church – Red Lights S1,E16

    Digitizing Church – Red Lights S1,E16
    Jun 17 2022
    Beginning in March of 2020, churches were forced to pivot their strategies and port most or all of their ministries to an online environment. COVID-19 certainly changed the way we experienced church. However, churches were experimenting with digital ministries long before the pandemic. In this episode of Knowing God, Caleb and John discuss what some “red lights” might be to digitizing church. Follow-up episodes in the next two weeks will look at applying wisdom of utilizing the internet to extend the church’s reach. Red lights — The church should only extend its reach digitally with extreme caution. Digital church prevents gathering together (Heb 10:25). Pastoral oversight is impractical. Church discipline becomes impossible in digital environments. Sacraments are impractical to be observed in a digital environment. Church consumerism is accentuated. Digital reach of the church should be limited to less normative church membership like shut-ins and medical issues. Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    21 min
  • The Means of Grace S1,E15

    The Means of Grace S1,E15
    Jun 10 2022
    What are the different activities within the life of the church that God uses to bless his people? And what do we miss if we neglect involvement in a local church? Historically, the “means of grace” have been understood as the activities within a church to encourage holiness to its people and provide grace. In this episode, Caleb and John differentiate how this has been understood in the Protestant tradition and how we churches use ordinary means to bring benefits to its membership. Outline: The difference between Protestants and Roman Catholics. Traditional historical understanding. Expanding the historical views to include: Teaching the Word The Sacraments Prayer Worship Giving Evangelism Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    17 min
  • Church Discipline S1,E14

    Church Discipline S1,E14
    Jun 3 2022
    The subject of church discipline causes many to be squeamish at best and hostile at worst. Why would a church that is about loving people seek to discipline its membership? Many people avoid discipline of any kind, but when discipline is rightly applied it is a sign of love, security, and protection. In the same way, church discipline is a sign of a healthy church. In this episode, Caleb and John discuss why this is so and how church discipline is to be applied. Outline: Case study in 1 Corinthians:5 The purpose of church discipline is to restore, keep sin from spreading, and protect the reputation of the church. There is not an exhaustive list in the New Testament of sins that merit church discipline. The process of disciplining starts with smaller circles to larger circles. “We don’t shoot our wounded, but we don’t leave our wounded at war.” — Todd Wagner Recent Episodes Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 3 S1,E21 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 2 S1,E20 Revitalization and Church Planting – Part 1 S1,E19 Digitizing Church – Yellow Lights S1,E18 Digitizing Church – Green Lights S1,E17
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    19 min