What if your church’s discipleship system could multiply without adding a single new program?

In this fast-paced episode, Kevin unpacks three powerful shifts every pastor must make to move from maintenance to movement in their discipleship culture. Drawing from his Make More Disciples Challenge, Kevin explains how small mindset shifts can unlock massive ministry impact.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Action Over Information — Why discipleship is more caught than taught and how to move people from sitting to serving.
2. Pathways Over Programs — How to simplify your ministry calendar and create a clear next-step culture.
3. Shared Leadership Over Lone Leadership — How to build a multiplying culture that prevents burnout and empowers believers to lead.

If your church is stuck in the cycle of “busy but not fruitful,” this episode will help you re-center your focus and create a pathway that engages every believer in the mission of Christ.

If you're ready to take action on your churches engagement and discipleship movement, then the MMDC is right for you. Let's jump on a call and talk about if you're a good fit for the next Challenge. https://calendly.com/kevinelworthcoaching/make-more-disciples-challenge-1

Today on Pastors Thriving, I welcome Pastor Bryan Samms, lead pastor of River City Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. Bryan and his wife, Angie, along with their five kids, are living proof that prayer and radical belief in an almighty God still move mountains today.

Now, you might be thinking, “Isn’t that what every church is about?” Great question—and in this power-packed episode, you’ll discover what sets Bryan’s ministry apart and what you can apply in your own context to spark an impactful, miraculous movement in your church.

We’ll talk about:

• Why prayer must move beyond formality into expectancy
• What Bryan has learned through seasons of leadership, faith, and family
• How to position your church for God-sized breakthroughs

📚 Grab Bryan’s book Rescued: Our Family’s Adoption Story here: Amazon Link

🔗 Connect with Bryan:

• Website: www.bryansamms.com
• Pulpit Advance: www.pulpitadvance.com
• Facebook: PreacherSamms
• X/Twitter: @bryansamms
• Instagram: @preachersamms

If you’re ready to step into a ministry-shifting experience of your own, check out the Make More Disciples Challenge and get registered today.

What if your church’s discipleship system could multiply without adding a single new program?

In this fast-paced episode, Kevin unpacks three powerful shifts every pastor must make to move from maintenance to movement in their discipleship culture. Drawing from his Make More Disciples Challenge, Kevin explains how small mindset shifts can unlock massive ministry impact.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Action Over Information — Why discipleship is more caught than taught and how to move people from sitting to serving.
2. Pathways Over Programs — How to simplify your ministry calendar and create a clear next-step culture.
3. Shared Leadership Over Lone Leadership — How to build a multiplying culture that prevents burnout and empowers believers to lead.

If your church is stuck in the cycle of “busy but not fruitful,” this episode will help you re-center your focus and create a pathway that engages every believer in the mission of Christ.

👉 Learn more about the Make More Disciples Challenge: https://morediscipleschallenge.com/optin

Special episode in honor of Charlie Kirk and his profound and powerful legacy

If someone asked your staff to write down your church’s mission, would they all say the same thing?

In this episode, Kevin walks pastors through 7 clarity-defining questions that reveal how well your church’s mission, discipleship process, and expectations are actually understood—not just by you, but by your staff, volunteers, and congregation.

Clarity kills confusion. Without it, you lose momentum. But with it? You create powerful alignment that fuels growth and next steps.

In this episode:

• Why obscurity is more dangerous than decline
• The one-sentence test that reveals your real mission clarity
• How to diagnose if your team is aligned or just assuming
• What most churches forget to define when it comes to success
• How to bring instant clarity to your discipleship process

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts 👉 Pastors Thriving Podcast

🚀 Ready to create clarity and momentum in your ministry? Join the Make More Disciples Challenge → https://morediscipleschallenge.com/optin

🤝 Want personalized insight into your clarity gap? Book a free coaching session with Kevin → https://calendly.com/kevinelworthcoaching/complimentary-1-1-strategy-call

What lies have you unknowingly partnered with that keep you from experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with author Jodi Goshorn to talk about her new book, Goodbye Lies, Hello Life.

Jodi opens up about her journey from missions work in Thailand to homeschooling mom of six, and the painful but freeing process of uncovering lies she believed about God, herself, and her calling. Together, we talk about:

• Why subtle lies are the most dangerous to your faith
• The trap of believing ministry requires a title or position
• What it looks like to discover your God-given identity and walk in it
• How fear manipulates us — and how freedom from fear unlocks abundance
• The role of vulnerability, surrender, and trust in the Christian life

Whether you’re a pastor, leader, or everyday believer, this episode will remind you: you are chosen, called, and equipped for kingdom impact.

👉 Grab Jodi’s book Goodbye Lies, Hello Life on Amazon and be sure to leave her a review after you read it.

Resources & Links:

• Connect with Jodi on Facebook and Instagram
• Connect with Kevin at Pastors Thriving Podcast - Coaching@kevinelworth.live

Rebuild momentum, reenergize your people, and stop settling for surface-level ministry.

Pastor—what if the energy you’ve been praying for is just three decisions away?

In this episode of Pastors Thriving, Kevin breaks down the 3 key decisions that can reignite engagement in your church—without burning you out or overhauling everything. Whether you're sensing apathy in your people, fatigue in your leadership, or just want to lead with greater clarity this season, these three shifts are for you.

You’ll learn:

• Why your current engagement may be stalled (and how to restart it)
• The difference between busy ministry and aligned ministry
• How to create clarity around your church’s next step—starting now
• What happens when your team finally moves in the same direction

Plus, Kevin shares a personal story that just might help you reframe how you think about momentum, clarity, and people’s real potential.

📘 Want to go deeper? Grab Kevin’s book: 👉 Breaking the I Can’t Cycle: Moving Your Life from I Can’t to I Did! This book is full of the mindsets and practical steps that pastors need to break through spiritual and leadership ceilings—without burning out or giving up.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pastors-thriving-ministry-leadership-discipleship-church/id1704510489?i=1000701697710

Has engagement dropped in your church—or just in you? These three decisions will help you reengage both.

#ChurchEngagement #PastorsThriving #ChurchLeadership #BreakTheCycle #MinistryMomentum #ChurchGrowth

Abundance is a word we throw around in church circles — but have you ever stopped to ask, what does abundance look like for me?

In this episode of Pastors Thriving, Kevin takes you into Psalm 24:1, John 10:10, and Romans 8:28 to explore how God’s definition of abundance intersects with your personal desires, ministry goals, and family life.

Kevin shares his own story of a sabbatical retreat where he defined financial abundance years before it became a reality — and how God honored that definition in unexpected ways. Along the way, you’ll learn:

• Why abundance demands your definition, not just a dictionary meaning
• How desire, success, and failure look different for every pastor
• Why God leaves out the word “how” in Romans 8:28 — and what that means for your trust in Him
• Practical steps to begin journaling and praying over your personal definition of abundance
• How resisting what God wants to give can keep you from experiencing fullness

If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like:

• What does abundance look like in my church?
• Am I allowed to desire more?
• How can I trust God when I don’t know how?

…this episode will encourage you to step into God’s fullness with fresh courage.

👉 Resources & Next Steps:

• Join the Make More Disciples Challenge to help your church fully engage without burning you out.
• Connect with Kevin: kevinelworthcoaching.com
• Subscribe to the Pastors Thriving podcast so you never miss an episode.