Episode 284: Mixing it Up on Service
This week on the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson conclude their three-week mini-series, drawing out the usual podcast banter to specific subjects. No agenda; no plan. Just a free-form conversation — this week, on serving the church. Why do 5% of church members do 95% of the work? Who can serve in a church? How do you keep zealous members from burning themselves out? How can we motivate non-servers to join the efforts? What do you do when a congregation demands a ministry that none of them want to actually contribute to? All that and more in this final episode of “mixing it up.”
Episode 282: Mixing it Up on Preaching
This week on the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson a three-week mini-series, drawing out the usual podcast banter to specific subjects. No agenda; no plan. Just a free-form conversation — this week, on preaching. What is it? What should sermons do? What were the guys’ first sermons like? How have they grown over the years? What are some things beginning preachers should keep in mind? All that and more in this episode of “mixing it up.”
Episode 280: Changing a Church
One of the most frequent questions we get relates to how to go about leading change in a church. In this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the potential for negative change in a church — how it happens and how to prevent it — and the process for leading positive change in a church.
Episode 276: The Soul-Winning Church
You want your church to be reaching out with the gospel. Your sermons often include a call to evangelize. You’ve held evangelism training events. So . . . where are the conversions? Is your church actually reaching the lost? How do you become a genuinely soul-winning church? On today’s episode of the FTC Podcast, authors and ministers J.A. Medders and Doug Logan join Jared Wilson to talk about their new book The Soul-Winning Church and its six keys to fostering a genuine evangelistic culture in your church.
Why Every Church Member Matters
Most people don’t know who you are. In fact, most church members are unknown. They aren’t speaking at conferences, writing books, on a website, or being paid. I’ve been at conferences with thousands and thousands of people and less than a dozen on stage. Most Christians are the people in the pew, not the pulpit. […]
Episode 270: Baptists on Baptism
It’s an “everything baptism” episode today! Jared and Ross talk about the biblical meaning and mode of baptism, the phenomenon of “spontaneous baptisms,” the connection between baptism and membership and discipleship, what age is the right age to baptize, and even their funny baptism stories.
Visible Grace in Disagreements: Willingness to Confront vs. Eagerness for Controversy
Editor’s Note: This post is excerpted from Visible Grace: Seeing the Church the Way Jesus Does by Caleb Batchelor. The book is available now from 10Publishing. Paul wasn’t afraid to address sin. Just ask the Corinthians. But what first grabbed Paul’s attention when he thought about that rowdy, discriminatory congregation in Corinth? God’s visible grace (1 […]
Episode 258: When a Church Changes
On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss how mature Christians might learn to consider, process, and adjust when their churches change in a variety of ways, as well as how leaders might initiate change in a way that best positions a church for health and stability.
Episode 5: Sensible
When we say “pastor on Twitter,” what image first comes to your mind? It’s likely not an even-keeled, thoughtful, diserning personality. But social media isn’t the only platform for unstable pastors. In this new episode, Jared and Ronnie talk about the tendency for pastors to be swayed by cultural winds, congregational pressures, crazy headlines, and just their own rabbit trails and hobby-horses. When a pastor’s mind is constantly “held captive” by every thought — instead of the other way around — he loses his sense.
Episode 254: Being a Good Listener
On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the art of listening. How can we make sure the people in our lives and churches feel heard? And why is that important? Included are some practical tips for becoming better listeners.