In this episode, join us as we delve into the dynamic intersection of faith and social media with Pradeepan Jeeva, lead pastor of Kalos Church in Seattle, Washington. Discover the art of cultivating a vibrant TikTok presence for your church and learn firsthand from Pastor Pradeepan's insights on running a successful account that not only engages bu…

In this episode we interview Shanna Wimbush, our very own Kids Coordinator who also serves as a volunteer with us. We go through ways to build your team to a high level of commitment and how to get your kids to want to be a part of kids ministry! Show notes: In this episode we said we would link you to Shanna's story of going from New Age to becomi…

In this episode we discuss ways to make a youth ministry thrive in a church plant. This is a discussion with Lead Pastors Erin & Corey Kope from Venue Church & Youth Pastor Bennett Glubish from Evolve Church. Show notes: In this episode we discussed the real challenge teens are facing in their identity and said we would give you the links to a seri…

We sat down with Pastor Jason Burns from Access Church in Lakeland, Florida to discuss best practices for staff meetings and team celebration. Since we did this interview our staff meetings have been 100% better! -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the big faith and hard work behind every thriving church.…

In this episode we're sharing a message we were privileged to share during ARC Canada Conference 2023 entitled "Closing the Back Door." In this training session we shared some strategies on team and church growth, focusing on how we can send people into the right areas in our churches for their growth. Should we be like Walmart, or more like Ikea? …

In this episode we discuss what we learned through teaching Mike Todd's "Crazy Faith" series at our church. We share how we were able to raise our largest offering ever, the logistics of giving it all away, and what we will do differently next time. If you're curious about what Crazy Faith is or whether it could be a good fit for your congregation,…

As a part of their Crazy Faith Super Sunday service, Transformation Church (Tulsa, OK) unexpectedly blessed our congregation with a check for $270,000. How did that come about?! In this episode we share the good, the bad and the ugly that comes from publicly receiving such a large gift. -- Click the link below to see our message map, branding files…

Relaunching in the post-covid world likely means making more happen with less resources. It's not easy, but here are some creative ideas to help when you have fewer attendees, volunteers and dollars than ever. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the big faith and hard work behind every thriving church.…

What's it like to plant a church as a single guy? As you can probably imagine it comes with a unique set of challenges and opportunities! In this episode we talk with Jonathan Brooker, pastor of Alive Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He shares the struggles of moving to a new city alone, launching a life-giving church from scratch, and finding l…

It's inevitable - people are going to leave your church (for biblical and unbiblical reasons). And when they do, it can be hard not to take it personally. In this episode we discuss the pain of pastoring fickle people, and how to protect your heart and ministry when you feel wounded and inadequate. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to high…

What if you decided to plant your next campus in a different country or even on a different continent? What does it take to raise a church to self-sufficiency, turn it over to local leadership and then move your family to a new city in order to start the process all over again? Luke Reid is the founding pastor of Resound Church a multisite church w…

Fundraising doesn't stop at launch day! In this episode, Dan and Amber contrast two capital campaigns they led at Connect Church. One was a bit of a flop, while the other nearly doubled its target. No matter what you are raising funds for, we want to help you do it creatively and effectively. -- View our fundraising our auction site here View our "…

If your church is anything like ours, the "75 Hard" Challenge is becoming very popular. And while investing in your mental and physical health is a great idea, we want people to put equal effort into their spiritual lives also. That's why we've kicked of the RADICAL60 challenge at Connect Church. In this episode Dan and Amber discuss this spiritual…

Negotiating a lease with a commercial landlord can feel foreign and stressful. What is a TI? How do I know what the rent will actually be? What are the hidden costs of a buildout? In this episode, we share the basics of leasing a warehouse for your church, plus pro tips to give you the upper hand in your contract negotiations! -- New Church Hustle …

Whether you've lost your venue due to COVID, or you are simply ready to be done with set up and tear down every Sunday, you have probably considered finding a building of your own. But what does it take to purchase or to lease commercial space? What basics do you need to know, and what hidden pitfalls should you avoid? In this episode we share what…

What's it like to be the only Black family in a White church? How can we spot hidden racism, and root it out before it undermines our church? In what ways do we subconsciously marginalize voices of color on Sundays? In the episode we talk to George and Jontelle Gibson, Black parents and business owners who have spent the majority of their lives in …

We are currently in the middle of what will likely be the defining event of our lifetime, and it's natural to wonder what ministry will be like when we can meet in person once again (an eventuality that some of you are already dealing with). In this episode we share some of our thoughts on what to expect in the next 12 months, we warn against rushi…

The COVID-19 outbreak has forced churches to cease meeting in person; all ministry has been moved online. In this episode, we interview Pradeepan Jeeva, pastor of Kalos Church in Bellevue, Washington. He shares their approach to building community via online platforms like Zoom, and discusses why he believes most churches are looking in the wrong p…

How many kids will show up at your launch service? How do you ensure that the children at your church are safe? How do you get the most out of your curriculum? In part two of our episode on kids ministry, we answer these questions and more! Plus, for some bizarre and never-fully-explained reason, Amber does the entire podcast with a blindfold on. C…

Kids ministry is key for any church, but it's especially critical in a new church plant! In this episode, we discuss the differing expectations of parents, children and volunteers regarding kids ministry, how to choose the right Kids Coordinator, and whether you should hire kids care workers on Sundays. Sample Kids Coordinator Job Description Conne…

Nobody gets hyped over a connection card. But these little slips of paper are key to an effective guest follow up system. We tell you what works and what doesn't when it comes to getting your visitor's contact info. Click here to take a look at our Connection Cards (and find the design files as well!) -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to h…

Holidays like Christmas and Easter typically bring the biggest influx of visitors each year. But they also bring the biggest pressures and budgets. In this episode we discuss how to make the most of holiday services - without losing your mind in the process. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the big faith and hard work behind …

How do you deal with volunteers who are not performing at the level you need them to? One option is to simply complain about them, (but that won't produce any results!). In this episode we lay out a simple 3-step process we've implemented to take dream teamers from struggling to thriving! -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the …

Getting ahead when planning your sermons can make pastoring so much easier. In this episode we talk about how to do it, and the tools that will make sermon research and creation a breeze. Plus we have a frank discussion regarding when and if it's okay to preach material that was written by another pastor. SHOW NOTES: Free sermons & media resources …

In this episode, we answer common questions about what makes for effective preaching in a church plant setting. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the big faith and hard work behind every thriving church.

In our last episode we discussed the importance of a weekly process for getting people out of the seats and on to a serve team. This week we discuss the nuts and bolts of a 3 week Next Steps track, and we share every mistake we've made as we continually attempt to figure out the most efficient way to assimilate new visitors. Here are the links ment…

Whether you call it Next Steps, Growth Track, Crash Course or something else, a weekly assimilation class is one of the most critical pieces of your church plant. Unfortunately, most new churches either don't run a Next Steps class or make mistakes that compromise its effectiveness. Today we're beginning a conversation in which we lay out our exper…

When you begin planting a church, you may have to do something that most people never have to deal with - setting a salary for yourself. To navigate this issue well, you will have to manage the tension between your church plant's needs and your family's needs. In this episode, we share some best practices and biggest mistakes when it comes to churc…

In part two of our discussion on free-market small groups, we discuss who is qualified to lead a group (and who isn't), the one simple goal every small group exists to accomplish, uncommon metrics for small group success, and how to get more people into groups each semester. View our online small group leader training by clicking HERE. -- New Churc…

Groups are absolutely vital to a healthy church. But in a new church plant, you typically have a lack of leaders and people can be hesitant to make a long-term commitment to people they don't know (and perhaps won't even like!). That's why we've become big fans of the "Free Market" small group system. It allows Christians to be quickly trained to u…

Thriving as a woman in the world of church planting can sometimes be tricky. You have to navigate expectations and responsibilities that men often do not. You may feel pressure to fit into the mold of "submissive pastor's wife" or "fierce female preacher." But what if you simply gave yourself permission to be yourself. What if you stopped worrying …

What does a Life-Giving church service look like? Is it only about the energy and vibe, or is there more to it? How do we balance the needs of mature Christians with the needs of lost people in the same hour? This episode is a deep dive into effective Sunday mornings. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the big faith and hard wo…

The business world has developed a concept called "The Trough of Sorrow" that every church planter can relate to. It's the name for that long stretch of time when you are working harder than ever, but seeing less results than ever. It WILL hit every church plant sooner or later, so in this episode we discuss what to do when nothing seems to be work…

When you sign up to be a church planter, you sign up to be BUSY. How do you prioritize rest when all you want to do is hustle for Jesus? We share hard-earned lessons in this episode. (Tempted to skip this episode? That probably means this is one you need to hear.) -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the big faith and hard work b…

What's the process for creating a great sermon podcast? Which parts are essential, and what is a waste of time? And, if you wanted to start a podcast as a hobby, what should you know ahead of time? Plus, we share a behind the scenes look at how NCH operates, what it costs, our download statistics and more. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed…

You have people sitting in the seats, but you need them serving on a team. How do you motivate them when you can't pay them? This week's episode is all about the power of a healthy culture to create and sustain committed volunteers. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to highlight the big faith and hard work behind every thriving church.…

In this episode, we continue our interview with planter Andrew Beresford of ServeCity Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Our conversation includes why fundraising is easier than you think it is, navigating tension with other churches in your area, and how church planting impacts your mental health. Connect with Andrew and ServeCity online: @GAndre…

In today's episode, we interview Andrew Beresford, planter of ServeCity Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We discuss discerning a call to plant, starting a church without losing your family, and dealing with people who leave your church over petty things. Follow Andrew and ServeCity online: @GAndrewBeresford | @ServeCityToronto -- New Church Hust…

Launch day is just the first of 5,000 future church services. How do you help ensure people return week after week? A big component is the environment and "feel" of your services. In this episode, we talk about creating a church vibe that is ALIVE and IMPRESSIVE. We cover what to preach at your first service, as well as what to do if your venue is …

Launch Day is arguably the scariest part of starting a church. You're mind is haunted by questions like, "Have we done enough?" "Is God really in this thing, or are we making a huge mistake?" "Is our team ready?" "Will anyone even show up?" In this week's episode we share our launch day experiences, help you anticipate how many people are likely to…

Typical church planting wisdom relies heavily on preview services to gain momentum before launch. But what if preview services do more harm than good? And what are other mistakes church planters make in the prelaunch season? We share our missteps so you can avoid the pitfalls many planters wander into. -- New Church Hustle is a podcast designed to …

Worship ministry is a huge component of starting a new church (after all, congregational singing occupies about a third of a typical Sunday morning service). But where do you find talented musicians? How do we prevent worship from becoming a performance? What about lost people - Should they be on stage? Are worship team auditions really a thing? An…

Worship ministry is a huge component of starting a new church (after all, congregational singing occupies about a third of a typical Sunday morning service). But where do you find talented musicians? How do we prevent worship from becoming a performance? What about lost people - Should they be on stage? Are worship team auditions really a thing? Wh…

Almost every church planter assessment utilizes a personality test of some type (e.g. DISC, Meyers-Briggs, and StrengthsFinders). Many churches are also discovering the power of incorporating these tools into their leadership pipeline. At Connect Church we've been using the Enneagram to help people better understand themselves, and in this episode …