Best Flyover Ministry Podcast Podcasts (2024)

Karl Vaters talks with Scot McKnight about what we can learn from those who are deconstructing their faith. This conversation is based on the content of Scot’s new book (co-written with Tommy Preson Phillips), Invisible Jesus: A Book about Leaving the Church and Looking for Christ. This is a challenging book and a challenging conversation, especial…

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Episode 208 - Faith Formation In The Congregation 25:50

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9h ago25:50

25:50

A church can communicate how it prioritizes students and families through trust, trail and error, and by passing responsibilities on to younger generations. Dan and Jordan dive into discuss this topic more in this week's episode.

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Episode 207 - Leading Faith Formation At Home 38:11

16d ago38:11

38:11

Ministry leaders can demonstrate to other families how to work through the challenges and blessings of faith formation at home. Jordan and Dan talk about how to encourage parents in the faith formation of their children by example.

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Ep 90: How Bible Reading Can Jumpstart Your Church’s Discipleship, with Matt Lucas 51:34

5h ago51:34

51:34

Karl Vaters interviews Matt Lucas about starting your congregation on the road to spiritual maturity through increasing their Bible reading. Specifically, how reading the Bible at least four times a week is so powerful, it's been called "The Power of Four." Matt is the CEO of Our Daily Bread (known for their quarterly devotionals) and The Center fo…

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Episode 206 - Ministry From Home pt. 2 30:16

22d ago30:16

30:16

Dan and Jordan continue to discuss faith formation at home.

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Episode 205 - Ministry From Home 37:11

29d ago37:11

37:11

Jordan and Dan continue to talk through Jordan's sessions from the Summer Institute of Theology. This week begins the conversation of where ministry to students happens, focusing especially on home-based ministry.

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Ep 89: Vibrant Ministry After Retirement Age, with Lisa Northway 50:00

11d ago50:00

50:00

Retirement isn’t what it used to be. In the U.S. military, retirement is mandatory at 62 years of age, but U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain (MAJ) Lisa A. Northway is an exception to that. Lisa, who’s currently stationed in Fort Sill, OK, has been called the “Grandma Moses” of the Army Chaplaincy. She recently received permission to extend her chaplaincy…

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Episode 204 - Equipping For Independent Study 28:48

1M ago28:48

28:48

In this week's slightly more pun-riddled episode, Dan and Jordan continue to discuss how leaders can better equip their students to study God's Word on their own.

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Ep 088: The Gift of Small: Embracing Your Church’s Vocation, with Allen T. Stanton 46:51

1M ago46:51

46:51

Small churches aren’t a problem to fix, they’re a unique part of the body of Christ that has gifts we need to embrace. Karl Vaters talks with Allen T. Stanton about the importance of embracing what’s right about small churches, not in spite of being small, but because they’re small, in a conversation based on the content of Allen's book, The Gift o…

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Episode 203 - Independent Study 32:07

2M ago32:07

32:07

How do we as leaders, parents, youth pastors, caring adults, etc. encourage and equip students to be able to study God's Word on their own? Jordan and Dan discuss this topic in this week's episode.

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Episode 202 - The Word of God 28:02

2M ago28:02

28:02

Jordan and Dan do another extensive (but by no means exhaustive) look at Scripture, focusing on the work that is accomplished as it's taught.

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Ep 087: Covocational Pastoring: What It Is, And Why You Should Consider It (with Jon Sanders) 46:28

2M ago46:28

46:28

Working a side hustle is no longer the exception for pastors, it’s the norm. Embracing it might answer a lot of your (and your church’s) needs. Karl Vaters talks with Jon Sanders about the rise in covocational pastoring and why it’s something more pastors, especially small-church pastors, should take seriously. Jon is the co-host of the EntrePastor…

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Episode 201 - Prioritizing Teaching Topics 30:58

2M ago30:58

30:58

Dan and Jordan discuss what sort of topics leaders should try to prioritize for studying with their students while avoiding Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.

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Episode 200 - SIT Day 1, Pt 4 - Pragmatic Support for Youth Ministry 41:55

2M ago41:55

41:55

Jordan and Dan finish up discussing the importance and practicality of Youth Ministry...at least, according to the episode outline plan.

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Ep 086: Vibrant Ministry From A Traditional Building In A Difficult City, with Tim Walker 1:00:13

2M ago1:00:13

1:00:13

Why would a young church planter choose to do ministry in the poorest neighborhood of a city in crisis? Many churches are fleeing the inner cities. Grand old church buildings with deep histories sit empty. But Tim Walker and Restored Church are facing these realities head-on in Wilkes-Barre PA. Karl Vaters talks with Tim about subjects like: Their …

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Episode 199 - SIT Day 1, Pt. 3 - Biblical Support for Youth Ministry 34:18

3M ago34:18

34:18

Jordan presents an extensive (but by no means exhaustive) list of passages from Scripture that stand in support for discipling all people, including and especially to students.

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Episode 198 - SIT Day 1, Pt. 2 - The Pushback on Youth Ministry 37:43

3M ago37:43

37:43

There are concerns about the lack of Biblical support justifying the existence of age-specific ministry to students within the local church. Jordan continues to highlight the content from SIT at the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary.

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Ep 085: The Necessity of Being Offended by Jesus, with Chase Replogle 45:19

3M ago45:19

45:19

Karl Vaters talks with Chase Replogle about one of the most controversial, but unavoidable topics today—living with offense without being offended. This material comes from his just-released book, A Sharp Compassion: 7 Hard Words to Heal Our Insecurities and Free Us from Offense. Karl and Chase talk about why offense is a necessary part of life, ho…

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Episode 197 - SIT Series, Part 1 34:58

3M ago34:58

34:58

Jordan and Dan are back with a new content for a new series in a new season of Flyover Ministry. Jordan had a chance to share at the Summer Institute of Theology at the Free Lutheran Bible College and Seminary in August. Jordan starts getting into the content for his sessions.

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Ep 084: How To Do A Great Trunk-or-Treat At Your Church, with Darrell Stetler 47:02

3M ago47:02

47:02

In September and October over 1.2 million people will search online for “Trunk-or-Treat near me.” Here’s how to be one of the churches they find. Karl Vaters talks with Darrell Stetler about practical steps to help churches of any size put on a high-quality, gospel-centered Trunk-or-Treat event. Darrell is a small-church pastor in Oklahoma City and…

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Ep 083: Flyover Church: Jesus' Ministry in Rural Places, with Brad Roth 45:42

4M ago45:42

45:42

Karl Vaters talks with Brad Roth about the content from his new book, Flyover Church: How Jesus’ Ministry in Rural Places Is Good News Everywhere, for which Karl wrote the foreword. Topics include: How the rural church is different from the city and suburban church, not just in scale, but in type How metrics are very different in the rural church T…

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Ep 082: Pastoring Difficult People, with Craig T. Owens 55:38

4M ago55:38

55:38

Sometimes pastors are our own worst enemy, so we need to recognize that God chose us for this work. There’s probably not a single pastor (at least not a long-term pastor) who can’t relate to the title of Craig T Owens’ latest book, When Sheep Bite: Help for Shepherd Leaders Who May Have Felt the Painful Bites. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talk…

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Episode 196 - Summer Catchup Pt. 2 31:03

4M ago31:03

31:03

Jordan and Dan continue to discuss summer details while looking ahead to the coming school year.

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Episode 195 - Summer Catchup 28:06

5M ago28:06

28:06

We're back! At least, briefly. Summer has been full of opportunity, camps, VBS, and more. Dan and Jordan catch up in this week's episode.

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Ep 081: Should Your Church Consider the Microchurch Model?, with Frank Wooden 49:27

5M ago49:27

49:27

Karl Vaters talks with Frank Wooden about Microchurches. Frank has been a church planter for decades, but is now concentrating on the Microchurch model as a valid, healthy alternative in a changing cultural landscape. Karl and Frank talk about: What Microchurch is Why it’s so appealing right now Some cautions to be aware of Three reasons the Microc…

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Ep 080: Practical Ideas that Work In Small Churches, with Laurie Acker 33:29

5M ago33:29

33:29

Karl Vaters talks with Laurie Acker about the changing face of small church ministry, especially as it relates to recruiting, training, and relying on the volunteers who are so essential in helping small churches survive and thrive in a changing world. Laurie runs SmallChurchMinistry.com, an online ministry that provides resources and support for v…

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Ep 079: Church Collaboration and Killing Consumerism in a Post-Christian Context, with Dan Nichols 49:45

6M ago49:45

49:45

Pastoring in a post-Christian context is different. The more counter-cultural our faith becomes, the more important it is to understand that Christian consumerism is deadly and church cooperation is essential. Karl Vaters talks with Dan Nichols about these subjects, including: Negotiating a cultural shift in a longstanding church Partnering with ot…

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Ep 078: De-sizing the Church (pt 10): First Reactions from Church Leaders 31:35

6M ago31:35

31:35

As we come to the end of our ten-part series based on De-sizing the Church, we’re highlighting portions of conversations Karl Vaters had with five church leaders from various backgrounds about their first reactions to reading the book. Drew Dyck (author and editor) talks about the dangers of Christian celebrity. Peyton Jones (author and church plan…

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Ep 077: De-Sizing The Church (pt 9): The Danger of Idolizing Outcomes, with Mike Rubino 19:38

6M ago19:38

19:38

Karl Vaters talks with Mike Rubino about his First Reaction to the first chapter of De-sizing the Church, The Danger of Idolizing Outcomes. Karl and Mike look at: The difference between a church that is trending or transforming The biggest mistakes churches make regarding metrics Why “idolatry” is not too strong a term for how many churches and pas…

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Episode 194 - Interview with Matt Swigart 41:28

7M ago41:28

41:28

This week, Dan and Jordan welcome Matt Swigart as a returning guest. Matt shares about Enhance (a para-church ministry he's started to help encourage and equip leaders). Matt also shares about a book he's recently published geared towards helping new adult Christians grow in their faith. If you'd like a copy of Matt's book, you can find it here on …

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Ep 076: De-Sizing the Church (pt 8): Are We Too Quick to Replatform Fallen Pastors? with Matt Steen 24:25

7M ago24:25

24:25

A conversation with Matt Steen about the potential dangers of replatforming fallen pastors too quickly. This is the first of three First Reaction episodes in which I talk to people who read advance copies of De-sizing the Church to get their response to some of the issues I raise in it. As the co-founder of Chemistry Staffing, which helps churches …

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Episode 193 - Community Networking 27:02

7M ago27:02

27:02

Dan and Jordan take this week to discuss ministry opportunities that are available to churches who are able to network together.

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Ep 075: De-Sizing the Church (pt 7) How To Use Your God-given Platform Well, with Daniel Darling 29:11

7M ago29:11

29:11

Fame and celebrity have many downsides. But Daniel Darling brings a balanced approach to this subject by reminding us that fame is also what allows a good message to get through the clutter. In this episode, Karl talks with Dan about a Twitter thread Dan wrote expressing appreciation for the fame of Tim Keller. It was Tim Keller's platform and the …

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Episode 192 - Local Missions 25:34

7M ago25:34

25:34

Can't wrap your mind around a week and a half mission trip? Why not take advantage of local opportunities? This week, Jordan and Dan discuss different ideas and options you might pursue as a ministry.

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Ep 074: De-Sizing the Church (pt 6): Reframing Ministry Success to Reach the Misfits and the Marginalized, with Dave Gibbons 38:45

7M ago38:45

38:45

What happens when a pastor sets out, not to minister to people who look like him, but to purposely reach people who look as different from his current congregation as possible? That’s what Dave Gibbons, the founding pastor of Newsong Church in Orange County, CA did. In this episode, Karl Vaters talks with him about the planting of Newsong, the chal…

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Episode 191 - Types of Trips 38:22

7M ago38:22

38:22

This week's episode goes a little longer than normal as Dan and Jordan discuss the focuses and perks of different types of trips. Here's a link to the Youth Ministry Management book Dan makes reference to: check it out here

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Ep 073: De-Sizing the Church (pt 5): Forming a Goodness Culture In the Local Church, with Scot McKnight 39:47

7M ago39:47

39:47

Meritocracy has become embedded in the American church. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with Scot McKnight about why this is dangerous, how to notice the warning signs of a toxic church culture, the problems with being or following a narcissistic leader, and more. Scot McKnight is the co-author (with Laura Barringer) of A Church Called Tov:…

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Episode 190 - Larger Events 32:29

8M ago32:29

32:29

People in your church have asked you to coordinate and facilitate a larger event for a particular ministry. That's great! Do you know where to start? What sort of things should you be looking at and aware of as you start down the route of planning a larger event? Jordan and Dan begin addressing these questions this month, on top of a significant am…

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Ep 072: De-Sizing the Church (pt 4): Unintended Consequences of the Church Growth Movement, with Bob Smietana 44:42

8M ago44:42

44:42

Karl Vaters interviews Bob Smietana, a columnist for Religion News Service, and the author of Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why it Matters. Bob and Karl discuss some of unintended consequences of the Church Growth Movement from Bob's unique vantage point. They also delve into the dangers of bigness and what we can d…

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Episode 189 - D6 2024 Pt. 4 32:21

8M ago32:21

32:21

Jordan takes over once again, sharing about a breakout from Dr. Richard Ross about helping parents realign and prioritize faith formation in the lives of their children.

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Ep 071: De-Sizing the Church (pt 3): What Eugene Peterson Is Still Teaching Us About Pastoral Ministry, with Winn Collier 38:07

8M ago38:07

38:07

If small church pastors have a modern patron saint, Eugene Peterson might be it. In this episode, Karl Vaters talks with Peterson’s biographer, Winn Collier about the places where Winn’s book, A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson, Translator of The Message, overlaps with Karl's book, De-sizing the Church. They talk …

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Episode 188 - D6 2024 Pt. 3 28:19

8M ago28:19

28:19

Dan shares about a breakout session hosted by Kevin Bump at the 2024 D6 ministry conference: approaching narcissistic leadership from a place of empathy.

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Ep 070: De-Sizing the Church (pt 2): Why Christian Celebrity Culture Guarantees Moral Failure, with Katelyn Beaty 40:53

8M ago40:53

40:53

One of the biggest dangers of our obsession with church size is the rise of the Christian celebrity culture. Katelyn Beaty is the author of Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church. Katelyn defines celebrity as “social power without proximity.” In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with Katelyn about what…

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Episode 187 - D6 2024 Pt. 2 30:32

8M ago30:32

30:32

Jordan and Dan are back in their respective homes after the trip to Orlando for D6 2024. This week, Jordan shares his takeaways from a breakout session led by Stephanie Cline, "No Place Like Home." Also, Dan makes an inside joke about "pocket cucumbers," referring to a point when Jordan pulled out a cucumber from his pocket in public during supper.…

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Ep 069: De-Sizing the Church (pt 1): How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next, with Karl Vaters 36:30

8M ago36:30

36:30

We have an unhealthy relationship with bigness in the church. Especially in the American church. And it’s killing us. The rate of church closures, departing members, and pastoral burnout is growing exponentially. This is the first episode of a series of podcasts based on Karl Vaters’ new book, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Scienc…

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Episode 186 - D6 2024 Pt. 1 30:09

8M ago30:09

30:09

Dan and Jordan are back at the D6 conference in Orlando! This month, they take some time and recap some of the highlights from the main sessions and breakout electives.

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Episode 185 - Identity in Culture 29:06

9M ago29:06

29:06

Jordan and Dan end this month's arc of episodes by talking about cultural trends and influences. How does what we see in culture contrast with who God declares us to be?

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Ep 068: The Small Church Worship Advantage, with Teresa Stewart 49:25

9M ago49:25

49:25

Have you ever felt like your church is “less than” because you don’t have a worship experience with the talented musicians you’ve seen in larger churches? According to Teresa Stewart, not only is that not needed for an excellent worship experience, but the small church actually has advantages that are not always available to our big-church friends.…

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Episode 184 - Identity Formation 26:35

9M ago26:35

26:35

Dan and Jordan talk about different influences and sources that influence where students find and define their identity. Also, Jordan comes up with perhaps the worst food combo that Dan has ever heard.

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