MinistrySmart Talks

In this episode, we take some time to speak with a few resident experts at ACST in the IT Security world.Higher Ground Technologies901-333-7777MinistrySmartACST Blog

The world of Information Technology can be difficult to navigate. There are heroes for hire that can help. In this week's episode, we sit down and talk with Pastor Steece Hayes, who has been a part of the ACST family for 17 years and a pastor for 6 years, about the advantages of your ministry partnering with a Managed Services Provider, Higher Ground Technologies to be more specific.

Pastoring a small church is not a penalty for doing something wrong, it is a specialty and needs to be leaned into well”.  Join Andrew for Part II, as he interviewed pastor and author, Karl Vaters as they discuss the small church and how Karl realized that small may be right where you need to be in a season. This two-part interview is full of stories and encouragement to help the small church understand being a healthy church isn’t about the numbers.

Join Jennifer as she concludes the interview with Brandon. He has some great reminders for small church leadership about how to claim their victory. Remember it isn't all about the numbers! The words resonated, "intimate, nimble, authentic, effective", join Jennifer as she interviews author, Brandon O'Brien as they discuss the small church. This two-part interview is packed with perspective and observations on how the small church impacts and is impacted today.

Join us for this episode on the good, bad, and ugly of small. Small isn't good or bad but it can be ugly and it can be a real struggle however we don't think it needs to be. Andrew and Jennifer peel apart what they see in the church that can be celebrated or calibrated depending on the church and leadership.

Pastoring a small church is not a penalty for doing something wrong, it is a specialty and needs to be leaned into well”. Join Andrew as he interviewed pastor and author, Karl Vaters as they discuss the small church and how Karl realized that small may be right where you need to be in a season. This two-part interview is full of stories and encouragement to help the small church understand being a healthy church isn’t about the numbers.

The words resonated, "intimate, nimble, authentic, effective", join Jennifer as she interviews author, Brandon O'Brien as they discuss the small church. This two-part interview is packed with perspective and observations on how the small church impacts and is impacted today.

Join us as we celebrate the small church this season. Not everything about small is good and not everything is bad, so we brought in a few experts to share their thoughts and ideas, and hopefully, we can all experience this journey together!

The last year has "scattered" the church it has forced us to redefine groups, worship services, and connections. Small Groups are so important to the life of a church or parish, join us as we discuss the important reasons and steps needed to keep this lifeline  thriving in your church or parish. Our special guest, Chris Surratt,  is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving the local church. Chris served on the Executive Teams at Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN., and Seacoast Church in Charleston, S.C., prior to becoming the Discipleship and Small Groups Specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. He is the author of Small Groups for the Rest of Us, Gospel-Centered Small Groups, and the just released, Leading Small Groups: How To Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply Your Small Group

The church continues to talk about the mission of the church no matter the circumstances. The pandemic has provided valuable lessons about defining and understanding the community, where the church can serve the community, and how to continue to work of the church. As churches and parishes around the world have been "scattered" it is more important than ever to stay the course. Join us as we discuss the tools and importance of defining community in order to achieve your outreach goals.

Digital Discipleship isn't a new concept and it isn't a temporary solution. It is a ministry and we want to share some tools, tips, and thoughts to ponder. Join us as we talk to Andrew about his experiences with digital tools.

The Change Paradox - We are creatures of habit by design - Change can be disruptive and unsettling. In this episode, we are going to look at why change is so hard for churches, parishes, and organizations.

Can your church or parish really change something they have done the same way for the same reasons? How can you guide them to change something like giving? Join us as we discuss how one pastor transformed his thinking about the offering plate and went on to lead congregations around the country to do the same.  A Better Offering, 5 Unmistakable Habits of the Generous Church by Donald A. Smith

Change is a fundamental part of progress and growth. However, change isn't easy for anyone. Before we start to react to change, ask is it really about the change? or is it about how people feel about the change? Join us as we talk more about changing and how to manage it as your church or parish grows.

Does every message apply to every audience? Does your church or parish really need to send information, events, meetings, out to every person in your church and community. If you arent filtering, they are going to filter and more than likely filter you out. You don't need to tell everyone everything to be effective.

Just because you have an audience it doesn't mean they are listening. It also doesn't mean they hear your message. Are you using every form of communication you can think of right now? Are you wondering who is listening? Chances are not the same people you wrote the message for or to. Join us as we talk more about defining an audience and how to reach them.

Ok, now you know what Digital Discipleship is but do you have a plan? Are you streaming services? Do you have social media accounts for the church or parish? Are they active?Join us and let's talk about what you should be doing to prepare for Digital Discipleship as a ministry, not just an answer.

What is Digital Discipleship? Why should you spend time thinking about this? What does your church, parish, or organization need to be prepared for?Tune In, Let's Talk!

With 11 episodes down, we keep learning. With a quick recap on where to start with your church, parish, or organizations' Volunteer Plan we draw Season 1 to end, keep an eye out for Season 2, releasing in January 2021.

Now that you have volunteers, you have trained them and you know appreciation is key, what tools do they need to be successful?