Rachel Bren is a survivor of sexually related trauma, and now she serves with SRTServices.org, which helps people recover from their trauma, and can help you and your church. She’s also the co-host of the Grace & Grenades podcast.

Karl Vaters interviews Rachel about what sexual related trauma is, how the church can help those dealing with it, some mistakes to avoid, and more.

Links:

• SRTServices.org
• Grace & Grenades
• Our church introduction video
• Brene Brown video on sympathy vs. empathy
• The Allender Center Podcast
• The Place We Find Ourselves Podcast
• Grace & Grenades Podcast
• You can reach Rachel by email at rachel@srtservices.org and the website www.srtservices.org

Bonus video

How Your Church Can Help People Recover from Sexually Related Trauma, with Rachel Bren

Karl Vaters talks with Rachel Bren about how SRTServices.org can come alongside your church to give you the tools to help people who are dealing with sexually related trauma.

Links:

• SRTServices.org
• Grace & Grenades

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Karl Vaters interviews Sam Peters about the microchurch model, and more specifically, what are the minimum aspects that need to be in place for a church to be a church?

If you’re serving a small church that’s considering if you have a viable path forward, the microchurch model is worth considering, and Sam offers some help for thinking about it in fresh, new ways.

Sam Peters is a church consultant, and the author of several books, including Small Church, Big Opportunity; BIG Faith: Six Key Factors that Grow Your Faith in God, & Rebuilding Stronger: Navigating the Post-Pandemic Landscape of Worship.

Links:

• SmallChurchCoaching.com
• LinkTree
• You can follow Sam on Facebook and X

Bonus video

The Limitations of the Institutional Church in Reaching the Community

Karl Vaters interviews Sam Peters about some of the limitations that are now coming to light about the institutional church model (building, salary, etc.) that we’ve both spent our lives in. The challenges we talk about include:

1. Physical and Financial Constraints: Many churches invest most of their resources into maintaining buildings and programs rather than directly engaging the lost. This is especially difficult for smaller congregations.

2. Passive Churchgoers Instead of Active Disciple-Makers: Institutional churches can unintentionally foster a consumer mindset, where members attend services but are not equipped to lead or disciple others.

3. Limited Reach Beyond Church Walls: Most churches expect people to come to them rather than embedding the Gospel in everyday life and relationships.

4. Slow Adaptation to Cultural Shifts: In an age of rapid change, large churches with complex structures often struggle to pivot quickly to meet new challenges and opportunities.

5. Overemphasis on Sunday Gatherings: The primary focus in many churches is the Sunday experience, but disciple-making happens most effectively in smaller, relational environments.

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Karl Vaters interviews Desmond Barrett about how small churches can do a better job at reaching, welcoming, and keeping guests.

Desmond is the author of Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance, which is a short, but very practical book that pastors will find great benefit in.

Karl and Desmond talk about:

• How to reimagine the church facility from the parking lot to the pew
• Why sharing updates about facility improvements is attractive to guests
• Why so many pastors and church leaders resist doing what needs to be done
• Why “we just need to attract young families” is never the answer
• The good news that new Christians are not looking for programs, they’re wanting to live on mission

Links:

• Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance
• Revitalizing the Declining Church with Dr. Desmond Barrett (podcast)
• Desmond's Amazon Author Page
• Libby App

Bonus video

5 Options When a Church Property is Too Big for the Congregation, with Desmond Barrett

Karl Vaters talks with Desmond Barrett, the author of Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance, about a subject that is a challenge for a growing number of congregations. What can you do when a church facility that was built to hold hundreds of people has just a handful or worshipers left?

The five options they discuss are:

1. Do Nothing
2. Share the Property
3. Rent the Property
4. Sell the Property
5. Recreate the Property

Links: Helping Small Churches Win Guests: Preparing to Increase Attendance

To get Bonus Content every week, click here to become a Financial Partner, or here to subscribe to the Free Weekly Newsletter.