Welcome back to another episode of The Faith Video Podcast with your host, Greg Cross. In today's episode, Greg sits down with Matt Curtis, owner of Lunchtime Heroes. Greg and Matt explore the topic of healthy churches in the digital age.

Greg and Matt begin their conversation by discussing how technology can play a vital role in helping churches remain healthy. They deep dive into the ways in which technology enables churches to reach more people and better manage their resources. Greg and Matt also explore the importance of keeping church members engaged and how technology can facilitate this crucial aspect of church life. Furthermore, they highlight the significance of transparency and trust within the church and how technology can foster these values.

To set the stage for their discussion, Greg asks Matt what he envisions when he hears the word 'healthy' in the context of the church. Matt's response emphasizes unity and values derived from scripture. He emphasizes that the world will recognize the church by the love and care its members show for one another. The conversation then shifts to the understanding that the definition of health can vary depending on the context. Matt illustrates this with an example from the world of professional sports, where being healthy may refer to reliability and the ability to perform under challenging circumstances.

As the discussion progresses, Greg and Matt explore what a healthy church looks like. Matt proposes that a healthy church is known for its radical grace and unity in the pursuit of its mission. He acknowledges that many individuals may respond negatively when asked if their church is healthy, often stemming from a disagreement with the church's direction. Greg adds that such responses can be subjective and lead to a two-edged sword situation.

Shifting gears, the conversation moves towards examining how healthy churches should behave. Matt suggests that churches should focus on leveraging technology to fulfill their mission rather than pushing new initiatives for their own sake. He cautions against the viral nature of negativity on social media and emphasizes the importance of avoiding unhealthy trends. Matt suggests that assessing whether a church behaves in a healthy manner can be an indicator of its overall health. Ultimately, he stresses the significance of aligning with scripture to cultivate a healthy church.

Tune in to this enlightening episode of The Digital Church Podcast as Greg Cross and Matt Curtis delve into the meaning of church health in the digital era, exploring the role of technology, unity, values, and aligning with scripture to create a thriving and healthy church community.

Welcome to "The Faith Video Podcast" with your host, Greg Cross. In today's episode, we have a special guest joining us, Darrin Gray, a true champion of faith and sports ministry. Darrin has dedicated his life to lifting up the good and godly things in the world of sports, and through his work with Athletes in Action, he has made a profound impact.

In this episode, Darrin shares his heart and the incredible work he is witnessing through his ministry. One particular topic that Greg and Darrin explored was the concept of sports diplomacy, specifically its role in bringing Christianity to places where it is largely absent. Darrin shared his recent experiences attending a church in Prague, alongside interactions with the Prague Lions, an American football team. They discussed the mission of Zach, a Christian coach who is steadfast in spreading Christian values not only to his team but also to 16 other cities in Europe.

Darrin also recounts his mission to Poland, where he joined forces with five NFL athletes to assist in the rescue of 100 Ukrainian Jews. This mission, part of the inspiring project called Christians United for Israel, demonstrated the power of unity and faith in action. Through a unique game combining baseball and bowling, they ministered to the Jews and provided hope in their time of need.

Throughout the conversation, it became evident that sports can serve as a vehicle for spreading Christian values around the world. Darrin Gray embodies the spirit of an evangelist, using his platform to bring God's good graces to all nations. His ministry to sports has a global dynamic, and he encourages each one of us to be faithful in bringing forth God's good name.

Join us in this episode of "The Faith Video Podcast" as we embark on a journey of inspiration, transformation, and the incredible ways God is moving through the world of sports. Together, let us explore the power of faith, unity, and the unwavering commitment to sharing the love of Christ with all those we encounter.

Welcome to The Faith Video Podcast, where we dive deep into the intersection of technology, faith, and digital communication. I'm your host, Greg Cross, and today I am excited to introduce my guest, Dustin Stout, a talented software developer, entrepreneur, and Christ follower with a wealth of experience in leveraging technology for the good of the church. Together, Dustin and I will be exploring the fascinating and sometimes controversial world of artificial intelligence and how it can be applied in a church culture.

Dustin's journey began in a small town in Pennsylvania, where he discovered his passion for youth ministry after being introduced to a local youth group by a friend. This led him to volunteer at a church in Los Angeles and eventually become a youth director. Along the way, Dustin also taught himself graphic design, which would later propel him into the world of software development and digital communication.

In this episode, we'll discuss the potential advantages of utilizing AI within churches, such as expanding their reach, automating tasks, and creating more efficient workflows. We'll also investigate the potential pitfalls, such as an over-reliance on technology and the importance of ensuring human connection remains at the forefront of a churches mission. Moreover, we'll explore practical ways in which churches can integrate AI in a responsible, ethical, and purpose-led manner.

Throughout the conversation, Dustin's love for technology and his faith will provide unique insights and perspectives on how churches can harness the power of AI for the greater good. Join Dustin and I in this exciting and thought-provoking conversation as we unravel the potential for AI to revolutionize the way churches can use it to impact their church communications at all levels.

Welcome to another episode of our podcast with your host, Greg Cross. Today, we are thrilled to have Justin Nava joining us, a passionate expert dedicated to serving churches through his vast experience and knowledge in media and communications. Justin started his remarkable journey in the church, then transitioned to a church communicator, and eventually established his own successful business, Nava Church Marketing.

As a family man with a strong love for his craft, Justin is here to share some incredibly valuable content, aiming to make a significant impact on fellow church leaders and enthusiasts.

In this episode, Greg and Justin will engage in an in-depth conversation about the growing importance of websites for churches. They'll explore Justin's fascinating career journey, from his early days in the church as an intern.

In addition, Justin, will share his expert advice on red flags to watch out for when outsourcing to vendors, while emphasizing the importance of churches being cautious in their partnerships. The conversation also delves into the topic of trustworthiness and how churches can find the right agency to outsource their services to, all while ensuring they align with their mission and maintain good stewardship.

So sit back, relax and join Greg Cross and Justin Nava in this enlightening discussion as they dive deep into the world of church media, communication, and marketing. Get ready to be inspired and to transform your church's online presence for the better!

Welcome to this week's episode of "The Faith Video Podcast"! In today's episode, we have a very special guest, Steve Harbaugh, a pastor at Lifepointe Church in Westfield, Indiana, and a business sales and leadership coach with Southwestern Consulting. Steve shares with us how his church pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they adapted to the government-mandated social distancing rules.

Steve tells us how he felt called to join the church staff just before the pandemic hit, and how they had to quickly come up with a plan to reach their congregation and the community. We'll learn about the various digital resources they created, such as a podcast and virtual Sunday School, and how they were able to stay connected with their members through Facebook Live and Bible trivia.

We'll also hear about the challenges the church faced, including a sudden drop in attendance and giving, which eventually led to the reduction of services from two to one. Steve shares how the church received a grant to upgrade its infrastructure, allowing them to stream services online and reach even more people.

Join us as we learn about the resilience and strength of this small Indiana church, and how they were able to adapt and overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic.

In this episode, Greg Cross is joined by a special guest, Paul Steinbrueck, who has been at the forefront of digital ministry for over 25 years. Greg and Paul’s friendship started over 30 years ago (think the early 1990s) when Greg was a Campus Staff Member with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at Valparaiso University (VU) and Paul was a freshman college student at VU. Be sure to listen in and find out why Greg and Paul met on Wednesday mornings at 6:00 am.

Paul, along with his brother Mark, founded OurChurch.Com in 1996, and as CEO, he has been leading his team in strategic planning, managing projects, and directing communications ever since. But Paul's passion for digital ministry doesn't stop at the workplace. He's an active member of Journey Community Church, where he serves as an elder, life group leader, and bass player.

In this episode, we'll dive into the world of digital ministry with Paul and discuss how technology has transformed the way we worship and practice our faith. We'll explore the challenges of building community in a digital age, the importance of real-life connections within a church community, and the impact of online worship services on the future of the church. We also get into some discussion about ChatGPT and digital church newsletters using Mailchimp.

Greg Cross welcomes Micah Thomas to the podcast to discuss how churches can leverage swag merchandise to promote their brand and identity. Micah Thomas, who is the owner of The Church Shop, has been in the church his whole life.

His dad is a pastor. Micah went to seminary with friends who wanted to become professors. After graduating from seminary, Micah started working in church communications, creating video content, graphics, and more.

He then had a friend starting a church, and he decided to take a stab at creating merch for his friend's church. Thus, the Church Shop was born. The conversation began when Micah discussed his experience of going to seminary, but ultimately deciding it wasn't for him. While the training was valuable, the speaker ultimately settled on graphic design as his career path.

He then discussed an experience of starting a church shop to give his church the ability to sell t-shirts and other items without managing the inventory. This idea snowballed from there and the Micah’s goal became to take the stress off of churches when it comes to ordering their church merchandise items in bulk.

Micah is also a self-taught graphic designer. He has been providing services to churches of all sizes to help them create their own brand and mission through apparel.

His company, Church Shop, offers a print-on-demand method and provides human interaction throughout the process. This helps take the stress off of churches, especially those with limited staff and money, as they don't have to worry about taxes and transactions. Micah also emphasizes that they are able to print as little as one shirt if needed.

Micah is married to Maria. Together, they have a passion for providing children with a safe and loving home. This passion has led them to foster six children, one of them leading to the adoption of their five year old son Atlas.

Today’s guest on The Faith Video Podcast is Jane Trapman. I am thrilled to introduce you to Jane Trapman, a talented writer who has made a name for herself in the world of copywriting. She is passionate about crafting excellent copy for her clients and takes great pride in her work. But that's not all - Jane also wears many other hats! She is the founder of the Born to Fly online community, which is dedicated to helping Christian solopreneurs achieve their goals. She also hosts the Born to Fly podcast, where she shares insights and tips on entrepreneurship, faith, and life. In addition to all of this, Jane is involved in various creative writing projects and has published two novels in the "Jels" series. She's currently working on another novel and a couple of film scripts! Jane is also a devoted mom to a cute boy and is expecting a girl. She's a loving wife, a follower of Christ, and a self-proclaimed Disney fanatic. I can't wait for you to hear more from Jane and learn from her experiences and insights!