Articles + Podcast
Why Temperament in Church Volunteer Roles Is the Key to Thriving Ministry
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 294 - Temperament in Church Volunteer Roles Every church leader has experienced it: the eager volunteer who says yes to serving but burns out within months, or the faithful member who seems perpetually frustrated despite...
Signs of Unhealthy Church Growth: 4 Red Flags Every Pastor Should Know
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 293 - Signs of Unhealthy Church Growth Not all growth is good growth. While packed parking lots and full sanctuaries might seem like signs of success, they don't always indicate a healthy church. Understanding the signs of...
Church Vision Strategy: 4 Steps to Clarity, Growth, and Alignment
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 292 - Church Vision Strategy Too many churches cast a bold vision only to see it fade into the background. Without a clear church vision strategy, even the most compelling ideas can get lost in the routines of ministry life....
How to Streamline Your Adult Discipleship Ministries
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 291 - Streamlining adult discipleship ministries Your church has eighteen different groups, six Sunday school classes, four Bible studies, two men's groups, three women's ministries, and a handful of other gatherings that...
Revolutionary Small Groups Ministry Training Now Available in The Healthy Churches Toolkit
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 290 - Build a Thriving Small Groups Ministry New collaboration brings proven small groups framework to churches worldwide May 2025 - The Malphurs Group is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Build Groups,...
Five Things Worship Leaders Should STOP Doing
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 289 Let's face it—leading worship is no small task. You're part musician, part spiritual guide, and part traffic director for the congregation's musical journey. It's a balancing act that requires both talent and...
How Big Is Your Church… Actually?
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 288 If you've ever spoken with pastors about church attendance, you've likely heard a familiar line: "Only about half of our people show up on any given Sunday." It's a phrase tossed around so often, it's almost taken as...
New Pastor Onboarding Part 2: Pastor Prep For A New Church
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 287 Check out Part 1 about the church preparing for a new pastor at: malphursgroup.com/286 Stepping into a leadership role at a new church is both exciting and daunting. Whether you're fresh out of seminary or a seasoned...
New Pastor Onboarding Part 1: Church Prep For A New Pastor
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 286 The transition to a new pastor represents one of the most significant moments in the life of a congregation. Whether your previous pastor retired after decades of faithful service or departed under more challenging...
Three Types of Churches that FAIL at Revitalization
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 285 Church revitalization is not for the faint of heart. While many congregations recognize the need for renewal and change, not all who begin the journey complete it successfully. The failure of church revitalization rarely...
Blind Spots: 3 Dangerous Pitfalls for Growing Churches
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 284 Let's talk about something we don't discuss enough in church leadership circles: the problems that come with growth. Yes, you read that right. If your church is growing right now, that's awesome! But growing churches...
The Five Types of Teams: Building a High Performance Church Team
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 283 Effective ministry thrives on teamwork. Indeed, the health and effectiveness of your church's mission are deeply connected to how well your team functions. Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith originally identified five...
Who is Blocking Your Ministry Vision?
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 282 Note: This article was adapted from concepts in Chapter 8 of Developing a Vision for Ministry by Dr. Aubrey Malphurs. In any organization committed to meaningful change, opposition is inevitable. This truth is...
Christianity in America: Is the Decline Over?
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 281 If you've been in church leadership for any length of time, you've likely felt it—the weight of declining attendance, the challenge of reaching younger generations, and the growing sense that Christianity's influence in...
Revitalization through Outreach: 3 Steps to Becoming an Externally Focused Church
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 280 Outreach is the lifeblood of healthy churches. Yet many churches find themselves stuck in patterns of internal focus that prevent true growth and community impact. In today's exploration of healthy church principles, we...
How Leadership Dysfunction Holds Back Church Growth
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 279 - Church Leadership Dysfunction Is church leadership dysfunction holding back your growth? While it's easy to blame external factors like changing demographics or post-pandemic shifts, the uncomfortable truth is that...
How to Start a Revitalization Process
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 278 - How to Start a Church Revitalization Process Wondering how to start a church revitalization process? Church revitalization isn't just for struggling congregations. We often interchange the term “church health” in...
5 Overlooked Guest Experience Questions
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 277 When a guest walks into your church for the first time, they're carrying more than just a Bible or a coffee cup – they're carrying questions. Lots of them. And while your weekend service might be excellent and your...
Top Church Volunteer Recruitment Hacks
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 276 Every church leader knows the challenge: you need volunteers to run effective ministries, but finding and keeping those volunteers feels like an endless uphill battle. Whether you're trying to staff your children's...
Three Things Your Elders Should Never Do
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 275 The role of church elder carries profound responsibilities and equally significant pitfalls. As someone who has spent years consulting with churches across the country, I've observed that even the most well-intentioned...
Eliminating Ministry Silos
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 274 Ministry silos are a persistent challenge that affects churches of all sizes. These isolated pockets of ministry activity can develop gradually and often go unnoticed until their negative effects become apparent. Within...
Four Things your church consultant doesn’t want to hear you say.
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 273 Church consultants often encounter certain phrases that reveal deeper issues within a congregation's culture and mindset. Here are four common statements that raise red flags and why they deserve closer examination: 1....
The Great Commission vs The Comfortable Commission: Are We Playing It Too Safe?
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 272 Many churches believe they're faithfully living out the Great Commission while unknowingly drifting toward what could be called the "Comfortable Commission" - a state where maintaining the status quo takes priority over...
Top Church Leadership Mistakes of 2024
The Church Revitalization Podcast - Episode 271 As we reflect on 2024, a few things have emerged in church leadership that warrant careful consideration as we prepare to start the new year. It’s worthy of note that the things listed below would all be addressed at the...