Things Growing Churches Do Differently

Sermon starters - those mini movies before a message - set tone and create transitions. But producing a new trailer for every series is exhausting. Today, we're sharing alternatives that are simpler to execute and often more spiritually meaningful.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 4:42 - ALTERNATIVE 1: The Standing Scripture Reading 15:10 - ALTERNATIVE 2: The Responsive Scripture Reading 20:10 - ALTERNATIVE 3: Sermon Inspired Confession Or Affirmation 24:50 - ALTERNATIVE 4: Testimony Transition 28:16 - ALTERNATIVE 5: Silence   IMPORTANT LINKS - Luke Simmons: https://x.com/lukedsimmons - 5 Small Changes Most Churches Should Consider Making: https://youtu.be/0GHmMNeMz-Y   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Easter is church's biggest opportunity of the year. You'll likely see more first-time guests than any other Sunday, yet most churches repeat the same playbook. Here are 10 fresh ideas - no eggs or helicopters.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:49 - IDEA #1: The "Bring One" Challenge 4:46 - IDEA #2: The Good Friday Experience 6:39 - IDEA #3: The Pre-Service Photo Moment 9:25 - IDEA #4: The Parking Lot Party 11:45 - IDEA #5: The "Not Your Normal Easter Service" Service 13:12 - IDEA #6: The 60-Second Testimony Video 17:14 - IDEA #7: The Take-Home Gift 19:20 - IDEA #8: The Post-Easter Follow-Up Sprint 21:07 - IDEA #9: The "Resurrection Moment" in Service 22:36 - IDEA #10: Volunteer as the Product   IMPORTANT LINKS - Church Lobby Design Idea: Stunning Signs!: https://youtu.be/48z8rAMvoZg - Your Pastor Says "I Don't Like It" But Can't Say Why: https://youtu.be/yTjjJpw32_c - The 76-Word Church Welcome Email That Works: https://youtu.be/4uaUWA7WsE4   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Church podcasting has evolved from simply uploading sermons to producing interviews, devotionals, leadership content, and more. If you're exploring podcasting for your church, we're sharing our recommended gear for 2026. From mics to interfaces and accessories, we'll cover options for every budget from two podcasters who've been hosting since 2014.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 3:11 - Microphones 9:22 - Interfaces & Recorders 17:30 - Headphones 19:40 - Accessories 21:06 - Software 22:32 - Full Setups   IMPORTANT LINKS - Micro Church Podcast Studio [Tour]: https://youtu.be/aCrpic5rugc - Shure SM7B: https://bit.ly/3Ob9s5x - Rode PodMic: https://rode.com/en-ca/products/podmic - Shure MV7+: https://bit.ly/40abh5b - Audio-Technica AT2040: https://bit.ly/4raD5Cl - DJI Mic 2: https://www.dji.com/mic-2 - Rodecaster Pro II: https://rode.com/en-int/products/rodecaster-pro-ii - Rodecaster Duo: https://rode.com/en-ca/products/rodecaster-duo - Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: https://focusrite.com/products/scarlett-2i2 - Focusrite Vocaster Two: https://focusrite.com/products/vocaster-two - Sound Devices MixPre: https://www.sounddevices.com/mixpre/ - Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro: https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/p/dt-770-pro - Sony MDR-7506: https://bit.ly/4tuzlgz - Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: https://bit.ly/46A7eTr - Audio-Technica ATH-M20x: https://bit.ly/4rdBw6Y - Rode PSA1+: https://rode.com/en-ca/products/psa1-plus - Audacity: https://www.audacityteam.org/ - DaVinci Resolve: https://bit.ly/4adljIX - Adobe Audition: https://www.adobe.com/ca/products/audition.html - AutoPod: https://www.autopod.fm/ - Auphonic: https://auphonic.com/ - HELP ME SEE Show: https://www.youtube.com/@helpmeseepossibility   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

I've been part of growing churches most of my adult life - as a volunteer, on staff, and in the pews. What I've noticed is this: the difference between growing and stagnant churches isn't what you'd expect. But when you see a healthy church up close, clear patterns emerge - and after fifteen years, I want to share what growing churches consistently do differently.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 2:38 - Inspiration Beats Information Every Time 7:22 - Sunday Can't Fix Everything 14:58 - Right Invitation, Right Moment 20:23 - Build Systems Before Chaos 23:32 - Scrappy, Regardless Of Budget   IMPORTANT LINKS - Ryan Burge: https://x.com/ryanburge   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

The most frustrating loop in church creative is pouring hours into a design or video, only to hear "something's off" or "I don't like it" with no explanation. It's usually not stubbornness - most pastors just don't have the language to explain what they're reacting to - and today, we're going to fix that.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 3:06 - "I Don't Like It" Is A Symptom, Not The Problem 4:26 - Most Churches Have Never Defined Their Voice 8:02 - The Solution Is 8 Words 12:35 - Now You Have A Measuring Stick 20:58 - This Also Solves The "Conflicting Feedback" Problem 22:16 - Share It With Everyone   IMPORTANT LINKS - Why Your Church Only Attracts One Type of Person: https://youtu.be/k7ZZD_F9dn4 - WordHippo: https://www.wordhippo.com/   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Hundreds of new AI tools launch every day, and most of them cost money. We've tracked down the ones that are actually free - beyond just ChatGPT - including tools most churches haven't heard of that could save your team dozens of hours every week.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 0:36 - Tool #1: TurboScribe 1:55 - Tool #2: tl;dv 3:00 - Tool #3: Claude Cowork 8:45 - Claude Cowork Church Uses   IMPORTANT LINKS - TurboScribe: https://turboscribe.ai/ - tl;dv: https://tldv.io/ - Claude Cowork: https://claude.com/product/cowork   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

Social media used to be predictable - now it's chaos, even when the averages are higher. This episode is about surviving the new game, with the metrics and mindset that actually keep you sane.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:35 - The Volatility Problem 7:45 - The Three Audiences Framework 10:11 - Content Equals Credibility 12:30 - The No Weeks Off Approach (Reframed) 14:26 - How To Stay Sane   IMPORTANT LINKS - Church Social Media Trends 2026: https://youtu.be/354IpgzSIEU   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

The most important email you'll ever send someone in your church is the very first one. So we're going to help you get it right. Today, we're sharing a 76-word church welcome email that works for churches of any size. It hits every goal a great welcome email should. Feel free to steal it word-for-word.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 1:50 - Big Idea #1: The First Email You Send Is The Most Important 5:53 - Big Idea #2: Send It From The Pastor 7:25 - Big Idea #3: Choose Your Focus - Connect Elsewhere Or Important Next Steps 9:46 - Big Idea #4: The P.S. Reply 15:04 - Big Idea #5: You Reply Back   IMPORTANT LINKS - The 76-Word Church Welcome Email Cheatsheet: https://prochur.ch/49vyftg - This Church Guest Follow-Up System Is…Unusual: https://youtu.be/pd6b7eRzmg4 - Pro Church Certified: https://prochurchcertified.com/   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

The world is changing fast. AI is reshaping economies, industries, and even how we relate to one another. So what does that mean for the church and its future? In one of our most important episodes yet, we're breaking down four changes every church should seriously consider making before 2030.   DOWNLOAD CHEAT SHEET: https://prochur.ch/church-AI-cheat-sheet   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 10:18 - Canon vs. Content 18:00 - Formation vs. Information 26:15 - Communal vs. Individual 31:45 - Cost vs. Convenience   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer

The language you use shapes the culture you build. And when that language goes stale, it quietly starts holding things back. So today, we're sharing our list of church lingo to retire in 2026 - and what to consider saying instead.   ============================= Table of Contents: ============================= 0:00 - Intro 2:30 - Why Does This Matter? 4:25 - Do Life Together 7:25 - Season Of Singleness 9:20 - Wow 12:03 - Circles Not Rows 13:03 - Welcome Home 16:22 - Don't Miss It 18:20 - Loving On 19:56 - Turn To Your Neighbor 21:17 - Daddy God   THE 167 NEWSLETTER 📫 62,646+ churches read our free newsletter to figure out the 167 hours beyond Sunday service every week. Sign up: https://167.prochurchtools.com   GET IN TOUCH 🌍 The Company: https://prochurchtools.com 🖥️ Nucleus, The Church Website Builder:  https://www.nucleus.church 📱 SocialSermons, The Social Media Agency For Churches: https://socialsermons.com    JOIN THE COMMUNITY 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bradyshearer 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/bradyshearer