The EFCA West Podcast

It's no secret that the church at large faces a major shortage of qualified pastors and ministry leaders. This affects all areas from the senior/lead role, student and kids ministry, and even prospective church planters. Thankfully, some churches are responding to this trend by creating in-house residency opportunities. One of those is Southwest Church in Indian Wells, CA. In this episode, Residency Director Young Song shares the vision and details of how they plan to train the next generation of pastors by offering paid positions along with formal seminary education. If you or someone you know are interested in this opportunity, or if you want to create your own residency program, check out their website or reach out to Young directly at residency@southwestchurch.com.

At the time of this recording, the fires are still burning in and around the Los Angeles area. At some point, however, the fires will go out, the news cameras will leave, but the devastation and trauma will remain. This is where EFCA Crisis Response comes in. In this episode, Dan Holman explains to District Superintendent Tim Jacobs how critical trauma care training is, as it equips those who will walk alongside their friends and neighbors who have lost their homes and neighborhoods. Drawing on his experience in working with victims from both the Paradise and Maui fires, Dan helps understand the long term work that must happen to help bring real restoration to people's lives, and how the church is uniquely positioned to accomplish that long after everyone else has left. Please feel free to reach out to Dan to learn more about how you and your church can partner with Crisis Response. He can be reached at dan.holman@efca.org. Or contribute to the relief fund here: LA Fires Response.

In a city that's skeptical of church and religious institutions, what's next for evangelism? Join Katie and Mike from the San Francisco Initiative as they apply lessons from post-Christian Europe, dive into the unique spirituality of San Francisco and offer practical insights for churches and individuals longing to reflect Christ in a post-Christian era.  

The past few decades have seen tremendous strides in church planting... but what about church revitalization? And what is the difference? In this episode, Pastor Andrew Smith from Bridge Church in Fresno, CA, an EFCA West church, talks about his experience over the last seven years of leading an existing church through a revitalization effort. While there are some similarities to church planting, there are many unique aspects of this type of effort that require, among other things, perseverance, faith, and all-out grit! But Andrew's message is that is can be done, and he walks us through how he is doing it. If you're inspired by his story and you want to learn more or have questions about what revitalizing your church might look like, feel free to reach out to Andrew at andrewsmith@bridgechurchfresno.com or contact EFCA West at efcawest@efca.org.

Are you a woman or do you know a woman who would love the opportunity to get solid theological training but aren't able to attend seminary or go to a Bible college? EFCA has launched Prepared, an innovative opportunity for women nationwide to grow in their knowledge of theology, hermeneutics, homiletics, and ministry leadership. Director Gloria Grell and Dr. Pam MacRae talk about why this program was launched and what it hopes to accomplish. One of the key insights is that many women don't set out early in life to be in vocational ministry. However, because of their giftedness and availability, they are asked to serve in a local church role where this kind of training would greatly increase their ministry effectiveness. The time to sign up for the next cohort is now, and space is limited. Also, ten scholarships covering up to 50% of the tuition are available for women serving in EFCA West churches. Contact xochitl.cachon@efca.org for more info.

While the refugee crisis that engulfed large regions of Iraq and Syria several years ago has long since disappeared from the news cycle, it remains an ongoing catastrophe. The damage inflicted by ISIS further devastated much of these already war-torn lands, and  unspeakable acts of violence and horror were committed against innocent men, women, and children. These victims are now trying to forge a life out of the ashes. John Cook, of Indigenous Ministries, International, has built relationships with key leaders in Iraq and has established a strong ministry that uses child sponsorship as a way to bring not only resources like food and clothing to refugees, but the Gospel as well. This episode dives into what long-term commitment to a region requires, and how local churches can help bring real hope and restoration. If you are interested in learning more, go to the site or contact John at jcook@indigenousministries.org.

One of the biggest challenges facing the church today is effectively developing young leaders. If they sense that there is no place for them, or that there is no intentionality involved in helping them grow, they will eventually go elsewhere. But it doesn't have to be that way. Katie Dudgeon of ReachGlobal has joined the EFCA West staff for the purpose of helping churches develop their young leaders. In this episode we talk about not only the challenges young leaders face, but how she can come alongside churches to provide mentorship and training for them. We also talk about her background and how she ended up being the ReachGlobal leader for the mission in Berlin, Germany. If you are interested in finding out how she can help you build and strengthen the young leaders in your church, reach out to her at katie.dudgeon@efca.org. 

The United States' recent departure from Afghanistan has resulted in thousands of refugees arriving in the US to be resettled. Their lives have completely upended and they now face the challenge of learning a new language, adopting a new culture, and beginning a new life. It is in times like these that the church has often risen up to care for those who are in vulnerable situations. Tom Shook, along with his wife Gayle, work with the EFCA National Ministries as refugee immigrant mission advocates and have become experts at helping churches reach out to and meet the needs of our new neighbors. In this episode, Tom will offer creative ideas on how any church can show hospitality as well as cultural intelligence insights that are necessary for this type of endeavor. He also specializes in consulting with individual churches either in person or online. Listen to this episode and then reach out to Tom at thomas.shook@efca.org.

Sometimes the best way to hang in there over the long haul is to hear stories of others who have hit hard times and have prevailed. Pastor Scott McKinney has been pastoring CenterPoint Church in Orem, UT, for over thirty years, and his is one of those stories. When he first arrived back in the 1980's from Southern California, everyone thought he was crazy for taking over a dying church that didn't seem to stand a chance in the middle of an LDS-dominant culture. However, Scott committed himself to long-term ministry there, and the result has been a church that is flourishing. His book, Keep Showing Up: A Utah Pastor's Journey, is a fantastic read, as it not only chronicles the ups and downs that come from church revitalization in a difficult community, but it is also instructive on how to understand your cultural context and even learn to love it, especially as a "religious minority." This episode is full of practical wisdom and encouragement for anyone who wants to finish well in ministry!

Every single day, untold numbers of people will leave this earth. Some of them will, like the thief on the cross, be with Jesus in paradise “today.” Others, however, will step into a place of punishment and pain that is beyond imagination. As much as we'd rather not think about it, Hell is a real place with which we must contend. In this episode, Greg Strand, director of Theology and Credentialing for the Evangelical Free Church of America, takes us deep into the reality and implications of “eternal conscious punishment." He also helps us understand why annihilationism threatens our entire theological orthodoxy. While Greg recommends a variety of resources for further study, one in particular is Hell Under Fire by Christopher Morgan.

Becoming an excellent preacher is a lifelong process, and taking the time to learn from others is one of the best ways to improve. Darin McWatters, Lead Shepherd at Fullerton Free Church, helps us understand how he prepares sermons that create impact each week. We talk about how Darin "found his voice” as a preacher and how you can as well. Also, he shares with us how he approaches the biblical text each week, utilizes notes, handles feedback and criticism, and navigates politics and other hot-button issues from the pulpit. This episode was taken from a First Wednesday Workshop on October 6, 2021, called Transformational Preaching. For even more insights on preaching, check out an earlier episode with Dr. Lucas O'Neill from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Have you ever wondered about becoming a chaplain in our nation's armed services? Do you know someone who is thinking about it but not sure whether to take the risk? In this episode, our guests talk about the calling they each received to step into this role, and the amazing opportunities they've had to impact the lives of our men and women in uniform ever since. In addition to being pastors, both Ethan Hedberg of Ambassador Church and Michael Callahan of Covina Evangelical Free Church serve our nation in a part-time capacity, gaining access to places and people in the U.S. military that others only dream about. Each branch of our armed services desperately needs more EFCA-credentialed men and women willing to step into the fray and be a visible reminder of the holy. If you're interested the real story of military chaplaincy, and how to get involved, you need to listen to this episode. Finally, visit the EFCA Military Chaplains page to learn more or feel free to reach out to Ethan, Michael, or Yours Truly for any questions. 

This episode is from an EFCA West First Wednesday Worskshop with Dr. Amy Stumpf, professor of Society and Religion at Cal Baptist University in Riverside, CA. The result was an extremely practical and informative discussion on how to minister effectively to those facing issues of same-sex attraction, intersexuality, and gender dysphoria. In addition to being the world of academia, Dr. Stumpf is also the wife of Pastor Paul Stumpf, of Colton Community Church (EFCA) in Colton, CA. This episode is vital for anyone seeking a better understanding of these sensitive and highly-charged issues.

It is true that the closer you get to something, the more complicated it becomes. Alex Rivero, EFCA West's Director of All People Ministries, and Tim Jacobs discuss what they learned during a recent trip to the border along with ten other EFCA pastors and leaders. Traveling with Abara Ministries, the team had the opportunity to be briefed by members of the United States Border Patrol, as well as visit a shelter across the border in Juarez for refugees who had been turned away for asylum in the US. In this episode you'll hear aspects of the immigration issue that you'll never hear discussed in the news, as well as specific steps you can take to become part of the solution no matter where you live. If you have more questions about how EFCA West is addressing the immigration crisis, please reach out to Alex at alex.rivero@efca.org.

This episode is designed to give you a taste of what you can expect in our upcoming EFCA West cohorts starting in March. Click here to register for the Elder Board Cohort and here for the Mid-Level Leader Cohort. Each cohort will consist of five two-hour sessions and is designed to leverage the benefits of peer-level learning, relationship building, and practical insights so that you can become better in either of these vital roles in the church. As you listen to this episode you'll hear EFCA West Director of Church Health Bob Osborne and District Superintendent Tim Jacobs discuss the what makes these two areas of church leadership succeed and what tends to trip them up. Hopefully you'll want to join in on the conversation and the experience of learning together by taking advantage of either of these cohorts.

Bill Riedel founded Redemption Hill Church back in 2010 with a vision to carry the Gospel to the most powerful city in the world, and he and his family live within walking distance of the Capitol. At the time of this recording he was notified that his church building has fallen within the barricades set up to guard our elected officials from credible threats of attack. In addition to planting Redemption Hill Church, Bill is also an EFCA board member and part of the Acts 29 network, where he recently published an article about the events of January 6th. In this episode we talk about what Bill experienced being in close proximity to the protest-turned-riot, and then have a larger discussion about Christian Nationalism and the place it occupies in many of our churches. This is a real, raw, and honest conversation about the difference between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of men, and how many well-meaning Evangelicals have confused the two. However, we also talk about how we have reason to hope that, even in this dark time, the Gospel can emerge with greater clarity and effectiveness than ever before.

While 2020 has been all about the pandemic and the presidential election (among other things), the controversial issue of immigration in America remains one of our nation's most pressing challenges. Because of this, the EFCA has launched an innovative, church-based solution that provides help at the local level. In this episode, Diane Martinez, Executive Director of Immigrant Hope in Santa Barbara, CA, talks about how the strategy of Hope, Help, and Home is reaching the "least of these" with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Department of Justice certified ministry based at Shoreline Community Church (EFCA) was recently featured in Christianity Today and the Santa Barbara Independent. If you  are interested in how you can help get an Immigrant Hope center set up in your community, or just want to learn more, reach out to Diane at diane.martinez@immigranthope.org. Immigrant Hope is yet another example of the EFCA fulfilling its mission of "Multiplying Transformational Churches Among All People."

So much has been written and discussed about multiplying churches in the United States but in reality so few are actually doing it. However, in this episode Matt Larson teaches us what it looks like to multiply leaders and churches in a very strategic and yet organic way. Not only is Matt the Founding Pastor of Anthem Church in Thousand Oaks, CA, but he has also started the Anthem Family of Churches that is an association of church plants around Southern California and even as far away as Denver, CO. While Matt's story is unique, you'll hear principles and practices that you can integrate into your own ministry now, wherever you are. In addition to leading a church planting movement, Matt continues to develop leaders outside of Anthem, even hosting a monthly gathering of area pastors that he calls Exploration. If you are interested in learning more, or even checking out one of the Exploration gatherings, feel free to reach out to him at matt@anthemchurch.org. This is yet another example of how EFCA West churches are gaining ground for the Kingdom of God.

Everyone knows the church isn't a building. But, when planned for wisely, buildings can be tremendous tools for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. And even though the current pandemic has forced us to think beyond church buildings (a good thing in many ways), land and buildings will continue to be a vital part of ministry in the future. In this episode, Scott Achterling, President and CEO of Christian Investors Financial (www.christianinvestors.org), tells us what we can be doing now to maximize our church facilities and prepare wisely for the future. Even if a church isn't ready to build, there's a good chance that a refinance could be an excellent move. Or, perhaps your church is eyeing a piece of land that seems way out of range. Maybe it's just a matter of figuring out how to renovate the old 1960's building that is paid off but is falling apart. The point is, there is probably something you can do, and probably some way Christian Investors can help. All of these issues are discussed in this episode, as well as avoiding common mistakes with capital projects, why “reasonable debt” can be strategic for the church, and why a capital campaign consultant is worth every penny. As part of the EFCA family, CIF should be your first call to figure out how to take the next step in moving forward with the vision God has given your church.  

This is the audio version of a Wednesday Workshop called Post-Election Reflections with Kevin Kompelien, president of the Evangelical Free Church of America, and Jack Hamilton, who spent decades as the executive pastor of High Desert Church in Victorville, CA, and now mentors pastors all over the United States. We talk about the thoughts and emotions that those in our congregations are experiencing post-election, and what it looks like to keep the mission clear in these days. Also, because undoubtedly every pastor and church leader in America has been put in a brutally difficult situation we dive into how to handle criticism, very practically and personally. If we're going to make it over the long haul, we've got to learn how to deal with the pain that comes when those who have faithfully walked with us, for whatever reason, choose to walk away, or even turn against us. This was a special episode in so many ways.

Brian Chan, Lead Pastor of Emmanuel Church in Burbank, CA, (EFCA) has extensively studied the theology of beauty and even written a book on the subject called The Purple Curtain. In this episode we answer questions such as: What is beauty and why are we attracted to it in the first place? Why do churches, except in the area of music, seem to underutilize the arts? And what makes so many Christian movies and songs so cringeworthy? We also discuss Brian's involvement in his community art society, and how modern Christian artists like Makoto Fujimura use their craft to communicate Gospel themes of redemption and restoration. To get in touch with Brian, reach out to him at brian.chan@emmanuelburbank.org or check out his website.

What can a missionary to Berlin, Germany, teach us about how to approach ministry in our respective areas? As it turns out, quite a lot! The Berlin City Team Leader for ReachGlobal has had to figure out how the Gospel relates to a very cosmopolitan and secular metropolis. One the most common responses she gets from German friends who find out she's a Christian is, "You still believe that?" Her experiences and insight, along with the team of 25 that she leads, allow her to speak prophetically into what we can expect here in the US as our nation drifts further away from any type of Christian understanding. This podcast will help you think like a missionary, an absolutely vital skill in our rapidly changing culture. While originally produced in January of 2020, this podcast has relevancy now more than ever due to the challenges we all currently face.

This episode was recorded in January 2020 but is as relevant as ever. It's no secret that elder boards and leadership teams can be full of conflict, frustration, and stagnation. But the problem is often not the people, it's the system: a bad system can even turn the best people against each other! Bob Osborne, Director of Church Health for EFCA West, has been an elder at the same church for over 40 years, and has helped a number of EFCA West leaders build the type of elder boards and governing teams that bring life and health to their congregations. Whether you're a pastor, board member, or just a curious congregation member, this podcast will help you understand what a healthy board looks like and is capable of achieving. If you're interested in personal help with either your governance documents or elder board training, please reach out to Bob at bob.osborne@efca.org. 

This episode explores the "science of engagement" and answers the question, "How can we as speakers hold our listener's attention?" Omar Rivas (www.omarrivas.com) is a professional public speaking coach and engagement expert who trains CEO's and other business leaders to become better communicators. He is also contracted by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army to teach chaplains and other personnel how to speak effectively. This episode is not so much about content as it is delivery. We talk about concepts such as the "angel's cocktail," the "emotion cap," "dicing the story," and "pattern interruption," all which can help our content be delivered in a creative and memorable way. Finally, because he has a passion for ministry, Omar has offered any listener complimentary feedback on their communication skills, and you can reach out to him for more information at omar@omarrivas.com. Check out this episode and get better at engaging people!

This has got to be one of the hardest times in American history to be in local church leadership, and the upcoming election and current political climate is only adding fuel to the fire. This episode is a recording of a "Wednesday Workshop" on Zoom from September 2, 2020, with Larry Osborne of North Coast Church. Larry helps us understand how to navigate the political landscape with wisdom and boldness. What do you do when a church member wants you to endorse a political candidate? What about problematic social media posts from staff and church leaders? And how do we deal with the pressure to "say something" when what we really want to do is remain apolitical? You'll gain a ton of insight and encouragement from this conversation.

Believe it or not, there was a time when the church you are in now was nothing more than a dream in someone's mind! But whoever it was that started it could never have done it alone - others had to help. In fact, the EFCA itself started as a church planting movement. Even our mission statement begins with the word "Multiply." So in this episode, Andrew Hoffman, EFCA Director of Church Multiplication, walks us through how church planting leaders from across the nation have come together to produce the Reach Network: the most strategic national church planting effort in decades for the EFCA. You'll hear the story of how God put together a new multiplication team out of a terrible tragedy, and how men and women across districts are working together to produce systems that are state of the art for assessing, coaching, and training new planters. Finally, you'll learn how you can be a part of it, because this is an "all hands on deck" effort. Andrew and his family planted a church fifteen years ago in Berkeley, CA, and no matter where you are in ministry, you can learn from his experience. For more information on how to get involved in this pivotal church planting effort, reach out to him at andrew.hoffman@efca.org and check out the EFCA church multiplication page.

Earning an EFCA credential can bring tremendous value to not only a ministry leader, but an entire congregation. However, pursuing one understandably often gets put on the back burner. Greg Strand, Executive Director of Theology and Credentialing for EFCA, explains why it's not just the destination, but the journey of going through this process that can strengthen both the doctrinal integrity and moral purity of the pastor and/or church leader. At 36:30 we talk about the new "onramps" EFCA is opening up to get candidates "in the door" easier. At 51:00 minutes we talk about the uniqueness of the significance of silence in EFCA, and at 59:20 you'll hear how you can take the first steps in this important process. This episode is for pastors, associate staff, elders, and anyone who wants to know how partnering with EFCA in this way can strengthen your ministry.

In this episode you'll hear from two experts in the field of finances for pastors and church leaders. What is the difference between a 403b and a "church plan" 403b? Should you opt out of social security, and how does that affect your medicare eligibility? What should pastors be thinking about as they approach retirement? Ric Stanghelle and Jerry Rich, President and Vice President of FCMM respectively, have answers to all of these questions. And, they'll even tell you how to get a $1,000 grant if you open up an FCMM account. To find out more about what FCMM offer pastors and EFCA churches, visit www.fcmmbenefits.com. 

Between Twitter, TikTok, and now a global pandemic, is this the hardest time ever to be an effective preacher? How can we get people who have the attention span of a gnat to actually want to listen to our sermons? Dr. Lucas O'Neill, Professor of Homiletics at TEDS, teaches us how to create tension, effectively outline, and move seamlessly from one thought to the next. His recent book, Preaching to Be Heard: Delivering Sermons that Demand Attention, is the perfect follow up to this conversation. Whether you've been preaching for 50 years or just starting out, Dr. O'Neill can help you get better at your craft!