This week, Jared & Matt interviewed Brian O'Day, the Executive Director of the Praetorian Project. The Praetorian Project is an effort to multiply the gospel through the establishment of new churches in military communities around the world. The churches are identified with their common name, Pillar Church. The goal is for military and civilians alike to find a church home at any Pillar Church they may encounter.  With 7 churches, from Japan to Southern California to Washington, DC, the...

This week, Matt & Jared talk about the unique challenge of planting churches in low-income areas in North America. Following up on Clint Clifton's conversation with Thabiti Anyabwile on last week's episode of Church Planting Podcast, Matt & Jared discuss everything from the differences between planting in low income areas and suburban areas, the challenge of racial tension in urban areas, and the tension whether we should "plant a church where you would love to live" or whether we...

Most church planters today understand that having a website is important, but when it comes to having a good website for your church plant, many church plants struggle. How do you know if your website is effective? What are the qualities of a good church website and what are some of the common mistakes that planters make when it comes to their church's website? Jared & Matt discuss this and more in this week's episode!  Also, be sure to head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or...

It’s becoming increasingly common for church plants to explore merging with existing congregations that are in need of an infusion of new life. This can bring a lot of fruit but it can also present a lot of unique challenges. How do you navigate a merger like this? What are the unique challenges of replanting an existing church ore revitalizing a dying church? Jared and Matt explore all of this and more in this week’s episode. Come get in the trenches with us! Also, be sure to head over to...

There are a lot of questions surrounding how church membership plays out in a new church plant How important is church membership? How soon should you implement church membership in your church plant? How do you do church discipline in a church plant before church membership has been instituted? When should your church plant come out from under the authority of your sending church?  Matt & Jared cover these questions and more in this week's episode!  Make sure to head over to...

Worship Ministry is a very important part of any church, but it can be a big challenge for church plants. Some planters and pastors have a hard time finding a worship leader (or the right worship leader) while others have a hard time getting on the same page as their worship leader. This week, Matt & Jared talk about how to build a healthy worship ministry in your church plant. Whether you are in the planning stages of your church plant or whether you are several years in and frustrated...

Structuring a weekly schedule can be a big challenge for church planters. It's easy to begin to be ruled by the tyranny of the urgent, barely keeping your head above water and constantly juggling 15 things at once. This can potentially affect your family, your mental health, and your spiritual health.  This week, Matt & Jared talk about ways to structure your weekly schedule so that you don't burn out.  Make sure to head over to www.getinthetrenches.com where you can find a lot more...

This week Matt & Jared sat down to talk with Clint Clifton, the City Mission for the Send Network in Washington, D.C. Clint has planted numerous churches, started multiple church planting networks, and raised up many homegrown church planters himself. Clint is also currently an elder at Pillar Dumfries, a church he planted several years ago, and he's the author of Church Planting Thresholds, a practical guide to help ordinary Christians discover why and how to plant churches (We HIGHLY...

One of the most common laments we hear from church planters has to do with how to develop a children's ministry.  "Our children's ministry isn't growing!"  "I can't find a children's ministry leader!" "I can't find any children's ministry volunteers!" "My wife is sick and tired of doing children's ministry, but I don't have anyone else to help!" "We don't have any children coming to our church plant!" "I don't even know how to start a children's ministry!" If you are a church...

Episode 3 is here! This week, Matt & Jared talk about a challenge that's more common than you'd think. Every follower of Jesus has highs and lows in their walk with Jesus, but that can be especially challenging when you are planting or pastoring a church. So what do you do when your affections for Jesus are waning?  Make sure to check out the NEW website!  We’d love to hear feedback! Feel free to ask us a question or just let us know what you think about the podcast. You can reach Matt...

As Jared transitions away from his church plant in Canada to start a new church in Washington, DC, he and Matt decided to sit down to discuss things God has taught them as they've planted churches. Don't worry, In The Trenches fans. The podcast will continue going even though Jared & Matt will be in different cities!  Make sure to check out www.disciplemakingstages.com for more info on Stages, which is discussed in this week's episode.  Make sure to check out the NEW website!  Also,...

If there's anything we need to get right when we plant churches, it's personal discipleship. And yet so many churches and church plants still struggle to develop disciple-makers and find a process that works for personal discipleship. Why? And what can be done about it? That's what Jared and Matt discuss on this week's episode of In The Trenches.  Make sure to check out www.disciplemakingstages.com for more info on Stages, which is discussed in this week's episode.  Make sure to check out...

Aaron Taylor is the planter and teaching pastor of Living Hope Church in Columbus, Ohio. Aaron started Living Hope 18 months ago. Aaron's church planting story is one of patiently waiting on God to plant the right way rather than rushing into a plant in an unhealthy way. There's some valuable lessons for any church planter in this episode!  Make sure to check out the NEW website!  Also, sign up for our weekly e-mail so that you can be the first to get new episodes and blog posts! When you...

Social Media can be a great tool for church planters, but it can also be a great snare. Matt and Jared talk about some safeguards you can implement in your life to make sure social media doesn't become a distraction or a snare for you and your ministry. Then, they discuss some of the positive things social media can do for you and your ministry.  Make sure to check out the NEW website!  Also, sign up for our weekly e-mail so that you can be the first to get new episodes and blog posts! When...

Fundraising can be an intimidating prospect for many planters. For some, the thought of having to fundraise is downright terrifying! But it doesn't have to be. In this episode, Matt and Jared talk all things fundraising. What does the Bible have to say about it? How do you do it? What are some mistakes to avoid and some tips for more effective fundraising? All that and more this week! Make sure to check out the NEW website!  Also, sign up for our weekly e-mail so that you can be the first...

How do you plant a church with little to no money? As the religious landscape in North America continues to change, this is a question that needs to be answered.  There's no way we will come close to planting as many churches as we need in North America unless we become more effective at planting churches that don't require massive budgets to get off the ground.  Make sure to check out the NEW website!  Also, sign up for our weekly e-mail so that you can be the first to get new episodes and...

This week Jared make a big announcement which then turned into a spontaneous, unplanned episode topic. Matt and Jared talked about how to transition well from one ministry role to the next, specifically when you are transitioning away from the church that you planted. There are lots of factors that come into play. Who are you handing the church off to? How do you know when your church is ready? How do you know for sure when it's time to go? What steps need to be taken for a smooth transition...

God doesn't keep score the way that we do. So often, we get fixated on the kinds of metrics that the world celebrates and church planting becomes like a project we are doing for God. In this episode, Matt and Jared talk about what REAL success in church planting looks like and how we need to start celebrating that more often rather than simply highlighting the church plants with exploding numerical growth.  The book that Jared mentioned in the episode, The Gospel Driven Church by Jared...

This week we interviewed Dino Senesi. Dino is the Coaching Director of the North American Mission Board’s Send Network (SBC). He has led congregations and encouraged leaders for over thirty years. He has served local churches in Louisiana, Ohio, and South Carolina, and his ten years of denominational leadership have provided hands-on experience with hundreds of churches and leaders.  Matt and Jared talked with Dino about the importance of having a coach as a church planter and why so many...

We're living in a time in which the nations are coming to us in North America. There's a vast array of religious beliefs and worldviews all around us. How can we effectively engage people with the Gospel when so many have different objections and barriers to belief? That's what Matt and Jared are talking about on this week's episode.  Make sure to check out the NEW website!  https://getinthetrenches.com/  Also, sign up for our weekly e-mail so that you can be the first to get new episodes...

Matt is back after a 3 week hiatus and we're talking about one of our favourite subjects: Multiplication! This week we talked about how your church plant can start planting churches early on. We give you some specific steps you can take that will create an environment in your church where multiplication can happen.  Make sure to check out the NEW website!  https://getinthetrenches.com/  Also, sign up for our weekly e-mail so that you can be the first to get new episodes and blog posts!...

How do you handle running your own business while living on mission and helping to start churches? This week Jared sat down with Jermaine Wall, a church planting resident with the Fellowships Network, to talk about his experience running his own business while simultaneously labouring to help plant churches on the east end of Toronto, Ontario.  Jermaine does an incredible job of engaging people with the Gospel out in the community and I think you’ll come away with some excellent practical...

Because life is getting a bit crazy, Matt and I haven't had time to get together to record an episode for this week, so we're reposting one of our most popular episodes from early in season 1. Arrica and Jen love to remind us that the episode where we had them on is the most listened to, and we're happy to acknowledge that it's because, well, our wives make us look good!  If you haven't heard this one, or even if it's been awhile since you've listened, then it may be a good idea to sit down...

What is it like to be a lay elder in a church plant from the very beginning? This week Jared sat down with Mike van't Slot, one of the elders at Fellowship Oshawa, the church that Jared planted outside of Toronto. Mike has been at Fellowship Oshawa from the very beginning and the story of how he found his way into a church is pretty incredible.  In this episode Jared and Mike talk about what exactly a lay elder does in a church plant, including the most challenging aspects of lay eldership...

Easter is an important time of year for church plants. Many people in your community are more open to coming to Gospel conversations or visiting your church on Easter, even if they don't fully understand why we celebrate Easter. So how can you prepare to effectively reach people on Easter weekend?  In this episode Matt and Jared talk about their experiences doing Easter outreach as church planters, some of which went well and some of which did not go well at all! They also discuss some...