In The Trenches Church Planting Podcast

One thing that church planters often struggle to do is get adequate rest during the week. But taking a Sabbath day off during your week is critical to your long term health and success as a church planter! Not to mention, it's also a command in Scripture! This week Matt and Jared talk about how to be consistent taking a Sabbath rest, how we're tempted to "cheat" on our rest days, and when its appropriate for a church planter to think about taking a sabbatical and how to put that process into motion.  Be sure to head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com

Church planters and pastors talk a lot about prayer, but does the way we structure our calendars and the way we conduct our worship services actually reflect that we believe prayer is as vital as we say it is? In this week's episode, Matt & Jared discuss this and talk about changes that we can make to move beyond giving lip service to the importance of prayer. They also discuss the power of prayer and why prayer is the single most important thing a church planter or pastor can do.  Be sure to head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com

This Thanksgiving week Matt & Jared talk about what they are thankful for, Jared's disdain for driving large trucks in the city, and how to know if you are called to plant a church. While "calling" is a much talked about topic in the church planting world, many people continue to jump into church planting without the essential elements of a strong call. In this episode Matt & Jared talk about what those essential elements are and the potential dangers of jumping into church planting and ministry without having a strong sense of calling. Make your Thanksgiving holiday drive to grandma's house better by getting in the trenches with us! Be sure to head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.

This week is Part 2 of Jared and Matt's interview with 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 Praetorian Project is multiplying. Come get in the trenches with us and Brian, a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, this Veterans Day! Also, be sure to head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  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 at mhess@fellowshipp

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 Praetorian Project is multiplying. Come get in the trenches with us and Brian, a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, this Veterans Day!  Also, be sure to head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  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 at mhess@fellowshippick

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 should follow Jesus to uncomfortable places we may not love living in.  Also, be sure to head over to iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com

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 Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  It will help get this podcast into the hands of more church planters and fans of church planting. Oh, and GO ASTROS! On the podcast, we mentioned our friends over at the Church Planting Podcast. Each week, Clint Clifton and Josh Turansky interview a guest to talk about the various aspects of church planting and we think their podcast is an excellent resource for church

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 iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify and “subscribe” to In The Trenches and then leave us a written review. Check out our other episodes at our website, www.getinthetrenches.com  It will help get this podcast into the hands of more church planters and fans of church planting. Oh, and GO ASTROS! On the podcast, we mentioned our friends over at the Church Planting Podcast. Each week, Clint Clifton and Josh Turansky interview a guest to talk about the various aspects of church planting and we think their podcast is a

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 www.getinthetrenches.com where you can find a lot more content. 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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca to learn more about what Matt is up to in Canada with the Fellowships Network. Head to www.pillardc.com to check out what Jared is up to in Washington, D.C.

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 at the lack of traction in your church's worship ministry, there are some helpful principles that you can apply within this episode to start moving in the right direction.  Make sure to head over to www.getinthetrenches.com where you can find a lot more content. 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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca&n

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 content. 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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca to learn more about what Matt is up to in Canada with the Fellowships Network. Head to www.pillardc.com to check out what Jared is up to in Washington, D.C.

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 recommend picking it up!)  Don't miss this episode! Clint drops some GOLD and gives some extremely practical steps to start raising up homegrown church planters in your midst RIGHT NOW!  Make sure to head over to www.getinthetrenches.com where you can find a lot more content. 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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com Head to http://www.t

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 planter, you've likely uttered at least one of those phrases before. So what do you do?  Matt and Jared talk about the challenges of children's ministry and potential ways to overcome those challenges in this week's episode!  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com Head to http://ww

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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@pillarchurchsbc.com  Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca to learn more about what Matt & Jared are up to in Canada with their church planting organization, the Fellowships Network.

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, sign up for our weekly e-mail so that you can be the first to get new episodes and blog posts! When you sign up, you will also unlock our FREE e-book "30 Of The Best Quotes For Church Planters", a curation of 30 of our favourite church plant quotes!  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@fellowshiposhawa.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca&n

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 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 sign up, you will also unlock our FREE e-book "30 Of The Best Quotes For Church Planters", a curation of 30 of our favourite church plant quotes!  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@fellowshiposhawa.com Head to http

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 sign up, you will also unlock our FREE e-book "30 Of The Best Quotes For Church Planters", a curation of 30 of our favourite church plant quotes!  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@fellowshiposhawa.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca to learn more about what Matt & Jared are up to in Canada with their church planting organization,

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 you sign up, you will also unlock our FREE e-book "30 Of The Best Quotes For Church Planters", a curation of 30 of our favourite church plant quotes!  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@fellowshiposhawa.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca to learn more about what Matt & Jared are up to in Canada with their church planting organiza

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 to get new episodes and blog posts! When you sign up, you will also unlock our FREE e-book "30 Of The Best Quotes For Church Planters", a curation of 30 of our favourite church plant quotes!  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@fellowshiposhawa.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca to learn more about what Matt & Jared are up to in Canada w

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 blog posts! When you sign up, you will also unlock our FREE e-book "30 Of The Best Quotes For Church Planters", a curation of 30 of our favourite church plant quotes!  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 at mhess@fellowshippickering.ca and you can reach Jared at jared@fellowshiposhawa.com Head to http://www.thefellowships.ca to learn more about what Matt & Jared are up to in Canada with their ch