In episode 14, Chris Rivers speaks with Bobby Raulerson, Campus Pastor at Grace Church’s Harrison Bridge campus, and David Delk, Executive Pastor.  They unpack some of the key ideas in the Grace Church Philosophy of Ministry and discuss how the church’s commitment to life on life discipleship helps guide these principles.  As a church, Grace values the idea of equipping and motivating members to get involved in someone’s life, meet their needs, and help them grow in their relationship with Christ. This means all of the activities and ministries are centered around this idea. Rather than using a dynamic speaker or an over-the-top experience to attract people, the focus is on discipleship and life change. David and Bobby share five key ideas. The entire Philosophy of Ministry can be found in the show notes for this episode. 1. What happens during the week in the lives of our volunteers and leaders is way more important than what happens during our worship services.  2. We believe it is way more important to become compelling people than it is to create compelling experiences. 3. Discipleship and shepherding is hand-to-hand combat. Expect leaders and volunteers to carry real weight and get messy with people. 4. We intentionally don’t solve all the problems in our church with staff leadership or money; we believe more discipleship takes place when volunteers and leaders figure it out and make it happen. Visit Gracechurchsc.org/equip to access  5. God uses conflict and tension as a tool for transformation. People will seek to relieve tension, discomfort, or suffering before God has done everything he wants to do. We want to shepherd tension wisely to allow people to stay in it until they deal with root issues. Relieving it prematurely only brings more pain later. Resources: - Grace Church Philosophy of Ministry - A Few Key Ideas: DOWNLOAD If you're new to Grace Church Equip, head on over to gracechurchsc.org/equip to access coaching opportunities, additional resources on our EQUIP Hub, and upcoming EQUIP events. Have a question or want to speak to someone on our team? Email crivers@gracechurchsc.org and we will get you connected. Many thanks to Lauren Bryant and Scott Beardsley for helping to produce this episode.

EQUIP Podcast

14: Ministry Philosophy with Bobby Raulerson and David Delk

Check out gracechurchsc.org/equip to access additional resources and coaching opportunities. If you have questions, need coaching, or just want us to discuss a topic on the podcast, please email us at equip@gracechurchsc.org. In episode 15, Chris Rivers speaks with Matt Kelley, Worship Pastor/Director of Leadership Development at Grace Church, and Davis Craig, Students’ Advisor and Internship & Residency Director, about the concept of creating a downline. This discipleship strategy involves intentionally pouring into the lives of others with the goal of replicating future leaders. Matt shares his experience being the recipient of a downline and also building his own downline.  He poses the question to listeners:  Who are the 2-3 people in your life you need to be investing time into who could be the next person to take your role?   Matt and Davis unpack the challenges involved in creating a downline including: seeing the process as a threat to your position, making the time to include people in your world, having flexibility with your schedule, creating opportunities for training and cleaning up the messes this may create, and loving people well enough to tell them the truth.  This strategy, while difficult to flesh out, is an important and necessary step in the process of reproducing leaders. With an attitude of humility, patience, and intentionality, listeners can learn to build a discipleship culture that impacts the future of the church and those who will come behind. Many thanks to Lauren Bryant, Meg Gurley and Scott Beardsley for helping to produce this episode.

15: Building a Downline with Matt Kelley and Davis Craig

In episode 14, Chris Rivers speaks with David Delk, Grace Church’s Executive Pastor, as they discuss the concepts involved in approaching the working world from a Biblical perspective. The reality of the world in which we live sets us up to experience a large part of our lives in the workplace. This episode seeks to explain how important it is for the church to disciple people around the idea of work, and to explore the impact that is possible by recognizing the potential for ministry within an occupation or executive position. David speaks on practical ways to lead a discussion that invites members to offer advice and collaborate on similar struggles and bond over shared experiences or feelings. The power of encouragement, servant leadership, and recognizing motivation are some key ideas this episode will help to unpack as listeners learn how to incorporate the Gospel of Jesus at work. Consider listening to episodes, download the resources below and adapt in your context. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES What is Senior Executive Roundtable DOWNLOAD Principle: People Do What They Want To Do DOWNLOAD How to Conduct a Roundtable with your Team DOWNLOAD Legacy Business Advisors (Now called Venture) LINK Check out gracechurchsc.org/equip to access additional resources and coaching opportunities. If you have questions, need coaching, or just want us to discuss a topic on the podcast, please email us at equip@gracechurchsc.org. Many thanks to Lauren Bryant and Meg Gurley for helping to produce this episode. 

14: The Gospel at Work–A Biblical Perspective in our Working World

As followers of Jesus, we are commissioned to get involved in someone else’s life, meet their needs, and help them grow in their relationship with Christ. Jesus doesn’t ask us to simply be nice to our neighbors. He calls us to sacrifice, to love others who are not like us, to enter into others’ brokenness, and to inconvenience ourselves for the sake of the gospel. In this episode, Chris Rivers speaks with three members of Grace Church’s Outreach Team about a resource they created called The Outreach Serving Tool. This resource helps members of Grace Church identify one action step they can take to pursue their personal ministry in their community.  RESOURCES MENTIONED Visit gracechurchsc.org/outreachtools to access “What’s My Responsibility in Serving Others” and its accompanying videos. These resources highlight the importance of serving and expound on the concepts presented in the Outreach Serving Tool. Visit gracechurchsc.org/equip to access additional resources and coaching opportunities. If you have questions, need coaching, or just want us to discuss a topic on the podcast, please email us at equip@gracechurchsc.org.

13: Launching the Outreach Serving Tool

Workshop Session from 2021 Creating a Culture of Discipleship. Learn more by visiting gracechurchsc.org/equip

03 Workshop: The Tensions Leaders Face | Matt Williams

02 Workshop: Generosity that Sustains Discipleship | Matt Williams & Scott Mozingo

05 Workshop: Creating Ownership and Developing Leaders | Joey Altom & Daniel Black

04 Workshop: Discipleship Pathways and a Discipleship Culture | Bobby Raulerson & Todd Singletary

01 Workshop: Key Concepts in Maintaining Effective Discipleship | David Delk & Bill White

In this episode Matt Kelly, one of the governing elders at Grace Church, focuses on why building strong leaders is key to effective discipleship. Put these principles into action by bringing your leaders to the 2021 Creating a Culture of Discipleship (April 13-14) event in Greenville, SC! During this two-day micro-conference, we will explore the principles and specific elements that comprise Grace Church’s discipleship model. These are hard-earned lessons that God has taught us over the last 20+ years. Visit gracechurchsc.org/equip to register and access more information, resources, and coaching opportunities. If you have questions, need coaching, or just want us to discuss a topic on the podcast, please email us at equip@gracechurchsc.org.

12: Building Strong Leaders is Key to Effective Discipleship with Matt Kelley

In August of 2019, Grace Church (gracechurchsc.org) Student Leadership created content to give to each campus for their monthly small group leader huddles. A team of experienced staff worked together to develop a suggested time frame, video training, discussion questions, and implementation strategy. Campuses were able to take this material and personalize it to their campus with their own applicable experiences. This strategy helped by taking pressure off new staff at Grace Church and giving them a model to follow.  It also served to keep the student team on the same page and maintain consistency with their leaders. Overall, the training and resources have proven helpful and beneficial.  In this interview, Chris Rivers speak with Daniel Black (dblack@gracechurchsc.org) and Audrey Williams(awilliams@gracechurchsc.org), two of the staff members who helped develop this program. SUGGESTED TRAINING IDEAS Share the interview with your student leaders and staff. Ask your team to take a week to listen to the content and come up with 1 or 2 ideas that could help advance the growth and success of your student ministry. Meet together as a team and brainstorm the following questions: What did you like best about episode 11? Where is the current status of our student leaders? (new leaders vs. seasoned leaders, are there evident gaps or needs for equipping around certain topics?) What content from the huddle and equipping section of the podcast might be most helpful for our leaders? How should we adapt and roll out this content in our context? (I.e. huddles or a big training?) Access all of the Student Leader Huddle resources by visiting our EQUIP Hub (bit.ly/equiphub) and look for this resource in the Student Ministry section. If you have questions, need help with implementation, or just want us to discuss a topic on the podcast, please email us at equip@gracechurchsc.org.

11: Equipping Student Leaders with Discipleship Tools

In this interview, Chris McGowan, Creative Worship Pastor at Grace Church in Greenville SC, shares with us strategy the church is using to draw the members of Grace Church into worship for the 2020 Christmas season.  Mentioned in the interview are two opportunities called "Words from the Cross" and "O Come Emmanuel." The digital and print prayer guides as well as guided prayer videos can be downloaded at (gracechurchsc.org/prayerguides). As mentioned in the interview, both are guided prayer and worship sessions that lasts 30 minutes. Email equip@gracechurchsc.org for help with implementation.  2021 OPPORTUNITY Consider joining us in 2021 for Creating a Culture of Discipleship in Greenville, SC! During the two-day micro-conference, we will explore the principles and specific elements that comprise Grace Church’s discipleship model. These are hard-earned lessons that God has taught us over the last 20+ years. Visit gracechurchsc.org/equip to register and access more information, resources, and coaching opportunities.

10: A Christmas Strategy for Members of Grace Church with Chris McGowan

The Power of Communication teaching was recorded during the October 2020 Grace Church All Staff.  Referenced in the teaching is the The Power of Communication Participant notes and Audit tool [LINK].   Consider joining us in 2021 for Creating a Culture of Discipleship in Greenville, SC! During the two-day micro-conference, we will explore the principles and specific elements that comprise Grace Church’s discipleship model. These are hard-earned lessons that God has taught us over the last 20+ years. Visit gracechurchsc.org/equip to register and access more information, resources, and coaching opportunities. 

9: The Power of Communication with David Delk

EQUIP is a coaching arm of Grace Church in Greenville SC. We are passionate about advancing the growth and success of the local church through the equipping of leaders, within the context of an ongoing and supportive mentoring relationship. Each episode focuses on issues and topics relevant to church leaders across the country and around the world. Learn more at gracechurchsc.org/equip

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EQUIP Podcast

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