The Thriving Church Podcast

Episode 17 - Reaching 'Nana, Neighbors, and the Nations'

Any church can participate in reaching “nana, neighbors, and the nations.” The Thriving Church Podcast talks with Matt Thackerson about how. Starting Jesus entrusting His church with His mission at Pentecost, the birthday of the church, Thackerson and the podcasts hosts explore the answer. What is that mission? How does a church participate? What does it mean to send, go, pray, and give? Where is the “shallow end of the pool” where any church can start?

Episode 16 - I Am Their Opportunity

After a weekend when a new church made 500 contacts to share the Gospel, Steve Ballew, Matt Thackerson, Rick Brittain, and Kevin Parker explore the reality, the mandate, the barriers, and the first steps of ensuring that all New Mexico has a chance to hear the Gospel and respond to it. They backstop the convention’s theme: “That All May Hear.” With one salient statement, “I am their opportunity,” they personalize the ideas that people deserve to hear and we are their opportunity. Together, they forge a simple plea, “It’s time to start.”

Episode 15 - Explore a Missional, Joyful, Thriving Church

The Thriving Church Podcast talks with the pastor of a thriving church to find out what makes it thrive. Guest Reed Redus, pastor of First Baptist Church, Santa Fe, New Mexico, talks in a heartfelt way about his church’s people, his family’s role, and his work as a church leader. Even more, he talks about what church members are doing to reach people, go on mission, serve, care for one another, and build saints. He gets personal with his walk with God and honest about the church’s unique deacon yoke-fellow program. In all, the church exudes joy, unity, care, and a burden for lost people.

Episode 14 - Signaling for Help When God Does Big Things

Podcast Host Kevin Parker, and guest Matt Thackerson consider from Scripture how Jesus can do big things when His people don't expect it. And, when He does, they have to call on their partners for help. God is still working that way today. And, His people still need partners to finish the job.

Episode 13 - Step Into a Thriving Student Ministry

Need some steps to thriving student ministry? This episode covers the who, what, and how of great student ministry to middle and highschoolers. Ensure that they grow and become part of God’s Kingdom ministry through your church. Whether you have one student, or many of them, this episode tackles your situation and stirs your passion for students. Listen, learn, and then change lives. The Baptist Convention of New Mexico’s NextGen Strategist, Katy Parker, and Nathan Smith, student pastor at First Baptist Church, Roswell, New Mexico, join podcast host Kevin Parker for this helpful conversation.

Episode 12 - Reaching Kids Does So Many Things!

Podcast host Kevin Parker talks with NextGen Strategist Katy Parker (no relation!) and kid-friendly pastor Larry Evans about reaching children. This wide-ranging conversation answers lots of questions. Why is reaching kids so important? Do you need to reach kids? Where do we start? What do we do? Who can help us? Discover it all with us on The Thriving Church Podcast.

Episode 11 - How is Your Church Thriving?

Participants at the 2026 New Mexico Evangelism Conference answered the question “How is your church thriving?” Podcast hosts Kevin Parker and Rick Brittain explore the conference answers in this first listener generated episode. Listen and find out how New Mexico churches see themselves thriving - or not. Fresh, frank, honest, and exciting answers all come from ordinary New Mexico Baptists willing to talk about their church.

Episode 10 - Setting the 12 Characteristics in Motion in a Church

Thriving Church Podcast hosts Kevin Parker and Rick Brittain welcome guests Steve Ballew and Matt Thackerson, BCNM leaders, to the podcast to talk about implementing and practicing the 12 characteristics of a biblically healthy church. They explore how the characteristics look in actual churches, not just in theory. How can churches do them? Offering possibilities to both large and small churches, they start with pursuing the characteristics in small groups so they strengthen the whole church. Together, the hosts and guests encourage churches to start with what is most accessible, then keep going. This episode wraps up the series about the 12 characteristics.

Episode 09 - IMB’s Wooten Explores the Origins of the 12 Characteristics of Biblically Healthy Churches

Thriving Church Podcast hosts Kevin Parker and Rick Brittain and guest Bryan Wooten, a Church Engagement Strategist for the International Mission Board's West Region, explore the background of the 12 characteristics of biblically healthy churches. Wooten explains how the characteristics are rooted in biblical principles and essential for church health and missiology. The 12 characteristics also guide local churches in fulfilling the Great Commission. While churches may not perfectly embody every characteristic, consistency in practicing them should be the aim for both new church plants and existing churches. The characteristics are opportunities rather than requirements, that help churches produce healthy disciples and support mission efforts locally and globally.

Episode 08 - Mission: The 'Why' that Transforms and Changes Church

Podcast hosts Kevin Parker and Rick Brittain finish out the list of the 12 characteristics of a biblically healthy church with a conversation on “mission.” It is why the Church exists and why local churches do missions. Southern Baptists began by rallying around “mission,” saying in 1846, “We exist to bring the Gospel to the nations.” Today, the heart of the Church is still to go on mission. Activities such as personal evangelism and mission trips change other people and change the participants, forever. In this podcast you’ll hear how New Mexicans know what its like to receive mission trips, go on mission trips, and send out missionaries. Mission is the lab experience for working out all that the Church teaches. Mission transforms. It changes perspectives. Everything is theory until you get out of your chair and practice the mission.