The Thriving Church Podcast

Episode 07 - Positive, Possible, Grateful, ‘Get to’ Giving

Continuing the exploration of the 12 characteristics of a biblically healthy church, podcast hosts Rick Brittian and Kevin Parker dive into the topic of biblical giving from a positive and possible perspective. Relying on a multitude of biblical passages on giving and stewardship, they talk about moving beyond a minimalist approach to an opportunity approach in giving to God’s work. It is a core part of following Jesus and trusting Him in life. They encourage gratitude, generosity, and joy in giving. That takes an attitude of freedom and faith in Christ, enabled by the Holy Spirit.

Episode 06 - Getting Along, Connecting, and Helping Each Other

Fellowship, accountability, and discipline appear among the 12 essential characteristics of a biblically healthy church. Beyond meeting together and eating, fellowship reflects a deep bond based on shared experiences. It lays a foundation for healthy accountability and discipline. Accountability and discipline begin with encouragement, prompting each other into good works, and bearing burdens. Discipline seeks to restore and draw people into the fellowship, not drive them away.

Episode 05 - Practical, Relational Praying in the Church

Practical, relational prayer is essential to biblically healthy churches. Such prayer extends beyond lists. It is part of an intimate relationship with God and often blurs into worship (another characteristic). A great way to understand prayer is a three-sentence description: be with God, agree with God, obey God.

Episode 04 - Weighty, Creative Ordinances and Worship

Ordinances and worship are characteristics of a biblically healthy church. Baptist churches practice believers’ baptism by immersion. The event is a wonderful, monumental day in a Christian’s life and in the church. Likewise, the Lord’s Supper has become more creative, but retains its distinct weightiness. Churches want people to engage in both. They also want people involve in biblical worship, both corporate worship gatherings and daily acts of worship through Christian obedience.

Episode 03 - Membership, Leadership and Teaching in Churches

Believers are joiners. That looks different in every church. Church membership is more than formal joining; it is belonging, connectedness, purpose, and much more. Leadership also looks different in every church. But, having leaders means building leaders. Preaching and teaching, too, differs in every Baptist church. However, all the content comes from the same Bible. Biblically healthy churches nurture membership, leadership development, and preaching and teaching.

Episode 02 - Helping Lost People Become Growing Christians

From the beginning of Southern Baptist life, evangelism has been at the core of what SB churches do. If a church wants a future, it has to do evangelism. In a similar way, the next step is helping people to have a life that looks like the life Jesus lived. Ultimately, the church is both reproductive and action oriented, something that has no end. Even Paul never stopped growing spiritually.

Episode 01 - The Ambition of the Church: Healthy

Churches try to do church well and get things right. Healthy churches connect with Jesus’ mission to reach as many people as possible and to reproduce the church. How can they do that? They build a culture based on markers of biblical church health. This episode introduces the Baptist Convention of New Mexico’s Church Health Team and the twelve habits of a biblically healthy church.

Episode 00 - Helping Churches Thrive

Thriving Church Podcast hosts Kevin Parker and Rick Brittan introduce the podcast, its recipients,  its purpose, and its resources. They talks about things churches do inside walls, out in their community, and around the world. Using the Bible’s analogy of the vine and the branches, they talk about Jesus’ central role in church fruitfulness.