On today's episode, we interview Great Commission Association Dr. Michael Stewart, the second longest serving director of missions in the entire United States, and we talk to him about church planting on the West Coast...should Christians invest more money into planting churches in California, given the crazy costs of housing? We also discuss taking care of pastors, spiritual formation among church leaders, and why a church would want to join an association.

We discuss artificial intelligence and the church, and one of the best tools that pastors and leaders can use without cheating or letting the machines take over.

We also review the fiery fizzy soda that never plays it safe, AKA "The Baptist Beer!"

From the show:

This here is Old Jamaica ginger beer. And it says that it's made with authentic root ginger.
Nice. Right?
Authentic root ginger. It also says this isn't just a drink, This is a lifestyle.
Okay. Wow.
Now, I don't know what that means, but it says it's spices, it's boldness, it's fiery fizz, it's taste that doesn't play it safe. And it's asking, do you play safe?
Not always.
Not always, right? Yeah. Apparently, we're going to be taking quite a chance drinking this. Now, this is made in the UK.
Okay.Despite its Jamaica name.
I'm surprised to hear that, honestly.
Yeah, it's manufactured in the UK, but it's closely made with the authentic thing, real root ginger.

Big Churches are Growing, Small Churches are Shrinking. Is this good? Literally rich churches are, on average, getting richer, and poor churches are, on average, getting poorer, budget-wise.

Trends in the church, diagnostics, growth. The Walmartization of the Church. Rich getting richer, poor getting poorer - big churches are growing, and smaller churches are, by and large, plateaued and shrinking.

The trend in the U.S. of senior citizens going to church less, and how the church should mobilize its seniors to ministry and not just forget about them, or bench them. Why older people coming to church less is dangerous to the overall health of the church, how to run older people off, and why it is a terrible idea to do so. "The Church is not the NFL - these church members who are older still have a ton of value to contribute to the church." The story of Ms. Eulyne Fulton - the Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle of Valley Baptist Church. A perennial all-star and MVP, even in her 80s. "If you lead the church like you can live without seniors, you will." - Chase

The encouraging revitalization story of a church - First Baptist of Nipoma - that was down to six senior adult ladies, and a few years later is now thriving with a large youth group and tons of baptisms. HOW did it happen??

"Here's some good news: We believe in a God who brought His Son out of the grave. The hope of church renewal is not found in the perfection of human methods or our own strengths or our own wisdom, but the same God who's resurrection power is at work within the lives of the people who are inside our churches. That resurrection power that took us from spiritual death to spiritual life is at work in our churches to this day, and I believe that God wants to see our church to come to not only a place of surviving but thriving, and growth and missional engagement so that we can see the world and the communities around us transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ through that power. That is our hope here on the Every Church Flourishing podcast." - Chris Cole.

Dandelion and Burdock Soda. Ben Shaws Dandelion & Burdock is a classic, traditional British carbonated soft drink made from infusions of dandelion and burdock roots, offering a unique, slightly sweet, earthy, and licorice-like flavor.

Why did Ben Shaw make a tea out of two different flowering weeds? Dandelion tea doesn't taste nearly as good as Milo's sweet tea…how will Ben Shaw's Dandelion and Burdock Soda taste? (Surprisingly good, it turns out!) "It definitely has that sort of herbally flavor, but I feel like I'm drinking purple." "The sucralose and the saccharine are doing some heavy-lifting here." "I'm going to assume our upcoming review of Bacon soda - which we have - will not be suitable for our vegan and vegetarian friends." "I'm going to ask my friend Dr. Google, "Can Vegans drink Coke Zero?" (The astonishing answer awaits you in this episode!) "It doesn't have the bite I look for. I want a little bit of burn…it wakes you up, shakes you up…but this goes down smooth."

Church growth statistics analysis and discussion. Small church vs. Big church - enemies or potential partners?

How to keep your church seniors engaged, thriving, and coming to church.

Turnaround church - How FBC Nipomo went from a church of six senior ladies over 55 to a thriving church of 70 or so on a Sunday morning, and baptized 18 souls last year.

Resource for church revitalization: Diary of David Brainerd. "Ministry has tons of wins and tons of losses"

This week's episode features discussion of diagnostic ways of measuring a church's health. How can you take the pulse and vitals of your church? What are the signs of health and warning signs? How can you know whether or not your church is healthy?

Chase and Chris became senior pastors in their 20s and were clueless.

Lester's Fixins Peanut butter soda - 2 Spurgeons from Chris, 2.5 Spurgeons from Chase. + Is Tab the WORST Soda ever??

Chris Cole, "Jesus' first miracle was at a party, and after His resurrection, when He shows up with His disciples, He even makes them breakfast, and throughout His ministry you see Him eating with the Pharisees and the tax collectors, so try and get people to come over to your house and [feed them] and use that time to do some listening."

Jordan Raynor - Redeeming Your Time. https://www.amazon.com/Redeeming-Your-Time-Principles-Purposeful/dp/0593193075