200churches Podcast to Feature The VITAL Initiative
The VITAL Initiative is being featured on the 200churches Podcast in June. In May, Pastor Michael Nations, founding director of The VITAL Initiative, traveled to the 200churches studio in Orange City, Iowa to tape two episodes for the Podcast. The lively discussion centers around the frustrations of pastors serving small churches trying to find their place in the world, in the church/denomination and ultimately in God’s redemptive plan. The first episode was released June 1.
This popular podcast has previously featured ministry leaders such as Dr. Scot McKnight, Karl Vaters, Dave Jacobs, Carey Nieuwhof, Dan Reiland and many others. Pastor Nations feels this is a great honor and opportunity as The VITAL Initiative continues to expand in 2016.
The VITAL Initiative is a ministry of the Church of God offering a new paradigm of ministry which, “unapologetically targets pastors of smaller churches through revaluing pastors, reclaiming mission, and revitalizing small churches.”
“The 200churches Podcast and website was started by Jeff Keady and Jonny Craig and is all about ministry encouragement for pastors of small churches,” Nations stated. “We define a 200church as: a church of around 200 people, give or take a hundred or two!” Nations explained Keady and Craig are pastors at a 200church in Northwest Iowa. They met in a seminary class in June 2010 and have been friends since. Jeff has been in ministry for more than 27 years in churches ranging from 25 to 700. Jonny has been in ministry for a couple years and joined Jeff in ministry in 2012. Together they want to encourage and support other pastors of “smaller” churches. They know that there are tens of thousands of churches – actually hundreds of thousands – that have 200 or less in attendance.
“The work of these pastors and ministries can get lost in the shuffle,” Nations continued, “and they want to encourage, equip, support, inspire, and cheer them on! With humor, passion, conviction, and care, Jeff and Jonny share methods and inspiration for the small church pastor through their podcasts and blog posts.”
Access the Podcast at www.200churches.com. To learn more about The VITAL Initiative, visit www.thevitalinitiative.com.
