Practical conversations for small and midsize church leaders.
Hosted by Dale Sellers, Executive Director of 95Network and former small church pastor, the 95Podcast addresses the real challenges pastors face every week—from church health, leadership clarity, to the everyday realities of leading without large staff or large budgets. These are straightforward conversations rooted in experience, not theory.
New episodes release every Tuesday wherever you listen to podcasts or delivered straight to your inbox.
In today’s episode, we’re sharing some recent results from a national survey of small-church pastors we did last year, revisiting what God did in 2021, and looking forward to where we feel He’s leading us in 2022.
The end of 2021 is now upon us. It was definitely one of the most defining years of my life. I learned a lot about myself as I navigated some really difficult challenges. I will always remember 2021 for being a year of “creating under pressure.” I’m sure you found out a lot about yourself as well.
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with each member of our team and asking them about their favorite holiday memories. You’ll hear about the time Caralee’s husband pretended to be Rudolph, when Jesse had to cut 4-feet off a Christmas tree, why last year was the first Christmas Jason loved, the “redneck-est Santa” story from Travis, and so many more! Some of these really are stories I’ll never forget. 🙂
At 2:30 in the morning on September 10th, 2016, Leslie Weirich woke up to the doorbell ringing and the news that her 20-year-old son, Austin, had taken his life. It was the moment that changed everything.
Lance Witt is one of those leaders I hold so much respect for. With over 40+ years of leadership experience, and a deep understanding of soul care and ministry leadership, he holds so much wisdom for the Church today. I am honored to have him back on the podcast for today’s conversation!
We have to stop limiting the opportunities we have to connect with people because we don’t know how to do it. This is something I firmly believe, especially for those of us in ministry.
In today’s conversation, we’re talking about practical ways you and your congregation can show up meaningfully for your neighbors (seriously so many ideas in this episode!), great challenges for us to consider in our walk with Jesus, and the next season they see on horizon for what “church” looks like. This is a must-listen!
This episode was so much fun. In this conversation, we’re talking about reenergizing volunteers this holiday season, the eternal impact volunteers can make on people’s lives, practical ways to communicate the joy of Christ to everyone who walks through the doors, and encouragement for every church leader. Listen in!
On top of being a ministry consultant with The Unstuck Group, Paul has more than 23 years experience serving in the local church, the last 18 of which have been on the Senior Leadership Teams of some large churches throughout the nation. Currently, Paul is serving as the Executive Pastor at Sun Valley Community Church, a multi-site church located in the Phoenix area.
For this episode, we’re welcoming Jon Sanders, Founder of Small Town Big Church & 95Network Coaching Director, and Jason Allison, Pastor at Press Church & 95Network VisionDay Facilitator / Coach. These guys are incredible leaders who not only have hands-on experience with church planting and leadership, but a heart to support those God has called into ministry.
This week we’ve got an update for you! The 95 Podcast has been a big piece of how our ministry has expanded over the last 2-3 years, and it’s going to look a little bit different moving forward!
We’re back with Episode 100! 🎉 It’s hard to believe! To celebrate, we’re so excited to share today’s episode with Carey Nieuwhof with you.
Equipping can’t be reduced to a weekly performance; it requires presence, relationship, modeling, and shared life.
“If you got a pulse, he’s got a purpose for you.” Retirement isn’t the end of ministry; it’s a new season with fresh opportunities to serve, mentor, and impact the kingdom.
Self-awareness protects leaders from self-deception. Honest feedback is a guardrail for character and culture.
Build discipleship around practice, not just information. People grow through doing, feedback, and repetition in relationships.
Prayer is the engine, not the accessory. Easter effectiveness is not primarily about production, but about God’s presence.
Start with alignment, not content. Kevin begins sermon prep by praying, seeking God’s direction, and dealing with “known sin” to remove spiritual and emotional friction.
Less Is More—With Intentionality. Doing less with your whole heart is better than doing more and being worn out. Fewer tactics executed with great intentionality will be more effective than an overwhelming production.
Have the Conversation Before There’s a Problem. You can’t wait for something negative to happen before talking to volunteers. Schedule regular check-ins not just about their area of service but about their lives.
The personal God gets personal with us. Biblical counseling explores the active, desiring heart beneath behavior and connects it to Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s present ministry.
America’s churches are over-inspired and under-trained. People hear great messages but don’t know how to actually do ministry. The solution is creating workshop environments where people learn by doing, not just listening.
With a possible 160,000 churches facing pastoral transitions in the next decade, there’s a critical shortage of developed leaders ready to step into these roles.
