Jon Sanders on God’s Desire to Do Big Things in Small Places – Episode 50
Jon Sanders is the Founder of the Small Town Big Church Network, an incredible ministry to support and encourage leaders in small towns and rural contexts.
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.
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Jon Sanders is the Founder of the Small Town Big Church Network, an incredible ministry to support and encourage leaders in small towns and rural contexts.
Chad has led hundreds of churches through coaching and consulting processes over the years and is our newest addition to the 95Network team. Listen in for a great conversation!
Our Enemy wants to keep leaders discouraged not just to limit our effectiveness today. But ultimately to keep us from effectively engaging the next generation.
Today, we discuss approval addiction, leading “surrendered,” negative thinking, and what remains of your passion for the next generation. Take a listen!
Today on the podcast, we discuss the 4 warning signs a ministry leader is becoming stalled. I hope this is a simple check-in for you to be honest about your own health.
We were honored to have Shawn Lovejoy join us for Episode 45 of the podcast for some straight-shootin’ leadership wisdom.
Today on the podcast, Austin interviews Dale about his own story, walking through the ministry stress that led to his open heart surgery and how he got to the place he told his friend Tony, ‘I thought I’d be there by now.’
On Episode 43, we’re joined by Danny Davis, author of Rural Church Turnaround and Pastor of Life Point Church in Odessa, MO.
On Episode 42, we chat about a recent VisionDay, Andy Stanley’s recent announcement, the story of Gideon, and 3 things that cause any leader to struggle with leading their church forward.
On Episode 41, we connect with Joe Thompson, Lead Pastor of Smithfield Christian Church. We love his genuine heart for leaders and his passion for ministry.
On Episode 40, we connect with Ryan Wakefield, founder of Church Marketing University, for some practical takeaways to lead your church forward.
This week, many conversations are happening that should have been happening for many years. And that’s true about our ministry as well.
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.
In this episode, Dale Sellers & Joseph Bennett interview trauma counselor Bridget Trammell about trauma, triggers, religious abuse, purity culture, and practical steps pastors can take to heal and lead healthier churches.
We usually have it backwards. . . Most of us rest from work. However, God’s desire for us is that we work from rest.
Fault leads to shame; responsibility leads to freedom. Responsibility shows you what you can actually change and release what you cannot control.
Discernment stays human. AI can help refine communication, brainstorm, or summarize—but leaders must verify and own what’s shared.
Connection starts with God first. If leaders are not connected to God, they will not lead people into meaningful connection.
Kids ministry deserves top-tier support. If the mission includes evangelism and disciple-making, the next generation should be resourced accordingly.
Most pastors aren’t refusing rest—they’re trapped by systems. Without a plan (and a bench), even a short break can feel impossible.
Preparation beats panic. Healthy leaders build a plan before the crisis—then execute calmly when disruption hits.
Equipping can’t be reduced to a weekly performance; it requires presence, relationship, modeling, and shared life.