.png)
The Small Church Ministry Podcast
The only podcast created for volunteers and everyday leaders in smaller congregations, this show embraces small church ministry as a place where God is already at work. Founder of Small Church Ministry and the Small Church Network, Laurie J. Graham shares why small churches matter—not as a scaled-down version of something bigger, but as powerful communities with their own unique strengths. Each episode offers creative solutions to real challenges with a mix of honest encouragement, leadership skills, and actionable next steps.
Laurie hosts the show with a perspective shaped by decades in ministry on every side of small church life—as a volunteer, staff leader, and pastor’s spouse. She knows both the pressure and the beauty of small churches firsthand, and brings steady encouragement, practical wisdom, and deep care for both volunteers and ministry leaders.
The Small Church Ministry Podcast
220: Mistake #5: Planning First, Asking for Help Second | Church Volunteer Series
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This episode in Stop Doing This to Volunteers: Top Mistakes Our Churches Are Making looks at how we unintentionally sideline volunteers before they even begin.
We’ve been taught in leadership to make plans first and ask for help later. Turns out, that’s a great way to make people feel unnecessary, unimportant, and often unseen.
In this episode, we cover:
- How early planning decisions limit participation
- Why people disengage when they’re brought in too late
- What shared ownership actually looks like in small churches
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Join our free Facebook Community
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this.
🎙 Thanks for tuning in to Small Church Ministry Podcast! See you next week!
FOLLOW US:
Website: smallchurchministry.com
Instagram: instagram.com/smallchurchministry
Facebook: facebook.com/smallchurchministry
Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/smallchurchministry
Small Church Network: smallchurchministry.com/membership