One Seed at a Time is a church revitalization podcast from the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church, hosted by Rev. Dr. Jevon Caldwell-Gross. This podcast is designed to help churches, leaders, and everyday disciples multiply love, cultivate joy, and inspire hope without burning out in the process. Each episode features real leaders in real churches doing the slow, beautiful work of renewal, offering practical wisdom and fresh perspectives on what it means to revitalize ministry today. Because the Church is still God's best strategy for changing the world—and you don't have to fix everything overnight. Revitalization happens one decision, one act of kindness, one courageous conversation at a time.
What does it really take to start a new church? And why does it still matter?
In this episode of One Seed at a Time, host Dr. J sits down with Kim and Jim Griffith, two seasoned church planters and coaches with decades of experience starting new faith communities across the country. Together, they pull back the curtain on what church planting actually looks like today, from the models that work to the mistakes that sink new plants before they ever get off the ground.
Kim and Jim share their own origin stories, break down the characteristics of effective church planters, and make the case for why affinity and community fit matter more than almost anything else. They also challenge the idea that church planting is only for full-time clergy, and make a compelling argument that laypeople may be some of the most effective planters out there.
Whether you have a vision for a new faith community, or you just want to understand how the church grows, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about what is possible.
New spaces. New people. One seed at a time.
30 Sept 2026
What is Next For The United Methodist Church?
In this episode, Dr. J and Reverend Dr. Lovett Weams discuss the future of the United Methodist Church, focusing on revitalization and community engagement. They explore the challenges faced by the church, the importance of understanding current realities, and the need for innovative approaches to reach new members. The conversation explores the need for the United Methodist Church to engage more deeply with communities, reclaim its mission, and focus on growth through professions of faith. It emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural dynamics, reimagining church presence, and implementing effective turnaround strategies.
Takeaways
Revitalization of the church
Engaging with community needs Focus on community engagement
Reclaiming the mission of Methodism
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Church Revitalization
03:16 Pivotal Moments in Church History
10:57 Current Realities of the United Methodist Church
18:02 Observations from Church Visits
21:50 Understanding Declining Membership
30:55 Following People, Not Buildings
38:57 The Interdependence of Churches
42:28 Understanding Community Dynamics
45:43 Reclaiming the Mission of Methodism
49:00 Engaging New Members Effectively
54:00 Professions of Faith and Growth
01:01:46 Cultural Norms and Diversity
01:07:54 Reimagining Church Presence
01:10:25 Turnaround Strategies for Growth
01:20:25 Hope and Action in the Church
30 Sept 2026
Reimagining In-Person Worship: The Church’s Forgotten Conversation
The conversation delves into the forgotten conversation of reimagining in-person worship, addressing the challenges and opportunities in creating meaningful and relevant worship experiences. It explores the cynicism of churches, the call to action, and the need to overcome institutionalism in worship. Additionally, it discusses the importance of engagement and community in worship, as well as the decision-making process of changing existing worship versus starting something new. The conversation explores the call to mission and vision, the sense of call and resistance, countercultural church and community engagement, building community and worship changes, common mistakes in worship revitalization, and starting with prayer and testimony. It emphasizes the importance of discernment, personal connection, and systemic change in worship revitalization.
Takeaways
Reimagining in-person worship is a critical and often overlooked conversation in churches.
Overcoming institutionalism and engaging the community are essential for creating meaningful and relevant worship experiences. Importance of discernment and prayer in worship revitalization
Building community and personal connection as a foundation for worship changes
Chapters
00:00 The Forgotten Conversation: Reimagining In-Person Worship
03:02 The Cynicism of Churches and the Call to Action
09:33 Overcoming Institutionalism in Worship
15:54 The Meaningful and Relevant Worship Experience
23:09 Engagement and Community in Worship
30:56 Changing Existing Worship vs. Starting Something New
39:33 The Call to Mission and Vision
46:30 The Sense of Call and Resistance
49:38 Countercultural Church and Community Engagement
55:07 Building Community and Worship Changes
01:05:14 Common Mistakes in Worship Revitalization
01:10:55 Starting with Prayer and Testimony
16 Sept 2026
Leading Between a Rock and a Hard Place
The conversation explores the challenges faced by church leaders in navigating tensions between tradition and change, internal focus and community engagement, and the need for adaptability in a rapidly changing world. Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe Jr. discusses the role of seminaries in preparing future church leaders and the skills needed to lead congregations effectively. The conversation delves into the critical importance of movement, decision-making, and credibility in church leadership. It explores the challenges of evaluating and navigating change, as well as the tension between tradition and future vision. Dr. Paul offers a word of encouragement, drawing from the story of Esther, emphasizing the hope and faith required to navigate difficult leadership situations.
Takeaways
Adaptability in leadership
The importance of learning and reflection in church revitalization Movement is critical for vitality
Decision-making and credibility are overlooked but essential skills for church leaders
Chapters
00:00 Navigating Tensions in Church Leadership
03:16 Challenges Faced by Mainline Seminaries
17:20 The Role of Learning in an Adept Congregation
22:06 Metaphors for Congregational Movement
34:50 The Importance of Movement
35:16 The Overlooked Skill of Decision-Making
39:40 Challenges of Navigating Change
43:27 The Role of Credibility in Leadership
53:39 The Significance of Evaluation
01:01:54 Navigating Tensions in Ministry
01:04:19 A Word of Encouragement
2 Sept 2026
What’s Next for the United Methodist Church?
The conversation explores the pivotal moment in the history of the United Methodist Church, focusing on revitalization, rethinking, and revising the current reality, the movement and missionary DNA of Methodism, and the concentration on professions of faith. The discussion emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in the way congregations think and the implications of focusing efforts on professions of faith.
Takeaways
Revitalization through rethinking and revision
Concentration on professions of faith for a fundamental shift in congregational thinking
Chapters
00:00 The Pivotal Moment in History
03:25 Revitalization of the United Methodist Church
10:03 Rethinking and Revising the Current Reality
31:27 Movement and Missionary DNA of Methodism
54:20 Concentrating on Professions of Faith
13 Apr 2026
Exploring Call with Bishop Tracy S. Malone
The conversation delves into Bishop Tracy Smith Malone's journey of answering the call to ministry and the pivotal role of community support in affirming and nurturing her calling. It also explores the challenges and transformative experiences in her pastoral appointments, highlighting the importance of reflecting the community in church ministry. The conversation covers the themes of community engagement and diversity, challenges of revitalization, the call to episcopacy, signs of hope in the United Methodist Church, global perspective of the United Methodist Church, identifying God's work in a church, and call narrative and evolution. The discussion emphasizes the importance of community engagement, the evolution of one's call, and the signs of hope within the United Methodist Church.
Takeaways
Community support in answering the call
Reflecting the community in church ministry Community engagement
Call narrative
Evolution of call
Chapters
00:00 The Call to Ministry and Community Support
08:11 The Importance of Community in Answering the Call
17:42 Challenges and Transformative Ministry
24:53 Community Engagement and Diversity
36:25 Signs of Hope in the United Methodist Church
45:10 Call Narrative and Evolution
18 Mar 2026
The 8 Untold Truths of Church Revitalization
The podcast episode explores the untold realities of revitalization, emphasizing the challenges and unexpected aspects of leading change in a church community. It delves into the emotional and personal nature of revitalization work, highlighting the need for faith, persistence, and compassion in the face of uncertainty and resistance.
Takeaways
Revitalization is hard work
Progress in revitalization is not linear
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Revitalization
07:24 Untold Reality #3: Can't Do It All at Once
12:32 Untold Reality #5: You Can't Bypass Grief
18:35 Untold Reality #7: Don't Take It Personal
13 Jan 2026
Still Holding On To Possibilities
The conversation explores the concept of church revitalization as a deliberate, spirit-led process of renewal and rediscovery. It emphasizes that revitalization is not limited to declining churches but is also relevant for growing congregations that need to consistently rediscover themselves.
Takeaways
Church revitalization is a process of renewal and rediscovery that is intentional, spirit-led, and focused on aligning with God's mission in the current context.
Revitalization is not just for declining churches, but also for growing congregations that need to consistently rediscover themselves.
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