The One Thing

You’re seeing new people walk through the doors — but they’re not sticking. Or your small groups are full, but no one is stepping into service.Many of us can point to a pathway on paper. What’s harder is spotting the places where people stall, and deciding what to change first.In this episode, we look at how to identify the pressure points in your pathway and make wise, focused improvements that actually help people move towards mature, integrated discipleship.In this conversation:Why every church already has a pathway, even if it doesn’t feel clearThe most common blockages that slow people downHow to use outcomes, people, and programs to diagnose where your church is thriving — and where it’s stuckSimple ways to track engagement and spot who isn’t connectingHow to prioritise change without trying to fix everything at onceWho should oversee the pathway, and how often it should be reviewedTOOLBOX:Framework ebookReach Australia Podcast 5.2 Re-Work Your Discipleship Pathway with Scott SandersGreg Lee talk: Mission driving the ecosystemReach Australia’s National Conference 2026CREDITS:This episode was brought to you by ExdiaThe One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠Support Reach Australia's online library

This is a replay of one of your favourite episodes: one you have to get right as we begin the new year.First impressions matter, and churches often underestimate how much. Peter Blanch and Scott Sanders discuss how small changes can make a big impact in helping people feel seen, valued, and truly at home.The theological foundation for welcomingMistakes from not even thinking about it to overvaluing the newcomerMistakes of not thinking about what a new person needs to connect to churchMistakes of not thinking about the whole experience of welcomingWelcoming has an important two-way relationship with the rest of the church ecosystem, especially with the mission teamThinking through the building and how it worksThinking through the team and what you need0:00 – Introduction1:23 – Where churches get it wrong2:04 – Why Welcome People to Church4:18 – Where Do Churches Get Welcoming Wrong?6:01 – The danger of satisfactory15:05 – Not having a big enough team17:21 – Fixing the problem20:11 – Tool BoxSecret shopper checklistGospel Growth and Christian Community ebookReach Australia Digital (Helping you with branding and website)Community and Integration Workshop Part 1Community and Integration Workshop Part 2This episode was brought to you by KidswiseThe One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.What We DiscussTool BoxCredits

A replay from one of your favourite episodes. One you need to think about as we head into the new year.Data is just a tool, but it’s an important tool. Its real purpose? Loving and serving your people better. A snapshot of data can give you an idea of your church health. What we discussAverage Attendance: Are people showing up consistently?Growth Rate: Are you growing each year? What’s a healthy growth rate?Conversion Growth: How many new believers are you seeing? What’s a good target?Community Reflection: Does your congregation reflect the diversity of your local area?Secondary Giving: Beyond general giving, how generous are people with time, talent, and resources?Newcomer System: Are first-time guests sticking around? If not, what’s falling through the cracks?Staff-to-Attendee Ratio: Do you have enough leaders? What’s a good ratio?TOOLBOX:Church Health ConsultsKnowing What to Measure and Why SeminarMeasure What Matters BookCREDITS:This episode was brought to you by Church SuiteThe One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

A replay from your favourite episodes and coming at a timely part of the year:Derek and Scott look at the work of Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith on different types of rest.1. Physical RestGiving your body a rest.2. Mental RestIt could be that you need to give your mind a rest.3. Emotional RestWe can get emotionally tired when we are not paying attention to our emotions.4. Spiritual RestReconnecting with God5. Social RestDifferent relationships can ones that build us up or drain us.6. Sensory RestEspecially with screens.7. Creative RestCreative rest is not about putting a demand on your creative ability; that’s not rest, that’s work. It is the opposite. It’s allowing white space in your life and giving room for your creativity to show up. Creative rest lets you focus on your basic need for wonder. You can enjoy fulfilling that basic need in ways that don’t put any pressure on your being creative. Yes, creativity may bloom from the seeds planted, but creativity is not the objective, only rest.SummaryDon’t have to do all of these every day, or every week. But it is helpful to be aware that there are different ways to rest and different people will rest in different waysTOOLBOX:⁠⁠Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity⁠⁠⁠ by Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith ⁠TED Notes from Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith ⁠TED Talk from Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith ⁠Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less⁠ Alex Soojung-Kim Pang⁠Atomic Habits⁠ by James Clear.CREDITS:The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We unpack findings from a recent survey of 84 churches across 10 denominations. The data is more encouraging than many expect — but it also exposes where momentum slows and why some churches see more people come to faith than others.We explore what’s genuinely helping people meet Jesus, what isn’t moving the needle, and where churches may be mistaking activity for mission.In this conversation:Why church plants are seeing disproportionate fruit — and what established churches can learnWhy growth often stalls between 200–400 people, and what helps churches push throughWhy adding more small groups or serving roles doesn’t automatically lead to more conversionsHow church size, more than church age, can quietly dampen evangelistic effectivenessThe real stories behind the data: who is coming to church and coming to faithTOOL BOX:Reach Australia National ConferenceEp 391 10 Denominations, 60 Churches, 1 Report: Key TakeawaysSlidesLeadership Development ProgramCREDITS:This episode was brought to you by TrellisThe One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠Support Reach Australia's online library