The One Thing

Rallies feel outdated to some, but Dave Jensen thinks the problem was never the rally itself. With Gen Z more open than expected, he’s convinced large, clear gospel events might be overdue for a rethink.
Why rallies may be working again, and why bad execution killed them last time
Targeting people closest to belief, not starting with the hardest cases
How the Alive rallies are structured, music, preaching, response, follow-up
The role of local churches before and after the event
What preparation actually matters if you want conversions, not just crowds

Toolbox:
Alive Movement Connections:
⁠Made Alive Website⁠
⁠Alive Movement Youtube Channel⁠
⁠Alivemvment Instagram⁠
⁠Fire Up! Podcast⁠
Recommended Books:
⁠Mission ebook ⁠by Dave Jensen
⁠Discover⁠ by Dave Jensen 
⁠What is a Christian?⁠ By Dave Jensen

Credits:
This episode was brought to you by ⁠Safe Ministry Check⁠
The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠⁠
To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠⁠
For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠
⁠Support Reach Australia's online library

Church members leave for all sorts of reasons, and how you respond can shape both their next steps and your church community. This episode explores what a thoughtful exit process looks like, even when departures are hard or messy.
Key
Why churches often don’t track why members leave and how to start doing it
Handling departures that feel personal or painful without taking it on yourself
Conducting exit interviews that care for people while gathering useful insights
Supporting those who stay behind and preventing gossip or resentment
Celebrating departures when people leave for positive reasons, like mission or relocation
Building a church culture where sending people out is expected, celebrated, and healthy

TOOLBOX:
Gaining by Losing by J.D. Greear
The Leader’s Journey by Jim Herrington, Trisha Taylor, and R. Robert Creech

CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by Lending Hands Mortgage Brokers
The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠
To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠
For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library

Every church has a pathway.
It might not be written down or planned, but it’s shaping how people move through our churches.
Derek Hanna and Scott Sanders talk about how to identify the weak spots in your church’s pathway — where people are getting stuck, and how leaders can bring clarity without turning ministry into mechanics.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
What we mean by a “pathway” in church life

Common blockages: front door, conversion, membership, and serving

Why pathways are about people before they’re about programs

How to decide where to start — and what not to fix first

Who should own pathway thinking in your church

A short listen for teams who want fewer people falling through the cracks, so more people grow to know and follow Jesus.

TOOLBOX:
Framework ebook
Reach Australia Podcast 5.2 Re-Work Your Discipleship Pathway with Scott Sanders
Greg Lee talk: Mission driving the ecosystem
Reach Australia’s National Conference 2026

CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by Exdia
The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠
To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠
For 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 welcoming
Mistakes from not even thinking about it to overvaluing the newcomer
Mistakes of not thinking about what a new person needs to connect to church
Mistakes of not thinking about the whole experience of welcoming
Welcoming has an important two-way relationship with the rest of the church ecosystem, especially with the mission team
Thinking through the building and how it works
Thinking through the team and what you need
0:00 – Introduction
1:23 – Where churches get it wrong
2:04 – Why Welcome People to Church
4:18 – Where Do Churches Get Welcoming Wrong?
6:01 – The danger of satisfactory
15:05 – Not having a big enough team
17:21 – Fixing the problem
20:11 – Tool Box
Secret shopper checklist
Gospel Growth and Christian Community ebook
Reach Australia Digital (Helping you with branding and website)
Community and Integration Workshop Part 1
Community and Integration Workshop Part 2
This episode was brought to you by Kidswise
The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠
To 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 discuss
Average 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 Consults
Knowing What to Measure and Why Seminar
Measure What Matters Book

CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by Church Suite
The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠
To 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.