The One Thing

Most people looking for a church start with a Google search. But if someone searched for a church in your area, would they find yours?
You might not even know what SEO stands for, but it plays a significant role in helping people discover your church. In this episode, Pete Hughes sits down with search engine optimisation (SEO) specialist Aaron Taylor to unpack simple, practical ways churches can improve their visibility online. Because behind every search is a real person looking for answers. 
They discuss:
Why your church might be invisible on Google
Quick wins to help newcomers find your church online
What ChatGPT and AI mean for church outreach
Real stories of people finding church through Google and AI
Aaron Taylor is the General Manager at Prosperity Media, an Australian digital marketing agency specialising in SEO, GEO, and digital PR. 
Toolbox: 
How to help people find your church on Google article by Aaron Taylor
Episode 394: Social Media for Church Teams Who Don’t Like Social Media (Liz Fong)
Credits: 
This episode was brought to you by MTS
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 ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠
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Tim Dyer joins Gus McCowatt to about what we do when tension surface in a ministry team, and how leaders can respond.
They discuss:
Why our assumptions about other people can fuel conflict
How poor behaviour can do more damage than the disagreement itself
Why relational repair needs to come before resolving the issue
How teams can get better at handling disagreement
What happens when conflict goes underground through gossip, triangulation or avoidance
When it’s time to bring in outside help
Tim Dyer trained in psychology at Melbourne and Monash Universities before researching and publishing on youth homelessness as a staff worker with Scripture Union Victoria. Besides mentoring pastors and leaders himself, Tim trains Christian leaders in mentoring and pastoral leadership, and consults with churches and denominations on processes which create and support leader and community health.
He also trains and supervises denominational church consultancy teams. He has been training mentors in 2 and 3 year non-accredited courses for John Mark Ministries since approximately 2008. He is a member of the Australian Christian Mentoring Network.
Toolbox: 
Tim presented a full workshop on this content at the Reach Annual Conference this year so if you missed getting along to that or want a refresher make sure to check it out:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOKWnMTrOLs
Covenant commitments for Christians in times of tension (a PDF tool on Tim’s website John Mark Extension)
John Mark Extension (Tim’s website)
Self-care and sustaining ministry course by Tim Dyer
Credits: 
This episode was brought to you by MTS
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 ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library

How do we know if people in our churches are truly growing?
In this episode, Paul Grimmond joins Gus McCowatt to explore what it means to pursue pastoral transformation in the messiness of life.
What to guard against to not become pastorally passive
Why information alone doesn’t transform us
How to pastor people through the complexity of real life
How to cultivate a culture of godliness in your church
Importance of personal reflection
Signs of healthy maturity
Paul Grimmond is the Vice Principal and Head of the Ministry Department at Moore Theological College. Before joining the faculty as Dean of Students he served as Senior Assistant Minister at Unichurch (UNSW), having previously been an editor for Matthias Media, Rector of Unichurch, and author.
Toolbox: 
Paul presented a full workshop on this content at the Reach Annual Conference this year so if you missed getting along to that or want a refresher make sure to check it out.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtKkv-yp_58&t=5s
Dangerous Calling by Paul David Tripp
Getting Over Yourself by Caroline Spencer with intentional reflection inside
Growing Yourself Up by Jenny Brown
Credits: 
This episode was brought to you by MTS
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 ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library

Al Stewart shares 28 of the craziest, most counterintuitive lessons he has learnt from his time in ministry.
There are gems of wisdom for all stages of ministry life. You won't hear this stuff in a textbook!
Sadly, this is Scott’s final episode on The One Thing whilst being Executive Director before he moves to the US!
Al Stewart has worked with FIEC, City Bible Forum, Geneva Push and Katoomba Christian Convention, as well as serving as a bishop and director within the Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church.
Toolbox: 
Scott Sanders and Al Stewart did two more great episodes before this one:
Ep 464: What 15 years of church planting taught Al Stewart
Ep 465: Vital things a senior minister needs to know
Al Stewart’s 28 ministry lessons
Here is the full list from Al’s notes for this episode, grouped by theme for you to share and discuss with your team. As Al explains, these are practical observations from his years in ministry. Try taking one or two at a time in a staff meeting.
Planning and time management
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly.
Spontaneity must be carefully planned.
Shooting a dead horse is the hardest thing to do.
The way to work hard is to think about your holidays first.
Have as few unused holidays as possible when the Lord returns.
Church meetings
Less is more.
If you want them to stay longer, finish earlier.
Meetings in general
The way to appear wise is to keep your mouth shut.
The most important thing in starting a meeting is the finishing time.
The most important part of a meeting happens a week before the meeting.
Appointing and managing staff
You work for the people who work for you.
More staff will cost you more time.
Test their eyes, don’t just count them.
You will never have enough leaders trained.
Resilience
The job of Jesus is already taken, and it’s not you.
We died with Christ, but you don’t have to die at your post.
Disappointing people: the bad news is it’s inevitable you will disappoint some people; the good news is we often get to choose who.
Preach the gospel, die and be forgotten.
Dealing with problem people
“I shouldn’t really tell you this, but …”
Sheep bite
No good deed goes unpunished.
An angry face needs face to face.
A pastor should have one deaf ear, one blind eye.
The best way to stop fires is by strategically lighting them.
Communication
The best way to keep a secret is to put it in the weekly newsletter.
If you can’t say it as a tattoo, you haven’t got clarity.
Confidential conversations are the best way to spread a message through the congregation.
Inefficient communication can be most efficient.
On lesson 27, Al adds an important qualification in the conversation: don’t share anything that must be kept confidential.
Credits: 
This episode was brought to you by MTS
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 ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library

A senior minister has an enormous influence on whether their team is healthy. After more than 40 years of ministry leadership, Al Stewart has learnt a few things the hard way.
In this episode, Scott Sanders sits down with Al to unpack the lessons, mistakes and wisdom that only come from decades of leading people.
They talk about the tensions every ministry leader navigates: caring for people while still having hard conversations, building trust without avoiding conflict, knowing when someone needs to move on, and what to do when you realise you’ve got it wrong.
The competing tensions in building a team
Working for the people who work for you
Why senior ministers set the culture of their teams
Why bosses are the biggest single factor in whether staff enjoy their job

Al Stewart has worked with FIEC, City Bible Forum, Geneva Push and Katoomba Christian Convention, as well as serving as a bishop and director within the Sydney Diocese of the Anglican Church.

Toolbox: 
Growth and Change by Andrew Heard 
Who’s Holding The Umbrella by Bill Jaegar (this book is unfortunately out of print so we could not provide a link, but have a look on places like Ebay and Facebook marketplace - if you are really desperate for a copy Gus McCowatt in the Reach office has a copy)
Credits: 
This episode was brought to you by MTS
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 ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library