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The Church Revitalization PodcastAuthor: The Malphurs Group
Each week, The Malphurs Group team tackles important, actionable topics to help your church succeed in revitalization and leadership. We want to equip your church break through barriers and maximize your impact. Language: en-us Genres: Christianity, Religion & Spirituality Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Navigating Church Politics
Episode 360
Wednesday, 7 October, 2026
Church politics is an unavoidable reality in any community of people, and learning to navigate it well can mean the difference between a thriving church and a fractured one. In this episode, Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu unpack three layers of church politics, from competing visions to power dynamics to practical de-escalation, and offer honest, grounded guidance for church leaders who want to lead well through relational friction. Whether you are a pastor, elder, or ministry leader, this conversation will help you understand the dynamics at play and move forward with wisdom and clarity. Scott Ball and A.J. Mathieu are the hosts of the Church Revitalization Podcast, produced by the Malphurs Group, a church consulting and coaching organization that has helped hundreds of churches across the country navigate change and pursue health. Scott serves as a lead consultant and brings years of hands-on experience working directly with church leaders in the trenches of revitalization. A.J. is a consultant and coach who, among other things, brings a background in local politics to the table, giving him a unique perspective on how people and organizations navigate competing ideas and interests. [3:50] Layer 1: The Visionary Layer, how competing visions create political tension in the church [9:01] Layer 2: The Power Layer, positional authority and how governance structures shape conflict [15:28] Layer 3: De-escalation, practical approaches for cooling tensions and moving forward [22:25] Outdated governing documents and how vague or aging bylaws create unnecessary friction [26:34] Understanding the person behind the politics, how to read the motivation beneath a conflict Free 7-Day Trial: https://healthychurchestoolkit.com Episode Article: https://malphursgroup.com/360 Facebook: https://facebook.com/malphursgroup Instagram: https://instagram.com/malphursgroup YouTube: https://youtube.com/themalphursgroup X: https://x.com/malphursgroup
