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The Small Church Ministry Podcast
The only podcast created for volunteers and everyday leaders in smaller congregations, this show embraces small church ministry as a place where God is already at work. Founder of Small Church Ministry and the Small Church Network, Laurie J. Graham shares why small churches matter—not as a scaled-down version of something bigger, but as powerful communities with their own unique strengths. Each episode offers creative solutions to real challenges with a mix of honest encouragement, leadership skills, and actionable next steps.
Laurie hosts the show with a perspective shaped by decades in ministry on every side of small church life—as a volunteer, staff leader, and pastor’s spouse. She knows both the pressure and the beauty of small churches firsthand, and brings steady encouragement, practical wisdom, and deep care for both volunteers and ministry leaders.
The Small Church Ministry Podcast
199: Church Spotlight: A Really Free Market - How One Small Church Is Reaching Its Community | with Ruth A. Popkin
In this Church Spotlight, Ruth A. Popkin shares how her small church started A Really Free Market - a ministry built on listening, not assumptions.
Instead of following trends, they followed people, meeting real needs with dignity and creativity. It’s a story of simple generosity that’s reshaping how small churches think about outreach.
Listen in for:
- How to listen to your community before deciding what they “need”
- The difference between following people and following trends
- What makes A Really Free Market unique (and doable for any church size)
- How trust, conversation, and consistency open real doors for ministry
Connect with Ruth A. Popkin:
www.facebook.com/ReallyFreeMarketplace
www.blcin.com/the-really-really-free-market
Check out podcast episode 166: We Added Dignity To A Food Pantry With A Sit-Down Cafe | with Alastair & Nicola Bruch:
www.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/166-church-spotlight-we-added-dignity-to-a-food/id1583416568?i=1000697609047
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