Empower and Equip

Relevant conversations between ministers, church leaders, and scholars, are brought to you by the staff of the Empower and Equip Initiative. Join us to hear the experiences and perspectives of rural and small-town church leaders throughout America. The Empower and Equip Initiative seeks to provide resources to help churches in rural areas and small towns enhance the vitality of their ministries and strengthen the leadership of the ministers and leaders who guide them. This podcast is part of Pepperdine University's 'Empower and Equip' program, funded generously by Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of their 'Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative,' and is hosted by the Siburt Institute at ACU.

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Episodes

Sep 2, 2025

Tyler Goudeau: Poncha Springs, CO

Sep 2, 2025

29 min

Shelby Coble interviews Tyler Goudeau about his ministry in Poncha Springs, Colorado. Tyler started as a minister at Poncha Springs Church of Christ in 2021 and talks with us about how his church has changed over the post-COVID years he has been there, specifically the demographic changes. He gives ideas and helpful tips on how a small church can engage in the community outside the walls of the building.
Website: www.ponchaspringschurchofchrist.org
Email: tyler@ponchaspringschurchofchrist.org
Call or text: 719-315-4995

Sep 2, 2025

29 min

Sep 2, 2025

Joel Childers: Glasgow, KY

Sep 2, 2025

36 min

Shelby Coble talks with Joel Childers from The Avenue Church in Glasgow, KY. A native Texan, Joel shares the gifts and opportunities he has embraced since beginning his ministry at The Avenue Church in 2021. Joel reflects on the many ways the church has been a blessing—not only to the community, but also to his own family—and the possibilities that arise from being a church in a small town.
Website: http://www.avechurch.org/
Email: joel@avechurch.org

Sep 2, 2025

36 min