AVAIL Podcast

Leader-led decisions get us into trouble, but Holy Spirit-led decisions—or Deisensus-led leadership—always make us to prosper. We are joined by Dr. Ron Crum on today’s episode of the AVAIL podcast, a long-time pastor and ministry leader who has learned the consequences of man-led decision-making and the life-changing shift of allowing the Holy Spirit to go ahead of you. Inspired from Acts 15:28, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us,” Dr. Crum’s message is clear: God’s will is made known when our decisions are informed by Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit!

Effective discipleship methods within the church have rapidly declined and the consequences are far-reaching. We learn more about this culture crisis in today’s Church and how Catalyst Bible College aims to pick up the slack from Dr. Mark Merrill on today’s episode of the AVAIL podcast. Dr. Merrill discusses the leadership deficit prevalent in the Church today, how inadequate discipleship has discouraged people from answering the call of God on their lives, and what we, as leaders, can do about it!

Pastors around the world are on fire for the mission of Christ at the expense of sound theological foundations. Today, we sit down with Dr. Jason Kennedy on the AVAIL podcast to discuss the implications of drifting from good theology and biblical literacy, and how Catalyst Bible College was birthed out of this passion. Dr. Kennedy warns pastors of the dire consequences of neglecting theological training and urges them to marry their zeal with good theology.

Success allows business leaders to fund an important cause or passion, but many business leaders stop there. Today’s AVAIL podcast guest Jeff Williams has devoted his life to bringing the Kingdom into the marketplace through a lifestyle of giving—not getting—of his time, talent, and treasure. Jeff encourages leaders to change the thing that can’t be changed but would change the game if it could be changed to lead with more than just success, but with significance.

God will not give you work to do that He won’t fund. Tony and Dianna Rivera and Keisha Pearson know this first-hand. On today’s episode of the AVAIL podcast, Tony, Dianna, and Keisha share the twists and turns of their experience with all things ministry funding—needing it, finding it, and securing it. Detailed in their book Provision for the Vision, they refute the commonly held beliefs about the inaccessibility of funding and empower all ministry leaders to consider grant funding as one of God’s favorite methods of provision—through people!

You’ll find peace in your comfort zone, but you won’t find miracles! Based on David Smallbone’s life, the new movie Unsung Hero is a testament to how miracles take place outside of the boundaries of human experience and understanding. On today’s episode of the AVAIL podcast, David discusses the heart behind the film, its message of family and the miraculous, and how to give the world a little less world and a little more Jesus!

For your church to grow, your leaders have to grow first. Today’s AVAIL podcast guest, Chris Sonksen, is a leading expert and consultant for helping pastors get unstuck and grow past their limitations. Chris likens the healthy growth of a church to a train that relies on each of it parts in order to operate, walks us through the five parts, and instructs us on how to keep our trains from derailing!

We often associate the God of justice with payback, but we often forget that justice is not complete with restoration. On this episode of the AVAIL podcast, Steve Chalke discusses what fueled his desire to reach out and go to war for the vulnerable in a nation of government red tape, points us to the Word of God for inspiration on healing the wounded, and attests how is takes a village of leaders to make it happen.

You can’t live a life fulfilled if you don’t take the steps to fulfill it. On today’s episode of the AVAIL podcast, we dive in with Chris Pace to discuss the re-emerging biblical theme of fighting for your future. Chris unpacks our role as co-laborers with God—to open the doors with the keys He gives us—and the fallacy of waiting for God to fulfill His purpose for your life apart from your participation. While we are waiting on Him, God is waiting on us!

Church leaders are daily faced with a conundrum—numbers matter, but performance fixation is a recipe for burnout. On today’s episode of the AVAIL podcast, Pastors Shane and Sue Schlesman offer some wisdom from their new book, Death by Pastoring. Drawing from their own journey, Shane and Sue encourage all ministry leaders that Jesus never intended us to carry the weight of the church, but instead insists that there’s a better way.