The One Thing

There might be someone in your Bible study who keeps asking uncomfortable questions about church.
- Why aren’t more people being reached?
- Why do we keep doing church this way?
And you might be tempted to shut them down.
In this episode, Scott Sanders and Derek Hanna talk about the early signs of future church planters — including a holy dissatisfaction with church as usual and a deep conviction that the gospel should be reaching more people than it is.
They’re often the ones who unsettle leaders, question systems, and refuse to be satisfied with maintenance ministry.
They might be mistaken as difficult.
They might be future planters.
A sharp listen for pastors and leaders who want to discern the difference — for the sake of more people hearing about Jesus.

Toolbox: 
Church Planter Questionnaire 
Serving Others Ebook

Credits: 
This episode was brought to you by Reach Australia National Conference
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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library

The first meeting of the year does more than set rosters. It shapes how a team understands why they serve.
Scott Sanders and Derek Hanna walk through what to do when a volunteer team gathers for the first time: reconnect people, set the church’s gospel direction in front of them again, and show how this team helps that happen.
They also cover what not to do.
A practical listen for anyone leading volunteer teams or kicking off a staff year, so we start together around the gospel.

Toolbox: 
Ep 387 How to Run a Meeting 

Credits: 
This episode was brought to you by Lending Hands Mortgage Brokers 
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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library

Rallies feel outdated to some, but Dave Jensen thinks the problem was never the rally itself. With Gen Z more open than expected, he’s convinced large, clear gospel events might be overdue for a rethink.
Why rallies may be working again, and why bad execution killed them last time
Targeting people closest to belief, not starting with the hardest cases
How the Alive rallies are structured, music, preaching, response, follow-up
The role of local churches before and after the event
What preparation actually matters if you want conversions, not just crowds

Toolbox:
Alive Movement Connections:
⁠Made Alive Website⁠
⁠Alive Movement Youtube Channel⁠
⁠Alivemvment Instagram⁠
⁠Fire Up! Podcast⁠
Recommended Books:
⁠Mission ebook ⁠by Dave Jensen
⁠Discover⁠ by Dave Jensen 
⁠What is a Christian?⁠ By Dave Jensen

Credits:
This episode was brought to you by ⁠Safe Ministry Check⁠
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 ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠
⁠Support Reach Australia's online library

Church members leave for all sorts of reasons, and how you respond can shape both their next steps and your church community. This episode explores what a thoughtful exit process looks like, even when departures are hard or messy.
Key
Why churches often don’t track why members leave and how to start doing it
Handling departures that feel personal or painful without taking it on yourself
Conducting exit interviews that care for people while gathering useful insights
Supporting those who stay behind and preventing gossip or resentment
Celebrating departures when people leave for positive reasons, like mission or relocation
Building a church culture where sending people out is expected, celebrated, and healthy

TOOLBOX:
Gaining by Losing by J.D. Greear
The Leader’s Journey by Jim Herrington, Trisha Taylor, and R. Robert Creech

CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by Lending Hands Mortgage Brokers
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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library

Every church has a pathway.
It might not be written down or planned, but it’s shaping how people move through our churches.
Derek Hanna and Scott Sanders talk about how to identify the weak spots in your church’s pathway — where people are getting stuck, and how leaders can bring clarity without turning ministry into mechanics.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
What we mean by a “pathway” in church life

Common blockages: front door, conversion, membership, and serving

Why pathways are about people before they’re about programs

How to decide where to start — and what not to fix first

Who should own pathway thinking in your church

A short listen for teams who want fewer people falling through the cracks, so more people grow to know and follow Jesus.

TOOLBOX:
Framework ebook
Reach Australia Podcast 5.2 Re-Work Your Discipleship Pathway with Scott Sanders
Greg Lee talk: Mission driving the ecosystem
Reach Australia’s National Conference 2026

CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by Exdia
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 ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠
Support Reach Australia's online library