The Hacka Podcast
233. Kent Elliott - Why Some Churches Grow and Others Stay Stuck
What does it take to stay faithful in ministry for decades, and continue reaching new people in a rapidly changing world? In this episode, we are joined by Kent Elliott, pastor of Faith Tabernacle in Manchester, Connecticut, and founder of FaithWorks. Kent has served at the same church for 34 years, including 26 years as senior pastor, and shares lessons from decades of Apostolic ministry, church growth, leadership, evangelism and perseverance. We talk about Kent’s calling to ministry at 16, the importance of staying when ministry gets difficult, the disciplines that have sustained him, and the remarkable growth Faith Tabernacle has experienced in recent years. Kent also shares practical advice for pastors leading churches that feel stuck or stagnant. We discuss creating a church culture that genuinely expects guests, preparing for growth before it happens, involving new believers and understanding the pastor’s role in shaping church culture. Finally, we dive into digital evangelism and the story behind FaithWorks and Faith Funnels. Kent explains how churches can use digital marketing, social media advertising and intentional follow-up to reach people they might never encounter through traditional outreach. Kent’s challenge is simple: the message never changes, but methods do. Extended show notes -
