🎙️ Welcome to *Not Your Typical Church Podcast* with Pastor Cory — a place for real conversations about church, life, leadership, and everything in between.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode.

📅 New episodes drop every week!

🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GketfqnylNxzFj4KITTsv

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-your-typical-church-podcast/id1832359619

YouTube: You're already here 😉

📲 Follow Pastor Cory on Instagram:

@TypicalChurchPod

https://www.instagram.com/typicalchurchpod/

🌐 More content + show notes: Welcome to Not Your Typical Church Podcast with Cory Hester — a place for real conversations about church, life, leadership, and everything in between.

Today’s episode releases on Thanksgiving Day, and I wanted to pause, reflect, and share a quick encouragement on what it truly means to live with a thankful heart. This week I had the honor of preaching at New Light Church, and I shared three truths about thankfulness:

✅ Thankfulness resets your heart

✅ Thankfulness refocuses your eyes

✅ Thankfulness releases your worship

We’re not thankful because everything is good — we’re thankful because God is good, and He is good all the time.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why Thanksgiving should move us toward gratitude

• The biblical call to “forget not His benefits” (Psalm 103)

• Why we should be thankful even when life isn’t perfect

• How I use my 5-year gratitude journal to stay grounded

• Simple ways you and your family can practice gratitude today

• The blessings we often overlook until we write them down

I even share a few entries from my own gratitude journal — little moments I would’ve forgotten if I hadn’t written them down. And trust me… some of them are funny, some simple, and some surprisingly meaningful.

Before the episode ends, we take a moment to pray together and thank God for His goodness in our lives as we head into the holiday season.

From my family to yours — Happy Thanksgiving. 🦃

May today be filled with joy, gratitude, and moments you’ll still be remembering five years from now.

#ChurchPodcast #FaithAndLife #PastorCory #ChristianLeadership #RealTalkFaith #MinistryLife

🎙️ Welcome to *Not Your Typical Church Podcast* with Pastor Cory — a place for real conversations about church, life, leadership, and everything in between.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode.

📅 New episodes drop every week!

🎧 Listen on your favorite platform:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GketfqnylNxzFj4KITTsv

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-your-typical-church-podcast/id1832359619

YouTube: You're already here 😉

📲 Follow Pastor Cory on Instagram:

@TypicalChurchPod

https://www.instagram.com/typicalchurchpod/

🌐 More content + show notes: In today’s episode, Cory and Pastor Nathan dive into why Christmas is one of the BEST opportunities all year to reach our one more.

This is Cory’s favorite season — the lights, the gatherings, the joy — but most of all, the openness people have to the message of Jesus.

We talk about:

✨ Why people are more spiritually receptive during Christmas

✨ How family gatherings, work parties, and school events become mission fields

✨ Practical ways to use your everyday conversations to open doors for the gospel

✨ Creative Christmas ideas inside the church that make invitations EASY

✨ How to identify your one more and pray for them intentionally this season

From Ugly Sweater Sunday to Candlelight Services, Kids Christmas Musicals, Carols & Cocoa, and even simple photo booths — everything we do this time of year can become a bridge to help someone meet Jesus.

Because Christmas isn’t just a celebration… it’s a mission.

If you’re ready to make this season count, this episode will challenge and encourage you to be bold, be present, and go after your one more. ❤️

📖 Scriptures Mentioned

Matthew 1:23

Luke 2:10–11

Colossians 4:5–6

1 Corinthians 9:22–23

Romans 10:14–15

📌 Chapters

00:00 – Cold Open

00:19 – Intro

01:00 – Why Christmas Is Cory’s Favorite Season

02:10 – Why People Are More Open Spiritually

04:00 – The Heart Behind Christmas (Immanuel)

06:15 – Using Joy & Generosity as Bridges

07:30 – Seeing Holiday Gatherings as Mission Fields

09:20 – Family Events as Opportunity

11:00 – Work Parties, School Events, & Natural Conversations

13:10 – How to Be Intentional With “One More”

14:40 – Opportunities Inside the Church

16:20 – Ugly Sweater, Candlelight, Kids Musical & More

19:10 – Why Fun Events Still Point to Jesus

20:40 – How to Identify Your One More

22:50 – Praying Daily for Your One More

24:00 – Christmas Is a Mission

25:00 – Final Encouragement

26:00 – Prayer

27:00 – Outro

#ChurchPodcast #FaithAndLife #PastorCory #ChristianLeadership #RealTalkFaith #MinistryLife

Join us for part two of our insightful conversation with Children’s Pastor Donna as we dive deep into the heart of kids’ ministry, parenting, and partnering with your church. Discover why children’s ministry is so much more than babysitting—it's about helping kids encounter Jesus in meaningful and fun ways! Pastor Donna shares practical wisdom on balancing fun with faith, keeping Jesus at the center, and the importance of age-appropriate environments.

Whether you're a parent seeking tips to reinforce faith at home, curious about how Sunday curriculum works, or want ideas for making spiritual milestones fun, this episode delivers real talk, encouragement, and a few laughs along the way. You’ll get advice on using technology like the Parent Cue app, creating Godly friendships, and even hear why rewards—and sometimes a little “bribe”—can make all the difference for engagement.

Don't forget: What happens at home matters just as much as what happens at church! If you find this episode helpful, please leave a review, share with a friend, and subscribe for more real conversations about faith, family, and raising up the next generation.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Start and intro to part 2

2:30 – Making faith fun & connecting at church

9:15 – Why age-appropriate classes matter

15:18 – Practical tips for parents at home

23:10 – Building faith that lasts

31:00 – How to get involved

Let’s raise kids who love God and lead the way!

#Parenting #ChurchLife #Faith #KidsMinistry

#ChurchPodcast #FaithAndLife #PastorCory #ChristianLeadership #RealTalkFaith #MinistryLife

Meet Pastor Donna Hester: pastor’s wife, powerhouse behind the kids ministry, and creative leader with a passion for building lifelong faith in the next generation. In today’s episode, Donna joins me for a heartwarming, real conversation about why kids ministry isn’t just childcare, but the very foundation for a healthy, growing church. You’ll hear about:

Transforming a ministry from 8 kids to nearly 150 each Sunday

Why Junior Helpers matter and how serving shapes young lives

Creative ideas for making church “the best part of the week” for every child—even with a small budget!

How to get parents engaged by starting with their children’s excitement

The importance of tech, fun, and dedicated spaces for kids

Donna’s behind-the-scenes stories, hilarious moments, and candid advice for church leaders and families

Whether you lead a big church or a small group, you’ll find inspiration and practical ideas to take your children’s ministry to the next level. Don’t miss Donna’s heartfelt wisdom, church bloopers, and the powerful reminder: you don’t need a massive budget or a big team to make a BIG impact in kids’ lives!

Be sure to like, subscribe, and tune in for PART TWO next week!

#ChurchPodcast #FaithAndLife #PastorCory #ChristianLeadership #RealTalkFaith #MinistryLifeMeet Pastor Donna Hester: pastor’s wife, powerhouse behind the kids ministry, and creative leader with a passion for building lifelong faith in the next generation. In today’s episode, Donna joins me for a heartwarming, real conversation about why kids ministry isn’t just childcare, but the very foundation for a healthy, growing church. You’ll hear about:

Transforming a ministry from 8 kids to nearly 150 each Sunday

Why Junior Helpers matter and how serving shapes young lives

Creative ideas for making church “the best part of the week” for every child—even with a small budget!

How to get parents engaged by starting with their children’s excitement

The importance of tech, fun, and dedicated spaces for kids

Donna’s behind-the-scenes stories, hilarious moments, and candid advice for church leaders and families

Whether you lead a big church or a small group, you’ll find inspiration and practical ideas to take your children’s ministry to the next level. Don’t miss Donna’s heartfelt wisdom, church bloopers, and the powerful reminder: you don’t need a massive budget or a big team to make a BIG impact in kids’ lives!

Be sure to like, subscribe, and tune in for PART TWO next week!

#ChurchPodcast #FaithAndLife #PastorCory #ChristianLeadership #RealTalkFaith #MinistryLife