420. How a Plateaued Church Started Growing Again After COVID
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Release Date: 05/11/2026
436. Stop Waiting for "The One": How Fear Is Keeping You Single
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Stop Waiting for "The One": How Fear Is Keeping You Single Are you waiting for certainty before you're willing to put yourself out there? Do you want to get married someday, but fear rejection, making the wrong choice, getting hurt, or simply never finding the right person? In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob tackles one of the greatest obstacles facing Christian singles today: fear. After teaching a lesson on dating to approximately 200 young adults and married Christians in Boston, Rob noticed a common theme. Many people aren't struggling because they don't want to get married or...
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435. Walk Where Jesus Walked: The Holy Land Tour That Will Transform Your Faith
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Walk Where Jesus Walked: The Holy Land Tour That Will Transform Your Faith Have you ever wanted to walk where Jesus walked? In this episode, Rob sits down with longtime minister and Bible teacher Mike Fontenau from Perth, Australia, to discuss an unforgettable opportunity—a guided Holy Land tour planned for October 2027. With more than twenty years of experience leading biblical tours through Israel, Mike shares how visiting the places you've only read about can completely transform your understanding of Scripture. From the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum to Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, the...
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434. Before You Fast: 10 Ways to Experience Breakthrough with God
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Before You Fast: 10 Ways to Experience Breakthrough with God What if your breakthrough is waiting on the other side of wholehearted prayer and fasting? In this episode, Rob prepares listeners for the upcoming 72-Hour Fast for Revival by sharing practical, biblical guidance on how to make the experience meaningful. Whether you've fasted many times or have never skipped a meal for spiritual reasons, this episode will help you approach God with faith, humility, and expectation. Rob explains why repentance always comes before revival, how to prepare your heart, practical tips for fasting safely,...
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433. From Olympic Dreams to Church Growth in Spain: How Jeff Arias Learned to Trust God
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
From Olympic Dreams to Church Growth in Spain: How Jeff Arias Learned to Trust God What does it look like to spend decades building a successful career and then use everything you've learned to advance God's Kingdom? In this episode, Rob sits down with Jeff Arias, a bivocational minister serving in Madrid, Spain. Jeff shares his remarkable journey—from growing up in Virginia, chasing Olympic skiing dreams in Colorado, becoming a disciple in 1986, building a successful business career, and eventually helping lead churches across Spain and Portugal. Jeff opens up about being fired from the...
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432. 85 Years Old and Still Preaching: Why Al Baird Refuses to Retire
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
85 Years Old and Still Preaching: Why Al Baird Refuses to Retire What keeps a Christian faithful, fruitful, and full of vision at 85 years old? In this inspiring episode, Rob sits down with Dr. Al Baird, longtime church leader, teacher, and disciple-maker, who is still actively preaching and helping churches grow decades into his Christian journey. After losing his wife Gloria following 56 years of marriage, Al faced the challenge of finding purpose in a new season of life. Rather than slowing down, he accepted an opportunity to help revitalize the church in Bakersfield, California—a...
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431. 85 Years Old and Still Asking God for More: The Caleb Spirit
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
85 Years Old and Still Asking God for More: The Caleb Spirit At 85 years old, Caleb wasn't asking for comfort, retirement, or an easier assignment. He was asking for a mountain. In this episode, Rob explores one of the most inspiring stories in the Bible and reveals why Caleb's faith remained strong after 45 years of waiting. While others focused on obstacles, giants, and limitations, Caleb learned to see God in every situation. What made Caleb different? Why did he continue dreaming when others had given up? And how can his example help us experience personal revival, renewed purpose, and...
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430. They Sold Everything to Move to Albania for God
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
đź“„ They Sold Everything to Move to Albania for God What would make a young family sell nearly everything they own, leave a thriving ministry, and move across the world to one of Europe's least evangelized nations? In this inspiring conversation, Rob Skinner sits down with Kyle Plum as he prepares to move with his wife Monique and their three young children to Albania. Kyle shares the remarkable journey that led them from a successful ministry in San Diego to a bold new mission in Eastern Europe. He discusses how God opened unexpected doors, confirmed the calling through prayer, and ignited a...
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429. Don’t Waste Your Summer Spiritually
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📄 Don’t Waste Your Summer Spiritually Summer can either become a season of spiritual growth… or spiritual drifting. In this powerful and practical episode, Rob Skinner shares why summertime is often one of the most spiritually dangerous seasons of the year—and how you can intentionally make this your strongest summer yet. Drawing from recent travels through Oregon, Washington, and Japan, Rob reflects on the importance of spiritual routines, staying connected relationally, making the mission fun, and building deeper friendships that last beyond summer. Rob also shares exciting details...
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428. Why Holy Discontent May Be the Beginning of Revival
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📄 Why Holy Discontent May Be the Beginning of Revival Have you ever felt spiritually restless? Like something in your relationship with God, your purpose, or your spiritual life just isn’t where it should be? In this deeply reflective episode, Rob Skinner shares why spiritual dissatisfaction may actually be one of God’s greatest gifts. Drawing from recent travels to Japan, powerful moments of reflection, and key passages from Deuteronomy, Rob explores the idea of “holy discontent” — the realization that things are not as they should be and that God may be calling you into revival....
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427. How House Churches Are Spreading Across India | Faith, Prayer & Church Growth
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
đź“„ How House Churches Are Spreading Across India | Faith, Prayer & Church Growth What is God doing in India right now? In this inspiring interview from the Healthy Church Growth Conference in Boston, Rob Skinner sits down with Abraham and Evangeline Juliet from Bangalore, India, to discuss how disciples, leaders, and churches are multiplying across one of the largest nations in the world. With over 30 years of ministry experience, Abraham and Evangeline share powerful insights into prayer, house churches, leadership, evangelism, and creating environments where spiritual growth can...
info_outlineđź“ť How a Plateaued Church Started Growing Again After COVID (Boston Interview #5)
In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob sits down with James Rosenquist, who leads a church in Pittsburgh that has recently begun growing again after years of plateau and decline.
James shares an honest and vulnerable look at what it was like taking over church leadership during COVID, watching attendance shrink, experimenting with new ideas, and wrestling with discouragement.
But instead of quitting, something shifted.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that growth often begins not with better programs—but with deeper maturity, stronger leadership, perseverance, and renewed dependence on God.
🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- What it feels like to lead during a season of decline
- Why “humanistic leadership” eventually runs out of steam
- The spiritual lesson James learned during sabbatical
- Why maturity and equipping leaders became the new focus
- The surprising power of consistency over flashy strategies
- How alumni and outside support helped reignite momentum
- Why church growth often starts with changing the leader first
đź’ˇ Key Takeaway
Sometimes breakthrough doesn’t come from a brand-new strategy.
👉 It comes from becoming a different person in the same situation.
James shares how learning that “God is the reward” changed the way he viewed ministry, success, and leadership.
🌱 A Story of Hope for Church Leaders
Many churches experienced setbacks after COVID.
This episode offers encouragement for leaders who:
- Feel discouraged
- Feel stuck
- Are trying hard but not seeing immediate results
Growth may take longer than expected.
But perseverance, prayer, and equipping others still matter.
🔥 Encouraging Signs of Renewal
After years of struggle:
- The church is growing again
- New baptisms are happening
- Former campus students have moved back to help strengthen the church
- New Bible studies are beginning through evangelism efforts
And perhaps most importantly:
👉 Hope has returned.
đź”— Next Steps
- Subscribe for more leadership interviews from around the world
- Share this episode with a church leader who needs encouragement
- Join Rob’s weekly newsletter at RobSkinner.com
đź“Ś Series Note
This episode is part of a special series of short interviews from the Boston Church Builders Conference, featuring leaders focused on healthy church growth and revival.