421. How a Church of 20 Grew Into a Thriving Ministry in Savannah | Bob Shanks
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Release Date: 05/13/2026
421. How a Church of 20 Grew Into a Thriving Ministry in Savannah | Bob Shanks
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
How a Church of 20 Grew Into a Thriving Ministry in Savannah | Bob Shanks What does it take to help a small church grow again? In this inspiring interview from the Healthy Church Growth Conference in Boston, Rob Skinner sits down with Bob Shanks, leader of the Savannah Church, to talk about faith, sacrifice, vision, and building vibrant churches in smaller cities. Bob shares the incredible story of how the Savannah church grew from around 20 members to more than 50, how a thriving campus ministry is developing, and why he believes small churches can still make a massive impact. The...
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420. How a Plateaued Church Started Growing Again After COVID
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 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...
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419. Why Most Small Churches Get Stuck (And How to Bring Them Back to Life)
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 Why Most Small Churches Get Stuck (And How to Bring Them Back to Life) Boston Interviews #4 In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob sits down with Joel Nagel, a leader with a deep passion for helping small churches grow, thrive, and become vibrant again. Joel shares insights from his work with the Small Church Initiative, an experimental cohort designed to strengthen churches with fewer resources and limited training opportunities. With most churches being under 100 members, this conversation addresses a critical question: 👉 Why do so many small churches get stuck—and how...
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418. From Electrician to Ministry: How This Young Couple Is Building a Thriving Teen Ministry (Boston Interviews #3)
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 From Electrician to Ministry: How This Young Couple Is Building a Thriving Teen Ministry (Boston Interviews #3) In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob sits down with Tim and Susie Tang Creel, who lead a thriving youth and family ministry in Auckland. Their ministry is growing fast—with over 35 teens and climbing—and what’s even more inspiring is that they’ve only been in full-time ministry for about a year. So what’s working? Tim and Susie share the simple but powerful principles behind their impact—along with the personal sacrifices, faith decisions, and daily...
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417. How AI Could Fund the Future of Ministry (Boston Interviews #2)
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 How AI Could Fund the Future of Ministry (Boston Interviews #2) What if ministry funding didn’t have to be the biggest limitation for growing churches? In this second episode from the Boston conference interview series, Rob sits down with Nate Bigby, a church leader and innovator who is helping reshape how ministry can be funded in today’s world. Nate and his wife lead a church in Corpus Christi, Texas—but beyond that, Nate has been developing practical solutions for bivocational ministers, helping them generate income through AI-based businesses. In this conversation, Nate shares...
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416. What Leaders Are Hoping for Before a Major Conference (Boston Interviews #1)
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 What Leaders Are Hoping for Before a Major Conference (Boston Interviews #1) What are church leaders really hoping for when they come to a major conference? In this special episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob sits down for a quick, candid conversation with leaders gathered in Boston just before the Church Builders Conference begins. Featuring: Chris Schwarzenberger (Spokane, Washington) Brock and Anne Roby (SF Bay Fellowship, San Francisco Bay Area) Pam Skinner Together, they share their expectations, hopes, and what they’re really looking for going into the weekend—from...
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415. Stop Waiting: Why “Not Ready Yet” Is Holding You Back
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 Stop Waiting: Why “Not Ready Yet” Is Holding You Back What if the biggest thing holding you back… isn’t lack of ability—but your habit of waiting? In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob tackles one of the most common—and dangerous—mindsets that keeps people stuck: 👉 Waiting for the “right time.” Whether it’s starting something new, stepping out in faith, or pursuing what God has put on your heart, many people delay action while trying to feel “ready.” But as Scripture reminds us: “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything...
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414. Feeling Anxious About the Future? Build This Foundation Instead
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 Feeling Anxious About the Future? Build This Foundation Instead Feeling pressure, uncertainty, or anxiety about your future? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob tackles one of the biggest challenges facing disciples today—how to stay grounded when everything around you feels unstable. From shifting job markets to rapid technological change, from global conflict to personal uncertainty, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind. But here’s the truth: 👉 You don’t need a perfect plan… you need a solid foundation. Drawing from powerful...
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413. Breakthrough Is Right There… So Why Are You Still Stuck?
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 Breakthrough Is Right There… So Why Are You Still Stuck? Why do so many people stay stuck… even when breakthrough is right in front of them? In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob dives into one of the most powerful stories in the Bible—when the Israelites stood on the edge of the Promised Land… and didn’t go in. Not because they couldn’t. 👉 But because they wouldn’t. Drawing from Numbers 13–14, Rob unpacks the moment everything changed—not because the facts changed, but because their faith did. Twelve leaders saw the same land. They saw the same...
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412. The 3 Mindsets That Will Transform Your Faith (Most Christians Ignore This)
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
📝 The 3 Mindsets That Will Transform Your Faith (Most Christians Ignore This) What if your spiritual growth isn’t about trying harder… but thinking differently? In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob breaks down three powerful identities every serious disciple must embrace: 👉 Soldier. Athlete. Farmer. Drawing from 2 Timothy 2:3–7, Rob explains how these aren’t just metaphors—they’re expectations for anyone who wants to live a no-regrets life and truly make an impact. Each identity reveals a critical mindset: The soldier teaches focused obedience The athlete teaches...
info_outlineHow a Church of 20 Grew Into a Thriving Ministry in Savannah | Bob Shanks
What does it take to help a small church grow again?
In this inspiring interview from the Healthy Church Growth Conference in Boston, Rob Skinner sits down with Bob Shanks, leader of the Savannah Church, to talk about faith, sacrifice, vision, and building vibrant churches in smaller cities.
Bob shares the incredible story of how the Savannah church grew from around 20 members to more than 50, how a thriving campus ministry is developing, and why he believes small churches can still make a massive impact.
The conversation also dives into:
- The challenge of leading and funding small churches
- Working part-time at Costco to support the ministry
- Building ministry alongside family
- Planting future churches in Hilton Head
- Raising up leaders instead of limiting people’s dreams
- Why mission must stay at the center of church life
This episode is full of practical wisdom, faith-building stories, and vision for the future of church growth.
Key Takeaways
- Small churches can still thrive and grow
- Campus ministries remain critical for church growth
- Sacrifice and faith often go hand-in-hand in ministry
- Mission creates unity and spiritual momentum
- Every disciple should be developed with leadership vision
- Church planting starts with strengthening disciples where they already live
Memorable Quotes
“If we have money, how can we invest it into building the church?”
“Mission creates ministry.”
“I see everybody as a potential leader.”
“We need a church in every neighborhood.”
Topics Covered
- Small church leadership
- Church planting strategy
- Campus ministry growth
- Savannah Church update
- Hilton Head church vision
- Faith and sacrifice in ministry
- Leadership development
- Multiplying disciples and churches