423. Why This Church Keeps Growing Year After Year | Kai Foster
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Release Date: 05/18/2026
459. You're Growing More Than You Think | Before You Quit, Day 13
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
You're Growing More Than You Think | Before You Quit, Day 13 Have you ever wondered why you're not further along in your relationship with God? You've been a Christian for years. You know what the Bible teaches. You've set spiritual goals. You've tried to change. But you're still struggling with some of the same weaknesses, habits, and temptations. And you start asking yourself: “Why am I not growing as I should?” In Day 13 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner addresses the discouragement that comes when our spiritual growth doesn't match our expectations....
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458. Are You Faking Your Faith? It's Time to Take Off the Mask | Before You Quit #12
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Are You Faking Your Faith? It's Time to Take Off the Mask | Before You Quit #12 Have you ever looked like a strong Christian on the outside while feeling spiritually empty on the inside? You still attend church. You smile. You give hugs. You say the right things. People may even look up to you as a mature, faithful disciple. But deep down, something has changed. Your prayers have become inconsistent. You've stopped spending time in God's Word. You're struggling with sin, carrying guilt, or feeling ashamed of what's happening in your life. And instead of telling someone, you keep pretending...
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457. Feeling Lonely at Church? Don’t Walk Away Yet | Before You Quit #11
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Feeling Lonely at Church? Don’t Walk Away Yet | Before You Quit #11 Have you ever stood in a crowded church and felt completely alone? Everyone else seems to have their people. Their conversations. Their plans. Their friend group. Meanwhile, you're standing there wondering: “Does anyone even see me?” In Day 11 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner addresses one of the biggest reasons people quietly consider walking away from church: Loneliness and isolation. Last summer, Rob and Pam met a young woman who had recently moved to Boston and joined the church....
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456. Retirement, Faith, and 2,200 Miles: Phil and Robbyn's Appalachian Trail Adventure
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Retirement, Faith, and 2,200 Miles: Phil and Robbyn's Appalachian Trail Adventure What would you do if you retired and suddenly had the freedom to pursue a really big dream? Most people picture retirement as a time to slow down, relax, and take it easy. Not Phil and Robbyn Paradis. After more than four decades of following Jesus, Phil retired from his career in civil engineering and decided to take on one of America's most demanding hiking adventures: the nearly 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail. There was just one problem. He had never backpacked before. And he was already dealing with serious...
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455. When God Doesn’t Come Through the Way You Hoped | Before You Quit #10
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
When God Doesn’t Come Through the Way You Hoped | Before You Quit #10 What do you do when you've prayed for something good—and God doesn't come through the way you hoped? In Day 10 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner tackles one of the most painful sources of spiritual discouragement: Disappointment with God. When COVID hit, Rob's church in Tucson was averaging around 200 people on Sundays. Like churches around the world, they temporarily moved online. When they finally gathered again, a little more than 100 people remained. Rob wondered: Where did...
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454. You’ve Got One Job: Stay Connected to Jesus
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
You’ve Got One Job: Stay Connected to Jesus There are a thousand things competing for your attention every day. Your career. Your marriage. Your kids. Your health. Your finances. Your goals. Your phone. Even your ministry. But according to Jesus, there's one thing you absolutely cannot neglect: Your connection with him. In John 15, Jesus gives one of the simplest and most powerful pictures of the Christian life: “I am the vine; you are the branches.” In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob explores why successful people can be especially vulnerable to spiritual self-reliance, why...
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453. When Following Jesus Costs You Something Real | Before You Quit #9
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
When Following Jesus Costs You Something Real | Before You Quit #9 What happens when following Jesus costs you something—or someone—you genuinely love? In Day 9 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner talks about a part of Christianity that can be painful to accept: Obedience can cost you something real. When Rob became a Christian during his junior year of college, one of the first people he wanted to tell was his best friend from high school. This was someone Rob could completely be himself around. They had taken road trips together. Made memories...
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452. God Loves You—But Do You Believe It? Is Your “Truster” Broken?
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
God Loves You—But Do You Believe It? Is Your “Truster” Broken? What if one of the biggest problems in your relationship with God isn't that God doesn't love you—but that you have trouble believing that he does? Years ago, two young children in Rob Skinner's extended family were adopted from Korea. Their new parents gave them a loving home, security, opportunities and a family that poured love into them. But the children struggled. There was anger. Mistrust. Rejection. As a young man watching from the outside, Rob couldn't understand it. Why couldn't they see how much they were loved?...
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451. Following Jesus Feels Too Hard? Don’t Quit Yet | Before You Quit #8
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Following Jesus Feels Too Hard? Don’t Quit Yet | Before You Quit #8 What if one of the reasons you're thinking about quitting Christianity is something you rarely say out loud? “It's just too hard.” In Day 8 of Before You Quit: Hope for the Christian Who Feels Done, Rob Skinner begins Week Two of the book: Why People Quit and Don't Say It Out Loud. People rarely walk away from their faith in one sudden moment. A disappointment here. A conflict there. An unanswered prayer. A broken relationship. Little by little, discouragement accumulates until someone quietly begins drifting away. And...
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450. Stop Saying “Not Yet”: It’s Not Too Late to Change
The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count
Stop Saying “Not Yet”: It’s Not Too Late to Change What have you gotten so used to that you don't even see it anymore? From 2004 to 2012, Rob Skinner worked as a realtor while planting a church in Ashland, Oregon. Whenever someone bought a fixer-upper, he gave them one piece of advice: Fix the problems right away. Why? Because human beings have an incredible ability to get used to almost anything. The cracked tile that drives you crazy when you first move in eventually becomes your cracked tile. You stop noticing it. Rob shares an unforgettable illustration from John Kotter and Dan...
info_outlineWhy This Church Keeps Growing Year After Year | Kai Foster
Why do some churches steadily grow while others plateau?
In this insightful interview from the Healthy Church Growth Conference in Boston, Rob Skinner sits down with Kai Foster, who leads the growing church in Reno, Nevada alongside his wife BJ.
Over the past decade, the Reno church has experienced consistent growth — nearly doubling in size. In this conversation, Kai shares several practical and spiritual principles that have helped create a culture of connection, unity, and spiritual depth within the church.
One of the biggest keys?
Intentional fellowship.
Kai explains how creating structured time for meaningful conversations during worship services and midweek meetings has helped disciples build authentic relationships that go beyond surface-level interactions.
He also shares why his church still uses printed sermon outlines and devotionals every week — and why “ink and paper still have power” in a world dominated by screens.
This episode is filled with practical ideas for:
- Building stronger church community
- Increasing unity and connection
- Creating spiritually engaging church environments
- Helping people feel known and connected
- Encouraging deeper conversations
- Supporting long-term church growth
Whether you lead a church, small group, ministry, or simply want stronger Christian community, this conversation is packed with wisdom and encouragement.
Key Takeaways
- Church growth often begins with deeper connection
- Intentional fellowship creates stronger disciples
- Structured conversations build unity
- Printed spiritual content increases retention and engagement
- Healthy churches create environments where people feel known
- Fellowship must go beyond surface-level interactions
Memorable Quotes
“Connectivity is the greatest challenge for suburban Christians.”
“Ink and paper still have power.”
“You can’t obey the second greatest command if you’re not connected.”
“People are accustomed to deeper conversations.”
Topics Covered
- Church growth
- Christian fellowship
- Leadership development
- Healthy church culture
- Midweek ministry
- Discipleship
- Spiritual community
- Church connection
- Faith and retention
- Reno church growth