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  <title>Far More</title>

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  <description><![CDATA[<p>Far More is a conversation about faithful stewardship for the Church — pastors, lay leaders, and believers who want their ministry’s resources and their own to go further for the Kingdom in Biblical and Spirit-led ways. In each episode, we'll talk with pastors, financial leaders, SBC ministry leaders, and the team at The Baptist Foundation of Alabama about the practical side of ministry finance and its Kingdom impact. Generally, our conversations will be framed through our service offerings, such as legacy giving, investments, ministry accounting, generous giving, vision campaigns, church loans, scholarships, and the everyday stewardship decisions that shape the future.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think..." (Ephesians 3:20)</p>]]></description>
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    <itunes:title>Church Financial Health — with John Ashworth</itunes:title>
    <title>Church Financial Health — with John Ashworth</title>
    <itunes:summary><![CDATA[This is a session on church finances that seminary probably didn't provide.   John Ashworth, President of The Baptist Foundation of Alabama, joins host Mitchell Bruce for the first episode of Far More. John has spent years sitting with Alabama churches of every size, and he walks through what financial health actually looks like for a church, the blind spots he sees most often, and the one change he would ask every church to make this year.  In this episode: - Where to start if your church ha...]]></itunes:summary>
    <description><![CDATA[<p>This is a session on church finances that seminary probably didn&apos;t provide. <br/><br/>John Ashworth, President of The Baptist Foundation of Alabama, joins host Mitchell Bruce for the first episode of Far More. John has spent years sitting with Alabama churches of every size, and he walks through what financial health actually looks like for a church, the blind spots he sees most often, and the one change he would ask every church to make this year.<br/><br/>In this episode:<br/>- Where to start if your church has never reviewed its financial health<br/>- The estate-planning gap in most congregations, and what it costs the church<br/>- How a legacy ministry works, and why the church has to own it<br/>- Reserves: what to consider — what that money should be doing<br/>- Financial controls most churches assume they have and don&apos;t<br/>- Ministerial payroll, bookkeeping, and the retiring volunteer problem<br/>- The stewardship principle underneath and the model it provides<br/><br/>Chapters:<br/>00:20 Welcome to Far More<br/>01:51 Meet John Ashworth<br/>04:52 TBFA Professionals<br/>05:48 Disclaimer<br/>07:18 Where to start a financial review<br/>09:19 The biggest blind spot: estate planning/legacy ministry<br/>12:00 What a legacy ministry looks like in practice<br/>13:22 Why the church has to own it<br/>14:11 Profile of a church positioned for what&apos;s next<br/>16:00 The reserves tension: hold back or put it to work<br/>18:25 Church money vs. personal money<br/>19:29 The Consistent Mistake: Fraud controls and bookkeeping<br/>21:25 Ministry Accounting: what it actually does<br/>23:50 One thing to change this year<br/>26:00 The stewardship principle underneath all of it<br/>28:29 Closing<br/><br/>Have a question about your church&apos;s situation? Use the <a href='https://www.tbfa.org/contact-us/'>&apos;Connect with Us&apos; button</a> at <a href='https://www.tbfa.org/'>tbfa.org</a><br/><br/>The Baptist Foundation of Alabama is a Cooperative Program ministry of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, serving Alabama Baptist churches, ministries, and individuals since 1940.<br/><br/>The information discussed on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Listeners should consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.</p><p><em>Far More is produced by </em><a href='https://www.tbfa.org/'><em>The Baptist Foundation of Alabama</em></a><em>. More resources for more ministry.</em></p>]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is a session on church finances that seminary probably didn&apos;t provide. <br/><br/>John Ashworth, President of The Baptist Foundation of Alabama, joins host Mitchell Bruce for the first episode of Far More. John has spent years sitting with Alabama churches of every size, and he walks through what financial health actually looks like for a church, the blind spots he sees most often, and the one change he would ask every church to make this year.<br/><br/>In this episode:<br/>- Where to start if your church has never reviewed its financial health<br/>- The estate-planning gap in most congregations, and what it costs the church<br/>- How a legacy ministry works, and why the church has to own it<br/>- Reserves: what to consider — what that money should be doing<br/>- Financial controls most churches assume they have and don&apos;t<br/>- Ministerial payroll, bookkeeping, and the retiring volunteer problem<br/>- The stewardship principle underneath and the model it provides<br/><br/>Chapters:<br/>00:20 Welcome to Far More<br/>01:51 Meet John Ashworth<br/>04:52 TBFA Professionals<br/>05:48 Disclaimer<br/>07:18 Where to start a financial review<br/>09:19 The biggest blind spot: estate planning/legacy ministry<br/>12:00 What a legacy ministry looks like in practice<br/>13:22 Why the church has to own it<br/>14:11 Profile of a church positioned for what&apos;s next<br/>16:00 The reserves tension: hold back or put it to work<br/>18:25 Church money vs. personal money<br/>19:29 The Consistent Mistake: Fraud controls and bookkeeping<br/>21:25 Ministry Accounting: what it actually does<br/>23:50 One thing to change this year<br/>26:00 The stewardship principle underneath all of it<br/>28:29 Closing<br/><br/>Have a question about your church&apos;s situation? Use the <a href='https://www.tbfa.org/contact-us/'>&apos;Connect with Us&apos; button</a> at <a href='https://www.tbfa.org/'>tbfa.org</a><br/><br/>The Baptist Foundation of Alabama is a Cooperative Program ministry of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, serving Alabama Baptist churches, ministries, and individuals since 1940.<br/><br/>The information discussed on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, legal, or tax advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Listeners should consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.</p><p><em>Far More is produced by </em><a href='https://www.tbfa.org/'><em>The Baptist Foundation of Alabama</em></a><em>. More resources for more ministry.</em></p>]]></content:encoded>
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    <pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 12:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
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  <psc:chapter start="0:20" title="Welcome to Far More" />
  <psc:chapter start="1:51" title="Meet John Ashworth" />
  <psc:chapter start="4:52" title="TBFA Professionals" />
  <psc:chapter start="5:48" title="Disclaimer" />
  <psc:chapter start="7:18" title="Where to start a financial review" />
  <psc:chapter start="9:19" title="The biggest blind spot: estate planning/legacy ministry" />
  <psc:chapter start="12:00" title="What a legacy ministry looks like in practice" />
  <psc:chapter start="13:22" title="Why the church has to own it" />
  <psc:chapter start="14:11" title="Profile of a church positioned for what&#39;s next" />
  <psc:chapter start="16:00" title="The reserves tension: hold back or put it to work" />
  <psc:chapter start="18:25" title="Church money vs. personal money" />
  <psc:chapter start="19:29" title="The Consistent Mistake: Fraud controls and bookkeeping" />
  <psc:chapter start="21:25" title="Ministry Accounting: what it actually does" />
  <psc:chapter start="23:50" title="One thing to change this year" />
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    <itunes:title>Welcome to Far More</itunes:title>
    <title>Welcome to Far More</title>
    <itunes:summary><![CDATA[Far More is a podcast from The Baptist Foundation of Alabama (TBFA) for everyone who embraces the call to stewardship that God gives, especially those who carry the weight of leading a church in stewardship. Each episode, host Mitchell Bruce, Director of Marketing and Communications for TBFA, sits down with pastors, ministry leaders, TBFA staff, and others doing that work across Alabama for genuine conversations about crucial elements of things like church finance, generosity, legacy, and wha...]]></itunes:summary>
    <description><![CDATA[<p>Far More is a podcast from The Baptist Foundation of Alabama (TBFA) for everyone who embraces the call to stewardship that God gives, especially those who carry the weight of leading a church in stewardship. Each episode, host Mitchell Bruce, Director of Marketing and Communications for TBFA, sits down with pastors, ministry leaders, TBFA staff, and others doing that work across Alabama for genuine conversations about crucial elements of things like church finance, generosity, legacy, and what it looks like to be faithful with what you&apos;ve been trusted with.</p><p>This short trailer introduces the show and where it&apos;s headed. Follow us to stay tuned and updated when episodes go live. Special features will be posted in between regular episodes as well.</p><p>Listen, then go deeper:</p><p>•   Learn more about the Baptist Foundation of Alabama: <a href='https://www.tbfa.org/the-foundation/'>www.tbfa.org/the-foundation</a></p><p>•   Podcast hub: <a href='https://farmore.buzzsprout.com/'>farmore.buzzsprout.com</a></p><p>•   A question or a guest idea? tbfa@tbfa.org</p><p><em>Far More is produced by </em><a href='https://www.tbfa.org/'><em>The Baptist Foundation of Alabama</em></a><em>. More resources for more ministry.</em></p>]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Far More is a podcast from The Baptist Foundation of Alabama (TBFA) for everyone who embraces the call to stewardship that God gives, especially those who carry the weight of leading a church in stewardship. Each episode, host Mitchell Bruce, Director of Marketing and Communications for TBFA, sits down with pastors, ministry leaders, TBFA staff, and others doing that work across Alabama for genuine conversations about crucial elements of things like church finance, generosity, legacy, and what it looks like to be faithful with what you&apos;ve been trusted with.</p><p>This short trailer introduces the show and where it&apos;s headed. Follow us to stay tuned and updated when episodes go live. Special features will be posted in between regular episodes as well.</p><p>Listen, then go deeper:</p><p>•   Learn more about the Baptist Foundation of Alabama: <a href='https://www.tbfa.org/the-foundation/'>www.tbfa.org/the-foundation</a></p><p>•   Podcast hub: <a href='https://farmore.buzzsprout.com/'>farmore.buzzsprout.com</a></p><p>•   A question or a guest idea? tbfa@tbfa.org</p><p><em>Far More is produced by </em><a href='https://www.tbfa.org/'><em>The Baptist Foundation of Alabama</em></a><em>. More resources for more ministry.</em></p>]]></content:encoded>
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    <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
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