The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson

Churches drift towards an insider-focus over time—more attention is given to discipleship of Christ followers than to effective outreach and evangelism. How do you fight that tendency? We've noted four steps that help churches open their "front door" wider. All four are critical—but we've found most churches only have strategies and structure to engage one or two of them. In this four-part series, Tony and Amy unpack the key steps we see helping churches reach more new guests with the love of Jesus: Pre-Guest Engagement The 1st-Time Guest Experience First Steps Engagement Next Steps Engagement In this episode—Engaging Your Mission Field (Part 2)—Tony and Amy clarify the real "win" for engaging first-time guests. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode111. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode111] in your post for reference.

Churches drift towards an insider-focus over time—more attention is given to discipleship of Christ followers than to effective outreach and evangelism. How do you fight that tendency? We've noted four steps that help churches open their "front door" wider. All four are critical—but we've found most churches only have strategies and structure to engage one or two of them. In this four-part series, Tony and Amy unpack the key steps we see helping churches reach more new guests with the love of Jesus: Pre-Guest Engagement The 1st-Time Guest Experience First Steps Engagement Next Steps Engagement In this episode—Engaging Your Mission Field (Part 1)—Tony and Amy share unpack three elements of an effective pre-guest engagement strategy and how you can get started in your church. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode110. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode110] in your post for reference.

You had more questions about church engagement—so we are taking this week to answer them. We recently hosted a webinar on the topic of ​increasing church engagement​, and as part of the event, we fielded questions from people who tuned in. We weren't able to get through all of the questions live, so in this episode, we're digging a bit deeper. We saw some themes in the questions that came in. Participants were asking things like... How do you measure engagement of people before they attend your church? How do you engage more empty-nesters in serving? What does engagement looks like in a transient area, where the turnover every year or two is significant? Does the nature of the serving (internally within the church vs. externally in the community) have any impact on engagement? What are best practices for churches who live stream their services to increase engagement from those who watch online? How do you successfully re-engage people who stop taking steps on your discipleship path? In this episode, Tony and Amy share their answers to these questions and more! For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode109. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode109] in your post for reference.

Bus ministry, cassette tape messages, door-to-door evangelism... all ministry strategies have a lifespan. Is multisite nearing its end? Recently, some high profile multisite churches made the decision to un-multisite. For a variety of reasons, their ministry strategy has shifted from "one church in many locations" to "multiple independent churches," some even boldly downsizing to one location. Do these public shifts in strategy signal the beginning of the end for the multisite era? In this episode, Tony sits down with Geoff Surratt, pastor and author of The Multisite Revolution, for a conversation on the future of multisite church, and whether or not it's still an effective strategy in today's culture. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode108. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode108] in your post for reference.

What's the "win" for your church's social media activity? If you don't know, at best you'll waste time and resources, and at worst you'll do damage to your brand and the potential you have to engage people outside your church. Social media platforms play a big role in the success of an inbound marketing strategy, and it seems like most churches are struggling to use them well. (Not sure what "inbound marketing" means? We covered it in Episode 61). Why are they struggling? For one, the nuances of social media are always changing. In this episode, Tiffany Deluccia from The Unstuck Group's team joins Tony and Amy to help unpack some things you need to know to maximize the potential of social media for reaching more people and increasing engagement. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode107. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode107] in your post for reference.

Engagement—It's the buzz word we hear church leaders discussing across the country. What does it really mean and how do you know if you're hitting a mark? Truth be told, we find many pastors are confused about engagement. How do we increase it? Why do people show up, come back, plug in or leave? Recently, Tony, Amy and Sean hosted a live webinar for church leaders on the topic of engagement. In this episode, we're sharing that conversation with you. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode106. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode106] in your post for reference.

It's one of the big responsibilities every pastor has—the planning process for message series. Few pastors tell us they have a great process. Often, there's no plan at all, or the plan only goes a few months out and lacks an aspect that brings focus to the big picture. While it may work for the lead pastor's writing rhythm, it rarely serves the rest of the team well. In this episode, Tony and Amy talk best practices for taking the frustration out of sermon series planning for both you and your team. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode105. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode105] in your post for reference.

It can feel like a losing battle. You want to help new guests feel welcome and decide to return, but how do you even identify them? The most common strategies don't work very well anymore. Many churches don't have an intentional plan to identify, welcome and follow up with their new guests. And, if they do have a plan, it's often too cumbersome for a new guest to engage. In this episode, Tony, Amy and Sean share the method we've seen some churches use that's working incredibly well, and how simple it is to bring your guest connection strategy into the 21st century. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode104. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode104] in your post for reference.

The good news is that things have gotten better. A few decades ago, churches weren't talking about design or brand or project management or technology. The bad news? Many churches are doing those things now, but overall our outcomes are not better. Many churches are still in decline, and all this cool stuff we're creating is not putting the mission and vision in action or within reach. In this episode, Tony and Amy interview Kem Meyer, author of Less Chaos. Less Noise., about how we can reframe our understanding of brand and communications for this decade. Kem also shares a practical tool to help you get started. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode103. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode103] in your post for reference.

Church growth vs. spiritual growth. Churches often operate like the two are mutually exclusive. The truth is, Jesus charged us both with reaching new people and helping them learn to be more like Him. We find unstuck churches are effective on both sides of the equation. In this episode, Tony and Amy share 3 reasons why churches are struggling to help people grow spiritually, and some practical next steps you can take as a leader to turn things around. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode102. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode102] in your post for reference.

167 hours per week. That's how much time people spend doing all the things that don't happen at a weekend church service. If you're interested in redeeming all that time to help people take next steps in their relationship with Christ, there's one particular strategy we'd encourage you to employ. And very few churches are trying it. This episode is all about podcasting. A few reasons to look at your church podcast through a new lens: 32% of the US population is consuming podcast content monthly 22% are engaging weekly The average weekly podcast consumer listens to 6+ hours of podcast episodes 80% of podcast listeners listen to the entire episode or most of the episode In this episode, Sean Bublitz joins Tony and Amy to talk about how your church podcast could be so much more than a replay of your weekend message and could help you extend the reach of your church directly into people's lives. Listen for a practical discussion about why and how to get started. For the full episode transcript and links mentioned during the show, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode101. Get the Beginner's Guide to Starting a Church Podcast Instead of the usual leader conversation guide, in this episode we wanted to give you something practical to help you get started. So, we created a PDF guide called A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Church Podcast. Show Notes subscribers get it free. Not subscribed? What are you waiting for? Subscribe to the Show Notes Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode101] in your post for reference.

Tension. Your multisite church has some frustration bubbling below the surface if you hear team members asking questions like... Who do I (really) report to? Who made that decision? Why didn't they ask me about that? Why can't we do that? We find there are 3 areas every multisite church must clarify to reduce tensions in the multisite matrix. In this episode, Tony and Amy dig deep into all of them, and share some practical next steps that will help you get unstuck. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode100. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode100] in your post for reference.

One church. Multiple Locations. It's the mantra of the multisite movement. But in our experience? Few are truly one unified church meeting in multiple locations. Instead, what we find is that many multisite churches are connected through one leadership structure, but beyond that, they are splintered in their ministry strategy. They are really multiple churches trying to operate as one church. In this episode, Tony and Amy unpack 3 specific warning signs a church that thinks it's using a multisite strategy is really doing... something else. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode99. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode99] in your post for reference.

More leaders. Every pastor we talk to is hoping to find more of them. But how well are you multiplying the ones you have? Multiplication is the element of small groups strategy churches tend to leave out. But if you're developing leaders through small groups, that's discipleship that leads to multiplication. You can eventually send them out to start new groups or let them take over existing ones. Then you send out the original leaders as disciple makers to create more. In this episode, Tony Morgan interviews Chris Surratt. Chris is an author, a ministry consultant at The Unstuck Group, and the Discipleship & Small Groups Specialist at Lifeway Christian Resources. This is a conversation with practical tips for how you can equip group leaders to build effective, multiplying small groups. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode98. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode98] in your post for reference.

What if your church's back-door problem is actually a front-door problem? That's the question Connexus Church in Barrie, ON (yep, Carey Nieuwhof's church) found itself wrestling with several years ago. In a post-Christian culture like Canada's, it couldn't been disheartening: Realizing that even though they'd been designing the ministry strategy to reach people outside the church they still weren't seeing enough first-time guests to grow like they hoped to. But after a lot of prayer and a significant strategy change, Connexus Church is seeing more first-time guests than they've ever seen—and overall attendance is growing faster than ever, too. In this episode, Tony interviews lead pastor Jeff Brodie to share the story of what changed. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode97. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode97] in your post for reference.

There are some things a senior pastor just can't delegate. Leaders are often told they're trying to do too much—and it's usually true. But if you succeed at empowering and developing other leaders, where does that leave you? What are the things only the senior pastor can and should do? In this episode series, Tony and Amy dig deeper into the most popular topic of all time on this podcast: the roles a senior pastor just can't delegate. We'll unpack the four areas where senior pastors need to focus their time and energy, especially as they grow their churches beyond 1,000. Part 4 is all about Culture. It really does start at the top of the organization. It is the senior pastor's responsibility to set the tone for their team and lead the church by example. When done right, not only do you shape the culture of the team, but of the entire church. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode96. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode96] in your post for reference.

There are some things a senior pastor just can't delegate. Leaders are often told they're trying to do too much—and it's usually true. But if you succeed at empowering and developing other leaders, where does that leave you? What are the things only the senior pastor can and should do? In this episode series, Tony and Amy dig deeper into the most popular topic of all time on this podcast: the roles a senior pastor just can't delegate. We'll unpack the four areas where senior pastors need to focus their time and energy, especially as they grow their churches beyond 1,000. Part 3 is all about Leadership. It may sound obvious, but senior pastors need to be the primary leader of leaders in the church. Leadership requires evolution. You can't be the same leader that you were a year ago and expect to keep your church moving forward. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode95. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode95] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

There are some things a senior pastor just can't delegate. Leaders are often told they're trying to do too much—and it's usually true. But if you succeed at empowering and developing other leaders, where does that leave you? What are the things only the senior pastor can and should do? In this episode series, Tony and Amy dig deeper into the most popular topic of all time on this podcast: the roles a senior pastor just can't delegate. We'll unpack the four areas where senior pastors need to focus their time and energy, especially as they grow their churches beyond 1,000. Part 2 is all about teaching. You can't delegate the teaching, and you MUST delegate the things that get in the way of great teaching. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode94. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode94] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

There are some things a senior pastor just can't delegate. Leaders are often told they're trying to do too much—and it's usually true. But if you succeed at empowering and developing other leaders, where does that leave you? What are the things only the senior pastor can and should do? In this episode series, Tony and Amy dig deeper into the most popular topic of all time on this podcast: the roles a senior pastor just can't delegate. We'll unpack the four areas where senior pastors need to focus their time and energy, especially as they grow their churches beyond 1,000. Up first? Vision-casting. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode93. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode93] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

Tim Celek and Andrew Brownback have a rare shared experience: They've successfully navigated the passing of the baton from founding pastor of a thriving, growing church to successor who will lead that church for a new generation. Tim had only recently closed the door on his 40s, when he—with that visionary knack for forward-thinking—started a conversation with his board about succession planning. (In his words, a "spirited" conversation followed.) Over about a decade, Tim and his team at The Crossing did their research, formed a plan, onboarded Tim's successor, identified the right timing and rolled out a communications plan. The result? One of the smoothest examples of pastoral succession we've seen, and a thriving church positioned for sustained health. In this episode, Tony interviews founding pastor, Tim, and current lead pastor, Andrew, to tell the story. This episode is packed with practical wisdom and recommended resources. Get the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, in this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode92. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode92] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

It's all interim work. The sooner you can get your mind around that one point, the sooner you can be freed up to start thinking about what happens next. In a recent study, Barna Research found that half of the senior pastors in America are 55 or older, and that the number of pastors older than 65 has tripled in the last 25 years. This week, Tony sits down with William Vanderbloemen for a frank conversation about pastoral succession, the one cardinal rule of planning, and the most common roadblocks to a healthy transition (for both the pastor and the congregation). For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode91. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode91] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

What does "engagement" really mean? We hear that word buzzing among church leaders, but it's kind of a loose term. You could define engagement however you want. We recently partnered up with Blackbaud to survey church leaders across the country and find out more about how church leaders are actually defining and measuring engagement In this episode, Tony and Amy shared a few of the findings that jumped out at us—namely, the differences growing and declining churches are seeing in terms of engagement. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode90. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode90] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

It's a dance. One church leads, the other has to follow. The data is telling us more than 40% of all multisite campuses today are the result of a church merger or the acquisition of a church building. How do you ensure a successful outcome? Jim Tomberlin joins Tony Morgan in this third episode in our multisite series to explain what you need to know about church mergers and how you can leverage this strategy for healthy church expansion. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode89. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 89] in your post for reference. ----- Check out our newest online course—Multisite Unstuck, or learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

90%. That's the success rate surveys are showing churches are having with launching multisite campuses. Five years after launch, they're still up and running. What's more—57% of multisite churches are planning to launch another campus in the next 12 months. Tony Morgan and Jim Tomberlin recently announced that our two ministries—MultiSite Solutions and The Unstuck Group—are coming together. In Part 2 of this episode, Jim says that among the churches that have already launched, he's still seeing a high confidence in the model. He joins Tony on the show to talk advice for vision-casting multisite, choosing your model, and the five keys to success that Jim has named over his many years helping churches launch thriving campuses. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode88. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 88] in your post for reference. ----- Check out our newest online course—Multisite Unstuck, or learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

Why is Tony so passionate about getting churches to track more numbers? Really it's just about being a good steward of the resources God has given us. Stories are important, but the numbers confirm the stories. And... the numbers serve as warning signs that your church is getting stuck. In this episode, Tony and Amy share how tracking metrics related to the Front/Back Door, Leadership, Engagement & Culture can help you get a more accurate view of your church's health, and how you can use that perspective to take action. If you haven't been monitoring church health metrics closely, this episode digs into why you should start now. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode87. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 87] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

Inwardly-focused churches don't grow. And every church is at risk of becoming inwardly-focused. It's the natural tendency over time if intentional steps aren't taken to address the warning signs when they flash. In this episode, Tony and Amy discuss what it really means to think like a missionary in your own community, and how making that mindset shift will cause your team to view all of your church's strategies in a different light. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode86. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 86] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

The goal is to equip people to become more like Christ. So why do many churches spend so much time just keeping people busy? None of us start out intending to lead over-programmed, complex churches, but most of us find ourselves there. This topic of "programs vs. a discipleship path" has gotten a ton of attention in our articles over the years. How do churches really make disciples? What do you do if your church is over-programmed? Is it possible to shift your strategy to something that more effectively helps people grow to become like Christ? In this episode, Tony and Amy answer these questions and more. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode85. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 85] in your post for reference. ----- Learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

They sound simple, but implementing these communications best practices means big operational changes for most churches. Churches tend to be reactive instead of proactive in their communication—and that's one reason why churches we're guiding through the Unstuck Process almost always self-identify communication as a "core issue" that's getting them stuck. In this episode, Tony shares the top 3 mistakes he sees churches make when it comes to how they approach communications, and Phil Bowdle, author of Rethink Communication: A Playbook to Clarify and Communicate Everything in Your Church weighs in with his perspective on how churches can get more strategic. Jesus said, "Go and tell," but he didn't say that had to happen on a Sunday morning platform. Listen to this episode for a fresh perspective on your church's communication strategies. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode84. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 84] in your post for reference.

Tony Morgan and Jim Tomberlin recently announced that our two ministries—MultiSite Solutions and The Unstuck Group—are coming together! Jim was one of the pioneers of the multisite movement back in the early 1990s and has been helping churches effectively transition from being one church to being one church in multiple locations ever since. In this episode, Jim joins Tony on the show to discuss the history of the multisite movement, where it is today, bad reasons churches go multisite, the strategy differences between church planting and launching campuses, and more. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode83. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode83] in your post for reference. ____ Check out our newest online course—Multisite Unstuck, or learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

Staffing issues get churches stuck. We see it all the time. We recently took a look at all of the Staffing & Structure assessments The Unstuck Group completed in the last year. We were looking for themes or trends, and boy, did we find some. In this episode, Tony and Amy share the remaining most common staffing pain points we uncovered in our analysis. They share some indicators these issues are at play in your staff team (even if you haven't been able to clearly define them yet), as well as practical recommendations for addressing them. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode82. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode82] in your post for reference.

Staffing issues get churches stuck. We see it all the time. We recently took a look at all of the Staffing & Structure assessments The Unstuck Group completed in the last year. We were looking for themes or trends, and boy, did we find some. In this episode, Tony and Amy share 2 of the 5 most recurring staffing pain points we uncovered in our analysis. They share some indicators these issues are at play in your staff team (even if you haven't been able to clearly define them yet), as well as practical recommendations for addressing them. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode81. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode81] in your post for reference.

Depression. Loneliness. Anxiety. They're becoming recurring health issues in our culture—even among church leaders. The danger is the secret, being in the condition alone. Lifeway Research found that 23% of pastors say they've had personal struggles with mental health. Still 49% said they rarely or never speak on the topic to their congregation. The Unstuck Group's team heard Pastor Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands give a compelling, practical talk on this subject at a conference last year. In this episode, Chris shares with Tony some practical things he thinks all pastors need to know—both for your personal mental health and to guide your congregations through these now prevalent challenges. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode80. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode80] in your post for reference.

It's not something anyone in ministry wants to think about—legal trouble, and the circumstances that could lead to it. The alarming thing we've noticed is that church leaders are often ignorant of the areas of the law that most pertain to them, both the protections and limitations the law creates. And that can lead to nightmare situations. In this episode, Tony invites attorneys Steven Goodspeed and Dustin Gaines from The Church Lawyers to give you a crash course on 4 legal risks they think all church leaders need to be aware of and how to take the appropriate measures to protect your ministry. For help taking this discussion back to your SLT or board, check out the Leader Conversation Guide in this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode79. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode79] in your post for reference.

They're just trying to decide whether or not to come back. And we hit 'em with everything we've got. We highly value first-time guests... we just don't necessarily know the right ways to show it. In this episode, Tony and Amy share 4 WORST practices for connecting with new guests that they commonly see when serving churches for The Unstuck Group. Is your church using any of these strategies? It's time to make a shift. For links to the resources Tony and Amy mentioned during the episode, visit the Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode78. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode78] in your post for reference.

"The toughest test of a manager is not how they deal with poor performance — it's how they address mediocrity." It's a quote we read in the Harvard Business Review a while back, and boy, is it true. Leaders can tend to blame mediocrity on ineffective employees or volunteers, instead of recognizing our own ineffective leadership as the problem. In this episode, with a bit of sarcasm, Tony and Amy point to 4 strategies to employ if you want to embrace mediocrity in your ministry. Assuming that's not actually what you want to do, they also share some practical next steps leaders can take to turn the tide. For links to the resources Tony and Amy mentioned during the episode, visit the Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode77. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode77] in your post for reference.

"Great mission turn into routine jobs if they aren't pursued by great teams." Tony made that claim a few months ago, and it stirred up a few strong reactions. Is the team really more important than the mission? What about in a church? In this episode, Tony and Amy unpack what Tony meant when he wrote that line. Plus! They share the key characteristics The Unstuck Group looks for when adding staff members, as well as 3 tips for creating an environment where teams can accomplish GREAT things. For links to the resources Tony and Amy mentioned during the episode, visit the Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode76. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode76] in your post for reference.

Research, podcasts, writing—you can find a lot published about how people are doing multisite. We see far less written about the actual outcomes of different multisite models and strategies. Based on experience working in and with many different multisite churches, Tony Morgan and Amy Anderson discuss indicators a church is NOT ready to go multisite, principles that set a healthy foundation for expansion, and key systems differences between single-site and multisite churches—plus, the backwards thinking that results in failed campus launches. Whether you're leading a multisite church or just considering it someday, this episode is packed with practical application to make you more effective and help you avoid costly missteps. For more, visit the Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode75. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode74] in your post for reference. ____ Check out our new online course—Multisite Unstuck, or learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com

New year, new church? January finds our best intentions. Maybe it's the cold, maybe it's the afterglow of Christmas—but we rarely come across a church that doesn't have some resolutions for their ministry at the beginning of the year. In this episode, Tony Morgan shares 4 New Year's Resolutions he hopes church leaders will make in 2019, along with one simple mindset shift that churches can adopt to stick with their resolutions and get more done. For links to the resources mentioned during the show, visit the Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode74. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode74] in your post for reference.

Today we're revisiting a conversation from our most downloaded episode of 2018. We chose to re-release this conversation because it happened so long ago, you may have missed it—AND, because we think this topic is an important one for any pastor to engage again heading into 2019. Tony and Amy shared the 3 most common issues they see plaguing weekend church services—the things most pastors don't see that keep the overall experience from giving people a compelling reason to show up and invite friends. Listen to get a fresh perspective on the services you put so much effort into providing, and be encouraged: All of the issues they share are fixable once you see them. For links to the resources mentioned during the show, visit the Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode73. Join the Live Conversation on Social If you're listening on Wednesday morning, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team, including Tony and Amy, will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions, add your comments about this topic, or check out the Show Notes for the questions we plan to discuss! If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup, use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode73] in your post for reference.

Almost never. We almost never see a multisite church succeed with live-teaching at each campus. So naturally, we wanted to get to the bottom of why it works so well at Community Christian Church in the Chicago area. In this episode, Tony Morgan interviews Tammy Melchein about how they've become a church that continually develops and resources new, excellent teachers—which makes this model work. Not leading a multisite church? Don't skip this episode. The creative systems and strategies CCC has implemented to keep raising up new leaders to teach the Gospel will give you plenty to consider even within your single site. For links mentioned during the episode, visit this episode's show notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode72. ____ Check out our new online course—Multisite Unstuck, or learn how we help churches get unstuck at theunstuckgroup.com.

Every church could use more volunteers. They're crucial to the life of any church. But the truth is, we never seem to have enough for all of the needs our churches have. In this episode, Tony Morgan and Amy Anderson discuss the 5 Barriers to Engaging Volunteers and how you can get more volunteers so you can increase your impact. For more resources and to join the conversation, you can visit this episode's show notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode71.

Getting your church unstuck is possible. It's a process that takes time but is effective. Our team is always working on perfecting that process and we have just made it even better. In this episode, Tony and Amy talk through our newly updated 4 Phase Process for getting churches unstuck and how this process can help your church accomplish its mission and help people take their next steps toward Jesus. For more resources and to join the conversation, you can visit our show notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode70.

Our heart is always to help the church. But sometimes that means speaking the hard truths that keep us from getting unstuck. Recently, Tony published an article called 20 NEW Politically Incorrect Thoughts on Church in America. As you can imagine, it caused quite the stir. On this week's episode, Amy and Tony explore his heart and thinking behind 8 of his politically incorrect thoughts and why he thinks they are crucial for churches to getting unstuck. If you would like to join the conversation and get more resources, you can see the show notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode69.

A few trends jumped out at us from the Q4 2018 edition of The Unstuck Church Report. From increasing vs. decreasing weekly attendance, the relevance of church membership, and whether or not you should fire all of your part-time staffers... In this episode, we're sharing the conversation Tony, Amy, Sean, and Michael had on a recent live webinar. It gets down into the nitty-gritty of what the numbers mean for your church. You can join the conversation and get more resources by going to the Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode68.

Your church building might be saying more than you think. Your architecture is either helping or hindering your ministry. From the design to the people in charge of it all, there are ways to leverage your church building that actually help your church's mission. Mel McGowan is Co-Founder of PlainJoe Studios as well as a church architect. In this conversation with Tony Morgan, Mel shares compelling thoughts on the theology of church architecture and practical insights into the building process. For more resources and to join the conversation you can go to the show notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode67.

Do you ever feel like you have to choose between creating a healthy team culture and getting results? It doesn't have to be that way. Lance Witt is the author of Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul and is a former executive and teaching pastor at Saddleback Church. In this episode, Tony and Lance discuss how to lead your team to find the essential balance between health and performance. You can find more resources including this episode's FREE Discussion Guide and join the conversation by going to theunstuckgroup.com/episode66.

Has the way you do church become more important than why you do church? It's tempting to try to keep the people you already have happy. But the moment you stop focusing on reaching non-believers, you've become stuck. In this episode, we identify four signs that your church has become inwardly focused and give some solutions on how to reach new people. You can see the show notes, download the Conversation Guide, and join the conversation at theunstuckgroup.com/episode65.

Your worship leader is great. That doesn't mean he or she should lead your Creative Team. Music is obviously creative, but we need more creativity in our churches than just music—and we very rarely find worship leaders who are equipped or able to lead more than music. Hiring leaders who can focus on the creative aspects of your church allows your musicians to do what they do best while still getting stuff done. In this episode, Tony and Amy talk about who should be leading your creative team and how to structure your creative team to make the most of it. You can find resources from this episode and join the conversation by going to the show notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode64.

Are events killing your church? Every church has events, but not every church knows why. Events have the potential to be helpful for people to take their next steps toward Jesus, but it's rare that they actually work. In this episode, Tony and Amy discuss 6 questions to ask when planning events as well as 5 ways to make your events effective. There is a ton of great information in this episode and we created a Discussion Guide to go along with it if you'd like to take this conversation to your next leadership team meeting. To get the Discussion Guide and join in on the conversation visit http://www.theunstuckgroup.com/episode63.

We've found 12 common issues that routinely cause churches to get stuck. In this episode, we cover two important ones that have something in common: leadership. Whether it's senior leadership or volunteer leaders, if we're not structuring our churches in a way that sets leaders up for success then our churches will become stuck. In this episode, Tony and Amy discuss two leadership issues churches face and how to solve them so your church can grow and get healthy. Join in the conversation and see the show notes at theunstuckchurch.com/episode62. We also discuss the Leading from an Unstuck Church Course in this episode. Find more details and sign up at theunstuckgroup.com/course.