The Unstuck Church Podcast

Hosted by The Unstuck Group

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477

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Sep 2026

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About the show

With THE UNSTUCK CHURCH PODCAST, we invite you into the real-time conversations our team is having about church leadership every week. Hosted by Amy Anderson, this podcast explores common challenges in ministry and practical steps for tackling them. It's like getting to be a fly on the wall of our staff meetings. Tune in weekly for: Insights, observations and trends for church leaders from the Unstuck team. Benchmarks in church growth and health from The Unstuck Group's work serving hundreds churches across North America each year. Practical advice to help you lead your church towards sustained health. We think that after listening to The Unstuck Church Podcast, you'll want to start these discussions with your own team at your next staff meeting. Add your thoughts to the conversation on social media using #unstuckchurch.

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60 recent

September 9, 2026Episode 46539 min

Who Owns What? - Episode 465

Most churches build structure without ever naming what they're structuring around. Pastors want good structure for really good reasons. They want communication to work. They want to catch problems before they become a crisis. They want to know nothing's falling through the cracks. And honestly, most of them want their people cared for; they don't want anybody carrying more than they should. Those are pastoral instincts—great instincts. But here's where it can go wrong. A church feels the organizational pain, and they go straight to adjusting the org chart. They restructure without ever answering the question of what the structure was supposed to serve . In this episode, Sean and Jonathan talk about a key part of structuring your church staff: who owns what? Responsibility vs. accountability Structure to the strategy, not to the history Getting the SLT right T his Episode is Sponsored by Tyndale House : If Jesus walked into your church right now, would people recognize him? We've created a personalized Savior who exists primarily to meet our needs, bless our lives, and guarantee our spots in heaven. But here's the problem. That Jesus would be unrecognizable. In the book The Missing Messiah, bestselling authors Kyle Idleman and Mark More will help your church rediscover the Jesus based on Scripture, not on culture. Plus, check out the six-session companion study guide with free access to streaming videos. Learn more at missingmessiah.com . Join the Conversation on Social Media Follow us on X and on Instagram . Tag us at @theunstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch.

September 2, 2026Episode 46439 min

Are we Overstaffed or Understaffed? - Episode 464

If your church is over 1,000 in attendance, you're just too big to run on relationships . At some point, the way you've always led stops scaling—not because relationships don't matter (they do) but because the ministry is now carrying more complexity than your current structure can support. This is where many churches get stuck—they don't make that transition. And if you don't get intentional about systems, roles and decision-making, you'll keep feeling the same pain: confusion, bottlenecks, burnout and frustration. Your staff is working hard, but it still feels chaotic. In this series, we're going to get really practical about how to structure around systems and strategies . " Are we overstaffed or understaffed? " That's the question we're starting with in this episode because sometimes we get the data wrong and we end up hurting the team. More people vs the right people Equipping volunteers to do ministry Get your math right: how much staff do you actually need? This Episode is Sponsored by Tyndale House : If Jesus walked into your church right now, would people recognize him? We've created a personalized Savior who exists primarily to meet our needs, bless our lives, and guarantee our spots in heaven. But here's the problem. That Jesus would be unrecognizable. In the book The Missing Messiah, bestselling authors Kyle Idleman and Mark More will help your church rediscover the Jesus based on Scripture, not on culture. Plus, check out the six-session companion study guide with free access to streaming videos. Learn more at missingmessiah.com . Join the Conversation on Social Media Follow us on X and on Instagram . Tag us at @theunstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch.

August 26, 2026Episode 46335 min

Can We Fund & Deliver Multisite? - Episode 463

As a church getting ready to go multisite, you might know who you are, have the right people and have a clear, documented model. But at some point, going multisite really comes down to this: Can you fund it, and can you deliver it ? Can you actually pay for a new location so that it's sustainable for years to come? Can you re-create the main thing people show up for—the weekend experience? In the final episode of this series, Sean and Jesse break down the last two Multisite Readiness Checkpoints: Financial Strength and a Replicable Weekend Experience. Funding a new campus for the years to come—not just at launch Replicable weekend experience: defining the "wins" Live teaching vs. video teaching This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios : Adding a new campus to your multisite plan? If you don't have a strategy for coordinating your placemaking and wayfinding signage, maybe it's time to update across every campus. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church's unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus. Learn more at plainjoe.net . Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .

August 19, 2026Episode 46239 min

Can We Reproduce What We Do? - Episode 462

A multisite model that's too complex can't be multiplied ... and a model that is only captured in your head can't be handed off. To go multisite, you need something clear enough to repeat and captured well enough to share . It's one thing to know who you are, but it's another to simplify and document it so well that someone else can actually run the same ministries and systems without the need for your constant input. In this episode, Sean and Jesse talk about what you do as a multisite church and how you do it —your Ministry Model and your Defined Systems and Strategies. Plus, Sean checks in with Amy Anderson to hear about her recovery. Pruning & prioritizing You can only replicate what's recorded Documenting decision rights A word from Amy Anderson This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios : Adding a new campus to your multisite plan? If you don't have a strategy for coordinating your placemaking and wayfinding signage, maybe it's time to update across every campus. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church's unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus. Learn more at plainjoe.net . Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .

August 12, 2026Episode 46143 min

Do We Have the People for Multisite? - Episode 461

Multisite doesn't just stretch your building. It stretches your bench. You can have clear DNA, full buy-in and real growth and still not be ready because you don't have the leaders to pull it off . Before you launch a new location, you need to assess whether you have enough of the right leaders, healthy leaders and a deep enough volunteer bench . In this episode, we're looking at three checkpoints that focus on your team: staff leadership capacity, staff health and volunteer strength . Replicating the right leaders Building a team that trusts Raising up volunteer leaders This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios : Adding a new campus to your multisite plan? If you don't have a strategy for coordinating your placemaking and wayfinding signage, maybe it's time to update across every campus. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church's unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus. Learn more at plainjoe.net . Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .

August 5, 2026Episode 46044 min

Should We Even Be Having a Multisite Conversation Yet? - Episode 460

Here's a pattern we keep seeing: more and more churches are rushing into multisite. Churches are launching campuses without doing their due diligence. And they're skipping the learning from the churches that have already gone before them—the mistakes they've made and the things worth repeating. A move of God is not a substitute for doing your homework. Because here's what we've learned over the years: The number one reason campus launches fail is that churches start too fast and too small. That's why we're beginning this new series called "What Ready-For-Multisite Looks Like." And we're kicking it off with this question: Should you even be having a multisite conversation yet? Getting clear on DNA Organizational buy-in Evaluating your current growth This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios : Adding a new campus to your multisite plan? If you don't have a strategy for coordinating your placemaking and wayfinding signage, maybe it's time to update across every campus. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church's unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus. Learn more at plainjoe.net . Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .

July 29, 2026Episode 45932 min

Ask Anything (No. 3) - Episode 459

We're back with another "Ask Anything" episode! How do you break through the 500 barrier? How do you decide which programs to prune? How in the world do you free up room in your middle service?! Sean and Ron Baum, a long-time consultant at The Unstuck Group and ministry leader who has served in the local church for over 30 years, answer these pressing questions and more in this episode. If you have a question for the next "Ask Anything" episode, call our voicemail line at (615) 398-9171 or send us a message on social media. This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios Unlock the power of story in your worship space. The creative, passionate team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, works with churches to create beautiful, engaging spaces that connect with your community. They're a team of architectural, design, and branding experts who transform worship spaces into attractive, engaging hubs for the community. Reach out to their team at PlainJoe.net and dream up the bright future of your church. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .

July 22, 2026Episode 45826 min

The Unique Role of the Executive Pastor - Episode 458

The senior pastor owns vision. The ministry staff own execution. But who owns the space in between? The gap between vision and execution—the strategy, the alignment, the ability to pull things together—is where churches get stuck. And the executive pastor is the person who can close that gap. You may call this role something different in your church, but the best way to think about this role is as the integrator . Some people think the XP role is the "associate" or "the person who does the stuff the lead pastor doesn't want to do." It is so much more than that. A great executive pastor might be the rarest, most valuable person on your team . So in this episode, Sean and Jimmy dive into what only the executive pastor can do . Heart for theology, head for organizational leadership 3 roles an XP can't delegate Leading a high-impact team This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios Unlock the power of story in your worship space. The creative, passionate team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, works with churches to create beautiful, engaging spaces that connect with your community. They're a team of architectural, design, and branding experts who transform worship spaces into attractive, engaging hubs for the community. Reach out to their team at PlainJoe.net and dream up the bright future of your church. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .

July 15, 2026Episode 45726 min

The Unique Role of the Senior Pastor - Episode 457

The job of the senior pastor is enormous. Prepare and deliver sermons. Ensure the spiritual health of the church. Model biblical priorities. And, roughly, 400 other items. Whether it's in the written job description or not, senior pastors have too much to do. And when everything is on your plate, everything feels equally urgent. But there's a handful of things that only the lead pastor can do. And the gap between that and everything else on the to-do list is where lead pastors get stuck. In this episode, Sean and Jimmy break down the unique role of the senior pastor —what only they can do and how to delegate everything else. Roles the senior pastor c an't delegate What the senior pastor s hould delegate Protecting your calendar and what only you can do This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios Unlock the power of story in your worship space. The creative, passionate team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, works with churches to create beautiful, engaging spaces that connect with your community. They're a team of architectural, design, and branding experts who transform worship spaces into attractive, engaging hubs for the community. Reach out to their team at PlainJoe.net and dream up the bright future of your church. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .

July 8, 2026Episode 45627 min

Why Is The XP/SP Relationship So Hard to Get Right? - Episode 456

Of all the relationships in your church, there's one relationship that determines whether everything else runs smoothly or grinds to a halt— the relationship between the senior pastor and the executive pastor. When it's healthy, the whole organization feels it. And when it's not…the whole organization feels that too. And if this relationship isn't healthy, your staff is talking about it too. We invited Jimmy McLoud , lead pastor at First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio, and a consultant on our team, to speak into this topic. Jimmy has served in both the executive pastor role and the senior pastor role, so it's safe to say he's experienced when it comes to the relationship between these two roles. In this new series, Sean and Jimmy are going to dig into how to clarify these two roles and strengthen the partnership between them. And in this episode, they're starting at the foundation: why is this relationship so hard to get right? People-focused roles vs. task-focused roles Understanding each other's wiring Doing the work only you can do This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe Studios Unlock the power of story in your worship space. The creative, passionate team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, works with churches to create beautiful, engaging spaces that connect with your community. They're a team of architectural, design, and branding experts who transform worship spaces into attractive, engaging hubs for the community. Reach out to their team at PlainJoe.net and dream up the bright future of your church. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram .