The Unstuck Church Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Noticing signs of burnout on your team? You could have the right people, just in the wrong roles.

Teams work best when they're structured around each person's unique wiring. Understanding your own wiring, what each role requires and how your team's strengths fit together can help you lead and work in a way that is more effective, fulfilling and sustainable.

In this episode, Amy and Sean sit down with Cody Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at The Table Group, to talk about how Working Genius can help your staff avoid burnout and serve in the way God has wired them.

• What is Working Genius?
• How to tell if someone is in the right role or the wrong role
• Burnout patterns that show up when people work outside their natural strengths
• How to build a team with a healthy mix of strengths 

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR OUR UNSTUCK PODCAST LISTENERS: We are sad to have share that Amy experienced a brain bleed last week that caused her to have a stroke. She is recovering, and we are sharing updates here. We recorded this episode prior and made the decision with her husband Jason to move forward with releasing this conversation. Thank you for your prayers for Amy and her family as she heals.

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 plainjoestudios.com and dream up the bright future of your church. 

Join the Conversation on Social Media

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

A personality might draw a weekend crowd, but it takes a team to create the healthy systems that foster sustained growth—that's the role of the Senior Leadership Team. Without it, you're depending on heroism at the top.

If the SLT is structured well, you can take the lid off your church and create space for sustained health. If it's not, you'll keep funneling everything back to the top. 

In this episode, Sean and Amy talk about the Senior Leadership Team—the team of people who sit at the top of your org chart. They'll help you see:

• What the SLT should actually look like
• How the roles of each member are defined
• Why getting the SLT right is so important

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 plainjoestudios.com and dream up the bright future of your church. 

Join the Conversation on Social Media

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

After serving more than 750 churches, we've noticed a clear pattern: No matter the size, style, or model, many churches wrestle with a similar set of challenges. They show up in different ways, but the root issues are surprisingly common across the board.

That's good news for pastors and ministry leaders—because if the challenges are common, the solutions can be too.

You're not alone. And you're not the first church to navigate these obstacles.

In this series, we're taking a closer look at five of the most common challenges that consistently show up in our work with churches, starting with the strategy issues. 

In this episode, Amy and Sean talk about strategies to reach your mission field and strategies for financial health. 

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center

Planning Center is software designed to help churches help people.

With multiple tools in one connected platform, you can stay organized, communicate with your team, and create meaningful ways to connect with your congregation.

Start for free at planningcenter.com—pay only for what you need, and cancel anytime.

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

Attendance growth isn't always a sign of health. After all, both healthy and unhealthy things can grow.

In the first episode of our new series on "How Healthy Churches Grow," Tony and Amy unpack the first principle of healthy growth based on our work with 650+ churches: objective assessment.

FREE WEBINAR: What's Working in Large Churches Now

In this webinar, Tony Morgan is sitting down with lead pastors J.D. Greear, Eric Geiger and Adam Starling to discuss what's actually working in their large churches now to reach new people and engage people in the life of the church. Register now.

This Episode is Sponsored by PATH

As your church grows, it becomes difficult to see individuals through the crowd. It's time to transform your data into discipleship with PATH. Using PATH's clear, actionable reports to define reality, gain clarity, and know your people, you can be confident that you're maximizing your data to shepherd and care for the people in your church when they need you most.

To learn more and receive a free resource on "Shepherding Tips and Ideas," visit pathengagement.com/unstuck.

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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.

"Discussing the non-essentials ought to help you make disciples, not hinder you from making disciples."

In this episode, Pastor Dave Dummitt from Willow Creek Community Church joins us to discuss exploring tough topics as a church and navigating non-essentials in our faith.

This Episode is Sponsored by PATH

As your church grows, it becomes difficult to see individuals through the crowd. It's time to transform your data into discipleship with PATH. Using PATH's clear, actionable reports to define reality, gain clarity, and know your people, you can be confident that you're maximizing your data to shepherd and care for the people in your church when they need you most.

To learn more and receive a free resource on "Shepherding Tips and Ideas," visit pathengagement.com/unstuck.

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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.

"My responsibility as a pastor isn't to convince you that my view on things is correct. My responsibility is to disciple you to be a better follower of Jesus."

In this episode, Tony sits down with Andy Stanley to discuss how pastors can navigate controversial topics regarding politics—especially as we enter an election season in the US. 

> Registration closes TOMORROW for our 2024 Executive Pastor Cohort.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center

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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.

"I have sensed a need from God to be courageous in these moments and recognize that not everyone's going to be happy with what I'm saying."

In this episode, Rich Villodas, Pastor of New Life Fellowship (a large, multi-racial church in Queens, NY), offers wisdom for discipling our diverse churches on tough topics like sexuality.

Learn more about our Executive Pastor Cohort.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center

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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.

We're kicking off a special new series packed with practical wisdom from senior pastors to senior/teaching pastors to challenge and encourage them to equip their congregations to talk about tough topics in our world today.

In this episode, Pastor Rick Atchley shares how The Hills Church developed a sermon series around mental health and provides encouragement for other pastors looking to address this topic.

You can watch Pastor Rick's series, Let's Talk About Mental Health, here.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center

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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.

Closed campuses were 40% more likely to have launched as a result of a merger with another church. That's why we believe you need a clear multisite strategy before you can make good decisions about merger opportunities.

To wrap up our series on "Multisite Madness?," Tony and Amy unpack the nine predictable outcomes of multisite through the lens of going multisite by a merger. 

Learn more about our process for helping monosite churches go multisite for the very first time.

Going Multisite: How to Launch Your First Campus & Avoid Common Pitfalls

The unknowns around going multisite for the first time can create anxiety—after all, if you've never led through this before, you "don't know what you don't know." At this free webinar, we'll help you get clarity on the how, when, and who of going multisite for the first time. Register now.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center

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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.

What are the bare minimum leadership roles when you first launch a campus? How do you define central and campus roles? And what does a matrix structure really look like?

In this episode, Tony and Amy unpack the final three "predictable outcomes" of multisite related to defining your multisite structure and roles.

Learn more about our process for helping monosite churches go multisite for the very first time.

Going Multisite: How to Launch Your First Campus & Avoid Common Pitfalls

The unknowns around going multisite for the first time can create anxiety—after all, if you've never led through this before, you "don't know what you don't know." At this free webinar, we'll help you get clarity on the how, when, and who of going multisite for the first time. Register now.

This Episode is Sponsored by PlainJoe

Are you considering adding a second or third campus to your growing church? Need help telling your church's unique story across every location? PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, has you covered. Their team of creative storytellers, talented designers, and innovative architects are passionate about helping churches tell their stories through spatial, interactive, and strategic storytelling. To learn more about a large church can succeed launching its first campus in a smaller venue, read PlainJoe's article: "8 Questions to Ask Before Your Church Goes Multisite." 

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/episode341.

Join the 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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.