The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson Structure & Finding Staff - Episode 422
Nov 12, 2025
Jonathan Smith, lead pastor of OneChurch.to and a key player in the Unstuck Group, dives into the challenges of staffing in growing churches. He discusses the importance of hiring strategic leaders and stresses cultivating talent from within the congregation. Jonathan shares his philosophy on hiring, emphasizing the need for clear role discussions and a focus on long-term employability. He advises against rushed decisions and highlights the importance of structured volunteer pathways to identify future staff. His insights aim to build a strong, mission-driven church team.
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Growth Stretches Leadership Capacity
- Rapid growth stretches leaders' span of care and creates tangled ministry lanes carried by a few people.
- Lead pastors often remain stuck in day-to-day operations because executive leadership hasn't been hired.
Invest In Multiplying Leaders
- Use staff dollars to hire strategic leaders who multiply themselves rather than add more doers.
- Avoid reactionary hiring that plugs holes; prioritize long-term leadership capacity instead.
Design Your Future Structure Now
- Design the ideal structure for a church twice your size to guide today's staffing choices.
- Use that future structure to identify 18–24 month leadership needs and proactively develop candidates.
