Turning the Corner on Church Planting, with Gregg and Leilani Sizemore

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Gregg and Leilani Sizemore, co-pastors of Creekside Church in Dallas, GA, join the podcast to share their incredible story of planting a church six months before the COVID-19 pandemic. From early momentum to massive disruption, and ultimately to realignment and spiritual renewal, they give church leaders a transparent look into the challenges and breakthroughs that come with living out the Great Commission in a post-COVID world.

They reflect on their early days of ministry, their complementary roles as husband and wife in leadership, and how their personal faith was tested through burnout and the weight of unmet expectations. The Sizemores share how re-engaging with Intentional Churches helped them reassess everything from service structure to language alignment, catalyzing a renewed focus on reaching people far from God.

Listeners will gain practical insights into implementing missional rhythms, navigating cultural and theological preferences within the church, and pushing forward when alignment feels impossible. The episode also explores how pruning and resistance can precede spiritual fruit, and how a single Sunday of breakthrough can make all the long work worth it.

From stories of young families walking away to finding joy in conversations with first-time believers, this episode is packed with hope, honesty, and actionable steps for every church leader fighting to stay faithful to the mission of Jesus.

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CHAPTERS: 
0:00 Welcome & Introduction
02:45 Meet Gregg and Leilani Sizemore
06:55 Church Planting Right Before COVID
11:50 Working Together in Marriage and Ministry
16:05 Burnout, Momentum, and Hitting Walls
21:30 Re-engaging with Intentional Churches
26:20 Volunteer Burnout and Cultural Pushback
30:10 Shifting to Evangelistic Focu
35:25 Rolling Out Alignment Through "Bless"
39:20 Fighting for Alignment Through Resistance
42:00 Encouragement to Keep Going
44:30 A Sunday Worth the Fight

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Join the conversation and let us know how you are leading your church toward the Great Commission!