Leaders in Living Rooms

ABOUT THE EPISODE“Change is painful, but it's better than death.” Meet Tommy Politz, Senior Pastor of Hillside Christian Church, who has served as pastor, church planter, and transitional leader in his 30+ years of ministry. In this episode, Tommy shares with us his own personal journey of transitional leadership and the wisdom he’s gained along the way. Transitional leaders will face high resistance in their quest for high impact. Paying attention to the rate, pace, and acceleration of decision making will be a critical element to a successful transition. Welcome to Episode 049 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. INSIGHTS FROM TOMMYCompare and contrast being a church planter and a transitional leader: When you plant, there is no history, and there is no expectation. It’s a blank page. Resistance is low, adoption is high. When you inherit a church, you might have the resources, but you have deeply entrenched high resistance. There is no comparison game when you’re a planter. There is nothing but a comparison game when you’re a transitional leader. “The status quo is precisely the status quo because of its pervasive ability to stick around.” As a transition leader, when you change the status quo you quickly find out why it’s the status quo.  Keys to successful transitional leadership: Change is painful, but it’s better than death.Grid of impact and resistance: High impact decisions get high resistance – those are the best ones to make because they are going to really move the needle most.  High impact, low resistance decisions are rare. A church will flourish because of the Word of God. The Word of God is where life is. Where life change happens. It’s not our ingenuity or our creativity, it’s getting people to open up the holy scriptures and let it feed their souls. The rate of decision making: Pay attention to rate, pace, and acceleration of decision making. Even if you feel good about making the right decisions, and you think it's what is best, finding that Holy Spirit moment and gap in which to insert that change is so critical that it does not outpace the relational currency that you have. Because it doesn’t matter if that’s what God wants, or how gifted you are, there is just only so far that you can push the sheep before you are really working against the macro goals of reintegrating an unhealthy church. Leadership is making changes at a rate that people can tolerate. Examining, developing, and sending your staff off well: Operate equally in the same three offices that Christ exemplified for us: Prophet, Priest, and King.Will I actually give away power and opportunity? It’s one thing to train someone up to do something at a high level of leadership. It’s another thing when you give them part of your own pie. When you say, I don’t want to give this away, but I’m going to because I love this church and this leader. EPISODE LINKSFor pastors navigating transition into a new leadership role, checkout The Ascent Leader’s transitions cohorts at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ Find Tommy Politz, Senior Pastor of Hillside Christian Church at: https://hillsideonline.comWHO IS TOMMY POLITZ?Since 2005, Tommy Politz has served as the Senior Pastor of Hillside Christian Church. In 2009, he led Hillside to become a multisite church. He has served as a pastor, church planter, and speaker for over 30 years. He grew up in Dallas, Texas, where he gave his life to Christ at 17 years old as a junior in high school. He is a graduate of Baylor University, Southwestern Seminary, and Duke University. Tommy and his wife, Donna, have three children--Grant, Rebekah, and Cole. They also have a son-in-law, Matthew, and a daughter-in-law, Jessi. They are excited to welcome their first grandchild in the Spring. Hillside Christian Church has twelve campuses--ten campuses located throughout the Texas Panhandle, one campus in New Mexico, and an online campus.SPONSORSThanks to our sponsors: CDF Capital and Food For The Hungry.Hear directly from our friend, Jordan Gustafson, Director of Organizational Partnerships, at Food for the Hungry. Jordan personally walks us through how the goal at FH is to combine your church's desire to grow disciples, with their heart for the poor, by partnering with Food for the Hungry for the opportunity to do so with a global mission and outreach experience. Learn more at fh.org/churches.  CDF Capital is hosting the 2022 Executive Pastors Summit taking place May 24th and 25th in Manchester, NH. Check out Xpsummit.org for more information.

ABOUT THE EPISODEThere is both fulfillment and fruitfulness in staying in your current leadership role and in transitioning well to something new if God calls you to go. “We don't always have to leave to build a life of significance.” Meet Daniel Grothe from New Life Church, Colorado Springs, CO who shares his personal story of the road that led him to stay at New Life. If you are in a season of difficulty at your church, you will be inspired by Daniel’s story. He will encourage you that these are the moments where the spirit of the Lord will empower you to live a vow of stability, so you can stand and stay. Welcome to Episode 048 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. INSIGHTS FROM DANIEL1) Technology has caused both discontentment and confusion.  Social media is showing us everyone else’s highlight reels. That makes our own stories feel so normal, clunky, and every day.We’ve confused the idea of what it means to be “rich.” We’ve confused the difference between financial capital and social capital. We are pathologically busy. Daniel says he jokes that being an adult is saying to other people - “we should hang out” over and over again until we die. We are missing out on the things that would make us deeply happy. Regular meals with our people. People who show up at our house unannounced with a favorite drink, people who watch our kids so we can have a date night. We’ve filled up our calendars so much, we can’t actually do the things that bring us great joy. 2) People are the great purifiers. When life gets difficult, the easiest thing to do is run. But the truth is, wherever you go, there you are. You can’t run from it. You have to look at yourself in the mirror and wrestle with your own demons.  You want to become a saint, you want to become holy, you want to become more mature, you want to have deep roots in the community? The only way to do that is to press through the difficulty of relationships. Daniel shares the concept of “transplant trauma.” The greatest images and metaphors for the Saints throughout the bible from Genesis to Revelation are about becoming like trees. Cedars of Lebanon, Oaks of Righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. For a tree, you might be able to move it once or twice and it lives, but after that point, you are starting to introduce it to transplant trauma, and it's a crapshoot on whether or not it will make it. 3) Advice for those in the transition process. Start with your smallest concentric circle of influence and pray that through with them to get in unity. Don’t make an announcement to your closest people, start the process with them. Is it possible for you to be sent? If so, it will be more fruitful by a factor of 10. You’ll take the strength of the place you’re leaving to the place you’re going. Listen to the full episode for more. 4) Advice for developing leaders well. Do the front end work of being a safe place for your people. If you will show your people that no matter where they end up, who they end up being with, you’re going to leverage every bit of strength and spiritual authority you have for their good, you will be their first phone call. Listen to the full episode for more. EPISODE LINKSDon’t miss the Ascent Leader’s new lineup of transitions cohorts for 2022. Check them out today at https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ Find Daniel at DanielGrowthe.com  Get Daniel’s New Book: The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Age  Check out Brady Boyd’s (Senior Pastor of New Life Church) Book: Addicted to BusyFind Angela Duckworth’s Book: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Barna Group Study shows that 80% of lead pastors who transition to another church, move. Only 20% are raised up within their home church.* This study was commissioned by CDF Capital and can be made available to you by contacting sean@theascentleader.org.*(higher for smaller churches, and skewed by denominational data) WHO IS DANIEL GROTHE?Daniel Grothe is the associate senior pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he's been for sixteen years. Daniel and his wife, Lisa, live on a hobby farm outside of Colorado Springs with their three children, Lillian, Wilson, and Wakley, and a thriving throng of happy animals. Daniel is currently pursuing his doctorate from Western Theological Seminary.Connect with Daniel:https://danielgrothe.com/ https://north.newlifechurch.org/ Instagram: @mrdanielgrotheTwitter: @mrdanielgrotheSPONSORSThanks to our sponsors: CDF Capital and Food For The Hungry.Check out Xpsummit.org - for more information on the 2022 Executive Pastors event taking place May 24th and 25th in Manchester, NH. You won’t want to miss it! Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches. 

About the EpisodePart 2 of 2 - Seacoast has been a pioneering church for decades and now continues a legacy of fruitful ministry through a senior leadership transition from father to son. Greg and Josh talk about the highs and lows of that transition and offer sage advice to anyone in a leadership transition.Who is Greg Surratt?Greg Surratt is the founding pastor of Seacoast Church, which was planted with the goal of reaching unchurched people in the Charleston area. Greg led Seacoast as it grew from one campus to many, and as Seacoast became one of the first churches to pioneer the multi-site approach to the weekend experience. Greg is the president and co-founder of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), which is a global church-planting initiative that has established over 900 churches worldwide since its founding in 2000.He is the author of the book IR-REV-REND, as well as a contributor for Outreach Magazine, Ministry Today Magazine, and Charisma Magazine.Who is Josh Surratt?As Lead Pastor, Josh Surratt is helping Seacoast Church realize God’s vision for what comes next. He is passionate about helping people find God, grow their faith, discover their purpose, and make a difference. Josh was raised in Charleston, South Carolina, and attended the College of Charleston.He joined the Seacoast staff in 2001 and has served in several roles, including four years as the Mount Pleasant Campus Pastor. Josh is one of Seacoast’s Teaching Pastors and currently serves on the Executive Team as the Seacoast Lead Pastor.

About the EpisodeSeacoast has been a pioneering church for decades and now continues a legacy of fruitful ministry through a senior leadership transition from father to son. Greg and Josh talk about the highs and lows of that transition, and offer sage advice to anyone in a leadership transition.Who is Greg Surratt?Greg Surratt is the founding pastor of Seacoast Church, which was planted with the goal of reaching unchurched people in the Charleston area. Greg led Seacoast as it grew from one campus to many, and as Seacoast became one of the first churches to pioneer the multi-site approach to the weekend experience. Greg is the president and co-founder of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), which is a global church-planting initiative that has established over 900 churches worldwide since its founding in 2000.He is the author of the book IR-REV-REND, as well as a contributor for Outreach Magazine, Ministry Today Magazine, and Charisma Magazine.Who is Josh Surratt?As Lead Pastor, Josh Surratt is helping Seacoast Church realize God’s vision for what comes next. He is passionate about helping people find God, grow their faith, discover their purpose, and make a difference. Josh was raised in Charleston, South Carolina and attended the College of Charleston.He joined the Seacoast staff in 2001 and has served in several roles, including four years as the Mount Pleasant Campus Pastor. Josh is one of Seacoast’s Teaching Pastors and currently serves on the Executive Team as the Seacoast Lead Pastor.

About the EpisodePart 2 of Sean Morgan's discussion with Kevin Queen.After a devastating transition of their lead pastor, Crosspoint church in Nashville was without a lead pastor and 3/4 of their executive team moved on. This is the story of Kevin's call to leadership at Crosspoint. Kevin has now led Crosspoint through a leadership transition, a direct hit by a tornado, and now a global pandemic. In part one of this two-part series, Kevin gets real about the most important things that keep him grounded, give him perspective, and encourage him.Who is Kevin Queen?Kevin Queen is a husband, father, pastor, and communicator. Born and raised in the Atlanta area, he’s a graduate of the University of Georgia, New Orleans Seminary, and Bethel Seminary.Before joining Cross Point’s staff in August 2017, Kevin served for 14 years on staff at 12Stone Church, a large multi-site church with 8 campuses in Metro Atlanta. During his last 10 years at 12Stone, he served as both a campus pastor and teaching pastor.

About the EpisodeAfter a devastating transition of their lead pastor, Crosspoint church in Nashville was without a lead pastor and 3/4 of their executive team moved on. This is the story of Kevin's call to leadership at Crosspoint. Kevin has now led Crosspoint through a leadership transition, a direct hit by a tornado, and now a global pandemic. In part one of this two-part series, Kevin gets real about the most important things that keep him grounded, give him perspective, and encourage him.Who is Kevin Queen?Kevin Queen is a husband, father, pastor, and communicator. Born and raised in the Atlanta area, he’s a graduate of the University of Georgia, New Orleans Seminary, and Bethel Seminary.Before joining Cross Point’s staff in August 2017, Kevin served for 14 years on staff at 12Stone Church, a large multi-site church with 8 campuses in Metro Atlanta. During his last 10 years at 12Stone, he served as both a campus pastor and teaching pastor.

About the EpisodeChapelstreet church recently transitioned senior leadership from Brian Coffey to Jeff Frazier. Their story sets the bar for making room for younger leaders to rise up and then partnering with influence when the outgoing leader not only stays in the church but stays on staff. The story at Chapelstreet will open up your mind to the possibilities of leading well in transition seasons. Who is Jeff Frazier?Jeff Frazier is the Lead Pastor at Chapelstreet Church in Geneva, IL. Before transitioning into this role, Jeff was the Teaching Pastor at Chapelstreet Church, and prior to that, he spent the previous 15 years in youth ministry: 9 years at Chapelstreet Church and 6 years on staff at Willow Creek Community Church. Jeff’s primary passion in life is to see the gospel of Jesus Christ transforming human hearts. Jeff loves the process of studying, discovering, and communicating God’s Word and desires to encourage others to share this passion. Jeff is also passionate about his wife and kids, the writing of C.S. Lewis, the sport of football, strong coffee, and old books. Jeff has an MA in theology from Wheaton College Graduate School with a focus in evangelism & spiritual formation and a BA from Wheaton College. He lives in Batavia, IL with his wife, Erin, and has three young adult children: Noah, Hannah, and Benjamin.Who is Brian Coffey?Dr. Brian Coffey (D.Min) has been a pastor at Chapelstreet for 35 years and is currently the Pastor of Leadership & Development. In Brian's dreams, he won the 1978 Southern Conference Tournament Championship for the Davidson College Wildcats with a winning shot at the buzzer instead of sitting on the bench on the last place team. Brian has been married to his brilliant wife Lorene for 36 years and is the father of four adult sons, and one adorable granddaughter. Brian is the author of four books, helped edit two study Bibles, and enjoys helping mentor the younger generation as they become leaders in the church. Brian also enjoys travel, reading, all the major sports, and avoiding eating tomatoes and Brussels sprouts. 

About the EpisodeWe close out our 3-part series on Unity with Carey Nieuwhof bringing some deep thought to the conversation. Carey openly talks about how we get our identity wrapped up in things that can easily divide us, how we need to remain humble with our opinions and conclusions, and how when we move to cancel someone or something it is actually more of a statement on our own lack of ability to deal with adversity.Who is Carey Nieuwhof?Carey Nieuwhof is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church. Carey’s passion for helping people thrive in life and leadership is evident in his latest book, At Your Best: How To Get Time, Energy And Priorities Working In Your Favor. Pastor Niewhof is also a gifted speaker and the best-selling author of, Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects But Everyone Experiences.While attending law school, Carey Nieuwhof felt a strong call to ministry. After completing law school and seminary in 1995, he began his ministry as a student pastor among three little mainline churches an hour north of Toronto. When he started, one of the churches had an average attendance of 6. That church has changed everything in the last two decades...the music, the buildings, the governance, the mission, and the vision. They are now a multisite church with three locations reaching over 1500 people each weekend. Along the way, Carey developed a passion for helping other leaders lead like never before. 

About the Episode We continue our dive into unity with Glenn Packiam giving insights on the historicity of unity in the early church and four keys to unity: Humility, Hospitality, Solidarity, Mutuality. Who is Glen Packiam? Glenn Packiam is an Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the lead pastor of New Life Downtown, one of the seven congregations of New Life Church. He is the author of Worship and the World to Come (IVP Academic, 2020), and Blessed Broken Given: How Your Story Becomes Sacred in the Hands of Jesus (Multnomah, 2019). Glenn earned a Doctorate in Theology and Ministry from Durham University in the UK. He also holds BA in Theological/Historical Studies and Masters in Management from Oral Roberts University, and a Graduate Certificate in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is a Visiting Fellow at St. John’s College at Durham University, and an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary. He is also an ordained priest with the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). Glenn is a regular speaker at conferences for pastors and church leaders, and was one of the founding leaders and songwriters for the Desperation Band and has been featured on several Desperation Band and NewLifeWorship recordings. He has also released three solo projects with Integrity Music, "The Mystery of Faith", "The Kingdom Comes", and "Rumors and Revelations". As a signed songwriter with Integrity Music, he has had the honor of writing and co-writing over 65 worship songs, including several well-loved songs, like "Your Name" and "My Savior Lives." Glenn, his wife, Holly, their four children are enjoying life in the shadow of the mighty Rocky Mountains.  

About the Episode Sean unpacks why our culture is so self-centered, why leaders are losing respect, and how that leads to a lack of unity in the church.  The process of rebuilding the foundation of the unity we need is discussed using the Three Essentials for Church Unity: Commitment, Humility, and Sacrifice. Who is Sean Morgan? Sean Morgan joined CDF Capital in 2014 to launch the Leadership Capital Team – focused on elevating local church leaders and their kingdom impact. A nationally known coach and speaker, Sean finds great joy in navigating ministries from obstacles to opportunities. He has developed a national reputation for connecting ministry leaders and being a catalyst of fresh vision; he founded and curates theascentleader.org. Sean served as Executive Pastor and CFO at New Life Church in Northern California. He’s husband to his amazing bride Stacy and a father to two incredible teenagers, Kaylee and Ayden. In his spare time he serves our country as a KC-10 pilot in the Air Force Reserve.