Approximately 1 staff person for every 18 people showing up for in-person church attendance... Approximately 1 staff person in dedicated roles responsible for digital ministry strategy for every 1,273 online viewers... We found some interesting—and some alarming—data points in our most recent survey on the state of digital ministry strategy. In collaboration with Blackbaud, we completed another survey in late September, and more than 260 churches participated with good representation across the church size spectrum.  The questions focused on how churches are adapting to digital ministry strategies, particularly in the areas of weekend services, online viewing patterns, staffing, outreach, etc. We found some significant differences from the trends churches were reporting back in the early part of the year. In this episode, Tony and Amy dig into what the data is showing us about where churches stand today in regards to their digital strategies, how they reach new people, and how they staff and structure for ministry. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download a copy of The Unstuck Church Report, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode165. Join the Live 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 Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 165] in your post for reference.

  We need to acknowledge it: An in-person Christmas experience may not be a draw this year. Most people who are not connected with a church will probably not want to go to an in-person experience, wearing masks, socially distanced in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by an unfamiliar crowd of people.   The opportunity we have this year is to equip our attendees to bring church to their families instead of bringing their families to church. Christmas has always been the holiday when people are a little more open to faith and open to church. What could we create online that would reach people outside the faith? If you don’t start with this question, you’ll default to doing what churches have always done, which is to put the team’s best energy into designing an in-person experience and using the leftover energy to figure out how to put that experience on-line. In this episode, Tony and Amy are joined by Sean Bublitz to help you figure out where to start and what to consider. 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/episode164. Join the Live 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 Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 164] in your post for reference.

"Are there any examples we can follow??" That's the question we keep getting from pastors. You're realizing you need a digital strategy. You're getting lots of inspiration. But you'd really like to see what this looks like in practice. So in this episode, Tony and Amy share best practices and stories from real churches around the country who are implementing a digital engagement strategy effectively. You'll find some practical things you can implement right away, as well as clarity around the longer-term picture of where your church needs to make pivots. Before you listen, note that this is Part 3 of this series on The New Front Door, so if you haven't yet, go back and listen to the first part (Episode 161) on the three strategies churches need for connecting new people to faith and church, and the second part (Episode 162) on how churches build a digital engagement strategy. 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/episode163. Join the Live 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 Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 162] in your post for reference.

Having a digital strategy isn’t the win. Helping become disciples of Jesus—and then disciple makers—is the win. But the need for a digital strategy to help you do that isn’t going away anytime soon. The good news is that if you do the hard work of clarifying the big and small next steps for each part of the faith journey continuum, it gets easier to design strategies that work and monitor ministry health. In this episode, Tony and Amy share a practical framework—and real-world examples—for helping people take steps digitally in their faith journey. 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/episode162. Join the Live 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 Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 162] in your post for reference.

What is the FRONT DOOR of the church now? The COVID-19 pandemic moved churches online—but that shift wasn’t really our choice. And what has been revealed through all of this is a huge gap that churches have around their ministry strategies to reach people who are outside the faith and outside the church. While some churches are already returning to pre-pandemic attendance levels, most mid-size and larger churches are realizing that’s still many months away. And reaching new people? How do you reach new guests when most people are staying home most of the time? The need for a digital strategy isn’t going away anytime soon. In this episode, Tony and Amy share three critical strategies churches need to engage to open up the new front door of their churches. 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/episode161. Join the Live 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 Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 161] in your post for reference.

We’re hearing uncertainty on the lips of church leaders at organizations of all sizes. They’re asking this question: “Am I the right leader for our church going forward?” In most cases, yes, you are. God gave you the role you have for a time like this. But that questioning you feel might be a sign you need someone walking beside you. Every good player has a coach. Even the best of the best have a trusted advisor who can pull back the curtain, encourage them, say the hard things and ultimately make them better. Too often ministry leaders find themselves without that kind of support in their corner. In this episode, Tony and Amy discuss why coaching is vital to helping you be the best leader you can be, and how it will help you lead a healthier church into the future. 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/episode160. Join the Live 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 Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 160] in your post for reference.

It's the catchphrase of stuck organizations... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But healthy, thriving churches and organizations tend to initiate changes before they need to. And the leaders in those organizations are willing to step out in front and lead significant shifts other people may not be feeling the need to make. Almost every organization has had to pivot in some way in recent months. From shifting to more digital/less analog, to redeploying team members with new measures for success, significant change has affected nearly all of us. So what should we learn from those changes that will make us better in the future? In this episode, Tony and Amy discuss the organizational pivots pastors are asking about, pivots they have been leading at The Unstuck Group, and insights from what we’ve learned along the way. 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/episode159. Join the Live 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 Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 159] in your post for reference.

Exploring the challenges of leading churches in the 'life support' phase, with 85% of churches in decline pre-crisis. Warning signs and options for churches at this critical stage highlighted. Strategies for revitalizing churches include passing leadership, hiring new pastors, or merging for impact. Emphasis on adapting to change for healthy church growth and connecting with individuals in evolving cultural context.

Churches in the preservation phase struggle with declining finances and focus on past glory instead of reaching new people. Leaders often blame external factors and get stuck in decision-making processes. The podcast explores the necessary changes and actions for churches in this phase to move towards sustained health.

Explore the accelerating changes in churches amid societal shifts like the pandemic, with a focus on declining attendance and adapting to evolving landscapes. Learn about renewing vision for church growth, building personal evangelism strategies, and navigating changes in ministry strategies and staffing for church health.