The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson

Response-Mode. That's where churches have been for the last several weeks. We surveyed more than 500 churches—ranging from under 100 in attendance to more than 20,000—between April 2 and 6. Generally, the data shows that larger churches were better prepared for this crisis than smaller churches. That’s probably not a surprise. However, it’s encouraging to see how quickly churches of all sizes have responded. Based on the survey, it looks like the vast majority of churches have settled into a new way of doing church. In this episode, Tony and Amy share some of the data from our survey, as well as their insights into what it's telling us about how we prepare for 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/episode141. 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 141] in your post for reference.

Money. If it was a challenging topic for church leaders before, it feels all-out tricky right now. The coronavirus crisis quickly brought many financial challenges to churches, and talking about and managing money has gotten increasingly difficult. In this episode, Tony and Amy host a conversation with Rick Holliday from North Point Ministries (Alpharetta, GA), David Vaughan from Whitewater Crossing Church (Cleves, OH) and Scott Moore from Eastridge Church (Covington, GA)—three church leaders who are navigating this crisis in their local 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/episode140. 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 140] in your post for reference.

First ever. How often do we get the chance to do something in a way it's never been done before? There's no doubt this Easter season will be the first time in our history so many churches will gather online for their celebrations. We have a great opportunity to share the message of Jesus, but is there a risk to relying on the ways we've always done Easter in a moment when nothing is as usual? In this episode, Tony and Amy, share a conversation on how we need to reimagine Easter in our communication, planning and programming. 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/episode139. 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 139] in your post for reference.

You've managed your initial response to the coronavirus crisis. You've canceled church services, moved online, deployed virtual small groups, started working remotely, ramped up communication via email and social media... You're figuring out how to manage the day-to-day. The crisis is still escalating. "Back to normal" is just a wish. Easter is a few weeks away. Have you caught your breath yet? We haven't.  But still... Leaders can't help but look for opportunities in the midst of trials. We sense God's doing something incredible that we're only beginning to see. We believe the Church will shine in this season, and will emerge healthier and stronger. So if you're a leader already toying with what your church's next steps should be, even if it's too early to start taking them—Dream with us. In this episode, Tony and Amy dig into opportunities we see for churches for immediate, near-term and longer-term change.  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/episode138. 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 138] in your post for reference.

Will you redeem the time? While events around the world have brought on growing fear and anxiety, the Church stands on the edge of an incredible opportunity to bring hope. If your church won’t be holding weekend services or other large gatherings in the coming weeks, your team actually may have more time on their hand than ever before. How will you redeem the time for good? In this episode, Tony and Amy are exploring how pastors respond effectively in crisis to both communicate hope AND identify opportunities to do things you've ever before had the opportunity to do. 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/episode137. 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 137] in your post for reference.

Needless to say, a lot has changed in our world in the last 48 hours. While the world around us pauses and isolates to try to combat the spread of the coronavirus, I believe the opportunity has never been greater for the church to shine. And because of that, I think you and your church are uniquely positioned to impact your community.  Even though worship gatherings will likely pause at your church, the time has never been more appropriate for you and your ministry team to be the church. 

Secret shopper data from the work we do with 100s of churches each year shows us some interesting trends... Even churches who are clear on their mission field develop blind spots over time. We get used to the way we do things. We don’t see the “dust” anymore, so it becomes harder for us to really see what an outsider sees. In this last episode of our series on creating compelling weekend services, Amy and Tony discuss 4 blind spots pastors often tell us a Secret Shopper revealed for them, and some next steps we counsel churches to take when those blind spots become visible. 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/episode136. 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 136] in your post for reference.

Overestimating the effectiveness of the weekend? Every church wants its weekend services to help people grow closer to Christ. But if you're not planning well, great ideas get left on the table. You're likely missing opportunities to get the best from your team and to lead the people in your seats towards their next steps in faith. In this episode, Tony and Amy discuss simple adjustments you can make. You might just find yourself marveling at how much easier it becomes to make the weekends remarkable. 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/episode135. 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 135] in your post for reference.

Boring. Invisible. Unremarkable. Words we'd rather people not use to describe about our church services. But what are we really doing to make the weekend more compelling? In her book An Hour on Sunday, Nance Beach said, “The hour can simply be sixty minutes for attenders to survive; a time for minds to wander aimlessly and hearts go untouched. Or maybe, the hour on Sunday can be a time of wonder, a time of transformation, perhaps seen as a time of awe.” Are you ready to create weekend experiences remarkable enough that people both want to attend themselves and want to invite others to come along? In this episode, Tony and Amy kick off a series exploring how to do just that.  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/episode134. 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 134] in your post for reference.

Ever heard the phrase "the manager relies on control while the leader inspires trust"?  Over the last several decades, resources and teaching on leadership thrived. But management? It’s often been minimized (at best) or even ridiculed or disparaged (at worst). It's no wonder organizations often have a difficult time managing the day-to-day execution of their vision and strategy. In this episode, Tony, Amy and Lance explore how leadership and management can be viewed as complementary essential functions, and how you can take steps to better manage your team towards increased health and performance. 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/episode133. 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 133] in your post for reference.