The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson

Discover eye-opening trends from nearly 400 churches in the latest report on church health and dynamics. There's a noteworthy 17% increase in weekly attendance and a 32% rise in online service views. Explore the surprising financial insights, where declining churches see higher giving per capita. Dive into the key differences between growing and plateauing congregations, focusing on outreach strategies, worship styles, and digital engagement. This analysis is a treasure trove for church leaders aiming to adapt and thrive.

Beau Johnson from The Table Group joins the conversation, bringing expertise on organizational health in churches. He emphasizes how recognizing individual strengths can combat stagnation and improve leadership dynamics. The discussion highlights the importance of trust and collaboration within staff teams. Beau introduces the Working Genius assessment, which helps identify talents to enhance productivity and reduce burnout. Ultimately, the talk revolves around building healthy church cultures that foster unity and impactful community growth.

Our data consistently contradicts the broader trends of declining religious affiliation and church engagement in our country. In fact, we personally know many churches that are experiencing major momentum right now—in terms of attendance, engagement, professions of faith, giving and all kinds of metrics of church health. Clearly, there’s something different about the churches that are part of our tribe. So, in the final episode of the series, we’re going to share a few other things that make a church unstuck—more things those churches have in common. 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/episode362. This episode is brought to you by The Six Types of Working Genius: Working Genius is the fastest way to increase productivity, improve morale, and decrease turnover on your team. It takes ten minutes to discover the work that gives you joy and energy, and the work that is leading to staff burnout.  Take the assessment. Discuss your results. Engage the geniuses of the people around you.  Get started today: Use code UNSTUCKWG for 20% off at workinggenius.com.   Join the 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 X. Or you can join in on Facebook.

Discover how some churches are thriving despite the overall decline in religious participation. Learn about the clear vision and mission-driven strategies that set these successful congregations apart. Hear insights on intentional church programming and how community engagement can transform a church's impact. Evaluate key strategies for church leaders to assess vitality and tackle growth challenges. Explore real-life examples that illuminate the path from stagnation to revitalization!

Alan Cooperman, a representative from the Pew Research Center specializing in religious participation data, shares surprising insights into church attendance trends. Contrary to the common belief of decline, recent studies show a 17% year-over-year increase among certain churches. The discussion also explores the growing demographic of 'nuns,' individuals identifying as religiously unaffiliated, and the nuanced nature of their beliefs. Cooperman emphasizes the need for church leaders to adapt engagement strategies to connect with this evolving group in American spirituality.

Chris Hodges, a transformative pastor from Church of the Highlands, shares insights on the impactful 'Growth Track' program that has inspired many churches. He emphasizes the importance of identifying personal spiritual gifts, which enhances satisfaction and community involvement. The conversation highlights how serving others fuels spiritual growth and the need to rekindle passion for service. Hodges also discusses fostering discipleship, leadership development, and building connections through in-person gatherings, all essential for a thriving church community.

Pastor John Thomas from Mariners Church discusses The Rooted Experience, a program integrating serving into spiritual formation. He shares how Rooted connects people to faith and the church, encourages serving opportunities for spiritual development, and highlights the impact of intentional discipleship strategies within churches.

Author Daniel Im discusses the importance of serving in spiritual growth, balancing evangelism and discipleship, empowering lay leadership, awakening sleepers, and nurturing committed disciples towards Jesus in a post-pandemic church landscape.

Discussing the decline in volunteer engagement in churches post-pandemic. Exploring structural mistakes that hinder volunteer participation. Emphasizing the need for churches to focus on team structure for effective volunteer engagement as a spiritual formation issue.

Exploring the challenges of volunteer engagement post-pandemic, the podcast delves into the decline in volunteering and the importance of integrating serving into spiritual formation. Strategies include one-on-one invites, sermon messages on serving, and quality volunteer environments. The discussion also focuses on assessing mistakes in volunteer engagement, prioritizing challenges, and casting vision to effectively engage volunteers in church ministry.