The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson

In this episode of The Unstuck Church Podcast, Amy and Sean dive into part two of our conversation on reach and retain strategies, focusing on how churches can leverage their weekend services as effective "front doors" for connecting with new people. From common misses like poor signage and untrained volunteers to practical solutions that create excellent guest experiences, Amy and Sean unpack what's working (and what isn't) in churches today. They share insights on creating a clear guest services presence, developing intentional follow-up processes and ensuring weekend experiences connect with both churched and unchurched people. Listen in to learn how your church can create more effective entry points through your weekend services and establish systems that help new people take their next steps toward Christ. Join us for a free webinar on March 13th where we'll dive deeper into proven strategies for reaching and retaining new people in your church. This Episode is Brought to You By The Church Lawyers: The Church Lawyers' Client Member program was created for organizations just like yours. Their team of Christian legal professionals are personally called to empower and protect churches, ministries and their leaders to fulfill their mission by providing biblically informed and ministry-focused legal solutions. Whether governance, employment, litigation or other matters, let The Church Lawyers walk alongside you as you navigate legal issues facing your ministry. Sign up for the The Church Lawyers' Client Member program today at thechurchlaywers.com. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram.

Feeling the strain between serving your core members and attracting newcomers? Discover how lack of clarity can hinder effective ministry. The discussion explores strategies for churches to focus on their mission field and enhance outreach. Learn about empowering congregations to take an active role in spreading their faith and the need for consistent messaging. Plus, get tips on refining your outreach for significant events like Easter, ensuring your church is welcoming to everyone in the community.

Blue Van Dyke, the President and founder of Studio C, shares insights on church member engagement and the latest trends in this quarter's report. While attendance is rising, the discussion highlights a disconnect with engagement metrics. They emphasize the need for clearer discipleship pathways, showcasing remarkable growth stories from churches like Centerpoint and Upward Christian Fellowship. The conversation also dives into the importance of personalized communication to address the diverse needs of congregants and adapt to evolving challenges in church leadership.

Discover the challenges churches face with outdated staffing structures that hinder growth. The hosts tackle leadership gaps and the need for effective organizational models. Dive into practical metrics to assess current staffing and strategies to realign for future needs. They emphasize the importance of adapting roles to meet post-COVID demands and ensuring effective leadership development. Tune in for insights on how to build a sustainable and balanced team that can thrive today and tomorrow.

In a deep dive into staffing challenges, the hosts tackle the concept of having the 'right wrong people' on church teams. They explore assessing leaders beyond performance metrics and discuss the critical four levels of leadership capacity. The importance of evaluating roles separately from individuals is emphasized, along with tools for understanding staff dynamics. Expect insights on the value of outside perspectives in decision-making, practical steps for leaders, and the personal growth needed from senior leaders to foster healthy staff structures.

The hosts dive into the peculiar dilemma of churches feeling both understaffed and overstaffed. They share insights into the emotional toll this paradox takes on staff and ministry effectiveness. Listeners learn about the necessity of data-driven assessments and the importance of true leaders in leadership roles. Strategic frameworks and real church examples provide practical guidance for evaluating staffing dynamics. The episode emphasizes using objective data for informed decision-making while offering valuable tools to improve team structures.

The '90s called again, and they want their 3-ring binder back. In Part 4 of our series, Sean and Amy explore: Why documenting a strategy isn't the same as creating aligned action How churches sometimes use planning to avoid significant change The difference between treating symptoms vs. solving root problems What true organizational alignment looks like and why it matters Practical steps for moving from documentation to implementation Plus, they discuss how to assess whether your teams are truly aligned, share real examples of effective and ineffective alignment and provide guidance for leaders who want to create living, active ministry plans that drive results instead of static documents that collect dust. This Episode is Brought to You By Planning Center: Planning Center is an all-in-one toolkit to organize and run your ministries. And what is a ministry without volunteers? Planning Center helps you build a sustainable and balanced volunteer schedule that aligns ministry needs with people's availability. Then, you can connect with your team using chat, where you can coordinate ministry details, make announcements, and engage in fun conversations with your teammates. Get started for free at planningcenter.com.

Reflecting on the '90s, the hosts tackle how churches can move beyond superficial core values. They reveal why many traditional values become mere wall art and emphasize the importance of defining actionable behaviors. Leadership plays a crucial role in modeling these behaviors, fostering a culture of curiosity and collaboration. Practical steps are shared for embedding values into church operations, highlighting the need for tangible, observable practices. There’s also a discussion on aligning team culture with genuine mission-driven actions.

The '90s called again, and they want their 10-year visions back. In Part 2 of our series, Amy and Sean explore how churches can move beyond outdated vision-setting approaches to create more focused, time-bound visions that actually drive change. In this episode, we discuss: Why the 10-year vision approach from the '90s no longer works in today's fast-changing world How to start with identifying the core problem in your mission field before crafting a vision What makes a vision effective for the modern church (hint: it's specific and time-bound) Practical examples of bold moves from real churches Plus, they'll share key questions every church should ask when developing their vision and explain why getting crystal clear on the problem you're trying to solve is essential for rallying your entire church body around a common purpose. This Episode Is Brought to You By PlainJoe: Unleash the power of your church's story with PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio! Their creative, fun-loving team of designers, architects, and specialists will come alongside your church to help you excel in your storytelling—and reach the people who need you most. PlainJoe has expertise in strategic, spatial, and digital storytelling, from brand development to architecture, website design, and beyond. Learn more at plainjoe.net. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram.

The '90s called, and they want their strategic planning process back. That binder that's still on the shelf. The 10-year vision that has come and gone. So many churches are still doing vision, planning and strategy following an old playbook—a 30+ year-old playbook. Is there a more modern way to unify your church body around your vision? In this series, Amy and Sean will kick off 2025 by helping you learn a more nimble, actionable approach to planning and aligning your staff and church around a common purpose. And in Part 1, they're picking on church mission statements and sharing what makes more sense. 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/episode378. This Episode Is Brought to You By PlainJoe: Unleash the power of your church's story with PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio! Their creative, fun-loving team of designers, architects, and specialists will come alongside your church to help you excel in your storytelling—and reach the people who need you most. PlainJoe has expertise in strategic, spatial, and digital storytelling, from brand development to architecture, website design, and beyond. Learn more at plainjoe.net. Join the Conversation on Social Media We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram.