Church Planter Podcast

What if the way we think about poverty is all wrong? In this episode, Chestly Lunday sits down with Brian Fikkert, co-author of When Helping Hurts and founder of the Chalmers Center, to unpack why many well-meaning church strategies can actually do more harm than good.Brian shares his journey from economics professor to equipping churches around the world to serve the poor in ways that honor their dignity and relationships. Together, Chestly and Brian dig into questions like:Why is poverty more than just a lack of material resources?How can churches avoid treating symptoms and instead address the deeper, relational causes of poverty?What does it look like to shift from building orphanages to strengthening families?How can marketplace ministry and meaningful work become central to mission strategy?Whether you’re a church planter, pastor, or just someone wrestling with how to serve the vulnerable in your community, this conversation will challenge and inspire you to rethink what it truly means to help without hurting.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:ChalmersReliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell tackle the challenge of sharing the gospel in a world overloaded with noise and distraction. From the rise of short-form content to the temptation of controversy-driven clicks, they explore what it means to “do the work of an evangelist” today. Peyton unpacks the biblical distinction between being a witness and proclaiming the good news, while Pete draws parallels between evangelism and marketing—showing how principles of attention-grabbing can be leveraged without compromising the message.Together, they discuss how church planters can avoid the trap of Pharisaical call-outs, enter the conversations people are already having, and use digital tools wisely to connect real people with the hope of Jesus. If you’ve ever wondered how to cut through the noise with the gospel in today’s distracted age, this conversation will give you clarity, conviction, and some practical next steps.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:Reliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this month’s Fully-Funded Church Planter episode, brought to you in partnership with Reliant, Chestly Lunday and Jon Crawford put church planter Logan Mabe in the fundraising “hot seat.” Logan shares the vision behind his new church in Chula Vista, San Diego, and the real challenges of balancing co-vocational ministry, family life, and raising the funds needed to launch strong.Together, Jon and Chestly coach him through practical next steps—clarifying vision, maximizing return on investment for his time, building healthy donor relationships, and even stretching faith to make bold asks. Along the way, they highlight how funding isn’t neutral: it shapes mission, ministry, and the speed of the church’s momentum.If you’ve ever wrestled with the tension of fundraising while planting, this episode will give you both encouragement and tangible strategies to help you take your next step toward becoming a fully-funded church planter.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:Connect with Reliant at partner@reliant.orgReliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode, Chestly Lunday sits down with Jacob Lierz, Missions Pastor at LifeMission Church in Kansas City, to challenge conventional thinking on global missions. Jacob shares his powerful journey—from becoming a Christian at his home church to planting a church in a refugee camp in Djibouti, and now leading a reimagined missions strategy that prioritizes family-based care over institutional orphanages.They unpack the uncomfortable truths behind short-term trips, the harmful unintended consequences of orphanage-based missions, and why local churches need a new framework for global outreach. Jacob offers a compelling call to action for church planters: don’t delay global engagement. Prayer, generosity, and sending are part of your church’s DNA from day one.They also talk about reverse culture shock, raising globally-minded kids, and how poverty in the developing world compares to American need. Whether you’re planting in the inner city or training teams for Nepal, this episode will stretch your perspective—and maybe your travel budget.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:To connect with Jacob or learn more, email him at jacob.lierz@lifemission.churchWhen Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian FikkertReliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell tackle a topic that’s rarely discussed but critical to the health of your church plant—how to run a leadership meeting. Peyton shares his philosophy of open, transparent meetings, the structure he uses to keep them productive, and why listening often matters more than talking. You’ll hear practical tips on setting the tone, prioritizing issues, fostering unity without voting, and creating space for every voice to be heard. Plus, along the way, you’ll get plenty of stories—from supernatural disruptions to unexpected moments of team collaboration—that illustrate how leadership meetings can be both Spirit-led and highly effective.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:Reliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this wide-ranging, rabbit-trail-rich episode, Peyton and Pete go full Loveline-meets-Lancashire-hotpot. What starts with a nostalgic nod to late-night radio quickly unravels into a theological deep dive covering Jordan Peterson’s spiritual journey, why Wesleyan theology still matters, and how different “gospels” throughout church history reflect the multi-faceted diamond of salvation.Peyton shares why he moved from Calvinism to Free Methodism (spoiler: it’s not for the branding) and how resurrection power is the part we’ve left out of modern soteriology. Pete drops a powerful recap of Free Burma Rangers—a documentary about frontline faith, radical sacrifice, and the gospel lived out under fire.Oh yeah, and they cover Comic-Con access tips, real-time church planter giving strategies, and a whole lot of this and that along the way.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:Reliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode, Peyton returns from the UK with fresh ink and even fresher stories of what God is doing through a tattoo shop-turned-discipleship hub in Wales. From hilarious misadventures with a British dog to profound reflections on the sovereignty of God, Peyton walks us through a surprising chain of events that began with a simple Starbucks conversation—and continues to ripple through a church planting movement.Then, in light of John MacArthur’s passing, Peyton and Pete offer a thoughtful (and sometimes blunt) reflection on his legacy: the strengths, the blind spots, and what every leader can learn from a life of bold teaching and fierce convictions. Along the way, they explore how the APEST framework helps us stay balanced and avoid letting our strengths become our downfall.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:Reliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Chestly Lunday interviews Nick Hall—evangelist, author, and founder of Pulse—about how to reach the next generation with the gospel. Nick shares stories of calling, risk, and revival, including how a simple prayer on a college campus turned into a nationwide movement to call young people back to Jesus.Chestly and Nick talk about the hunger they're seeing in Gen Z, why evangelism needs to be bold and relational, and how church planters can lean into prayer and obedience rather than platform-building. It’s a vulnerable and hope-filled conversation about dreaming big and starting small.You’ll hear:How to step into a calling before you feel “ready”What Gen Z is really looking for in the churchWhy the future of evangelism will look more like community than celebrityResources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:Pulse EvangelismReliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

Larry Walkemeyer, the longtime pastor of Light & Life Christian Fellowship and author of The River Church, shares his radical vision for church growth. He advocates for a shift from 'lake' to 'river' churches, focusing on sending members out to plant new congregations. Larry emphasizes the importance of overcoming challenges in multiplication, fostering a culture of prayer and generosity. He shares inspiring stories, including a former gang member's successful church plant, showcasing that true success in ministry is redefined through mission-driven efforts.

Six hundred episodes. Over a decade of laughs, lessons, and legendary missteps. For this milestone moment, Church Planter Podcast flips the mic—Chestly Lunday interviews the duo who started it all: Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell.From their earliest interviews using Google Hangouts (complete with digital Dr. Seuss hats), to the infamous “TomTom cougar voice incident” at Saddleback, nothing is off-limits. They swap war stories from the church planting trenches, revisit the wildest guest moments, and reflect on what they’ve learned after 600 episodes of keeping it real for planters everywhere.Expect laughter, unexpected wisdom, a few inside jokes, and a reminder that church planting doesn’t have to be lonely...or uptight.Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:Reliant Mission: reliant.org/cppNewBreed TrainingThanks for listening to the church planter podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people, no one else is reaching.Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.