Build the Church

Josh Roberie
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Build the Church, the podcast designed to equip pastors and ministry leaders with practical strategies, innovative ideas, and actionable insights to grow and lead thriving churches. Hosted by Josh Roberie, each episode explores church leadership, growth strategies, branding, and effective ministry, empowering you to overcome challenges and build a vibrant community of believers. Whether you're planting a new church or leading an established one, Build the Church will provide you with the tools and inspiration to lead with confidence and impact.

  1. 2d ago

    Sunday by Design with Sheldon J Andrus III

    What would change if your church planned every Sunday expecting someone new to walk through the doors? Josh Roberie welcomes Sheldon J. Andrus III, author of Sunday by Design, for a practical conversation about creating Sunday services that help people connect and take their next step. Sheldon shares seven habits covering service timing, dependable formats, intentional openings, guest connection, clear next steps, timely follow-up, and measuring attendance. Together, they explore how consistent preparation equips volunteers and why familiar routines deserve a fresh look through a first-time guest’s eyes. Listen with your team and choose one improvement to put into practice this Sunday. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Introduction: Sunday by Design 03:44 Sheldon J. Andrus III’s Church Leadership Journey 06:12 Why Church Growth Matters 08:55 What Is the Capacity of Hell? 10:52 Breaking Through Church Growth Barriers 12:22 Sunday OS: Your Sunday Operating System 19:07 The Seven Switches for Church Growth 24:54 Sunday by Design: Book and Resources Explore Sunday by Design and browse our free church leadership resources. This episode is brought to you by YourTeam.Church, helping volunteers discover their gifts and find a team where they can thrive. Follow Build the Church for weekly encouragement and practical tools to gain momentum, grow your church, and go the distance in ministry. If this conversation helped you, leave a review and share it with another pastor. Support the show

    Sunday by Design with Sheldon J Andrus III

  2. Sep 7

    Supercharge Your Discipleship with Michael Murphy

    How do you build a church where people grow spiritually, develop as leaders, and make disciples themselves? Pastor Michael Murphy returns to the Build the Church podcast to help pastors turn their passion for discipleship into a practical plan. Michael is the founder of Leaderscape, author of XLR8, and a coach to pastors and churches around the world. In this conversation with Josh Roberie, Michael shares how his church went from 16 struggling small groups to 330 in 30 months—and the painful realization that inspired that change. Together, they explore why a leadership shortage often begins with a discipleship problem and how intentional small groups can help people become connected, grow in their faith, and take responsibility for discipling others. Michael outlines four responsibilities of every small group leader: • Lead a life-giving group. • Help each person take one next step in spiritual growth. • Develop two apprentices who can lead others. • Keep the group focused on reaching people. You’ll also discover practical ways to restart a struggling small group ministry, help people become known in groups and needed on teams, and model discipleship through your own example as a pastor. Whether you’re planting a church or strengthening an existing ministry, this episode will help you take practical steps toward a culture of disciples who make disciples. This episode is sponsored by YourTeam.Church, a spiritual gifts and DISC assessment that helps volunteers discover their purpose and connects them with teams that fit how God created them. Try the free DISC assessment. Find more free resources and explore coaching at BuildThe.Church. Connect with Michael Murphy on Instagram. Send him a message mentioning this episode, your church’s size, and your biggest discipleship challenge. Follow Build the Church on Instagram, follow the podcast, and leave a rating or review wherever you listen. Share this episode with a pastor or small group leader who would benefit from it. Keep leading and believing strong. Support the show

    Supercharge Your Discipleship with Michael Murphy

  3. Aug 31

    The Guest Journey Game Plan with Brad Hampton

    Most churches put their best energy into the service—but guests often decide whether they will return before the service even begins. In this episode, Josh Roberie sits down with Pastor Brad Hampton of SOCO Church and Hello Church to create a practical guest journey game plan. Together, they walk through the entire experience—from the moment someone discovers your church online to their arrival, first visit, follow-up, and next step into community. You’ll learn: Why the first seven to eight minutes of a guest’s visit matter so muchHow to evaluate your church through the eyes of a first-time guestThe three “front doors” every guest walks throughHow to replace unanswered questions with clarityWhy being friendly is not the same as helping people find friendsHow to map a clear pathway from first visit to discipleshipWhy simple, consistent follow-up systems outperform complicated strategiesHow to build communication workflows that help people feel known, loved, and cared forBrad also shares how SOCO Church prepares for first-time guests, follows up within 24 hours, and asks a powerful question before inviting people to serve: “How can we serve you?” If you want to welcome guests well, increase the number of people who return, and help more people move from attending to belonging, this conversation will give you a practical framework you can begin using immediately. Download Brad’s free discipleship resource: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/qdd3eg4j4xgef7f5japge/AIe6RkKvbmTMynJByzJC_4s?rlkey=k679kirgmz5z5y1e5bsnx4bc7&dl=0 Help every volunteer discover how God designed them and find a team where they can thrive: https://yourteam.church Follow Build the Church on Instagram: https://instagram.com/buildthe.church To continue the conversation or get help creating a guest journey game plan for your church, email Josh at josh@buildthe.church. Subscribe to the Build the Church Podcast and leave a review wherever you listen. It helps more pastors discover practical strategies to gain momentum, grow their churches, and go the distance. Keep leading and believing strong. Support the show

    The Guest Journey Game Plan with Brad Hampton

  4. Aug 25

    The Roadmap to 1,000 with Roberson Pierre

    What does it take to launch a church with 1,000 people—and see 126 people give their lives to Jesus—on hard ground in New England? In this episode of the Build the Church Podcast, Josh Roberie sits down with Robe Pierre, lead pastor of Freedom City Church in Hartford, Connecticut, to unpack the spiritual conviction, practical church-growth strategies, and leadership systems behind an extraordinary launch. Robe shares how sacrifice, prayer, personal outreach, launch parties, and relentless commitment helped Freedom City overcome limited resources and build a launch team made up almost entirely of new relationships. But launching big was only the beginning. A year and a half later, Freedom City was reaching 1,200–1,500 people on a Sunday while developing new believers into leaders. You’ll also discover how Freedom City uses standard operating procedures, a clear leadership pipeline, repeatable systems, and intentionally reinforced core values to create a healthy church culture that can grow without losing its identity. In this conversation, you’ll learn: How to set a bold vision for your church launchWhy being under-resourced can become an advantageHow personal outreach and community engagement build momentumWhy church systems and SOPs help volunteers succeedHow to document both the “how” and the “why” of ministryA practical leadership pipeline for developing volunteers into directorsHow to model culture before delegating responsibilityWhy clear expectations make correction easier and healthierHow to turn church values into behaviors your entire congregation can liveHow prayer, sacrifice, strategy, and hard work create space for God to moveWhether you are planting a church, preparing for launch Sunday, building a volunteer team, developing leaders, or creating systems for sustainable church growth, this episode gives you a practical roadmap for turning vision into action. As Robe explains, “Pray like it’s all God, and work like it’s all you.” Follow Robe Pierre on social media: @robepierre Learn more about Freedom City Church: WeAreFreedomCity.com The Build the Church Podcast helps pastors gain momentum, grow their churches, and go the distance. Keep leading and believing strong. Support the show

    The Roadmap to 1,000 with Roberson Pierre

  5. Aug 17

    Maximize the Four Stages of Connection with Noah Herrin

    Imagine walking into a car dealership, finding the exact car you want, and hearing, "We only sell those on the third Friday of the month. Come back in six weeks." That dealership would close its doors. So why do so many churches offer their next step that way? In this episode of the Build the Church Podcast, host Josh Roberie sits down with Pastor Noah Herrin of Way Church in Nashville, Tennessee for his third time on the show. Way Church is about to pass 1,700 salvations in just under three years, is launching its second location this September, and has become one of the clearest examples anywhere of moving a person from first-time guest to fully connected. Noah walks through the four stages every person at your church is sitting in right now (seeking, attending, connecting, belonging), why one-size-fits-all communication is quietly costing you people, and the system he and his executive pastor Connor Crumpton built after they got tired of paying for four platforms that would not talk to each other. Then Josh and Noah get into a second conversation worth the listen on its own: why Noah started addressing hot cultural topics head-on, and what Josh Howerton told him that finally pushed him to do it. If you have ever said "we need to shut the back door," this one gives you the framework and the practical next steps to actually do it. In this episode, you'll learn: The only two things that shut the back door at any church: community or mission The 4 stages of connection (seeking, attending, connecting, belonging) and how to communicate differently to each Why a monthly or quarterly growth track is costing you people, and what weekly changes How Way Church defines "belonging" with three specific, measurable behaviors Why assuming one strategy works for everybody is the most common assimilation mistake How to promote your next step every Sunday without it becoming a stale announcement The story behind Church Grids, built in 10 hours a week by one executive pastor How one multisite church went from 40% to 65% growth track conversion by fixing follow-up alone Why Noah launched the Way Deeper Podcast after getting jealous of sports podcasts Why Gen Z wants to know what your church believes up front, not a year in About our guest: Pastor Noah Herrin is the lead pastor of Way Church in Nashville, Tennessee, which he and his wife Maddie planted in 2022. Way Church is launching its second location this September and is approaching 1,700 salvations in under three years. Noah is also the co-creator of Church Grids, an all-in-one communication and assimilation platform now used by more than 30 churches, and the host of the Way Deeper Podcast. Way Church: https://www.waychurch.com Way Revival, September 25 to 27 in downtown Nashville with Sadie Robertson Huff, Levi Lusko, and Noah Herrin: https://www.wayrevival.com Church Grids: https://www.churchgrids.com Resources mentioned in this episode: This episode is brought to you by Your Team Church, an online assessment that helps you place every volunteer where they thrive. Create your own branded assessment URL in seconds and give each person a one-of-one personality portrait. Take the test for free at https://yourteam.church/disc Prefer to watch? Catch the full video version on YouTube. If this episode encouraged you, subscribe and share it with a pastor who needs it. Let's build the church together. Support the show

  6. Aug 10

    Planting Legacy in New York

    Planting in Manhattan: Divine Timing, NYC Myths, & Pastoring at a Sustainable Pace | Ryan SchlachterWhat happens when God calls you to plant a church in the heart of New York City—and lands you in the exact same ballroom where your grandmother ran a street ministry four decades earlier? In this episode of the Build the Church Podcast, host Josh Roberie sits down with native New Yorker and lead pastor of Legacy Church NYC, Ryan Schlachter. Ryan shares the unbelievable story of launching Legacy Church in Manhattan, debunks common misconceptions about pastoring in big cities, and breaks down the practical systems needed to disciple people in a fast-paced, transient environment. 🎙️ Key Takeaways from This Episode: The Power of God's Timing: The story behind planting in the Prince George Ballroom and honoring a family legacy that spans generations.Debunking NYC Myths: Why New Yorkers are actually friendly (and family-oriented) despite the stereotypes.Overcoming Transience: How to invest deeply in leaders even when you know they might eventually move away.Setting the Pace of Ministry: Why matching the frantic speed of your city burns your team out—and how to build a culture of sustainable joy instead.Being a Lighthouse: How to pastor in the middle of cultural friction without "clutching your pearls."Neighborhood-Based Systems: How Legacy Church uses localized groups and weekly prayer to combat urban loneliness.🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned: This Episode's Sponsor: Try YourTeam Pro Tier free for 30 days at yourteam.church — Upgrade your Next Steps class with custom-branded, AI-powered personality assessments for volunteer matching!Connect with Ryan: Follow Pastor Ryan Schlachter and team on social media or check out legacychurch.nyc.Build the Church Podcast: Stay connected with Josh Roberie for practical advice, best practices, and encouragement to help you grow your church and go the distance in ministry.If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps other pastors and leaders find the show! Support the show

  7. Aug 3

    Building Connection Systems That Grow Your Church

    Most growth problems aren't outreach problems—they're connection problems. Host Josh Roberie sits down with Pastor Dustin Dozier (author of The Connected Church) to discuss practical strategies for closing the gap between Sunday attendance and deep community belonging. In This Episode: Why connection systems are fundamentally an act of discipleship.How to master the crucial "first 7 minutes" of a guest's church experience.The 30-day follow-up framework that doubled guest retention at Upstate Church.Uncovering hidden blind spots in your church's first-time visitor experience.Simple, high-impact connection wins for churches with small or volunteer-only teams.The simple rule for guest services: "Always lead, never point."Episode Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & Episode Overview02:00 – Dustin Dozier’s Ministry Journey03:44 – Bridging Attendance to Belonging05:12 – The Story Behind The Connected Church07:57 – Key Systems for Building a Connections Team10:14 – Identifying & Fixing Guest Experience Blind Spots18:05 – Nurturing First-Time Guests into Next Steps21:22 – Quick Wins for Overwhelmed Ministry LeadersSponsor: This episode is brought to you by YourTeam.church. Help people in your congregation discover their design and take their next step into serving with a customized digital assessment platform branded for your church. Sync directly with Planning Center and try the YourTeam Pro Tier free for 30 days at yourteam.church. Resources Mentioned: Free Church Health Audit & Resources: theconnectedchurch.com | dustindozier.comBook: The Connected Church by Dustin Dozier (Available on Amazon)Connect with Dustin: Instagram & Facebook @DustinDozierIf this episode helped you, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and leave a review! Support the show

  8. Jul 27

    The Final Marketing Push: Promotional Strategies for Strategic Sundays

    Don't drop the ball at the finish line. Too many leaders do everything right in the buildup to a big Sunday, then coast when they should be sprinting. In this solo episode, Josh walks through the final marketing push: the last few weeks before launch day, Easter, back-to-school, Christmas, or any target Sunday you're building toward. You'll get a practical checklist, plus real examples from real churches, covering everything from your countdown posts to your Google Business profile. In this episode: Why it takes about seven touches before someone walks through your doors, and why every touch should point to your website.The one decision your website should drive people to make.The most powerful post you can make: a personal invite from you, on camera. (Not a logo. A face and a voice.)Countdown posts that actually work: graphics, behind-the-scenes setup reels, POV walkthroughs, and the sticky-note "tomorrow" video.Creating anticipation and FOMO instead of making announcements.Launch day and the follow-up post: capture the energy in real time, then circle back later in the week.Turning your contact list into a nurture sequence four weeks out.Website essentials: service time, date, and location front and center, a photo of you and your family, and kids ministry info people can find.Local SEO, your Google Business profile, digital missionaries, and why you should search your church in incognito mode.Mailers, invite cards, outreach, and the non-digital push.Why you are the CIO of your church: the Chief Invite Officer.Real examples featured from Boundless Church (Covina, CA), Waychurch (AZ), New Circle Church (KY), Balance Church, Awaken Church (Atlanta), and Discover Church (San Marcos). Screenshots and clips are on the video version, and links are below. Resources: Hello Church, for turning your contacts into a nurture sequence: https://www.myhello.churchREACHRIGHT, for church SEO and the Google Ad Grant: https://reachrightstudios.comChurch of the Highlands free prayer resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/prayerYourTeam.Church: https://yourteam.church/This episode is sponsored by your team.church, the assessment app that connects every volunteer to a team where they'll actually thrive. Custom URL with your church's branding, AI-powered team matching, and personality insights your church has never had access to before. Schedule a demo, see examples, or start your free trial at yourteam.church. Follow us on Instagram at @buildthe.church for a free resource every Friday, plus clips and best practices all week. If this episode helped you, leave a rating wherever you listen. Keep building and believing strong. Support the show

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About

Welcome to Build the Church, the podcast designed to equip pastors and ministry leaders with practical strategies, innovative ideas, and actionable insights to grow and lead thriving churches. Hosted by Josh Roberie, each episode explores church leadership, growth strategies, branding, and effective ministry, empowering you to overcome challenges and build a vibrant community of believers. Whether you're planting a new church or leading an established one, Build the Church will provide you with the tools and inspiration to lead with confidence and impact.

Information

  • Creator
    Josh Roberie
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Build the Church
  • Show Website
    Build the Church

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