3d ago

Growing Church, Shallow Disciples? 4 Shifts to Fix It

This episode explores the crucial differences between growing a crowd and making disciples, emphasizing practical shifts churches can implement to foster genuine spiritual growth and disciple-making. Growing Church, Shallow Disciples? 4 Shifts to Fix ItEpisode DescriptionYour church can be growing while your people are standing still.When weekly churchgoers explain why they aren't reading the Bible on their own, the answer usually isn't rebellion. It's "not enough time" and "I don't know where to start." In this episode, Jeff tells the story of George Whitefield and John Wesley, two preachers in the same revival with very different results. He then walks through four practical shifts that turnattenders into disciples, plus one simple challenge you can start this month.In this episode:- Why Whitefield reportedly called his own followers "a rope of sand"— and what Wesley did differently- Why gathering a crowd and forming disciples are two different jobs- Teaching people to say the gospel, not just hear it- Giving people a plan, not just a push- Changing the question from "What did you learn?" to "What willyou do?"- Building disciples who make disciples- Four questions to add to your church's scoreboardAll verified sources: - Origin of Wesley's class meeting (Bristol, 1742) — Christian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/dailyquote/2/15- Whitefield and the "rope of sand" — Seedbed:https://seedbed.com/the-bond-of-a-band-vs-the-rope-of-sand/- Why churchgoers aren't reading Scripture on their own — American BibleSociety, State of the Bible 2026, via Baptist Press:https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/state-of-the-bible-growth-in-bible-use-reverses-in-2026-but-trend-uncertain/Books mentioned:- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (his account of hearing Whitefieldpreach)CONNECT- ChurchPlanting.com- JeffHoglen.com- Open Arms International Ministries- Books by Jeff Hoglen: Church Planting Done Different · Rock Solid Foundation

Oct 9

Church Planting Signage, Google Maps & First Impressions: Can First-Time Guests Even Find Your Church?

Description Church signage, your Google Maps pin, and clear directions inside your building shape a first-time guest’s experience before they ever meet a greeter. In this episode of Church Planting 2.0, Jeff Hoglen shows pastors and church planters how to make sure guests can actually find their church. The sign said “Saturday Buffet.” That’s it. No time. We found the restaurant. We just found it too late. Jeff shares two frustrating restaurant experiences from his hometown. One was a hotel lobby with zero directions. The other had a Google Maps pin that was just a little bit off and a stairwell where nobody could tell if it was the second floor or the third. Here’s the problem: your first-time guests are having that same experience at your church. Your welcome doesn’t start at the front door. It starts at the first search. 📍 In this episode: Why a missing church sign doesn’t just go unnoticed: it keeps people from coming at all.What Google’s own data says about how fast “near me” searches turn into visits.How to put your church on Google Maps and fix a wrong pin with a free Google Business Profile.The 1990 Stanford experiment that explains why pastors can’t see their own missing signs.The 3 signs every church needs: the Pin, the Street, and the Steps.A simple Guest Path Test to improve your church guest experience before next Sunday. Too many churches are hard to find, and their pastors don’t know it. FedEx Office found that nearly 60% of consumers say when there’s no sign at all, it keeps them from going in. In this episode, Jeff names the problem, explains why it matters, and lays out what to do about it: what Google’s data says about “near me” searches, why church leaders can’t see their own missing signs, and the three wayfinding moments every first-time guest goes through. Plus the Guest Path Test you can run before next Sunday. In this episode: FedEx Office “What’s Your Sign?” Survey (May 2012) 76% entered a store they’d never visited because of its signs; 68% say signage reflects quality; nearly 60% say no sign deters them; 52% less willing to enter with poorly made or misspelled signs — FedEx Newsroom 76% of people who search on their phone for something nearby visit a related business within a day — Think with Google Church switchers who first found their church through its website named location (66%) and worship times (64%) as helpful — Lifeway Research, Nov 2023 “Clear when and where” principle, paraphrased not quoted — Lifeway Research, Apr 2025Elizabeth Newton, Stanford (1990) Tappers and listeners: 120 songs tapped, 3 guessed correctly, tappers predicted 50%NOTE: the term “curse of knowledge” comes from a 1989 paper by Camerer, Loewenstein & Weber, so on air it’s “researchers call it,” not credited to the HeathsKevin Lynch (1960) Lynch introduced the term “way-finding” — Wikipedia: Wayfinding; Wikipedia: Kevin A. LynchGoogle Business Profile Free to set up; pin can be adjusted or dragged when an address doesn’t resolve or has no street number — Google Business Profile Help Scripture Luke 14:23 (NIV), Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV), Luke 19:10Books Mentioned Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die — Chip Heath & Dan Heath (Random House, 2007). The book that made the Stanford tappers-and-listeners study famousThe Image of the City — Kevin Lynch (MIT Press, 1960). The urban planning classic that gave us the word “wayfinding” CONNECT: ⁠churchplanting.com⁠ ⁠Jeffhoglen.com⁠ ⁠Open Arms International Ministries⁠

Oct 2

Church Planting Stop Planting the Same Church in the Same City

Too many church planters are planting the same church, in the same places, for the same people. Lifeway found 43% of people in new church plants came from other churches. In this episode, Jeff names the problem, explains why it matters, and lays out what to do better: the honest reasons planters cluster, the motives we don't say out loud, the good reasons to plant near other churches, and five options to consider before you sign a lease. Plus the Hudson Taylor "Brighton Beach" challenge. In this episode: The issue: same church, same places, same peopleWhy it matters: what Lifeway's data says about where church plant attenders come from3 honest reasons planters cluster (and the gravity of funding)4 motives nobody puts in the prospectus3 good reasons to plant where churches already exist (Keller, Barna, Romans 15)5 options: follow the data, cross a line, go overlooked, replant, go unreachedThe Brighton Beach challenge, from Hudson Taylor's 1865 prayer All verified before scripting. Flags noted where a number could move or a detail needs care. Hudson Taylor / China Inland Mission 7 of 18 provinces had missionaries, mostly in a few coastal cities/treaty ports; 11 inland provinces had none; 24 workers = 2 per province + 2 for Mongolia; Bible-margin note; CIM eventually present in all 18 provinces — Christianity TodayBrighton, June 25, 1865; founding of CIM, now OMF International — OMFMission societies said funds didn't cover current demands — VanceChristie.comBank account opened with ten pounds two days later — Half Crown MediaSailed within a year with a team; 294 missionaries in 14 provinces by 1888 — Church for Vancouver / OMF account; Don Sweeting Lifeway Research 2015 National Church Planting Study 42% of attenders previously unchurched, 43% from existing churches; Stetzer's "dissatisfied, disgruntled, or re-energized Christians" comment; ~4,000 Protestant churches opened and ~3,700 closed in 2014 — Baptist Courier summary of Lifeway data; Lifeway ResearchCoaching/assessment strongly tied to plant survival — Stetzer & Bird, Asbury JournalNOTE: this is 2015 data. Still the most-cited national study on attendee origin, but say "2015" on air Tim Keller, "Why Plant Churches" "Single most crucial strategy"; new churches best reach new generations, new residents, new people groups; older churches resisting new plants in "our neighborhood" as turf — Keller paper (PDF); NewChurches.comJoshua Project — Philippines ~200 people groups, 28 unreached, ~6.95 million people in unreached groups — Joshua Project: Philippines CONNECT: churchplanting.com Jeffhoglen.com Open Arms International Ministries

Sep 25

5 Reasons Church Planters Need Experience Before They Plant

Church Planting 2.0 - the podcast for churchplanting.com with Jeff Hoglen Calling gets you started. Experience keeps you standing. You feel called to plant a church—but have you made the deposits that will sustain you when ministry gets hard? In this episode, Jeff Hoglen explores why serving in a healthy church before launching can shape your readiness for the challenges ahead. Drawing from Paul and Timothy’s relationship, church planting research, and practical ministry experience, Jeff explains how preparation develops the skills, relationships, and resilience a church planter needs. Whether you’re considering church planting, exploring a residency, or leading a church that could prepare future planters, this episode offers practical next steps. Five reasons experience matters It gives you realistic expectations. Learn what everyday ministry looks like so you can recognize progress without measuring your church against someone else’s highlight reel. It builds accountability. Develop relationships with leaders who know you, recognize your blind spots, and can speak honestly into your decisions. It teaches you to handle conflict. Learn to navigate difficult conversations with an experienced pastor beside you. It helps protect you from burnout. Watch healthy leaders practice boundaries, share responsibility, and carry the demands of ministry. It shows you how to develop leaders. Gain firsthand experience equipping people to serve, lead, and equip others. Two practical paths to preparation Jeff explores serving as an associate pastor and entering a church planting residency or Paul–Timothy apprenticeship. Both provide opportunities to preach, lead teams, manage responsibilities, receive correction, and grow under experienced leadership. You’ll also learn what to look for in a healthy sending church—and why a meaningful residency should include real responsibility, honest feedback, and leaders willing to say, “Not yet.” Scripture discussed Acts 16 — Timothy’s reputation and ministry alongside Paul. Philippians 2 — Timothy’s proven character through serving with Paul. 2 Timothy 3 — Learning firsthand from Paul’s life and hardships. 2 Timothy 2:2 — Entrusting the gospel to faithful people who will teach others. Acts 11:26 — Barnabas and Saul serving and teaching in Antioch. Acts 13 — The church commissioning and sending Barnabas and Saul. This week’s challenge Before you go out, get under healthy leadership. Take an honest inventory: Have you preached consistently and received constructive feedback? Have you worked through serious conflict? Have you built a small group or volunteer team? Have you managed a ministry budget? Have you received a “no” or “not yet” and remained faithful? Identify the experience you still need, then ask a healthy church for an opportunity to serve and grow. If you’re a lead pastor, consider making room for one future church planter to learn alongside you. A thought to carry with you “Preparation doesn’t cancel the calling. It protects the calling.” Find more church planting resources and coaching at ChurchPlanting.com. Share this episode with a future church planter or a pastor who could help prepare one.

Sep 18

Outreach Events Nobody Asked For

Church outreach is not failing because people do not care - it is failing because too many churches keep confusing events with presence. Jeff Hogland makes the case that your community does not need another flyer, carnival, or one-day turnout miracle. It needs people who actually show up, stay visible, and become known. If your church keeps pouring time, volunteers, and budget into outreach events that mostly attract the same insiders, this episode will hit a nerve. Jeff breaks down why event-driven ministry feels productive but often creates a credibility gap, exhausts your team, and trains your church to think outreach happens a few times a year instead of every week. You will hear practical shifts for moving from attractional to incarnational ministry, from event-based calendars to rhythm-based presence, and from church as event host to church as neighbor and contributor. Jeff also shares how to audit where your people already spend their time, reframe volunteer energy around real community needs, and stop measuring outreach only by attendance numbers. This conversation challenges the assumption that a bigger event equals a bigger impact. Instead, it reframes outreach as consistent, ordinary faithfulness in neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, gyms, and coffee shops - the places where trust is actually built and the gospel becomes visible long before anyone walks through a church door. Essential listening for pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders who are tired of planning louder events and want a simpler, more faithful way to reach their communities. Sometimes the most powerful outreach strategy is not a better invite - it is a more present church. churchplanting.com

Sep 11

You Don't Build a Church — You Build a Culture

You Don’t Build a Church, You Build a Culture This episode argues that church health is not sustained by charisma, attendance, or platform size, but by the culture underneath the numbers. In this episode, Jeff Hoglen shares: Why a church can look healthy on paper right up until the culture fails underneath it Four warning signs of an unhealthy churchThree culture shifts that help churches lastA contrast between protecting a platform and giving away what God has entrusted Key topics A fast-growing West Coast church had 15 campuses across 4 states and over 12,000 weekend attenders, yet the institution eventually unraveled after leadership culture issues surfaced. The core lesson: attendance, giving, and campus growth are fruit, not root. Culture is the soil that determines whether that fruit can last. Unhealthy cultures often hide in plain sight and quietly drive away good people long before the public sees a crisis. Sign 1 of an unhealthy church: legitimate concerns get relabeled as gossip, which protects the system and silences the person who raised the issue. Sign 2: nobody disagrees in the room where decisions actually matter, not because everyone agrees, but because dissent has become unsafe. Sign 3: turnover gets explained away as “just a season” instead of being investigated as data. Sign 4: the stage version of the church does not match the backstage version, creating a split between public messaging and private reality. Shift 1: what gets celebrated gets reproduced. If only numbers get praised, people learn that results matter more than character. Shift 2: healthy cultures make it safe to push back. Leaders need people who can tell the truth without fear of being punished. Shift 3: healthy churches give away what they could hoard, using generosity as a posture rather than just a budget category. Craig Groeschel and Life. Church are used as an example of that generosity mindset, especially in giving away Uversion, church tools, and other resources. The long-term test of culture is whether what you built can survive without you in the room. Timestamps 00:00 - The church that looked strong until the culture collapsed 01:31 - Why healthy numbers can hide unhealthy leadership culture 02:47 - The one-sentence takeaway: you build a culture first 03:42 - Why most unhealthy churches never make headlines 04:12 - Sign 1: concerns get relabeled as gossip 04:55 - Sign 2: nobody disagrees where it matters 05:24 - Sign 3: turnover gets explained away instead of investigated 05:55 - Sign 4: stage culture and backstage culture do not match 06:26 - Shift 1: what you celebrate is what you reproduce 07:22 - Why celebrating only numbers trains the wrong values 08:58 - A practical way to celebrate character this week 09:55 - Shift 2: healthy cultures make it safe to push back10:48 - What happened when leadership pushback became unsafe11:44 - Silence is not peace12:18 - The difference between constructive pushback and gossip12:47 - A question every leader should ask one team member13:34 - Shift 3: healthy churches give away what they could hoard14:01 - The Life.Church and Uversion generosity example15:24 - Generosity as a culture, not just a budget line16:40 - A challenge to give away something useful this month17:11 - Three practical challenges to apply immediately18:09 - Why culture shows up years later, not in this week’s numbers18:37 - Final contrast: protect what you built or give it awayAction items Celebrate one thing publicly this week that does not have a number attached to it.Ask one team member, “What’s something you’ve been afraid to tell me?”Say thank you, and do not defend yourself.Give one valuable resource, system, or tool away to another church leader this month with no strings attached.AI can make mistakes. Always check for Want me to turn this into a Spotify episode description next?churchplanting.com jeffhoglen.com Books by Jeff Hoglen on Amazon. Church Planting Done Different

Sep 4

Why People Leave Your Church — And What to Do About It

Most churches are great at noticing who walks in and terrible at noticing who quietly slips out. Jeff Hoglen exposes the hidden “back door” problem that makes churches look healthy on the surface while people slowly drift away. If you lead a church, serve on staff, or care about real discipleship, this episode gives you a practical framework for spotting drift before it becomes disappearance. Jeff unpacks why church growth without relationship becomes a revolving door, and why Sunday attendance alone can never be the whole strategy. You’ll discover: Why attraction is not the same as discipleshipHow to recognize the early signs that someone is disengagingThe difference between healthy departures and painful driftWhy baptism is not graduation, but the beginning of the real workHow connection, discipleship, and care form a simple pathway that helps people stay rooted Jeff also challenges leaders to rethink how they respond when someone leaves. Instead of defaulting to guilt or blame, he makes the case for humble self-examination, better communication, and pastoral care that notices people before they vanish. He shows how a simple check-in can reveal burnout, hurt, hidden struggles, or even a need to reconnect someone who thought nobody noticed. This conversation is a wake-up call for any church that wants to do more than count people. Because if you only celebrate arrivals and ignore departures, you can end up with a busy church that never actually grows deeper. The real goal is not filling seats - it is helping people follow Jesus, put down roots, and eventually help someone else do the same. Essential listening if you want a healthier church culture, stronger discipleship, and a clearer picture of what it really means to grow.

Aug 28

How to Grow a Small Church Without Chasing Numbers

How to Grow a Small Church Without Chasing Numbers What if your church is growing in all the ways that matter, but you keep missing it because you only track attendance? Jeff Hoglen makes the case that healthy growth is not about bigger crowds, but about deeper discipleship, stronger leadership, and wider gospel impact. If you pastor a small church, lead a ministry, or feel stuck comparing your congregation to bigger and flashier churches, this episode gives you a better way to measure what God is actually doing. Jeff breaks down a practical three-part framework for growth that helps you care about numbers without being ruled by them. You’ll discover: Why attendance is only one small piece of the pictureThe difference between growth and healthHow to know if people are becoming real disciplesWhy small churches often have an advantage in discipleshipThe leadership ceiling that hits when everything depends on the pastorHow simple systems protect growth instead of replacing missionWhat to do if 25 new people show up next SundayWhy “growing wider” still matters, even in a smaller church Jeff also challenges the dangerous habit of measuring your church against someone else’s public success, and shows how comparison can quietly create private insecurity. Instead, he offers a healthier lens for celebrating wins that don’t always show up in Instagram posts - new leaders developed, believers growing in Scripture and prayer, volunteers becoming ministry leaders, and people stepping into maturity. This episode is a wake-up call for pastors who are tempted to chase bigger numbers at the expense of deeper health. If you want a church that is more faithful, more effective, and better equipped to make disciples for the long haul, this conversation belongs on your list. Perfect for small church pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders who want to pursue growth without losing sight of what growth actually means. ChurchPlanting.com — https://churchplanting.com/JeffHoglen.com — https://jeffhoglen.com/Facebook — Jeff Hoglen — https://www.facebook.com/drjeffhoglen/Facebook — ChurchPlanting.com — https://www.facebook.com/churchplanting/LinkedIn — Jeff Hoglen — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffhoglenSpotify — Church Planting 2.0 — https://open.spotify.com/show/03iuUdaFMho58woqRDzoxdApple Podcasts — Church Planting 2.0 — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/church-planting-2-0/id1601674484

Church Planting 2.0

Growing Church, Shallow Disciples? 4 Shifts to Fix It

Church Planting Signage, Google Maps & First Impressions: Can First-Time Guests Even Find Your Church?

Church Planting Stop Planting the Same Church in the Same City

5 Reasons Church Planters Need Experience Before They Plant

Outreach Events Nobody Asked For

You Don't Build a Church — You Build a Culture

Why People Leave Your Church — And What to Do About It

How to Grow a Small Church Without Chasing Numbers

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Church Planting 2.0

Episodes

Growing Church, Shallow Disciples? 4 Shifts to Fix It

Church Planting Signage, Google Maps & First Impressions: Can First-Time Guests Even Find Your Church?

Church Planting Stop Planting the Same Church in the Same City

5 Reasons Church Planters Need Experience Before They Plant

Outreach Events Nobody Asked For

You Don't Build a Church — You Build a Culture

Why People Leave Your Church — And What to Do About It

How to Grow a Small Church Without Chasing Numbers

About

Information

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