Build the Church

Josh Roberie
  • 5.0 (19)
  • 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. 1d ago

    How to Use AI to Get Your Church Found Online

    When someone searches for a church in your community, can they find yours—and get a clear picture of what visiting will be like? Josh Roberie welcomes Ian Hyatt, co-founder of REACHRIGHT, for a practical conversation about church SEO, AI search, and helping more first-time guests discover your church. Ian explains how church websites, Google Business Profiles, and local search work together to support your digital outreach. You’ll hear what to include on a Plan Your Visit page, why visitor FAQs matter, and how photos, walkthrough videos, and thoughtful responses to reviews can help people feel comfortable taking their first step through your doors. They also discuss Google Ad Grants, the differences between grant-funded and paid advertising, and why building your church’s online visibility takes consistent attention. If you’re a pastor or church planter looking for practical church marketing tools, this episode will help you decide where to focus next. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Helping Your Church Get Found Online 00:03:17 Meet Ian Hyatt and REACHRIGHT 00:06:42 AI Search and Church SEO Explained 00:08:20 Church Website Content and Visitor FAQs 00:12:35 Google SEO and Your Google Business Profile 00:15:14 Google Ad Grants and Paid Advertising 00:17:50 Local SEO: Reaching People Near Your Church 00:19:21 Photos and Videos That Help Guests Feel Comfortable 00:23:49 Getting and Responding to Church Reviews 00:25:00 Church Marketing Resources and Next Steps CONNECT WITH IAN HYATT https://reachrightstudios.com/author/ian-hyatt/ FREE RESOURCES FOR PASTORS https://www.buildthe.church/resources/free-resources THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOURTEAM.CHURCH Help volunteers discover their personality and spiritual gifts and find a team where they can thrive. Available in English and Spanish. https://yourteam.church/ Follow Build the Church for weekly encouragement and practical tools to help you gain momentum, grow your church, and go the distance in ministry. Share this episode with the person who oversees your church’s website or communications. Support the show

  2. Oct 19

    How to Build an AI-Powered Church Dashboard

    What could your church’s data tell you about the people who need your attention? In “How to Build an AI-Powered Dashboard for Your Church,” Josh Roberie sits down with pastors Aaron Grijalva, David Russell, and Jeremy Burroughs to explore how they’re using artificial intelligence to understand church health and support more intentional ministry. Through examples from their own churches, they discuss organizing church data, building useful dashboards, and using Claude and ChatGPT to examine trends in attendance, small groups, giving, and volunteer engagement. You’ll hear how one pastor identified gaps in groups and volunteer growth even while attendance increased, how another made ministry data visible to his staff, and how engagement reports are helping team leaders recognize people who need a personal phone call. The conversation also explores staff planning, sermon resources, and church apps, with an emphasis on keeping pastoral judgment and relationships central to the process. For pastors and church leaders looking for practical AI tools, this episode offers ideas for turning the information you already collect into meaningful next steps. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 How Pastors Are Using AI in Ministry 00:07:03 Start with Clean Church Data 00:11:22 Understanding AI and Large Language Models 00:14:58 Measuring Church Health Beyond Attendance 00:17:41 Building a Dashboard Your Staff Will Use 00:22:58 Spotting Gaps in Groups and Volunteer Growth 00:28:29 Exploring AI-Generated Staff Action Plans 00:30:18 Turning Engagement Data into Pastoral Care 00:34:27 Sermon Content, Church Apps, and Next Steps 00:38:42 Closing Thoughts Explore our free resources for pastors for more practical ministry tools. Follow Build the Church for weekly episodes that help you gain momentum, grow your church, and go the distance in ministry. Share this conversation with a pastor or team member who helps oversee your church’s systems and follow-up. Support the show

  3. Oct 12

    How to Use AI to Build a Next Steps Assessment for Your Church

    How can AI help pastors understand their people and guide them toward meaningful spiritual growth? Josh Roberie sits down with Nathan Derenski of Rhythm Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Zach Morris of Essential Church in the Des Moines, Iowa, area to explore practical uses of Claude AI for discipleship, volunteer placement, and pastoral care. Drawing from their experience in youth ministry, executive leadership, and church planting, Nathan and Zach explain how they’re building assessments that bring together spiritual gifts, DISC personality profiles, personal passions, and life circumstances. You’ll hear how these tools can help identify next steps, connect people with ministry opportunities, and prepare leaders for more informed pastoral conversations. They also discuss reviewing results with people, correcting inaccurate assumptions, and improving their tools through feedback. For pastors looking to strengthen church systems and make discipleship more personal, this episode offers a look at what two church planters are learning as they build. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Church Planting and AI Integration 00:05:13 Pastoral Journeys and Church Planting 00:09:55 Building Discipleship Assessments 00:15:05 Personalized Spiritual Growth with AI 00:19:59 The Evolution of AI Tools in Ministry 00:25:11 Assessment Accuracy and Personalization 00:30:05 Getting Started with AI at Your Church CONNECT & EXPLORE Nathan Derenski — Rhythm Church: https://rhythm.church Zach Morris — Essential Church: https://www.esntlchurch.com/ YourTeam.Church — personality and spiritual gifts assessments for volunteer team matching: https://yourteam.church/ Free resources for pastors: https://www.buildthe.church/resources/free-resources Follow Build the Church for weekly, practical help to gain momentum, grow your church, and go the distance in ministry. Share this episode with a pastor or ministry leader who is exploring AI. Support the show

  4. Oct 5

    How to Get More Church Volunteers Using Personality Traits, Spiritual Gifts, and AI

    How do you get more church volunteers and help them find a meaningful place to serve? In this episode of Build the Church, Josh Roberie explores how personality traits, spiritual gifts, and AI can support church volunteer recruitment and connect people to ministry teams. Josh walks through YourTeam.Church, the assessment tool he created for pastors and church leaders, and explains how DISC personality insights and spiritual gifts work together to inform team recommendations. You’ll hear how personalized results, custom team profiles, and a searchable volunteer dashboard can support your Growth Track, Next Steps class, and volunteer follow-up. The episode also explores practical uses of AI: drafting team descriptions, suggesting team profiles, and helping leaders prepare for conversations with potential volunteers. If you’re building a Dream Team, improving volunteer onboarding, or helping people discover their purpose through serving, this conversation offers tools you can bring into your church. CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Identifying Church Challenges 00:02:55 Connecting People to Teams 00:06:06 YourTeam.Church: A Digital Solution 00:09:07 Assessment Features and Benefits 00:12:10 Customization and User Experience 00:15:06 AI Integration and Team Management 00:18:02 Conclusion and Call to Action Explore YourTeam.Church and request a demo: https://yourteam.church/ Find free resources for pastors: https://www.buildthe.church/resources/free-resources Watch the screen-sharing walkthrough on the Build the Church YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@buildthe.church Follow Build the Church for weekly, practical help to gain momentum, grow your church, and go the distance in ministry. Share this episode with the person who leads your volunteer teams. Support the show

  5. Sep 28

    Build Community and Commitment in Your Church

    How can pastors help people develop lasting relationships, grow spiritually, and stay committed to their church? Josh Roberie welcomes Pastor Ben Murray of City Hope Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, for a practical conversation about building community and commitment through intentional discipleship. Drawing from his book, Give God a Year, Ben shares how his church helps new believers understand what comes next and invites people into a year of growing in faith. They discuss strengthening small groups, developing consistent habits of Scripture reading and prayer, and helping people put their faith into practice. Ben also shares what his recent sabbatical taught him about a sustainable pace and why friendships with other pastors matter for longevity in ministry. Listen for ideas you can bring into your new believer follow-up, small group ministry, and discipleship pathway. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 The Gap Between Belief and Practice 02:59 The Journey of Faithfulness 05:45 The Challenge of Giving God a Year 09:05 Understanding Works vs. Discipleship 11:49 The Importance of Community 14:58 Establishing Daily Rhythms 17:50 Encouragement for Pastors 20:50 Conclusion and Resources LINKS & RESOURCES Get Give God a Year: https://givegodayear.org/ Ask about bulk book orders: Ben@CityHopeFamily.com Connect with Ben: https://www.instagram.com/cityhopeben/ Explore our free church leadership resources: https://www.buildthe.church/resources/free-resources This episode is brought to you by YourTeam.Church, helping volunteers understand their personality and connect with a team where they can serve with purpose. https://yourteam.church/ Follow Build the Church for weekly conversations that help you gain momentum, grow your church, and go the distance in ministry. Share this episode with a pastor you’re doing ministry alongside. Support the show

  6. Sep 21

    How to Make Friends with Anyone with Wayne Francis

    You can care deeply about people, lead a church, and still struggle to find friendships where you feel truly known. In this episode of Build the Church, Josh Roberie welcomes Pastor Wayne Francis for an honest, encouraging conversation about friendship, vulnerability, and the loneliness many ministry leaders experience. Wayne shares insights from his book, Make Friends with Anyone, including five levels of friendship that help explain why some relationships stay on the surface while others go deep. Together, they discuss making time for friends, navigating betrayal, setting healthy boundaries, and overcoming the fear of letting people into your life. You’ll also hear how understanding your friendship style can shape the way you lead, preach, and build community in your church. Wayne’s practical challenge: start by making one new friend. Order Make Friends with Anyone and take the friendship assessment at ShowMeMyFriends.com. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 02:29 Meet Wayne Francis: Brooklyn Nets Chaplain 07:12 Loneliness and the Five Levels of Friendship 11:54 Going Deeper: Vulnerability and Trust 14:09 Making Time for Meaningful Friendships 16:19 Overthinking and the Fear of Getting Hurt 18:40 Responding to Betrayal and Difficult Relationships 21:00 Healthy Boundaries vs. Barricades 23:16 Why Pastors Struggle with Friendship 25:40 Discovering Your Friendship Style 30:04 Your First Step Toward Making a New Friend 33:26 Book, Assessment, and Closing Thoughts Find practical tools for your ministry in our free resource collection. 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. Share this conversation with a friend you’re grateful to have in your life. Support the show

  7. Sep 14

    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

  8. 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
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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
    68
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Build the Church
  • Show Website
    Build the Church

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