unSeminary Podcast Rich Birch

Thanks for joining in the unSeminary podcast. We’re talking with Joe Platania today, the Executive Pastor of Human Resources, Staff Development, and the Central Leadership Institute at Central Christian Church in Arizona.







Maintaining a healthy staff culture at a growing church is no small feat, particularly when you have multiple campuses. How do you lay a healthy foundation and build upon it well? Tune in as Joe shares a wealth of wisdom about leadership modeling, staff development, deep dives into organizational health, and more.









* Health starts at the top. // Functioning with a healthy staff culture all begins with the foundation being laid by the leadership. A church’s senior leadership needs to model healthy behaviors, being transparent, vulnerable, and accountable. These are the pillars that support a thriving organizational culture. At Central Christian they’ve also developed leadership promises, a set of commitments that guide their leaders in fostering this positive environment.







* Build it and then sustain it. // With the leadership creating a healthy foundation, it’s important to continue to cultivate that health by keeping the church in certain rhythms. Create a church calendar, policies, processes, and practices that keep the church moving forward in ways that sustain health, and then drive it through the organization. Build trust with your staff by addressing the problems they see. Ask them for feedback and then focus on process improvement.







* Be accountable with each other. // Some things that Joe and his team worked on to improve their team culture at Central Christian were leadership promises, model clarity, and role clarity. Every January the leadership go through a 360 review process based on the leadership promises, which allows staff to provide feedback and keeps leadership accountable.







* Maintain alignment. // One of the most challenging aspects of a multisite church is maintaining alignment and role clarity across campuses. Like other churches, Central Christian has their mission and vision. However, they are also crystal clear about being a centralized model of ministry and ensuring decisions, staff roles and job descriptions across their campuses support that model.







* Deep dive with your team. // Joe maintains organizational health by meeting with his ministry teams for “deep dives”. These data-gathering sessions are crucial for celebrating wins, measuring important metrics, evaluating systems and processes, assessing leadership effectiveness, and pinpointing areas for improvement. The data collected from these sessions is then used to develop actionable plans and measure the success of implemented solutions.









Learn more about Central Christian Church at www.centralaz.com and click here to download a Team Reflection Deep Dive PDF which details the six deep dive questions that Joe discusses.







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This is part four of an ongoing series where we explore the “Goldilocks growth rate”—a concept aimed at helping churches grow at a pace that’s impactful yet sustainable.







Understanding the Goldilocks Growth Rate







The Goldilocks growth rate is all about balancing rapid growth with the ability to effectively integrate new members into your church community. The goal is to grow faster than the natural population increase in your community while avoiding burnout among your team. To maintain momentum, churches must address the inevitable 15% attrition rate caused by people moving away, disagreements, or life changes.







Three Crucial Metrics









* 15% Attrition Rate: This is a baseline assumption. Every church loses about 15% of its members annually due to various reasons.







* 3% Documented New Guests Weekly: For a church of 1,000, this means capturing contact information for 30 new guests each week.







* 26% Retention Rate: Retaining 26% of new guests to become regular attendees is essential. This helps achieve an overall growth rate of 26%.









When these metrics are met consistently over 1,000 days, a church can effectively double its size.







Focus on the Front Door







Many churches concentrate on retention (the back door) but often overlook the importance of attracting new visitors (the front door). Most churches need to increase their efforts on inviting and documenting new guests to ensure sustainable growth. Simple yet effective strategies to enhance your church’s invite culture include:









* Shareable Weekend Teaching: Make your weekend messages compelling and easily shareable to encourage congregants to invite their friends.







* Eventful Big Days: Leverage special events like Christmas and Easter when people are more likely to invite their friends.







* Captivating Online Conversations: Engage with your community online to spark discussions and keep people connected.







* Magnetic Community Service: Organize community service events that attract both volunteers and attendees.







* Appealing Volunteer Experience: Create volunteer opportunities that are enjoyable and fulfilling, encouraging participants to invite others.









Resources to Boost Your Church’s Growth







To support churches in these efforts, we offer two key resources:









* “Unlocking Your Church’s Invite Culture“: This book provides a primer on the five gears of invite culture, offering practical examples and strategies.







* Church Growth Incubator: A year-long program featuring bi-monthly calls, quarterly intensives, and two in-person retreats to equip church leaders with the latest research and proven tactics for growth.









Success Stories and Proven Results







Churches participating in the Church Growth Incubator have seen remarkable results, with an average of 4.22% documented new guests weekly, far surpassing the 3% target. This significant increase translates to over 2,000 new guests annually for a church of 1,000 members, showcasing the effectiveness of sustained, strategic efforts.







Read the Book







Unlock the potential of your church’s invite culture with our latest book, “Unlocking Your Church’s Invite Culture“. This book is designed to be a practical guide for you and your team,

Welcome back to the unSeminary podcast. Today we’re talking with Gail Ewell a leader at Bay Area Christian Church and Hope Technology School.







Gail’s story is one of personal struggle and triumph. As a mother of children with special needs, she faced significant challenges in attending church. Her experiences shed light on the isolation and strain that families with special needs often endure. It was through these personal trials that Gail’s passion for inclusivity within the church was ignited.







Tune in as Gail shares how the simple step of a church extending friendship can transform a community.









* Focus on the isolation and strain. // It’s estimated that about one in five children are neurodivergent and yet 85% of churches don’t have ministries that can support them. In California, 1 in 22 children are diagnosed with autism and other types of disabilities are on the rise. Bay Area Christian Church (BACC) is committed to inclusivity and working to address the isolation and strain of special needs families.







* Spiritual Resource Ministry. // It’s not uncommon for parents and children to miss church because it can be difficult to attend with a child’s special needs. BACC has developed spiritual resource ministries which promote the inclusion of people and families with special needs so that they don’t feel isolated. It began with smaller classes that are more sensory-friendly and include both neurotypical and neurodivergent children. From there it grew to creating E-sports and E-life which offer inclusive programs for a variety of activities, from soccer and karate to gardening and photography.







* Partner with others. // Because the goal is to include rather than segregate, Bay Area Christian partners with other youth ministries, professional sports teams, guest speakers and more. Identify the needs in your community and the gifting in your church and how you can pair the two together. Partner with organizations, schools, ministries, businesses and teams in your area to provide inclusive opportunities for children with special needs.







* Start small. // Gail encourages churches that feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin to start small. Extend friendship to the special needs community in your area because there is often a friendship deficit here. Anyone can give the gift of listening or friendship. Not only are you building relationships among the children, but their families also benefit from being able to connect with others.







* Provide training. // The success of inclusive programs is largely dependent on the volunteers who bring them to life. Gail emphasizes the importance of training these individuals, underscoring the biblical principles of friendship, encouragement and support for the vulnerable. Recognizing and appreciating these volunteers is crucial, as they are the ones who make a tangible difference in the lives of special needs individuals and their families.







* Seek understanding. // If you’re facing challenges and concerns, open a dialogue with the family affected by special needs in order to know how to best interact with their child. Seek to understand what is needed and what you may not have considered in your program or outreach.







* Meeting a critical need. // While it can feel intimidating to step onto the path of developing a spiritual resource ministry, Gail encourages churches to just begin. Remote areas may not have a lot of services for special needs children and families. There’s a big opportunity for churches to step in and offer purpose and occasions for inclusion. It begins with a heart to love people, extend friendship and meet a need.

This week, we delve into the highlights of the XP Summit 2024, or XPS, as it’s affectionately known within the executive pastor community. Held at the vibrant Flatirons Church in Denver, this year’s event was a powerhouse of insights, connections, and practical takeaways for church leaders. Here are some key points from my solo podcast episode recapping the event.







The Essence of XPS







The XP Summit is an annual gathering that brings together executive pastors from across the country to share, learn, and grow. While the content is always top-notch, what truly sets XPS apart is the emphasis on building lasting relationships. It’s not just about what you learn, but who you meet. These connections become invaluable when navigating the inevitable challenges of church leadership.







Organizational Doubt: A Model for Understanding







One of the standout sessions was led by Jesse DeYoung, the lead executive pastor at Flatirons Church. Jesse unpacked a fascinating model for understanding organizational doubt, breaking it down into five levels:









* Suspended Doubt: Complete confidence in the organization.







* Operational Doubt: Questions about the efficiency of processes.







* Ideological Doubt: Concerns about the mission and relevance of the organization.







* Ethical Doubt: Doubts about the integrity or capability of leadership.







* Absolute Doubt: Pervasive doubt affecting all aspects of the organization.









Jesse emphasized the importance of addressing doubts early, as unresolved doubts can escalate, ultimately leading to disengagement or departures. A key takeaway was that individuals often express doubt one level higher than they actually feel, making it crucial to dig deeper into their concerns.







Check out Jesse’ past podcast: Rebuilding a Team Culture That Was Broken with Jesse DeYoung







Leadership Stages: Seasons of Contribution







Lee Coates from Las Vegas presented a compelling framework for understanding the different stages of leadership based on age and contribution:









* Prince/Princess (18-25 years): Driven by passion and curiosity but prone to entitlement.







* Warrior/Warrioress (25-40 years): Focused on energy and purpose, with burnout as a potential dark side.







* King/Queen (40-60 years): Valued for experience and direction but must guard against disengagement.







* Sage/Muse (60+ years): Offer wisdom and advisory support, yet must avoid pushing personal agendas.









Lee highlighted the importance of recognizing and nurturing the unique contributions of leaders at each stage, ensuring a balanced and effective team.







Check out Lee’s past episode: Reflecting on Seasons of Life, Leadership & Their Impact on Your Team with Lee Coate







Target Audiences: Actual vs. Aspirational







Kayra Montañez from Liquid Church shared insightful strategies on identifying and targeting different audience segments. Liquid Church focuses on both actual and aspirational target audiences to align their ministry efforts effectively. The key groups they are addressing include:

Thanks for joining us for the unSeminary podcast. We’re welcoming back Phil Taylor, a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in various pastoral roles and a passion for helping pastors turn vision into reality, which he does through his ministry, Backstage Pastors.







Tune in as Phil shares insights on the importance of the Executive Pastor’s role in the church and how they can build their relationship with the staff and Lead Pastor.









* The Executive Pastor role. // Over the last ten years, there’s been a big shift in churches accepting and understanding the need for the executive pastor (XP) role. Churches recognize that they are more effective when they have strong second-chair leaders that have both the skills and authority to make change happen. Many churches now have multiple executive pastors, often dividing responsibilities between ministry and operations. Sometimes an XP even takes on more of a co-pastor role with the lead teaching pastor.







* When do you need an XP? // Deciding whether a church needs an executive pastor can be based on the style of the lead pastor. A big vision thinker will often need an executive pastor to work with him sooner. A lead pastor who is more comfortable thinking strategically about details may be able to get by longer without an XP. But when you get to the 1500 range in attendance, Phil recommends that your church explores hiring an executive pastor.







* Be attentive to the soul. // Phil has found, in his coaching work, that executive pastors aren’t always as attentive to their own souls as they could be, being focused more on getting things done. Given the task-oriented nature of XPs, they must be intentional about attending to their emotional and spiritual well-being. The updated edition of Phil’s book, Defining the Executive Pastor Role, delves into this crucial topic, encouraging leaders to cultivate emotional intelligence and engage in spiritual disciplines, such as observing a sabbath.







* Be aware of your impact on the staff. // Because executive pastors tend to be more driven and high capacity, it can create feelings of unrest on the church staff when people feel they need to be doing as much as the executive pastor. Don’t make others feel guilty for being gifted differently. Approach your people with a soul-focused attitude, and step back from the focus on the work, turning again to worship.







* Ease into the role. // Two of the chapters in Phil’s book talk about next steps for the new or aspiring executive pastor and their first year in a new church. One thing new executive pastors often forget is that people can struggle with change. Don’t jump into making a lot of changes in your first year unless they are immediately necessary; rather, take time to earn trust.







* Build the LP/XP relationship. // The relationship between the executive pastor and the lead pastor is the most important one in the church because it sets the tone for the church and the staff culture. It requires weekly time together, open communication, honesty, and a commitment to avoiding triangulation. It’s essential to honor each other publicly and work collaboratively to steer the church towards its vision.







* Plain Joe Studios. // Another way that Phil helps pastors turn vision to reality is with his work at Plain Joe Studios. Plain Joe helps churches, Christian schools, and not-for-profits tell their stories more effectively. They have a personality profile that can help churches better understand who they are and how they are different from other churches in their city.









You can find Phil’s updated edition of Defining the Executive Pastor Role on a href="https://www.amazon.

We’re aiming for what might be called the Goldilocks growth rate—quick enough to make a substantial impact but sustainable so it doesn’t overwhelm your resources or team. To achieve this, we’ve identified that retaining 26% of new guests is pivotal.







To effectively double a church’s attendance from 1,000 to 2,000 members over 1,000 days, or about three years, it’s crucial to focus on both attracting and retaining new guests. Aiming for a 3% increase in new guests weekly means approximately 30 new guests each week for a church of 1,000 members, totalling about 1,560 new guests annually. The goal is to retain 26% of these guests, which translates to around 406 individuals becoming regular attendees over the year. This strategic approach of engaging and retaining new guests is essential for meeting the ambitious growth target and ensuring a vibrant, expanding church community. These figures highlight the importance of a structured engagement pathway that supports sustainable growth through clear, actionable steps.







The Concept of Engagement Over Assimilation







We’re shifting the focus from assimilation—a somewhat outdated and impersonal concept—to engagement, which centers on the guest’s active participation and integration into the church community. This strategic pivot is more about inviting people into an ongoing interaction rather than merging them into a pre-set mold.







The Three “Ones” of an Effective Engagement Pathway









* One Experience: Create a clear, engaging first step for newcomers. This could be a simple event or orientation session designed to introduce new guests to the church community. Examples include “GT in 60” or “Welcome to Liquid,” which are tailored to be straightforward and accessible.







* One Next Step: Encourage a single, clear next action for newcomers. Focusing on team involvement over group participation initially can be more effective in building connections and integrating new members into active roles within the church.







* One Connection Team: Establish a dedicated team responsible for maintaining and nurturing the connections made during the initial engagement. This team ensures newcomers feel valued and are smoothly transitioned into their chosen areas of involvement, with regular check-ins and personal attention.









Avoiding Common Pitfalls









* The Velcro Myth: Beware of creating too many entry points, which can dilute the focus and effectiveness of your engagement strategy.







* Shiny Object Syndrome: Stick to proven strategies rather than constantly shifting to new trends or ideas, which can disrupt the continuity and stability necessary for sustained growth.









Call to Action







We discussed how to incrementally increase your church’s capacity to welcome and retain new guests, focusing on the importance of regularly scheduled connection events and the need for a cohesive, community-oriented approach.







We look forward to seeing how your church can implement these practices to not only grow in numbers but also deepen the sense of community and belonging among its members.







In this episode, we also reference into the innovative approaches of Greg Curtis from Climbing the Assimilayas. Greg’s insights into church engagement are reshaping how churches think about integration and connection. His coaching and courses offer deep dives into effective strategies that can help your church not only grow in numbers but also in community strength and cohesion. If you’re looking to further explore and master the art of church ...