Leading Conversations

What does a world champion roller skater, a transformative mission trip to India, and a text message church merger have in common? They're all part of Sean Arisco's extraordinary journey into church planting and leadership.

Sean's path began far from ministry, competing as a professional roller figure skater and representing the United States internationally. Though raised in a Christian home with early evangelistic zeal (preaching to strangers in grocery store lines), his teenage faith wandered until a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit at age 15 set him on a new trajectory. Despite initial plans to pursue law and politics, Sean found himself drawn to ministry through mentorship and a defining moment preaching to thousands in rural India.

The heart of Sean's story centers on his Sacramento church plant, launched just four weeks before COVID-19 shut everything down. From ambitious growth plans to watching attendance plummet, then rebuilding only to face the "California exodus" of families leaving the state—Sean's resilience through these challenges offers powerful lessons for ministry leaders. Perhaps most remarkable was the unexpected merger that began with a simple text message from another pastor and culminated in joining two congregations in just eight weeks.

Through these experiences, Sean discovered what truly matters in ministry: "Our calling is sacred, but it's not about the type of church we're building—it's about the person we're becoming." This profound realization came after recognizing his own spiritual depletion while building the church. His vulnerability in sharing how he'd grown distant from Jesus while growing his ministry serves as a powerful reminder that God's work in us always precedes His work through us.

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What happens when rigid religious rules collide with authentic faith? Jon Groves takes us on a remarkable journey from his beginnings as a fourth-generation preacher's kid to finding freedom beyond the confines of legalism.

At just eight years old, Jon delivered his first sermon standing on a stepping stool behind the pulpit. Growing up in an environment where shorts were forbidden, movies were sinful, and bacon was off-limits, he eventually found himself excommunicated from both family and church for daring to read from a non-King James Bible and incorporating contemporary worship music.

Through counseling and mentorship, Jon discovered a path forward that honored Scripture while embracing grace. His church planting journey—first without network support or significant funding, and now in Orlando, Florida's fourth most unchurched metropolitan area—reveals the power of putting relationship before religion.

Whether you're a seasoned ministry leader or someone searching for authentic faith beyond the boundaries of tradition, this conversation will challenge and inspire you to keep moving forward in your own journey.

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Rick McKinley's remarkable journey from partying at Chico State to establishing one of Portland's most influential churches reveals the transformative power of authentic faith and leadership. With refreshing candor, Rick shares how he wandered into a church on Palm Sunday thinking they were going to read his palm—a misunderstanding that ultimately led to a profound spiritual awakening.

Join us for this engaging conversation that will challenge your assumptions about church leadership, inspire you to embrace authentic ministry, and remind you of the foundational truth that might just transform everything: you are called to be loved, not merely used.

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What if your small church isn't broken? What if it's exactly the size it's meant to be?

In this illuminating conversation, third-generation pastor Karl Vaters shares his 32-year journey leading the same congregation and his revolutionary discovery that transformed his ministry: small churches aren't failed big churches—they're a strategic approach to effective ministry.

His message resonates deeply with the 90% of pastors leading congregations under 200 members: small isn't a problem to fix but a strategy to leverage. As Karl powerfully states, "Discipleship fixes everything" and "Integrity is the new competence"—challenging us to measure success not by attendance but by faithfulness and character.

Whether you lead a church of 50 or 5,000, Karl's wisdom will transform how you view effective ministry. Subscribe now and share this episode with a leader who needs this freeing perspective!

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What if the key to transforming a city isn't building bigger churches, but bringing existing ones together? Don Proctor has spent nearly two decades proving this principle as the Director of City Pastors Fellowship in Sacramento—arguably the strongest citywide pastoral network in America.

The story begins with a 20-year-old electrician taking a weekend job at an auto parts store. The owner's authentic faith—evident in how he treated customers, his family, and employees—made such an impression that it led Don to Christ. That experience of seeing genuine Christianity lived out would later shape Don's entire approach to ministry.

After marrying a pastor's daughter and unexpectedly stepping into ministry leadership (despite never having preached before!), Don eventually found his true calling: creating spaces where pastors across denominational lines could encourage each other without agendas or competition.

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Craig Whitney's journey from burned-out church planter to multiplication catalyst reveals powerful insights about sustainable ministry and leadership development. 

Whitney's story begins with a familiar path—growing up in a ministry family, experiencing a pivotal moment of faith at summer camp, and eventually planting a church at just 26 years old. But after seven years of ministry in Windsor, California, he hit a wall that many leaders face: complete burnout. 

What happened next proved transformative. A brief departure from ministry into the business world unexpectedly revolutionized Whitney's understanding of evangelism. He discovered that meaningful spiritual conversations happened naturally outside church walls—often initiated by others—challenging his preconceptions about how faith spreads in everyday settings.

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What happens when church becomes the last place people want to go? James Gleason never planned to become a senior pastor, but when a teen in his youth group pointed out how uninviting their church had become, something shifted. That realization launched him on a journey that would transform a congregation of 150 into a thriving church of nearly 2,000 while planting five additional churches.

Growing up with an unstable home life and constantly moving, James describes himself as a "reluctant convert" who initially pursued business before God redirected his path to ministry. His personal experience of brokenness and redemption fuels his passion for helping struggling churches find new life.

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Josephine "Jojo" Namudu's life story reads like a modern-day psalm of redemption and divine provision. From the red dirt of Uganda to the green landscape of Oregon, her journey reveals the transformative power of faith amid unimaginable hardship.

At just four years old, Jojo watched her mother die after a botched C-section when the family couldn't afford the $50 needed for corrective surgery. Living in a one-room mud hut with a thatched roof, sleeping on dirt floors, and often surviving on a single meal per day, Jojo and her siblings faced rejection from their stepmother after their father remarried. As the oldest daughter, she was forced to grow up quickly, shouldering responsibilities far beyond her years.

Today, Jojo serves as Pacific Northwest Representative for Serve Now, an organization operating in 30 countries that partners with local pastors to share Christ's love with vulnerable populations. Her leadership philosophy centers on leading yourself well before attempting to lead others, with accountability to God as the foundation.

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What happens when a punk drummer with a pompadour hairstyle starts questioning if Christianity might be a cult? Dan Kimball's spiritual journey unfolds as a testament to the power of honest inquiry and unexpected grace.

From a chance encounter with a gospel tract at Colorado State University to finding spiritual mentorship in a tiny elderly church in London, Kimball shares how his path to faith was shaped by intellectual curiosity rather than evangelistic pressure. When concerned friends staged an intervention, worried he was joining a cult, it only deepened his determination to discover the truth about Jesus for himself.

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What does it take to stay in pastoral ministry for over three decades? For Rene Schlaepfer of Twin Lakes Church in Santa Cruz, California, the answer might surprise you - a series of two-year commitments rather than a lifetime vow.

Rene's story begins with profound childhood trauma. At just four years old, his father died from cancer, leaving his Swiss immigrant mother barely speaking English and living below the poverty line with two small children. Through powerful stories of God's provision - like praying for milk one night and finding powdered milk on their doorstep the next morning - Renee shares how his mother's simple faith became the foundation for his own spiritual journey.

Today, Twin Lakes is experiencing something extraordinary - a wave of conversions among formerly unchurched people and committed atheists who report supernatural promptings to attend church. These testimonies serve as encouragement to pastors in difficult seasons: sometimes the harvest comes after decades of faithful sowing.

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