The OutStand Podcast

Why do strong Christian men still struggle with anxiety, mental health, fitness, and taking care of themselves?

Hunter Sprague, founder of Monolith, joins Chandler Boyce for an honest conversation about Christian men, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, mental health, fitness, fatherhood, faith, resilience, and what it actually means to become a strong man.

Hunter nearly lost his left arm in a devastating childhood accident at eight years old. Although he recovered physically, the experience helped shape a pattern of fear and catastrophic thinking that followed him into adulthood.

Years later, during what should have been one of the best seasons of his life, Hunter found himself battling severe anxiety, panic, intrusive thoughts, and OCD. He was newly married, preparing to become a father, working in ministry, buying a house, and carrying more responsibility than ever before.

From the outside, everything looked good.

Internally, he was struggling.

Hunter shares what finally pushed him to ask for help, how counseling and understanding what was happening in his mind changed his recovery, and why Christian men should never confuse isolation with strength.

Chandler and Hunter also dive into the connection between faith, fitness, physical health, mental health, and biblical stewardship. They discuss why taking care of your body does not have to be vanity, why fitness cannot replace mental health care, and why men should build strong relationships before they find themselves in crisis.

The conversation also explores fatherhood and generational patterns. Hunter explains how becoming a father changed the way he viewed his own childhood and why dealing honestly with our wounds can change what we pass down to the next generation.

Hunter also shares the story behind leaving full-time ministry and building Monolith, a movement focused on helping men become stronger, healthier, more resilient, and more available to the people around them.

They talk about false humility, playing small, using the gifts God has given you, pursuing difficult things, building community among Christian men, and developing a life where you actually have something to give.

This is a conversation about becoming stronger spiritually, mentally, physically, relationally, and professionally without pretending you have everything figured out.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Nearly losing his arm at eight years old

• Childhood trauma and catastrophic thinking

• Anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, and intrusive thoughts

• Why unwanted thoughts do not define you

• Faith, counseling, and mental health

• Why Christian men need to ask for help

• Fitness, physical health, and stewardship

• Building community before a crisis

• Fatherhood and generational healing

• Biblical masculinity and independence

• Leaving full-time ministry

• Starting Monolith

• Faith, fitness, and resilience

• False humility and playing small

• Building stronger Christian men

• Why men need something to give

ABOUT HUNTER SPRAGUEHunter Sprague is the founder of Monolith, a movement focused on helping men become stronger, more resilient, and more intentional across the areas of life that matter most.

His journey through childhood trauma, anxiety, ministry, fatherhood, fitness, and entrepreneurship shaped his conviction that men need more than good intentions. They need strength, discipline, community, and the capacity to serve the people God has placed around them.

Connect with Hunter and Monolith:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/monolithmovement/

SPONSORED BY MARKETING CO-OP

This episode of The OutStand Podcast is sponsored by Marketing Co-op.

Marketing Co-op helps churches, Christian ministries, schools, camps, and nonprofits reach more people through digital marketing.

From Google Ads and Google Ad Grants to SEO, YouTube, websites, and digital strategy, Marketing Co-op helps faith-based organizations get discovered by the people already searching for what they offer.

Learn more:

https://marketingco-op.co

ABOUT THE OUTSTAND PODCAST

The OutStand Podcast, hosted by Chandler Boyce, features conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, creators, leaders, and people who refuse to simply blend in.

We talk about faith, leadership, business, ministry, culture, discipline, personal growth, overcoming adversity, and what it takes to build a life that matters.

Most people fit in. A few decide to OutStand.

CONNECT WITH CHANDLER

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@ChandlerBoyce

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/chandlerdboyce/

Website:

https://chandlerboyce.com/

Topics: Christian men, Christian masculinity, anxiety, Christian mental health, men’s mental health, intrusive thoughts, OCD, Christian counseling, faith and fitness, Christian fitness, men’s health, fatherhood, resilience, biblical masculinity, leadership, Monolith, Hunter Sprague, Christian podcast

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

In this episode of The OutStand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Omar El-Takrori for a wide-ranging conversation about faith, business, content, calling, money, leadership, grief, and what it takes to build something meaningful without losing what matters most.

Omar El-Takrori is an entrepreneur, content creator, pastor, speaker, and founder of The Video Department. After years of helping build Think Media and becoming one of the most recognizable voices in the creator education space, Omar stepped out on his own and built a seven-figure business helping creators, entrepreneurs, and business owners grow their brands, communicate more effectively, and turn their expertise into profitable offers.

Omar shares the season that changed the trajectory of his life and business, including the moment he realized he was dramatically undervaluing his gift, the $55,000 investment he made in mentorship, and why learning to charge what he was actually worth changed everything.

Chandler and Omar talk about why so many Christians struggle with money and pricing, why being the cheapest option can actually hurt your business, and why positioning yourself as premium can allow you to serve people at a higher level.

They also unpack Omar’s transition away from Think Media, what it felt like to outgrow a role that had played such an important part in his story, and why sometimes you have to step out before you fully understand what comes next.

The conversation goes deeper into the tension between ministry and marketplace. Omar explains why he believes more people are called to both than they realize, how he uncovered his own voice as a communicator, and why a desire to preach, teach, create, or lead should be cultivated instead of suppressed.

Omar also shares openly about losing his father, the grief that followed, and how that loss affected his marriage, creativity, business, and perspective on success. He talks about the importance of continuing to give even during difficult seasons and why generosity can help pull you out of a place of isolation or apathy.

Throughout the episode, Omar shares practical lessons on business, content, personal branding, communication, relationships, and leadership, including why most social media engagement is silent, why you should launch before everything is perfect, and why the conversations you consistently have can shape the life you eventually build.

If you are an entrepreneur, pastor, creator, ministry leader, or someone trying to figure out how faith, business, money, and calling fit together, this episode is for you.

Topics include:

Omar’s transition from Think Media, building a seven-figure business, charging what you’re worth, premium positioning, mentorship, personal branding, content creation, ministry and marketplace, preaching, leadership, grief, generosity, communication, and what real success looks like.
Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The OutStand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations
Sponsored ByThis episode is sponsored by Local Church Media.Local Church Media helps churches save time and elevate their visuals with affordable, high-quality church graphics, sermon series packages, videos, social media assets, and customizable media resources. Spend less time creating content and more time building relationships.Learn more at https://localchurchmedia.com/

Subscribe to The OutStand Podcast for more conversations on faith, leadership, ministry, growth, culture, and what it really takes to outstand the rest.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

How Craig Brown Reached Millions With the Gospel Through Social MediaCraig Brown started posting Bible videos every day when almost nobody was watching. His early videos received as few as five views. Thirteen months later, he had reached one million followers and built one of the largest Christian audiences on TikTok.

In this episode of The OutStand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Craig Brown for an honest conversation about digital missions, Christian influence, obedience, discipleship, and the responsibility churches and Christian creators have to reach people online.

Craig Brown is a pastor, traveling preacher, digital missionary, and leader of Logikos Ministries. What began as a simple commitment to help people read and understand the Bible has grown into a global ministry reaching millions of people every month through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other digital platforms.

Craig shares how God challenged him to publish one Bible video every day for an entire year, even if only one person watched. He explains how his early videos struggled to get attention, why he continued posting anyway, and how one simple TikTok about Philippians 4 reached approximately 200,000 people in only a few days.

But this conversation is about far more than followers and views.

Craig tells the story of presenting the gospel during a Good Friday livestream and discovering that 115 people had responded by writing, “That was me.” He also explains how approximately 10,000 people have since completed a follow-up process identifying themselves as making a first-time commitment or recommitment to Jesus through the ministry’s online content.

Chandler and Craig talk openly about what churches and Christian influencers often get wrong about social media. Instead of simply posting announcements, sermon clips, or content designed to grow an audience, Craig challenges Christian leaders to create clear next steps that lead people toward salvation, discipleship, biblical community, and a local church.

They also discuss why 200 views should never be considered a failure, how to handle criticism from Christians and non-Christians, the danger of building influence for personal recognition, and why success means obeying God even when the world thinks you are failing.

Craig also shares the vision behind a new network designed to equip pastors, Christian creators, and digital missionaries to steward their online influence for real ministry.

If you are a pastor, church leader, Christian creator, or believer who wants to use social media to make disciples instead of simply gaining followers, this episode will challenge the way you think about influence.

CONNECT WITH CRAIG BROWN:

Logikos Ministries: https://logikosministries.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@acraigbrown

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acraigbrown/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@acraigbrown

The Theomatic Podcast: https://www.thetheomaticpodcast.com/

Digital Missionary Network: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH CHANDLER BOYCE:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChandlerBoyce

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chandlerboyce/

Website: https://chandlerboyce.com/

Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The OutStand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donationsSponsored By

• This episode is sponsored by Local Church Media.
• Local Church Media helps churches save time and elevate their visuals with affordable, high-quality church graphics, sermon series packages, videos, social media assets, and customizable media resources. Spend less time creating content and more time building relationships.
• Learn more at https://localchurchmedia.com/

Subscribe to The OutStand Podcast for more conversations on faith, leadership, ministry, growth, culture, and what it really takes to outstand the rest.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

A Warning to the American Church From Canadian Pastor Brett Esslinger

In this episode of The Outstand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Canadian pastor, author, and church leader Brett Esslinger for an urgent conversation about religious freedom, courageous leadership, Canada’s changing cultural climate, and why the American Church should pay close attention to what is happening north of the border.

Brett Esslinger is the senior pastor of Saints Church, a multisite church serving communities throughout the Edmonton region. He is also an author, leadership coach, former songwriter, church planter, and a trusted voice to pastors across Canada. After nearly two decades in ministry, Brett has experienced church planting, church mergers, organizational challenges, cultural opposition, and the personal cost of building something that lasts.

Chandler and Brett discuss Canada’s Bill C-9, the removal of a longstanding religious-text defense from the country’s hate-propaganda laws, and the concerns many religious leaders have about its potential chilling effect on biblical preaching and religious expression. Brett shares why he felt compelled to speak publicly, even though he never intended to become known as a political pastor.

This conversation is not a call for churches to build their identity around politics, outrage, or constantly fighting culture. Brett explains why pastors must combine courage with wisdom, seek trustworthy legal counsel, understand the laws governing their churches, and boldly preach the full counsel of Scripture without allowing fear to determine what they will or will not say.

They also discuss the danger of building a church around a common enemy. Brett warns that when a church’s entire culture is built around fighting, the people it attracts may eventually turn that same posture toward its leaders. Courageous leadership requires more than reacting to controversy. It requires a deeper foundation of truth, mission, discipleship, service, and genuine community.

Brett shares how Saints Church has built meaningful influence by identifying practical needs and serving its cities exceptionally well. What began with a church-operated bus transporting people to a local food bank eventually grew into a CityServe ministry that has distributed more than $12 million in goods through over 300 community partners throughout the Edmonton region.

Chandler and Brett also explore the unique opportunity churches have to influence their communities by building relationships with local leaders, joining boards and commissions, serving in schools and community organizations, and encouraging Christians to take responsibility for the places where God has positioned them.

The conversation also covers the differences between planting and merging churches, leading in Canada versus the United States, the strengths of pastors serving smaller communities, the realities of Canada’s healthcare system, generosity, church regulation, limiting mindsets, and why changing an existing culture is often harder than building a new one.

Brett closes with a direct challenge to pastors and Christian leaders: You are not where you are by accident. God has placed you in this moment, in your city, and in your nation for a reason. The question is whether you will shrink back in fear or have the courage to faithfully lead, speak, serve, and act.

If you are a pastor, ministry leader, church planter, or Christian concerned about religious freedom, biblical truth, church leadership, and the future of the Church in Canada and the United States, this is a conversation you need to hear.

Connect with Brett and Saints Church: https://www.saintschurch.ca/

Connect with Chandler: https://chandlerboyce.com/

Instagram: @ChandlerDBoyce

YouTube: @ChandlerBoyce

Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The OutStand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Sponsored By

This episode is sponsored by Local Church Media.

Local Church Media helps churches save time and elevate their visuals with affordable, high-quality church graphics, sermon series packages, videos, social media assets, and customizable media resources. Spend less time creating content and more time building relationships.

Learn more at Localchurchmedia.com

Subscribe to The OutStand Podcast for more conversations on faith, leadership, ministry, growth, culture, and what it really takes to outstand the rest.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

From Militant Atheist to Jesus: Geoff Barker’s 7-Year Search for Truth

In this episode of The OutStand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Geoff Barker for one of the wildest and most unbelievable testimonies ever shared on the podcast. Geoff’s journey took him from serving as a British Royal Marine Commando to becoming an Australian television personality, successful entrepreneur, author, and recognizable media figure. He experienced fame, money, influence, celebrity culture, and nearly everything the world says should make someone happy.

None of it filled the void.

Geoff was a militant atheist who studied Christianity and other religions so he could argue against them. After reaching the heights of success and still feeling empty, Geoff and his wife made a decision that most people would consider unthinkable. They gave away nearly everything they owned, handed their businesses to the people who helped build them, climbed into a van with their young daughter, and began traveling the world in search of the meaning of life.

For seven years, Geoff explored religions, philosophies, spiritual traditions, and alternative worldviews across 33 countries. He studied Buddhism and Taoism, practiced meditation, spent time with gurus, Hare Krishnas, shamans, witches, and spiritual communities, and participated in rituals most people would never attempt.

He was not searching for a religion that made him feel better. He was determined to find the truth or prove that no real answer existed.

After seven years, Geoff was ready to conclude that the atheists were right. Then, during one final 40-day experiment, he decided to give the Christian God an honest opportunity.

What happened next changed everything.

Chandler and Geoff talk openly about the emptiness of fame, why success cannot heal what is broken inside us, what Geoff discovered inside the world’s major religions, the moment his view of Christians began to change, and the encounter with Jesus that transformed what money, achievement, self-help, and spirituality never could.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Geoff’s childhood between a Christian mother and militant atheist father
• Becoming a British Royal Marine Commando and earning the Green Beret
• Beating thousands of competitors to become an Australian Gladiator
• Building successful businesses and working alongside celebrities
• Why fame, money, drugs, parties, and influence never filled the void
• The passage from Ecclesiastes that forced Geoff to reconsider his life
• Giving away nearly everything and leaving in a van with his family
• Spending seven years and traveling through 33 countries in search of truth
• Exploring Buddhism, Taoism, meditation, New Age spirituality, witchcraft, Hare Krishna practices, and other traditions
• What Geoff discovered that many religions have in common
• Why spiritual experiences and meditation still left him empty
• The moment Geoff realized he had judged Christianity without honestly investigating it
• Why he began seeing Christians as seekers instead of hypocrites
• The stranger who stopped him from becoming a renunciate
• Geoff’s final 40-day experiment to find the truth
• The overwhelming encounter that led him to Jesus
• Why the Bible suddenly became different from every other spiritual book he had studied
• How Geoff’s wife encountered Jesus three months later
• Why Christians cannot argue an atheist into following Jesus
• What parents of prodigals need to remember
• Why the modern church can become theatrical without becoming transformational
• What Geoff believes most Christians are afraid to do

Whether you are a Christian, atheist, skeptic, pastor, church leader, parent of a prodigal, or someone searching for the meaning of life, this episode will challenge your assumptions and remind you that no person is beyond the reach of Jesus.

Follow Geoff Barker and learn more about his work:

• Website: https://www.geoffbarker.com/
• The Life Change Experiment: https://www.thelifechangeexperiment.com/
• Hope Is Alive: https://www.hopeisalive.net/

Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The OutStand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Sponsored By

• This episode is sponsored by Local Church Media.
• Local Church Media helps churches save time and elevate their visuals with affordable, high-quality church graphics, sermon series packages, videos, social media assets, and customizable media resources. Spend less time creating content and more time building relationships.
• Learn more at https://localchurchmedia.com/

Subscribe to The OutStand Podcast for more conversations on faith, leadership, ministry, growth, culture, and what it really takes to outstand the rest.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

In this episode of The OutStand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Jeremiah Hicks for a bold and honest conversation about abortion, racism, Christian courage, the church’s silence, and why pastors and believers can no longer avoid the difficult conversations shaping our culture.

Jeremiah Hicks is a pastor, preacher, husband, father, speaker, and creator based in Kansas City. Known for his bold online content and street-level conversations with people who often disagree with him, Jeremiah has built a growing platform by addressing the topics many Christians, pastors, and churches are afraid to touch. He is unapologetically Christian, deeply committed to truth, and passionate about reaching people with both conviction and compassion.

Chandler and Jeremiah talk openly about why so many Christians and pastors shy away from difficult topics like abortion, racism, sexuality, politics, and cultural compromise. Jeremiah shares why he believes many churches have stopped fearing God and started fearing comment sections, why silence is not neutral, and why the church must recover the courage to speak truth with grace.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Abortion, racism, and the topics pastors are afraid to touch
• Why Christians can no longer stay silent on cultural issues
• How foster care and childhood pain shaped Jeremiah Hicks’ faith
• Why silence can become compromise
• The difference between winning arguments and winning people
• How to have hard conversations with humility and conviction
• Why many churches fear criticism more than they fear God
• The role of truth, grace, and courage in Christian leadership
• Why racism has no place in the body of Christ
• How pastors should respond to controversial cultural moments
• Why the gospel confronts before it comforts
• What it means to speak truth without being controlled by people’s opinions
• How Christians can engage culture without compromising conviction

Whether you are a pastor, church leader, Christian creator, believer, parent, or someone trying to navigate the tension of faith and culture, this episode will help you think deeply about what it means to follow Jesus with courage, speak truth with love, and refuse to stay silent when the world needs the gospel.

Follow Jeremiah Hicks and learn more about his work:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremiah_hicks/
• Website: https://www.jeremiahhicks.org/

Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The OutStand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Sponsored By

This episode is sponsored by Local Church Media.

Local Church Media helps churches save time and elevate their visuals with affordable, high-quality church graphics, sermon series packages, videos, social media assets, and customizable media resources. Spend less time creating content and more time building relationships.

Learn more at Localchurchmedia.com

Subscribe to The OutStand Podcast for more conversations on faith, leadership, ministry, growth, culture, and what it really takes to outstand the rest.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

In this episode of The Outstand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Nick Newman, pastor, church planter, author, entrepreneur, coach, and founder of Selah Leaders.

Nick’s story is almost hard to believe. He started using drugs at twelve years old, was selling and running product by high school, and eventually found himself facing an estimated 40 to 60 years in prison. Then one encounter with Jesus changed everything. Nick went from addiction, drug charges, and hopelessness to preaching, pastoring, and planting a church in the same town where he once caused chaos. He even planted that church in the same school he had been kicked out of.

But this conversation is not just about Nick’s redemption story. It is about calling, obedience, small-town church planting, leadership, rest, pastoral health, and what it really takes to finish well. Nick shares how God opened impossible doors in his life, how he and his wife planted Propel Church in their early twenties, why small towns still matter deeply to the mission of God, and why pastors must stop making sacrifices God never asked them to make.

This episode also gets honest about the pressure leaders carry, the lie that “it’s lonely at the top,” the difference between spiritual fathers and mentors, and why learning to pause might be one of the most spiritual things a pastor can do.

If you are a pastor, church planter, ministry leader, Christian entrepreneur, or someone who needs to be reminded that God can redeem any story and still use your life with purpose, this episode will challenge you, encourage you, and call you back to a healthier way of leading.

Because God does not just call leaders to start well. He calls them to finish well.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of drug addiction, legal trouble, ministry burnout, and suicide.

Topics covered in this episode:

Nick Newman’s story of addiction, drug dealing, and encountering Jesus

Facing an estimated 40 to 60 years in prison and watching God change the outcome

What happened the night Nick gave his life to Jesus and immediately led his first Bible study

How God opened doors that Nick never could have opened on his own

Planting a church at 22 years old with his wife

Why Nick planted Propel Church in the same town where he once caused chaos

The beauty and challenge of small-town church planting

Why population size does not determine ministry impact

How Propel Church has seen more than 1,200 decisions and over 400 baptisms

Why copying big-city church strategies does not always work in rural communities

What pastors misunderstand about calling, sacrifice, and obedience

How God uses what is already in your hands to fund what He put in your heart

Building God’s house without neglecting your own

Why rest is essential for longevity in leadership

The story behind Selah Leaders and why Nick started serving pastors through getaways

How leaders can avoid burnout and build sustainable rhythms

Why “it’s lonely at the top” is one of the biggest lies leaders believe

The difference between spiritual fathers and mentors

Why every mentor Nick has had is someone he intentionally pursued

What pastors need to hear if they feel like they cannot afford to pause

One idea every pastor, church leader, and Christian entrepreneur needs to consider

Connect with Nick Newman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psnicknewman/

Website: https://nicknewman.com/

Books by Nick Newman: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nick-Newman/author/B0829DH64M?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=463651ff-e9ef-44d8-b72f-6dfa7888793f

Selah Leaders: https://selahleaders.com/

Connect with The Outstand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Sponsored By

This episode is sponsored by Local Church Media.

Local Church Media helps busy church leaders spend less time creating content and more time building relationships by providing unlimited church graphics, videos, sermon series packages, countdowns, bumper videos, and media resources in one place. Whether your church needs sermon series artwork, social media graphics, service visuals, or affordable creative support, Local Church Media exists to help churches communicate better without burning out their staff or blowing the budget.

Learn more at https://localchurchmedia.com/

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

In this episode of The Outstand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Tim Alcorn for a raw and honest conversation about church hurt, staff transitions, ministry identity, and finding purpose after leaving full-time ministry.

Tim Alcorn is the founder of Social Ground Foundation, a marketing and media agency built to help mission-driven organizations, nonprofits, churches, and schools grow their visibility and move their mission forward. But before building his agency, Tim spent years serving in church ministry, from running sound as a kid to leading youth, worship, creative, and pastoral ministry roles.

This conversation unpacks what happens when your ministry role ends, but your calling does not.

Chandler and Tim talk openly about the emotional weight of leaving church staff, the identity crisis that can follow ministry transitions, and why so many pastors, church staff members, and ministry leaders struggle when a season comes to an end. They also discuss the difference between being released and being blessed, how to leave a church well, and why the way leaders handle staff transitions matters more than many realize.

Tim shares what he wishes he had done differently during his ministry transitions, including the importance of communicating early, seeking wise counsel, honoring leadership, and refusing to slander the church or its leaders on the way out. Chandler and Tim also talk about forgiveness, reconciliation, and why church hurt should not become a reason to disconnect from the body of Christ.

This episode also explores the tension between ministry and the marketplace. Tim shares how God used entrepreneurship, family, and mission-driven marketing to help him rediscover purpose after leaving full-time paid ministry. Together, Chandler and Tim challenge the idea that calling must always come with a paycheck and remind listeners that ministry can happen in the church, in business, in your family, and wherever God has placed you.

If you have ever served on church staff, experienced church hurt, walked through a painful transition, questioned your calling, or wondered who you are after ministry changes, this conversation will encourage you, challenge you, and help you process what it looks like to heal, forgive, rebuild, and keep following God.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Church hurt and how to process it in a healthy way
• What happens when a church staff role ends
• Finding purpose after leaving full-time ministry
• The identity crisis many pastors and ministry leaders experience
• How to leave a church or staff position well
• Why communication with leadership matters during transition
• The difference between being released and being blessed
• Why your calling is bigger than your paycheck
• How ministry and entrepreneurship can work together
• The importance of family, humility, forgiveness, and reconciliation

Whether you are a pastor, church staff member, ministry leader, Christian entrepreneur, or someone walking through a difficult church transition, this episode will help you remember that your role can change without your calling disappearing.

Follow Tim Alcorn and learn more about his work:

Social Ground Foundation: https://www.socialgroundfoundation.org/

Follow Tim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timothyalcorn/

Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations
Sponsored By

This episode is sponsored by Local Church Media

This episode is sponsored by Local Church Media, helping churches save time and elevate their visuals with affordable, high-quality church graphics, sermon series packages, videos, social media assets, and customizable media resources. Spend less time creating content and more time building relationships.

Learn more at Localchurchmedia.com

Subscribe to The OutStand Podcast for more conversations on faith, leadership, ministry, growth, and what it really takes to outstand the rest.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

What happens when a pastor from the hood builds a digital ministry that reaches 13 million people, and nobody trained him to do any of it?

In this episode of The Outstand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Mark LeBrun, founder of Digital Influencer Co. and Hood Proverbs, pastor, and one of the most compelling voices in faith-driven digital media today.

Mark shares the story of growing up surrounded by gang influence and drug culture, encountering Christ coming out of high school, and eventually building a digital platform that reaches hundreds of thousands of people across YouTube, social media, and beyond. This conversation gets honest about the courage it takes to do ministry differently, why Mark believes it might genuinely be a sin for a pastor to not have an online presence, what the church is missing when it comes to social media, and what he has been quietly building with Hood Proverbs that he has not shared publicly until now.

If you are a pastor, church leader, Christian entrepreneur, or someone trying to figure out how faith and digital culture actually fit together, this episode will challenge you, stir you, and probably make you want to go post something.

Because the gospel belongs in every sector of society. Including the ones the church has been too afraid to enter.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Growing up in the hood and coming to faith out of drug culture and street life
• What it means to do ministry in contexts the church is not reaching
• The origin and vision behind Hood Proverbs and why Mark held back for years
• How a discipleship conversation at a coffee shop during COVID launched a digital business
• Growing from zero to 100,000 TikTok subscribers in four months
• Why Mark shifted his primary platform to YouTube and what he focuses on now
• What churches and pastors are getting wrong about social media in 2026
• The difference between posting to announce and posting to actually serve people
• Why Christian entrepreneurs are afraid to share their wins and why they should
• The intersection of faith, business, and ministry and how to hold all three
• Self-leadership rhythms for leaders whose lives are full and seasons are shifting
• The lasting impact of a father's example and what gets passed down without words
• What it looks like to bring gospel influence into every sector of society
• Why LinkedIn is underrated for faith-based business owners
• One idea Mark says every person in this audience needs to hear

Connect with Mark LeBrun

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmarklebrun/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@marklebrun
• Digital Influencer Co. helps businesses, personal brands, and nonprofits scale their online presence through social media strategy, content marketing, and audience growth: https://www.digitalinfluencersco.com/
• Vantage Point Agency is a full-service marketing agency offering social media management, paid ads, SEO, web design, and CMO-level strategy for service-based businesses: https://vantagepointagency.co/

Connect with The Outstand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Sponsored By

This episode is sponsored by The Marketing Co-op.

The Marketing Co-op helps churches and faith-based nonprofits create and implement custom digital marketing strategies to reach more people, expand the mission, and build the church. From digital marketing consulting to SEO, AI strategy, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and content strategy, The Marketing Co-op partners with churches and ministries to help them grow their reach, strengthen their online presence, and connect with the people they are called to serve.

Learn more at marketingco-op.co

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content

What happens when a pastor leaves ministry and has to figure out who they are all over again?

In this episode of The Outstand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Evan Doyle, a former pastor who spent 18 years in ministry before transitioning into a new season of life, work, coaching, content, and leadership.

Evan shares the story of planting a church in California, returning home, serving on staff for years, navigating church culture, and eventually stepping away from full-time ministry. This conversation gets honest about burnout, identity, family, values, vocational transition, and the complicated emotions that come when your role, church, relationships, and calling are all deeply connected.

If you are a pastor, church leader, former ministry staff member, or someone walking through a major life transition, this episode will help you process the in-between with honesty, hope, and clarity.

Because leaving a role does not mean your calling is over. Sometimes, it means a new version of your calling is just beginning.

Connect with Evan Doyle

• Instagram @theevandoyle
• Youtube
• The in Between Podcast - Whether you’re facing a personal, professional, or spiritual disruption, these conversations are here to help guide you through the questions, uncertainties, and opportunities that come with change.

Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast: https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations
Sponsored By

This episode is sponsored by The Marketing Co-op.

The Marketing Co-op helps churches and faith-based nonprofits create and implement custom digital marketing strategies to reach more people, expand the mission, and build the church.

From digital marketing consulting to SEO, AI strategy, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and content strategy, The Marketing Co-op partners with churches and ministries to help them grow their reach, strengthen their online presence, and connect with the people they are called to serve.

Learn more at marketingco-op.co

Subscribe to The OutStand Podcast for more conversations on faith, leadership, ministry, growth, and what it really takes to outstand the rest.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/outstandpodcast/exclusive-content