This summer, we’re changing things up. You’re on vacation; we’re on vacation. We all know how this goes. You probably have road trips, plane trips, maybe a sabbatical or some conferences to attend this month.

But ministry and leadership are still happening!

So this month, we are replaying the “hits” from the last six months: the best episodes. We’ll be back with fresh content in August, and we know you’ll be gearing up for back-to-school busyness. See you on the other side! We hope you enjoy these favorites from the first half of the year.

In this episode, Amy and Sean explore a common staffing oxymoron that all too many churches face: teams that are simultaneously understaffed and overstaffed. They unpack why churches often end up with misaligned staffing, what this tension feels like for different ministry areas and practical next steps for evaluating and addressing staffing imbalances.

This Episode is Sponsored By: PlainJoe

Do the visitors at your church know exactly where to go and what to do when they visit for the first time?

If you don’t already have clear, beautifully designed wayfinding graphics and signage in your building, now is the time. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church’s unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus.

Learn more at plainjoestudios.com

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

This summer, we’re changing things up. You’re on vacation; we’re on vacation. We all know how this goes. You probably have road trips, plane trips, maybe a sabbatical or some conferences to attend this month.

But ministry and leadership are still happening!

So this month, we are replaying the “hits” from the last six months: the best episodes. We’ll be back with fresh content in August, and we know you’ll be gearing up for back-to-school busyness. See you on the other side! We hope you enjoy these favorites from the first half of the year.

In this episode, Sean and Amy dive into how churches can leverage their weekend services as effective “front doors” for connecting with new people. They share insights on creating a clear guest services presence, developing intentional follow-up processes and ensuring weekend experiences connect with both churched and unchurched people.

This Episode is Sponsored By: PlainJoe

Do the visitors at your church know exactly where to go and what to do when they visit for the first time?

If you don’t already have clear, beautifully designed wayfinding graphics and signage in your building, now is the time. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church’s unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus.

Learn more at plainjoestudios.com

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

This summer, we’re changing things up. You’re on vacation; we’re on vacation. We all know how this goes. You probably have road trips, plane trips, maybe a sabbatical or some conferences to attend this month.

But ministry and leadership are still happening!

So this month, we are replaying the “hits” from the last six months: the best episodes. We’ll be back with fresh content in August, and we know you’ll be gearing up for back-to-school busyness. See you on the other side! We hope you enjoy these favorites from the first half of the year.

In this episode, Sean and Amy talk about predictable people problems to be prepared for, how to get out in front of those problems, wearing both your leadership hat and your pastoral hat and resources to get people engaged.

This Episode is Sponsored By: PlainJoe

Do the visitors at your church know exactly where to go and what to do when they visit for the first time?

If you don’t already have clear, beautifully designed wayfinding graphics and signage in your building, now is the time. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church’s unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus.

Learn more at plainjoestudios.com

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

This summer we’re changing things up. You’re on vacation; we’re on vacation. We all know how this goes. You probably have road trips, plane trips, maybe a sabbatical or some conferences to attend this month.

But ministry and leadership are still happening!

So this month, we are replaying the “hits” from the last six months: the best episodes. We’ll be back with fresh content in August, and we know you’ll be gearing up for back-to-school busyness. See you on the other side! We hope you enjoy these favorites from the first half of the year.

In this episode, Sean and Amy unpack how one church used their data to drive strategic changes. You’ll hear a compelling conversation with Doug Dameron from Orchard Church in Brighton, CO, about crafting effective next steps for new attendees.

This Episode is Sponsored By: PlainJoe

Do the visitors at your church know exactly where to go and what to do when they visit for the first time?

If you don’t already have clear, beautifully designed wayfinding graphics and signage in your building, now is the time. The creative and talented team at PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, are experts at creating placemaking signs and wayfinding markers that will tell your church’s unique story and point your people in the right direction – from the moment they arrive at your campus.

Learn more at plainjoestudios.com

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

When a church slips into the maintenance phase, pastors often wrestle with all kinds of fears—worrying about rocking the boat, messing up, dealing with conflict or just burning out.

But what if those very fears are the thing standing between your church and its next season of growth and impact?

In the final episode of our “Just Maintaining” series, Sean and Amy dive into one of the most simple, yet critical, steps in reversing early signs of church decline: shifting your mindset.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center:

Are you struggling to keep your church organized and connected?

Planning Center is the all-in-one church management software that solves your administrative challenges. You can effortlessly track first-time guests, manage volunteer schedules, and create easy ways for your congregation to get involved—all from a single platform. Whether you need a check-in system, event signups, or an online giving solution, Planning Center helps you nurture your community and keep people connected.

Visit planningcenter.com to get started for free.

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

It’s easy to focus on what the church needs to change when growth slows—programs, strategies, systems. But often, the real breakthrough starts with the leader.

A particularly challenging part of leading through the maintenance phase? Adjusting your leadership approach.

In Part 3 of our “Just Maintaining” series, Sean and Amy discuss what churches need to be thinking about when it comes to their leadership team, key responsibilities senior pastors can’t delegate (and what they should delegate) and specific adjustments to make to move forward again.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center:

Are you struggling to keep your church organized and connected?

Planning Center is the all-in-one church management software that solves your administrative challenges. You can effortlessly track first-time guests, manage volunteer schedules, and create easy ways for your congregation to get involved—all from a single platform. Whether you need a check-in system, event signups, or an online giving solution, Planning Center helps you nurture your community and keep people connected.

Visit planningcenter.com to get started for free.

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

Your church isn’t declining … but it’s not growing either. You might be stuck in “maintenance mode.”

Many aspects of ministry look healthy, but growth has slowed. You’re not really reaching new guests, and fewer people are crossing the line of faith. What now? 

In Part 2 of our "Just Maintaining" series, Sean and Amy talk about what you actually need to do to change course. They’ll cover what it means to have a maintenance mindset, how to focus back on reaching new people and practical applications on how to break through the next growth barrier.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center:

Are you struggling to keep your church organized and connected?

Planning Center is the all-in-one church management software that solves your administrative challenges. You can effortlessly track first-time guests, manage volunteer schedules, and create easy ways for your congregation to get involved—all from a single platform. Whether you need a check-in system, event signups, or an online giving solution, Planning Center helps you nurture your community and keep people connected.

Visit planningcenter.com to get started for free.

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

Has your church’s growth slowed down or hit a plateau? Maybe you're financially stable, and everything seems fine on the surface, but something feels off from your perspective as the leader.

There are telltale signs your church is drifting away from sustained health. In this candid series, we'll explore why churches unconsciously slip into “maintenance mode,” what it costs them and, most importantly, how to break free. In Part 1 of our "Just Maintaining" series, Amy and Sean discuss the warning signs of shifting into maintenance mode, the key metrics to pay attention to and the first steps to take toward getting unstuck. This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center:

Are you struggling to keep your church organized and connected?

Planning Center is the all-in-one church management software that solves your administrative challenges. You can effortlessly track first-time guests, manage volunteer schedules, and create easy ways for your congregation to get involved—all from a single platform. Whether you need a check-in system, event signups, or an online giving solution, Planning Center helps you nurture your community and keep people connected.

Visit planningcenter.com to get started for free.

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

The newest edition of The Unstuck Church Report is here!

Every quarter, The Unstuck Group compiles all the data we’ve collected to monitor trends in churches in the United States. Our Q2 report focuses on current staffing data and trends in North American churches.

For this quarter’s report, we received survey responses from 251 churches, giving us valuable insights into current church trends. These churches ranged from 100 to over 9,900 in physical attendance for worship gatherings. The average in-person attendance of churches that participated was 978 people. In this episode, Sean and Amy discuss findings from the Q2 2025 Unstuck Church Report and take a targeted look at key staffing data and metrics, the top staffing challenges churches are facing today and the future of church staffing. Plus, the report sponsor Vanderbloemen provides exclusive hiring insights.

This Episode is Sponsored by Vanderbloemen:

You have enough to-do’s on your plate—finding the right church executive shouldn’t be one of them.

When you let Vanderbloemen do the heavy lifting, you gain a trusted, experienced executive search team, allowing you to save time and feel confident hiring a leader who lasts.

Ready to hire the right leader? Head to vanderbloemen.com/getstarted

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram. 

Live teaching or video teaching? It’s one of the most debated questions in any multisite conversation. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion, but the best choice isn’t always the most obvious.

In this episode, Sean and Amy answer this age-old question with proven data and real stories. They also outline what to consider when making this decision (including technology) and offer practical strategies to help you avoid missteps in your teaching model.

If you’re launching a campus—or just wondering if it’s time to rethink your approach—this episode is for you.

This Episode Is Brought to You by PlainJoe:

Are you considering adding a second or third campus to your growing church? Need help telling your church’s unique story across every location? PlainJoe, a Storyland Studio, has you covered. Their team of creative storytellers, talented designers and innovative architects are passionate about helping churches tell their stories through spatial, interactive and strategic storytelling. 

Reach out to learn more at plainjoe.net.

We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on X and on Instagram.