The Unstuck Church Podcast

We're getting into that busy back-to-school and ministry ramp-up season. If you have communication issues as a ministry, they will start showing up big time this time of year.

When it comes to church communication, most leaders just try to reach everyone. But the truth is, you actually have two distinct audiences: insiders and outsiders.

This week, we're talking about your communication with your insiders—your congregation.

In this episode, Amy caught up with Blue Van Dyke at Studio C. They talked about the need for churches to get better at communicating with insiders (especially at large churches where it can go so wrong) and shared practical ways it can get better.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center

Do the visitors at your church know exactly where to go and what to do when they visit for the first time? If you're struggling to keep your church organized and connected, you need to check out Planning Center.

Planning Center is the all-in-one church management software to help you solve your church's administrative challenges. You can easily do things like track first-time guests, manage volunteer schedules and create ways for your congregation to get involved—all using a single platform. If you need a check-in system, event signups or an online giving solution, Planning Center can help 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.

When you think August, you think busy.

For most churches, the ministry season ramps up as people return to church after the summer. It's back-to-school for families, and people are getting overloaded by communication—from the schools, teachers, doctors, teams and YOU.

In this series, we're tackling three areas where we believe churches could take it up a notch and be the best-in-class organization when it comes to how you communicate with both insiders and outsiders.

We're kicking off this series by talking about internal communication. If staff/team communication is a mess, it's nearly impossible to become excellent at communicating with the congregation, volunteers or people in the community. In this episode, Amy and Sean share areas where churches could improve communication with their staff.

This Episode is Sponsored by Planning Center

Do the visitors at your church know exactly where to go and what to do when they visit for the first time? If you're struggling to keep your church organized and connected, you need to check out Planning Center.

Planning Center is the all-in-one church management software to help you solve your church's administrative challenges. You can easily do things like track first-time guests, manage volunteer schedules and create ways for your congregation to get involved—all using a single platform. If you need a check-in system, event signups or an online giving solution, Planning Center can help 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.

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 next week, 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 from our "Reach & Retain Strategies" series, Noah Herrin, lead pastor of Way Church in Nashville, shares insights from the remarkable journey of growing a church plant that primarily reaches Gen Z and Millennials. Noah shares how Way Church is addressing the crisis of meaning and purpose among younger generations through intentional community building and helping people discover their unique contributions to the church's mission.

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, 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.