It’s the end of an era for the Unfiltered podcast. We explain why and share what’s next.

00:32 Lee lets listeners know this surreal episode to say good-bye is the last for Unfiltered.

01:28 Lee explains a couple different reasons why Danny and Lee are hanging up the microphones. 

03:19 Danny thanks Lee for his impact and investment in Converge’s church planting movement.

05:10 Lee shares what the Lord has been laying on his heart when it comes to the connection between academia and pastoring.

06:49 Even though the podcast is ending, it will still be available online. Danny asks Lee the best way future listeners can contact him.

09:31 Danny asks Lee one last question. 

12:19 Lee shares one last piece of advice for church planters.

12:47 Lee thanks Danny and listeners for the Unfiltered experience. And with that, he signs off the podcast for the last time!

Starting anything new from the ground up can be difficult. Whether it’s a new business or a new church, nothing is 100% fail-proof. But why is church planting so difficult? Let’s pull back the curtain and have a real and candid conversation about it.

0:28 Lee introduces the topic, which is a subject he and Danny deal with often. Why is church planting so hard?

1:07 Danny has a theory that because church planting is so personal, it makes it difficult. 

2:23 Danny reflects on when he planted a church and was asked how he was personally doing, he would report how the church was doing.

2:45 Lee agrees with Danny that it’s easy for church planters to personalize every aspect of how a church is doing.

3:22 Lee speaks to how spiritual warfare is a part of the challenges a church planter will face.

4:14 Danny reiterates that spiritual warfare can get very personal not only for a church planter, but also for his family.

4:39 Another reason church planting can be so hard is that when a church is small, everything is magnified, and it doesn’t take a lot for the dynamic to shift quickly.

6:33 Unrealistic expectations can also play into the difficulty of planting a church.

7:04 Lee compares launching a church to launching a rocket and how gravitational pull plays into church planting.

8:03 Danny shares that money plus preaching doesn’t always equal success.

9:40 Lee wants to normalize the difficulties of planting a church. He encourages church planters to enjoy the journey.

10:18 Danny encourages church planters to focus on faithfulness. He explains what he means by that.

11:10 Lee agrees with Danny’s perspective and encourages church planters that even though it’s hard, it’s worth it.

11:35 Lee asks for more people to step up to be church planters, because they are needed!

Residencies – they’re not just for medical students. A residency in a church can be a very helpful season for a future church planter. But what should a residency look like? How can it benefit both a church and someone receiving an education in ministry? And what’s the difference between an internship and a residency? 

0:29 Danny introduces the episode topic of church residencies and internships when it comes to ministry.

1:00 Lee admits he’s passionate about the need for residencies and internships because of his background in his education and church experience. 

1:20 Lee knows there are a lot of gaps when it comes to getting an education in ministry and executing ministry. He explains his view on this.

3:06 What is a residency? Lee explains what it is and what it isn’t.

4:09 Danny asks what’s the difference between an internship and a residency?

4:19 Lee shares his thoughts on how an internship in a church is different from a residency.

5:04 Danny wants to know what ministry residencies look like at Harvest Community Church, the church Lee pastors.

5:25 Lee gives a run down of what completed residencies at Harvest Community Church have looked like and what’s going on with their current residencies.

8:47 Danny wants to know if residencies are paid position, and if not, how does that work for the student?

9:11 Lee explains the preference both Converge and Harvest Community Church have when it comes to paid vs. unpaid church residencies. 

10:14 Danny touches on the benefits of raising support for church planting residents.

10:39 Lee gives some tips on other non-monetary ways churches can invest in and support church planting residents.

11:46 Danny wants to know: what questions should church planters ask churches as they consider completing a residency?

12:01 Lee reveals the number one question church planters should ask.

12:30 Lee talks about the second question that needs to be asked when considering a residency and when a church planter should walk away.

13:36 Lee reflects on his time of practical learning before he planted a church.

14:10 Do you have questions about finding a residency, opening your church to hosting a resident, or anything else? Email Converge to ask and receive some follow up!

As a pastor, it can be easy to slip into a comfortable rhythm and habit of preaching. And while change isn’t always easy, you should always be looking to improve and develop the way you preach. As the years in ministry slip by, it’s necessary at times to assess if your preaching could use some improvement; whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pastor. 

Note: There are three books referenced in this podcast episode. They are: Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson, Communicating for Change by Andy Stanley, and Preaching Without Notes by Joseph M. Webb.

0:19 Lee introduces the question, “How do we improve our preaching?”

0:53 Danny shares that he is still learning and adapting how he preaches.

1:11 Lee asks Danny how he prepares to preach and how his process has changed over time.

1:33 Danny reflects on how he was taught to preach via manuscript in seminary. But he didn’t stick with that style when he planted a church. He pivoted to more of a memorization style of preaching. And over time, the way he prepared notes changed, especially after going multi-site.

4:03 Lee asks Danny if his manuscript is paper or electronic.

4:07 Danny isn’t a fan of digital manuscripts because technology can fail. But he adds that if you prepare with a manuscript correctly, you should be going over it at least ten times. So, you end up memorizing much of it, without having to consult the actual manuscript very much.

5:13 Lee asks Danny if he includes scripture passages in his manuscript.

5:18 Danny confirms all scripture he uses is written out in his manuscript, but he still physically uses a Bible during sermons and explains why.

5:46 Lee walks through his process in preparing for a sermon. He began with an outline, but as he planted, his process changed to a full manuscript. Preparing a manuscript helps Lee mentally, allowing the Holy Spirit to work as he preaches.

7:26 Danny asks Lee why he uses an outline when preaching, instead of the manuscript he’s already prepared.

7:37 Lee clarifies that even though he’s memorized his sermon manuscript, he doesn’t want to be tied to every word he’s prepared.

8:04 Lee describes the physical space he likes when preaching: no lectern, just a stool and an outline paperclipped inside his Bible.

8:42 Using a stool helps Lee preach a little more conversationally and less intensely.

9:00 Lee ponders how pastors learn what works for them, when it comes to preaching. Two things helped him. The first is getting sermon feedback from trusted people, by asking specific questions. 

9:55 Danny emphasizes asking specific open-ended questions to get helpful feedback.

10:32 The second thing Lee does to learn what works, is to listen or watch his sermons to learn from it.

10:54 Danny advises to watch your sermons back on video to find distracting mannerisms. 

12:00 Danny reminds pastors to stay sharp on their exegesis. Not only should pastors be focused on the delivery of a sermon, but also that the structure is accurate to the text.

13:10 Lee asks Danny what books have helped him develop his preaching.

13:26 Danny recommends the book Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson, as it teaches authorial intent.

14:12 Danny believes that preaching is the top discipleship tool. It teaches people how to read and apply the Bible.

14:51 Lee reflects that a seasoned pastor coached him to have the perspective that people should connect the dots of a sermon days after hearing it.

15:23 Danny asks Lee if he has book recommendations.

15:27 Lee mentions Andy Stanley’s book Communicating for Change and Preaching Without Notes by Joseph M. Webb.

16:24 Lee thanks listeners for tuning into this episode on growing as a preacher.

0:24 Lee introduces episode guest, Wes Pastor.

0:40 Wes introduces himself and explains his connection to Converge

1:36 Lee asks Wes how he became a church planter in Vermont.

1:54 Wes shares that the reasons he planted in Vermont were because it’s an unreached area, it has a rich heritage, and there are lots of college towns.

2:40 Because Wes stayed at the church he planted for 30 years, Lee asks what advice he would give a church planter when thinking long term ministry.

3:30 Having a long-term mindset was important to Wes so that he and his family could put down roots in one place to provide stability.

4:10 Wes shares that church planters need to be adaptable if they’re going to be successful. Churches change a lot over time when it comes to the non-essential or negotiable parts of a ministry.

5:30 Church planting can be rough at the start. But the betrayals or issues that might come a couple decades into a ministry are the ones that are hard to get through.

6:14 Danny asks Wes if he had a plan for multiplication right from the start of his church planting experience.

6:45 Wes reveals that it was a plan to plant churches and a training center from the beginning.

7:54 A great advantage of planting a church, rather than stepping into an existing church, is that church revitalization can be part of the church’s DNA from the start, according to Wes.

8:10 Wes walks through the timeline his church went through to find a church planter.

8:56 Wes recognized the need for long-term training centers for church planters, all they way back in the 90s, when church planting training was only for one week.

9:56 Danny asks Wes to talk about how The NETS Center of Church Planting has grown from the beginning.

9:59 Wes talks about the slow momentum and growth NETS has seen over the years and how a big breakthrough came 15 years into the program’s existence.

11:20 A campus became available, and Wes tells the story of how NETS acquired it.

12:43 Wes shares about the need for gospel preaching churches in New England, as a small percentage of the population attends an evangelical church.

13:13 NETS has big goals for sending out church planters and they’re getting closer to those goals.

13:36 Lee asks Wes what he’s looking for in a good candidate in a church planter that will be successful in New England.

13:51 Wes runs down what NETS is looking for in the lifestyle of potential church planters.

15:03 Wes covers what NETS is looking for theologically in candidates. And that they’re looking for leaders who are committed to spending the rest of their lives in New England.

16:27 Danny asks if someone who wants to be a part of NETS training can be from other areas of the country.

17:21 Wes confirms he recruits from seminaries in the south and anyone from anywhere in the US can check out NETS.

18:15 Danny wants to know the details of it looks like for someone to be part of NETS.

18:36 Being busy with a full schedule is part of the NETS experience. 

19:24 Taking a real deep look at the marriages of those who come to NETS is part of the training. Many candidates have said it is very helpful for their marriage, even if parts of it are difficult.

20:36 Another aspect is spending a lot of time preparing sermons, to condition candidates more than what was expected in seminary.

20:56 Lee wants to know how long a church planter is in the NETS program.

21:32 Wes says the immediate intensive is nine months. Then, there are four options to choose from on how the potential church planter will proceed. Wes runs through these four options.

22:48 If someone says they can’t stay in New England, Wes helps them affiliate with another ministry.

23:29 Wes explains what candidates receive during the nine-month intensive – housing, utilities, an allowance, and insurance.

24:04 Wes tells a story of a church that is facing building issues and how they stick with and support their church planters. All church planters enter a long-term relationship with NETS.

25:23 Lee thanks Wes for being a guest on the Unfiltered podcast.

Recently Converge held our annual Unleash conference. It was a time to gather nationally as a family to learn how to focus on growing every ministry and leader in churches. Highlights of the conference and the topic of ministering the way God made you to be as a church planter are covered in this episode.

0:21 Lee summarizes what Unleash is all about.

1:21 Lee asks Danny what he thought the highlights of the conference were.

1:26 Danny admits he was hesitant to attend Unleash because he goes to so many conferences. But he confirms that it was a can’t miss event for two reasons. First, it felt like a family reunion, coming back together face-to-face. And secondly, he felt like he was pastored by the speakers.

2:50 Lee lists all the keynote speakers at Unleash.

3:00 Lee asks Danny which speaker’s message most connected with him.

3:05 Danny discusses Kevin Queen’s message about being yourself as a pastor.

3:40 Lee shares that Chad Moore and Ryan Leak connected to where he is in this season of ministry and life.

3:56 Lee notes that one of the main themes through all the keynote speakers was being yourself as a pastor.

4:44 Lee talks about a copycat culture as something church planters have been grappling with the past several years, due to widespread access to other churches.

5:17 Lee asks Danny what his takeaway was on this topic of being authentic to who God has created pastors to be.

5:20 Danny states he sees a lot of self-comparison within the church planters he coaches. It’s helpful to look to church planters farther in their journey, but it’s unhealthy to begin to mimic them, hoping for the same success.

6:47 Lee talks about how church planters need to become comfortable with recognizing the different roles and callings from God between pastors.

7:36 Danny recalls when he was a church planter there were times he would begin to feel the pull to imitate other church planters.

8:05 Lee states Unleash felt like a community of family coming back together. It was a time to catch up with one another, celebrate, and pray together in a meaningful way.

8:59 Danny appreciated the way Unleash was structured to include time to network with other attendees.

9:50 Danny asks Lee what’s next for Unleash.

10:00 Lee shares that Unleash will be held again the first week of February in 2023. 2022 was sold out. Tickets for 2023 aren’t on sale yet, but Lee urges listeners not to wait too long when they do become available for purchase. 

You think God might be calling you to plant a church. But you know nothing about church planting. How do you even begin that journey? This episode holds a lot of wisdom about where you start and what to keep in mind as you contemplate this possible future.

0:21 Lee explains that in this episode, he and Danny want to address those who might be on the fence about planting a church. 

0:55 Lee asks Danny what advice he would give to those thinking about church planting.

1:04 Working with guys in the deciding and discernment phase of thinking about church planting is one of Danny’s favorite parts of his job as a church planting director.

2:45 Danny explains that Converge’s process includes a pre-assessment phase.

3:12 A formal assessment, called Church Planting Assessment Center, is the next step in Converge’s process for potential church planters. Danny states there’s one in Nashville in June 2022.

4:18 Danny says Converge doesn’t act as a recruiter, but rather, helps point people in the right direction of which organization they should align with.

4:30 Lee asks Danny what key questions someone should ask when it comes to choosing an organization to plant a church with.

5:15 Danny advises to ask about an organization’s philosophy about planting. And chemistry also factors into a decision.

6:40 Danny addresses the situation of guys who might be hesitant to take a step of contacting Converge about church planting because they don’t know anything about the process of planting.

7:20 Lee advises to ask about an organization’s systematic processes of planting.

7:50 Danny shares to ask questions about how things work after a church launch. 

8:40 Funding and coaching should be other areas to ask about when thinking about planting a church, according to Danny.

9:43 Lee talks about how particular he is about Converge’s coaching process. He advises potential church planters to dig a little deeper with questions about coaching.

10:28 Danny explains that Converge doesn’t have a one model, cookie cutter, specific process for coaching. The coaching model Converge uses is tailored to each planter.

11:22 Lee encourages any man who is considering planting a church, to reach out to Converge. 

“The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” is a podcast produced by Christianity Today and it has gone viral in popularity. What can we, as church planters and pastors, learn from listening to this story of a popular Seattle church exploding in growth, only to have it all fall apart to leave so many devastated? You don’t have to listen to that podcast first, before gleaning some wisdom from this episode of Unfiltered. It’s not uncommon for church planters to wrestle with their influence. Let’s talk about it. 

0:22 Lee introduces the conversation about the podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill that has grown in popularity in the past year.

1:17 Lee says the podcast has been a big conversation topic within the church and would like to process it from a listener’s side.

1:57 Lee asks Danny what stood out to him as he listened to The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.

2:15 Danny states that Mark Driscoll, the pastor at the center of the Mars Hill story, was influential from afar in his own life. 

2:36 Danny talks about how his perspective of the story changed from the beginning to the middle. He found the story both disheartening and convicting. 

3:25 Lee asks Danny to unpack that statement.

3:26 Danny explains that it was disheartening to hear what was happening behind the scenes at Mars Hill Church. 

3:56 The convicting part of the story for Danny was seeing some tendencies of pride in himself and other leaders.

4:30 As Danny works with church planters, the very things he’s looking for are what made Mark Driscoll a successful church planter. But those characteristics can also be destructive, when left unchecked.

4:55 Danny asks Lee what he thought of the podcast.

5:09 Lee thinks it’s sobering that there’s always a dark side to church planters’ leadership styles.

5:30 Lee appreciated Christianity Today’s level of in-depth journalism when it came to hearing past employees’ side of the story.

5:54 Lee gives the reminder that as people in authority in church leadership, there’s a responsibility to steward the influence God has given.

6:56 Another reaction Lee had to the podcast were moments when he cringed over some of the behind-the-scenes behavior and wondered how much “dirty laundry” should be aired when taking a deep dive into a church’s story.

7:38 Danny finds it interesting that this podcast struck a chord not only with church leaders, but with church attenders. He has some concerns that people will have a fear of church leadership and will want to get rid of it entirely. 

8:42 Acts 29 is a ministry that is discussed at length in The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Danny talks about how the ministry has changed since Mark Driscoll left Mars Hill Church and it is not the same ministry it was in years past.

9:29 Danny concludes that after listening to the podcast, he walked away realizing everyone is messed up and it’s only through God that the church continues to grow and thrive.

9:50 For Lee, listening to the podcast brought his understanding of the dangers of celebrity for pastors to another level.

10:50 Lee encourages church planters to think about why they’re doing ministry in the first place. Remembering the importance of helping people follow Jesus can keep pride at bay.

11:17 Danny talks about the role culture and social media has in the fall of celebrity pastors.

12:07 Lee appreciates how the podcast attempted to point out the flaws of some of the wrong things church planters pursue when going into ministry.

13:13 Lee asks Danny what he would say to those who haven’t listened to the podcast.

13:17 Danny encourages Unfiltered listeners to check out The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast. And as they listen, they should ask God to convict them and learn from the mistakes of others.

13:41 Lee thinks a church planter understanding their influence is a journey they always need to wrestle with and think about their intentions.

Easter Sunday is arguably the most important Sunday of the year for a church. And there can be a lot of pressure on church planters with how they present an Easter service. As planters with experience, Lee and Danny discuss their thoughts on what pastors should and shouldn’t do on Easter Sunday. There are a lot of things for church planters to think through.

0:40 Lee introduces the episode topic of what a big deal Easter Sunday can be for a church planter. Lee advises not to launch on Easter and encourages church planters who have been launched for a year or longer, to fine tune Easter details now.

1:24 Lee asks Danny what a church planter needs to be thinking about in the weeks leading up to Easter.

1:36 Danny tells a story of how the church planted was unique in that Easter attendance was lower than previous weeks.

2:36 Danny advises church planters to have realistic expectations about Easter attendance.

3:43 Don’t forget about follow-up, after Easter. Danny cautions about getting so focused on Easter, that nothing happens afterward. What will you invite newcomers to next?

4:33 Easter follow-up can easily be overlooked. Lee suggests starting a new sermon series the week after Easter.

5:24 Consider bringing in a special speaker after Easter if you have a community that would return to hear what someone has to say on a relevant topic.

5:49 Lee thinks having a special added event or attraction to keep people around the church longer on Easter Sunday is a good idea.

6:30 Church planters should be thinking about how they are going to connect with the people who walk in the doors just on Easter Sunday.

7:03 Danny wants to make sure it’s clear that church planters should be preaching on the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

7:38 Danny asks Lee his thoughts on performing baptisms on Easter Sunday.

7:52 Lee prefers having people share pre-recorded testimonies during a service over baptisms.

8:49 In agreement with Lee, Danny shares he doesn’t do any baptisms on Easter Sunday. 

9:48 Lee encourages planters to simplify the service with a shorter time.

10:38 Pastors should think through how they’re preparing their congregation to invest in others and invite them to an Easter service.

12:15 Once the resurrection is preached, Danny wants to emphasize that the gospel invitation must be given to those at an Easter service.

12:43 Danny wants to know if Lee thinks communion is a good idea on Easter Sunday.

12:51 Lee likes to do communion on Good Friday, not Easter.

13:24 Danny shares that he has had communion in an Easter service before, for various reasons.

14:18 Danny encourages church planters to really think through the pros and cons of different service elements for Easter Sunday.

14:31 Lee cautions church planters to really explain the importance of communion and not rush through the act of communion.

15:12 Lee encourages churches to plan early and really think through the details of the service before Easter week.

15:38 Lee assures listeners that Converge is praying to their Easter Sunday services.

Chris Highfill planted Grace River Church in St. Peters, MO, seven years ago. In that time, the church has grown, relocated a couple of times, and gone from portable to permanent. He shares his journey as a church planter. He talks about the lessons he’s learned as a church planter. And he discusses the vision he has over the next few years so more people in Missouri can meet, know, and follow Jesus.

0:18 Lee introduces episode guest, Chris Highfill.

0:32 Chris talks about his church, Grace River Church, and where he is located.

0:48 Lee asks Chris how he landed in a suburb of St. Louis.

0:57 Chris explains how he thought he was going to plant a church in Boston but ended up moving to St. Louis.

1:48 Danny affirms that sometimes it’s as simple as a church planter wanting to live in a specific area as to how they arrived at planting a church there.

2:33 Chris talks about how opportunities opened up once his family moved to St. Louis.

3:22 Lee asks Chris to talk about the progression of his church planting experience.

3:29 Chris reminisces how the church plant started as a Bible study in their home, progressed into a launch team, and how they got the word out about the new church.

4:44 An elementary school was the first portable church location for Grace River, and it had a lot of benefits as a location.

5:21 Chris shares about moving church services from the school to a local YMCA.

5:50 As the church grew, a capital campaign was launched, even though the church didn’t have its eye on a specific location to buy.

6:14 Chris talks about how he had a feeling of urgency to find a property to buy once the capital campaign was started.

6:51 Chris tells the story of how quickly things moved once he contacted a realtor and how God moved all the pieces into place.

7:30 Danny asks Chris how many people were attending church at this point of their journey and how much offering was coming in.

8:00 Just when Grace River got into their new space, the pandemic began.

8:25 Chris shares how the church continues to grow, coming out of the other side of the pandemic.

9:04 Lee asks Chris to talk about some of the challenges Grace River faced when moving from a portable church to a permanent location.

9:10 Chris reminds church planters that being portable can be a long haul.

9:39 Keeping volunteers engaged as their roles in setting up a portable church changed due to becoming a permanent location was important to Chris. He wanted all volunteers to know that even though their work may change, they are still important and needed in the church.

10:55 Chris encourages churches that are finding a permanent location to emphasize everyone still has a role in serving the church.

11:04 When property management is part of a church’s responsibility, things change, and new challenges arise. Chris talks about how buildings cost a lot of money to maintain and there are many surprises along the way.

13:06 Lee asks Chris what his vision is for the St. Louis area of Missouri.

13:25 Chris talks about how all of Missouri needs more church planters and there is a lot of room for many churches.

13:50 Grace River Church is getting ready to plant its first church, which will be in Hannibal, MO.

14:33 Danny mentions that Chris talks about Columbia, MO, needing a church planted there. 

14:55 Columbia is a university town that is growing quickly. So, there’s a great opportunity to spread the gospel to a lot of people by planting a church there.

15:38 Lee teases Chris about “Missouri” versus “Misery” in pronunciation.

16:25 Lee thanks listeners for tuning in to the episode and thanks Chris for sharing his church planting experience and wisdom.