UNSCRIPTED with Dino Rizzo

“For the world, self-care is mission, but for the church, self-care is strategy. We have to understand what self-care is as stewardship and an act of worship.”

Welcome to the latest episode of Unscripted, ARC’s podcast that brings you off-the-cuff, deeply engaging conversations.

Andy Yarborough, clinical psychologist and founder of The Well Clinic, joins Dino for a compelling conversation centered around what it means to thrive holistically. With a doctoral degree in psychology, Andy has a heart for helping pastors and missionaries not just overcome struggles but truly thrive in their ministries and personal lives.

In this episode, you'll hear Dino and Andy discuss some of the most pressing and important topics we've ever covered on Unscripted. From the challenges facing today's pastors to the incredible work being done to integrate well-being as the ongoing pursuit of holistic health, their conversation delves into:

They also discuss the essential work Dr. Andy is doing with ARC, where he helps church planters and leaders prepare for their roles with a focus on emotional and spiritual health. If you're involved in ministry, leadership, or passionate about supporting those who are, this episode is a must-listen.

So, grab your favorite barbecue (we enjoyed some delicious dry rub in Memphis during this recording)—or coffee—and tune in to this powerful conversation. You can listen to the episode [here] or your favorite podcast platform.

And don't forget to subscribe to Unscripted so you never miss an episode.

Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. We’re so glad you’re here!

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Are you curious how some leaders create thriving organizations while others struggle to build anything that’s sustainable? Here at ARC, we’re passionate about learning from tested leaders who embody Jesus’ model of servant leadership and who’ve built strong, healthy organizations. 

In the newest episode of Unscripted, Dino interviews Dwight Sandlin, co-founder of Signature Homes, one of the South's leading residential developers. 

Dwight's insights are a treasure trove for anyone looking to lead with care, build a top-tier team, and serve customers with excellence. As most of his hard-earned lessons translate into the church planting space, Dino and Dwight unpack many aspects of building and leading, including: 

“We measure everything we do because if we don’t, we don’t know if we’re going in the right direction.” Dwight is serious about market research, analysis, and making decisions based on logic, not “gut,” which he describes as a summary of our experiences.

He also shares how Signature Homes survived the 2008 housing and financial crisis by staying focused and analytical. His hopeful message is that the hard times give us the opportunity to clean up and emerge stronger and better. Not beating yourself up over past mistakes and not indulging in self-pity is crucial to growing as a leader.

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

“Our level of success isn’t in our seating capacity, it’s in our sending capacity… addition isn’t the goal, multiplication is.”

Pastors Daniel and Tammie Floyd are the founding and Senior Pastors of Lifepoint Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Since 2005, the church has grown from 50 people to five locations throughout the state, including a church plant in Germany. 

The Floyds are passionate about the local church, developing leaders, and reaching people far from God. And they have taken great strides to deploy leaders with ministry training through launching Lifepoint College in 2016.

They sit down with Dino to talk about their almost 20 years leading a church and what they’ve learned about becoming self-aware, finding your tribe, and making sure your marriage is as healthy as possible. 

This Unscripted conversation covers many topics including:

When asked what still works after all these years, they explain that building and developing people to rise into their potential never gets old and will always be an intentional focus for them. Leader nights and investing in the college are ways they do this along with believing every person has a God-given purpose, and it’s their responsibility to help develop them towards that. 

Daniel also explains that a healthy leader is a curious leader. A leader who takes ownership, apologizes, and looks for their own weaknesses in order to grow. 

“If you’ll keep expanding your capacity - which is expandable - you’ll keep increasing your influence.” 

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

From the Wall Street Journal to Silicon Valley, ARC has received some positive attention and press lately. People in the business spheres are recognizing there’s something unique and effective about the ARC church planting model.

While we’re grateful for the business communities’ intrigue, we recognize church planting with ARC can be like learning a foreign language to those who are not familiar with the culture and context. The same words in one arena don’t always fit the context in a different arena. We thought it would be helpful to piggyback off of these articles and social media highlights and offer further insight, context, and clarity so that more people can understand the power and effectiveness of our relational network.

Vance Roush returns as a guest of Unscripted to unpack many angles of ARC, business, technology, and even flip the roles by asking Dino a question or two.

They tackle some important questions and topics including:

Vance gives his hot take on how prolific AI will be for churches’ “back office” and why leaders should not fear it. As the founder of Overflow, a Silicon-Valley based startup that is unlocking generosity in churches and nonprofits, he leads by example in the vision that leveraging technology allows us to extend and expand the Kingdom of God.

“Church planting with ARC is not a model based on taking equity, it’s a model that’s funded by generosity.”

He expounds on the differences he sees between start-ups, venture capital, franchises and ARC. While ARC is not a bank, venture capital model, or lender, we stand apart in our ability to use 81% of our budget to support, train, coach, and resource church planting. Church Planters who are trained and supported by ARC commit to a reinvestment that perpetually funds new church plants and has resulted in over 1100 churches being planted since ARC’s inception.

This incredible statistic is possible because of the board’s generosity, which covers the administrative and operational costs so that every dollar donated can go to church planting. And with a pay-it-forward model, full of generosity and reinvestment, ARC is able to serve church leaders and help them not do ministry alone.

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

“I’m not overworked, I'm under-planned…Together, let’s see if we can do something that we don’t see a model for.”

This is how Pastor Brett Jones invited his brother, Scott Jones, to co-pastor with him, after pastoring for a few years on his own. They began partnering to lead Grace Church in Houston, TX, and have now led together for 38 years. Not only have they defied the discouraging advice that “anything with 2 heads is a freak”, but they’ve also scaled an incredible model for how to maintain your relationships, set aside your egos, and prioritize servant leadership in every season. 

In this intriguing ‘Unscripted’ conversation, Brett shares much insight with Dino, including:

They discuss how “life moves at the speed of relationships” and how ego means “edging God out.” It’s imperative that leaders are fully aware that the part they play is smaller than the vision they’re submitted to. 

Brett is also passionate about mentoring the next generation and has spent extensive time researching the exemplary mentoring model of Elijah and Elisha. He unpacks this successful transition from generation to generation in his book “The Changeover Principle: Mentoring and the Art of Servant Leadership.” He admits the struggle many leaders experience, finding it easier to call down fire from Heaven than to guide and mentor a successor like Elisha. But, he warns the risk is high if we don’t.

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Pastors Shaun and Dianna Nepstad founded Fellowship Church in Antioch, California in 2002. They felt God gave them two words for the church: Hope & Healing. Hope for tomorrow and healing from yesterday, all found in a relationship with Jesus. The church is known for its life-giving culture and passion to see people come to Christ. Over the years, Fellowship Church grew from 350 to over 5,000 in weekly attendance, and now reaches thousands globally every week.

“Every week we’re seeing hundreds come to Christ. We know we’re lost over here. In the South, everyone thinks they’re saved - you have to get them lost before they’re saved.”

Shaun explains to Dino how they’re experiencing a hunger among people they’ve not seen in years. From universities to churches, revival is taking place as God responds to hunger. As they lead their church to develop an ever-increasing appetite for God, they’re seeing more come to Christ than they have in a long time.

It was not always this easy, however. Shuan and Dianna expound on the painful journey of being stuck for 7 years with no growth. Shaun admits he was the problem, and he had to stop being the lid to the church’s growth.

The latest Unscripted conversation spans many topics including:

They also discuss the wisdom and encouragement from Shaun’s book, Don’t Quit in the Dip, where he expounds on the lessons during the waiting period - the place where you want to give up. He expresses that successful people are not exempt from the dip; they had it too, they just didn’t stop. The dip is where God grows you the most.

“Don’t confuse your intermission with your finale. It’s in the dip that you learn.”

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

“People need something bigger than themselves. And they’re bored - they’re bored with the American dream, and they need God’s dream for their lives.”

Pastor Aaron Burke planted Radiant Church in Tampa Bay after he and his wife, Katie, felt called to be a light to the community of Tampa, where 87% of people don’t go to church. Since they launched in 2013, Radiant Church has seen incredible growth and expansion. Aaron has a heart for multiplication and plans to continue opening locations throughout Tampa Bay.“

Every time I eliminate waste, God brings blessing. So my job is not to search for the blessing, my job is to search for the waste. He’s a God of stewardship, and He sees how we handle it.”

Aaron explains how important good stewardship is and the connection he’s seen between eliminating waste and making room for God’s blessings. Missions is a huge priority for their church, and they’ve always focused their finances to make an impact locally and globally. Dino and Aaron dive into many compelling topics including:

They also discuss Aaron’s new book, exploring how God uses the “unfair advantages” in our lives. He’s learned and witnessed that God using our pain is available, but it’s not automatic - our response matters. When we respond with trust, God always uses difficult seasons as preparation for His purposes. “People who are depressed about the church, don’t see what we see. There’s so much good out there. There’s sharp leaders and the future is bright.” Aaron is passionate about the Church, raising up leaders, and reaching more people for Jesus!

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

“If you approach church planting like an expert, you’ll eventually become a critic of other churches.”

Pastor Jason Laird knows a thing or two about the journey of a church planter. Learning how to contextualize ministry in San Francisco, where he planted in 2017, to supporting church planters with ARC, and now as a church planter again in Tennessee, Jason is passionate about approaching the city where you’re called as a student, not an expert.

”We were forced to move the second Sunday after we launched and then held five services on a rooftop for eight Sundays.”

Pastor Mayo Sowell shares how learning to adapt and be flexible is key in church planting. When he and his wife, Kai, felt called to move back to their hometown, Atlanta, he knew it was to bring life to a place where he had experienced death. He loves the pace of Atlanta, how industries are booming, and how so many people from all walks of life are curious about church.

In this first episode of Unscripted Season 4, Dino interviews Mayo and Jason about the many aspects of a church planter’s wild experience following the call of God. Some of the topics they discuss include:

They also share what they’re seeing for the future of the church, the hunger for God they’re witnessing among people, and how pastors are collaborating on new methodologies for the times.

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Unscripted Season 4 is here with fresh conversations full of raw authenticity and insightful leadership wisdom. Join Dino as he interviews eleven inspiring leaders, from seasoned pastors to CEO’s, each bringing a unique perspective and a rich depth of experience to the table. 

“The comparison game gets me to look to the right or the left, but my race is not against you, it’s against my own potential.” Pastor Steve Robinson shares openly about the comparison trap so many pastors and leaders get entangled in and how to avoid it. Dino tours their new building under construction, and they discuss what expansion has meant to Church of the King, which has been gathering since 1999. 

Freshly navigating the unknowns and curveballs of church planting, Pastors Mayo Sowell and Jason Laird sit down with Dino for an intriguing discussion. Their conversation spans several important topics like contextualizing ministry for your city, managing your expectations, and keeping your family healthy when you relocate. 

“Servant leadership is the heart and soul of successful leadership.” Pastor Brett Jones shares many leadership lessons from his uncommon experience of co-pastoring with his brother. He unpacks the exemplary mentoring model of Elijah and Elisha and how 

it demonstrates a successful transition from generation to generation, revealing what can get done when no one cares who gets the credit.

“Every strong leader I’ve seen in my life is passionate. They always rise to a higher level.” Dwight Sandlin founded “Signature Homes”, one of the South’s leading residential developers. Dino asks him to unpack many angles of leadership including keys to building a healthy organization and how to stay in the game when you want to give up. 

These guests along with Pastors Daniel and Tammy Floyd, Shaun and Diane Nepstad, Terry Crist, and Aaron Burke, freely offer their experiences, challenges, and hard-earned wisdom.

We hope you are envisioned and encouraged through these interviews. Tune in to Season 4 of “Unscripted” and join the conversation on Youtube or any podcast platform. We’re so glad you’re here! 

“I thought freedom was I would never have a panic attack - I would never be anxious. But through a lot of study, prayer, and counseling, I discovered freedom wasn’t the absence of those things, it was connecting to a power greater than myself in the middle of those things.”

Diagnosed with an anxiety panic disorder over 30 years ago (in a time when no one ever heard of it or spoke of it), Pastor Toby Slough recounts how he began a journey of discovering what true freedom is and how important it is for parents to find their freedom and disciple their kids.

As he started the leadership transition of Cross Timbers Church, Toby felt called to step into a new season of ministering to families and raising awareness for mental health wellness. His dream is to change the conversation and help the Church step up to the plate with the answers. 

“Jesus offers something better if we can learn how to stop being so prescriptive and start being more validating about these issues.” 

Goby Ministries was launched to change the awareness, perception, and wellness for those dealing with mental health challenges by empowering a global audience through Jesus led mental health resources, coaching, and community. The ministry seeks to give people practical tools to help disciple their kids with the right language. 

Dino and Toby unpack many angles about church leadership and mental health. Their conversation includes: 

“We try to help families connect God’s power to the very real issues kids are dealing with. As parents, the best thing you can give your kids is a healthy you.”

Toby is passionate about seeing families find freedom and children learning how to have confidence, courage, and compassion. You will be encouraged as a parent, pastor, and leader by joining this conversation.

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The Association of Related Churches (ARC) is a cooperative of independent churches from different denominations, networks, and backgrounds who strategically resource church planters and pastors to help them reach people with the message of Jesus.

Since 2000, ARC has helped to plant more than 1,070 churches worldwide. If you have a dream in your heart to start a life-giving church and reach your city with the message of Jesus, ARC is here to come alongside you in the journey. Attending ARC Launch, a church planter training event, is the first step in planting a church with ARC. You will hear from ARC pastors, coaches, and staff as they share the nuts and bolts of church planting. Discover more and register for ARC Launch at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/launch/⁠⁠⁠. 

Don’t Do Ministry Alone - We need relationships to thrive. You need other people in your corner, who have gone through similar things that you’ve gone through, and believe in your dream. ARC provides opportunities for you to build relationships with others in ministry that will support and strengthen you in what God has called you to do. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.arcchurches.com/connect/⁠⁠⁠.