The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson

Secret shopper data from the work we do with 100s of churches each year shows us some interesting trends... Even churches who are clear on their mission field develop blind spots over time. We get used to the way we do things. We don't see the "dust" anymore, so it becomes harder for us to really see what an outsider sees. In this last episode of our series on creating compelling weekend services, Amy and Tony discuss 4 blind spots pastors often tell us a Secret Shopper revealed for them, and some next steps we counsel churches to take when those blind spots become visible. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode136. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 136] in your post for reference.

Overestimating the effectiveness of the weekend? Every church wants its weekend services to help people grow closer to Christ. But if you're not planning well, great ideas get left on the table. You're likely missing opportunities to get the best from your team and to lead the people in your seats towards their next steps in faith. In this episode, Tony and Amy discuss simple adjustments you can make. You might just find yourself marveling at how much easier it becomes to make the weekends remarkable. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode135. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 135] in your post for reference.

Boring. Invisible. Unremarkable. Words we'd rather people not use to describe about our church services. But what are we really doing to make the weekend more compelling? In her book An Hour on Sunday, Nance Beach said, "The hour can simply be sixty minutes for attenders to survive; a time for minds to wander aimlessly and hearts go untouched. Or maybe, the hour on Sunday can be a time of wonder, a time of transformation, perhaps seen as a time of awe." Are you ready to create weekend experiences remarkable enough that people both want to attend themselves and want to invite others to come along? In this episode, Tony and Amy kick off a series exploring how to do just that. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode134. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 134] in your post for reference.

Ever heard the phrase "the manager relies on control while the leader inspires trust"? Over the last several decades, resources and teaching on leadership thrived. But management? It's often been minimized (at best) or even ridiculed or disparaged (at worst). It's no wonder organizations often have a difficult time managing the day-to-day execution of their vision and strategy. In this episode, Tony, Amy and Lance explore how leadership and management can be viewed as complementary essential functions, and how you can take steps to better manage your team towards increased health and performance. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode133. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 133] in your post for reference.

Everyone wants to be more productive, and there's an exploding industry of apps, journals and resources that promises to help. But what if there were a few simple (and free!) steps that could increase your team's productivity by 30 percent? In this episode, Tony, Amy and Lance share 3 questions to ask in every meeting that could radically impact how your staff gets things done. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode132. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 132] in your post for reference.

Think of culture as gasoline and your ministry as an engine. It's not enough to have high-quality gasoline. Gasoline is purposeful; it is for powering the engine. A high-octane gas and a powerful engine will get traction quickly. Organizational DNA, or culture, is really about the way your team operates. It's how you do what you do. And if you don't shape culture intentionally, you might not like where you end up. Fact is, your staff team already has a culture, and it's the one you built, whether you meant to or not. In Part 2 of this series, Tony, Amy, and Lance Witt explore how your church can more clearly define your DNA so that your staff team can thrive in both health and performance. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode131. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 131] in your post for reference.

Team dysfunction. You feel it when you're in it, but can you see it coming? Can you be intentional about the culture you're building so the team stays focused on both relationships and results? Churches can be clear on mission, vision and how they believe God has called them to operate, and yet... Something can still be broken. That brokenness often falls into one of two extremes: Either the team is high-performing, but there's interpersonal and leadership dysfunction. Or, the team is relationally healthy, but there's a significant execution gap. Even in between those extremes, many churches would still say they don't feel like they're winning in both areas. In this episode, Lance Witt joins Tony and Amy to unpack the foundational aspects of intentionally building a high impact team and why it matters so much. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode130. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 130] in your post for reference.

Taboo. When personal evangelism seems taboo, it's no surprise that invitations to new guests have decreased in many churches. In 2019 research, Barna Group found that nearly half of practicing Christian millennials felt it is wrong to share their faith. But what if there were a way to train and equip people to have a better understanding of why and how to talk about church? In this episode, Tony talks with Michael Lukaszewski, founder of Church Fuel, for a conversation on how to put a spotlight on invitation in your church—including practical ways to get started. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode129. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 129] in your post for reference.

What if all of your ministry planning was aimed at the wrong objectives? It's important to regularly check in on your church's movement in the typical life cycle so you can develop ministry plans that help you continue up the slope towards sustained health— or reverse the decline that has already begun. In this last episode of our ministry planning series, Tony and Amy review the typical life cycle of a church, some characteristics of each phase, and how this knowledge can blow up assumptions and help you make ministry plans that actually lead towards ministry health and growth. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode128. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 128] in your post for reference.

Repetition—It's the key to building strong muscles. It takes repetition to see stronger results. That's because it's the key to getting better at execution, too. Good planning helps us make the right investment in the right ministry at the right time. And organizational planning tends to be a new muscle for church leaders to develop. That is, the staff, the pastor and the senior leadership team have to embrace some new disciplines in order to become better stewards of the resources God has given them. This is why we encourage pastors and leaders all the time to actually set up a rhythm for planning. In this episode, Tony and Amy share an effective ministry planning rhythm we see WORKING in hundreds of churches across the country. For the full episode transcript, links mentioned during the show, and to download the Leader Conversation Guide, visit this episode's Show Notes at theunstuckgroup.com/episode127. Join the Live Conversation on Social Media If you're listening on Wednesday, when the episode first releases, join the live conversation The Unstuck Group's team will be having on social media about this week's topic. We use hashtag #unstuckchurch on Twitter. Or you can join in on Facebook. Ask your questions and add your comments about the topic. If you're catching this episode later, you can still join in! Just tag us @unstuckgroup or use #unstuckchurch, and include [episode 127] in your post for reference.