From digital congregations to rapidly growing local churches, leaders from across the country gather in this special live panel episode of the Intentional Churches Podcast, recorded at the IC Conference. Co-hosted by Erin Johnston and Daniel Goulding, Lead Pastor at Echoes Church in Phoenix, AZ, this engaging conversation digs into the real-world challenges churches are facing—from building space constraints and volunteer fatigue to measuring success and navigating cultural shifts.

The panel includes leaders from diverse church contexts—Logan Phillips, Worship Pastor at Stateline Church in Rockford, Illinois, Katie Blemker, Executive Minister at North Terrace Church of Christ in Zanesville, Ohio, Mark Lutz, Lead Pastor of Lux Digital Church, Antoine Davis, Sr., Associate Pastor of Evangelism at Hope Church, in Orlando, Florida. Together they openly share what’s working, what’s broken, and how Intentional Churches tools have helped shape their responses. Topics include evangelism versus discipleship, radical alignment to mission, rethinking metrics, and embracing tension as a sign of progress.

Mark Lutz unpacks how Lux Digital is designed for a very specific "one," and how their ministry methods—including camera angles and language—are tailored for a digital native. Katie and Logan speak to the rapid growth and logistical hurdles they face, while Antoine Davis Sr.'s focus on simplifying the Gospel and engaging the 99 to reach the one has sparked exciting growth and cultural shift in his context. He emphasizes the power of building evangelism into church culture rather than treating it as an event.

This episode is a must-listen for any church leader wrestling with the tension between sending and forming, trying to mobilize a congregation, or simply trying to keep up with what’s next. No easy answers here—just leaders learning together.

New to Intentional Churches? Start here: https://intentionalchurches.com/radical-alignment

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Intros
02:30 What’s Keeping You Up at Night?
09:45 Evangelism vs. Discipleship: The Tension
15:10 What’s Working in Your Context Right Now
22:40 Radical Alignment to the Great Commission
28:15 How Are You Measuring Success?
30:00 One Thing to Figure Out in the Next Five Years
31:00 Final Reflections

Join the conversation and let us know how you are leading your church toward the Great Commission!
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Eduardo Rivera, a leader within Mosaic Church in Winter Garden, Florida, joins Erin and Doug to talk about what it really means to lead in a multicultural church environment. With deep roots in Puerto Rico and over two decades in Central Florida, Eduardo shares his first-hand experience of how the region has shifted dramatically in Hispanic population and diversity.

Eduardo explains how his calling transitioned from planting a new church to leading existing multicultural ministries, emphasizing the importance of creating spaces where both first-generation immigrants and their second-generation children can thrive spiritually. He describes the need for the Anglo church to embrace Hispanic culture—not as a project of assimilation, but as a movement of true integration grounded in shared values, mission, and trust.

This episode highlights the difference between proximity and unity, the cultural nuances of relational evangelism, and the church's responsibility to engage in local mission right in their own neighborhoods. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how cultural intelligence, leadership collaboration, and genuine curiosity can shape a church culture that honors and celebrates diversity.

New to Intentional Churches? Start here: https://intentionalchurches.com/radical-alignment

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Meet Pastor Eduardo
04:15 Eduardo’s journey from Puerto Rico to Florida
08:10 Demographic shifts in Central Florida
11:50 Understanding the realities of Hispanic ministry
15:30 From church planting to leading within Mosaic
18:30 Defining integration vs assimilation
24:10 What the Anglo Church can learn from Hispanic cultures
29:00 Shifting from global to local missions
34:30 Relational evangelism in multicultural settings
38:45 The role of leadership and trust in integration
42:00 Final encouragement to church leaders

Join the conversation and let us know how you are leading your church toward the Great Commission!
Website: https://intentionalchurches.com
The Book: https://a.co/d/hFlz17C
The Blog: https://intentionalchurches.com/blog/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@IntentionalChurches
Facebook: https://facebook.com/intentionalchurches
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intentional-churches/mycompany/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/IntentionalChurches
X/Twitter: https://x.com/intentchurches

Don’t forget to reserve your spot for the Intentional Churches Conference in April here: https://www.intentionalchurchesconference.com/

Gregg and Leilani Sizemore, co-pastors of Creekside Church in Dallas, GA, join the podcast to share their incredible story of planting a church six months before the COVID-19 pandemic. From early momentum to massive disruption, and ultimately to realignment and spiritual renewal, they give church leaders a transparent look into the challenges and breakthroughs that come with living out the Great Commission in a post-COVID world.

They reflect on their early days of ministry, their complementary roles as husband and wife in leadership, and how their personal faith was tested through burnout and the weight of unmet expectations. The Sizemores share how re-engaging with Intentional Churches helped them reassess everything from service structure to language alignment, catalyzing a renewed focus on reaching people far from God.

Listeners will gain practical insights into implementing missional rhythms, navigating cultural and theological preferences within the church, and pushing forward when alignment feels impossible. The episode also explores how pruning and resistance can precede spiritual fruit, and how a single Sunday of breakthrough can make all the long work worth it.

From stories of young families walking away to finding joy in conversations with first-time believers, this episode is packed with hope, honesty, and actionable steps for every church leader fighting to stay faithful to the mission of Jesus.

The Intentional Churches Community is a free-to-join online community platform designed to foster individual growth while nurturing collective wisdom and best practices from church leaders like yourself from across the country. Get started with your free account at intentionalchurches.com/community.

New to Intentional Churches? Start here:
https://intentionalchurches.com/radical-alignment

CHAPTERS:
0:00 Welcome & Introduction
02:45 Meet Gregg and Leilani Sizemore
06:55 Church Planting Right Before COVID
11:50 Working Together in Marriage and Ministry
16:05 Burnout, Momentum, and Hitting Walls
21:30 Re-engaging with Intentional Churches
26:20 Volunteer Burnout and Cultural Pushback
30:10 Shifting to Evangelistic Focu
35:25 Rolling Out Alignment Through "Bless"
39:20 Fighting for Alignment Through Resistance
42:00 Encouragement to Keep Going
44:30 A Sunday Worth the Fight

Website: https://intentionalchurches.com
The Book: https://a.co/d/hFlz17C
The Blog: https://intentionalchurches.com/blog/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@IntentionalChurches
Facebook: https://facebook.com/intentionalchurches
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intentional-churches/mycompany/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/IntentionalChurches
X/Twitter: https://x.com/intentchurches

Join the conversation and let us know how you are leading your church toward the Great Commission!