Breaking Barriers

What does pastoral ministry really cost? Not just your time—but your emotions, your body, and your soul? Former lead pastor Ben Tugwell planted and grew Integrity Church for over 15 years. He had coaches, healthy boundaries, took time off, and did "all the right things." Yet six months after transitioning out of vocational ministry, he's still discovering just how much the role affec...

Are you playing it too safe in your church leadership? In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we explore the concept of living on the "edgy side of wise"—taking calculated risks that honor God without crossing into foolishness. Discover practical strategies for risk-taking in four critical areas. Learn why preparing the jars before the miracle matters, how to invest in growth when you don...

Are you playing it too safe in your church leadership? In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we explore the concept of living on the "edgy side of wise"—taking calculated risks that honor God without crossing into foolishness. Discover practical strategies for risk-taking in four critical areas. Learn why preparing the jars before the miracle matters, how to invest in growth when you don...

The Why, Where, When, and Who of Multisite Church

Discover the 6 most common reasons churches plateau and stop growing. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we explore why many faithful, spiritually deep churches remain stuck... from policy paralysis and lack of clear vision to being personality-driven instead of process-driven. Learn practical strategies to overcome growth barriers. Conference: https://breakinggrowthbarriers.com/conference Webs...

What does it really look like to be a pastor's wife? Not the Pinterest-perfect version—the real, messy, beautiful reality. Anna pulls back the curtain on 20 years of ministry life, from church planting with toddlers to navigating special needs adoption while her husband leads a growing church. She tackles the hard questions: How do you keep your identity when you're known as "the past...

Part 2 of the conversation around church planting vs multisite church: Are multi-site campuses and church plants really the same thing? Pastor Andrew and Pastor Jonathan Yarborough dive deep into the crucial differences between campus planting and church planting strategies. Using the starfish vs spider analogy, they explain the critical differences with a "both, and" mindset, not an "either, or";...

What's the difference between launching a multi-site campus and planting a church? We explore why we believe multi-site campuses serve as growth strategies while church plants function as multiplication strategies [unSeminary] , and why treating them as identical could limit your church's long-term kingdom legacy. We look at the "multiply everything" principle and how it prepares churches for both...

What do you do when God calls you to something that scares you? Every church leader faces moments when fear, excuses, and negativity create artificial barriers to growth and ministry. Today, Pastor Andrew looks at Moses' burning bush encounter and his three revealing excuses that mirror our own leadership struggles. From church planting to difficult conversations, discover how God's power, presenc...

Part 2 | In 2024, Mercy Hill Church became the #1 missionary sending church in the Southern Baptist Convention. This doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen without intentionality. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Pastor Andrew talks with our Missions Director, Landon about Mercy Hill's 2-year training process that has sent out 212 people (71 international) to unreached people groups....

In 2024, Mercy Hill Church became the #1 missionary sending church in the Southern Baptist Convention. This doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen without intentionality. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Pastor Andrew talks with our Missions Director, Landon about Mercy Hill's 2-year training process that has sent out 212 people (71 international) to unreached people groups. Learn pr...

Every church leader hates the "summer slump," but what if summer could actually be your secret weapon for growth? This episode breaks down 4 strategies that flip the script on summer ministry and can turn your slowest season into your most strategic one. If you're a pastor or on a church leadership team and you're tired of writing off summer as a dead season, this episode will change how you think...

What separates churches that grow from those that stay stuck? In this episode, we dive into the 5 mental shifts that make all the difference. Here's the reality: only 2% of churches ever hit 1,000 members, but the ones that do aren't just lucky—they think differently. Now, 1,000 people isn't always the goal (and it probably shouldn't be for everyone), but these mental shift help to reframe how we...

Pastor Skip Allen joins Jonathan Yarboro to talk about how Hope Community Church went from a small merger to 1,200 weekly attendees. In this Breaking Barriers episode, discover actionable church growth strategies including multi-campus development, going to multiple services, and much more. Website: ⁠ https://breakinggrowthbarriers.com ⁠ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakinggrow...

Vision without follow-through is just a dream. The execution part of vision is always the hardest, and the execution doesn't happen without courage. Vision without follow-through is just a dream. The execution part of vision is always the hardest, and the execution doesn't happen without courage. Website: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://breakinggrowthbarriers.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups...

In this episode, we cover Commandments 4-10 of the 10 Commandments of Kids Week. This is one of our "Big Days" [read: Weeks] in our calendar year. Kids Week is all hands on deck: staff, volunteers, security, pastors, everyone! Don't miss this opportunity to connect with families and volunteers during the summer! Website: ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://breakinggrowthbarriers.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.fac...

In this episode, we cover the ethos and the first 3 Commandments of Kids Week. This is one of our "Big Days" [read: Weeks] in our calendar year. Kids Week is all hands on deck: staff, volunteers, security, pastors, everyone! Don't miss this opportunity to connect with families and volunteers during the summer! Website: ⁠ https://breakinggrowthbarriers.com ⁠ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com...

Part 2, continuing the conversation about a Church Growth Flywheel. What if your church could build the same kind of unstoppable momentum that Amazon used to become a global giant? In this episode, we take a look at the Biblical strategy that has built the church over the last 2,000 years. Based on Acts 2, we share the simple flywheel system that aligns your entire church, from staff structure to...

What if your church could build the same kind of unstoppable momentum that Amazon used to become a global giant? In this episode, we take a look at the Biblical strategy that has built the church over the last 2,000 years. Based on Acts 2, we share the simple flywheel system that aligns your entire church, from staff structure to budget decisions. This long-term strategy shows how individual disci...

In this in-depth episode of Breaking Barriers, learn the key to church merger success. Pastor Andrew shares the "two hearts, one vision" strategy that produced four successful mergers and explains why the majority of church mergers fail. Both churches require the same gospel-centered heart posture; how to recognize senior church members, and the discipleship opportunities presented by me...

Are you a lead pastor struggling with burnout, depression, or physical health issues? You're not alone. In this Breaking Barriers episode, Pastor Andrew Hopper explains why preaching pastors face unique health and physical challenges that most people don't understand. Let's not ignore the hidden physical demands of preaching, and why your sympathetic nervous system is constantly trigge...

In this episode, we break down the critical difference between directional and shepherding elders, revealing how this biblical framework allows churches to grow while maintaining organizational health. Learn the six key responsibilities of directional elders and how to create clear role expectations that prevent ministry paralysis. Whether you're planting a church or looking to scale your curr...

What if your church could generate unstoppable momentum? In this episode, we break down the flywheel concept from Jim Collins' "Good to Great" and apply it to church growth. Learn why some churches struggle with isolated wins while others create compound growth through the flywheel model. Discover practical strategies to identify your church's key momentum drivers, maintain disciplined focus, and...

Church leaders often struggle between being the "hype person" and the bearer of bad news. The Stockdale Paradox offers a better way forward. Join us as we explore how Admiral Stockdale's experience as a POW provides a framework for effective leadership: confronting the brutal facts of reality while maintaining unwavering faith. Learn why this approach builds trust, leads to better de...

Many churches doubt the value of investing heavily in "Big Days" (think: Easter Services) when attendance drops the following week. In this episode, we debunk this myth with five data-backed takeaways that prove big days are crucial for long-term church growth. From creating adequate space and mobilizing volunteers to leveraging baptism moments and implementing effective follow-up systems, discove...