Sidecar Leader Podcast

You've poured years into something that still isn't working, and part of you is afraid to admit it. What if the bravest move isn't pushing harder, but starting over? In this episode, Marc Poland, Senior Pastor of Discover Church in the Philadelphia area, shares how he went from tech sales to church planting, shut down a struggling church, then rebuilt one after COVID into a thriving community. You...

You'll spend hours mapping strategy for your team, but when was the last time you brought that same intentionality into your home? In this episode, Pastor Lee Domingue joins us to unpack the family board meeting practice that transformed how he leads his own household, complete with shared values, hard questions, and radical honesty around the table. You'll learn how vulnerability builds trust fas...

Stepping into a role once held by someone larger than life comes with a weight most people never see: the pressure to prove you belong, the fear of tearing down what took decades to build.  Mark Pettus, who succeeded Chris Hodges as lead pastor of Church of the Highlands, walks through what it actually took to pull off one of the smoothest leadership transitions in recent church history. You'll he...

You've built a logo, picked your colors, and printed the merch, so why does your church's brand still feel disconnected from what people actually experience on a Sunday? That gap between how you look online and how you feel in person is more common than you think, and it's quietly costing you trust. In this episode, we break down what a brand actually is (hint: it's so much more than a logo), walk...

Have you noticed the distance growing between you and the people you lead? It happens quietly, one busy season at a time until you're preaching from your head instead of your heart. In this episode, Sidecar Leader sits down with Pastor Lyle Phillips of Legacy Church in East Nashville for an honest conversation about staying close to your people when ministry starts to feel like a platform. Lyle sh...

Ever feel like you're repeating the same values to your team over and over, wondering if any of it is actually sticking? You're not alone. Every leader eventually learns that vision leaks and culture shifts if you're not intentional about reinforcing it. In this episode, we break down the five-word framework we've used to build a lasting culture on our own team: Well, Done, Good, Faithful, Servant...

Peter Haas on AI, Content Creation, and the Future of Church Governance Peter Haas, lead pastor of Substance Church and author of Happy Church Governance , Broken Escalators , and Pharisectomy , joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on how artificial intelligence is reshaping sermon writing, content creation, and church leadership. Peter has been in ministry for nearly 30 years and pulls...

Most pastors don't know how to lead the high-capacity business leaders sitting in their church—and those leaders are often just one invitation away from a breakthrough. In this episode of The Sidecar Leader, Executive Pastor Nate Puccini shares how he went from a lonely, workaholic millionaire running 21 business locations to giving it all up to serve the local church. Nate gets honest about the i...

What separates high-performing organizations from ones that stay stuck? It comes down to two things: collaboration and execution — and most teams are only good at one. In this episode, we sit down with Jordan, COO of Highlands College, to unpack the leadership frameworks and operational principles that have helped one of the most respected ministry training institutions in the country scale with e...

Most leaders are taught how to launch. Nobody teaches you how to end. In this episode, Nathan and Jason sit down with Tony Calabrese — a leader who has navigated church closings, season endings, and the kind of transitions that test not just your strategy but your identity. Tony has planted twice, which means he's also had to convince himself — and his family — to believe again after things didn't...

You've hired the right people. You have a clear vision. You've tried the new framework. So why does it feel like nothing is actually sticking? In this episode, Nathan and Jason make the case that most organizational problems aren't structural — they're cultural. And until you fix what's underneath, nothing you build on top of it will last. They walk through four culture types that show up in almos...

Your team has things they want to say to you — but they won't. Not because they don't care. Because they don't feel safe, don't want the conflict, or assume you're too busy to hear it. In this episode of the Sidecar Leader Podcast, we say the things your employees are probably thinking right now. Five honest truths about clarity, feedback, trust, consistency, and growth — and what it costs your te...

What does faithful leadership look like in a world where every cultural moment seems to demand an immediate response? In this episode of the Sidecar Leader Podcast, we sit down with Jon Rush to talk about the growing pressure pastors and church leaders feel on social media - from politics and public tragedy to theological controversy and cultural debates. Together, we explore how leaders can resis...

Most leaders don't need more help. They need more ownership. In this episode, Jason and Nathan unpack what your boss wants to say to you (but probably hasn't yet) and give five practical leadership shifts that make you a high capacity, low maintenance teammate. If you want to grow, get promoted, earn trust faster, and carry more responsibility without creating chaos, this one is a blueprint. 00:00...

A casual bike ride turns into a brutal compound fracture - and somehow that moment becomes the gateway into a masterclass on relationships, leadership, and influence. Wayne Francis opens up about the accident, the fear of getting back on the bike, and why real leadership is built with "the righteous and the ratchet" - staying close to everyday people so leaders don't lose tenderness, perspective,...

In this conversation, Chris shares why relationships are not just a leadership strength, but a leadership responsibility. From planting a church in small-town Ohio to building a culture where people feel seen, he breaks down how to scale connection beyond the charismatic leader and into the whole team. You will also hear a simple, freeing definition of excellence: doing the best with what and who...

What makes teams actually healthy over the long haul? In this conversation with Brian Cromer, we talk about the fundamentals that never stop mattering: caring for people before correcting them, giving the "gift of clarity" (not just big vision), and building cultures where people feel heard and own the mission. Brian also opens up about navigating "church hurt" without becoming bitter, and the wor...

If you've got a lot of options in front of you right now and the emotions are high… this episode is for you. In this early-2026 conversation, we talk about the difference between vision decisions and emotional decisions - and why leaders often get stuck when the water gets muddy. Then we walk through five questions to clarify vision and five principles to communicate it in a way that people can ru...

Excellence is more than polished services and clean environments – it's a spirit that permeates everything you do as a leader. In this Sidecar Leader conversation, Pastor Jason unpacks a biblical and practical vision for excellence in both church and organizational life. Drawing from the story of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, he paints a picture of excellence that literally "takes people's breat...

In this conversation, Jason sits down with Beth, a longtime kids and next gen leader at Church of the Highlands, to unpack how you build a thriving kids ministry that actually recruits, retains, and disciples volunteers and families. Beth shares how she went from music major and worship leader to executive assistant, then into leading Highlands Kids across multiple campuses— without a traditional...

Most organizations don't have a vision problem—they have an execution problem. In this conversation we unpack why consistency beats creativity, the real cost of poor follow-through, and the practical tools leaders can use to close the gap between ideas and implementation: ownership, roadmapping, time-blocking, check-ins, and the "eat the frog" principle. If you feel stuck, this one's for you. 00:0...

Australian church planter Chris Carmona shares the gritty, unfiltered path of planting in Chicago—fast growth, painful pruning, pandemic shutdowns, losing a house two days before Christmas, a cancer diagnosis, and the revelation that changed his leadership: stop trying to attract people, start attracting God. We unpack culture vs. charisma, hiring fast vs. building people, leading without fear of...

Seasons determine seasons. In this candid conversation, our guest (a senior pastor and church planter) unpacks the real tensions of transition—shifting from staff to lead pastor, inviting your leaders into the process, and walking out integrity when timelines and decisions don't go your way. We talk honesty and honor, calling vs. ambition, counting the cost for your family, and how senior leaders...

Respectful debate sharpens leaders. In this episode, we unpack how to argue with honor, why truth + love increases impact, and a simple lens for diagnosing problems: spiritual, practical, or clinical. We pull from early church debates, coaching calls, spans of care, and the Jethro Principle—then land on a usable one-on-one framework (the 4Cs: Care, Cover, Correct, Communicate) you can apply this w...

In this Sidecar Leader conversation, we dive deep into two of the toughest realities leaders face: discerning God's voice in decision-making and leading through seasons of suffering. Our guest unpacks a practical G-O-S-P-E framework for discernment—Glory, Others, Scripture, Prayer, Evangelism, and Lifestyle—while also challenging common misconceptions about "peace" and God's will. We talk candidly...