Breaking Barriers

What does it take to build a healthy church-planting collaborative? In this episode, Pastor Andrew and Pastor Bobby share the 8 cultural distinctives that define the Mercy Hill Collaborative. From being unapologetically growth-oriented to prioritizing parent planting over partner planting to placing a high value on preaching and the gathered church, this episode is a must-listen for pastors seriou...

What does it take to build a healthy church-planting collaborative? In this episode, Pastor Andrew and Pastor Bobby share the 8 cultural distinctives that define the Mercy Hill Collaborative. From being unapologetically growth-oriented to prioritizing parent planting over partner planting to placing a high value on preaching and the gathered church, this episode is a must-listen for pastors seriou...

Pastors in their 30s run on energy. Pastors in their 40s have to learn to run on something else. In this episode, we get honest about what that transition actually looks and feels like — from preaching five services a weekend and doing sermon planning at 9:30 PM, to realizing that the highest-leverage thing you can do for your church isn't more hours, it's better decisions. We walk through...

What does it actually take to build a church that grows and sends? In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we sit down with Brian Frye from the North American Mission Board (NAMB) during a live NAMB event — an all-access experience that brought 170 leaders from 50 churches across the country. We unpack the 5 cultural pillars behind Mercy Hill's sending and multiplication strategy, why church gro...

What does it actually take to build a church that grows and sends? In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we sit down with Brian Frye from the North American Mission Board (NAMB) during a live NAMB event — an all-access experience that brought 170 leaders from 50 churches across the country. We unpack the 5 cultural pillars behind Mercy Hill's sending and multiplication strategy, why church gro...

Part 2: J.D. Greear started at a church with two people in the college class. Today, The Summit Church has planted more than 700 churches and is chasing a vision of 1,000. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Andrew Hopper and J.D. unpack the philosophy, the failures, and the flywheel behind one of the most prolific sending churches in America. Topics include: why multiplication is a faithfulness...

J.D. Greear started at a church with two people in the college class. Today, The Summit Church has planted more than 700 churches and is chasing a vision of 1,000. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Andrew Hopper and J.D. unpack the philosophy, the failures, and the flywheel behind one of the most prolific sending churches in America. Topics include: why multiplication is a faithfulness issue,...

Most churches have a clear vision at the top — but somewhere between the lead pastor and the kids volunteer, that vision gets lost. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we dig into operational alignment : what it means for every ministry team — not just senior leadership — to know exactly why they exist, what their plan is, and how their work fuels the overall mission of the church. We walk throu...

Most churches have a clear vision at the top — but somewhere between the lead pastor and the kids volunteer, that vision gets lost. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we dig into operational alignment : what it means for every ministry team — not just senior leadership — to know exactly why they exist, what their plan is, and how their work fuels the overall mission of the church. We walk throu...

What if the reason your church isn't growing is that you're fighting against who you actually are? In this episode, we tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in church planting and church growth: the power of owning your church's brand. We explore why contextualization that's celebrated on the mission field gets criticized in the local church, and what the New Testament actual...

What if the reason your church isn't growing is that you're fighting against who you actually are? In this episode, we tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in church planting and church growth: the power of owning your church's brand. We explore why contextualization that's celebrated on the mission field gets criticized in the local church, and what the New Testament actual...

Part 2: Most churches plan — but few have a rhythm that actually keeps vision and execution in sync. In this episode, we walk through the four essential components of the quarterly planning meeting we use at Mercy Hill Church. We break down how the check-in builds team trust, how to build an issues list that captures both problems and opportunities, how to "enter the danger" and create a...

Most churches plan — but few have a rhythm that actually keeps vision and execution in sync. In this episode, we walk through the four essential components of the quarterly planning meeting we use at Mercy Hill Church. We break down how the check-in builds team trust, how to build an issues list that captures both problems and opportunities, how to "enter the danger" and create a culture...

What does an executive pastor actually do — and how do you know if you're doing it well? In this episode of Breaking Barriers, Bobby and Randy break down the 5 core functions every executive pastor (or ministry director) must own. Whether you're a solo XP at a church of 300 or part of an executive team at a multi-campus church of 5,000, these are the responsibilities that make or break min...

PART 2: Have you ever seen that guy at the gym who only trains his biceps? A lot of pastors preach the same way... all spirit, no body, no whole-life health. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we have an honest conversation about what holistic sanctification actually looks like, why the church has often reduced it to a checklist of spiritual rules, and how a gospel-centered view of grace change...

Have you ever seen that guy at the gym who only trains his biceps? A lot of pastors preach the same way... all spirit, no body, no whole-life health. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we have an honest conversation about what holistic sanctification actually looks like, why the church has often reduced it to a checklist of spiritual rules, and how a gospel-centered view of grace changes everyt...

What does it actually feel like when your church has momentum but no vision? Or great systems but no momentum? In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we unpack the three essential elements every growing church needs — vision, momentum, and systems — and what breaks down when even one of them is missing. Whether you're leading a church plant with explosive early growth or an established church t...

Every pastor has them — unexamined assumptions that quietly set the ceiling on what you believe God can do through your church. In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we unpack five of the most common limiting beliefs in church leadership, why they're more dangerous in ministry than anywhere else, and how a biblical framework of stepping out in faith before you see God move can transform the wa...

Learn how to focus on what matters most in pastoral ministry with 5 essential principles for long-term success. Pastors Bobby and Andrew discuss identifying your core responsibilities, using your calendar strategically, avoiding the passion trap, delegating effectively, and embracing the process over outcomes. Discover why preaching, vision casting, and generosity matter more than busyness, and ho...

How do you identify a future church planter before they even know they're one? In this episode of Breaking Barriers, we walk through 8 early indicators to look for in high school and college students — from entrepreneurial drive and dynamic communication to physical discipline and commitment to the local church. We also make the case for why parent planting (raising planters from within your o...

[Part 2] We explore a critical issue affecting 40% of pastors today: burnout caused by failing to adapt to new life seasons. Discover why many ministry leaders implode not from lack of commitment, but from refusing to acknowledge when their capacity has changed. Learn how marriage, kids, crisis, and blessing each demand different strategies for spiritual, physical, and emotional health. Whether yo...

We explore a critical issue affecting 40% of pastors today: burnout caused by failing to adapt to new life seasons. Discover why many ministry leaders implode not from lack of commitment, but from refusing to acknowledge when their capacity has changed. Learn how marriage, kids, crisis, and blessing each demand different strategies for spiritual, physical, and emotional health. Whether you're 25 o...

Think you need to be a natural visionary to cast compelling vision for your church? Think again. This episode breaks down vision casting into practical, repeatable steps any pastor can implement. Discover how to develop a clear vision, why "God's will is something you do, not something you find," and how to make your vision sticky enough that a teenager could explain it to their frie...

Think you need to be a natural visionary to cast compelling vision for your church? Think again. This episode breaks down vision casting into practical, repeatable steps any pastor can implement. Discover how to develop a clear vision, why "God's will is something you do, not something you find," and how to make your vision sticky enough that a teenager could explain it to their frie...

Discover how personality assessments like StrengthsFinder and Working Genius help church leaders hire the right staff and build stronger teams. Learn practical ways to use personality profiles for team development, understand your staff's wiring, and create a healthy church culture. Perfect for pastors and ministry leaders looking to improve hiring, reduce staff conflict, and maximize team str...