Church Planter Podcast

Peyton Jones sits down with theologian, historian, and mission scholar Dr. Howard Snyder for a wide-ranging conversation on the gospel, the Kingdom of God, and what it truly means to follow Jesus in a fractured world. Drawing from his newest and most ambitious work, Consider the Lilies: How Jesus Saves People and the Land , Snyder challenges the Church to recover a fuller, more biblical vision of...

Joshua Brown—known as the Pressure Washing Pastor —joins Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell for one of the most compelling conversations the Church Planter Podcast has had in a long time. From a traumatic childhood and growing up without a father, to burnout in vocational ministry, to building a multi-million-dollar pressure washing business as a platform for disciple-making, Joshua shares a raw, rede...

People leave church plants...and it’s not always a bad thing. In this honest conversation, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell talk about why people leave, how leaders often take it personally, and why a healthy send-off matters more than trying to hold people tightly. Along the way, they address the dangers of platform-first leadership, social media posturing, and why character (not notoriety) is what...

In this candid conversation, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell talk honestly about the emotional and spiritual weight of church planting—the burnout, the doubts, the financial strain, and the moments when you wonder why you ever said yes. Drawing from years of experience, they reflect on why so many church planters quit, why calling matters more than strategy, and how disciple-making offers a hopeful...

In this episode, Peyton Jones sits down with author, artist, and founder of Creo Arts, Winfield Bevins , to explore why beauty may be the most overlooked catalyst for mission in our generation. Drawing from his new book, How Beauty Will Save the World , Winfield unpacks how art, imagination, and creative calling can open spiritual doors that arguments and strategies often cannot. Winfield shares h...

In this episode, Pete and Peyton dive into one of the most explosive topics resurfacing online today: End Times theology . With Revelation videos going viral on TikTok and Instagram, people—especially younger generations—are asking fresh questions about the last days, the Antichrist, and whether current events signal something bigger. Peyton unpacks how church planters can step into that conversat...

What happens when hardly anyone shows up to church, the worship leader is gone, there’s no sermon prepared, and the pastor is running on four hours of sleep? Most church planters would cancel. Peyton didn’t—and it turned into one of the most meaningful Sundays he’s ever experienced. In this episode, Peyton tells the story of a tiny gathering that turned into a powerhouse discipleship moment. A rec...

In this episode, the Peyton & Pete kicks things off reminiscing about the early days of The Church Planter Podcast before diving into one of the most practical topics for planters today: how and where to meet . Peyton unpacks his current church plant journey and explores creative ways to gather—whether in homes, co-working spaces, or even pubs. Together, he and Pete talk about balancing depth...

In this powerful conversation, Peyton Jones sits down with Christian Mungai , Global Movement Pastor at Mariners Church and author of People Are the Wealth , to explore how the global landscape of missions is shifting — and why that’s good news for the Church. Born in Kenya and now serving in California, Christian shares his remarkable family story that traces the full circle of missions: from the...

In this episode, Chestly Lunday sits down with Carey Nieuwhof — pastor, author, and host of The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast — to talk about how churches and leaders can stay healthy and innovative in a rapidly changing world. Carey unpacks why most great ideas have a five-to-seven-year shelf life, how leaders can navigate the “second S-curve” without losing their identity, and why humility a...

What happens when your disciple-making actually works? In this episode, Pete and Peyton dive deep into Discipology —Peyton’s newest project and framework for mobilizing every believer. Forget the buzzwords about “multiplication.” This is about what Jesus actually did: sending ordinary people two by two to change the world. Peyton unpacks the three rhythms of disciple-making— Teaching, Time, and Ta...

What does it take to lead the first truly digital generation? In this episode, Chestly Lunday sits down with leadership expert and author Tim Elmore to talk about his latest book, The Future Begins with Z: 9 Strategies to Lead Generation Z as They Disrupt the Workplace . Together they unpack what makes Gen Z unique, the myths leaders often believe about them, and why this generation might actually...

In this episode, Pete and Peyton dive into the often-overlooked practice of mentorship and its vital connection to discipleship. Reflecting on stories from Charlie Kirk, early church history, and their own church planting journeys, they explore why asking for a mentor is essential, what healthy mentoring relationships look like, and how they differ from coaching and training. From stories of Peyto...

Peyton has finally caught up on his Star Wars, which means it's time for a special edition of the Church Planter Podcast where Peyton and Pete don't talk about church planting. Get ready for Peyton's thoughts on a galaxy far, far away, along with a healthy dose of Alien and Jeeps. Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode: Reliant Mission: reliant.org/cpp NewBreed Training Thanks for listening...

In this special episode of the Church Planter Podcast , Pete and Peyton respond to the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk. With the nation divided and emotions raw, they reflect on Kirk’s public witness, his unapologetic faith, and the way he embodied respectful dialogue in a culture that often rewards division. Together, they wrestle with how pastors and church leaders should shepherd their p...

What if the way we think about poverty is all wrong? In this episode, Chestly Lunday sits down with Brian Fikkert , co-author of When Helping Hurts and founder of the Chalmers Center, to unpack why many well-meaning church strategies can actually do more harm than good. Brian shares his journey from economics professor to equipping churches around the world to serve the poor in ways that honor the...

In this episode, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell tackle the challenge of sharing the gospel in a world overloaded with noise and distraction. From the rise of short-form content to the temptation of controversy-driven clicks, they explore what it means to “do the work of an evangelist” today. Peyton unpacks the biblical distinction between being a witness and proclaiming the good news, while Pete d...

In this month’s Fully-Funded Church Planter episode, brought to you in partnership with Reliant , Chestly Lunday and Jon Crawford put church planter Logan Mabe in the fundraising “hot seat.” Logan shares the vision behind his new church in Chula Vista, San Diego, and the real challenges of balancing co-vocational ministry, family life, and raising the funds needed to launch strong. Together, Jon a...

In this episode, Chestly Lunday sits down with Jacob Lierz, Missions Pastor at LifeMission Church in Kansas City, to challenge conventional thinking on global missions. Jacob shares his powerful journey—from becoming a Christian at his home church to planting a church in a refugee camp in Djibouti, and now leading a reimagined missions strategy that prioritizes family-based care over institutional...

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell tackle a topic that’s rarely discussed but critical to the health of your church plant—how to run a leadership meeting. Peyton shares his philosophy of open, transparent meetings, the structure he uses to keep them productive, and why listening often matters more than talking. You’ll hear practical tips on setting the to...

In this wide-ranging, rabbit-trail-rich episode, Peyton and Pete go full Loveline-meets-Lancashire-hotpot. What starts with a nostalgic nod to late-night radio quickly unravels into a theological deep dive covering Jordan Peterson’s spiritual journey, why Wesleyan theology still matters, and how different “gospels” throughout church history reflect the multi-faceted diamond of salvation. Peyton sh...

In this episode, Peyton returns from the UK with fresh ink and even fresher stories of what God is doing through a tattoo shop-turned-discipleship hub in Wales. From hilarious misadventures with a British dog to profound reflections on the sovereignty of God, Peyton walks us through a surprising chain of events that began with a simple Starbucks conversation—and continues to ripple through a churc...

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast , Chestly Lunday interviews Nick Hall—evangelist, author, and founder of Pulse—about how to reach the next generation with the gospel. Nick shares stories of calling, risk, and revival, including how a simple prayer on a college campus turned into a nationwide movement to call young people back to Jesus. Chestly and Nick talk about the hunger they're s...

What if your church stopped trying to be a lake and became a river instead? In this episode, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell sit down with Larry Walkemeyer, longtime pastor of Light & Life Christian Fellowship and the author of The River Church . Larry shares the radical vision God gave him and his wife Deb: instead of growing bigger, their church would grow deeper and wider by sending. That vi...

Six hundred episodes. Over a decade of laughs, lessons, and legendary missteps. For this milestone moment, Church Planter Podcast flips the mic—Chestly Lunday interviews the duo who started it all: Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell. From their earliest interviews using Google Hangouts (complete with digital Dr. Seuss hats), to the infamous “TomTom cougar voice incident” at Saddleback, nothing is off-...