Church Unfiltered with Dr. Anthony Cobbs

Every organization has them. Every church has them. And whether you realize it or not, gatekeepers can either help move the mission forward or become obstacles to progress. In this episode of Church Unfiltered , Dr. Anthony Cobbs explores the role of gatekeepers in church leadership and ministry. From administrative assistants and executive pastors to long-time volunteers, board members, and influ...

What exactly is the difference between an Executive Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Associate Pastor, and Chief of Staff? And more importantly—which role does your church actually need? In this episode of Church Unfiltered , Dr. Anthony Cobbs tackles one of the most misunderstood topics in church leadership: the role of the second-chair leader. As churches grow and become...

EPISODE 84: Is your church prepared for these trends? A major leadership shift is happening in the church world and many congregations are unprepared for what’s coming next. In Episode 84 of Church Unfiltered, Dr. Anthony Cobbs unpacks the growing reality known as the “Silver Tsunami,” the wave of aging pastors, ministry leaders, and church staff approaching retirement. But this conversation goes...

Excellence is a value but what if it’s quietly damaging your church culture?  In this episode of Church Unfiltered , Dr. Anthony Cobbs unpacks how excellence can drift into pressure, performance, and burnout if it’s not properly defined and supported. Learn how to build a culture that honors God without exhausting people. To order Dr. Cobbs' new book "You Have Everything You Need" g...

How do you navigate the dual relationship of your pastor also serving as your supervisor? In chapter 10 of Dr. Cobbs new book, "The Supporting Cast: A Guide for Church Staff" he looks into this often overlooked aspect of working on staff at the local church.  In this episode, Dr. Cobbs explores: * The person you see on Sunday might seem different on Monday. * The boundaries a staff membe...

When you work at your place of worship sometimes you can find yourself struggling to have a meaningful devotional life. In this episode Dr. Cobbs brings up a few ways to ensure you do not lose your spiritual fervor when you become part of a church's staff. Pre-order Dr. Cobbs' new book, "The Supporting Cast: A Guide for Church Staff" Visit www.anthonycobbs.com

Working on church staff might seem like wonderful, fulfilling work. Ideally it is, but there are times when it is challenging and even difficult. In this episode Dr. Cobbs relays a few ways to determine if working on church staff is the way to go. Taken from his new book, "The Supporting Cast: A Guide for Church Staff" listeners will hear: What questions to ask when considering a staff p...

The relationship between Pastor and church staff is one that is rarely mentioned and often overlooked. As a result, many leaders are unaware of what their staff experiences in the work space. Dr. Cobbs and Breakthrough Ministry Consulting is conducting research on church staff members to identify areas of strength and areas of growth to ensure high morale. This episode is a glimpse into the initia...

Across the country church attendance has dwindled. There are practical reasons people have chosen to stay at home and worship. This episode revisits the projections made during the pandemic in episode 17 and updates the possible reasons people have still not returned to in-person worship. Previous episode referred to: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1116260/4617122-e17-what-if-they-don-t-come-back-vali...

What makes the best leaders stand out? William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of staffing company Vanderbloemen Search Group, has conducted extensive research with the best of the best pastors, church leaders and the behaviors they exhibit. His new book, "Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders From the Rest" offers insight on becoming a better leader. To pur...

What is all the hype about A.I. (artificial intelligence) and how should the church respond? I asked Nils Smith, Innovation Director for Dunham and Company to stop by and share the basics of AI and what pastors and church leaders should consider with this not so new technology. We discussed several things such as: • What is AI? • How can the church benefit from AI? • In what ways are we already us...

Graduation season inspires many to go back to school and earn a degree or add on another one. If you are ministry, or aspire to be, it is important to think about certain factors before spending time, money, and energy in school. But let's face it: all degrees are not worth the investment and frankly some are not even credible. This episode we discuss a few considerations: Why Are You Thinkin...

What do you do when your heart is no longer in what you do? For too many leaders, even pastors and church leaders, this is a reality even while they continue to serve. Dr. Wanita Mercer is the CEO and founder of Lead My Heart consulting and coaching. She shares warning signs to look out for and encourages leaders to reclaim the passion they have for ministry and leadership. Dr. Mercer's Conta...

Tragedy happens to us all. Ministers are usually the first people we call but who ministers to the minister when he or she is going through?  Dr. Antoine works with pastors as the Director of Bi-Vocational Pastors at Baptist General Convention of Texas. He joined us on this episode to share his story and to offer tips on caring for the preacher during crisis. 

Are you thinking about going on church staff?  I surveyed church staff from across the country with the question, “If you could go back to your initial interview, what questions would you ask?” This episode shared ten of those questions such as: “What is the church vision and how is it implemented?” “Are there any past or potential scandals I need to know about?” “How does the church handle mental...

It has been said the pandemic changed church forever. Maybe that declaration is somewhat exaggerated but there are trends and adjustments that definitely resulted. This episode looks at five positive trends that emerged from the pandemic. Online ministry Mental health awareness Young adults in leadership Pastoral succession Merging churches To book a Wired Workshop with Dr. Anthony Cobbs email: in...

As church leaders seek to gain a sense of stability and plan for the future it is important to plan based upon data. This episode is a must hear for pastors and leaders who are planning programming and a calendar for their church. Contact Dr. Cobbs for Consulting info@breakthroughonline.org

 Dr. John Faison is the senior pastor of Watson Grove Baptist Church in Nashville. He is a scholar, social activist and one of the rising pastoral voices in the country today. In one of the most candid interviews in Church Unfiltered history, Dr. Faison describes how the enduring pandemic impacted him as a pastor and personally and steps he took to persevere. In this episode we discussed: The impo...

When is the last time you asked your young adults (ages 18-35) what they are dealing with and what questions they might have? I took the time to ask about 40 young adults from 3 different churches what topics they would want to discuss with their church leaders. In this episode I list 10 of the most common themes that arose and how pastors and church leaders can use these topics to start Bible stu...

Black history month allows us to commemorate the experience of the African-American. Returning guest, Dr. Carey Latimore, is a history professor and Christian preacher who understands the importance of highlighting the role faith in God had in the plight of the black American. In this episode, Dr. Cobbs and guest Dr. Latimore discuss several topics such as: * The importance of churches acknowledgi...

Setting goals at the beginning of a new year is typical. But how do you set goals in a season of uncertainty? This episode looks at classic ways to set S.M.A.R.T. goals and also how to identify key factors that will help you establish purposeful direction. To contact or book Dr. Cobbs: info@breakthroughonline.org

The so-called great resignation is a phrase coined to describe the millions of American workers who are leaving their jobs and looking for new opportunities. Thus far more than 4.4 million people have resigned, retired, or flat out quit their jobs. How does this impact the church, church staff and pastors? HR Strategist and podcast host Krystal Speed joins us to dialogue about what this phenomena...

The career choice of church consulting and coaching has taken off in recent years. What does it take to become a consultant to churches and what are some of the pitfalls one might bump into? This episode looks at the good and bad of the industry. Consulting businesses mentioned in this episode: The Unstuck Group The Malphurs Group Church Consulting Certification mentioned in this episode: Church A...

The church has often used the arts to minister to people. Music, dance, dramatic presentations are all tools at our fingertips. How does one do this effectively? Danielle Gulley is the owner of Perpetual Innovations Entertainment LLC Entertainment and produces plays, productions, even a children’s online show. All while serving as the worship leader at her church.  She blessed us as a panelist way...

Friendship has been redefined through social media and other platforms. It has been minimized to those who follow us on social media. But true friendship is something to value and appreciate, especially when you are a pastor. Pastors, depending on how they respond to others, can be the best type of friend. But as with any of us, there are red flags that suggest that pastors also have the potential...