Fly on the Wall Podcast With Chris Sonksen

Growing a church isn’t usually about finding the next big idea. More often, it’s about building the right systems, developing the right leaders, and creating a culture where people move from simply attending to fully engaging in the mission. In Episode 221 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , I sat down with Pastor Johnny for a practical coaching conversation on what it really takes to build a multipl...

Every pastor wants great leaders. The challenge is finding them. And even when you do find them, how do you keep them engaged, growing, and committed to the vision God has given your church? In Episode 220 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, I sit down with Pastor Josh for a practical conversation about identifying leadership potential, developing future leaders, building healthy teams, and creating a...

What separates good leaders from great leaders? Is it talent? Experience? Opportunity? Or is it something deeper? In Episode 219 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , I sit down with my friend Greg for a fascinating conversation about how high-level leaders think. We move beyond leadership strategies and systems and explore the mindset patterns that drive extraordinary growth, influence, and effectiven...

What if the biggest thing holding your church back... isn't your strategy, your budget, or your attendance? What if it's a leadership blind spot you don't even realize you have? In Episode 218 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, I sat down with Clinton for an honest conversation about some of the most common leadership mistakes I see pastors make—and, more importantly, how to avoid them...

Not every great leader is loud. And not every thriving church is built by a hyper-competitive, type-A personality. In Episode 217 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, Chris sits down with Pastor Rob for an incredibly honest conversation about leadership, personality, AI, church finances, and what it really looks like to lead from who God actually made you to be. Because a lot of pastors quietly wrestle...

A lot of churches don’t fail because they lack passion. They fail because they lose focus. In Episode 216 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, Chris sits down with Josh from Denver for one of the most practical conversations we’ve had yet on church planting, leadership development, and building momentum from the ground up. Because when you’re starting a church—or trying to break through a plateau—it’s...

Busy doesn’t always mean effective. In Episode 215 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, Chris sits down with Pastor Daryl for a conversation every pastor—especially bivocational leaders—needs to hear. Because one of the biggest mistakes churches make when trying to grow… is adding more. More programs. More events. More meetings. More pressure. But growth rarely comes from doing more things halfway well...

What happens when momentum starts building—but your systems, leadership structure, and culture aren’t fully ready for what’s next? In Episode 214 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , I sit down with my friend RJ Johnson for a practical and strategic conversation on preparing your church for growth during major transitions. RJ is navigating two massive shifts at the same time: moving from portable to p...

Culture isn’t built by accident. It’s shaped—intentionally or unintentionally—by what you emphasize every single week. In Episode 213 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, Chris sits down with Brent to tackle one of the most important (and often misunderstood) aspects of leadership: How do you actually shape and form culture in your church? Because every church has a culture… The real question is: Is it...

If nothing changes… nothing changes. That sounds obvious—but it’s exactly where a lot of churches get stuck. In Episode 212 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, Chris sits down with JJ to talk about something deeper than strategy, systems, or even leadership tactics: Your thinking. Because the truth is—your ministry will never outgrow your mindset. This conversation goes beyond surface-level leadership...

Ever feel like your church is growing… but not actually moving forward? You see new people come. You feel momentum building. And then somehow… it slips back again. In Episode 211 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , Chris sits down with Matthew to tackle one of the most common (and frustrating) realities in ministry: breaking through growth barriers and becoming a “sticky” church. This conversation ge...

What separates churches that are truly thriving… from those that are just getting by? In Episode 210 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , Chris sits down with Justin to unpack what he’s seeing across churches of every size—and the patterns that consistently show up in churches that are growing, healthy, and sustainable. This isn’t theory. It’s what’s actually working right now. In this episode, you’ll...

Growth doesn’t just require new strategy… it requires new courage. Because the very things that helped you grow early on can quietly become the things that hold you back from your next level. That’s what we unpack in Episode 209 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , as I sit down with my friend Adam for a coaching conversation on what it really takes to move from one level of growth to the next.  In th...

Growth is exciting… but it also creates new challenges you can’t solve with old thinking. Because what got you here won’t always get you to where you’re going next. That’s the focus of Episode 208 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , where I sit down with my friend Mike for a coaching conversation on navigating growth, managing tension, and thinking differently as your church expands.  In this episode...

Leadership can be incredibly rewarding… and incredibly painful. Because if you’ve led long enough, you’ve experienced it— people you invested in walk away, criticism hits harder than expected, and it becomes tempting to pull back instead of leaning in. That’s exactly what we unpack in Episode 207 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , as I sit down with my friend Ryan for a real and honest coaching conv...

You don’t build a great church by accident—you build it by developing the right leaders. And just as important… knowing what happens next. That’s the focus of Episode 206 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , where I sit down with my friend Joey for a practical conversation on identifying leaders, developing them to capacity, and creating a healthy plan for succession.  Because here’s the reality: If y...

Growth is exciting… but retention is where health is proven. Because once your church starts attracting people, the next question becomes: How do you close the back door—so people don’t drift out as fast as they came in? That’s exactly what we unpack in Episode 205 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast . In this coaching conversation, I sit down with my good buddy Sheldon (pastoring a great church in Spr...

When momentum shows up, it feels amazing. But momentum can also hide what’s about to break. That’s why Episode 204 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast is such an important conversation. I sit down with my buddy Nathan (pastoring a great church in Ohio) to talk about how to bring out the best in your team—and how to keep getting better even when things are going well. Nathan asks a question every leader...

If you’ve ever felt like your church has good people… but the results feel inconsistent, this episode will help. In Episode 203 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, I sit down with my buddy Alan for a coaching conversation on one of the most important leadership shifts a pastor can make: Stop relying on programs—and start building systems. Because at the end of the day, healthy growth isn’t an accident...

As Jeremy’s church moves from survival to sustainability—new building, construction, momentum—he asks a question that every growing leader must wrestle with: Which leadership habits that served me early on still belong in this season… and which ones could now be holding us back? This conversation is packed with clarity for pastors navigating growth, change, and increasing demands. In this episode,...

How do you know when it’s time to start something new… and when it’s time to finally stop something that isn’t working? That’s one of the toughest leadership tensions in ministry—because in church world, it’s easy to keep programs alive simply because we’re emotionally attached to them… or because a few influential people are attached to them. In Episode 201 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast, I’m joi...

When momentum shows up, it feels amazing. But momentum can also hide what’s about to break. That’s why Episode 204 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast is such an important conversation. I sit down with my buddy Nathan (pastoring a great church in Ohio) to talk about how to bring out the best in your team—and how to keep getting better even when things are going well. Nathan asks a question every leader...

We just hit a major milestone—Episode 200 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast. And before I say anything else, I just want to say thank you. Whether you’ve listened to one episode or all 200… whether you’ve shared the podcast, sent it to a friend, or applied the leadership principles in your ministry—I’m genuinely grateful. This podcast exists to serve pastors like you, and it’s because of your support...

What do you do when giving is up… but you’re still living week to week? That’s the exact tension we unpack in this week’s Fly on the Wall Podcast. In this live coaching conversation, I sit down with my good friend Pastor Aaron—who’s experiencing rapid growth and incredible generosity in his church… but is also feeling financial pressure he didn’t expect. And here’s the twist: the money is coming i...

Have you ever felt the tension of leading others… while still serving someone over you? In Episode 198 of the Fly on the Wall Podcast , I sit down with my good friend Pastor Joe for a powerful coaching conversation on the tension between the first chair and second chair —and how to build a team culture that balances care and candor . Because healthy teams don’t just feel supportive… they also tell...