The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast

What if the way you've been taught to connect with God isn't the only way—or even the best way for you? In this liberating conversation with Filipe Santos of Echo Church as our host, international speaker and bestselling author Hosanna Wong reveals why your relationship with God doesn't have to look like anyone else's—and why that's actually by design. Hosanna shares insights f...

Frank Bealer, CEO of Generis with over 25 years of ministry and leadership experience, served on the executive team at Elevation Church during its explosive growth from volunteer setup crews to leading multi-campus expansion. In this conversation, he challenges common leadership assumptions with practical wisdom for navigating growth, developing teams, and building a healthy culture of generosity....

David Bennett's story starts in a Sydney pub where a supernatural encounter transformed a gay atheist activist into one of today's most thoughtful voices on faith and sexuality. Now an Oxford-trained theologian, David helps church leaders navigate what might be the most challenging pastoral question we face—without defaulting to culture war scripts that leave everyone exhausted. What makes this co...

The challenge with generosity isn't the concept itself, it's the fear surrounding it. And most church leaders recognize this tension. Boyd Bailey, founder of Wisdom Hunters and author of "The Power of Generosity," joins Felipe and Mandy to explore why conversations about generosity feel so complex, and how we can move past the anxiety to help our people discover genuine freedom....

What does it take to lead a thriving church in one of America's most unchurched cities?  Brenden Brown, pastor of Heirs Church in San Francisco, shares his journey of 29 venues in 8 years, navigating a gracious transition from Hillsong, and learning that our identity as sons and daughters transforms how we do ministry. Brenden's stories—from giving away his jacket to a stranger in Trader J...

What's the difference between church growth and real discipleship? Pastor Bob Reed found out the hard way—even as his Florida church was thriving numerically, he realized something was missing. That realization led him on a journey that would reshape his entire approach to ministry. Now leading CyLife Church in Texas, Bob shares how he moved from stage-focused ministry to relational disciplesh...

Samuel Teka from the Diaspora Network joins us to talk about something too many churches are missing: the incredible gift immigrant churches bring to North America. Sam shares his journey as a second-generation Ethiopian-American and why building bridges between first and second-gen believers matters more than ever. You'll hear about the power of open-door hospitality, why missionaries are now...

The mission field has come to us, but are we paying attention? Samuel Teka from Diaspora Network talks about the awakening happening as North American churches realize immigrant communities aren't just people to serve, but partners who have something vital to teach us about Kingdom community. Sam shares his story as a second-generation Ethiopian-American navigating the cultural gap between gen...

Are you measuring the wrong things in your church? Warren Bird, renowned author and church researcher, joins us to challenge conventional thinking about church growth and success. Fresh from analyzing data on thousands of churches, Warren shares encouraging news about post-pandemic recovery, the rising impact on young adults, and why the focus needs to shift from attendance numbers to genuine atta...

What if the key to church growth isn't doing more ministry yourself, but empowering others to step in? In this episode, Dr. Eric Bryant sits down with prolific author and researcher Warren Bird to discuss the surprising trends in post-pandemic church health, the shift from attendance to attachment, and why the future of ministry depends on raising up the next generation of leaders. Warren shar...

What does ministry look like in one of America's most de-churched regions? This conversation explores the realities of leading in Silicon Valley, where traditional assumptions about secular culture often miss the mark. Mandy Santos, Spiritual Formation Pastor at Echo Church, shares honest reflections on ministry in the Bay Area: Why secular communities may be more receptive than expected Navig...

Mandy Santos of Echo Church shares what spiritual formation looks like in Silicon Valley—one of the most de-churched regions in America. If you're wrestling with how to reach skeptics while discipling believers, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom. Mandy reveals why everything they expected about hostile secular culture turned out to be wrong. She walks through navigating major t...

What if everything you've heard about declining church attendance is about to change?  Luke LeFevre joins us to share what he's witnessing across North America—from college campuses to historic churches like Saddleback—and why he believes we're on the cusp of a 60-year movement of God. In this conversation, Luke pulls back the curtain on what happened at Saddleback's sacred assembl...

Luke LeFevre has been in rooms where God showed up in unexpected ways. From studying historic revivals like the 1950s Hebrides awakening to witnessing Saddleback Church's sacred assembly firsthand, he's watched a pattern emerge—one that suggests we're entering a decades-long season of spiritual renewal in the West. In this episode, Luke shares: Why Gen Z is attending church more than a...

What if the secret to church growth isn't another marketing campaign, but something much simpler?  Rich Birch , church growth consultant, speaker, and author of multiple books, shares eye-opening research that challenges how we think about reaching people—and why the most effective strategy is probably the one you're underutilizing. Rich walks through his framework for sparking momentum in...

Rich Birch of unSeminary.com breaks down the practical strategies that actually move the needle in church growth. If you've been frustrated by low guest retention or wondering why people aren't inviting their friends, this conversation is packed with actionable insights you can implement this week. Rich shares surprising data about why traditional marketing is losing its punch and what&#39...

What does it look like to lead a church that's anchored in Jesus when everything around you feels like it's being blown by political winds?  Dr. Derwin Gray , lead pastor of Transformation Church , joins us for an honest conversation about staying focused on the kingdom of God in a divided culture. Derwin challenges us to stop using a 250-year-old country as our biblical filter and instead...

Dr. N.T. Wright joins us to dismantle Western Christianity's Platonized afterlife theology and reclaim the Bible's actual vision: God renewing all creation. In this essential conversation for pastors and church leaders, Wright explains how the early church absorbed Greek philosophy's "souls escaping to heaven" instead of maintaining the biblical hope for resurrected bodies in...

In this episode of the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Innovative Church Leaders podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Eric Bryant ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  interviews ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ Paul Johnson and his son Drew Johnson . Paul served for years as lead pastor of Woodridge Church near Minneapolis. Now he serves as Generosity Pastor and his son Drew leads Mercy Hill Church nearby and Aspen Grove , their network of chur...

In this episode of the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Innovative Church Leaders podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Eric Bryant ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  interviews ⁠ Dr. Lucy Peppiatt , the President of Westminster Theological Centre in Bristol, England. Lucy discusses ministry in a post-Christian context, the importance of training the next generation of pastors, and the role of theology in effective minist...

In this episode of the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Innovative Church Leaders podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Eric Bryant ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  interviews Stan Jantz , the Global Ambassador for the Come and See Foundation which funds the global television phenomenon - The Chosen . Stan discusses the current challenges and opportunities in church leadership, the importance of storytelling in conveying th...

In this episode of the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Innovative Church Leaders podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Eric Bryant ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  interviews Glen Scrivener of Speak Life Media and author of The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality and How to Speak Life . Glen shares about the emerging interest in faith among youth and the importance of empower...

In this episode of the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Innovative Church Leaders podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Eric Bryant ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  interviews ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ J.D. Pearring , the founder of the Excel Leadership Network . J.D. shares about the importance of raising up new leaders in the church, the challenges faced by church planters, and the significance of coaching and mentorship in leadership development....

In this episode of the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Innovative Church Leaders podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Eric Bryant ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  interviews ⁠⁠⁠ Jon Chasteen , pastor at Victory Church and founder of Re-Leaders . Jon shares about rebuilding trust after a pastor's moral failure along with the critical role of re-leaders in church revitalization and raising up leaders. 🔥  Top 5 Takeaways: 1. Buildi...

In this episode of the  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Innovative Church Leaders podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Eric Bryant ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  interviews ⁠ Michael Warden, executive coach and author of the epic fantasy series The Pearlsong Refounding. Michael delves into understanding one's identity for personal and ministry momentum. 🔥  Top 5 Takeaways: 1. Teachability and willingness to grow are essential for perso...