Blog
LILR 166 | Building an Elite Team and the Hats Pastors Wear with Matthew Brown
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, host Sean Morgan sits down with Matthew Brown, pastor of Sandals Church, to unpack the tension pastoral leaders feel when the roles of friend, pastor, and boss collide in the same relationship. Matt challenges the instinct to soften hard conversations for the sake of the relationship, showing instead that clarity delivered with genuine care is what actually protects trust and long-term health on a team. Together, they explore how effective leaders learn to address problems early rather than let them fester, why staff exits leave a lasting imprint on a leader, and how building a team strong enough to be submitted to is one of the most underrated marks of mature leadership.
Why No Church Planter Quits Because of Money, with Mark Lee
Mark Lee planted Vantage Point Church in Eastvale, California in the middle of the 2008 recession with no money, no building (their only option was a junior high cafetorium), and a lot of doubt. Nearly two decades later, he joins David Hibiske to talk candidly about what it actually takes to survive the long haul of church planting. Mark unpacks the generosity that helped launch his church, the identity crisis he hit around year five, the "Dream, Do, Doldrums" framework that got him through burnout, and why he believes church planters don't quit because they run out of money. They quit because they get crushed under the weight of their own disappointment. This episode is a grounded, honest look at perseverance, reframing pain, and staying faithful to a calling that rarely looks like it does on Instagram.
LILR 165 | Dave Ferguson Unpacks 8 Years of Hero Maker
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, host Sean Morgan sits down with author and leader Dave Ferguson to reflect on the lasting impact and evolving lessons of Hero Maker and kingdom multiplication. Dave challenges the misconception that becoming a "hero maker" means sacrificing leadership influence, showing instead that pouring into others is the key to compounding long-term kingdom impact. Together, they explore how effective ministry leaders change the way they keep score, shifting focus from Sunday attendance to tracking their sent "family tree" of church planters, and explain why adopting fresh leadership language is essential for reshaping organizational culture and future paradigms.
LILR 164 | Urban Church, Gen Alpha, & the 1-3-1 Rule with Josiah Jobe
How do you step into the lead pastor role of a massive, multi-site urban church at a young age? In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, host Sean Morgan sits down with Josiah Jobe, lead pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Spanning 26 locations, over 40 worship services, and utilizing multiple languages, New Life represents a highly complex and deeply scaled urban ministry. Josiah candidly shares his initially reluctant journey toward pastoral ministry, fighting a distinct call during his youth and navigating the immense pressure and expectations that come with following in the footsteps of his father, Mark Jobe. Together, they explore the profound lessons learned from watching a father's decision-making process, the critical baseline of matching public and private integrity, and how keeping strict structure at home ultimately fuels a leader's health for the ministry.
Why Working Harder Isn’t Fixing the Friction in Your Church Plant with Wayne Cordeiro
What do you do when the system that got you here is the very thing preventing you from getting there? In this episode of The Unfair Advantage, host David Hibiske sits down with veteran church planter, author, and college president Pastor Wayne Cordeiro for an incredibly candid look at the lifecycle of a growing church. Wayne pulls from decades of experience planting New Hope Oahu and leading global ministries to unpack the hidden traps of early-stage ministry. Together, they explore the critical shift from organic momentum to structured scalability, how to correctly assess the specific "pain levels" in your organization, and why a leader's refusal to transition from doing ministry to developing people will eventually bottleneck everything. If you are a church planter trying to figure out if your current organizational friction is a spiritual battle or just a bad structure, this episode delivers a blueprint for building a sustainable foundation.
LILR 163 | Leaders Go First in Wholeness with Derwin Gray
What happens when the pressure to perform as a ministry leader completely hollows out your internal world? In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with pastor, author, and former NFL player Dr. Derwin L. Gray for an incredibly raw and vital conversation on pastoral wholeness. Too many pastors are fluent in the language of emotional health but completely starving for a theology that transforms their real, everyday pain. Pulling from the insights of his upcoming book, It’s Time to Heal, Dr. Gray unpacks why your accomplishments can never fix your soul, how to navigate habitual patterns that keep you feeling stuck, and what it practically looks like to lead from a place of profound spiritual redemption rather than performance. If you are tired of pretending you are fine while carrying unaddressed wounds, this episode is a compassionate, urgent roadmap back to the heart of Jesus.
LILR 162 | At the Saddleback Helm for 3 1/2 Years, Pastor Andy Wood Opens Up
How do you transition a historic, world-changing church into a new season without losing its DNA? In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Andy Wood, Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church, to pull back the curtain on the messy, rewarding reality of leading major institutional change. Andy shares his raw, firsthand experiences transitioning from planting a tight-knit congregation to navigating the vast scale of Saddleback. Together, they break down what it practically looks like to fuse a historic legacy of evangelism with a deeply rooted culture of prayer, providing leaders with a masterclass on navigating the loneliness of senior leadership, building scalable organizational systems, and pacing change at the "speed of trust".
Julie Bullock on Practical Ways to Build a Culture of Generosity in Your Church
In this episode of The Unfair Advantage, David Hibiske sits down with Generis consultant Julie Bullock to discuss how church planters can build a healthy culture of generosity from day one. Drawing from nearly two decades of experience serving churches, Julie shares practical wisdom on helping people view giving as a priority, a privilege, and a purpose-driven act of worship. Together, they unpack common misconceptions about money in the church, offer guidance on teaching biblical stewardship, discuss effective offering moments, and explore how pastors can confidently lead generosity conversations without apology or fear. Whether you're preparing to launch a church or leading a growing congregation, this episode provides actionable insights for cultivating a thriving culture of generosity.
LILR 161 | Father James Mallon on Maintenance to Momentum
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Fr. James Mallon to explore what it really takes to move a church from maintenance to mission. Drawing from his experience revitalizing struggling parishes, Fr. James shares the realities of church turnaround, the weight of leadership, and the deep cultural shifts required to reclaim a missional identity. He unpacks the tension between shepherding and evangelism, the danger of inward-focused church culture, and the critical role of the Holy Spirit, leadership development, and intentional systems like Alpha in sparking renewal. This conversation offers both encouragement and practical wisdom for leaders navigating change and longing to see genuine transformation in their churches.
LILR 160 | Josh Newell on 1,000,000 YouTube Views Per Day, Digital Next Steps, and the Shadow Side of Growth
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Josh Newell, Executive Director of the Jesus Film Project, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, growth, and global evangelism in the digital age. Josh shares how shifting from a centralized model to a partnership-driven approach has unlocked greater scale and impact, especially through digital platforms that connect people to real discipleship pathways. He opens up about the challenges of leading through growth, including getting ahead of your team, cultivating belief, and learning to wait on God’s timing. The conversation also explores why animation is a critical next step in reaching younger, global audiences and how leaders can build healthy, high-performing teams by balancing vision, patience, and trust. Ultimately, Josh points leaders back to dependence on Jesus as the foundation for lasting impact.
Jay Kranda on Building the Right Tech Stack for Your Church Plant
In this episode of The Unfair Advantage, David Hibiske sits down with Jay Kranda to unpack how church planters can think strategically about technology, digital ministry, and building an effective church tech stack. Drawing from over a decade leading online ministry and innovation at Saddleback Church, Jay shares practical insight on choosing the right church management systems, giving platforms, digital tools, and AI workflows without getting distracted by every new trend. The conversation explores how technology can amplify ministry, why church leaders should think long-term when selecting platforms, and how to avoid costly mistakes as churches grow. Whether you’re planting a church or leading an established congregation, this episode offers grounded, practical wisdom for using technology to support discipleship, growth, and organizational health.
LILR 159 | Jim Burgen on Finding Freedom Under the Mantle of Leadership
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Jim Burgen to explore how senior leaders can cultivate vision, develop future leaders, and steward seasons of growth with intentionality and humility. Jim shares the story behind Flatirons Church’s “Be Free” faith initiative, a movement focused on establishing outposts of freedom, investing in leadership development, and engaging deeply in anti-trafficking efforts locally and globally. The conversation highlights the importance of resisting manufactured momentum, listening for God’s direction, and building structures that empower others while protecting the leader’s spiritual and emotional health. Jim also challenges pastors to create pathways for calling the next generation into ministry and to embrace both the weight and privilege of the mantle of leadership.
LILR 158 | Ben Cachiaras on the Currency of Trust in Leadership
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Ben Cachiaras, Lead Pastor of Mountain Christian Church, to explore the evolving landscape of church leadership, multi-site strategy, and disciple-making in today’s cultural context. Ben shares insights from nearly 30 years of ministry, including lessons learned from launching multiple campuses and cultivating both church planting and multi-site expressions of ministry. Together, they discuss the growing need for leadership development pipelines, the critical role of trust in healthy organizations, and the importance of clarity around mission and identity in a politically polarized culture. Ben also highlights Mountain Christian Church’s innovative community center model, demonstrating how holistic ministry can build trust within neighborhoods and create meaningful pathways for gospel impact.
Dave Ferguson on Staying Healthy to Lead a Multiplying Movement
In this episode, David Hibiske sits down with Dave Ferguson to explore the heart behind multiplication and movement leadership. Dave shares insights from his journey planting Community Christian Church, transitioning leadership to an apprentice, and helping catalyze church planting movements through Exponential. Drawing from themes in his book Multiply, the conversation challenges leaders to invest deeply in others, prioritize multiplication, and remain focused on reaching communities with the message of Jesus. This episode offers practical encouragement for church planters seeking to go further, faster in their calling.
LILR 157 | Mike Foster on Navigating Away from Comfort in Leadership
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan welcomes back Mike Foster for a candid conversation about clarity, friction, leadership growth, and unlocking high performance. Mike unpacks why awareness alone isn’t enough, how leaders unintentionally create comfort zones that stall momentum, and why friction is essential for turning potential energy into kinetic energy. From navigating difficult conversations and team misalignment to understanding core motivation through The Seven Primal Questions, this conversation challenges leaders to embrace truth, sharpen communication, and build cultures where people thrive.
LILR 156 | HTB’s Sarah Jackson on Developing UK Leaders for 1,000 Church Plants
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Sarah Jackson of Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) to explore church revitalization inside the Church of England, raising diverse leadership pipelines, and what many are calling a “silent revival” among young people in the UK. Sarah shares her personal story of coming to faith at 13 through Alpha, the bold vision behind HTB’s Church Revitalisation Trust, and the urgent mission to reverse church decline by planting and revitalizing 1,000 churches. From developing “Peter” and “Caleb” leadership streams to stories of university students encountering Jesus through dreams and social media, this conversation is both strategic and deeply spiritual, reminding leaders that while systems matter, revival ultimately belongs to the Holy Spirit.
Brad Lomenick on Trends Shaping Your Church, Staff, and Teams
In this episode of The Unfair Advantage, David Hibiske sits down with Brad Lomenick for a wide-ranging conversation on calling, assignment, generational leadership trends, and the competitive edge church planters already possess. Brad unpacks the critical difference between calling (the directional current of your life) and assignment (the season you’re stewarding right now), challenges leaders to build multi-generational teams, and offers practical insight on navigating today’s “short-term free agent” workforce mindset.
LILR 155 | Bob Goff on Leadership from New Perspectives
In today’s episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Bob Goff for a candid and refreshing conversation about leadership, identity, and returning to your “first love.” Bob unpacks the subtle ways leaders can drift into isolation—viewing people as projects rather than relationships—and shares practical, courageous ways to reset. From quitting his own law firm to encouraging teams to submit annual “mass resignations,” Bob challenges leaders to reapply for the job that is truly them. The conversation also explores his newest project, A Journey with Jesus, filmed in the Holy Land, designed to create safe spaces for honest conversations about faith. With humor, depth, and humility, Bob reminds leaders that we’re not chasing efficiency—we’re pursuing faithfulness.
LILR 154 | Nicky Gumbel on Developing Leaders and Church Health
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Nicky Gumbel to discuss the global acceleration of Alpha, leadership succession, church planting, and the essential role of spiritual leadership in the church today. As Alpha approaches its 50th anniversary and looks toward the 2033 vision—the 2,000-year anniversary of Jesus’ death and resurrection—Nicky shares how new, fully contextualized film series in Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, and African languages are expanding Alpha’s reach worldwide. He reflects on handing leadership to the next generation, the power of church planting to create healthy growth, and why pastors must resist being defined by business models rather than by spiritual leadership.
John Mark Redwine on Reminders and Rhythms to Persevere & Not Quit
In this episode of The Unfair Advantage, John Mark Redwine shares an honest, decade-long look at the realities of church planting—marked by calling, perseverance, heartbreak, and healing. From planting in the spiritually resistant city of Asheville to navigating postpartum depression, family illness, leadership conflict, COVID, and even a devastating hurricane, John Mark reflects on what it takes to stay faithful when quitting feels easier. Through personal stories, spiritual practices, and hard-earned wisdom, he offers hope-filled encouragement for leaders who feel weary, reminding them that calling, healing, and sustainable rhythms are essential for longevity in ministry.