Justin Kendrick
Vox Multisite Church, and Leading with Humility
About The Episode
In this episode, Sean sits down with Justin Kendrick, planter and pastor of Vox Church in New England, to explore the heart behind multi-site ministry, leadership development, and the surprising move of God happening across one of the least-churched regions in the U.S. Justin shares his journey from musician to church planter, the early chaos of scaling locations without systems, and the intentional shift toward forming leaders through habits of the heart rather than skills alone. He unpacks Vox’s leader-development process, the power of life-on-life discipleship, and the humbling lessons learned along the way. Their conversation offers a rare and honest look at building a movement while staying grounded in accountability, character, and focus.
Welcome to Episode 147 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.
Insights from Justin
- Movements Grow on the Shoulders of Developed Leaders, Not Just Good Systems
Before Vox Church ever nailed multi-site structure, they were investing deeply in people. Justin emphasizes that the real engine of any movement is life-on-life apprenticeship — not infrastructure. Systems came later; character development came first.
- The Heart Must Be Formed Before the Hands and Head
Justin teaches three components of forming a leader: head (knowledge), hands (skills), and heart (desires). He believes desire formation is the missing link in most churches. Vox cultivates seven key habits that shape a deep love for God, beginning with an hour each morning in Scripture and prayer.
- Leadership Development Happens in High-Commitment “Leader Circles”
Each campus pastor hand-selects 10–15 emerging leaders to invest in for a full year. Two or three typically emerge as strong leaders, creating a steady internal pipeline for staffing and campus leadership. Nearly all of Vox’s staff has come from within.
- Small, Not Big, Is What Actually Scales
Though Vox now has 13 locations, Justin stresses that discipleship still looks like shared meals, real conversations, and intentional relationships. “People have to know you — you only replicate what you are.”
- Saying “No” Is a Necessary Leadership Discipline
Justin continually protects his time and calling, saying “no” to most opportunities, even highly appealing ones. Focus fuels effectiveness, and narrowing priorities allows more meaningful long-term impact.
- Delayed System-Building Created Pain (and Lessons Learned)
As Vox grew, they hit a season of organizational “whitewater” because their internal systems lagged behind their size. They lost people and experienced operational chaos until they brought in seasoned leadership and restructured essential areas like finance, data, and operations.
- Accountability Isn’t Optional — It’s a Safeguard
Justin outlines Vox’s multi-layered governance structure: an executive team, ministry leads, an internal leadership group, and an external board with authority to evaluate or even remove him if needed. Humility and structure work together to protect both leader and church.
Episode Links
The Quiet Revival, by Bible Society
The Inner Ring, by C.S. Lewis
If you’re a leader approaching a succession or transition, or maybe you’re a few years in and beginning to see how complex transitions leadership is… go to The Art of Pastoral Succession and check out my course in partnership with Carey Nieuwhof.
Are you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/
Who is Justin Kendrick?
Justin Kendrick is the Lead Pastor of Vox Church, which he and his wife, Chrisy, founded in 2011 with a group of friends on the doorstep of Yale University. Since then, the church has grown to multiple locations across New England with the dream of seeing the least-churched region of the U.S. become the most spiritually vibrant place on earth. Justin was ordained for ministry in 2009 and holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s in theology. He’s the author of the USA Today bestseller How to Quiet a Hurricane (2024), as well as Bury Your Ordinary (2021) and The Sacred Us (2022). He is the host of Justin Kendrick: The Devoted Life Podcast and continues to create sermon material, small group studies, and video content weekly through Vox Church. Justin and Chrisy live with their four children in the New Haven area.
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About the Host
Sean Morgan is a coach and speaker with a national reputation as a catalyst of fresh vision. His passion is to help ministries navigate obstacles and turn them into opportunities.
Throughout his career, Sean has pioneered initiatives impacting thousands of leaders across the country. He started out serving as Executive Pastor and CFO at New Life Church in northern California.
As host, Sean gives you access to amazing conversations, hard-won wisdom, and poignant insights from world-class leaders in intimate “living room” settings.
Your Host
Sean Morgan
Leaders in Living Rooms
Craft & Character
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