About The Episode
In this episode of The Unfair Advantage, Sean welcomes Tyler Scott (CPC in Danville, CA), James Grogan (East Lake in Southern California), and Danny Strange (Three Crosses, Northern California) to explore the steps toward becoming a multiplying church. The discussion emphasizes the “crawl, walk, run” approach to church planting, sharing practical insights from each leader’s experience. From embracing self-awareness and addressing organizational challenges to cultivating outward-focused leadership and partnerships, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for pastors and church leaders eager to impact their communities and beyond.
Welcome to Episode 032 of The Unfair Advantage Podcast with today’s guest host, Sean Morgan!
Insights From Tyler, James, and Danny
“Crawl, Walk, Run” Approach:
- Start where you are—whether crawling, walking, or running—by taking incremental steps toward multiplication.
- Early stages involve self-awareness, casting a vision, and reallocating resources for outward-focused goals.
Key Themes from Each Leader:
- Tyler Scott:
- Self-awareness is critical: Assess your church’s lifecycle to understand if it’s in growth, recline, or decline.
- Shift focus outward by addressing internal “burning platforms” and emphasizing evangelism.
- Strategic partnerships, like 360Serve, can fill gaps and strengthen global missions.
- Danny Strange:
- Start small: Refresh existing partnerships and celebrate wins with the congregation.
- Multiply at every level—build a culture of volunteerism and team-led efforts within the church.
- Overcome financial constraints creatively, e.g., forming nonprofits to scale missions beyond the church budget.
- James Grogan:
- Move from organic to systematic church planting.
- Kingdom mindset > Castle mindset: Prioritize open-handed sharing of resources, including platform, finances, and people.
- Leading by example inspires a multiplication culture and secures God’s blessings.
Practical Steps for Church Leaders:
- Begin with prayer (individually and corporately).
- Participate in church planting efforts through partnerships or sponsorships.
- Build a pipeline for training and sending leaders, integrating intentional strategies for long-term success.
Episode Links
Exponential Conferences: Exponential
Do ministry together! Three gatherings, nine planters, one cohesive journey. Check out the Ascent Leader Church Planter Cohorts. Get more information today at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/
Who is Tyler Scott?
Tyler serves as Lead Pastor at CPC (Community Presbyterian Church) in Danville. Tyler gets to pastor the church that he grew up in! He is a graduate of De La Salle High School, UCLA (B.A.), Pepperdine University (M.B.A.), and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Tyler has served as a pastor at CPC since 2012. Tyler has been married to Bridget for 18 years. She’s an amazing wife, mom, and friend (and chiropractor). Together, they have three bold boys–Trevor (15), Owen (13) and Cole (11).
Who is James Grogan?
James is the Lead Pastor at Eastlake Church, a growing movement of churches founded in Chula Vista, CA, which includes several locations in Southern California and Tijuana, Mexico. James is also a catalyst leader of the San Diego Church Plant Movement. He has worked in full-time local church ministry for over 25 years, with the last 19 spent on staff at Eastlake Church. James and his wife Rebecca have been married for 24 years and have 3 children of their own and have also served as foster parents for a few amazing children.
Who is Danny Strange?
Danny Strange is currently beginning his third year as Senior Pastor of 3Crosses, a diverse church in the SF Bay Area (3crosses.org). Prior to serving as Senior Pastor, Danny spent 19 years on staff at 3Crosses, serving in various capacities since 2000. Born and raised in the East Bay, Danny currently lives in Castro Valley with his wife Jessica and six children (Jackson 14, Carter 12, Hudson 11, Brady 8, Harper 6 and Peyton 6).
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsor: Generis.
A generous church is a healthy, growing church. So, if you’re ready to advance your mission, visit Generis.com/getstarted today!
Our goal with the Ascent Leader and our church planting cohorts is to help church planters win early and finish strong. We want to resource you so that you can avoid common pitfalls and simple mistakes. Being involved in a community of leaders like our church planting cohorts is one of the best ways to wrestle through these questions. We’re here to help you, if we can be of assistance to you please feel free to reach out.
Contact our team: ops@theascentleader.org
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