Most pastors want to grow — but growth doesn’t start with better strategies or more discipline. It starts with something deeper.

In this episode, Mark, Scott, and Hunter unpack the foundational mindset that determines whether leaders actually grow or quietly plateau. Drawing from leadership research, Scripture, and real pastoral experience, the conversation explores why growth is never accidental — and why so many leaders stall even though they’re busy.
They walk through how a growth mindset shapes the way pastors think about their roles, their future, and their responsibility to steward what God has entrusted to them. The episode also breaks down a practical framework for intentional growth, including clarifying roles, setting standards, building 90-day goals, and surrounding yourself with the right people for accountability.
Rather than offering quick fixes, this conversation challenges leaders to take ownership of their development — spiritually, emotionally, physically, and relationally — so growth becomes sustainable, not seasonal.
If you’re serious about becoming who God is calling you to be, this episode helps you build a foundation that actually supports growth over the long haul.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Why most pastors want growth but feel stuck
02:05 – Why every great leader needs a growth mindset
04:45 – Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset (and why it matters)
07:20 – Roles vs. goals: where most leaders get confused
10:15 – Defining “good” before you try to grow
13:55 – The difference between habits and projects
16:40 – Why motivation alone always fails
18:55 – The missing piece: accountability and growth teams
21:30 – Plus, minus, and equal relationships explained
24:10 – Biblical stewardship and growth (Matthew 25)
27:10 – Where to start if you’ve never had a growth plan

If you have a question or topic you’d like us to tee up on a future episode, email us at hey@readysetgrowchurch.com

Maker vs. Manager

Visionary pastors are called to innovate — but many church leaders spend their best hours stuck in meetings, putting out fires, and managing the day-to-day. If your calendar feels full but your vision feels stalled, this episode is for you.

Mark, Hunter, and Scott unpack the powerful framework of Maker Time vs. Manager Time and why misunderstanding it quietly sabotages creativity, strategy, and momentum on church teams. They break down how managers and makers work differently, why a “productive day” looks opposite for each role, and how to structure an ideal week that protects deep work without neglecting execution.
You’ll also hear practical rhythms like batching meetings, guarding prime energy hours, and building systems that replace micromanagement. This conversation will help you reclaim the space where vision actually gets built.

Timestamps:
00:00 — Why visionary leaders feel stuck in day-to-day management
00:34 — “Maker vs. Manager”: the mental model that changes everything
01:16 — The difference between operational work and innovative work
02:27 — How managers accidentally sabotage makers
03:33 — Why makers need long, uninterrupted blocks of time
04:16 — Lead pastors: protecting your deep-work space
05:31 — Measuring productivity without micromanaging creatives
06:52 — Why 9am–1pm is prime creative time for most leaders
08:19 — How (and why) to flip your schedule for maximum output
09:55 — Building an “ideal week” for both managers and makers

If you have a question or topic you’d like us to tee up on a future episode, email us at hey@readysetgrowchurch.com

There are few leadership moments more painful than realizing a friend on your staff may need to transition out. And in a church, where team and family often overlap, that weight can feel unbearable.

In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Hunter talk through how to navigate that moment with clarity, courage, and compassion. The conversation explores why delaying the decision usually creates more pain, how clear expectations can bring honesty long before a transition is on the table, and how to lead staff change in a way that cares for the church and the person involved.
They also unpack a practical path for handling this wisely:
• using expectation + timeframe cycles (90-day clarity windows)
• separating friendship from stewardship responsibility
• bringing spouses in at the right time to avoid confusion or surprise
• keeping the final conversation short, surgical, and grace-filled
• building severance policies before emotion clouds the moment

If you’re carrying this kind of weight right now, you’re not alone — and you’re not a bad leader for feeling it deeply. This episode is here to help you lead from stewardship, not fear, and stay faithful to what God is asking of you.

0:00 — The pain of firing a friend in ministry
1:10 — Why churches feel this deeper than other organizations
2:30 — Stewardship vs. friendship: obedience to God first
3:40 — “Choose your pain” (why delaying makes it worse)
4:55 — How credibility leaks when you avoid hard calls
6:10 — Trusting God that the transition is good for both sides
7:55 — Step 1: clarify expectations before anything else
9:35 — Using 90-day clarity windows (and repeating if needed)
11:20 — Don’t fly solo: get counsel before the decision
12:45 — The “we’re family” model—helpful or harmful?
17:05 — Spouses in the process: preventing confusion & surprise
23:35 — Severance policies set before emotions hit
27:55 — Final encouragement & prayer for leaders in this moment

If you have a question or topic you’d like us to tee up on a future episode, email us at hey@readysetgrowchurch.com

The #1 way staff build trust with their leader is by receiving delegation well — not just taking the task, but owning the responsibility and follow-through.
In this episode, Mark, Scott, and Hunter unpack what it actually looks like to “receive the baton” as a staff member. Because delegation only works when the handoff is handled with clarity, pace, and trust — and too often, great leaders delegate well but teams don’t know how to carry the weight.
You’ll learn how to:
- Understand your leader’s communication style (and why over-communication always wins)
- Protect quality and pace so your leader never feels like they need to take the task back
- Ask the five clarity questions every receiver needs before saying “got it”
- Use the 5 Levels of Delegation so you know exactly what authority you have
Solve problems before escalating them (and use the 1-3-1 method when you can’t)
- Build trust by inviting feedback early instead of waiting until it’s “perfect”

Whether you’re a senior pastor delegating to your team, a staff pastor carrying major responsibility, or a leader trying to grow in reliability and influence — this episode will help you stop dropping the baton and start earning more trust.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 — Why unresolved problems in delegation leak trust
00:36 — The #1 way to get promoted: receiving delegation well
01:42 — The relay race metaphor: why batons get dropped
02:06 — Two types of delegators: “no news is good news” vs “silence = nothing’s happening”
03:31 — Over-communicating progress builds trust with any leader
05:08 — What leaders are always thinking: quality + pace
06:32 — How weekly red/yellow/green updates keep alignment
07:31 — Don’t rush to say yes — slow down for clarity
08:39 — The 5 questions every receiver must ask
09:34 — The 5 Levels of Delegation (circle the one you’re in)
12:19 — Define “done” + what a home run looks like
13:43 — Agree on update cadence before you start
15:10 — “Yes, but…” how to clarify priorities without saying no
17:23 — Solve before you escalate + the 1-3-1 method
21:01 — Ask for feedback early (don’t protect your “precious snowflake”)
22:30 — Final recap: how to stop dropping the baton

If you have a question or topic you’d like us to tee up on a future episode, email us at hey@readysetgrowchurch.com

When a team member keeps asking “why?”, it can feel like you’re dealing with a questioning attitude rather than simple curiosity. Those moments can be frustrating—but they’re also revealing. Most of the time, persistent “why?” questions point to something deeper: a gap in clarity, alignment, or vision.

In this episode, Scott unpacks why *the why* matters so much. The “why” is the **fuel of the vision**—it motivates your team, brings unity, and helps everyone understand the purpose behind every decision. When a leader doesn’t clearly and consistently communicate the why, people start to fill in the blanks themselves… and that’s when attitudes shift.

You’ll learn how to answer the why in a way that builds trust, how to discern when a question carries hidden frustration, and when to take the conversation private rather than addressing it in the room. Most importantly, we talk about leading proactively—*cascading vision, not just decisions*—so your staff feels informed, aligned, and supported before changes roll out.

We also walk through our team’s **Honesty Policy**, a framework for communication that creates trust, invites healthy conversation, and eliminates relational fog. It calls us to speak the truth “to the last 10%” in the right way, at the right time, to the right person. **We have zero tolerance for gossip.**

If you want a staff culture marked by clarity, unity, maturity, and trust, this episode gives you the tools to lead those conversations with confidence and calm.


⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — When “Why?” Questions Become Something More
01:18 — Curiosity vs. Questioning Attitudes
02:08 — The Public Move: Answering the Why Clearly
03:01 — Why the Why Is the Fuel of Vision
04:15 — Casting Vision Instead of Cascading Decisions
05:10 — Preparing Your Why Before the Meeting
06:14 — The Private Move: Addressing Attitude 1-on-1
07:33 — Giving the Benefit of the Doubt First
08:42 — How to Use the Honesty Policy in Real Conversations
09:57 — “Last 10%” Conversations That Build Trust
11:21 — Questioning Spirit vs. Healthy Pushback
12:48 — When Misalignment Becomes a Grace-Lifting Issue
14:10 — Why You Must Address Small Problems Early

Ask us anything: hey@readysetgrow.church

Hiring isn’t just about filling a role — it’s about building a team that carries the mission forward.
In this episode, Scott, Hunter, and Mark unpack how pastors and leaders can hire with clarity, confidence, and spiritual discernment. From developing preferred profiles to understanding the key “Five C’s” every leader should evaluate, this conversation helps you prepare for growth before the pressure hits.
You’ll learn how to:
Clarify the kind of person your team actually needs
Build a process that increases the likelihood of a great hire
Avoid rushed or “panic” hires that drain time and trust
Identify fit through character, chemistry, and calling
Lead a God-honoring, team-centered hiring process
Because great hiring doesn’t start when there’s an opening — it starts when you proactively build the profiles and systems that attract the right people before you need them.

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:15 Why hiring well matters more than ever
1:05 How long should a great hire last?
2:05 The truth about hiring for a season
3:15 The five C’s every leader should evaluate
5:40 Why “capacity” is the secret to long-term success
7:10 The danger of hiring too quickly
8:25 How to use a preferred profile before you hire
9:40 Building a team interview process
11:15 The “Green, Yellow, Red” method for decision-making
12:40 Why interviewing the spouse matters
14:25 Trusting the Holy Spirit in hiring decisions
16:10 How to avoid panic hires with proactive planning
18:20 Creating systems that build better teams
21:05 Final thoughts on hiring for growth

Ask us anything: hey@readysetgrow.church

Another Service??

You can feel it — the room’s full, parking’s tight, and your team’s running hard. But how do you know it’s time to add another service?

In this episode of Breaking 1000, Mark, Hunter, and Scott unpack the clear signs that your church is ready to expand — and how to lead through that growth with wisdom, faith, and unity. We talk through how to prepare your staff, communicate change with your congregation, and make strategic decisions that align with your mission instead of just adding more work.

From the 80% rule to handling staff resistance and creating new volunteer opportunities, this conversation will help you plan for growth with confidence, build trust through change, and keep your church focused on the vision, not just the vehicle.

Timestamps: 0:00 How to Know When It’s Time to Add a Service
0:38 The Pastor’s Dilemma: “Do I Really Have To?”
1:15 The 80 % Rule — Seats, Parking, and Kids Ministry
3:19 Why Full Parking Lots Can Kill Momentum
4:43 When Families Can’t Sit Together — You’re Full
5:20 Vision vs. Vehicle: The “Bus to London” Story
7:59 How Comfort Can Limit Church Growth
9:54 When Staff Resist Adding a Service
12:04 Reframing Growth as Opportunity, Not Burden
13:45 Recruiting and Serving in a Second Service
14:53 Making Each Service Unique and Strategic
16:23 Navigating Family Dynamics and Staff Fatigue
17:34 When Vision Compels Change
18:48 Acting on Momentum Before It’s Gone
21:18 Real-Life Story — Adding a Service in Two Weeks
22:28 Why Waiting Too Long Costs You Growth
22:47 Closing Thoughts & Next Episode Preview

Ask us anything: hey@readysetgrow.church

It can be scary to delegate.
Every pastor has felt that tension — “If I hand this off, what if they mess it up?” You’ve carried the vision, the weight, the pressure to get it right. But the truth is: you can’t scale your church if you’re carrying it all yourself.
In this episode, Mark, Hunter, and Scott talk honestly about the fear of delegation — and how to lead with confidence using proven systems. Learn how to trust your team, develop leaders, and stop carrying the entire weight of ministry alone.
You’ll discover:
- Why delegation feels risky — and why it’s still essential for growth
- The 4-part filter for Delegation: Complete, Delete, Defer, Delegate
- How the 10-80-10 framework keeps projects aligned start to finish
- How the 365 process turns job roles into clear, sustainable standards
- Why “no surprises” leadership builds trust and reduces anxiety
- How to use delegation as discipleship, not just task management
By the end, you’ll have the tools to delegate with clarity, coach with confidence, and finally breathe again as your team carries the mission with you.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Why pastors fear delegation
00:41 – The 5 things only a lead pastor should do
01:49 – Delegation ≠ dumping — it’s ownership
03:35 – The 4-part filter: Complete, Delete, Defer, Delegate
07:27 – How to decide what really deserves your time
08:33 – Two kinds of delegation: Items vs. Standards
09:15 – The 10-80-10 Framework (how to delegate right)
11:23 – The tollbooth method: never get “ghosted” mid-project
17:21 – The 365 system: building roles that scale
22:17 – Delegation as discipleship — developing competent leaders

Ask us anything: hey@readysetgrow.church