Advertise on podcast: Reinventing Church

What if your church's next leaders are already sitting in the room on Sunday? Shane Stacey of Clarity House joins Derek Sanford and Danielle Hartland to talk about leadership development in the church, how Jesus raised up leaders, and the church we hope to see: one that raises its own.  Plus: the Christmas Eve idea Danielle pitched fifteen years ago that froze the whole room, and that we've done every year since.  Derek starts with the history. Jesus appointed the twelve "so that they might be with him" before he ever sent them out. The early church passed leadership hand to hand, from John to Polycarp to Irenaeus. About ten men from Augustine's household became bishops. Methodist circuit riders trained young preachers on horseback and grew from 2.5 percent of American church members to 34 percent by 1850. Then leadership training moved back into the classroom, and the church borrowed the pipeline from business.    Shane names where that's left us: more leadership content than ever, and leaders still at the top of every church's list of needs. He walks through what apprenticeship requires (proximity, practice, productive failure, personalized feedback and progressive responsibility), why most of what we call training is really orientation, and why the best future leaders are probably already sitting in your congregation.  This week's experiment: Before Sunday, pick one meeting or task already on your calendar, invite one person to come with you, and spend five minutes afterward asking what they noticed.  Show notes, resources and the full transcript: https://dereksanford.com/church-leadership-development/  Clarity House: https://clarityhouse.us  Get The Ordinary Altar, Derek's weekly newsletter: https://dereksanford.com

What counts as church? If you've heard "nature is my church" or "my coffee group is my church," this one's for you.  (Also, this is not a sleep podcast. Huberman we are not.)  Derek traces the word from Jesus' ekklesia, through the scattered believers of Acts and the house churches a pagan critic mocked, to the Reformation, John Wesley's field preaching, and the attractional model most of us grew up in. Then Derek and Danielle meet Amanda Maphis, the first of this season's everyday influencers.  For five years Amanda has advocated for her husband after a car accident left him disabled. When she took Grace Church's Handcrafted Calling class, her two words were "advocating opportunities." She was a little disappointed. Then one afternoon, putting groceries away, she heard a news story about a new governor's advisory commission and thought, "I could totally do that." In this episode:  Why ekklesia named a people long before "church" named a building The unnamed believers who planted the church in Antioch (Acts 11) How the word "parish" started out as an exile's address (1 Peter) The volunteer who couldn't stand up on Volunteer Sunday, and what our scoreboards miss What Amanda did when strangers asked what qualified her Why "the only Jesus someone sees" is smaller and more doable than it sounds Your one-week experiment: By Monday night, write your parish down in one sentence: the place or group of people where you spend your week. Under it, write the name of one person in it. Before Saturday, give that person one more degree of patience, listening, or kindness than you gave them last week.  Links & resources:  Show notes and full transcript: https://dereksanford.com/what-counts-as-church/ Watch Amanda Maphis's full interview: https://youtu.be/CWDrZa_83eMGet The Ordinary Altar, Derek's weekly email: https://dereksanford.com

Is the Sunday sermon carrying more of your church's discipleship than it was ever meant to?    Season 4 of Reinventing Church starts with the practice most churches build their whole week around. Derek traces preaching from Nehemiah's wooden platform to the modern weekend experience, and Dave Rhodes of Clarity House joins Derek and Danielle to talk about what a sermon that trains people actually looks like.    This season, we're going looking for evidence that a better way already exists. Every other week, Dave Rhodes or Shane Stacey helps us rethink one core church practice. In between, you'll hear from everyday influencers, ordinary people bringing their faith into their workplace, neighborhood and friendships.    In this episode:  Why Scripture makes preaching central but never sufficient What Luther did after discovering his parishes couldn't recite the Lord's Prayer George Whitefield's "rope of sand" and the moment sermons shifted from formation to decision Dave's "say it, see it, try it, tie it" model, borrowed from coaching soccer A two-minute change any church can make after the sermon this Sunday Your one-week experiment: After the next sermon you hear, take two minutes before you leave. Write one sentence for each question: What is God saying to me? What am I going to do about it this week? Put the second sentence where you'll see it on Wednesday. Links & resources:  Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB6NR8YPZETl2eSJnjTzsTth_sccfJFXQ&si=MiueutcJG-ssLGj9 Clarity House: https://clarityhouse.us Get The Ordinary Altar, Derek's weekly email: https://dereksanford.com

In this bonus episode, you'll hear snippets from interviews with real people who have walked through our "Handcrafted" training, discovered their two-word God-given calling, and are in the process of learning what that means wherever they live, work, learn, and play.

In this bonus episode, we are sharing part two of Pastor Derek's sermon to Grace Church on what it means to be a "Dream Disciple" in our specific context at Grace Church. This sermon will give you a deeper glimpse into our overall vision as we continue to reinvent church.

In this bonus episode, we are sharing part one of Pastor Derek's sermon to Grace Church on what it means to be a "Dream Disciple" in our specific context at Grace Church. This sermon will give you a good look at the practical discipleship principles and markers we are calling each person to as we continue to reinvent church.

In this bonus episode, we sit down with Dr John Dickson, host of the podcast "Undeceptions," to talk about the state of the church in America and evangelism today. We also take some live Q&A with a studio audience.

In Episode 40, Derek and Danielle unpack their top leadership “mic drop” moments of the season and turn them into simple, actionable practices for pastors. They also pull back the curtain on essential systems, a unique cultural moment of spiritual hunger, and a practical tool for planning meaningful half-day personal retreats.

In this episode, we explore how churches can shift from event-driven ministry to environments where real discipleship happens. Hear from Shane Stacey, Andrew Silbert, and Sarah Burtt as they unpack practical ways to design worship spaces, mid-size trainings, and small groups that actually produce transformation.

If you’re longing for a healthier way to lead your church, this episode will encourage you. Dave Rhodes calls leaders to become hero-makers, and Pastor Jamaal Williams shows how everyday disciples can own real ministry in their own spaces. It’s practical, honest, and full of next steps you can use this week.

What if your church became known less for who it gathers and more for who it sends? This week’s Reinventing Church episode unpacks Dave Rhodes' challenge to move from seeker to sender, rethinking what we celebrate, track, and multiply. Then Derek talks with Chris Bellinger about how churches can train and release everyday missionaries right where they are. Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at Grace’s new development roles and a practical “Now to Next” prayer tool for friendship and discipleship.

In this episode, Derek and Danielle, along with Pastor Sarah Burtt and the Clarity House team, tackle the shift from growth to depth. They unpack how to design discipleship environments that form people, not just fill rooms, share a behind-the-scenes look at mind-mapping job descriptions, and introduce four simple practices any leader can use to develop people, not just delegate tasks. Perfect for pastors and church leaders ready to rethink what “success” looks like in their ministry.

In this episode of Reinventing Church, Derek Sanford talks with Stephen Hay about how churches can shift from customer service to coaching, from keeping people happy to helping them grow. Learn how to spot consumer Christianity, create feedback-rich coaching cultures, and lead with courage instead of comfort. Plus, behind-the-scenes updates on Grace’s Awake the Lake vision and a new Tips & Tools on turning complaints into clarity.

Instead of plugging people into roles, call them into purpose.

From Northern Lights and “read-minds-vs-fly” debates to deep reflections on what truly counts in ministry, Derek and Danielle explore how churches can move from attendance to apprenticeship. Dave Rhodes redefines success, and guest Jeremy Adelman shows how an old Minneapolis church found new life by focusing on training disciples who multiply. Perfect for church leaders ready to measure growth by transformation not turnout.