It’s the end of an era for the Unfiltered podcast. We explain why and share what’s next. 00:32 Lee lets listeners know this surreal episode to say good-bye is the last for Unfiltered. 01:28 Lee explains a couple different reasons why Danny and Lee are hanging up the microphones. 03:19 Danny thanks Lee for his impact and investment in Converge’s church planting movement. 05:10 Lee shares what the Lord has been laying on his heart when it comes to the connection between academia and pastoring. 06:...
Aug 02, 2022•14 min•Ep. 108
Starting anything new from the ground up can be difficult. Whether it’s a new business or a new church, nothing is 100% fail-proof. But why is church planting so difficult? Let’s pull back the curtain and have a real and candid conversation about it. 0:28 Lee introduces the topic, which is a subject he and Danny deal with often. Why is church planting so hard? 1:07 Danny has a theory that because church planting is so personal, it makes it difficult. 2:23 Danny reflects on when he planted a chur...
Jul 19, 2022•12 min•Ep. 107
Residencies – they’re not just for medical students. A residency in a church can be a very helpful season for a future church planter. But what should a residency look like? How can it benefit both a church and someone receiving an education in ministry? And what’s the difference between an internship and a residency? 0:29 Danny introduces the episode topic of church residencies and internships when it comes to ministry. 1:00 Lee admits he’s passionate about the need for residencies and internsh...
Jul 05, 2022•15 min•Ep. 106
As a pastor, it can be easy to slip into a comfortable rhythm and habit of preaching. And while change isn’t always easy, you should always be looking to improve and develop the way you preach. As the years in ministry slip by, it’s necessary at times to assess if your preaching could use some improvement; whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned pastor. Note: There are three books referenced in this podcast episode. They are: Biblical Preaching by Haddon Robinson, Communicating for Change by Andy ...
Jun 21, 2022•17 min•Ep. 105
0:24 Lee introduces episode guest, Wes Pastor. 0:40 Wes introduces himself and explains his connection to Converge 1:36 Lee asks Wes how he became a church planter in Vermont. 1:54 Wes shares that the reasons he planted in Vermont were because it’s an unreached area, it has a rich heritage, and there are lots of college towns. 2:40 Because Wes stayed at the church he planted for 30 years, Lee asks what advice he would give a church planter when thinking long term ministry. 3:30 Having a long-ter...
Jun 07, 2022•26 min•Ep. 104
Recently Converge held our annual Unleash conference. It was a time to gather nationally as a family to learn how to focus on growing every ministry and leader in churches. Highlights of the conference and the topic of ministering the way God made you to be as a church planter are covered in this episode. 0:21 Lee summarizes what Unleash is all about. 1:21 Lee asks Danny what he thought the highlights of the conference were. 1:26 Danny admits he was hesitant to attend Unleash because he goes to ...
May 17, 2022•11 min•Ep. 103
You think God might be calling you to plant a church. But you know nothing about church planting. How do you even begin that journey? This episode holds a lot of wisdom about where you start and what to keep in mind as you contemplate this possible future. 0:21 Lee explains that in this episode, he and Danny want to address those who might be on the fence about planting a church. 0:55 Lee asks Danny what advice he would give to those thinking about church planting. 1:04 Working with guys in the ...
May 03, 2022•12 min•Ep. 102
“The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” is a podcast produced by Christianity Today and it has gone viral in popularity. What can we, as church planters and pastors, learn from listening to this story of a popular Seattle church exploding in growth, only to have it all fall apart to leave so many devastated? You don’t have to listen to that podcast first, before gleaning some wisdom from this episode of Unfiltered. It’s not uncommon for church planters to wrestle with their influence. Let’s talk about ...
Apr 19, 2022•14 min•Ep. 101
Easter Sunday is arguably the most important Sunday of the year for a church. And there can be a lot of pressure on church planters with how they present an Easter service. As planters with experience, Lee and Danny discuss their thoughts on what pastors should and shouldn’t do on Easter Sunday. There are a lot of things for church planters to think through. 0:40 Lee introduces the episode topic of what a big deal Easter Sunday can be for a church planter. Lee advises not to launch on Easter and...
Apr 05, 2022•16 min•Ep. 100
Chris Highfill planted Grace River Church in St. Peters, MO, seven years ago. In that time, the church has grown, relocated a couple of times, and gone from portable to permanent. He shares his journey as a church planter. He talks about the lessons he’s learned as a church planter. And he discusses the vision he has over the next few years so more people in Missouri can meet, know, and follow Jesus. 0:18 Lee introduces episode guest, Chris Highfill. 0:32 Chris talks about his church, Grace Rive...
Mar 22, 2022•17 min•Ep. 99
The country of Togo, Africa, is known as the birthplace of voodoo and a place marked by slave trade. JJ Alderman, his wife, Melissa, and their three daughters live in Togo as Converge global workers, planting churches. JJ talks about what it looks like to plant churches in another country, and how God is moving in Togo. 0:21 Lee introduces special guest, JJ Alderman. 0:30 JJ explains where he and his family live. 0:40 Lee asks JJ to tell his story of how he came to live in Togo. 0:50 JJ tells of...
Mar 08, 2022•17 min•Ep. 98
Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee welcome guest, Paul Turner. Paul is the Coaching Director for Orchard NEO, an organization passionate about planting churches in Northeast Ohio and raising up church planters to spread the gospel throughout the area. 0:24 Lee introduces special guest, Paul Turner. 0:44 Paul introduces himself and explains his role at Orchard NEO. 1:19 Danny asks Paul to clear up any confusion of Orchard NEO being connected to another church planting organization. 1:30 Paul expla...
Feb 22, 2022•17 min•Ep. 97
An Unfiltered podcast listener has asked, “What should a church planter focus on three months after a church launch?” In this episode, Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee discuss a few things a church planter should focus on once after launch as they get into a ministry rhythm. 0:22 Lee shares that this episode’s topic came from a listener’s question and encourages all listeners to email their questions to Converge. 0:54 Lee introduces the episode subject, which is what a church planter should foc...
Feb 01, 2022•13 min•Ep. 96
A high priority at Converge is to provide church planters with an excellent level of coaching. Having someone who has planted a church walk along side someone learning the ropes is a big factor in a successful church plant. Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee discuss coaching, the value of it, how it’s more than just mentoring and what makes a good coach. 0:18 Lee introduces the conversation topic, which is coaching church planters. 0:58 Danny adds that Converge puts a strong emphasis on coaching ...
Jan 18, 2022•14 min•Ep. 95
If you have a vision as a pastor to make church multiplication a priority, it’s best to begin budgeting from the start of your church plant. Whether that’s to launch another church or become multi-campus, it’s a challenge to budget for it. Even though setting aside money in the budget to multiply can be difficult, it can be done. Danny Parmelee asks Lee Stephenson how he has done it and what advice he has for pastors looking to do the same. 0:19 Danny introduces the episode’s topic, which is inc...
Jan 04, 2022•12 min•Ep. 94
Evaluation can be a powerful tool to keep your church’s ministry on track. But what should you and your staff or launch team be evaluating? Sunday services, special outreach events, worship, different areas of ministry, and staff performance are just a few. Join Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee as they talk about creating a culture of evaluation in your church. 0:29 Lee introduces the subject of evaluation. 0:37 Danny mentions that evaluating different areas from the very start can be beneficia...
Dec 21, 2021•15 min•Ep. 93
How a lead pastor and the worship pastor work together has an effect on Sunday services. What should the relationship between these two roles look like? How do you work together to ensure attendees are having a meaningful Sunday worship experience? 0:20 Lee Stephenson introduces the episode topic that is relevant to church planters, lead pastors, and worship pastors. 0:40 Lee asks Danny Parmelee when he officially had a worship pastor when he was a church planter. 0:57 Danny discusses who his fi...
Dec 07, 2021•15 min•Ep. 92
In this episode, Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee discuss planning out a preaching calendar. They share practical ways they plan their sermon topics and give insight into how they navigate their preaching calendar. 0:19 Lee introduces the topic of the episode – thinking through your preaching calendar. He asks Danny what his rhythm is when it comes to planning the timing of sermon series. 0:50 Danny shares how he preached expository through books of the Bible when he first planted his church. 2...
Nov 16, 2021•17 min•Ep. 91
Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee talk about how the leadership of a church planter will naturally change. Leadership at the beginning of planting looks very different than when the church is a few years old. 0:22 Lee introduces the topic of discussion: unique changes that take place as a leader. 0:48 Danny says he will share his experiences of learning from his mistakes. 1:16 Danny advises for new church planters to always say yes, and shares his reason for that strategy. 2:15 Danny shares when...
Nov 02, 2021•18 min•Ep. 90
Episode 89 // Should Churches Hire Remote Staff? Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee discuss the pros and cons of church planters hiring remote people for certain tasks and projects. What might it look like to hire someone who never attends your church? 0:21 Lee asks Danny the rhetorical question, “Is it okay to hire someone who may life in a different city?” 1:15 Danny shares about a book that introduced him to the idea of hiring freelancers for certain aspects of church planting tasks and the ad...
Oct 19, 2021•19 min•Ep. 89
Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee talk with the Director of Church Planting for Converge Heartland, Steve Krier, to discuss the challenges of planting in rural areas and what life is like in the district. 0:23 Lee introduces podcast guest, Steve. 0:40 Steve discusses where he’s from and where he serves as a pastor. 1:01 Steve shares a “fun fact” about North Dakota. 1:12 Lee asks Steve his reason for planting a church in the Fargo area. 1:25 A lot of people in the Fargo area know about Jesus, but...
Oct 05, 2021•22 min•Ep. 88
As church planters prepare in the last few weeks before launch, what should the church’s grand opening day look like? Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee share their thoughts of what worked and what didn’t work during their experiences. 0:22 This topic is an extension of a previous Unfiltered podcast titled “30 days to launch.” 0:59 Danny discusses the importance of a church planter being in a healthy frame of mind, getting enough sleep and eating well in the stressful days leading up to launch. 2...
Sep 21, 2021•17 min•Ep. 87
What should happen within the last 30 days before a church officially launches? There are a few bases a church planter needs to cover in the last push before a grand opening. 0:22 Lee Stephenson introduces the episode topic and asks Danny Parmelee about his experience of the month before launching a church he planted. 0:49 Danny talks about the importance of inviting anyone and everyone to a launch service. 2:25 Danny asks Lee about his experience in the last few days before a launch, and if the...
Sep 07, 2021•18 min•Ep. 86
When planting a church, a strategic plan is a wise first approach to solidify and implement the church's vision. In this episode, let's talk about the different approaches church planters can use to help build a successful strategic plan with their team that will last. 0:23 Lee Stepheson introduces the episode topic and asks Danny Parmelee if he used strategic planning during his church planting time. 1:17 Danny shares how through this process, he learned that planning was another passion of his...
Aug 17, 2021•20 min•Ep. 85
Church planters want their people to love their church, but they need to make sure their people fall more in love with Jesus. So how can they manage this tension? 0:17 Lee Stephenson introduces the episode topic and asks Danny Parmelee to share his experiences. 1:33 Danny admits that this was a weekly battle for him as a church planter and talks about his key indicator. 2:56 Lee says not celebrating the success of other pastors and churches in your community is a sign you’re starting a downward ...
Aug 03, 2021•10 min•Ep. 84
A key milestone for a church plant is the day it goes from a portable to a permanent location. But there are pitfalls to watch out for when considering signing a long-term lease or buying a building. What are they, and how can you avoid them? 0:40 Lee Stephenson introduces the topic and asks Danny Parmelee when he thinks a church planter is ready to sign a long-term lease or buy property. 1:47 Danny says church planters should plan to get a building from day one but not make it their goal. 3:27 ...
Jul 20, 2021•17 min•Ep. 83
Becoming a multisite church is a great way to impact more communities with the good news of Jesus. Is your church ready to go multisite? 0:19 Lee Stephenson introduces listeners to the episode topic. 1:44 Danny Parmelee talks about how he was initially anti-multisite and how he came to see it differently. 2:33 Danny discusses how his church ended up choosing to do multisiting and church planting at the same time. 4:25 Danny says the key indicator when deciding to go multisite is if you will be a...
Jul 06, 2021•17 min•Ep. 82
If you’re looking for some book recommendations, Converge church planting leaders Lee Stephenson and Danny Parmelee have got you covered. 0:18 Lee and Danny talk about their reading habits and how they’ve changed during the pandemic. 2:14 Danny and Lee discuss their preferred learning processes. 3:31 Lee shares his first book recommendation: Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. 5:14 Danny’s first recommendation is The Start-Up J Curve by Howard Love. 7:32 Lee’s second book recommendation is Atomic Ha...
Jun 15, 2021•13 min•Ep. 81
"We are in three cities. We speak two languages. And we try to be one church. It’s complex." Church planter Walter Angelica discusses the journey that led him from Argentina to Jacksonville, Florida, and beyond. 0:18 Lee Stephenson introduces special guest Walter Angelica, pastor of Iglesia Ciudad, a church plant with three congregations in Florida. 0:50 Walter talks about moving to Jacksonville, Florida, from Argentina to do his seminary work and how he responded to God’s call to plant a church...
Jun 01, 2021•13 min•Ep. 80
Pastor Stanley Patton of Victory Church shares lessons from leading a multicultural, multigenerational church plant on Florida’s Space Coast during a pandemic. 0:18 Lee Stephenson introduces special guest Stanley Patton, pastor of Victory Church, a church plant in Melbourne, Florida. 0:53 Stanley gives a brief history of his church and talks about why he decided to plant in Melbourne. 1:33 Lee asks Stanley if he thinks Florida is part of the Bible Belt. 2:40 Stanley shares lessons he’s learned f...
May 18, 2021•13 min•Ep. 79
