How do you build groups? Are you building or maintaining your small groups ministry? We seek to start, spark, and spur on thought trails you otherwise wouldn't have to get you asking questions you normally wouldn't because you get to hear to some of the best church leaders in Groups ministry across the country. Tune in to learn and explore areas of Groups ministry you've never considered before or need reminders.
Summary: Nick Edwards hosts Jay Vineyard on the Build Groups Podcast. Jay Vineyard, currently a Groups Pastor at Dogwood Church, shares his long career in ministry. They discuss the changing landscape of church leadership, the importance of leadership development, and how to combat common ministry pitfalls like burnout and cynicism. Jay emphasizes the need for continuous personal growth, humility, leaning on others for support, and finding a "safe harbor" of friends or mentors. He also recommends leadership books and highlights the need to rest in God's presence rather than just taking a physical day off.
Key Takeaways (2-4):
Leadership is a Developable Skill: While some may have a natural spiritual gift for leadership, it still requires continuous development, effort, and intentional learning to cultivate confidence and competence over a lifetime. [16:26]
Beware of Pride and Fear: These are the two biggest enemies for leaders. They are often subtle; fear can sometimes masquerade as humility. [16:56]
Combat Burnout and Cynicism: Burnout comes from the overwhelming demands of ministry leading to exhaustion, while cynicism arises from being hurt. Both can be mitigated by making time for true solitude with God and finding a "safe harbor" of trusted friends and truth-tellers. [18:05]
9 Jul 2026
The Executive Pastor w/ Nick Edwards
Show Summary
In this episode of the Build Groups Podcast, host Adam Erlickman interviews Nick Edwards, a seasoned ministry leader and consultant who is newly joining the Build Groups team. The episode explores the unique, often misunderstood role of the Executive Pastor (XP). Drawing parallels to Biblical deacons in Acts 6, they define the XP as the "chief operations officer" of a church. Edwards highlights how a healthy XP takes the operational weight—such as HR, finances, and facilities—off the senior pastor, allowing the lead pastor to focus purely on vision and preaching. They discuss the critical need for alignment across all ministry departments and emphasize that a successful XP must care for the staff’s hearts, essentially acting as the "pastor to the pastors."
Key Takeaways
The Biblical Blueprint for Operational Support: The role of an executive pastor echoes Acts 6, where leaders were appointed to manage administrative duties so the apostles could remain dedicated to preaching and the Word [08:11 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DADqdxTmQNA&t=491)].
When to Hire an XP: While under 250 members might not require one, churches typically experience a strong need for an Executive Pastor or a director of operations once they reach the 700 to 1,000-member mark to create leadership margin [10:42 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DADqdxTmQNA&t=642)].
Vision vs. Mission Strategy: The senior pastor is responsible for casting the long-term vision (where the church is going), whereas the executive pastor's job is to build the roadmap and execute the movement to get there [12:10 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DADqdxTmQNA&t=730)].
The Danger of Bad Hiring: A bad hire is one of the most expensive mistakes a church can make because its negative impact outlasts their termination—eroding volunteer trust, staff alignment, and overall church culture [26:01 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DADqdxTmQNA&t=1561)].
Best Quotes
"The executive pastor is the person who really acts as the chief operations officer... so that the pastor can focus on vision, preaching, and being able to communicate the word of God." [08:56 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DADqdxTmQNA&t=536)]
"You never tell me anything I don't know, you just ask the questions I would never ask myself. And I think that's the role of a coach and consultant." [16:28 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DADqdxTmQNA&t=988)]
"We are calling you executive pastor because you have to have the heart of a pastor. We are not looking for an operations person; we are looking for a pastor who God has wired on the administrative side." [26:30 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DADqdxTmQNA&t=1590)]
2 Jul 2026
Bill Donahue
Host Adam Erlichman welcomes small groups expert Bill Donahue to The Build Group podcast, where Bill shares his background from Philadelphia through marketplace work, seminary, and leadership roles including Willow Creek, and his current consulting with churches. They discuss Donahue’s 30th anniversary edition of his small group leader manual, how it originated, and why it has remained widely used with over 250,000 copies in print. Bill frames small groups theologically through the Trinity as the “first small group” and connects community to Imago Dei, addressing the modern loneliness epidemic and how groups can help people be known, healed, and supported. He identifies unhealthy leadership motives like pride and “fixing,” emphasizes apprenticeship as a biblical pattern, offers practical ways to start developing an apprentice, and outlines principles for naming reality and working through conflict, concluding that love is the key shift for life-changing groups.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
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