The Church Planting Podcast with Greg Nettle

About The Church Planting Podcast with Greg Nettle

The podcast for church planters and the leaders who champion them. Greg Nettle, President of Stadia Church Planting, interviews pastors, planters, and ministry leaders about church leadership, multiplication, fundraising, discipleship, and staying healthy for the long haul — so you can start and lead a thriving, growing, multiplying church for the next generation. Powered by Stadia. Learn more at https://stadia.org/podcasts.

Publisher

Greg Nettle | Stadia Church Planting

Category

business · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 May 2019

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

144 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Ep. 140 - Why Latino Church Planting Requires a Different Approach

   Church planting isn't one-size-fits-all. But how well do we understand the cultural, financial, and leadership realities shaping churches in Hispanic and Latino communities? Rodrigo Cano, Director of the Chicagoland Collective and a microchurch pastor at Community Christian Church, joins Greg Nettle to explore what he's learning through his work connecting and equipping church planting leaders across Chicago. Rodrigo shares four important considerations for planting and supporting Latino churches, including urban versus suburban contexts, bivocational ministry, access to resources, and the differences between first- and second-generation communities. The conversation also explores the power of church networks and why established churches have an opportunity to serve emerging leaders through relationships, resources, and collaboration. Finally, Rodrigo shares a sobering firsthand perspective on how immigration enforcement and uncertainty are affecting church attendance, leadership, and families in Chicagoland. His challenge to church leaders is both compassionate and practical: How do we walk alongside people experiencing hardship while equipping them to live on mission wherever they go? Whether you're planting a church, supporting church planters, or leading a multiplication network, this conversation will help you think more intentionally about serving communities whose experiences may differ from your own. Links and Resources Chicagoland Collective (https://chicagolandcollective.com/) Community Christian Church (https://www.communitychristian.org/) Exponential (https://exponential.org/) Stadia Church Planting (https://stadia.org/) Stadia Church Planting Services (https://stadia.org/services/) Stadia Multiplying Churches Gatherings (https://stadia.org/multiplying/)

2. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Ep. 139 - Obe Arellano on the Future of Latino Church Planting

   Obe Arellano shares why Latino church planting and next-generation leadership represent an important opportunity for the Church in the United States. Drawing from more than 20 years of church planting experience, Obe explains the complexity of the Latino and Hispanic church and what it takes to develop culturally relevant, multiplying churches. Obe and Greg Nettle begin by unpacking terminology like Latino, Hispanic, and Brown Church, including why these communities cannot be treated as a single culture. Obe explains the differences across countries, languages, immigration generations, and cultural experiences—and why understanding those differences matters for church leaders. Obe also shares his own journey from becoming a Christian at 17 to planting his first church at 22 and eventually helping develop Exponential Español, a Latino-led multiplication ministry created to provide Spanish-speaking pastors and church planters with resources, relationships, training, and opportunities to pursue multiplication. The conversation explores one of the biggest opportunities facing the Latino church: developing second- and third-generation Latino leaders who can reach both Latino communities and the broader culture around them. Obe describes the Latino church as a "both-and" church—Latino and American, Spanish- and English-speaking, immigrant and native-born, traditional and contemporary. Greg and Obe also discuss the challenge of transitioning leadership from first-generation immigrant leaders to U.S.-born Latino leaders. Rather than preserving one particular cultural expression of church, Obe challenges pastors to remain focused on ensuring that the gospel of Jesus continues to reach the next generation. For churches thinking about multiplication, Obe offers a practical starting point: look for Latino leaders who are already in your congregation, invest in them, and help them explore what God may be calling them to start. Table of Contents: 00:00 – Meet Obe Arellano & Latino church planting 02:21 – Latino, Hispanic or Brown Church? Understanding the terminology 05:16 – Obe's journey from new Christian to young church planter 08:12 – Finding church planting training & Exponential 10:17 – The vision behind Exponential Español 12:02 – Building culturally relevant support for Latino church planters 14:12 – What makes the Latino church unique? 16:13 – Developing the next generation of Latino leaders 18:27 – The leadership transition facing Hispanic churches 23:53 – How existing churches can multiply Latino church planters

3. 

   2 Sept 2026

   Ep. 138 - Scott Lessing on Prison Ministry, Discipleship & Church Planting

   Scott Lessing shares the remarkable story of planting a church inside Lorain Correctional Institution and how prison ministry can become true disciple-making and church planting. Through consistent relationships, weekly worship, leadership development, and reentry ministry, Scott and Grace Church are seeing God transform lives both inside and outside the prison. Scott serves at Grace Church, a Christian and Missionary Alliance church near Cleveland, Ohio. What began when the warden asked for something more than traditional prison ministry has grown into a church community with weekly services, dozens of volunteers, Bible studies, Alpha, Rooted, recovery ministry, baptisms, a School of Ministry, and intentional discipleship. Greg and Scott also explore the biblical foundation for this work through Luke 4:18 and Matthew 25, discussing Jesus' call to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for prisoners, and to care for those who are incarcerated. Scott explains why the goal isn't simply to bring a church service into a prison but to build relationships and make disciples who can eventually disciple and lead others. One of the most powerful stories is of a man who spent 47 years incarcerated, completed Grace Church's School of Ministry, was released, joined the church's staff, and was preparing to return to the prison—this time to preach. The church also walks alongside people after release through employment connections, housing support, community, and continued discipleship. Scott's story challenges every church leader to reconsider what it means to go to people instead of simply expecting people to come to church. As he explains, their prison ministry has changed Grace Church itself, creating a congregation that looks more diverse, more broken, and, in his words, more like the first-century church. Resources: True Freedom Ministries — the Ohio prison ministry discussed in the episode; its current site describes ministry at Lorain Correctional Institution. True Freedom Ministries Leadership / Michael Swiger — learn more about Michael Swiger, whom Scott discusses in the episode. Scripture mentioned: Luke 4:18, Isaiah 61, Matthew 25 Table of Contents: 00:00 – Meet Scott Lessing and the prison church story 03:27 – Why prison ministry matters for church planting 06:18 – How the prison church began 11:16 – Luke 4, Matthew 25 & the biblical foundation 13:43 – Reentry ministry and discipleship after prison 14:33 – What a weekly prison church service looks like 16:07 – Developing leaders inside the prison 18:27 – Baptisms, Bible questions & life transformation 21:37 – Going to people instead of waiting for them to come

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

18 ratings

Spotify

3.7 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

75

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

85

Contact The Church Planting Podcast with Greg Nettle

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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