Nelson Searcy

Now Hiring: Pastor of Growth Groups & Teaching Pastor @ The Journey Church NYC

Called to serve in the Big Apple? The Journey in Manhattan is currently looking for an "A" player to oversee a vibrant semester-based Growth Groups system plus serve as a teacher and contributor on the teaching team.

This role is ideal for someone with the gift of leadership, growing teams and communication – and who wants to develop as a minister and grow with the church. This is an Executive Pastor position and is available immediately.

For details on how to apply:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/blog/pastor-of-growth-groups-teaching-pastor-available-the-journey-church-nyc

New Online Training: My First Assimilation Seminar in Over a Decade

Nothing impacts the growth of your church FASTER than Assimilation!

That's why you're invited to join me for:

The Assimilation Seminar: Keep More First-Time Guests
One-Time Only, LIVE via Zoom
Wednesday, September 16
2:00pm – 4:00pm ET

For 2 hours, I’m opening up my Assimilation playbook to show you what is working RIGHT NOW to help churches welcome first-time guests, encourage them to return and ultimately move them toward becoming fully developing followers of Jesus.

Plus, you’ll receive TWO bonus resources, including the full 7-part Assimilation Seminar ($899.85 total value, details below).

One $27 registration covers your entire church team. Gather your staff and key leaders around the Zoom and learn together.

Learn more and sign up here - spots are limited:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/assimilationlive

Now Hiring: Pastor of Ministry and Assimilation @ The Journey Church Boca

The Journey is currently looking for an "A" player who wants to grow as a pastor, leader and teacher while working hard alongside the smart and friendly staff at The Journey to reach South Florida for Jesus.

The Pastor of Ministry & Assimilation plays one of the most strategic leadership roles at The Journey.

The position is available immediately. For details on how to apply:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/blog/now-hiring-pastor-of-ministry-and-assimilation-the-journey-church-boca

Hey friends, The Journey Church - Boca Raton - where I serve as Founding Pastor - has been nominated as a 2026 Reader's Choice finalist with The Boca Raton Tribune, an influential local magazine in the greater Palm Beach area. If you feel so led to help us, please take a moment and vote for us to help us as we share the love of Jesus in South Florida. Note: you do not have to be a Tribune subscriber nor be a resident of Florida to vote. It will take about two seconds, but it could make an eternal difference. Thanks!

https://bocaratonobserver.com/2026-readers-choice-awards?fbclid=IwT01FWATTIzZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR4KNlZnkcC8kLPIg-wsRr7QE0vhIswbnStYN8itqwotPi5buloI49SQzNteuA_aem_xdeauFVxIW266Vd3HOuoaQ #/gallery/548528449/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTTIzJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7P6G1sjT7qqdQdENSTeLRLVffk62RDzzWUsGtrHyykb9Ce02xfCxomMfwKAw_aem_JRP18DP6D-vd6orNiruJQA

2026 Reader's Choice Awards Nominate Your Favorite Daily To Increase Their Chances!

New Resource Alert! 9 Inner Muscles Pastors of Growing Churches Must Develop

Most pastors don’t plateau because of lack of calling, vision or theology. They plateau because their “inner life” can’t sustain the weight of a growing ministry.

But you can choose to THRIVE...instead of just survive.

Through my new resource, you will move beyond quick productivity hacks and learn how to cooperate with God in the way you steward your mind, heart and ministry decisions.

Secure your copy and save 84% today plus bonus resources:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/nine

500 years ago, the first New Testament in English was published – and stirred up a hornet’s nest

In 1526, books appeared in England that no one had seen before: printed New Testaments in the English language. The public snapped them up.

For the first time, people read now-common phrases such as “the powers that be” and “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” But religious authorities condemned the English Bible and burned the copies they could find.

Today, 500 years later, Christians take for granted that anyone should be able to read the Bible in a language they understand. But at the time, vernacular Bibles were associated with heresy.

When artificial intelligence is taking over much translation work, this 500-year-old conflict reminds us that translation is never a simple matter of substituting one word for another. It requires human interpretation.

Click for more:

500 years ago, the first New Testament in English was published – and stirred up a hornet’s nest William Tyndale’s translation, published in 1526, was based on a then-radical idea: Anyone should be able to read the Bible in their own language.

CHURCH PLANTERS, STAY CLOSE TO THE SOURCE

"With all the work that goes into starting a new church, new church planters sometimes make the fatal mistake of substituting ministry activity and professional growth for their own spiritual growth. The enemy would love to see you fall into this trap. Not only would you be operating through self-sufficiency, but you would also be cut off from the source that put you on this path to begin with."
- Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas, Launch: Starting a New Church from Scratch, Chapter 10

From my experiences starting churches in New York City and Boca Raton, FL as well as coaching hundreds of Church Planters since 2004, I've discovered some battle-tested answers that I want to share with you! My mission is to help you grow your church, develop as a leader and abandon average in your ministry.

Claim your FREE Church Planting resources here:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/churchplanters

The FREE resources include: The Call of a Church Planter, Funding Your Church Plant, Launching Large, Starting Small Groups, and Starting a Worship Arts Ministry from Scratch ($149.00 total value)

Big Idea Number 2 on Church Growth:
A Big Day builds momentum in your church by propelling you to the next level of growth.

As your people get involved, the community is touched, growth barriers are broken through, and excitement fills the church, setting the stage to do it again with future Big Days.

For more information, download the FREE summary of my best-selling book, Ignite!
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/ignitesummary

This user-friendly guide for church leaders shows you what you need to do to reach the unchurched in your community and break through common growth barriers.

4 Ways to Be a Lifelong Learner in Your Ministry

Let me ask you a question: is your church growing?

If not, let me ask you an important question that you may not know is directly related: are YOU growing?

The call to ministry is the call to prepare—and preparation is an ongoing process. You will never learn all there is to be learned about any subject; you’ll never reach the pinnacle point in any area. And who would want to?

One common mistake pastors make is to focus too much attention on growing their churches, while failing to prepare themselves personally for leading at a higher level. Personal growth always precedes healthy church growth.

Creating a personal growth plan is key to fulfilling your calling. Read my latest blog post (an excerpt from my book, The Renegade Pastor) to learn six primary ways God grows you and the four essential cornerstones for a personal growth plan:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/blog

Church planters: when you feel called to plant a church, how do you know WHERE you're called?

Read about a church planter's call to a place in my latest blog article:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/blog

Here’s my goal with all the resources that I offer on Church Planting:
I want to help you start a church from scratch that will reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I've put together a collection of FREE resources ($149.00 total value) that will help you start your new church healthier and more effectively than you thought possible!

You can access your FREE resources here:
https://www.churchleaderinsights.com/churchplanters