Intentional Churches Podcast

Church Leader, shift your focus from mere institutional insights to individual transformation. Be intentional. Join hosts Doug Parks (CEO and Co-Founder of Intentional Churches) and Erin Johnston (Co-Executive Pastor of Canyon Ridge Christian Church) as they share weekly thought-provoking discussions and actionable takeaways that will resource you to help your people encounter Jesus. Take the step toward authentic discipleship of your congregation so you can mobilize the ninety-nine to reach the one.

Intentional Churches Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 91 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Intentional Churches Podcast, a business show with 91 episodes published.

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  Episode #1

  The State of AI in the Church, with Drew Dickens

  Aug 12, 202629 minS11

  Season 11 opens with returning guest Drew Dickens for a state-of-the-union on AI and the church. Four months since the IC Conference ("forty years in AI time"), Drew catches Doug up on the summer of new models, the scramble around AI policy, and why survey numbers on pastor AI usage range from 10% to 78% (hint: we haven't defined what "using AI" even means). From there, the conversation moves to what matters most for church leaders: the shift from generative to agentic AI, the sobering reality that counseling and spiritual formation remain the #1 use of AI worldwide, and what it means that congregants are taking their 3 a.m. existential crises to a chatbot. Drew shares practical steps (survey your people, talk about it from the pulpit, build an AI policy for your church and your families) alongside a real caution about "frictionless faith": when AI removes the friction, it may also remove the very thing that forms us. In this episode: Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference: efficiency excitement from XPs, quiet fear from senior pastors The summer of new models: Claude Fable 5, ChatGPT 5.6, Opus V, Gemini 3.6, DeepSeek 4 Why fewer than 10% of churches have an AI policy (and how to start one) Which conversations belong to AI, and which belong at the kitchen table Counseling, companionship, and spiritual formation: still 70-75% of AI use How pastors should preach when AI is discipling their people Agentic AI explained: your team of 20 admins that never calls in sick "Frictionless faith" and the spiritual risks of taking humanity out of the loop Why Anthropic is hiring philosophers and inviting spiritual leaders to Silicon Valley Timestamps: (00:00) Welcome back: Season 11 kickoff (00:25) IC 3.0 and the Radical Alignment Assessment (01:16) Drew's takeaways from the IC Conference (03:24) The summer of new models (05:45) AI policy, rogue models, and data centers (07:17) Beyond admin: how churches are using AI (09:59) Less than 10% of churches have an AI policy (11:02) Kitchen table vs. AI conversations (11:42) The #1 use of AI: counseling and spiritual formation (13:35) The 3 a.m. crisis: how pastors should respond (15:30) Will AI change the ecclesiology of the church? (16:45) Talk about it: surveys, forums, and sermon series (17:48) What is agentic AI? (19:43) Predictions on agentic adoption (21:50) Frictionless faith and spiritual risk (24:26) Philosophy, AI labs, and what's left for humans (26:54) Leading without fear + closing call to action Resources: Take the Radical Alignment Assessment: https://alignmychurch.com Drew Dickens' AI & Spirituality podcast (weekly, on Substack): https://drewdickens.com

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  Episode #8

  IC Conference Main Session 4, with Robbie O'Brien

  Jun 23, 202634 minS10

  What would happen if every ministry, every leader, and every church became radically aligned around the mission of reaching the one? In this closing main session from IC Conference 2026, Robbie O'Brien, Lead Pastor of Salty Church and founder of the Surf Church Collective, challenges church leaders to embrace the radical nature of Jesus and the radical alignment required to fulfill His mission. Drawing from Luke 15, Luke 19, Matthew 28, Acts 1:8, and his own journey from surfer culture to church planting, Robbie reminds leaders that a busy ministry is not always an obedient ministry. Through powerful stories, practical challenges, and compelling illustrations, he calls churches to move beyond managing religious consumers and instead mobilize disciples who are empowered by the Holy Spirit to become witnesses to the ends of the earth. This message is a passionate reminder that radical alignment isn't simply a strategy—it's a commitment to the heart of Jesus and His mission to seek and save the lost. Episode Timeline 00:00 – The Story of “The One” 03:09 – Why Radical Alignment Matters 04:29 – The Meaning of Radical 05:20 – Surf Culture and Following Jesus 07:12 – Jesus Was Radical 08:12 – Luke 15 and the Heart of God 09:05 – The Mission of Jesus 10:45 – The “No Socks” Story 12:25 – Deny Yourself and Follow Jesus 13:45 – Busy Doesn’t Mean Obedient 15:15 – Acts 1:8 and the Power of the Holy Spirit 17:20 – Witnesses, Not Consumers 19:25 – What It Means to Be a Witness 20:00 – The Beach as the Ends of the Earth 21:10 – Planting Salty Church 22:05 – Surf Church Collective 25:10 – Rochelle and Stefan’s Story 28:20 – Recognizing a Prodigal on the Way Home 29:00 – “I’ll Go” 30:00 – Isaiah’s Response 31:00 – Your Ends of the Earth 32:30 – Closing Prayer and Commissioning

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  Episode #7

  IC Conference Main Session 1, with Dr. Carlos L. Kelly

  Jun 9, 202633 minS10

  This powerful opening session from IC Conference 2026 features Dr. Carlos L. Kelly, Senior Pastor of Beulahland Bible Church, sharing how God transformed his church through a renewed commitment to the Great Commission. Drawing from Luke 5, Dr. Kelly challenges church leaders to leave the shallow waters of comfortable ministry and launch into deeper waters where disciple-making becomes the priority. Through practical lessons, personal stories, and biblical insight, he unpacks three essential challenges for every church seeking greater Kingdom impact: making ourselves available to Christ, modifying our attitudes to trust Christ, and moving forward in total obedience to Christ. Leaders will be encouraged to examine their systems, release sacred cows, embrace alignment, and trust God to produce fruit as they pursue the mission of making disciples who make disciples. Whether your church is just beginning the journey of alignment or continuing to deepen its disciple-making culture, this message offers encouragement, challenge, and a compelling vision for reaching the one. Episode Timeline 00:00 — Welcome and Personal Introduction 02:26 — How Intentional Churches Changed Their Church 03:24 — Luke 5: Launch Out Into the Deep 05:42 — The Call to Go Deeper 09:42 — Make Yourself Available to Christ 12:03 — Small Acts of Obedience Lead to Big Miracles 13:55 — Building the Discovery Team 14:25 — Why We Make Ourselves Available 15:44 — Modify Your Attitude to Trust Christ 17:00 — The Need for an Attitude Adjustment 19:05 — The Church OS Assessment Wake-Up Call 21:18 — Leaving Egos Outside the Room 22:55 — Sacred Cows and Stubborn Attachments 24:02 — “Nevertheless, At Your Word” 25:16 — Move Forward in Total Obedience 26:36 — What God Did at Beulahland 28:25 — The Five Marks of a Disciple 30:05 — Churches Helping Churches 31:12 — From Attendees to Disciple Makers 31:55 — Closing Prayer

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  Episode #6

  Radical Alignment: Ways to Not Get Stuck, with Doug & Bart

  May 27, 202651 minS10

  What happens when churches disconnect discipleship from evangelism? In this episode, Doug, Bart, and Vince unpack why so many believers never share their faith, how churches drift away from personal ownership of the Great Commission, and why relational evangelism may be one of the most overlooked drivers of real discipleship growth. Vince shares his unlikely story of becoming a Christian before ever meeting one, powerful stories from church planting in Las Vegas, and practical insight into how churches can equip believers to naturally share life, stories, and Jesus. If you've ever wondered why evangelism feels forced, why believers struggle to engage missionally, or how churches can build lasting Great Commission culture, this conversation is for you. New to Intentional Churches? Start here: intentionalchurches.com Timestamps 00:00 — The evil clown who came to destroy a church… and forgot to do it 01:26 — Welcome + introducing Vince Antonucci + Alignment Workshops 02:39 — Vince's background: Jewish mother, gambler father, America's Most Wanted story, and discovering Jesus without ever meeting a Christian 05:33 — “I held a meeting of all the Christians I knew… it was just me.” 06:30 — Why relational evangelism became Vince’s lifelong passion 07:26 — Why the Great Commission is still the one thing Jesus clearly told us to do 09:06 — How did the church drift away from personal ownership of evangelism? 12:30 — Why close friendships with lost people change everything 13:33 — Church planting in Las Vegas: the rookie pimp story and unexpected transformation 16:48 — The evil clown story: from sabotage plan to salvation story 19:31 — The collaboration behind The One More Initiative 22:22 — Vince’s journey creating an evangelism campaign for churches 25:26 — How The One More Initiative fits into Radical Alignment strategy 27:28 — Discipleship vs evangelism: why churches often separate what Jesus joined together 30:08 — Why living on mission accelerates spiritual growth 33:27 — Why many church leaders have given up hope that believers will share their faith 33:52 — Forced evangelism vs natural evangelism 35:14 — The story of Destiny: from never sharing Jesus to leading friends to faith 37:11 — Evangelism Explosion, control, and what happens when mission becomes overly scripted 41:53 — The One More Book: guidebook, devotional, inspiration, and practical equipping 45:56 — Practical next steps for church leaders 46:42 — Vince’s challenge: Are we equipping people to actually know what to do? 48:30 — Bart’s “Relational Reach Zone” exercise 50:07 — Why the Great Commission was always meant to be a team sport

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  Episode #5

  Radical Alignment: Steps to Jump-Start the Journey, with Doug & Bart

  May 13, 202644 minS10

  What actually happens when a church fully embraces radical alignment to the Great Commission? In this episode of the Intentional Churches Podcast, Doug Parks, Bart Rendel, and Erin Johnston unpack the disruption, tension, and transformation that come when churches begin aligning every layer of ministry around reaching “The One.” From staff culture shifts and elder board challenges to personal conviction and congregational change, this conversation explores why lasting Great Commission momentum takes patience, honesty, and a willingness to rethink how we lead. Doug and Bart also walk through practical tools from the Radical Alignment framework, including assessments, heart-mind-strength alignment, and how churches can begin building a culture where mission becomes everyone’s responsibility. If your church is wrestling with change, struggling to stay focused on mission, or wondering how to create lasting alignment, this episode will encourage and challenge you. Timestamps 00:00 – Why radical alignment is disruptive 01:08 – The Alignment Workshop and starting the journey 01:44 – The myth of “quick and painless” church alignment 02:16 – Why Great Commission transformation takes time 03:33 – Playing the long game in church leadership 05:05 – How radical alignment disrupts church culture 07:05 – Losing people while staying committed to mission 08:15 – Early churches that embraced radical alignment 09:59 – Why churches resist ongoing focus on “The One” 11:17 – The fulfillment and joy that come from mission 12:39 – Practical first steps toward radical alignment 13:08 – Getting to the “last 10% of truth” 14:15 – Casting vision and creating healthy tension 16:30 – Seeing the church through a Great Commission lens 18:03 – Stories of “The One” and collaborative mission 19:46 – Understanding the Radical Alignment Chart 21:13 – Heart, mind, and strength alignment explained 24:09 – Evaluating calendars, budgets, and attention 25:54 – The Radical Alignment Assessment and coaching insights 27:19 – Alignment across elders, staff, volunteers, and congregation 29:41 – Learning to lead the church differently 30:35 – “Once you see it, you can’t unsee it” 31:39 – Why groups align at different speeds 33:24 – Why staff and elders may struggle most with change 34:10 – Understanding disruption and organizational change 36:33 – The challenge of knowing where people really are 37:51 – Why believers often don’t want to engage missionally 39:22 – Sincere friendships and reaching “The One” 40:07 – Why self-discovery matters more than behavior management 42:13 – Encouragement for church leaders staying the course 42:51 – Resources, tools, and next steps from Intentional Churches Get started with Intentional Churches

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