the GC Collective Podcast

Disaster Relief had a year like no other, at home, across the nation, and around the world. In this episode, Kendrick Neal joins us at the table for a candid conversation about what God has been doing through California Southern Baptist DR volunteers who just keep showing up. From unexpected partnerships to moments of Gospel impact that still surprise even our seasoned teams, Kendrick walks us through another side of this unique ministry that many people never see.-If you’ve ever wondered what DR actually looks like, or if DR is the place for you, this is your episode. To learn more or to sign up for Disaster Relief training go to https://csbdr.org/As always, send your questions or stories to podcast@csbc.com and stay on top of all of our CSBC news by subscribing to This Week at CSBC

Most churches don’t think about their bylaws…until something goes wrong. In this episode, Pete and Sarah sit down with “ordained attorney” and longtime ministry leader Phil Kell to unpack why bylaws, boards, membership records, and minutes are not just “paperwork,” but essential tools for protecting your church, your people, and your Gospel witness. If you’ve ever wondered who really has authority in your church, what your members can (and can’t) vote on, or how dissolution and deed restrictions actually work, this conversation will help you get your house in order before a crisis hits.Related Resources:· Listen to Phil’s earlier GC Collective episode on church legacy planning: https://gccollective.transistor.fm/s1/9· Read Phil’s “ABC” article on corporate records and compliance: https://csbc.com/resource/keeping-in-compliance-with-corporate-records/Stay Connected: Subscribe to This Week @ CSBC for updates, resources, and events at https://csbc.com/subscribe/Email the podcast team with questions or episode ideas at podcast@csbc.com.

Get ready for a quick listen! Recorded live from the International Family Festival at New Vision Church in Milpitas, this episode shares the energy and encouragement of our CSBC Annual Meeting. Join Sarah, Pete, and Jason as they reflect on key moments, celebrate God’s work across California, and look ahead with unity, both in prayer and on mission. Big thanks to New Vision Church and their volunteers. Save the date for our 2026 meeting: October 20–21 at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Highland.-Email us at podcast@csbc.com and be sure to subscribe to This Week @ CSBC for the latest updates, resources, and events.

In this episode of The GC Collective, Bay Area Send City Missionary James Westbrook joins Sarah Graham and Francis Chung for a thought-provoking conversation on how globalization is transforming the landscape of ministry in California. From the shifting identities of urban and rural churches to the call for pastors to think like missionaries, James challenges leaders to see the Great Commission not as a distant assignment but as a local one. Together, they unpack what it means to engage the harvest in our rapidly changing communities—and why “go and tell” must replace “come and see.” Don’t forget to subscribe to This Week @ CSBC for more stories and resources that equip you to reach your community. And if you have a question or topic idea for the podcast, email us anytime at podcast@csbc.com

Annual Meeting is here! We preview everything you need for Milpitas including registration tips, Pastors’ Conference details, major business items on the docket, must-do auxiliary events, the new CSBC app rollout, exhibit hall hours, and the family festival. Register messengers & guests at https://csbc.com/2025-annual-meeting/*To clarify what was said in the podcast: Our Annual Meeting dates are Fri Oct 24 - Sat Oct 25. The Oct 23 -24 dates mentioned in the episode, apply to the Pastors Conference sessions. The Annual Meeting sessions begin at 10 AM on the 24th and conclude at 9:15 AM on the 25th to be followed by the International Family Festival.Subscribe to TW@CSBC (This Week at CSBC) for updates, resources, and events. https://csbc.com/subscribe/Email: podcast@csbc.com

Pete Ramirez, Sarah Graham and Jason Robertson assemble to launch Season 3 from our new GC Collective studio. We recap listening sessions with church planters, share highlights from the Executive Board meeting, and offer a preview of the CSBC Annual Meeting in Milpitas.Hear about the 2026 $5.1M CP objective, why decentralizing CSBC’s headquarters strengthens ministry statewide, and how churches are catching the vision to reach California together. Read the full board recap story hereNext episode: Annual Meeting preview - don’t miss it!Be sure to subscribe to This Week at CSBC or email us: podcast@csbc.com.

Wondering if you should opt back in to social security? How should churches and pastors think about retirement, Medicare, and long-term planning, especially for younger leaders just getting started and for seasoned pastors who feel behind? Season two wraps with a practical, boots-on-the-ground conversation every church needs. Sarah and Jason welcome CSBC CFO Marc Tempesta to talk about the “dollars-and-sense” side of ministry, so pastors and church staff can serve well today and finish well tomorrow.Whether you’re a pastor, finance committee member, or staff leader, this show brings a stewardship tune-up with all the kingdom impact.Visit Guidestone.org to talk to experts in Southern Baptist life about your family’s financial security today!Be sure to subscribe to This Week at CSBC or email us at podcast@csbc.com.

Burnout, anxiety and depression are real struggles church leaders face. On this episode, Pete and Sarah talk with Pastor Chuck Padilla, a discipleship pastor and licensed therapist. With decades of experience in ministry and counseling, Chuck brings a deeply practical and deeply biblical perspective to the conversation around mental health in ministry, and about how leaders can spot the warning signs, find trusted support, and stay rooted in Christ while carrying the weight of ministry. This is a conversation every pastor (and every church) needs to hear.For the National Suicide Hotline, call 1-800-273-8255 or simply dial 988. To contact Chuck Padilla at CMP Counseling, call (559) 994-1383.Be sure to subscribe to This Week at CSBC or email us: podcast@csbc.com

Welcome back to a lively conversation mixed with gratitude, storytelling, and behind-the-scenes history as Pete and Sarah welcome former CSBC Communications Director Terry Barone to the table. Together, they celebrate the impact of California Mission Offering (CMO) dollars while Terry shares decades of insights on promoting CMO well, funny mishaps from his video production days, with a few moving stories sprinkled throughout. If you’re new to CMO or a long-time supporter, we hope this will inspire you to champion missions right here in California.CMO resources for your church can be found at the CSBC Website.Be sure to subscribe to This Week at CSBC or email us: podcast@csbc.com

Every church experiences seasons of growth, plateau, and sometimes decline. In this episode, Sarah and Jason invite Dr. Jimbo Stewart (yes, we said Jimbo) from the North American Mission Board’s Replant Team to talk about what it looks like to lead with wisdom through each stage. Learn about Renew California, a new network designed to help churches assess their current season and move forward with clarity and purpose.From revitalization and replanting to practical coaching and demographic tools, this conversation is full of insight for pastors who want to stay healthy, lead well, and equip their people for the long-term mission.Check out RenewalMovement.com for Resources, assessments, and pathways for renewal.Request your MissionInsite Report from the CSBC Church Matters toolboxLearn about the ReplantSummit.comBe sure to subscribe to This Week at CSBC or email us: podcast@csbc.com

In this lively episode, the podcast gets both of CSBC’s ethnic ambassadors in one room—and the conversation doesn’t disappoint. Mark Gayden (Long Beach Harbor Association) and Nestor Amaya (Sequoia Association) talk about the unique role of the Black and Hispanic church in California. From succession planning to embracing technology, this episode explores the cultural richness, challenges, and kingdom opportunities in reaching every community for Christ.Subscribe to This Week at CSBC at https://csbc.com/subscribe, and write to us at podcast@csbc.comTo reach out the Mark Gayden, email mgayden@csbc.comTo reach Nestor Amaya, email namaya@csbc.com

What happens when the call to shepherd a church feels at odds with the call to shepherd your home?In this tender and timely episode, Will and Tarah Browning get real about the quiet tensions that ministry families face. From burnout and bitterness to boundaries and date nights, they speak with disarming honesty about what it takes to protect your marriage, care for your kids, and still love the Church.Whether you’re a pastor, a pastor’s wife, or someone who just wants to support your leaders better—this episode offers insight, encouragement, and hope for those caught in the holy tug-of-war between family and ministry.Because it is possible to serve well and finish whole. Subscribe to This Week at CSBC at https://csbc.com/subscribe, and write to us at podcast@csbc.com

The GC Collective crew unpacks the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting with reflections on the Cooperative Program’s centennial celebration, key decisions about our shared theology and structure, and the rich fellowship that makes it all worth showing up for. From floor debates to hallway laughs, ethnic gatherings, and more, this episode reminds us why we’re still proud to be Southern Baptist. Integrity, unity, and a whole lot of good hair—it's all here.Subscribe to This Week at CSBC at https://csbc.com/subscribe, and write to us at podcast@csbc.com

Pete and Sarah sit down with Pastor Tito Villegas of Rise Church to talk about the latest CSBC board meeting, and what’s ahead for the Cooperative Program in this 100th year of celebration. They also unpack highlights from the Champions Retreat, a powerful moment of prayer, and where things stand with the potential relocation.Listen now for a clear view of where we’re headed—together.Click here to read the full May 2025 Board Meeting Recap news storyClick here to find resources for the Year of PrayerSubscribe to This Week at CSBC at https://csbc.com/subscribe, and write to us at podcast@csbc.com

In this episode, Sarah sits down with church planting strategist Will Browning for an update about multiplication, momentum, and ministry on the West Coast. Will details the big-picture goals for California’s 2% vision, fueled by the notion that in ministry, we should “attempt something so bold it’s doomed to fail unless God is in it.”You’ll hear about the strategy behind planting 500 new congregations, why California leads the nation in indigenous, multiethnic church planting, how churches of any size can step into the joy of sending, the role of DOMs, mentors, intergenerational relationships, and more! Rally with us—and be part of something big.To further investigate whether you are being called to support church planting efforts in California, visit https://csbc.com/church-planting/Subscribe to This Week at CSBC at https://csbc.com/subscribe, and write to us at podcast@csbc.com

What if prayer wasn’t a task, but a return to the delight of walking with the Lord? In this stirring episode of the GC Collective Podcast, Sarah chats with Francis Chung and special guest Bill Elliff—a longtime pastor, revival leader, and author—for a soul-deep conversation about the role of prayer in the 2% Vision. While other initiatives focus on numbers, Francis leads the charge for something immeasurable yet essential: an awakening of prayer and pursuit of God's presence across California churches. This conversation is both practical and deeply personal—touching on burnout, revival, spiritual hunger, and how the Spirit of God is already stirring across the country.-Find more prayer resources for you and your church at https://csbc.com/year-of-prayer/Other links from today’s episode: https://www.onecry.com/ |  https://64fellowship.com/ | https://63discipleship.com/ Subscribe to CSBC’s weekly eblast: csbc.com/subscribe or email us at podcast@csbc.com

Jonathan Keller, President of California Family Council is back with Jason and Sarah to talk cultural confusion, biblical clarity, and why California’s public square needs the voice of the Church. From gender identity and the rise of young men returning to church, to the political divide among the next generation, this conversation dives deep into truth, grace, and how pastors can lead with both. Then stay to the end to hear Jonathan’s unforgettable midnight moment on Blackstone Avenue.Find more resources at www.californiafamily.orgSubscribe to CSBC’s weekly eblast: csbc.com/subscribe or email us at podcast@csbc.com

It’s Easter week, and while churches across the state prepare to share the hope of the resurrection, we’re zooming in on the long game: reaching 2% of California with The Gospel. Jason Blankenship joins Pete and Sarah to unpack CSBC’s evangelism strategy—from grants and workshops to Gospel engagements and baptisms—and how your church can be part of the statewide vision to engage 1.25 million people in 10 years. Plus, a baptism story you’ll never forget (hint: it involves a pair of waders and a very unwelcome guest).Check out our CSBC Evangelism page here!Subscribe to CSBC’s weekly eblast: csbc.com/subscribe or email us at podcast@csbc.com

The GC Collective Podcast dives into the CSBC’s vision for church revitalization and multiplication. Pete, Sarah, and Jason unpack the latest updates from staff week, including inspiring reports from our own IMB missionaries, new strategies to engage unchurched communities, and the push to revitalize 500 churches over the next decade.Jason also introduces about Replicate, a powerful new discipleship pathway available for churches who want to plug into greater revitalization efforts across California. Don’t miss this conversation about the mission ahead and how you can be part of it. Look into the Church Matters Toolbox here!Subscribe to CSBC’s weekly eblast: csbc.com/subscribe or email us at podcast@csbc.com 

Jason Robertson is back at the table, just in time to tell us how he once “Ferris Bueller’d” his way into a St. Patrick’s Day parade on Bourbon Street—tracts in hand. Beyond the laughs, we’re diving into some big SBC topics: the latest updates from the Executive Committee, the financial health of CSBC, and why this year’s national meeting in Dallas is one you won’t want to miss. Also, if you’ve ever wondered why people get pinched for not wearing green, Pete’s got a painful childhood memory to share. Tune in for the fun, the facts, and the future of Southern Baptists. Listen to Dr. Iorg’s Full Address to the EC Here Is your California Church AB 506 Compliant?Register to be a messenger in DallasWearing green or getting pinched: here’s the originsSubscribe to CSBC’s weekly eblast: csbc.com/subscribe or email us at podcast@csbc.com