Brian Kelly on Church Planting: Teams, Tenacity, and True Success

Brian Kelly on Church Planting: Teams, Tenacity, and True Success

Author: Mike Neglia April 28, 2026 Duration: 39:17

What does success in church planting actually look like?

In this special crossover episode between the Expositors Collective and Cultivate podcasts, Mike Neglia speaks with Brian Kelly about the realities of planting and pastoring a church. Brian brings over twenty years of experience in church planting and mission work across East Africa, New Zealand, and the United States, along with firsthand involvement in multiple church plants and sending many others into ministry.

Together they discuss the weight that comes with planting a church, why the language of “planting” is a better metaphor than a startup model, and how pastors should think more like gardeners than entrepreneurs. Drawing on insights from The Pastor as Gardener: A Renewed Vision for Ministry by Matthew Erickson, the conversation explores the slow, patient work of cultivating spiritual growth in a church community.

They also talk about the importance of planting teams, the role of families in ministry, the perseverance required to stay the course, and how initiatives like Cultivate seek to train, mentor, and support new church planters.

Whether you are planting a church, pastoring an existing congregation, or preparing for future ministry, this conversation offers wisdom, realism, and encouragement about what faithful ministry really looks like.

Find out more about Cultivate here: https://cultivatechurchplanting.com/


Upcoming Training Weekend


May 15th-16th, 2026 at Reliance Church in Temecula, California

Take advantage of early bird pricing until April 26th – only $140 per person!

Register Today!

The Expositors Collective is a network of pastors, leaders, and laypeople which exists to equip, encourage, and mentor the next generation of Christ-centered preachers. 

What to expect:
In this interactive training weekend, attendees will hear insightful lectures, participate in Q&A panels, meet in small groups with a seasoned mentor, build ongoing relationships, and participate in a studying/teaching practicum.
Who should attend:
Christ-following men and women of all ages, ministry experience, and church backgrounds who are students of Scripture and desire to grow as teachers of the Word. Whether you’re a regular Bible teacher or have never taught the Bible in a public setting before, this training weekend offers invaluable tools to equip you in your journey.


ConnectJoin our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective


Mike Neglia hosts Expositors Collective: Expository Preaching, Bible Teaching and Sermon Preparation, a space dedicated to the craft of clearly opening the Scriptures. Rather than offering abstract theory, this podcast grounds itself in the tangible realities faced by pastors and teachers every week. You'll hear genuine conversations that feel like pulling up a chair in a mentor's study, where experienced practitioners discuss the challenges and joys of preparing messages that faithfully explain the biblical text. Episodes often take the form of interviews or practical workshops, delving into the nuances of effective communication for diverse settings like church pulpits, youth groups, or women's ministries. The collective wisdom shared here is about more than just structure; it's about the spiritual discipline of listening to a passage before speaking on it, ensuring the sermon's heart beats in rhythm with the Bible's intent. Tuning into this podcast provides a form of ongoing coaching, a resource for anyone who wants their teaching to be both deeply rooted and readily understood. It’s for those who believe that the careful work of exposition is a profound act of service, and who are looking for a companion on that journey.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Expositors Collective: Expository Preaching, Bible Teaching and Sermon Preparation
Podcast Episodes
Accurate but Incomplete: When a Sermon Needs Jesus - Cody King [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:17
Can a sermon be biblically accurate, practically helpful, and still miss the point?At an Expositors Collective training event at Reliance Church in Temecula, California, Cody King and Mike Neglia conducted a revealing ex…
The Value and Power of Expository Preaching with Dr. Danny Hyde [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:06
The Value and Power of Expository Preaching with Dr. Danny HydeWhat gives expository preaching its power?It is not the preacher’s personality, originality, or exegetical brilliance. According to Dr. Danny Hyde, its power…
Reading Scripture Well and Seeing Matthew Through Old Testament Eyes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:47
How can preachers help people hear Scripture rather than merely collect information about it?In this conversation, Mike speaks with New Testament scholar David B. Capes about conversational preaching, the public reading…
Genesis, Commentary Stacks, and Not Being Married to Your Notes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:31
In this episode of the Expositors Collective Podcast, Mike Neglia sits down with Pastor Tommy Cota for a conversation about conversion, calling, sermon preparation, and the ongoing work of growing as a Bible teacher.Tomm…
Stop Preaching Pointless Messages - John Whittaker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:54
John Whitaker believes that every sermon should have a purpose and a point - because we aren't just teaching the Bible, we are teaching the Bible to people. In this session (recorded in 2025 at our St Pete, Florida preac…
Preaching the Gospel Without Losing the Text - Mike Bullmore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:20
Preachers do not merely need to understand the gospel accurately. They need the gospel to function at the centre of their hearts, their sermons, their pastoral ministry, and their lives.Mike Bullmore joins Mike Neglia to…