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The Backstage Pastors Podcast

The Backstage Pastors Podcast

By: Phil Taylor and Tyler Drewitz
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The Backstage Pastors Podcast is dedicated to the unique challenges and opportunities facing executive pastors and second-chair leaders in churches and nonprofits. Hosts Phil Taylor and Tyler Drewitz share hard-earned insights and introduce listeners to diverse leaders doing meaningful work behind the scenes. Together, they offer practical, actionable conversations designed to strengthen the ministries and people they quietly support.Phil Taylor and Tyler Drewitz Christianity Spirituality
Episodes
  • The Accidental Executive Pastor with Becca Knudsen

    The Accidental Executive Pastor with Becca Knudsen
    Jun 3 2026
    In Episode 10 of Backstage Pastors™️, Phil and Tyler sit down with Becca Knudsen, Executive Pastor at Arvada Vineyard Church, to discuss her unique ministry journey, leading alongside a nationally influential lead pastor, and navigating major organizational transitions. Becca shares how an unexpected path—from Young Life leader to opera student to church administrator—ultimately led her into executive pastoral leadership.The conversation explores the realities of serving at a church whose lead pastor, Jay Pathak, also serves as the national director of Vineyard USA. Becca reflects on the spiritual, organizational, and personal challenges that accompanied that transition, including increased responsibility, leadership development, and organizational growing pains.She also provides an inside look at Arvada Vineyard’s decision to move away from a multi-site model and transition campuses into independent churches. Becca explains the discernment process, lessons learned, and why the church would still choose to plant churches in the future—while intentionally building toward eventual independence.Mentioned Resources⛪️ Arvada Vineyard Church💻 Learn more about the Vineyard movement📅 Check out the Vineyard Gatherings📅The Church Hub CohortsFrom Our Partners💻 ⁠The Church Hub⁠: The Church Hub serves pastors, ministry leaders, and their spouses through equipping and training resources. Learn more at https://thechurchhub.org Connect with Phil Taylor✉️ ⁠Get Phil's Newsletter⁠✉️ ⁠⁠phil@backstagepastors.org⁠⁠🗣️ ⁠⁠@philtaylorxp⁠⁠ 📚 ⁠Books by Phil⁠💻 ⁠backstagepastors.org⁠💻⁠plainjoestudios.com⁠ Connect with Tyler Drewitz✉️ ⁠⁠tyler@myxp.church⁠⁠🗣️ ⁠⁠@tylerdrewitz⁠⁠💻 ⁠myxp.church⁠💻⁠ridgelineprinting.com⁠The best way to support this podcast is to like, subscribe and share it with a friend.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE📹 ⁠Youtube⁠🍏 ⁠Apple⁠🎤 ⁠SpotifyCHAPTERS 03:47 – Becca’s Unconventional Journey into Ministry Leadership13:18 – Leading Alongside the National Director of Vineyard USA20:16 – The Challenges of Organizational Change and Staff Transitions22:45 – Why Arvada Vineyard Reconsidered the Multi-Site Model27:00 – Discernment, Independence, and Church Planting Strategy35:00 – How the Congregation Experienced the Transition37:32 – Building a Staff Rule of Life42:00 – Sabbath, Solitude, Friendship, and Sustainable Ministry46:00 – Final Leadership Reflections and Closing Thoughts– –Editing and Support by The Good Podcast Co. Backstage Pastors™️ is a Registered Trademark
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    51 mins
  • Why Healthy Churches Need Better Systems with Tim Stevens

    Why Healthy Churches Need Better Systems with Tim Stevens
    May 20 2026

    In this episode of Backstage Pastors™️ Podcast, Phil and Tyler welcome veteran executive pastor and leadership consultant Tim Stevens for an in-depth conversation on ministry leadership, organizational health, and sustainable service in the second chair. Tim reflects on nearly 40 years of ministry experience spanning nonprofit leadership, Granger Community Church, Vanderbloemen, Willow Creek, and now Leading Smart.

    The conversation explores the evolving role of the executive pastor, including the tension between being highly executive-minded versus deeply pastoral. Tim shares insights from his e-book 40 Lessons in 40 Years: Wisdom for the Long Haul, unpacking lessons about visionary leaders and integrators, why systems are actually pastoral tools, healthy governance, leadership burnout, and managing energy for long-term ministry health.

    Tim also gives listeners an inside look at stepping into Willow Creek during one of the church’s most difficult seasons and explains how focusing on “the next right thing” helped guide the rebuilding process.


    Guest Resources

    • 🗣️Follow Tim
    • 📕40 Lessons in 40 Years: Wisdom for the Long Haul
    • 💻 Right Roles Assessment
    • 💻LeadingSmart.com
    • 🎙️Tim’s Podcast
    • 📅Leading Smart 2026 Gathering


    From Our Partners

    💻 ⁠The Church Hub⁠: The Church Hub serves pastors, ministry leaders, and their spouses through equipping and training resources. Learn more at https://thechurchhub.org

    Connect with Phil Taylor

    ✉️ ⁠Get Phil's Newsletter⁠

    ✉️ ⁠⁠phil@backstagepastors.org⁠⁠

    🗣️ ⁠⁠@philtaylorxp⁠⁠

    📚 ⁠Books by Phil⁠

    💻 ⁠backstagepastors.org⁠

    💻⁠plainjoestudios.com⁠


    Connect with Tyler Drewitz

    ✉️ ⁠⁠tyler@myxp.church⁠⁠

    🗣️ ⁠⁠@tylerdrewitz⁠⁠

    💻 ⁠myxp.church⁠

    💻⁠ridgelineprinting.com⁠


    The best way to support this podcast is to like, subscribe and share it with a friend.


    LIKE & SUBSCRIBE

    📹 ⁠Youtube⁠

    🍏 ⁠Apple⁠

    🎤 ⁠Spotify


    CHAPTERS

    04:05 Introducing Tim Stevens

    07:18 Tim’s Ministry Journey and Leadership Background 10:18 Executive Pastor Wiring and Leadership Styles

    13:42 40 Lessons in 40 Years

    15:26 Why Visionary Leaders Need Integrators

    18:01 Why Systems Are Pastoral

    22:00 Sustainable Leadership and Managing Energy

    26:06 Board Alignment and Healthy Governance

    30:30 Leaving Church Ministry for Vanderbloemen and Leadership Consulting

    34:10 Rebuilding Willow Creek Through Crisis

    39:58 How Leading Smart Helps Churches Thrive

    – –

    Editing and Support by The Good Podcast Co.

    Backstage Pastors™️ is a Registered Trademark
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • How To Be Second with Nathan Young and Dave Hartman

    How To Be Second with Nathan Young and Dave Hartman
    May 6 2026

    In this episode of the Backstage Pastors™️ Podcast, Phil Taylor and Tyler Drewitz welcome Nathan Young and Dave Hartman, co-authors of How to Be Second to discuss the identity, strengths, and challenges of second-chair leadership. The conversation explores why some leaders are uniquely wired for supporting roles, how executive pastors and operational leaders thrive, and why being second is not a stepping stone but a meaningful destination.


    Guest Resources

    • 🗣️Follow David

    • 🗣️Follow Nathan

    • 📕How to Be Second by Nathan Young and Dave Hartman

    • 💻How to Be Second website: howtobesecond.com

    From Our Partners

    💻 ⁠The Church Hub⁠: The Church Hub serves pastors, ministry leaders, and their spouses through equipping and training resources. Learn more at https://thechurchhub.org


    Connect with Phil Taylor

    ✉️ ⁠Get Phil's Newsletter⁠

    ✉️ ⁠⁠phil@backstagepastors.org⁠⁠

    🗣️ ⁠⁠@philtaylorxp⁠⁠

    📚 ⁠Books by Phil⁠

    💻 ⁠backstagepastors.org⁠

    💻⁠plainjoestudios.com⁠


    Connect with Tyler Drewitz

    ✉️ ⁠⁠tyler@myxp.church⁠⁠

    🗣️ ⁠⁠@tylerdrewitz⁠⁠

    💻 ⁠myxp.church⁠

    💻⁠ridgelineprinting.com⁠


    The best way to support this podcast is to like, subscribe and share it with a friend.


    LIKE & SUBSCRIBE

    📹 ⁠Youtube⁠

    🍏 ⁠Apple⁠

    🎤 ⁠Spotify


    CHAPTERS

    01:31 Phil’s Upcoming Church Projects and Travel

    03:31 Introducing How to Be Second

    06:00 Why Nathan and Dave Wrote the Book

    10:00 Discovering the Identity of Second-Chair Leaders

    17:17 The Difference Between “2s” and “2ICs”

    24:23 Who the Book Is Really For

    29:48 Imposter Syndrome and “Knowing What 10 Is”

    33:07 What They Would Add to the Book Today

    39:39 Final Encouragement and Resources

    – –

    Editing and Support by The Good Podcast Co.

    Backstage Pastors™️ is a Registered Trademark
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
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