GrowLeader Podcast — Episode 93

Guest: David Ashcraft

Host: Chris Hodges

Date: February 16, 2026

Theme: Lessons from 30+ Years of Ministry and Leadership — What Endures, What Changes, and Building Enduring Church Cultures

Episode Overview

This episode features a wide-ranging, practical, and deeply personal conversation between Chris Hodges and David Ashcraft. Drawing on over 30 years of leading LCBC (Lives Changed By Christ) Church in Pennsylvania and now serving as part of the Global Leadership Network, Ashcraft unpacks leadership lessons around perseverance, church growth, culture, leadership development, saying “no,” and healthy succession planning. The episode is filled with actionable insights for pastors, church staff teams, and organizational leaders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

David Ashcraft’s Early Story & Calling

• LCBC Name and Mission:
  • LCBC originally stood for Lancaster County Bible Church before moving beyond Lancaster, becoming “Lives Changed By Christ.”
  • “We just say, that’s who we are. We’re a community of people whose lives have been, continue to be, changed by Christ.” (David Ashcraft, 02:21)
• Reluctance to Ministry:
  • Grew up in pastoral family, resisted call due to expectations.
  • Initially pursued business/law, then transitioned into ministry via Dallas Theological Seminary and serving 10 years with his father’s church.
• Valuable Early Leadership Tool:
  • “One of the tools...is patience. We get so anxious, and we want to, in our minds, we think we’re ready, and we may not be as ready as we think, especially when we’re younger.” (Ashcraft, 03:26)

The Tumultuous Early Years at LCBC (1991–Late 1990s)

• Taking a Stand & Embracing Tenacity:
  • Moved to Pennsylvania to lead a struggling church of ~150.
  • Committed, “I’m not going to leave unless You [God] move me. I’m not going to be watching job listings.”
  • Faced repeated resistance and board turnover — elders quitting in dramatic fashion.
  • “There is a determination, probably a sense of call...Had I not felt that’s where God wanted me, it would have been easy to pack up and go back to Texas.” (Ashcraft, 07:25)
• Navigating Opposition & Cultural Change:
  • On toxic influences: “We tolerate too much sometimes that is actually toxic to the culture and what you’re trying to build.” (Hodges, 08:09)
  • Dealt with personal antagonists (“Abe”) and seasons of deep discouragement.

“Growing By Subtraction”: Navigating Early Growth & Tipping Points

• Patience Pays Off:
  • Growth came more by tenacity and vision than techniques; from 150 to 600 over five years.
  • “Once we got through [the early years], we said, why would we ever think of leaving? Because we’re just going to have to go through this again.” (Ashcraft, 09:12)
• Key Tipping Point:
  • Growth accelerated when the church stopped talking about vision and started being it — authentic conversion stories triggered momentum.
  • “Somewhere about five or six years in, we quit talking about who we wanted to be and we just started being it...People started telling their friends, their family about Jesus.” (Ashcraft, 10:28)

The Power of Vision Over Buildings (and Scaling Beyond One Site)

• From One Gathering to Multiplication:
  • Went from ~600 to 7–8,000 over next seven years, requiring new buildings, capital campaigns, and six-seven weekend services.
  • “We would tell people, we’re going to build a bigger building. It’s not for you...it’s for your friends or coworkers that don’t know Jesus.” (Ashcraft, 11:47)
• Forced Innovation — Multi-site Church:
  • Local township restrictions pushed LCBC to multisite model; by 2026, ~28,000 people across 25 locations.
  • “Had we not...been told no [by the township], we would have kept building on one site and been limited.” (Ashcraft, 14:21)

Leadership & Scaling Lessons (15:45–22:41)

1. Learning to Say “No”:

   • “There are so many opportunities...everyone in the congregation has a great idea...” (Ashcraft, 15:58)
   • Example: Refused to champion a local political issue (eliminating alcohol sales) because “it’s not the best thing — the best thing for us is introducing people to Jesus.” (16:19)
   • “You have to be willing to say no to good ideas and then take the heat for it.” (Ashcraft, 16:58)

2. Staying Focused & Simple:

   • “Make introducing people to Jesus simple.”
   • “Just tell your story: who you were before Jesus, how you met him, what’s happened since. Nobody can argue about your story.” (Ashcraft, 17:46)

3. Don’t Try to Please Everyone (The 90/10 Rule):

   • “We want 90% of our people to be wildly enthusiastic...10% can be wildly upset, and we’re okay with that. It’s given us permission to make hard decisions.” (Ashcraft, 18:56)
   • “So if we get 40 or 50 complaint emails, someone will say, ‘Wait — 90/10 — we’ve got plenty more before we need to worry about it.’” (Ashcraft, 20:07)

4. The Lead Pastor’s Unique Role in Focus:

   • “It’s our job as senior pastors to do that — to mind the gate, to say no. No one else is going to.” (Ashcraft, 21:52)
   • Referenced Coach Nick Saban: “Just do the basics...don’t get bored. I watch pastors get bored...just keep doing the basics again and again and God will bring success.” (Ashcraft, 22:31)

Succession & Legacy (22:41–26:54)

• Succession as a True Test of Leadership:

  • Jim Collins: “You’re never a level five leader until you’ve left your organization and it’s better than when you were there.”
  • “If that [disruption] happens, you’re not a good leader; it needs to be stronger with you gone.” (Ashcraft, 23:16)

• Wrestling with Pride in Transition:

  • “What surprised me more than anything in my transition was pride. I’d find myself thinking, am I getting the recognition I think I deserve?...I had to keep confessing over and over.” (Ashcraft, 24:02)

• Top Succession Lessons:

  • “Time is either your best friend or your worst enemy.” (Ashcraft, 25:15)
    • Started planning 10 years out; developed internal candidates deliberately.
    • “If you wait too long, you don’t have options.”
  • “If you like the direction, hire internally; if not, hire externally.” (Ashcraft, 25:44)
    • External hires can change church direction subtly due to language and culture differences.

Global Leadership Network & Pastors Helping Pastors

• Serving Beyond LCBC:
  • Following succession, Ashcraft’s wife, Ruth, gave critical input: “You need to go find something else to lead. And it’s not me.” (Ashcraft, 26:58)
• Global Leadership Network Mission:
  • “The focus is to do everything we can to help churches thrive and help pastors create leadership cultures in their churches.” (Ashcraft, 27:22)

The Secret Sauce: Leadership Culture (29:01–30:19)

• Culture > Systems:
  • “The simple definition of culture: it’s what you allow, what you don’t allow. It’s what you celebrate and what you don’t allow.” (Ashcraft, 29:10)
  • “It comes back to you saying no...There are times you have to confront...But it’s also what you celebrate. It’s the way you carry yourself.”
  • On hiring: “You’ve got to hire right...I watch pastors desperate to hire somebody...and a year later they’re a disaster.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Endurance in Ministry:

  • “If you keep doing the right things, then eventually things will turn...Once we got through, we said why would we ever think of leaving?” (Ashcraft, 10:17, 09:12)

• On Staying Mission-Focused:

  • “We constantly ask: Is this best, or is this good? We’re going to say no [to good], and people get mad at you.” (Ashcraft, 16:18)

• On Not Pleasing Everyone:

  • “We want 90% wildly enthusiastic, 10% can be wildly upset, and we’re okay with that.” (Ashcraft, 18:56)

• On Legacy:

  • “You’re never a level five leader until you’ve left your organization and it’s better when you’re gone.” (Jim Collins via Ashcraft, 23:16)

• On Culture:

  • “It’s our job as senior pastors to mind the gate, to say no. No one else is going to.” (Ashcraft, 21:52)
  • “Culture is what you allow, what you don’t allow. What you celebrate.” (Ashcraft, 29:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Guest Background: 00:01 – 04:26
• Early Challenges & Resolute Leadership: 04:26 – 09:35
• Growth, Tipping Points, Multisite: 09:35 – 14:38
• Scaling, Saying No, Focus: 14:38 – 22:41
• Succession Planning, Leadership Legacy: 22:41 – 26:54
• Global Leadership Network & Final Culture Insights: 26:54 – 30:19
• Closing Remarks: 30:19 – 31:32

Final Takeaways

• Leadership Endurance: True church growth requires grit, patience, and the willingness to withstand and outlast opposition — not just quick wins or chasing trends.
• Say “No” to Good, “Yes” to Best: Mission focus is clarified not just by what you do, but by what you politely refuse to get involved with.
• Culture is Actively Shaped: What leaders tolerate or celebrate becomes the culture — this responsibility cannot be delegated.
• Succession is a Decade-Long Journey: Great transitions are planned early, and pride must constantly be put aside for the good of the mission.
• Leadership Continues Beyond a Season: Healthy leaders multiply, let go, and invest in systems and networks for the growth of others.

For pastors, team leaders, or anyone wanting to build something lasting and impactful, this episode is a deep well of advice from someone who’s weathered storms and stayed the course.