unSeminary Podcast Summary

Episode Title

Rebuilding and Relaunching: Lessons in Church Renewal with James Griffin

Host: Rich Birch
Guest: James Griffin (Lead Pastor, Crosspoint City Church)
Date: December 19, 2024

Overview

This episode dives deep into rebuilding a church after crisis, relaunching with a renewed mission, and practical strategies for lasting community impact. James Griffin, lead pastor of Crosspoint City Church—one of the fastest-growing multisite churches in Georgia—shares a candid account of inheriting a wounded congregation, rebuilding trust, launching new campuses (including within a prison), and creating a culture of partnership both within the church and across the broader community.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Story of Crosspoint City Church ([01:29]-[03:31])

• Replanting after Crisis: James inherited a troubled church after a significant moral failure by the founding pastor, leading to a mass exodus and deep wounds within the staff and congregation.
• First Steps: The early focus was on stabilizing, regaining trust, and reassuring both the church and local community that the church was here to stay.

Quote ([05:08]):

“There is no good reason that our church should be here right now, honestly, other than. Other than God is kind and God is faithful.”
—James Griffin

2. Multiplying Locations Amidst Adversity ([02:22]-[04:31])

• Locations in Cartersville (main), Adairsville, Rome, newly launched Haystate Prison, with Acworth coming soon.
• The timing of some launches, like Adairsville just before COVID, necessitated relaunching and adaptability.

Quote ([03:32]):

“We joke and we said, we did that one twice.”
—James Griffin

3. Steps to Rebuild Trust ([07:12]-[08:44])

• Presence and Relationship: Personal connection became the cornerstone. James prioritized being visible, available, and real—“just being a pastor and loving people.”
• Relational Leadership: Trust is built through character, and character is revealed through vulnerability and proximity.
• External Relationships: Restoring connections with other local pastors and churches, especially since past leadership had fostered division.

Quote ([07:40]):

“Leadership is influence. Influence is gained by trust. Trust is gained by character. And I don’t think people can know if you are a man or woman of character unless you spend time with them.”
—James Griffin

4. Honoring the Past While Facing Reality ([09:14]-[10:50])

• James modeled honoring the previous pastors and the church’s early accomplishments, even amidst failure.
• Addressed internal issues candidly, without dishonor, recognizing everyone’s vulnerability to mistakes.
• Owned the church’s prior lack of unity with other local congregations and worked deliberately to repair it.

Quote ([09:24]):

“God can draw straight lines with crooked sticks. And so let’s not fail to give God glory for the things that have happened.”
—James Griffin

5. Rebuilding External Relationships ([11:21]-[13:30])

• Intentionally sought out local pastors, inviting himself to denominational gatherings, building trust one relationship at a time.
• Emphasized that lasting church transformation must align with a commitment to bless the broader community—requiring unity with fellow churches.

Quote ([12:57]):

“We’re not just here to meet together on Sundays... But if we really want to be a Great Commission church, we’ve got to think about the impact God is calling us to make on our cities. And if we’re going to do that effectively, we have to work in partnership with the other churches here. We have to be unified with the other believers in these cities for the sake of the gospel.”
—James Griffin

6. Signposts of Renewal ([14:10]-[16:26])

• Relaunching as Crosspoint City Church: Marked a new chapter and a visible “stake in the ground,” validating God’s faithfulness.
• Financial Milestone: Raised $103,000 in 10 days for a building refinance, confirming both God’s provision and the congregation’s renewed trust.

Memorable Story ([16:06]):

“The next Sunday, I stood up, told the church, asked people to pray and to give. And 10 days later, we had $103,000 that was given.”
—James Griffin

7. Leadership Pacing and Delegation ([16:56]-[18:32])

• Adapting as the Church Grows: Learned to pour into the executive and key leaders; shifted from a singular care model to a shared, team-based culture of care.
• Advice Received:

“There comes a point, as your church grows, you gotta stop worrying about everyone feeling loved by you, and you just have to worry that people feel loved.”

8. Lessons from Rebranding and Loss ([19:03]-[21:40])

• Not All Stayed: Some people who endured the painful past chose not to move forward; James saw this as God’s pruning to enable advance.
• Facility Miracles: Moved from a small, inadequate facility to a much larger, better equipped space due to God’s provision and partnership with another church.

Quote ([19:54]):

“We’re about to charge to hell together, and you’re gonna leave now. But I will say... I think that was God pruning people away that needed to be pruned so that we could make forward progress.”
—James Griffin

9. Importance of Church Networks & Strategic Intervention ([22:05]-[23:40])

• Westridge Church, as the original church planter, intervened decisively after the crisis based on deep relational history—“the providence of God.”
• The former lead pastor was a church planting school graduate; the campus structure enabled timely, targeted support and eventual recovery.

10. Compassion Center: Embedding Community Impact ([24:20]-[27:35])

• Genesis: Crosspoint acquired a large facility; leaders approached local civic leaders to ask, “What does the community need?”
• Four Core Initiatives:
  • Counseling center with affordable, biblical counseling.
  • Education (mentoring at-risk kids, adult literacy).
  • Homeless ministry with showers, laundry, resources, prayer.
  • Serving women rescued from trafficking.
  • Mobile medical clinic (creatively launched during the pandemic to reach the uninsured/underinsured).

Quote ([24:20]):

“Told our elders, like, if we buy this and it sits empty throughout the week, we are horrible stewards. So we had to figure out ways to keep the doors open right Sunday through Saturday.”
—James Griffin

11. Contextualizing Ministry for Each Location ([28:24]-[29:47])

• Each site’s outreach tailored to its city’s needs; direct service precedes official launch.
• Some initiatives are church-wide and mobile (foster care, Christmas outreaches), while others are unique to their context.

12. Final Words & Leadership Encouragement ([30:18]-[31:02])

James underscores the necessity of patience, consistency, and faithfulness as the bedrock of lasting church renewal. Change takes time, persistence, and a refusal to “just tell”—mission must be both proclaimed and demonstrated.

Final Encouragement ([31:02]):

“Be patient, be patient. I think shifting culture, building trust, establishing a strong reputation in the community... it just takes time. And so I think you got to plug away. You’ve got to be consistent, stay focused on mission... and over time, the tide will turn. But be faithful, be patient is what I would say.”
—James Griffin

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “If all I have to do is love these people, well, I think we’re going to be okay. And we’ve been okay by the grace of God.” ([07:01])
• “We had to take a shared approach to that so we could continue driving the work of mission forward. The leader can’t carry that weight and burden alone.” ([18:24])
• “If we buy this and it sits empty throughout the week, we are horrible stewards.” ([24:20])
• “We're here to love and serve. We want to be a blessing to the cities that God’s called us to.” ([29:38])

Notable Timestamps

• 01:29: Brief history and DNA of Crosspoint City Church
• 03:31: Multi-site strategy including unique outreach inside a prison
• 05:08: The crisis moment—what James inherited and the initial response
• 07:40: Building trust through presence and character
• 09:24: Balancing honoring the past with facing hard realities
• 12:57: Rebuilding relationships with other churches as equal partners in mission
• 14:21: The pivotal relaunch as Crosspoint City Church
• 16:06: A fundraising miracle as a mark of new momentum
• 19:54: The surprising but providential pruning after relaunch
• 24:20: Launch and vision for the Compassion Center
• 28:24: Contextualizing local outreach for every new campus
• 30:18: Final encouragement for leaders: be patient and faithful

Useful Links

• Church Website: CrossPointCity.com
• Instagram: Pastor James Griffin (managed by his team)

Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is hopeful, practical, and honest—full of actionable wisdom for church leaders navigating tough seasons. James Griffin models humility, relational leadership, and unwavering commitment to both gospel proclamation and tangible transformation in the community. The episode will resonate with anyone leading a church through transition, pain, or new mission fields, reminding listeners: “Be faithful. Be patient. Over time, the tide will turn.”