Mark shares his personal journey through ministry success, anxiety, identity crisis, walking away from ministry, rebuilding his family, planting a new church, and learning how God uses both the church and the marketplace to shape legacy.

This episode is for pastors, church leaders, Christian entrepreneurs, and faith-driven leaders who feel the pressure to perform, succeed, provide, and stay faithful while carrying the weight of calling.

Chandler and Mark talk about what happens when ministry becomes your identity, why success alone will never satisfy, how leaders can navigate burnout and anxiety, and why pastors and Christian leaders need a healthier theology of wealth, business, and legacy.

You’ll also hear Mark’s perspective on marketplace ministry, digital products, Christian entrepreneurship, family priorities, and what it looks like to build something meaningful without losing yourself in the process.

If you’ve ever wrestled with ministry burnout, leadership pressure, identity, calling, money, or the tension between faith and business, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.

In This Episode

• Why identity cannot be built on ministry success
• The hidden pressure pastors and Christian leaders carry
• Mark’s journey through anxiety, transition, and rebuilding
• What it looks like to walk away and start again
• How to balance family, ministry, business, and calling
• Why Christian leaders need a better theology of wealth
• The connection between ministry and marketplace
• How to redefine success and build lasting legacy

Connect with Mark Casto

Website: markcasto.co

Instagram: instagram.com/markcasto_

Connect with The OutStand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast:

https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Sponsored By

This episode is sponsored by The Marketing Co-op.

The Marketing Co-op helps churches and faith-based nonprofits create and implement custom digital marketing strategies to reach more people, expand the mission, and build the church.

From digital marketing consulting to SEO, AI strategy, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and content strategy, The Marketing Co-op partners with churches and ministries to help them grow their reach, strengthen their online presence, and connect with the people they are called to serve.

Learn more at marketingco-op.co

In this episode of The Outstand Podcast, Chandler Boyce sits down with Mitch Sugg for a raw, honest, and deeply encouraging conversation about what happens when life does not go the way you thought it would.

Mitch shares the story of planting a church in 2019, launching with momentum, and then watching everything change during COVID. What started as a season of vision and calling quickly became one of the most painful chapters of his life. He walks through the reality of shutting down a church, navigating divorce, losing financial stability, delivering packages to survive, and wrestling with shame, identity, and whether he had missed God.

But this conversation is not just about what fell apart. It is about what God rebuilt.

Mitch opens up about the difference between finding your identity in your calling and knowing who you are before you ever step into a role, platform, or title. He shares how being a father helped him keep going, why having people who simply listened became part of his healing process, and how the hardest season of his life gave him a deeper perspective on leadership, humility, purpose, and grace.

This episode is for pastors, ministry leaders, church planters, Christian entrepreneurs, and anyone who has ever had to start over after disappointment, failure, loss, or unexpected pain. If you have ever questioned your calling, felt buried by shame, or wondered if God could still use your story, Mitch’s journey will remind you that your life is not over just because one season fell apart.

In This Episode

Chandler and Mitch talk about:

• What no one tells you about the painful side of church planting
• Launching a church right before COVID changed everything
• Walking through divorce, financial pressure, and ministry loss
• Going from preaching on stage to delivering packages
• How shame affects pastors, leaders, and men in silence
• Why listening can be one of the most powerful tools for healing
• The importance of having safe people who let you process honestly
• How to rebuild your identity when your title is gone
• Why divorce does not mean someone has no value in the Kingdom
• What senior pastors should consider when restoring and hiring leaders
• How Mitch now helps leaders and organizations grow through communication, self-awareness, and purpose

Key Takeaway

Before you operate out of your calling, you have to know your identity.

Mitch shares how he had to come back to the truth that his value was not found in being a pastor, church planter, speaker, leader, or communicator. His foundation had to become much deeper: knowing he was made in the image of God and loved as a son.

About Mitch Sugg

Mitch Sugg is a pastor, speaker, leadership coach, and certified 5 Voices practitioner who helps leaders, churches, teams, and organizations grow in communication, self-awareness, and purpose.

Through his own story of loss, rebuilding, and rediscovering identity, Mitch now helps others understand who they are, lead with health, and unlock the purpose God has placed inside them.

Connect with Mitch Sugg

Website: https://www.mitchsugg.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-sugg-/

Follow The Outstand Podcast

If this episode encouraged you, make sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to be reminded that their story is not over.

The Outstand Podcast features real conversations with pastors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who refuse to blend in. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the pressure, pain, growth, faith, and discipline it takes to build something meaningful and become the kind of person who outstands the rest.

Support this podcast:

https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Clinton brings over 18 years of worship leadership experience, serving in diverse church environments ranging from single-site churches to multisite organizations, small group settings to arenas, and songwriting and recording with River Valley Worship and other artists.

Together, Chandler and Clinton unpack what it really takes to build a worship culture that is healthy, authentic, and sustainable. They talk about the tension between excellence and performance, the danger of copying mega churches, the importance of developing worshipers before platforming leaders, and why unity matters more than talent.

This episode is especially helpful for worship pastors, worship leaders, creative directors, pastors, musicians, production teams, and church leaders who want to build stronger teams, healthier culture, and more confident worship environments.

You’ll hear practical insight on how to develop worship leaders, avoid burnout, build unity between worship and production teams, raise up volunteers, handle the tension between paid musicians and serving the house, and create worship experiences that point people to God without depending on production to carry what only the Holy Spirit can carry.

If you are trying to build a healthier worship team, strengthen your creative ministry, or lead worship with more authenticity and confidence, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

Connect with Clinton Allen

Clinton helps churches, pastors, worship leaders, and creative teams build their best worship and leadership culture.

If you feel like you lack the resources, time, development, or support needed to build healthy teams and healthy culture, Clinton can help you find clarity, strengthen your team, and close the gap between where your ministry is and where you believe it can go.

Website: https://www.creative-curating.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clinton_allen/

Subscribe

Subscribe to The Outstand Podcast for more honest conversations with pastors, leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs, and people who refuse to blend in.

Support this podcast:

https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

Brennan is also the founder of All In Co., a social media and content company helping churches grow their online presence. What makes Brennan stand out is simple. He doesn’t just learn, he executes.

In this conversation, they break down how church leaders can grow faster by surrounding themselves with the right people, taking action on what they learn, and staying focused on what they’re actually called to build.

They also dive into digital ministry, social media strategy, and how content is no longer optional for churches that want to reach people and create real impact.

🔥 What You’ll Learn

• Why most church planters stay stuck
• The difference between learning and executing
• How to surround yourself with the right people
• What churches are getting wrong about social media
• How digital content leads to real-life impact
• The habits and disciplines that create momentum
• Why staying focused on your role matters

👥 Who This Episode Is For

Pastors, church planters, and leaders who want to grow, reach more people, and build something meaningful without getting distracted or stuck.

If you’re trying to figure out how to lead well, stay focused, and build momentum in today’s digital world, this episode is for you.

🔗 Connect with Brennan Washington

City Light Church (Bowling Green, KY)

https://citylightky.com/

All In Co.

https://www.allinco.studio/

🎙 About The Outstand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast is built around real conversations with leaders who refuse to blend in. It’s about faith, leadership, growth, and the decisions it takes to stand out in a world that rewards conformity.

❤️ Support the Podcast

Support this podcast:

https://redcircle.com/tribe-error/donations

From TikTok to YouTube, DK shares why pastors and church leaders must stop treating social media as optional and start seeing it as a modern-day mission field. If your church isn’t showing up online, you’re missing one of the greatest opportunities to reach people where they already are.

This conversation goes beyond strategy. It dives into the real challenges leaders face like insecurity, inconsistency, and the pressure to perform, while also addressing the growing loneliness epidemic and how digital platforms can either isolate people or lead them into real community and discipleship.

If you’re a pastor, church leader, or Christian content creator, this episode will challenge you to step up, stay consistent, and use your voice to reach more people with purpose.

What You’ll Learn

• Why TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are the new mission field
• How pastors can grow their church online through content
• The biggest mistake churches are making with social media
• How to overcome insecurity and imposter syndrome
• Why consistency matters more than perfection
• How to turn sermons into engaging digital content
• The connection between online content and real-life discipleship

Key Takeaway

Digital platforms can create connection, but they can’t replace it. The Church has a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between online engagement and real-life community by showing up with truth, authenticity, and consistency.

Connect with DK Hammond

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkhammondspodcast

Website: https://www.dkconsults.org/

About The Outstand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast features conversations with pastors, leaders, and entrepreneurs who are choosing to stand out in their calling, leadership, and impact. These are real, unfiltered discussions about growth, faith, leadership, and the journey behind success.

Having worked closely with leaders like Craig Groeschel (Life.Church) and Carey Nieuwhof, Dillon brings a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on what’s actually working, what’s fading, and where churches need to pivot.

They break down why sermon clips are declining in effectiveness, how Life.Church approaches Meta ads and lead generation, and why most churches are investing time and money into the wrong strategies when it comes to social media and content.

This conversation dives into YouTube vs Meta (Facebook & Instagram), the real ROI of podcasts for pastors, and how to build a content strategy that actually reaches people and drives impact.

You’ll also hear practical insights on lead magnets, content quality, and why human connection is becoming the most valuable asset in ministry as AI continues to rise.

If you’re a pastor, church leader, or Christian entrepreneur trying to grow your reach and influence, this episode will challenge your thinking and give you clear next steps.

What You’ll Learn

• Why sermon clip strategies are declining
• How Life.Church actually runs ads
• YouTube vs Meta: where to focus in 2026
• The real purpose of a podcast for pastors
• How to use lead magnets to reach more people
• The biggest mistakes churches are making right now
• What’s next with AI and church leadership

Who This Episode Is For

Pastors, church leaders, and Christian business owners who want to grow, reach more people, and build something meaningful without wasting time on strategies that don’t work anymore.

If you follow voices like Craig Groeschel, Carey Nieuwhof, Andy Stanley, or are trying to figure out modern church marketing, this is for you.

Connect with Dillon Smith

Website: https://cmo.church/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dillon-Smith-CMO.Church

If you are someone whose target audience is pastors and churches, whether you sell services, software, products, or resources, you need to be paying attention to what Dillon is doing.

He has worked with some of the most influential leaders in the church space and understands how to actually reach and connect with pastors at scale.

Go check out his website, follow him on YouTube, and stay connected with his content across all platforms.

About The Outstand Podcast

The Outstand Podcast is built around real conversations with leaders who refuse to blend in. It’s about faith, leadership, growth, and the decisions it takes to stand out in a world that rewards conformity.

Support the Pod by donating!