ABOUT THE EPISODE
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Ben Cachiaras, Lead Pastor of Mountain Christian Church, to explore the evolving landscape of church leadership, multi-site strategy, and disciple-making in today’s cultural context. Ben shares insights from nearly 30 years of ministry, including lessons learned from launching multiple campuses and cultivating both church planting and multi-site expressions of ministry. Together, they discuss the growing need for leadership development pipelines, the critical role of trust in healthy organizations, and the importance of clarity around mission and identity in a politically polarized culture. Ben also highlights Mountain Christian Church’s innovative community center model, demonstrating how holistic ministry can build trust within neighborhoods and create meaningful pathways for gospel impact.
Welcome to Episode 158 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.
EPISODE LINKS
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrZ9YV_ITaSwxtPhYrbs6BIDVAsTSb-s- (The Separation of Church & Hate | Mountain Christian Church | Youtube Series Playlist)
https://mountaincc.org/Series?Item=687 (The Separation of Church & Hate | Mountain Christian Church | Full series on Mountain Christian Church website)
If you’re a leader approaching a succession or transition, or maybe you’re a few years in and beginning to see how complex transitions leadership is… go to The Art of Pastoral Succession and check out my course in partnership with Carey Nieuwhof.
Are you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/
WHO IS BEN CACHIARAS?
Ben Cachiaras has served since 1997 as Lead Pastor with Mountain Christian Church located on the outer reaches of Baltimore, Maryland. He has deep roots in Minnesota and served churches there and in Tennessee. A graduate of Minnesota Bible College (renamed Crossroads College), he has studied at Bethel Theological Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, and graduated with the Master of Divinity degree from Emmanuel Christian Seminary where he is currently a Doctor of Ministry student. Ben has served on Boards for Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Milligan University, and Stadia Church planting and as President of the North American Christian Convention. He has been a contributing editor and author for Christian Standard magazine, and is passionately involved with Missions of Hope International, a holistic, Christ-centered ministry based out of Nairobi, Kenya. Ben speaks widely and loves to connect pastors with one another to provide encouragement and coaching through mentoring and by leading cohorts of pastors in community. With its beginnings in 1824, the story of the Mountain Christian Church’s growth and fruit is remarkable. Mountain is a multi-ethnic, multi-site church that gathers in four locations, with exciting plans for a fifth campus. The EPICENTER, Mountain’s multi-site community center for ministry outreach, has a focus on changing the trajectory of under-resourced children and families through incarnational love shown through an array of programs. Ben and his wife Karla have three awesome children, Nathan who is a pastor in Tennessee, Andrew (Nicole) who writes computer code in California, and Ellie who teaches English as a second language in Baltimore. He has a lifelong, irrational devotion to the Minnesota Vikings, gets a kick out of wake surfing, and is fired up about helping you get on the Pickleball bandwagon. Most of all, he loves his family, has a passion for preaching, leadership, and mentoring, and is devoted to building Jesus-shaped communities that draw people to the love of God.
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Thanks to our sponsor, MOHI: Partnership with MOHI is built on long-term, meaningful relationships. Your church will serve a specific community, its local leaders, and its families. It’s a shared journey marked by prayer, presence, and ongoing connection rather than one-time projects. Many of our partner churches have been walking with the same community for years, even a decade or more, building stability, fostering trust and creating lasting impact.
Learn more at mohiafrica.org/partner
Many multisite strategies today are built on assumptions—not clear data. We're partnering with Dr. Warren Bird and Jim Tomberlin on the largest-ever nationals study of multisite churches to get some very specific answers to equip you! Learn More
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