Episode Details
Back to EpisodesWhen Growth Creates Pressure: Facilities, Space and What to Do in 2026 with Eric Garza
Description
Leading Into 2026:
Executive Pastor Insights
Momentum is real.
So is the pressure.
This free report draws from the largest dedicated survey of Executive Pastors ever, revealing what leaders are actually facing as they prepare for 2026.
- Why staff health is the #1 pressure point
- Where churches feel hopeful — and stretched thin
- What worked in 2025 and is worth repeating
- Clear decision filters for the year ahead
Free PDF • Built for Executive Pastors • Instant access
Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. We’re continuing our special series responding to insights from the National Executive Pastor Survey with an executive pastor from a prevailing church.
Today we’re joined by Eric Garza, Executive Pastor at Cross Church. Cross Church is one of the fastest-growing churches in the country, with 12 campuses across South Texas, serving both English- and Spanish-speaking congregations. In this conversation, Eric helps unpack the number-one fear expressed by executive pastors in the survey: running out of space and not knowing what to do next.
Is your church growing but feeling physically constrained? Are facilities, kids’ space, or parking holding you back from what God may want to do next? Eric offers practical, hard-earned wisdom from leading through rapid multisite expansion.
- Facilities don’t just limit space—they shape momentum. // At Cross Church, growth has come through both campus planting and mergers or acquisitions of existing churches. In both cases, facilities either enable momentum or quietly choke it. Sustainable space must support all aspects of ministry—not just a worship room. Parking, kids’ environments, lobbies, restrooms, storage, and office space all play a role. A building that works on paper can quickly fail if it can’t support the full weekend experience.
- Don’t rush into permanence. // One of