{"podcast":{"title":"Church Staff Book Club","slug":"church-staff-book-club-7646058","podcast_index_feed_id":7646058,"rss_url":"https://api.riverside.fm/hosting/wZCVo8Of.rss","website_url":"https://jonathanmalm.com","image_url":"https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/1743bd73-d0cd-4a20-a221-0a732e2041e9/logos/40768025-e66c-4d94-8699-53e49b4d0128.jpeg","author":"Jonathan Malm","episode_count":26,"summary":"A podcast for church leaders who want to grow but don’t have time to read every book. Join authors Jonathan Malm and Jason Young as they break down leadership books chapter by chapter, sharing practical insights and real-life ministry applications along the way. Whether you’re reading along or just listening in, this is your go-to resource for becoming a better leader... One conversation at a time.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-15T04:18:47.595679+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/church-staff-book-club-7646058"},"episode":{"title":"If You're Going to Do it, Make it Excellent","slug":"if-you-re-going-to-do-it-make-it-excellent","published_at":"2026-02-24T15:26:38+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/church-staff-book-club-7646058/if-you-re-going-to-do-it-make-it-excellent","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/church-staff-book-club-7646058","url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/7a2751be1aede6e804d37c5f148e0e758b34a962f8e8f9c089128e8e7a994a81/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI5NTI2NDJiOC01YjgxLTQyZDAtODc0OC1lNTk4YzQ1ZmY0NDUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIxNzQzYmQ3My1kMGNkLTRhMjAtYTIyMS0wYTczMmUyMDQxZTkiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGMxY2FkMzNhMzk0ZmE2NjA0MjBmNDIiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk5ZGMzMmVhMDM3ZTU0ODJhNjdiMzhjL2pvbmF0aGFuLW1hbG1zLXN0dWRpby1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTItMjRfXzE2LTI2LTM4Lm1wMyJ9.mp3","audio_url":"https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/7a2751be1aede6e804d37c5f148e0e758b34a962f8e8f9c089128e8e7a994a81/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI5NTI2NDJiOC01YjgxLTQyZDAtODc0OC1lNTk4YzQ1ZmY0NDUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiIxNzQzYmQ3My1kMGNkLTRhMjAtYTIyMS0wYTczMmUyMDQxZTkiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OGMxY2FkMzNhMzk0ZmE2NjA0MjBmNDIiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk5ZGMzMmVhMDM3ZTU0ODJhNjdiMzhjL2pvbmF0aGFuLW1hbG1zLXN0dWRpby1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTItMjRfXzE2LTI2LTM4Lm1wMyJ9.mp3","summary":"Welcome back to Church Staff Book Club with Jonathan Malm and Jason Young ! In Episode 8 , we’re walking through Chapter 8 of The Come Back Effect – our book on church hospitality and guest experience – where we challenge a mindset that quietly keeps people from returning: “Just okay” hospitality. Most churches don’t have bad hospitality… they have forgettable hospitality. And “good enough” doesn’t usually offend anyone— it just silently convinces guests not to come back . In this episode, we talk about the difference between excellence and perfection , why churches unintentionally settle, and how to make small upgrades that build trust and help people feel seen, safe, and truly welcomed . What you’ll learn in this episode: Why average experiences rarely inspire return The difference between excellence vs. perfectionism in church hospitality 5 common reasons churches settle for “good enough” Why hospitality is about the welcome , not the production value Small, practical upgrades that make church feel intentional (without a bigger budget) How volunteer presence, warmth, and consistency create memorable moments Why guests decide to return based on trust, not polish Key ideas from this episode: ✅ Excellence isn’t fancy. ✅ Excellence isn’t expensive. ✅ Excellence is care. People don’t return because everything was flawless— they return because something felt intentional . Sponsor First Impressions helps churches create meaningful connections with guests—from first-time visits to lifelong discipleship. Conferences, Academy training, coaching, systems, and proven follow-up strategies: firstimpressions.church Next Steps 📘 We’re nearing the end of The Come Back Effect . Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 are next , then we’ll move to a new book. Have a recommendation for what we should…","meta_description":"Welcome back to Church Staff Book Club with Jonathan Malm and Jason Young ! In Episode 8 , we’re walking through Chapter 8 of The Come Back Effect – our b…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1915,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/church-staff-book-club-7646058/episodes/if-you-re-going-to-do-it-make-it-excellent/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/church-staff-book-club-7646058/if-you-re-going-to-do-it-make-it-excellent.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}