Hybrid Church Model: Lessons from Roy Moran and Spent Matches

Ten years ago, Roy Moran wrote Spent Matches, a groundbreaking book that challenged church leaders to rethink how we approach disciple-making. His journey at Shoal Creek Community Church in Kansas City became a case study for what many now call the hybrid church model—a way of integrating attractional Sunday gatherings with disciple-making movement (DMM) principles that multiply faith far beyond the walls of a building.

Roy’s story is deeply relevant for pastors today. The truth is sobering: only about 30% of people in the U.S. are even open to stepping into a church service. That leaves 70% who are out of reach if our strategy relies only on Sunday mornings. The hybrid church model exists because we can’t afford to choose between attractional and missional—we must do both.

You can check out my recent interview with Roy Moran by clicking the image below.

The Origins of Hybrid Church

Roy planted Shoal Creek in the 1990s, influenced by Willow Creek’s vision of creating a church for the unchurched. They designed services that removed insider language, built around cultural touchpoints, art, and creative storytelling. It worked. People far from God found a safe place to explore faith.

But as the church grew, Roy had an existential moment: his disciples weren’t making disciples. They could listen, learn, and attend, but they weren’t equipped to reproduce. That realization pushed him toward disciple-making movement principles—simple, reproducible practices like Discovery Bible Study—that were thriving in places like Africa and Asia.

What Is the Hybrid Church Model?

The hybrid church model combines two worlds:

• Gathering (Attractional): Leveraging Sunday worship, teaching, and creative experiences to reach seekers.

• Network (Movement): Equipping ordinary believers to plant the gospel in neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and prisons through reproducible disciple-making practices.

As Roy explains, ekklesia is ekklesia—whether it happens in a rented auditorium or around a fire pit in your neighborhood. Hybrid church holds both expressions together.

Ten Years of Insights from Spent Matches

Implementing this model has not been easy. Roy is the first to admit it’s been “harder than I thought it would be.” But the lessons are gold for today’s leaders:

1. Clarity is Everything

Vision leaks, and language confuses. Roy reflects that he often shifted metaphors—from “make disciples” to “spiritual mothers and fathers” to other phrases—without clarifying that he meant the same thing. Leaders must commit to simple, repeatable clarity if people are going to follow.

2. Obedience, Not Just Information

Roy emphasizes that Western Christianity is starved of obedience. The power of Discovery Bible Study isn’t just in reading—it’s in making “I will” statements and reporting back. As he says, “You think, ‘I believe Jesus said do what I say.’” Accountability leads to transformation.

3. Progress Fuels Growth

Borrowing from leadership systems like EOS, Roy highlights the human need to see progress. Whether it’s ministry rocks or weekly “I will” statements, the discipline of reporting back creates integrity and momentum.

4. Community Before Conversion

In the U.S., many people don’t even know their neighbors. Before gospel planting can happen, churches often need to help believers build genuine community—hosting fire pits, block parties, and neighborhood gatherings. Party planning becomes part of disciple-making.

5. Sunday Can’t Do It All

Shoal Creek’s attractional services were powerful, but Roy says plainly: “We are our own worst enemy.” What you win people with is often what you win them to. If Sunday is the end goal, discipleship stalls. If Sunday is the launchpad, multiplication happens.

Global Influence, Local Impact

Roy’s work with New Generations connects him with leaders worldwide who are seeing millions of disciples and hundreds of thousands of churches emerge through obedience-based disciple-making. These global lessons have reshaped Shoal Creek’s DNA—shifting metrics from attendance to multiplication, from baptisms to reproducing disciples.

And yet, Roy is refreshingly honest: it’s still messy. It’s still uphill. But the hybrid church model remains one of the most realistic pathways forward for churches in the West who refuse to abandon the lost 70% living outside our walls.

Why This Matters for Pastors Today

If you’re a pastor, planter, or leader, the question isn’t whether the hybrid church model works perfectly—it’s whether we’re willing to experiment, fail forward, and keep adjusting so that more people encounter Jesus. Roy’s example reminds us:

• Clarity fuels movement.

• Obedience changes lives.

• Multiplication—not just addition—must be the goal.

The hybrid church isn’t about abandoning Sunday. It’s about refusing to let Sunday be the limit of your disciple-making imagination.

AI assisted in writing this blog.