Culture is People: How to build culture that fuels growth and unity

Pastor Phil Hubbard shares how friendship, integrity, and trust became the cultural blueprint for leading a church into a new season.

October 20, 2025

Restore unity, renew passion, and reignite growth in your church

When Pastor Phil Hubbard stepped into leadership at C3 Church London, he found himself not only inheriting a congregation but also a blank slate.

What followed wasn’t a flurry of strategy documents or culture statements. Instead, Phil and his wife Lucy built something far more organic: a culture centered on people, friendship, and a deep trust that God brings the growth.

"Culture isn’t a list on a wall," Phil says. "It’s not your values printed on a page. It’s who your people are becoming."

They launched with their closest friends, leading with integrity and vulnerability. Their cultural cornerstone? "Friendship is our DNA." From that, everything else flowed—healthy rhythms, mission-minded outreach, and a church culture that looked a lot like real life.

Their approach to mission was equally grounded. No gimmicks, no hype. Just people doing life together, and inviting others into that. As Lucy envisioned early on, transformation would happen "side by side, one by one."

In This Episode Your Team Will Learn

- Why culture isn’t something you write, but something you embody
-How to build a church culture around friendship and trust
-The one mindset shift that freed Phil and Lucy from the pressure to "grow the church"
-How a simple vision can become a powerful missional strategy

1) What does the culture of your church say about what you value most?

2) Are you leading in a way that reflects your personal integrity and friendships?

3) How could you adopt a "side by side, one by one" approach to outreach in your community?

4) Where might you be striving for growth instead of focusing on planting and watering?

When you strip away the pressure, the programs, and the polish, what’s left is who you really are as a leader. And that’s where culture begins. Watch the full conversation with Pastor Phil Hubbard to explore how identity, integrity, and intentional relationships can reshape your church’s future.

Let’s lead well,

The Church Staff Huddle Team