How Todd Wagner Built Watermark Into a Megachurch — and Why He Left

Todd Wagner joins Intersections for an in-depth conversation covering faith, doubt, church leadership, apologetics, and the rise of Watermark Community Church. Todd reflects on growing up in a nominally religious home in St. Louis, struggling with isolation and identity as a teenager, and eventually encountering authentic Christianity through Young Life relationships that changed the trajectory of his life.

Throughout the episode, Todd explains why he believes many people misunderstand Christianity as a system of rules instead of a relationship with God rooted in grace. He discusses the historical reliability of Scripture, the intellectual foundations of his faith, and the role apologetics played in strengthening his confidence in Christianity.

The conversation also dives into the founding of Watermark Church in Dallas. Todd shares how the church grew from a handful of people to a congregation of thousands. Todd shares about burnout, succession planning, criticism surrounding megachurch culture, and the events that ultimately led to him stepping away from leading Watermark after more than two decades.

In This Episode

[00:02:30] Growing Up Without Faith

[00:07:00] Rules vs. Relationship

[00:10:30] The Nature of God and Scripture

[00:17:45] Isolation, Rejection, and Identity

[00:21:00] Young Life and Discovering Faith

[00:25:00] Apologetics and Intellectual Faith

[00:36:30] From Pre-Law Student to Pastor

[00:52:00] Building Watermark Church

[01:08:00] Megachurch Challenges and Public Criticism

[01:20:00] Why Todd Left Watermark

[01:28:00] Faith, Family, and Legacy

Guest Resources

Todd Wagner Ministries

1613 Project

Unhindered

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