The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast: Lead Like Never Before

Major update to Carey's 2025 church trends with stunning new data. Gen Z church attendance has quadrupled (4% to 16%), with young men leading at 21%. US data shows similar revival patterns. Meanwhile, AI therapy/companionship has become the #1 use for ChatGPT, potentially worsening the mental health crisis. In this episode, Carey shares updates on the 2025 disruptive church trends and what it means for your church. 

Max Lucado talks about his new role at Gateway Church, how to carry the trauma and disappointment of a congregation after the senior pastor has breached trust, how to know if and when you've crossed a moral line that requires resignation, and how to tame your thought life.

What if our culture's biggest crisis isn't political, but spiritual and relational? New York Times columnist, bestselling author, and Atlantic columnist David Brooks talks about how American culture has changed in our lifetime and why he thinks it's overpoliticized and undermoralized. Plus, he shares how he became a Christian, his friendship with Tim Keller, and why he writes for 5 hours to get 1200 words each day.

There's nothing like honesty when it comes to hearing people's stories. CCV Lead Pastor Ashley Wooldridge returns to the podcast with his wife, Jaime. In a raw conversation, they open up about their first decade of marriage in corporate life, how that almost did them in as a couple, and how a journey into radical generosity transformed their marriage and their ministry at CCV. 

Lessons from one of America's fastest-growing and largest churches, Christ Church of the Valley (CCV). Senior Pastor Ashley Wooldridge talks about lessons he learned from a decade at Intel before working at a church, how teamwork trumps talent, EQ as a key to success, and why the pastor can't be the product.

Derwin Gray talks about toxic masculinity and how it plays out in the NFL, the culture, and the church. Plus, insights on using ministry to heal childhood wounds and the challenge of finding the right staff in a growing church. 

Fact: Many churches with facilities and money lack people, while churches with people often lack facilities and funds. In this episode, Carey Nieuwhof argues why dying churches should transfer their buildings to growing congregations. He addresses the 5 key objections to this transition and demonstrates why overcoming these barriers creates a win for everyone involved in advancing the Kingdom's mission.

Imagine if your biggest question was, why did our church grow so fast? Jason Mitchell, Lead Pastor of LCBC, talks about what you need to do to see a 280% greater spike in first-time visitors returning to your church, what's changing in preaching, and the emotion of succession.

The Unstuck Group's Amy Anderson discusses how to know if your church is overstaffed (it probably is), the key differences between growing and declining churches, and leading a company after its founder dies.

Has your calling become toxic? Biola Professor Arianna Molloy discusses the identity crisis most church leaders face: identifying with their calling so much that it becomes toxic. She also discusses burnout, how to get healthy, and the problems with boundary-shaming your team.

Kyle Idleman discusses why it's easier to admit a fault on stage than to a friend in person, the times you feel like you want to punch a hole in the wall (and what to do about it), vulnerability, insecurity, and the spiritual gift of disappointing people.

Chris Hodges, founding pastor of Church of the Highlands, opens up for the first time about being bullied as a kid, having an inferiority complex, and how that's impacted his leadership. Plus, he shares how to multiply leaders to craft a successful succession.

Carey answers your questions about whether there are limits to church growth, what to do if your elders try to micromanage you, and how to know who to fire and how to do it.

Patria Lead Pastor Adam Mesa shares how viral podcasting helped grow his church from 1,100 to 7,500+ in five years, his experience as a millennial taking over leadership from his dad, and navigating the strengths and challenges of ADHD.  

Ryan Leak has become one of the most sought-after preachers and leadership speakers today. He explains why he prepares for a three-minute offering talk the same way he preps for a leadership talk to a Fortune 100 company. He also explains what to do to connect with and leave a positive impression with your leadership heroes.

Organizational consultant Andrew Mellen returns to the podcast to discuss the three rules he uses to help leaders organize their work and home life for mental clarity. Plus, why clutter is deferred decision making, and why you should never email a co-worker. 

Real estate mogul Mark Faris talks about going from being cut from professional hockey to becoming the #1 real estate agent and company in the nation. He explains what it took to become #1 in his field, how to break through leadership ceilings, and what every leader can learn to keep growing and improving.

John Eldredge asks whether 30 is too young to be a lead pastor (and what to do if you're in your 20s or 30s and leading a large church). He also talks about finding spiritual authority and the stages every man goes through in life, from warrior to king to sage.

Levi Lusko opens up about navigating a mid-life crisis in ministry at 38 and identifying wounds that become a ticking time bomb. Plus, Levi and Carey explore the mixed motives and gifting of preachers.

Carey Nieuwhof takes the top questions young leaders submitted about ambition and how it works for and against you. Plus, he discusses media consumption habits, being a 'professional" Christian because you work on staff, and how to fire people (well). 

Glenn Packiam talks about how to pastor in an age where no one trusts pastors, the church leader mental health crisis (especially among next-gen leaders), and the difference between being weary and being wounded in leadership.  

In an incredibly candid conversation, Gabe and Rebekah Lyons open up about their 28-year marriage. They discuss how they fight about everything, sex, navigating two careers, parenting, and how, despite all the very real challenges, they've made it through.

Mark Sayers brings astonishing insight to the rapid cultural, economic, and political change we're seeing right now in America and globally. Carey and Mark cover why woke broke, the massive upheaval of the status quo being ushered by Trump and his cadre, and how to find hope for the church in the new global chaos.

In this episode, Kara Powell discusses why teens and young adults don't trust the church. Plus, Carey and Kara talk about why young women are dropping out of church, why young men are leaning in, and the keys to reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Warren Bird and Adelle Banks share data and case studies on what you need to do to make your church future-ready and to experience church growth. Plus, they go deep on what happens when Christians become the minority in the US and the surprising reasons people give for not attending church.  

Does character even matter anymore for Christians? If you look at the moral failure happening among pastors and the current culture politically, you'd think not. But the truth is your character matters far more than you think, and it's what the next generation is looking for. In this episode, Carey explores the critical role of character in leadership, especially within Christian ministry. Carey debunks three dangerous myths about character and competence, emphasizing that character is essential for effective leadership. Plus, he shares personal insights and stresses that character impacts relationships, legacy, and overall leadership effectiveness.

Mark Batterson unpacks the funding and church planting strategy of National Community Church. He shares how NCC went from 29 people to owning coffee houses and city blocks in one of America's most expensive real estate markets. We also discuss the truth of how 'success' goes from gradual to sudden.

In this live interview, Annie F. Downs returns to the podcast and explains what most churches are missing in ministry. Plus, she discusses the most overlooked group in your church, how to connect them, and the power of human connection on and offline.

Mart Green joins the podcast to share how his retail book chain stayed profitable and growing in the face of the rise of Amazon, defying the odds. Plus, Mart explains Hobby Lobby's Green Family's inner workings and how he navigated the critical reaction to the He Gets Us campaign.

Surprise. The New Atheism of people like Dawkins, Hitchins, and Sam Harris has lost favor over the last few years. Podcaster and author Justin Brierley discusses why New Atheism isn't resonating anymore, the openness of thinkers like Jordan Peterson, and how to have conversations with spiritually open people. 

Mark Clark talks about the difference between preaching to a pre-Christian and post-Christian culture and how to do both effectively so that you can reach people and grow your church. Plus, Mark and Carey discuss how to leverage your unique gifting and quirks. Mark shares how he's learned to preach and lead with Tourettes Syndrome and OCD. And he discusses how to solve the problem of life for an anxious generation.

Christian Apologist Wesley Huff recently debated Billy Carson, which led to an appearance on the Joe Rogan Show. In both cases, Wes demonstrated a powerful approach to apologetics. In this episode, Carey outlines four best practices Wes embodied and offers five takeaways for every leader looking to engage the culture in conversations about Christianity.

Craig Groeschel breaks down how he's changing and adapting his preaching and communication style for digital ministry, AI, and social media. Plus, he shares the power of extreme habits, how to motivate yourself and others during successful seasons, and why people are bored with 'cool church' and what to do about it.

Culture expert Jenni Catron joins the podcast to discuss the signs to look for that tell you whether your church or company culture is healthy or toxic. Plus, she shares the power of culture in retaining and attracting young talent and how to discover your blind spots as a leader.

John Ortberg discusses the spiritual power of admitting your personal inadequacy, what the church can learn from alcoholics, and why the church keeps producing elder brothers.  

Dave Ramsey talks about how going broke, broke him as a person and leader and the difference that's made to his leadership today. He also shares his top business lessons and talks about the keys to empowering large teams.

Tyler Staton shares lessons from his journey with cancer, including why he never prayed for healing, the profound transformation of suffering, and what he learned about leading from his strengths and relationships.

Ramit Sethi, New York Times Bestselling author, podcaster, and Netflix show host, returns to the podcast. Ramit shares his insight on what couples struggle with financially and how church leaders can teach couples about money. Plus, he discusses lessons from 20 years in business, why raising money for charity is so hard, and how to deal with cheap board members.   

Only 1% of pastors say their churches are very effective at evangelism. Yet, 72% of people say they are open spiritually. In this episode, Barna CEO David Kinnaman and author Mark Matlock continue the 2025 Church Trends series and discuss the current divide between church and culture, the surprisingly dismal state of evangelism in the church today, and the missed opportunity of unchurched people's surprising spiritual openness.

Church planter Noah Herrin continues the 2025 church trends series as he and Carey discuss high-growth church planting. Noah shares how he created a ministry model that leads with community over content and how a 14-month-old church that attracts 700 people on the weekend has built a congregation with an average age of 25 years old.

Joby Martin and Mike Housholder both lead high-conversion growth churches. That means the growth they're seeing isn't coming from transfer growth. How are they doing it? As the 2025 Church Trends series continues, they share their secrets to reaching unchurched people, how to speak to insiders and outsiders at the same time, and the keys to evangelism in today's culture.

J.P. Pokluda and Jennie Allen join Carey to share their experiences with the college revival happening across the United States.  As the 2025 Church Trends series continues, they discuss Gen Z's embrace of confession and deliverance and whether the revival can jump the river to churches. 

Carey Nieuwhof shares the top 5 church trends leaders need to pay attention to in 2025. Carey discusses how Gen Z is in both revival and retreat, evangelism is on life support, church closures are outpacing church plants 3-1, the rise of the non-derivative church, and the state of pastoral mental health.

What's wrong with the current approach to discipleship? Lutheran pastor and author Zach Zehnder talks about what's wrong with the current approach to discipleship and what it's like to plant a church in a mainline denomination. Plus, Carey and Zach discuss the challenges of being an entrepreneurial pastor and how these innovative church leaders know when it's time to leave their clergy positions.

How do leaders attract and keep high performers? Brett Hagler, Y Combinator grad and New Story Founder, shares a young leader's counterintuitive advice on how to attract and keep high performers. Plus, Brett discusses getting better before getting bigger, and he and Carey share their thoughts on Paul Graham and Brian Chesky's Founder Mode theory.

Many leaders understand the cost of decision fatigue, but very few understand the cost of indecision fatigue—the real cost of not deciding.  In this episode, Carey Nieuwhof explains what indecision fatigue is, what it costs, and offers four practical strategies you can use to start making wise, timely decisions. 

Bob Goff returns to the podcast and shares what he's learned from millions of people who have had his phone number, how to be more available as a leader, and how to infuse whimsy and adventure into an otherwise ordinary life.

Chad Veach talks about the red flags of pride in ministry and leadership, how to process things when people leave your church, and what happens when you're operating out of your gifting alone, not out of humility.

Will Guidara shares the backstory to his book, Unreasonable Hospitality, and his involvement in the hit TV series The Bear. Plus, Will and Carey discuss navigating control and collaboration and how leaders can handle criticism and praise better.

Al Gordon, founder of Saint.Church in London, talks about revival and pre-revival in the church, the anatomy of revival, and rethinking the things the church got wrong. Plus, he shares why architecture can be the place where church and culture intersect. 

Tim Ross talks about the difference between deconstruction, destruction, and reconstruction. Plus, the pressure to code switch as a pastor, how podcasting might be the future of ministry, and the meteoric rise of his podcast—The Basement.