Podcasts about church leadership

This sermon examines the divine authority, purpose, and humility required of church officers, drawing from Acts 8, 1 Peter 5, and the Belgic Confession. It argues that the offices of minister, elder, and deacon are not man-made social structures but God-ordained roles essential for the preservation of true religion and the propagation of the gospel. The central message emphasizes that these leaders are called to shepherd the flock with humility, avoiding the simony and self-promotion exemplified by Simon Magus. Congregants are urged to submit to this spiritual authority and hold their leaders in high esteem, recognizing that such order reflects God's design for the church's unity and mission.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Who cares for the shepherd when the shepherd is carrying everyone else's burdens? This timely article explores the hidden mental health challenges pastors face and offers practical, biblical strategies for building resilience, preventing burnout, and fostering healthier faith communities.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Every week, Pastor Keith Foskey and his wife Jennifer tackle questions from around the world on theology, ministry, culture, and the Bible, while interacting live with viewers in the chat. From serious doctrine to fun conversation, Your Calvinist Live offers thoughtful discussion, biblical insight, and a few laughs along the way. Join us live and be part of the conversation!Questions and Timestamps:What responsibility does an adult Christian have to care for elderly parents who abandoned and harmed the family through addiction? 1:06:41Is protesting outside churches an appropriate way to confront Christians who abolitionists believe are not doing enough to fight abortion? 1:12:00Should Christians intentionally identify their work as Christian when doing so could provoke backlash? 1:19:28How can Christians set wise, biblical guardrails for the entertainment they consume, including movies, video games, music, and books, without falling into legalism? 1:25:40How should an Amillennialist understand Zechariah, particularly its prophecies concerning Israel? 1:33:25What does the Nicene Creed mean by “one baptism for the forgiveness of sins”? 1:37:45Why did God respond differently to Habakkuk's questions than He did to Job's? 1:46:27Thoughts on the movie about the Making of Rocky 1:50:00Particular Baptists vs. Regular Baptists 1:54:38Reformed Baptist or Anglican? 1:57:10Fathers Baptizing Their Children 2:02:40Separation and Evangelistic Partnerships 2:08:07Is a Degree Necessary for Ministry? 2:13:45Addressing Concerns with Church Leadership 2:22:00Support the Show: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/Yourcalvinisthtto://www.page50.com/yourcalvinistPage50 is a Marketing Company that is committed to helping you build your brand with truth, goodness, and beauty. They do web design, videography, SEO, content creation, branding, and consulting. And for a limited time, you can get a free website audit, which can help you discover how your website is performing and what you can do to improve it. Just go to page50.com/yourcalvinist to get started.https://www.TinyBibles.comYou can get the smallest Bible available on the market, which can be used for all kinds of purposes, by visiting TinyBibles.com and when you buy, use the coupon code KEITH for a discount.Love Coffee? Want the Best? Get a free bag of Squirrelly Joe's Coffee by clicking on this link: https://www.Squirrellyjoes.com/yourcalvinistor use coupon code "Keith" for 20% off anything in the storeDominion Wealth Strategies Visit them at https://www.dominionwealthstrategists.comhttp://www.Reformed.Moneyand let them know we sent you! https://www.HighCallingFitness.comHealth, training, and nutrition coaching all delivered to you online by confessionally reformed bodybuilders and strength athletes.Visit us at https://www.KeithFoskey.comIf you need a great website, check out https://www.fellowshipstudios.com

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Seeing the people we love walk away from Jesus is one of the hardest parts of living the faith today. So I sit down with David Spesia, Executive Director for Evangelization and Catechesis at the USCCB, to talk about the massive shift happening across the country as the US bishops unite around one single priority: seeking and saving the lost. We dive into the quiet fruit of the Eucharistic Revival and talk about how to keep your eyes fixed squarely on Jesus, even when human flaws and institutional friction threaten to pull you off track. Episode Timeline: [00:00] – Introduction [02:41] – Personal Encounters and Intellectual Conversion [07:45] – Lessons from Teaching High School Religion [16:12] – Navigating Diocesan Leadership and Building Collaboration [22:00] – Behind the Scenes of the National Eucharistic Revival [33:40] – Measuring Long-Term Fruits of Spiritual Renewal [40:01] – The USCCB Mission Directive to Seek and Save the Lost [44:03] – Evangelical Discernment and Evaluating Ministry Fruitfulness [51:41] – Loving the Church as Christ's Body Amidst Human Brokenness Resources Mentioned Living as a Missionary Disciple (PDF) Companion to the Handbook on the Catechetical Accompaniment Process ⭐️ Enjoying the Show? If The EquipCast is helping you navigate the realities of parish leadership, please take 60 seconds to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your review helps other tired ministry leaders find these tools and realize they don't have to walk this path alone! Connect & Take the Next Step: Grab Your Free Tools: Get the playbook that actually changes lives at EverydayEvangelization.org. Bring This to Your Parish: Discover strategic training and accompaniment at Anchor Consulting. Read the Book: Order your copy of A Clear Path: How to Make Missionary Disciples in Your Parish. The EquipCast is powered by Everyday Evangelization in conjunction with Anchor Consulting, delivering practical evangelization strategies and parish ministry tools to help you leave your ministry better than you found it. Copyright © 2026 Anchor Consulting. All rights reserved.

On the final episode of Simple Succession, a Simple Faith Podcast Series, Rusty interviews Sean Morgan, who supports incoming pastors through megachurch transitions via cohort coaching. Morgan says he assesses succession health by whether a church has recently sacrificed for the mission versus pursuing comfort, arguing inward focus fuels conflict during change. He warns churches often over-center succession on honoring the outgoing pastor, even though transition work continues for years, suggesting it can take five years to reach 80% of a succession and another five for the final 20%. Morgan emphasizes boards as “bridge leaders” when there's no direct baton pass, discusses risks when executive pastors effectively hold power during vacancies, urges clarity on roles, and advises incoming leaders to review several years of financials with a savvy advisor. On outgoing pastors staying, he recommends separating financial needs from employment and says remaining can help only if the predecessor becomes the successor's active public and private supporter.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

What do the members of a congregation owe their leaders? Hebrews 13:7-19 exhorts us to "remember" our leaders (v. 7) and to "obey" our leaders (v. 17), two exhortations which form the bookends of church leadership.But what does it mean to "remember" and "obey"? Throughout the history of the church these two verses (7 and 17) have been abused by abusive church leaders and used by the Roman Catholic Church to grant an authority to the pope that is against what these verses actually teach.

In the final episode of the Simple Faith Q&A, Rusty is joined by Michael and Bryan to answer two final listener questions from Instagram. First, they address Matthew 5:32 and whether God intends a divorced woman to never remarry, explaining that Jesus was confronting men who discarded wives for trivial reasons and emphasizing the sanctity of marriage while noting biblical grounds discussed for divorce such as sexual immorality, abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, and wisdom applied to abuse (with mention of adultery, abandonment, abuse, and addiction). They encourage prayer and wise counsel regarding remarriage and remind listeners their identity is in Christ, not a spouse. Second, they discuss the difference between soul and spirit, outlining historic debate, common overlap in Scripture, and the importance of full surrender to Jesus over technical distinctions.

On day four of Simple Faith's Q&A Rusty joins Michael Hinton and Bryan Mrazek, as they answer two listener questions from Instagram. First, they discuss what happens when a believer dies, emphasizing the promise that to be absent from the body is to be present with Jesus, citing Jesus' words to the thief on the cross (“Today you will be with me in paradise”) while also affirming a future bodily resurrection and the new heaven and new earth described in Revelation 21:4. They note God's comfort and the image of God drying every tear. Second, they address the popular concept of “manifesting,” arguing it is not biblical because it puts control in human will rather than God's, contrasting it with prayer and asking in alignment with God's will, and warning listeners against teachings that imply humans can speak realities into existence.

On day three of Simple Faith's Q&A week, Rusty George sits down with Michael Hinton and Bryan Mrazek as they answer two commonly misused Bible verses about expecting “the best.” They explain Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”) in its context of Paul writing from prison, emphasizing that Christ gives strength to endure trials and remain faithful “even if” circumstances don't turn out as hoped. They then discuss Jeremiah 29:11, distinguishing its original context of Israel's captivity from the universal truth that God has a plan, while noting that promised prosperity may not be realized in this life. Personal experiences with cancer and loss highlight trusting God's presence through suffering, echoed in Psalm 23.

On Simple Faith, Rusty, Michael, and Bryan kick off a week of listener Q&A (two questions a day for five days) and tackle two intense topics: knowing when it's time to leave a church and how to share the gospel without being pushy. They caution against “church shopping,” urge listeners to distinguish between preferences and principles, and emphasize evaluating doctrine, truth-telling, disciple-making, community care, and the marks of the church seen in Acts 2. Michael adds that no church is perfect and challenges consumer-minded church hopping, encouraging people to leave only with clear evidence—such as gospel distortion, abusive or unaccountable leadership, or an inability to worship—when they sense the Lord releasing them. On evangelism, they stress relational, everyday conversations, sharing testimony, asking simple questions, meeting needs, and using words when explaining what Jesus has done.

From the 2025 Labor Day meeting in Pleasant Hill, Iowa Requirements for Effective Church Leadership John Lee Download

Simple Faith Q&A episode one is here!

Parish renewal can feel like trying to assemble a massive puzzle without having the picture on the box to reference. Bringing your parish back to life isn't about running another program. It's an act of loving accompaniment, and Jesus is already in the work with us. Christina Semmens joins me today to talk about how putting the right leadership pieces in place creates a simple, relational way to wake up our parish communities and make disciples who thrive. Episode Timeline: [00:00] – Introduction [02:00] – Christina's Journey from Military Leadership to Parish Renewal [10:00] – What Discipleship Culture Actually Looks Like in a Parish [15:00] – Moving Beyond Event-Based Evangelization [19:00] – Customized CPR and Holistic Formation [25:00] – Waking Up the Walking Dead in Our Pews [28:00] – Best Practices vs. Quick-Fix Silver Bullets [34:00] – Eliminating Communication Blind Spots & Building Two-Way Dialogue [44:00] – A 4-Step Apprenticeship Model for Coaching Leaders [52:00] – Practical Steps to Begin When You Feel Overwhelmed Resources Mentioned The Catholic Leadership Puzzle ChristinaSemmens.com ⭐️ Enjoying the Show? If The EquipCast is helping you navigate the realities of parish leadership, please take 60 seconds to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your review helps other tired ministry leaders find these tools and realize they don't have to walk this path alone! Connect & Take the Next Step: Grab Your Free Tools: Get the playbook that actually changes lives at EverydayEvangelization.org. Bring This to Your Parish: Discover strategic training and accompaniment at Anchor Consulting. Read the Book: Order your copy of A Clear Path: How to Make Missionary Disciples in Your Parish. The EquipCast is powered by Everyday Evangelization in conjunction with Anchor Consulting, delivering practical evangelization strategies and parish ministry tools to help you leave your ministry better than you found it. Copyright © 2026 Anchor Consulting. All rights reserved.

In episode 5 of Simple Succession, Rusty interviews search-firm leader and former Presbyterian pastor William Vanderbloemen. William shares how a corporate CEO succession completed in 90 days versus a church search that took years sparked his “holy discontent,” leading him to start Vanderbloemen Search in 2008; the firm has since completed about 4,000 church searches and helped move succession conversations from “the parking lot to the boardroom,” including through his book Next: Pastoral Succession That Works. They discuss asking the right questions rather than using cookie-cutter models, whether a church needs a “software update” or an “overhaul,” generational and birth-rate dynamics creating a coming succession wave, and how getting succession wrong is costly. William highlights lessons from Willow Creek's complex transition, warns against boards overcorrecting into micromanagement, emphasizes succession as an ecosystem change, and says many train wrecks trace back to forgetting the pastor's spouse; he cites Mariners Church as a model, calling for humility, prayer, wisdom, and long-term preparation like cultivating younger donors. Check out free succession resources at pastorrustygeorge.com.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Is the church still relevant in a post-Christendom world? Kurt Fredrickson returns to Spiritual Life and Leadership to talk about his new book, Compelled, and to make the case that the local church, done right, is still "a small working model of the kingdom of God." Markus Watson and Fredrickson talk about why so many congregations operate like machines built to produce bigger Sundays, and what it would take to tend them like gardens instead. THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: The church is still relevant because it functions as a small working model of the kingdom of God. Eugene Peterson's definition: the church is "named people in particular places who practice a life of resurrection." Why the church of the 1950s can't simply be repeated in a post-Christendom, polarized culture. The garden-versus-machine metaphor on the cover of Compelled, and what it means to disrupt a congregation's system instead of engineering it. Deprofessionalizing the clergy: the provocative claim that professional clergy can become "the greatest impediment to the work of the church." Releasing the five-fold gifts of Ephesians so ministry isn't bottlenecked in the pastor's office. The isolation-plus-depletion-plus-conflict formula for how pastors get in trouble, and the ABCs (Abide, Breathe, Connect) for staying healthy. Kurt Fredrickson's own journey from twenty-four years pastoring a booming, machine-like congregation to asking, "would our community even miss us?" A story about a congregation that moved communion to the center of the room during a season of painful conflict. Why hospitality and the Lord's Table are the two disciplines Fredrickson considers essential for a missional community. RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS: Kurt Fredrickson: Faculty bio Books mentioned: Compelled: Nurturing Local Missional Communities, by Kurt Fredrickson The Pastor as Gardener: A Renewed Vision for Ministry, by Matthew Erickson and Winn Collier The Pastor as Midwife: Life-Giving Leadership for the Healing of the Church, by Shawna Songer Gaines The Patient Ferment of the Early Church, by Alan Kreider Related episodes: 103. Willingness to Adapt: The Church After Covid, with Kurt Fredrickson and Cameron Lee 313. Embodied Spirituality for Pastors and Leaders, with Mark Scandrette and Dave Kludt 314. Why Good Leaders Sometimes Make Their Churches Worse, with JR Woodward Send me a text! I'd love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Adam Stephenson, our guest from the episode "Knocking on Doors", joins me for a walk where he gives his hot take on evangelization: you should stick to the parish in your own backyard. He argues that parish shopping keeps us at arms length from the real work of evangelization, while staying local invites us to love the people God has placed right in front of us. And I agreed with him…for the most part. Tune in for a mini-sode on why you should (or shouldn't) belong to the parish whose geographic boundaries you live in. Episode Timeline: [00:00] – Introduction [00:32] – The Hot Take: Geographic Parish Boundaries [00:56] – Why Proximity Matters for Loving Your Community [02:29] – Modern Disorientation and the Loss of Neighborhood Faith [04:29] – Valid Exceptions for Stepping Away from Your Local Parish [06:49] – Accompanying "Dying" Parishes and the Mission Field [09:21] – How to Supplement Your Spiritual Life Outside Parish Walls ⭐️ Enjoying the Show? If The EquipCast is helping you navigate the realities of parish leadership, please take 60 seconds to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your review helps other tired ministry leaders find these tools and realize they don't have to walk this path alone! Connect & Take the Next Step: Grab Your Free Tools: Get the playbook that actually changes lives at EverydayEvangelization.org. Bring This to Your Parish: Discover strategic training and accompaniment at Anchor Consulting. Read the Book: Order your copy of A Clear Path: How to Make Missionary Disciples in Your Parish. The EquipCast is powered by Everyday Evangelization in conjunction with Anchor Consulting, delivering practical evangelization strategies and parish ministry tools to help you leave your ministry better than you found it. Copyright © 2026 Anchor Consulting. All rights reserved.

On episode four of Simple Succession, Rusty George interviews Cam Huxford and Marcus Johnson about leadership transition at Savannah Christian Church (now Compassion Christian). Cam shares the church's history from its 1964 start, his arrival in 1984 at age 27, and growth to seven campuses across two states. He explains how he began thinking and praying about succession from day one, later influenced by Jack Welch's view that leaders must prepare successors, and how he developed internal leaders by giving them hard assignments. Cam describes a five-year timeline of prayer, fasting, and planning, announcing retirement 18 months ahead, and alternating preaching with Marcus before the September 2024 handoff. Marcus recounts joining the church as a student, serving in many roles over 17 years, being asked by elders to apply, and facing early discomfort and imposter syndrome while embracing Cam's legacy.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

In “How the Church Moves,” Caleb Cole teaches from 1 Timothy 5 about becoming a healthy church that moves with purity, responsibility, and honor. From caring for people in need and providing for our families to honoring accountable leaders, working hard, staying connected to Christ, and caring for our whole selves, this message challenges us to leave autopilot faith behind and live intentionally through wholehearted surrender to Jesus. (00:00) - Continuing Through 1 Timothy (01:05) - Reading 1 Timothy 5 (03:53) - How the Church Should Move (05:19) - The Danger of Autopilot Faith (07:24) - Move Pure, Responsible, and With Honor (08:04) - Move With a Mindset of Purity (12:44) - Guard Your Own Purity (15:26) - Caring for Widows and Those in Need (21:28) - Hope in God and Purposeful Living (25:01) - Work Hard and Be a Provider (29:24) - Serving With the Time You Have (30:12) - Honor Your Leaders (32:36) - Honor Must Include Accountability (35:27) - Take Care of Yourself Physically (37:56) - Your Soul Needs a Savior

Explanation of Church Leadership

In this podcast Nathan Potts preached on Ephesians 4, Hebrews 10

It's Mailbag Friday! You've got questions, we've got answers. Segment 1 • What do you think about churches using a website like Ministry Imprint to identify spiritual gifts and ways people would be good at serving? — Trevor • Several older men at my church are Freemasons, including deacons who influence the pastor. What should we do? — Audrey Segment 2 • Our church sign says, “Our church is like fudge...sweet with a few nuts.” Thoughts? — Marion • My pastor doesn't like the term “Christian” and prefers “believer” or “follower.” Am I off base for being concerned? — James • Some people say, “It only has to be in the Bible once to be true.” Is there a name for that biblical hermeneutic? — Troy Segment 3 • What are your thoughts on Anglo-Catholicism? — JJ • What do you think about the little rubber Jesus dolls Christians are handing out? — Kelli • Should Christians be vegans? — Courtney Segment 4 • Is Allie Beth Stuckey a solid biblical woman for other Bible-believing women to listen to? — JoAnna • Can you define complementarianism and explain why you aren't patriarchal in your view of men's and women's roles in the church? — Anonymous • My family went to the zoo and the animal cages had preferred pronouns listed on them. Thoughts? — Anonymous ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

You leave work at five, but your brain stays parked at the office. You sit with your family, yet mentally you carry the entire parish on your back as if saving everyone depends on you. When evangelization becomes a task we tackle with our own strength, we burn out, our programs flop, and our homes suffer. This week, Hannah Keisling, Evangelization Coordinator at St. Vincent de Paul in Omaha, joins me to share how putting God first, family second, and ministry third gave her the freedom to stop forcing outcomes. We unpack why no program works without real accompaniment, how to surrender the urge to carry it all yourself, and what happens when you let the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting. Episode Timeline: [00:00] – Introduction [06:39] – Transitioning Roles and the Grief of Leaving Youth Ministry [18:38] – Why Programs Fail Without Real Accompaniment [22:52] – Parish-Wide Programs vs. Personal Apostolates [34:27] – Recognizing the Warning Signs of Ministry Overload [41:08] – Rebuilding Mental Boundaries Between Work and Family [50:45] – Grounding Your Daily Mission in Scripture and Named Prayer Resources Mentioned St. Vincent de Paul Church - Omaha ⭐️ Enjoying the Show? If The EquipCast is helping you navigate the realities of parish leadership, please take 60 seconds to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your review helps other tired ministry leaders find these tools and realize they don't have to walk this path alone! Connect & Take the Next Step: Grab Your Free Tools: Get the playbook that actually changes lives at EverydayEvangelization.org. Bring This to Your Parish: Discover strategic training and accompaniment at Anchor Consulting. Read the Book: Order your copy of A Clear Path: How to Make Missionary Disciples in Your Parish. The EquipCast is powered by Everyday Evangelization in conjunction with Anchor Consulting, delivering practical evangelization strategies and parish ministry tools to help you leave your ministry better than you found it. Copyright © 2026 Anchor Consulting. All rights reserved.

In this episode of Simple Faith, the focus is on how Jesus led and why his leadership remains influential despite never holding political office, commanding an army, owning a company, or writing a book. Drawing from John 10 and the shepherd-and-sheep image, the script highlights that Jesus' leadership began with relationship: the sheep recognize the shepherd's voice because he lived among them, guided them, protected them, and knew them by name. The key idea is that people may comply with authority, but they follow trust, and genuine influence comes from credibility and character rather than manipulation or power. Viewers are encouraged to reflect on whether others know their authority or their heart and to practice the spiritual discipline of presence by giving someone full attention in one conversation today.

Simple Succession episode 3 is here, a podcast series focused on helping churches navigate leadership transitions well. This week, Rusty George welcomes Dave Stone and Kyle Idleman to discuss the widely noticed successions at Southeast Christian Church from Bob Russell to Dave and then Dave to Kyle. Dave shares how Bob gradually increased his preaching, publicly affirmed him (including sitting front-row when Dave preached), and announced him as successor seven years in advance before handing off earlier than expected to avoid becoming a lame duck. Dave and Kyle explain how Kyle was first identified as a gifted young preacher, gained experience planting a church, then returned to join the teaching team without early public promises of succession, building trust through loyalty and inclusion in leadership. They discuss generational dynamics, managing change, resisting insecurity and “head games,” practical communication, benefits of timing and early wins, and what they're doing now, including Dave's Pastor to Pastor podcast and Kyle's book The Missing Messiah.

What do we do when people who love Jesus, trust the Bible, and genuinely want to follow Him come to different conclusions? This week, we talk about the kind of people Jesus is forming us to be in the middle of disagreement—people who hold their convictions with humility, listen with curiosity, and refuse to let disagreement become bigger than the relationship we share in Jesus. Because the gospel gives us both something to believe and a way to live—with conviction, humility, and love for one another.Check out the sermon wherever you listen to podcasts or at bridge.tv/sermons.To support this ministry and help us continue our God given mission, click here: http://bit.ly/2NZkdrCSupport the show

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

In episode two of Simple Succession, Rusty George interviews Cal Jernigan and Sean Palmer about leading healthy church transitions. Cal recounts his decades at Central—joining in 1987, becoming senior pastor in 1999 after an interim, and handing leadership to Sean in April 2025—explaining how the pressures after 2020, a failed successor situation, and personal fatigue accelerated the timeline to avoid harming the church. Cal describes why the board, not the outgoing pastor, should choose the next leader, how elders evaluated candidates, and how clarity on dates, roles, compensation, and expectations built trust. Sean shares why he made a second “follow-a-legend” move, what he learned from an earlier difficult transition, and how transferred trust, honoring the outgoing pastor, relationship handoffs, and a defined one-year transition helped the church stay stable while gradual changes began.

Stuck in an unhealthy church and not sure what to do next? When you're facing spiritual abuse and toxic church leadership, when sin keeps getting covered instead of confessed, you really only have four options. Comply. Conform. Confront. Or cut ties.In this episode of Shepherd's Heart, Stewart and Alycia White walk through all four biblically, so you can identify spiritual abuse for what it is and discern which door God is actually asking you to walk through right now. Every one of the four costs you something. None of them should be driven by fear, and none of them should be driven by anger either.We look at what compliance looks like right before it quietly turns into participation. We look at how good people conform to a toxic system without ever meaning to. And we look at what biblical confrontation actually requires before you ever get to the question of leaving a toxic church.Hear this clearly: Walking away from an abusive church is not walking away from Jesus. Sometimes it's the most faithful step toward Him you can take.This isn't cynicism, and it isn't an exit ramp from faith. We love the Bride of Christ. That's exactly why we take it this seriously.SCRIPTURES REFERENCEDActs 5:29 | Ephesians 5:11 | Romans 12:2 | Galatians 2:11-13 | Matthew 18:15-17 | 1 Timothy 5:19-20 | 1 Peter 3:17 | Romans 12:18 | Romans 16:17 | 1 Corinthians 5 | 2 Corinthians 7 | 2 Timothy 3 | James 1:5 | Ezekiel 34 | John 10CHAPTERS00:00 Spiritual Abuse in the Church: The Only Four Options You Have00:30 How to Identify Spiritual Abuse When Something Just Isn't Right01:16 Church Hurt and Biblical Discernment: Why We Do This Show01:58 Comply, Conform, Confront, or Cut Ties02:20 Option 1: Comply (Going Along Without Agreeing)03:43 When Compliance Becomes Participation in Sin | Acts 5:2904:49 Option 2: Conform (When You Adopt the Dysfunction)06:34 Stop Confusing Talent With Anointing08:20 Are You Defending What Once Broke Your Heart? | Romans 12:208:53 Option 3: Confront (Naming Sin in Church Leadership)10:07 Matthew 18:15-17: The Biblical Process for Confronting Sin11:23 Important Exception: Abuse, Assault, and Reporting It11:55 How "Two or Three Witnesses" Gets Weaponized | 1 Timothy 514:28 Confrontation Is Right Even When It Goes Badly18:42 Option 4: Cut Ties (When Leaving a Toxic Church Is Biblical)20:07 Is Leaving a Church Unbiblical? Matthew 18:17 Says No24:43 Walking Away From an Abusive Church Is Not Walking Away From Jesus26:28 Four Questions to Know Which Option God Is Asking of You31:57 These Aren't Four Personality Types, They're Four Doors34:24 Share This With Someone Sitting in That Hard PlaceIf this episode helped you, share it with somebody sitting in that hard place right now. You never know what one conversation can do.Data tells us that 96% of the people watching Shepherd's Heart haven't subscribed yet. If this is your kind of conversation, subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss the next one.Questions, or something you're walking through? Email us atinfo@shepherdsheartministries.orgShepherd's Heart is a podcast for Christ-followers who refuse to look the other way. Hosted by Stewart and Alycia White. New episodes every two weeks.#SpiritualAbuse #ChurchHurt #ToxicChurch #BiblicalDiscernment #ShepherdsHeartBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/shepherd-s-heart--4100466/support.

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

What happens when a church leadership team begins to slowly drift? The warning signs may be subtle—but over time, they can damage trust, create division, and undermine the health of the entire church. In this interview, Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com sits down with Chris Sonksen, founding pastor of SouthHills Church and founder of ChurchBOOM, to uncover six subtle behaviors that can tear leadership teams apart—and what senior pastors can do before small issues become major problems. Chris shares practical wisdom on how to recognize leadership drift, including pride in your leadership team, artificial harmony in lieu of true loyalty, the danger signs of isolation, when a critical spirit replaces a constructive one, and the gradual shutdown of a leader on your team. Leaders will gain wisdom in managing tensions while mindfully building towards a healthy church that can thrive. 

In this episode, the hosts explore the nuances of faith deconstruction, leadership accountability, and community resilience within Christian faith. They share personal stories, biblical insights, and practical advice for navigating faith challenges and church dynamics. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Stories02:15 Encounter with a Mysterious Creature06:20 Squatch Watch09:23 Deconstruction and Construction in Faith10:45 Healthy Deconstruction vs. Reckless Tearing Down12:02 Deconstructing Faith and Traditions16:39 Resurrection as an Anchor of Faith18:21 Responding to Church Hurt and Leadership Failures22:23 Grace, Doctrine, and Humility in Faith27:38 The Path of Self-Emptying and Servanthood39:24 Handling Difficult Church Situations44:24 Maintaining Relationships and Patience45:51 Church Leadership and Accountability54:54 Forgiveness and Leadership Reinstatement01:00:12 Deconstructing Cultural and Theological Norms01:02:29 The Importance of Community and Wisdom01:04:05 Closing Remarks and Future Topics

Simple Faith: Faith in Five with Rusty George is a daily podcast designed to refocus your heart on Jesus—one moment at a time. In just five minutes a day, Rusty explores who Jesus is, why He matters, and how simple faith can transform everyday life. Whether you're new to faith or have followed Jesus for years, these short, meaningful episodes offer clarity, encouragement, and truth you can carry with you all day. Simple. Honest. Centered on Christ.

What does the Bible actually say about who leads the church—and who is responsible for the work of ministry? Diving into Ephesians 4, we explore the biblical picture of the church and see that Jesus gives leaders to shepherd and equip his people, and gives gifts throughout the entire body to carry the work together. If you belong to Jesus, you have a part to play, a gift to offer, and a place in the work God is doing through his church.Catch the sermon wherever you listen to podcasts or at bridge.tv/sermons.To support this ministry and help us continue our God given mission, click here: http://bit.ly/2NZkdrCSupport the show