Podcasts about church leadership

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Imagine a standing coffee date with a friend who talks at you the entire time, looks at their watch, and then says, “Gotta go! This was great!” You'd walk away feeling pretty unsatisfied. The level of intimacy we can reach is limited when conversation remains one-sided. But, too often, we treat our prayer lives the exact same way. We focus on how well we said our prayers instead of stopping to listen to what God wants to say back. This week, Jonna Schuster, author of Hearing God's Voice, joins me to talk about listening prayer. We dive into its theological foundations, the four primary "languages" God uses to communicate, and how learning to hear His voice shifts our daily mission from a heavy burden into a rest-filled collaboration. Episode Timeline: [00:00] – Introduction [01:21] – Jonna's origin story [08:34] – What inspired Hearing God's Voice [14:00] – The scriptural foundation for listening prayer [18:00] – The 4 languages of God: seeing, hearing, feeling, and thinking [24:41] – Receiving God in the mode of the receiver [27:58] – Physical vs. emotional feelings in prayer [35:01] – Asking God for practical solutions and wisdom [39:33] – Overcoming the biggest obstacles to hearing God [46:56] – How listening prayer complements Catholic devotions [50:50] – Moving from performance anxiety to rest and intimacy [53:02] – What church renewal looks like when prayer becomes the norm [59:01] – Where to begin and how to find Jonna's work Resources Mentioned CatholicRevivalMinistries.com Hearing God's Voice ⭐️ 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, 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

In “The Mystery of Leadership,” Caleb Cole teaches from 1 Timothy 3:8–16 about the character behind healthy leadership. From integrity and self control to earned trust, faithfulness at home, and serving others, Paul's instructions to Timothy challenge every follower of Jesus to become the same person in public and in private. Ultimately, healthy leadership matters because the church has been entrusted with carrying and representing the good news of Jesus. (00:00) - The Mystery of Leadership (03:16) - 1 Timothy 3:8–16 and Healthy Leaders (04:59) - Overseers and Deacons Explained (06:09) - What Deacons Actually Do (09:14) - Leadership Is About Faithfulness (12:28) - Be the Same Person Everywhere (15:24) - Be Careful What Controls You (20:32) - You Must Be Tested Before You Are Trusted (25:36) - Be Faithful at Home (31:57) - A Leader Has to Be a Servant (34:34) - The Mystery of the Gospel (36:03) - Why Healthy Churches Matter (37:48) - Surrendering Your Life to Jesus (39:34) - Building Healthy Homes and Relationships

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.

Churches are made up of people, and people aren't healthy all the time. So what do we do when church leadership isn't at its best? In this episode, we're talking about how to recognize unhealthy patterns, respond wisely, and become healthier ourselves along the way.Inside this episode:➡️ Why not every difficulty equals an unhealthy church➡️ Common unhealthy patterns that often get normalized➡️ Questions to ask before speaking up, staying, or stepping away➡️ How to support your church without carrying what isn't yoursRESOURCES MENTIONEDJoin the Everyday InfluenceCheck out our upcoming eventsJoin our free Facebook CommunityGet the Ministry Bundles here!Support the showSUBSCRIBE & REVIEWIf you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people -- just like you -- in small churches who need to hear this.

Apostolic Mentoring Podcast with Charles G. RobinetteWhat is the greatest threat to end-time revival?It may not be persecution.It may not be compromise.It may not even be false doctrine.It may be the subtle elevation of our own kingdom above the Kingdom of God.In this challenging and prophetic episode of the Apostolic Mentoring Podcast, International Evangelist Charles G. Robinette exposes one of the greatest obstacles to apostolic revival and global harvest: self-centered ministry, organizational pride, territorial thinking, and personal agendas that compete with God's eternal purpose.Throughout Scripture, God has always called His people to seek His Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33). Yet too often believers become consumed with building personal platforms instead of advancing the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.This message will challenge pastors, leaders, ministers, and believers to embrace humility, unity, biblical partnership, and Kingdom-minded living in preparation for the greatest harvest the world has ever seen.Discover why:• God's Kingdom is bigger than our organization.• Revival accelerates when the Body of Christ works together.• Competition hinders harvest but cooperation multiplies souls.• Spectators never change the world, participants do.• Partnership of Faith is essential for end-time revival.• The greatest victories come when we lay down our agenda for God's agenda.If you have ever wrestled with church politics, division, comparison, competition, or the tension between personal vision and God's global mission, this episode will encourage, convict, and inspire you to pursue what matters most.The world does not need larger personal kingdoms.The world needs the Kingdom of God.This is a prophetic call to unity, humility, sacrifice, and complete surrender to God's eternal purpose.If this episode blesses you, please subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with pastors, leaders, ministry teams, and friends around the world as together we work toward the greatest end-time harvest in history.Equipping Millions 2 Reach Billions.We love to hear from our listeners! Thank you! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1639030158?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_VZBSV9T4GT4AMRWEWXJE&skipTwisterOG=1 Support the showhttps://www.youtube.com/@charlesgrobinettehttps://www.instagram.com/charles.g.robinette/https://author.amazon.com/bookshttps://charlesgrobinette.com/

Can Mainline Christianity find its future? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with United Methodist scholar Lovett Weems to discuss his new book, An Aura of Hope: United Methodism's Next Chapter in the United States. While the conversation begins with the United Methodist Church's recent disaffiliation, it quickly broadens into a thoughtful exploration of the challenges facing Mainline Christianity as a whole—from shifting demographics and institutional decline to recovering a clear sense of mission. Weems argues that the greatest challenge before the church isn't simply theological disagreement, but a loss of focus. Drawing on John Wesley's theology and decades of church leadership experience, he encourages congregations to rediscover "the people God has given us" and to evaluate every ministry by asking a simple question: "So that...?" What fruit is this producing? How is it helping the church fulfill its mission? Whether you're Methodist or not, this conversation offers practical wisdom for pastors and church leaders wondering what faithful ministry looks like in a rapidly changing world. Together they explore: What the United Methodist disaffiliation teaches the wider church Why churches lose their sense of mission and identity John Wesley's vision for "the people God has given us" Lessons from the Sunday school movement Rural churches, urban growth, and changing demographics Why reaching younger and more diverse communities matters The difference between institutional success and biblical fruitfulness Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., is distinguished professor of church leadership emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. He came to Wesley in 2003 as the founding director of the Wesley's Lewis Center for Church Leadership after eighteen years as president of Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. Previously he was a pastor in Mississippi for many years. A native of Mississippi, Dr. Weems is a graduate of Millsaps College; Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University; and Wesley Theological Seminary. He holds honorary degrees from Baker University, Central Methodist University, and Millsaps College. His years in local church ministry in Mississippi were marked by both evangelism and social concerns. His work in Mississippi led distinguished Mississippi writer Willie Morris to describe him as “one of the persons who added much to the growing civility of Mississippi.”  He is the author of numerous books including his widely used church leadership text, Church Leadership: Vision, Team, Culture, and Integrity, described by Rosabeth Moss Kanter of Harvard Business School as “an invaluable guide to leadership in the church.” His most recent book is An Aura of Hope: United Methodism's Next Chapter in the United States.        Mentioned Resources:

What does a bullfrog dissection have to do with understanding the church? More than you might think. Just as examining anatomy requires zooming in on individual organs and then stepping back to see how they all work together, understanding the church God is building requires the same approach. The book of Acts gives us a sweeping, 32-year narrative of how God structured and grew his church from a small gathering of apostles in Jerusalem all the way to congregations spread across the known world. As we zoom out and take in that full picture, we discover something remarkable: the way the church was organized was never accidental. It was deliberate, progressive, and deeply rooted in Scripture. We see authority shared among a plurality of leaders, never concentrated in one person alone. We see the mission of the church carried not just by its leaders but by every single member of the body. And we see a pattern of humble, biblical leadership that still speaks directly to how we do church today. If you have ever wondered why churches have pastors, elders, and deacons, or what your role as a church member actually means, this is the message that answers those questions with clarity and conviction.

What happens when a priest in a cassock and a layman with a clipboard start walking their neighborhood boundaries? Join me, Jim Jansen, as I sit down with Father Jeff Loseke and Adam Stephenson from St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Gretna, Nebraska, to talk about how they took on neighborhood outreach. Instead of waiting for people to walk through their church doors, they exported their parish database into Google Maps and started showing up on front porches. From active parishioners and homebound seniors to those who haven't set foot in a church in decades, they found that personal connection opens doors to healing old wounds and bringing people back to the sacraments. Whether you're responsible for every soul within your parish boundaries or you simply want to be a better neighbor, this conversation will help you turn a walk down the street into an encounter with Jesus. Episode Timeline: [00:00] – Introduction [00:01:46] – Guest Introductions & St. Charles Borromeo's Rapid Growth [00:07:59] – Moving from a "Mega-Parish" Mindset to Neighborhood Ministry [00:12:46] – Mapping Parishioners and Neighborhood Boundaries with Simple Tech [00:18:34] – The Routine: Door-to-Door Walks, Prayer Booklets, and Door Hangers [00:24:53] – Balancing Introversion vs. Extroversion in Doorstep Evangelization [00:29:54] – Training Parish Missionaries and Mobilizing Intercessors [00:32:30] – Starting the Fuse: Non-Threatening Bridges and Low-Barrier Invitations [00:44:31] – Fitting Neighborhood Outreach into the Overall Parish Mission & Clear Path [00:51:40] – Vision for the Future: Empowering Lay Responsibility and Local Presence [01:00:27] – Final Encouragements for Pastors, Staff, and Introverted Leaders Resources Mentioned St. Charles Borromeo Sent Evangelization The Art of Neighboring by Dave Runyon ⭐️ 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.

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.

Rusty George introduces the Simple Succession podcast series on Simple Faith and interviews outgoing Willow Creek Community Church pastor Dave Dummitt and his successor, Shawn Williams, about their leadership transition. Dave explains how he knew it was time to step down after about five years by evaluating a defined list of goals and considering the church's upcoming 50th anniversary, then encouraging elders to vet Shawn while maintaining the decision as an elder-led process. Shawn describes moving back to Chicagoland, joining Willow to support Dave without aiming to become senior pastor, and how a two-year early conversation and added opportunities prepared him to lead. They discuss gradual “baton passes” with staff, elders, donors, and the congregation, the increased weight Shawn felt on day one, team-structure changes he made, Dave's post-transition sabbatical-like time, and the importance of honoring each other, patience, and seeking outside counsel.

Living Stones | Ben Fuqua--Peter exhorts church leaders with words of wisdom and encourages younger Christ followers to submit to elders.--Notes

What makes a spiritual leader trustworthy? Through 1 Timothy 3:1 through 7, Chrissy Cole examines biblical leadership and the character God desires in those who lead. Trust begins with calling, is earned through character, starts at home, and takes time, ultimately pointing us to Jesus as the perfect trustworthy Shepherd and the One we must surrender our lives to follow. (00:00) - Leaders You Can Trust (03:09) - Men and Women Building the Church Together (04:51) - Qualifications for Trustworthy Leaders (06:16) - Church Hurt and Healthy Leadership (08:35) - Everyone Is Leading Someone (11:37) - Trust Begins With Calling (15:41) - Godly Ambition or Selfish Ambition? (19:14) - Ownership, Apology, and Accountability (20:45) - Trust Is Earned Through Character (28:10) - Trust Starts at Home (32:58) - Trust Takes Time (38:47) - Jesus, the Perfect Trustworthy Shepherd (42:53) - Surrendering Your Leadership to Jesus

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.

Acts 6 is a master class in Church Leadership amidst rapid growth. This is a very short chapter that would be easy to skip over so please don't. Take the time to read over it yourself and glean from it as much as you can. Especially if you tend to be a leader that has to do all the things.   There is a simple formula the Apostles used to figure out what to do and we can too. They identified the problem, examined the problem, solved the problem, and released and equipped others to fix the problem.    You can connect with Amie on her website: https://rawandrealministries.com/   You can connect with me or order my books on my website here: https://debbiekitterman.com/ click on the store tab and choose the book(s) you would like to view under the book tab.   OR on Amazon here using my affiliate links:  Check out my Amazon Store front here:https://a.co/d/0fSFMjq0 D2h Podcast Books  https://amzn.to/4wnk96D Podcast Equipment https://amzn.to/4u8PloC  I even have other categories for my sourdough, chickens, my favorite things, and more…. check my entire storefront out here: https://a.co/d/0fSFMjq0  

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.

Pastors often look to the book of Nehemiah for practical lessons on leadership. However, in times of rebuilding and revitalization, we should not overlook the book of Ezra, with its story of the rebuilding of the temple. Ken Roach, Vice President of Innovation at Wesley Biblical Seminary, joins Sam to share the three “royal decrees” found there and how they translate into leadership principles every rebuilder needs to consider. The post Unique Church Leadership Lessons from the Book of Ezra You Haven’t Heard appeared first on Church Answers.

What happens when a prodigal finally comes home?In this powerful episode of Simple Faith, Pastor Ricky sits down with Randall and Canaan Massey to share a remarkable true story of faith, family reconciliation, and God's relentless grace. After 19 years of distance, addiction, broken relationships, and spiritual wandering, a father's faithful prayers were answered in a way neither of them could have imagined.Together, they discuss the pain of watching someone you love walk away from God, the challenge of trusting Him through the waiting, and the life-changing moment that led to healing between both an earthly father and a Heavenly Father. Their honest conversation offers biblical encouragement for parents praying for prodigal children, anyone struggling with addiction or shame, and those longing for restored relationships.You'll also hear practical wisdom about prayer, forgiveness, and the hope found in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, along with the story behind their new ministry designed to help families experience reconciliation and renewal.If you're searching for hope, restoration, or a reminder that no one is beyond God's reach, this episode is for you.

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  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.