The Reclaimed Leader Podcast

There’s a problem with spiritual formation in most churches – many think it’s a combination of faithful attendance and volunteerism. But is that the same thing as following Jesus? Today, we’re starting a series on how to approach spiritual formation in your church.

It’s been said that the hardest person you’ll ever have to lead is yourself. But, it’s absolutely key if you want to keep growing as a follower of Jesus and a leader in the church. In this episode, we close our April leadership series with a final topic: the value of self-leadership in ministry.

Jesus was always trying to align people with the Father’s mission. Alignment is critically important for churches because it’s about faithfulness. It’s what closes the gap between the church you are and the church God is calling you to be.

If another contentious political cycle tells us anything, it’s that in our culture, we don’t really listen. In fact, we often talk past each other to decide what we’ll say next. But, re-discovering the art of listening is crucial for your leadership success.

Today we welcome Pastor Kaitlyn Wood back to the podcast (our last guest before the COVID lockdown). Now, 4 years later, she’s the Dir. of Church Health for ECO. We talk leadership, revitalization and what it takes to help churches flourish.

This month we’re starting a new series on leadership. What kind of leader do you need to be in order to lead change? Seminary doesn’t really teach it – it’s usually on-the-job-training. Jesse unpacks 3 leadership axioms hanging on his office wall - and why you should have them to.

Easter may not be as big an outreach as Christmas, yet it’s a much bigger in-reach. People on your roles (as well as guests) often come out for the big church holiday. Here’s a quick checklist to make sure you’re ready to engage them.

Welcoming first-time guests may have been an afterthought in your church. Are you looking to launch a guest services team or welcome ministry but don’t know where to start? Or are you trying to take what you have and make it better? Here’s 5 tips to make it happen (even if you have a small congregation).

Greg Atkinson is an entrepreneur, bestselling author, international keynote speaker, leadership and life coach, and business consultant. He has worked with churches and non-profits all over the country and is an expert on first impressions. His book, Secrets of a Secret Shopper: Reaching and Keeping Church Guests, is one of the best in the market. Join us for this incredibly practical interview on...

Have you ever been in conversation with a pastor looking past you to someone else? Or did you show up to church only to be ignored while people caught up with their friends? Today we welcome Stan Ott and Lee Zehmer from "Building One Another" as we talk about moving from greeting to engaging.

Are your people not coming to church because they’re too busy? What if the real reason is indifference? As disciples on the road to Emmaus, how do we help welcome them into a heart-transforming (heart-on-fire) experience with Jesus?

We believe the stories we tell ourselves. The problem is, they may not be true. Why does it matter? Because beliefs drive behavior. Show me what you do and I'll show you what you believe. What does this mean for churches or pastors that have the wrong story in their heads? How can I re-frame the story to re-claim our hope?

Small church expert, Karl Vaters, talks about what it means to have a healthy church of any size. ​Karl's heart is to help pastors of small churches (up to 90 percent of us) find the resources to lead well, and to capitalize on the unique advantages that come with pastoring a small church. Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast, The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry. Episodes feature in...

Let's say you DO have buy-in from the congregation, but there are still some who still aren’t in (and they're stirring things up). Do we need unanimous support or a simple majority or a super-majority? 6 Tips to Deal with Change Resisters.

When leading change, you discover quickly that some people want to run forward as fast as possible, and others just want to hit the brakes (or even go backwards). The truth is you need both. Leadership and the Dog-Sled and why it matters when you lead change.

Today, we follow up our conversation with Dr. Whitesel about generating consistent buy-in, by showing exactly how we do it. Jesse and I share our step-by-step process that has helped us successfully navigate change with maximum leadership and congregational support.

One of the most critical questions when it comes to church health is: how do I generate buy-in for change? Today we welcome back Dr. Bob Whitesel as we talk about how to navigate change reaction.

For most of us, throwing a ball is second nature. It’s just muscle-memory. How do we as leaders cultivate our to-do as well as our to-be list? Making Godly leadership second nature - that's today on the Reclaimed Leader

Happy New Year! Are you worn out already by goal-setting and healthy habits? Here’s a non-resolution kickstart to get traction on your biggest goals in minutes instead of weeks. Everyone is offering a course/challenge about New Year's habits, goals, and resolutions. Honestly, all of them are probably going to work if you put the work in. But, as excited I get about the new, I also know that I need...

Welcome to our year-end review of the top 5 episodes you selected based on the number of downloads they received. It’s episode 319 and we’re going to take final stock of 2023 and look toward 2024

As you’re putting your final touches on your Christmas sermon (and services), here are 5 ways to create a welcoming environment for all those guests… and avoid the Christmas cringe

Today we welcome back to the podcast: Pastor Ian Rankine of Pluckemin Presbyterian Church as he shares his story of a small church that has experienced new life - and how yours can too

With everything going on in your church, revitalization might sound way too daunting right now. That’s why we’re sharing our 3-step guide to simplify leading change – we end with part 3 today

Does church revitalization sound way too daunting? Or maybe you don’t know where to start. Here is our 3-step guide to simplify leading change – part 2 continues today!

Does church revitalization sound way too daunting? Or maybe you don’t know where to start. Here is our 3-step guide to simplify leading change – part 1 starts today!