Leading From Alignment

Should I stay, or should I go? A question most pastors have asked multiple times. Churches can experience two extremes when it comes to lead pastors: pastors who leave prematurely, or pastors who hang on too long. In today’s episode John and Jim unpack four powerful questions and four practical steps to help leaders discern if a necessary ending is nearing

In last week’s episode 257 we explored a leader’s most important assignment . . . building a strong inner life. In today’s episode we piggyback on that idea today by unpacking a practical way to get arrive at a stronger inside life . . . responding to Jesus’ invitation to weary leaders. The more we say yes to His invitation in Matthew 11, the stronger our inner life grows.

In today’s episode John and Jim do a quick flyover of three quotes from Peter Scazzero’s book, The Emotionally Healthy Leader. Together they unpack the #1 assignment of every pastor—an assignment that if taken seriously, is the biggest contributor to a pastor’s longevity and fruitfulness.

It’s national election season again. It’s safe to assume there’s going to be some tension leaking into the churches you lead. In today’s episode John & Jim unpack four perspectives we hope will help you manage that tension.

Today John and Jim welcome to the mic Lewis Brandon, pastor of Jordantown Wesleyan Church in Vinton, Virginia. A vibrant, growing church led by a vibrant, growing pastor. His powerful journey of healing from brokenness, anxiety, and depression is one of the most moving interviews we’ve had in the history of this podcast.

Finding character-filled, talented people to add to your team is challenging. In today’s episode Johne and Jim conclude their three-part series on Staffing Your Church from Within. They welcome to the mic today, Pastor Jim Westheim, Director of Operations at Faith Alive Church in West Branch, Michigan. He will unpack the practical steps Faith Alive has taken to successfully build their team from w...

Finding character-filled, talented people to add to your team is becoming increasingly challenging. The pool of available candidates seems thin right now, and we sense it could stay that way for the near future. Considering those realities, we offer Part 2 of our series, Staffing Your Church from Within. In today’s episode we get extremely practical about taking next steps to implement this way of...

Over the past few weeks, more than a dozen pastors have reported to us they are trying to add staff. They have the budget for it but are finding the talent pool shallow. We believe this trend will continue to grow in the years ahead. With that in mind, today’s episode is the first in a series of three podcasts dedicated to the idea of staffing your church from within.

The health of your marriage is foundational to the health of the organization you lead. The most impactful thing a pastor does for a church’s health is to have a healthy marriage. In Part 2 of their conversation with Greg and Rachelle Colegrove, founders of The Fun Marriage Workshop, John and Jim explore what pastors and their spouse can do if they find themselves in marital crisis, how they can g...

In today’s episode, Greg and Rachelle Colegrove, founders of The Fun Marriage Workshop, join John and Jim on the mic. Together they unpack the leadership marriage landscape, the contributing factors to marital stress in a leader’s life, and finally what leaders can do to address those stressors both biblically and practically.

There is beauty in order. But the truth is there is also a beast . . . a dark side to task-orientation. In today’s episode John and Jim take a look at the darker side of task-oriented leadership, and what leaders can do to minimize its negative impact.

In today’s episode John and Jim explore a seismic shift in leadership style that holds the promise of leadership excellence over a long period of time . . . becoming a leader of leaders.

Statistics drawn from over 12,000 coaching and/or counseling sessions with pastors during the years 2022-2023 revealed the following top four needs being addressed in descending order were: Burnout/exhaustion; marriage counseling (both critical and preventative maintenance); unhealthy addictions/behavior (pornography, alcohol); and leadership coaching. In today’s episode John and Jim explore the s...

Discouragement is the universal experience of leadership. Extended seasons of discouragement can cause leaders to doubt their calling, capability, and value. Some leaders even prematurely exit ministry due to a growing sense of hopelessness. In today’s episode John and Jim unpack four master keys to beating this unwelcome trouble of all leaders.

Welcome back to Part 2 of John and Jim's conversation centered around eight trends emerging in churches this year. Last week in Episode 244 they explored the first four trends: The gravitational pull toward the tactical at the expense of the strategic; the way church health is measured; the loneliness of the people we lead; and the need your team has for face time with you. In today’s episode they...

Pastoring in 2024 is not like it was pre-pandemic. We can either live in denial or figure out how to adapt without diluting our message. In today’s episode John & Jim explore four trends they are noticing in the Church post-pandemic and how pastors can respond to those trends.

In today’s episode, John and Jim welcome back Greg Surratt, founding pastor of Seacoast Church in South Carolina, co-founder of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), and a pastor to thousands of pastors across the world. Today's conversation concludes a compelling two-part look at the challenges regarding the health and wellbeing of pastors. It unpacks a pathway for responding to elevated lev...

Today John and Jim welcome Greg Surratt to the mic. Greg is the founding pastor of Seacoast Church in South Carolina, the co-founder of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), and a pastor to thousands of pastors across the world. In their conversation today, they begin a two-part look at how to reduce your risk of pastoral burnout.

Have you ever felt like an underdog? Like you are operating at a disadvantage? If so . . . welcome to the club! The Bible is full of people who felt they were underdogs. In today’s episode, John and Jim unpack an encouraging idea: You + God is a winning combination!

Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved of all the Psalms. It carries fresh meaning for those of us who lead. Before God leads you in your calling . . . He leads you to Himself. In today’s episode, John and Jim unpack how leaders can navigate chaotic times by getting quiet enough to tune in, listen to, and follow God’s voice.

Do you want to lead better? Longer? Have more fun along the way? If so, three foundational items in your life need to get healthier: Identity, Affection, and Affirmation. In today’s episode we unpack these three pillars of healthy living and leadership that, if properly applied, will improve your leadership, lengthen your shelf-life, and increase the enjoyment of your calling.

Gossip . . . perhaps the most pervasive problem in the church today. And the lack of unity it produces weakens the witness of the Church and ultimately the reputation of Jesus. In today’s episode John and Jim tackle a subject that comes from a friend of Converge Coaching, Jay Fowler . . . collapsing relational triangles. Today's conversation carves a path that will help build unity in the church o...

Conflict . . . for most leaders, the bane of their existence. Something to be postponed instead of embraced. But the way we deal with conflict is a barometer of our future leadership capacity. In today’s episode John and Jim unpack a biblical and practical approach to a problem many leaders would rather avoid . . . managing conflict.

Are younger male leaders, and female leaders more emotionally aware than their older male leader counterparts? In today’s episode we welcome back our friend, Josh Spurlock for Part 2 of our conversation focusing on how the way our personal world impacts our ministry world, and how leading with a limp makes a leader easier to follow, and the generational and gender nuances of pastoral leadership.

In today’s episode we welcome back to the mic our friend, Josh Spurlock, founder of My Counselor Online. In our conversation today we unpack the current leadership landscape in terms of wellbeing and explore how leaders from different generations can help each other become more resilient.