Leading From Alignment

In Episode 233 John & Jim unpacked this idea: part of understanding the value of time is determining what and to whom we say yes or no. In today’s episode they explore how the way we value time has a lot to do with what and to whom we say yes or no

In today’s episode John & Jim unpack two powerful lessons John discovered on his most recent vacation. If you get your arms around these two items, they will shape your life and leadership in a profound manner.

Today John & Jim welcome Kyle Isabelli back to the mic for Part 2 of their conversation on the subject, Responding to a Forced Exit. In today’s episode they explore, among other things, the stats behind the forced termination of pastors, the proper tension between looking in the mirror and evaluating the contributions of their supervisors, and questions to ask early on to help determine philosophi...

Today John & Jim welcome Kyle Isabelli to the mic for Part 1 of their conversation on the subject, Responding to a Forced Exit. In today’s episode they unpack Kyle’s forced termination, a few big lessons he learned through the journey, and how to leave a church well, even when you have been unexpectedly let go.

Today we welcome Mike Clarensau back to the mic for Part 2 of our conversation about the current health of the Church in America. In our discussion today we explore the role of coaching in church health, and the challenge of next gen leaders’ struggle with the call of God on their lives. Mike closes out our conversation with the best piece of advice he would give to local church pastors.

Today we welcome Mike Clarensau to the mic. As a proven strategist, Mike has helped churches and ministry organizations identify new direction or the steps necessary for greater effectiveness. In Part 1 of our conversation, Mike unpacks how the Church in America is doing, what needs to change, and why churches struggle so much with change.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Craig Owens about his newest book, When Sheep Bite, we unpack how to express gentleness in the face of biting sheep and why gentleness matters; how to find a “release valve” for our anger; and how to effectively confront biting sheep.

If you have pastored for any length of time, you have suffered “bite marks” from those you lead. Sheep who criticize you . . . sometimes unfairly. And it causes you pain. Today we bring Craig Owens back to the mic for Part 1 of our conversation around his newest book, When Sheep Bite. When you’ve been bitten, it can be hard to manage. In today’s episode we explore with Craig practical strategies t...

Today we wrap up two months’ worth of podcasts about a leader’s well-being. We have taken the following position: Our wellbeing is a matter of obedience not a matter of preference. In today’s episode we finish the conversation by exploring what it takes to lead from a full tank. Our premise is simply this: You cannot give what you do not have.

We’ve been talking almost exclusively in 2024 about whole-person wellbeing. Today we continue talking about whole-person health by exploring our ubiquitous need for friendship. Genesis 2:18 reminds us it is not good for us to be alone for extended periods of time.

We’ve rapped about work/rest rhythms multiple times over the 4+ years we’ve been podcasting. We’ve unpacked four of them in the past: Daily, weekly, quarterly, and annually. In today’s episode we explore a fifth rhythm: our capacity vs. the demand on that capacity.

In today’s episode we continue our series of podcasts on a leader’s well-being. We unpack three important questions: What does it mean to be properly related to yourself? How do you get there? And . . . why does it matter? Our capacity to be properly related to those we love and lead begins with being properly related to ourselves.

How do you successfully navigate the long, dark tunnel of depression? With over 40% of pastors reporting suffering with depression, answering this question correctly is of utmost importance. In today’s episode we continue our compelling conversation with Dave Barringer about the epidemic of these twin evils in today’s culture. Dave gives us practical tips on how to get and stay mentally/emotionall...

Depression and anxiety are waging war on the wellbeing of adults and young people in our country. We feel these twin evils are at epidemic proportions – 33% of Americans report suffering with symptoms of depression. In today’s episode we welcome Dave Barringer to the mic for Part 1 of our conversation around this most important subject. Dave unpacks his journey with depression in such a powerful w...

At the beginning of every year, we take the first two episodes to reflect on the biggest lessons we learned in the previous year. Last week in Episode 219 we considered the first two indelible lessons from 2023: First, refuse to put God in a box. Second, to move forward, you must let go of something. Today in Episode 220 we unpack the next two indelible lessons. Believing with you for an amazing 2...

It’s our tradition to take the first two episodes of the year to reflect on the biggest lessons we learned in the previous year. These are indelible takeaways we aspired to carry forward into 2024. We’ll unpack two takeaways today in episode 219, and 2 more in Episode 220 next week. Happy New Year!

It’s December 19th, six days before Christmas. This time of year can get very busy for pastors. Extra events at church. Extra events with family and friends. Finishing up the year and planning for next year. In today’s episode John & Jim talk about the subject of Holiday Rhythms and suggest three important ideas leaders may want to consider regarding the last 12 days of 2023.

Today we welcome Daniel Whitehead, CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries back to the mic. In Part 2 of our conversation with Daniel, we explore what is contributing to the worldwide challenges we face with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. And then we lay out a practical strategy pastors can take to help those suffering with these evil triplets in the churches they lead.

Today we welcome Daniel Whitehead, CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries to the mic. In Part 1 of our conversation with Daniel, we unpack what is happening—in the arena of wellbeing—in the lives of people who attend the churches we lead. We hope you enjoy this powerful episode!

The average age of a clergy member today is 57, compared to age 50 in 2000 Half of all American pastors today are older than age 55. These realities are ubiquitous across almost every denomination. And it begs the question: Is the talent pool merely shallow? Is God not calling enough leaders into vocational ministry? Or . . . is the talent pool afraid? Afraid to take on a role that while extremely...

Everywhere we turn, it seems the alarm is sounding about the graying of pastors. Legitimate concerns exist, including, “What happens if at some point we don’t have enough qualified leaders?” In today’s episode, we begin a two-part conversation on this most important subject: Engaging and Incorporating the Next Generation of Leaders.

The average age of a clergy member today is 57, compared to age 50 in 2000 (Lifeway Research). Half of all American pastors today are older than age 55. In 1992, 24% of all American pastors were older than 55 (Barna). One of the impacts of these alarming trends? The pastor talent pool is getting shallow. Every denomination is dealing with a leadership shortage. In today’s episode, John and Jim unp...

In today’s episode John & Jim welcome back Shannon Shaffer to the mic to continue their compelling conversation about worship leaders. In today's chat they explore the personal and public components of worship leading, the traits of an effective worship leader, and how worship leaders can avoid an age-old trap the devil often sets for them.

In their work across the country, John and Jim are noticing a troubling trend . . . worship pastors and lead pastors butting heads. Sparring over worship styles, over who’s in charge, or over whose kingdom is being built. Today's episode contains Part 1 of their powerful conversation with Shannon Shaffer, Worship Pastor at Auburn Hills Christian Center, focusing on factors that cause turbulence be...

What does success in pastoral or ministry leadership look like? And what can make success—though desirable—dangerous? In today’s episode John and Jim outline what success from God’s perspective looks like, share two of the most common snares success brings, and what leaders can do to avoid getting trapped by those snares.