Ministry Pivot with Russell St. Bernard

In this inspiring episode of Ministry Pivot , Rev. Russ sits down with the Reverend Dr. Nicole Massie Martin—author, executive leader, preacher, and teacher—to talk about her new book Nailing It and the heart of redemptive leadership . Dr. Martin shares how her journey in executive ministry leadership helped shape her understanding that you are not your role . She reminds leaders that true leaders...

In this third and final installment of the Leadership Pivots: Navigating Tensions series, Rev. Russ unpacks the leadership tension of flexibility. Just like in martial arts, flexibility in leadership increases range, reach, and precision. Leaders who remain rigid risk missing opportunities and wasting resources, but those who practice flexibility are able to adapt, grow, and lead with greater impa...

In Part 2 of the Leadership Pivots: Navigating Tensions series, Rev. Russ explores the challenge of a tight leadership lid—when leaders unintentionally limit vision, growth, and recruitment by not providing enough exposure or empowerment. This episode challenges leaders in ministry and business to examine whether their leadership style is keeping their teams from thriving. With practical insight,...

In this first installment of the Leadership Pivots series, Rev. Russ dives into the reality that leadership always carries tension—but that tension, when healthy, can create traction that moves us forward. This episode explores the tension of false starts: when leaders or teams initiate a project without clear direction, focus, or adequate resources. Rev. Russ emphasizes that without a clearly def...

In Part 3 of the Culture Shifts series, Rev. Russ explores how even the best cultures can suffer from leaks and cracks —especially during seasons of growth or transition. This episode teaches leaders how to recognize these issues early and offers practical steps to pivot and repair their culture before small issues become major setbacks. Whether you're leading a church, business, nonprofit, or...

In Part 2 of the Culture Shift Series , Rev. Russ breaks down the essential components of building a strong, effective culture within your church, business, nonprofit, or family. This episode focuses on the leader’s responsibility in creating, sustaining, and championing culture —and how it all begins with having a clear aim. Through his signature 3-part framework (Aim, Act, Acknowledge), Rev. Rus...

In this episode of Ministry Pivot , Rev. Russ kicks off a multi-part series focused on organizational culture . He explores the foundational truth that every organization, church, business, or family has a culture—whether it's intentionally created or not. Rev. Russ challenges leaders to reflect on the culture they’ve cultivated, how it affects their teams, and why understanding your culture is cr...

In this episode, Rev. Russ continues his "Trending Thoughts for 2025" series, focusing on the importance of having a "sticky strategy" for your ministry, business, or organization. Following previous episodes on leadership and reach strategies, this installment explores how to retain the people you've attracted by creating meaningful communities.

In this episode of Ministry Pivot , Rev. Russ continues his "Trending Thoughts of 2025" series by focusing on developing an effective reach strategy. Following the previous episode on leadership, this installment explores how organizations can thoughtfully approach reaching new people.

In this first episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast, Rev. Russ discusses the importance of effective leadership as a trending thought for 2025. He emphasizes how organizations are only as strong as the leaders who support their mission. He shares three key strategies for investing in leadership development: understanding your leaders' strengths, celebrating achievements, and helping leaders see ho...

In this final episode of 2024, the Ministry Pivot Podcast revisits two impactful conversations with Pastor Brian Bullock of Union Church Charlotte and Rev. Lisa Fields , founder of the Jude 3 Project. These leaders share profound insights on leadership development, faith in the face of challenges, and discovering purpose in pain. From Pastor Bullock’s thoughts on building systems and empowering le...

In this special compilation episode of the Ministry Pivot Podcast, Rev. Russ revisits impactful conversations on pastoral succession and leadership transitions with Dr. Charlie Dates, Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church and Salem Baptist Church, and Pastor Janae Pitts-Murdock, Senior Pastor of Light of the World Christian Church. Dr. Dates shares insights on leading with humility, navigati...

In this eye-opening episode of the Ministry Pivot Podcast, Rev. Russ explores the theme of "Background Counts"—a lesson inspired by a recent visit to the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Through this experience, he highlights the critical role of behind-the-scenes efforts in driving success, whether in ministry, business, or personal life.

In this episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast, Rev. Russ discusses the empowering concept of 'owning the building.' Whether you're in church leadership, a business leader, or starting your own venture, Rev. Russ encourages you to break free from tradition, embrace new opportunities, and challenge your assumptions.  He shares insights from his leadership at Kingdom Fellowship and emphasizes the sig...

This episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast explores the complexities and opportunities in church leadership transitions. Featuring past episodes from Pastor Rodney Carter, Jr., Dr. Anika Wilson Brown, and Dr. Walter S. Thomas Jr., they cover critical topics such as pastoral succession, leading through the COVID-19 pandemic, new leadership styles, and the importance of mental health in ministry. Ad...

In this episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast, Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates shares his journey of transitioning into senior pastoral roles at two historic churches in Chicago: Progressive Baptist Church and Salem Baptist Church. Dr. Dates talks about pastoral succession's challenges, surprises, and joys, his relationship with his predecessor, and the dynamics of leading two congregations. He also delves...

In this episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast, Rev. Russ dives deep into how his team at Kingdom Fellowship creates a successful Sunday worship experience. From praying for uniqueness to having clear goals and consistent preparation, Rev. Russ outlines the keys to thriving worship services. Whether you’re a church leader or part of the congregation, this episode will inspire you to refine your app...

In this episode of Ministry Pivot , host Rev. Russ sits down with Rev. R. Janae Pitts-Murdock, Senior Pastor at Light of the World Christian Church in Indianapolis, for an insightful conversation about pastoral succession, leadership and her journey as the first woman to lead her historic congregation. Pastor Pitts-Murdock shares her experience transitioning from an interim to a senior pastor role...

In this episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast, Rev. Russ shares invaluable insights on how to lead your staff effectively by focusing on their strengths, fostering development, and expecting excellence. Drawing from his experience in church leadership, Rev. Russ offers practical advice that can be applied across various leadership contexts, whether in ministry, business, or any organization.

In this insightful episode of Ministry Pivot , host Rev. Russ sits down with Dr. Reggie Blount and Dr. Sidney Williams to discuss their innovative approach to ministry called "Fishing Differently." They explore how churches can maximize their impact beyond Sunday services by leveraging intellectual, social, human, and faith capital.

In this episode of Ministry Pivot , Rev. Russ welcomes the insightful Rev. Lisa Fields. They discuss the importance of apologetics within the African American community, the impact of media on faith, and the inspiring work of the Jude 3 Project. Rev. Lisa shares her personal journey from banking to ministry, emphasizing the need for representation in theological scholarship. They also delve into t...

In this episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast hosted by Russell St. Bernard, we highlight impactful community work by revisiting interviews with Pastor Heather and Pastor Heber Brown. Pastor Heather discusses her lifelong struggle with suicidal thoughts and the creation of the 'life box' initiative during COVID-19, which provides essential items to individuals struggling with mental health...

In this episode of the Ministry Pivot podcast, Rev. Russ emphasizes the importance of identifying and leaning into your strengths for personal and professional growth. Drawing from his experience as a Gallup-certified strengths coach, Rev. Russ shares valuable insights on recognizing your unique talents, delegating tasks that fall outside your strengths, and tracking your progress toward achieving...

In this episode, Rev. Russ shares insights on maximizing productivity and igniting growth. Join us as we explore the importance of staying flammable, accessible, and expectant for sparks of inspiration in leadership and life.

Join us for a deep dive into the topic of succession and leadership transitions in ministry with Rev. Dr. Walter S. Thomas, Jr. In this enlightening conversation, Pastor Thomas shares his insights on the importance of passing the baton well, being faithful and honest in the transition process, and looking forward to the next chapter of ministry. From biblical parallels to personal anecdotes, this...