Some of my Best Work with Eric Hoke

Key takeaways: 1) The church model is shifting, whether leaders like it or not. Boomers built institutional churches; younger generations don’t trust or join institutions the same way, so the future will be more networked and less denominational. 2) Discipleship isn’t complex—it’s just rarely executed consistently. If people aren’t regularly in the Word, prayer, and community, they’re not actually...

IHelpPastorsGetJobs.com helps ministry leaders market themselves for corporate jobs. Download our free PDF to learn more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erichoke.substack.com

Takeaways: Say less, carry more weight: Restraint > Expressiveness. Speaking selectively makes your input more valuable. This is a learned skill for pastors transitioning to the marketplace. Transitions cost you your identity (at first) - Leaving ministry isn’t just a job change—it’s a loss of role, clarity, and belonging. You need to rebuild from scratch, but life does stabilize. When church syst...

Are you a pastor or ministry leader who wants to transition into the marketplace in 2026? Schedule a free call below. Our team would love to meet you. Purpose in Work Often Emerges Through Seasons, Not Immediate Clarity: Many people expect to find a “perfect job” that fulfills their purpose immediately, but meaningful careers often develop through different seasons of work. Some jobs are focused o...

IHelpPastorsGetJobs.com helps ministry leaders market themselves for corporate jobs. Download our free PDF to learn more. Episode Takeaways 1. Mobilization Comes Before Multiplication The church often focuses on growth and scaling, but Jesus focused first on forming people. If there’s a multiplication problem, there’s usually a mobilization problem underneath it. 2. Jesus Followed a Three-Phase Rh...

Crisis Can Clarify Calling - Steve didn’t choose entrepreneurship — it chose him after he was fired 12 days after his daughter was born. Instead of reacting in panic, he took time to grieve and process the shock. That space allowed him to move from disruption into direction. Rejection Is a Core Entrepreneurial Skill - Steve emphasizes that entrepreneurs hear “no” constantly — and must learn to rec...

Are you a pastor or ministry leader who wants to transition into the marketplace in 2026? Schedule a free call below. Our team would love to meet you. The 2026 Job Market Is Slower and More Relational: The post-COVID hiring surge is over. Fewer companies are hiring, fewer people are leaving, and trust levels are lower, which means networking and relational pathways matter more than polished resume...

Thank you for engaging with me over the last 31 episodes of this podcast, and thank you to all of my guests. I look forward to seeing you on the podcast in March. My big focus this winter : Hiring a Director of Operations for I Help Pastors Get Jobs. Skills required: Customer Success. Sales. Career Services. Occasional Pastoral Counseling. This remote position is flexible and requires 5-10 hours o...

Episode Takeaways The Institutional Church Model Is Breaking Down and That’s a Holy Opportunity - Mid-20th-century church structures are collapsing under their own weight: aging congregations, shrinking budgets, exhausted clergy, and dwindling attendance. However, rather than lamenting this shift, it presents a spiritual opportunity to rediscover authentic ministry beyond denominational constraint...

Episode Takeaways Career pivots require both clarity and courage: Rodney’s journey, from Marine Corps officer to Goldman Sachs executive to church leader, illustrates that career transitions are often guided by both discernment and divine disruption. When he was laid off from Goldman, he realized it was something God did for him, not to him. The courage to pause instead of rushing into another hig...

Episode Takeaways Same Skills, New Arena - Phil shared how his career didn’t pivot, but he translated 15 years of ministry leadership into executive coaching. The CEO Trifecta - Every senior leader battles the same three: Direction. Decisions. Distraction. The Four Phases of Change: Every transition runs the cycle: Entry → Evaluation → Discernment → Direction. Lead from Wholeness - Detach from the...

Episode Takeaways: * Slow is smooth, smooth is fast — Sustainable pace and preparation produce excellence. Leaders need deliberate rhythms, not frantic motion. * Build a rule of life (or rhythm) — Anchor your spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical health with consistent routines rather than reacting to chaos. * Relational health requires intentionality — Introverted or task-oriented leader...

Episode Takeaways Overeating and Emotional Coping - Both you and Jon opened up about food as a coping mechanism for leadership stress and emotional exhaustion. Overeating has become an “acceptable vice” in ministry culture, one that masks deeper wounds like fear of rejection or unmet emotional needs. Physical Health and Leadership Credibility - Physical discipline impacts credibility and self-perc...

Episode Takeaways The worst decision is indecision. Waiting for perfect clarity is paralyzing. Sometimes you just have to take a step of faith, even without all the answers. Certainty is rare, so embrace seasons. In life and career, there’s no 100% certainty (outside of “death and taxes”), so the better posture is committing to things for a season—six months, a year—rather than forever. Faith and...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is live! 99 Cent Kindle ends today 10/2/25! Episode Takeaways From Pastor to CCO – Kelly went from leading an international church in Paris to becoming Chief Communications Officer at a global investment firm. Leadership Lessons – Empowering young leaders early matters, and how “train and release” creates resilient talent. Transferable Skills – Surprisin...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is live! For this week only, Kindle is only $0.99! Episode Takeaways God can use even “mind-numbing office jobs” to build skills and character for future callings. Passion alone isn’t enough. Movements and nonprofits need people with real skills and aligned values. Leadership transitions can make or break mission-driven organizations; the wrong hire can...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is live! Order your copy (Kindle, Hardcover & Paperback) today. Episode Takeaways Co-Vocational Calling - Dave serves as both an executive pastor and a fractional HR/operations leader for a construction company. He views this dual calling not as leaving ministry but as expanding it; living in obedience meant offering his skills to businesses as well as c...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is available on Amazon in Hardcover, Paperback, and Kindle. Episode Takeaways: From Atheist to Pastor – Justin shares how he became an atheist at 15, moved to Ohio to explore the question of God’s existence, and experienced a transformative spiritual encounter that led him to return to New York to do ministry. Entrepreneurship as Calling, Not Just Career...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is live! Order your copy (Kindle, Hardcover & Paperback) at a discounted rate for this week and this week only! Sale ends 9/5/25. Episode Takeaways: Clarity comes after obedience, not before – Sitting in a Wahlburgers with a journal and a question mark ("Church planting?") became the first step toward founding a multi-ethnic church in Minneapolis. Follow...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is available for Kindle Pre-Order on Amazon. If you struggle to align your inner world and career, pick up a copy today. Releases in 4 days! Episode Takeaways: * Church planting shapes you as much as you shape the church – Planting in an urban context accelerates leadership growth, humbles you, and forces you to adapt to cultural realities you didn’t ant...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is available for Kindle Pre-Order on Amazon. If you struggle to align your inner world (values, beliefs, convictions) and career, pick up a copy today. Releases in 11 days! Doug Black is a multi-passionate entrepreneur, digital strategist, and ministry leader with a knack for solving complex problems and bringing creative visions to life. He is the found...

My new book, The Incongruent Professional , is available for Kindle Pre-Order on Amazon. If you struggle to align your inner world and career, pick up a copy today. Releases 9/1/25! Episode Takeaways: Ministry Outside the Mold - Andre shares how traditional church roles didn’t fit his entrepreneurial spirit, leading him to create Barbecue Church—a digital, grassroots ministry reaching thousands th...

Are you an Incongruent Professional? Take my Free Assessment and find out where you are out of whack. Episode Takeaways: Running a Small Business Is More Than Doing the Craft - Many aspiring entrepreneurs think they can turn a skill into a business. But as Sierra learned from running a plumbing company with her husband, being good at the craft isn’t enough. Administrative duties, invoicing, schedu...

Is your career aligned with your values? Take my free assessment and find out in 3 minutes. Episode Takeaways Mine every season for transferable gold: Even “off-track” jobs are training grounds. Mike shares how banking years prepped him for pastoral work (problem-solving, steadiness, trust). He now treats each role like a field to be mined for skills he can carry forward. Purpose and community can...

Is your career aligned with your values? Take my free assessment and find out in 3 minutes. amicongruent.com Episode Takeaways: To succeed in business, pick up the phone. Voice cuts through tone confusion, cools conflict, and signals genuine partnership. If you send a heated text/email, follow up in person to clarify and repair. Make “call first” your default when stakes or emotions rise. For care...