The Reclaimed Leader Podcast

Last week we talked about how to face change that you didn’t ask for in ministry. Today, we’re talking about facing the change you did ask for. About a year ago we made some decisions (some controversial) to be intentional about reaching the next generation. One year later we’ll unpack how we did.

. It’s one thing to deal with the consequences of change that you initiate or are intentional about. But, what about the change you didn’t ask for? It can be disorienting, draining, and discouraging. So let’s spend some time re-framing it in a more helpful way.

Last week we talked about how many denominations are reporting that there are hardly any young leaders stepping into congregational ministry. We’re talking with pastors Goodie Bell and David Kling about the Pastoral Leadership Crisis in the U.S. and what a group of Presbyterians are doing about it.

Many denominations are reporting that there are hardly any young leaders stepping into congregational ministry. Research from LifeWay says that the average age of pastors is 55. We’re talking with Jonathan LaBarge abou the Pastoral Leadership Crisis in the U.S. and what we can do about it.

Are you heading into the summer on fumes? What if I told you that you can get REAL REST, AND a detailed strategic ministry plan by Labor Day Weekend. It’s not as hard as you think. With just a little planning you can do both. Rest AND forward ministry movement this summer.

Today we welcome back Doug Schaupp for part 2 of our conversation on relational evangelism. Last week we learned about the 5 thresholds of faith, and today we talk about how to “break the huddle” and apply the threshold model to how we do church together. Like the woman and the well, it’s about meeting people where they are and taking them to Jesus.

You’re preaching convincing sermons and you have great programs: so why aren’t you seeing more people in your community come to faith in Jesus? Well, maybe it’s because we’re making assumptions about where they are in their journey. Today we welcome Doug Schaupp to the podcast to talk about a model of evangelism that actually connects to where people really are – 5 thresholds of evangelism

Between war, hantavirus, economic struggle, famine: doomscrolling and hate-scrolling have become the norm. What is this doing to us as pastors? What is this doing to our church members? How do we take seriously our mission to reach the world with the gospel, if we have so much anger toward it?

What if every Christian adult, took the time to invest in 1-2 young people’s lives? What if church could become not only a generational welcome mat, but a generational launch pad? Today we talk about some challenging stats and practical steps to get young adult ministry going.

Sometimes we just need to grab a cup of coffee and talk church – that’s what Jesse and I are doing today as we discuss Lifeway’s 12 trends of 2026, in order to spark some ideas and reflect on how to best communicate with the people we’re trying to reach. Grab your coffee and join us today on the RL

Sometimes we just need to grab a cup of coffee and talk church – that’s what Jesse and I are doing today as we continue our conversation on Lifeway’s 12 trends of 2026, hopefully, it sparks some ideas on how to best communicate with the people we’re trying to reach. Grab your coffee and join us!

Welcome to episode 439. How do church leaders get so stuck? I think it’s because we are all so bound by routines. Routines aren’t bad, but they can easily become ruts. So, how do we re-kindle the passion of God’s mission? Maybe, by talking to a church planter. Today we talk with Luke Parker on church planting and more.

Today is part 2 of our series on investing in people over programs. And, we’re going to focus on our systems for follow-through. Systems may not sound like relational evangelism but it is – in fact, it’s the engine that moves the whole thing forward. Follow-up from guests, volunteers or prayer needs are how we actually care for others well.

When I talk with church leaders, I get a lot of questions like: what do you do for discipleship? What do you do for new members? At the heart of these questions is a desire to share best practices. But sometimes it’s a search for a magic bullet that will solve spiritual problems. Why investing in people is always more effective than programs.

It’s Holy Week (if you’re listening in real time) and there are a million things to do – and all of it vying for your time and attention. But, pastor, how is your soul this week? Are you already on empty? What if this week, you can recharge your batteries by remembering your dependence on Jesus?

Have you checked your online sermon retention? Good, me neither. But there’s an important truth about preaching – it’s not just about carefully crafted theology, but engaging delivery. Research shows that 65% of people are visual learners, but what does that mean for preaching. Easter preaching for a visually-engaged culture.

Easter may not be as big an outreach as Christmas, but the in-reach to occasional attenders is huge. Besides, it’s still a pretty big opportunity to reach people who are looking for a church. So how can we think strategically about reaching (and retaining) Easter Guests.

We’re hearing of another revival among students in Florida almost 3 years exactly from the Asbury Outpouring. Our culture may be more open to Jesus than at any other time in the last 50 years. Is your church ready for what God is doing? 5 Questions to make sure your church doesn’t miss revival.

We are in the middle of Lent. It’s a time to for Christians to go deeper, reconnect, repent, and challenge themselves to get rid of the distractions and focus on Jesus. So why are pastors so bad at it sometimes? Let’s talk about how to fix it.

Do you feel like your church’s best days are behind it? Well, what if that doesn’t have to be the case? Today we welcome Dr. Kara Powell, Executive Dir. of the Fuller Youth Institute, to discuss her book, Future-Focused Church, and how any church can take the next faithful step (which may be simpler than you think).

No matter where you are in your journey toward church health or leading change, it’s rare that you feel like you have enough resources to do it. I think that’s because it takes risk and trust to build what God’s building in us. What to do when giving lags behind growth.

We’re tackling the last Stage in the 4Ds of leading change (Discover, Discern, Decide, Deploy). And this stage is where most churches struggle. It’s not just about what you decide to do but how you implement it that makes or breaks a ministry. It’s about your plan of action.

We’re continuing our discussion of the 4D revitalization process – and today is DECIDE. Once you know who you are and who you’re trying to reach, it’s time to get the whole church to discuss how to do it. We’ll walk through a research-based, field-tested process to help you identify what to do next.

Based on your high school language classes, would you feel confident translating the gospel to that culture? Of course not. Not only because of language competence, but cultural competence. This is exactly why churches struggle to reach people. How to lean in, listen to and learn from younger generations in order to reach them with the gospel.

When it comes down to it, the biggest barrier to making change in your church is the fear of failure. Many pastors won’t take an honest look because they’re afraid it will reflect poorly on them. But, a good, honest assessment is mission critical. We’re talking about the first step in renewal: discovery.