As we bring 2021 to a close, we have much to be thankful for. This has been another unprecedented year for the Emotionally Healthy Leadership Podcast. And this growth is because of faithful leaders and listeners like you. Thank you! In today’s episode, we play highlights from five of the most popular podcast episodes from 2021. Follow the Crucified, Not the Americanized Jesus (Listen to Full Episode) A New Leadership Scorecard for Success (Listen to Full Episode) How God’s Absence is a Form of His Presence (Listen to Full Episode) Skills to Revolutionize Your Prayer Life Pt. 1 (Listen to Full Episode) Finding God in the Fog of Massive Transition (Listen to Full Episode) To listen to curated clips from these episodes, just listen to today’s podcast!

This week, churches and leaders all over are preparing for Christmas Eve services. Many are even transitioning from in-person back to online because of the rise in COVID-19 cases. While it’s a beautiful time of year, it’s also VERY busy. That’s why today on the podcast, I would like to take you on an unusual turn. Rather than offering more content to digest, I invite you to join me for a Daily Office. The Daily Office is a historical Christian practice of stopping to be with Jesus through silence and solitude. In today’s episode, we’ll discover that it’s in silence that we learn to pay attention to what God is birthing in and through us. I pray this episode is a gift to you!

As we continue the Advent season, we are invited to reflect deeply on what Jesus’ coming shows us about true power. It’s astonishing to see how Jesus and Herod came onto the stage at the same time. They both reveal something about the true nature of power and what that means for as leaders us even today. In today’s podcast, I share with you a sermon in which I explore many fascinating details about Herod’s life and why it stood in such contrast with the newborn King.

Last week on the podcast, I explored WHY every leader must seriously consider the restorative practice of entering a sabbatical. For those who sent in questions and responses, your feedback was invaluable! Thank you! As you can imagine, while most leaders know they need a sabbatical, they cannot figure HOW on earth to make it a reality. In today’s podcast, I explore the nuts and bolts and best practices of planning for a sabbatical. Hint: It takes advance planning, prayer, and thoughtfulness in order to do well. This is why some sabbaticals are transformational… and others are a flop. If you or someone on your team is planning for a sabbatical in the next 1 – 3 years, I strongly encourage you to make time for today’s podcast. You may even want to share with your team. And if this content is helpful, feel free to leave me a comment on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Sabbaticals are one of the most necessary but least understood practices in the church. Many leaders desperately need a sabbatical but don’t have a roadmap or theology that would allow one to become a reality. Not only that, but the confusion around the purpose of a sabbatical often results in a lack of support from elder boards and employers. Sabbaticals are complex in that they require a shared theology, massive paradigm shifts, and careful planning in order to be done well. For this reason, most leaders and pastors will never experience the deep restoration that a sabbatical provides. In this week’s podcast, I explore the biblical definition of a sabbatical and make a case for why all leaders should, at the right time, take one.

It’s one of the LEAST thought-through aspects of leadership. Statistics are showing that pastors and church leaders are leaving, moving, or rethinking their role at an accelerated rate. That’s why leaders must think through HOW they transition. Sadly, endings and transitions are often poorly handled in our ministries, organizations, and teams. Because of this, we often miss God’s new beginnings, and the new work he is doing. So what do you do when… You realize it’s time for you to move on from your role You are no longer comfortable serving in your context You discern God leading you into new opportunities When we don’t do endings well and stay too long, what should have been a healthy graduation can turn into a divorce.Today on the podcast, I walk through 4 real-life case studies of leaders navigating transition. In each case, I’ll share insights about the right (and wrong) ways these transitions should be. Read more.