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.

Leadership is by nature a pressure cooker. Every day, you are susceptible to many angles of criticism and expectations from the people around you. These criticisms can set off internal triggers that may result in anger, defensiveness, or blaming. Then when you see your “shadow”, it’s easy to shame yourself for doing such things. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. The good news is – it’s possible to get free from these patterns. It requires an essential paradigm shift that I explore on today’s podcast. Trust me – when you change the way you think, it will be a gift to your whole team and church!

We know our 9-5 matters to God, but do we actually believe it? Today on the podcast, I walk you through a format for how to host a service where every member of your church is commissioned into full time ministry. When we did this years ago, it was one of the most significant events in our church’s history! What made it special was that we gave every person a “Full Time Ministry ID Card”. You can download this card for FREE right here. The “Work and Calling” bundle is a collection of resources that will help you preach a sermon series, cast vision, and design a powerful commissioning service for your church. Get the bundle here.

There is a deep longing inside of all of us for happiness, bliss, ecstasy, and infinite love. This is by design. God created us to long for the day we’ll be together with Him in heaven at a feast that never ends! In Genesis, we read how Abraham lived his life from this vision.  The writer of Hebrews says that Abraham longed for a better country – a heavenly one. Even his work was seen through the lens of eternity. In today’s podcast, I explore the life of Abraham and the revelation that propelled him forward in his work. Because when we view our life and work from heaven’s perspective, everything changes.

It’s been said, “Fish don’t know they’re in water.” In the same way, it’s easy for us to become so used to “the way things are” in the church. For those of us who are pastors and church leaders, we often don’t realize that the way we speak about work, calling, and ministry is often disempowering to the people we lead. Language is powerful. It affects our theology and creates culture. In today’s podcast, I expose some of the most unbiblical language we use and how we can better communicate good theology so our people can flourish in their everyday lives.