How to Succeed with Sabbath: Practical Steps for Busy Leaders

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5 Ways to Avoid the Trap of False Power, Pt. 2
Posted on: Tuesday March 18, 2025
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📝 Free Church Culture Assessment: How is your church doing in these 6 core areas? https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchhealth

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Are you leading out of true power—or false power?

Far too often, we mistake activity for effectiveness, urgency for wisdom, and influence for true authority. When we operate out of false power—power rooted in our own ambition, hurry, or need for approval—we’re actually moving backward, not forward. We might look like we’re leading well, but deep inside, something is off. Anxiety rises, peace disappears, and we start measuring success by numbers instead of names, by comparison instead of calling.

In this episode, I unpack five countercultural ways to guard your heart and leadership against the trap of false power. We look at Paul’s struggle with the “super-apostles” and how weakness—not strength—is the pathway to true kingdom power. We explore why embracing slowness, humility, and deep discernment is the only way to keep your leadership aligned with Jesus.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted, driven, or subtly addicted to success—this episode is for you. True power is found in surrender. Let’s learn to lead from a different kind of strength.

 

Archives:
Monday August 03, 2020

In today's podcast, I offer a few ways for us to reframe "success" that will serve us well as we continue our journey through the unknown.

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Tuesday July 28, 2020

Back in June, I released the first part of today's topic, making a case that leaders must dramatically change the way we approach our devotional life with Jesus.

In today's podcast, I recommend a new way forward. I'll share with you four keys that will breathe life back into your devotions.

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Tuesday July 21, 2020
This week's podcast focuses on how we can stay anchored in God and ourselves in the midst of such continued uncertainty. Unless we find solid ground on which to stand, it will be nearly impossible for us to help others who are struggling to find their footing in the midst of storms.
 
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Monday July 13, 2020

Building on last week's podcast theme, today's episode features a deeper exploration of the church as described in Ephesians 3:1-13. We must be gripped by God's design for the church to be one body that spans race, culture, gender, and class.

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Monday July 06, 2020

Today’s podcast features part one of a time-tested sermon in which Pete explores God’s plan to create a new international family. Exploring Ephesians 2:1-11, we are introduced to God’s vision for the church - a revelation so powerful that it dismantles complacency and burns through the sin of racism.

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Monday June 29, 2020

In this podcast I address one of the most important tasks before us as leaders – declaring the certainty of God’s future in the face of the multiple crisis facing our people, our nations, and our churches. 

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Monday June 22, 2020

The world is reeling from three global upheavals.

The coronavirus pandemic, the outrage over racial injustice, and the global recession have exposed us. They've put pressure on the church in uncomfortable ways.

Today's podcast is my passionate plea to respond to God’s invitation.

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Monday June 15, 2020

In this podcast, Pete addresses fundamental discipleship issues confronting the church today in the midst of the global awakening around racial injustice – grief and loss. 

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Monday June 08, 2020

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, Americans and people around the globe are expressing outrage and grief on a level I’ve never seem in my lifetime. It appears to be a moment in which God is doing something significant in the world and the church.

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Monday June 01, 2020

In today's podcast, Pete introduces the elements of one way to move from traditional devotions to transformative devotions through the integration of the practice of the Daily Office. 

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