📝 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.
In part 2 of this series on The Emotionally Healthy Leader, Pete explores the first pillar of building a deep inner life out of which we lead for Jesus: face your shadow. This requires confronting those parts of who we are that we prefer to neglect, forget, or deny, and it is our most difficult leadership task. Pete builds on the material found in book and provides additional avenues to get at this largely unconscious, damaged but mostly hidden version of who we are.
This launches the first of 10 podcasts from The Emotionally Healthy Leader book on “The Emotionally Unhealthy Leader.” Pete describes the four characteristics of an emotionally unhealthy leader and the unhealthy commandments which dominate our Christian leadership cultures. He invites us to let the simple but profound truths of this podcast go deep into our bones, to go from our head to our heart, that the world might know Jesus.
Few leaders have an awareness of, let alone reflect on, the nature of their power. In this podcast, Pete shares a reading from the chapter on power and wise boundaries in The Emotionally Healthy Leader, discussing the complexity of dual relationships and power.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.
Abraham and Sarah, out of their impatience, birthed a physical son - Ishmael. We too, out of our own impatience, often birth “Ishmaels” as well. This podcast explores The Ishmael Test, four questions to ask ourselves before we launch large decisions for God and his work.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.
Reflecting on our mistakes and regrets can be a gift if we learn from them. This podcast is Part 2 of Pete's biggest regrets over the last 40 years of leadership. He shares 6 more regrets and discusses discretion (i.e. discernment) in leadership.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.
Pete answers the question “what has been your greatest regret in leadership?” by sharing his top four regrets over the last 40 years. This is part 1 of a 2-part series.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.
Pete talks about the ancient practice of the Daily Office as one powerful means to carve out sufficient time to be with Jesus and to be with ourselves – out of which we go and offer our lives as a gift to the world. This is not a superficial being simply to stay functional but to a deep waiting on Jesus – a life with deep stillness and silence that serves to center our leadership. He also breaks down one of his morning prayer times as a sample (being fully aware that each of us needs to find our own way) and leads a short Daily Office.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.
Pete begins by talking about reading for wisdom and not simply for information – suggesting we re-learn how to read - then shares a list of key books he has read in last six to twelve months.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.
It is possible to build a church, an organization, or a team by relying only on our gifts, talents, and experience. But Jesus says that our efforts are worth nothing unless they flow out of a relationship of loving union with him (John 15:5). In this podcast, Pete shares an excerpt from the audio version of The Emotionally Healthy Leader where he talks about slowing down for loving union with Jesus. Staying in communion with Jesus is the most important leadership issue for each of us.
To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.
Pete explores the sixth, and final, quality in this 6-part series on the marks of a church culture that deeply changes lives: every person in full-time ministry. After providing a broad theological overview of our calling and our work, Pete offers 5 specific applications for pastors/leaders to build a dynamic culture where people mature and are freed for God’s mission in their lives.
To download a free e-book on Church Culture Revolution: A 6-Part Vision that Deeply changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.