Follow The Leader
It can be so reassuring when facing a fork in the road to have someone guide you through the unknown who knows the way forward.
Real guidance for pastors navigating the challenges of everyday ministry.
Leading a small or midsize church comes with unique pressures. From burnout and soul care to church strategy and team development, our articles and podcast guides address the issues church leaders face every week.
It can be so reassuring when facing a fork in the road to have someone guide you through the unknown who knows the way forward.
Do you feel in some ways that “life just passed you by” as it relates to your ministry effectiveness? Maybe you advanced 7 years in 7 weeks!
The hardest thing for me as a young leader was having to develop and grow in my faith in front of those that I was entrusted to lead.
Every leader who has ever led anything has times where they need to know what to do when they don’t know what to do. You and I aren’t the exception to this truth.
Truthfully, shutting things down for several weeks in a row has never been an option for me because the majority of my ministry experience has been in the small church.
The Enemy knows that exhausted leaders most likely will want to give up on running their laps in the relay race of our faith.
Here are three criteria I would use to determine if someone is a casual viewer or an engaged attender of your ministry.
Has your church’s income been hit because of COVID-19? Nearly 50% of churches anticipate a reduction in budget in 2021.
Wade Bearden is the Co-Founder of Ministry Pass and Sermonary and he’s a volunteer member of his church’s preaching team.
‘We have a Facebook page that we try to use intentionally, but we don’t have a website. Doesn’t our Facebook page cover our basic need for a website?’
I recently surveyed over 150 Church Social Media Managers to find out what they wish pastors understood about their job.

Discouraged. It’s how every leader has felt at one point or another when we want to be somewhere we’re not. Dale navigated his own experiences of disappointment in himself and uncovered key truths about leadership in ministry that can anchor and guide us today.
Dale Sellers of 95Network believes this trend is largely due to discouragement among our pastors. Many church leaders begin ministry with dreams of making an eternal impact. But years of striving, stress, and strain have left them feeling defeated, disillusioned, and stalled.
Thankfully, there is hope that ministry can turn around for the discouraged pastor. As a former minister who’s been in the trenches, Dale Sellers reveals that:
In STALLED, you will discover your sweet spot and realize you are closer to being “there” than you know.
All episodes will be posted here on the website, and are also available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Hosted by Caralee Culpepper and Dale Sellers, our executive director, and a former small church pastor, our 95Network podcast is a wealth of information specifically for small-church pastors—delivered in a candid, kind, and concise way. We cover pressing topics in modern ministry, annual trends, and more.
The personal God gets personal with us. Biblical counseling explores the active, desiring heart beneath behavior and connects it to Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s present ministry.
Self-awareness protects leaders from self-deception. Honest feedback is a guardrail for character and culture.
Build discipleship around practice, not just information. People grow through doing, feedback, and repetition in relationships.
In this episode, Dale Sellers & Joseph Bennett interview trauma counselor Bridget Trammell about trauma, triggers, religious abuse, purity culture, and practical steps pastors can take to heal and lead healthier churches.
We usually have it backwards. . . Most of us rest from work. However, God’s desire for us is that we work from rest.
Fault leads to shame; responsibility leads to freedom. Responsibility shows you what you can actually change and release what you cannot control.
Discernment stays human. AI can help refine communication, brainstorm, or summarize—but leaders must verify and own what’s shared.
Connection starts with God first. If leaders are not connected to God, they will not lead people into meaningful connection.
Kids ministry deserves top-tier support. If the mission includes evangelism and disciple-making, the next generation should be resourced accordingly.
Most pastors aren’t refusing rest—they’re trapped by systems. Without a plan (and a bench), even a short break can feel impossible.
Preparation beats panic. Healthy leaders build a plan before the crisis—then execute calmly when disruption hits.
We regularly share practical insights for pastors leading small and midsize churches. If you’d like our latest articles, podcast episodes, and resources delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the 95Network newsletter.
