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.
In this episode we not only hear Chris’s story, we also hear about how he and his church have worked through challenges like empowering volunteers, the dynamics of prioritizing family over ministry, the value of quitting, and some other really relevant topics for pastors today.
How can a leader go about identifying a vision from God? And what advice would I give a young leader about sharing his/her vision so that others will join them in it?
One of the biggest challenges you and I will face in leadership is not being able to recognize when the current season is over and it’s time for a change.
Nathaniel, like many other student pastors, went into ministry thinking that he would be in student ministry for the long-haul, but God had other plans.
Not many pastors can also claim the title Fire Chief, but in this episode of Real Church Stories, Joe talks with Phillip Murdock, the Lead Minister of Life Pointe Christian Church in Toano, VA and the Fire Chief of the James City Bruton Volunteer Fire Department.
For too long, we have put our presentation and style on the table of change, but we have held on tightly to our structures and methods.
This week’s guest is Michael Lomax, Pastor of Westwood Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. Michael is a bivocational pastor who also works in the financial world and has some incredible wisdom to share.
We are so excited to be launching The Real Church Stories Podcast! In this very first episode, Joe spends some time talking with his friend and ministry mentor, Mike Kjergaard.
As you lead your organization through these times, I wanted to offer some help that parallels some lessons learned from a near-fatal drowning experience.
This week my conversations with church friends and colleagues have had a similar theme. That theme is this: What can I do?
We aren’t called to simply preach to the congregation. We are called to equip. While preaching is certainly a means used to equip people, just having people observing our preaching in and of itself isn’t the ultimate goal.
The debilitating effects of insecurity boldly come rushing out of the shadows when the insecure leader is forced into crisis management.
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.
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.
Equipping can’t be reduced to a weekly performance; it requires presence, relationship, modeling, and shared life.
Prayer isn’t the warm-up—it’s the engine. Ministry strength doesn’t come from personal drive; it comes from dependence on Jesus and consistent prayer.
“If you got a pulse, he’s got a purpose for you.” Retirement isn’t the end of ministry; it’s a new season with fresh opportunities to serve, mentor, and impact the kingdom.
Self-awareness protects leaders from self-deception. Honest feedback is a guardrail for character and culture.
Listen to Dale on The Stetzer ChurchLeader Podcast w/ Ed Stetzer discussing his book:
Get the 4 day Stalled devotional plan through YouVersion.
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