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.
If you’ve been in ministry for very long, you know in your heart that the actions that got you where you are now will not get you to the next destination. And if you don’t change your thinking and your habits, then in all likelihood, you will perpetuate an unhealthy ministry that will not grow. The ripple effect of an ongoing unhealthy ministry can last for several generations.
Treat porn struggles like other care needs: combine prayer, accountability, software safeguards, and specialist therapy when needed.
In other words, although they are still in the community physically, their ability to influence the community dissolves. Once-thriving ministries fade into oblivion because they lose the ability to relate to those around them.
“If we’re not helping people practice the Word, we’ve failed as disciple makers.”
They got so used to relying on their own abilities that they became disconnected from the true source of anointing—intimacy with Him.
95Network’s mission is to connect churches to health-building resources resulting in equipped leaders that equip. Our vision is to bring healthy change to every church in America.
Not a day went by that I didn’t mentally highlight at least one of the areas that I was failing in. In my mind, there was an image of a mature, Godly leader that I was never going to be able to attain because I continued to fall further and further behind no matter how hard I tried.
“Most people haven’t been asked two simple questions: Would you share? Why or why not?”
Not a day went by that I didn’t mentally highlight at least one of the areas that I was failing in. In my mind, there was an image of a mature, Godly leader that I was never going to be able to attain because I continued to fall further and further behind no matter how hard I tried.
“I want to represent pastors of smaller churches and say: we can lead well, too.”
An unwillingness to change will always work against us. The cost of correcting a character flaw or lack of training is much cheaper in our twenties than in our forties or fifties. Simply put, the reason so many leaders are unwilling to change is that they can no longer afford the price.
“Empathy doesn’t equal agreement. It equals caring, hearing, and understanding.”
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.
“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.
Build discipleship around practice, not just information. People grow through doing, feedback, and repetition in relationships.
Prayer is the engine, not the accessory. Easter effectiveness is not primarily about production, but about God’s presence.
Start with alignment, not content. Kevin begins sermon prep by praying, seeking God’s direction, and dealing with “known sin” to remove spiritual and emotional friction.
Less Is More—With Intentionality. Doing less with your whole heart is better than doing more and being worn out. Fewer tactics executed with great intentionality will be more effective than an overwhelming production.
Have the Conversation Before There’s a Problem. You can’t wait for something negative to happen before talking to volunteers. Schedule regular check-ins not just about their area of service but about their lives.
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.
America’s churches are over-inspired and under-trained. People hear great messages but don’t know how to actually do ministry. The solution is creating workshop environments where people learn by doing, not just listening.
With a possible 160,000 churches facing pastoral transitions in the next decade, there’s a critical shortage of developed leaders ready to step into these roles.
Advanced preparation eliminates urgency. It will also free up a great deal of time for you once you’ve paid the dues to get started.
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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