Lost in Ministry: Finding Your Way Back to Your God-Given Calling
“Stop wandering lost in ministry. Discover your God-given calling by understanding where you are and learning to wait for divine rescue instead of figuring it out alone.”
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.
“Stop wandering lost in ministry. Discover your God-given calling by understanding where you are and learning to wait for divine rescue instead of figuring it out alone.”
“Struggling with pastor burnout? Learn the transformative shift from doing ministry FOR God to ministering FROM God’s power through authentic connection.”
“God made none of us whole. God made us wholly interdependent with the body of Christ in order to lead his church.”
In case team building is something you need help with, allow me to share the basics from a resource I created for 95Nework titled “Eight Key Principles for Equipping Saints and Improving Follow-Through.”
“A disciple organizes their calendar around their relationship with Jesus.”
One of my greatest ministry regrets is that I didn’t have anyone to help me work through this while I was pastoring. However, you don’t have to go through what I did. We are here for you.
“Communications is not about being promotional; it’s about bringing the plan together.”
Some of us believe it’s part of our call as pastors to sacrifice our health for the people in our congregations. Others need to be seen as martyrs in order to fulfill a need for acceptance. Still other pastors are so driven that they justify ignoring a clear directive from motivator, nothing will cause us to lose perspective faster than exhaustion.
“You don’t get breakthrough in the drive-thru.” — Jason Allison
Please don’t hesitate to connect with us if we can serve or support you in any way at all.
“We pastors have not been good or healthy on the whole for generations.”

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.
