Big Shoes To Fill (w/ Gavin Adams) – Episode 223
Gavin gives practical as well as personal wisdom that he has gained over the years of helping churches and marketplace organizations walk through leadership transition.
Practical conversations for small and midsize church leaders.
Hosted by Dale Sellers, Executive Director of 95Network and former small church pastor, the 95Podcast addresses the real challenges pastors face every week—from church health, leadership clarity, to the everyday realities of leading without large staff or large budgets. These are straightforward conversations rooted in experience, not theory.
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Gavin gives practical as well as personal wisdom that he has gained over the years of helping churches and marketplace organizations walk through leadership transition.
When there was a crisis or celebration, Jesus was usually the person everyone ran to when he was here on earth.
The absence of young people and young families makes it hard to implement the necessary changes needed to create sustainable church health.
While some folks in the church can be the source of your pain, Karl and Shelley received unexpected healing and restoration from the people in their new congregation. This blessing released them into where they are today as they minister to leaders and their spouses all over the world.
The “damn” sandwich is taken a devastating toll on small and mid size church leaders. There has to be an intentional effort from within the congregation to focus on pastoral health from the side of the laity.
We need to look for people either from within our ministry setting or outside of our ministry setting that we can be completely honest and vulnerable with.
You may discover that you will find that serving in a bi-vocational capacity will bring tremendous fulfillment and margin to your life versus being full-time.
At the core of every church should be a desire to create disciples who create disciples who in turn create more disciples.
These resources provide practical tools that enable you to examine and expose areas where you may not be leading from a healthy soul.
Succession plans don’t just happen. It takes a long and thorough process to effectively implement a successful transition from one leader to the next.
Ministry in the coming decade is going to require a renewed authenticity in how we provide ministry. The shift has already begun to move from “observing” a service each week to “participating” in it.
A healthy soul is developed through a rhythm of surrender and reflection. We were not created to live our lives in a wide-open, frantic pace continually.
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.
Build discipleship around practice, not just information. People grow through doing, feedback, and repetition in relationships.