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.
New episodes release every Tuesday wherever you listen to podcasts or delivered straight to your inbox.
Healthy pastors lead healthy churches, and healthy churches change the world. That’s why they’ve gathered a national network of providers who are passionate about helping pastors and their families stay on the road to mental, spiritual, and financial well-being.
In today’s episode, Michael shares his passionate love for the local church and reveals why he has confident hope that churches are coming out of pandemic related set-backs and are ramping up again for lasting impact in their individual communities.
As pastors themselves, Jon and Les are familiar with the struggles that many people in ministry face when it comes to financial freedom. That’s why they’ve made it their mission to show other pastors how to use their gifts to create new streams of income.
Wendell Morton is the Executive Director of Men’s Ministry Catalyst. He was in full-time ministry for 17 years with both small and large churches and spent four of those ministry years with Promise Keepers. He also spent 23 years in corporate America, building and leading sales teams.
Gavin Adams is a strategic organizational consultant and leadership partner focused on supporting leaders from innovation through implementation. We share a quote from him in every one of our one-day events, so it’s really fun to finally have him on the podcast this week.
In this episode, Jason is talking through the potential changes on the horizon, what Meta is and why Mark Zuckerberg is moving their company in that direction, why he and his church are testing out virtual reality services, the encouragement that all of us need to hear about shifts in culture, and more!
Polly’s vision in life is to see people walk in the fullness of who God created them to be. For years Polly has been helping individuals find freedom and hope from hurting and stuck places. She was the founder and director of a ministry that helped people impacted by the sex industry find freedom and a new life. She also is a published author, speaker, Think Differently Coach, Certified NLP Practitioner, and an Organizational Consultant.
In today’s episode, we’re sharing some recent results from a national survey of small-church pastors we did last year, revisiting what God did in 2021, and looking forward to where we feel He’s leading us in 2022.
The end of 2021 is now upon us. It was definitely one of the most defining years of my life. I learned a lot about myself as I navigated some really difficult challenges. I will always remember 2021 for being a year of “creating under pressure.” I’m sure you found out a lot about yourself as well.
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with each member of our team and asking them about their favorite holiday memories. You’ll hear about the time Caralee’s husband pretended to be Rudolph, when Jesse had to cut 4-feet off a Christmas tree, why last year was the first Christmas Jason loved, the “redneck-est Santa” story from Travis, and so many more! Some of these really are stories I’ll never forget. 🙂
At 2:30 in the morning on September 10th, 2016, Leslie Weirich woke up to the doorbell ringing and the news that her 20-year-old son, Austin, had taken his life. It was the moment that changed everything.
Lance Witt is one of those leaders I hold so much respect for. With over 40+ years of leadership experience, and a deep understanding of soul care and ministry leadership, he holds so much wisdom for the Church today. I am honored to have him back on the podcast for today’s conversation!
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.
