The Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast

• Why YOU are your child's biggest problem (and what to do about that)
• How to create a SAFE environment in your home
• Why CONNECTION is more important than rules
• The importance of knowing your POWER with your children

🎯 FREE TEAM TRAINING: Grow a healthy team culture with our team transformation videos https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/team --------------------------- One of the most difficult and nuanced callings is serving as a board member of a church or ministry. This role is both legal and spiritual, affecting the entire church culture. Very few are trained to do it well. Sadly, often it is only after a crisis or scandal that people realize the "Board" was not really functioning, trained, or doing what they were entrusted to do. But the truth is – that healthy, thriving, flourishing churches have healthy, thriving, flourishing boards. In today's podcast episode, I outline the 7 must-have qualities for building an emotionally healthy board. When your board gets these 7 things right, everyone in your church wins for the long haul.

📺 FREE WEBINAR: Develop High-Impact Leaders in Your Church Get a roadmap to disciple the next generation of leaders. Register for the next webinar: https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/highimpact/ ---------------------------- Pastors and leaders want to make an exponential impact for Jesus. We often spend our energy on what will affect the most amount of people. So we prepare cutting-edge weekend services, craft sermons for large groups, publish social posts that we hope will have a viral reach, all while squeezing in time for people when we can. But when we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he focused his time on a few. In fact, he turned the world upside-down by concentrating his ministry on 12 men! In today's podcast, I answer common questions like "How do I choose just 3 or 12 disciples?", "Who should I be looking for? (and, who should I avoid?), and "What do I actually do with them?" This is not easy and fast work, but when we get this right, the church will be transformed.

📣 FREE E-BOOK: 8 Practices of Emotionally Healthy Preaching & Teaching 🌟 Learn the essential practices to deliver sermons with depth and power. https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/preaching

---------------------------- Leadership is a crucible through which God is changing YOU into a new kind of person. Throughout your leadership journey you will be taken through a series of fires or tests from God that exists to purify you from the inside out.   In today's podcast, I share about the many tests you WILL encounter if you haven't already. If you are not prepared for these tests, you will stumble and drown in discouragement. If you are prepared for these tests, you will be transformed into the image of Christ.

A course won't change your church. Neither will a book, a podcast, or a sermon series. So the question is, how do people truly change? This is a question every pastor and leader needs to answer. Over the years of my pastoral ministry, and even today, one thing I've noticed is how often we UNDERESTIMATE the personal time, presence, and intentionality it takes to disciple people into transformation in Jesus. True change is slow because it is relational. Change does not happen on an assembly line. Over the past several weeks on the podcast, I've shared with you the importance of reclaiming a spacious life - one that is not rushed, crammed, or overscheduled. Many leaders are coming to understand this as it relates to their PERSONAL life and walk with God. But today I want to share with you about creating spaciousness for OTHERS. I believe it's the secret ingredient our churches need to experience deep communal fruitfulness.

As leaders, we know that PRAYER is the heartbeat of life in Christ. But often, our vision of prayer can become lop-sided, leading to a heavy weight on our shoulders. For my first 17 years as a Christian, I had a one-dimensional view of prayer. I thought prayer was a tool I was supposed to use to make God's kingdom come. So I would devote 6-8 hours a week in prayer meetings, interceding for revival and believing that unless I prayed, God wouldn't come. I thought that was what Jesus called us to. But over time I learned to see something different in the prayer life of Jesus. The gospel of Luke highlights a way of being with God that is less about striving and more about attunement.  It is true that prayer DOES require perseverance and devotion, but for reasons different than we think. In today's podcast we explore the prayer life of Jesus and what that means for us today.

• Is all self-promotion really sinful? 
• Aren't we called to reach people?
• How do we live and lead publicly without being robbed of joy and contentment?

In 2024, church leaders will be sifted left and right. Mature from immature. Wise from foolish. Substantial from surface level. This I know – the most effective leaders (and the ones worth following) will draw a line in the sand and put a full stop to accepting a rushed, cluttered, and constricted life. They will reject speed, crowds, and noise in favor of a graceful, unrushed way of life. I call this lifestyle "spaciousness". It's one of the secret weapons of true spiritual mothers and fathers of the faith. On today's podcast, I explore the theme of spaciousness, making applications for how leaders can resist the way of the world, and decisively shift into a new way of life with Jesus.

Leaders in 2024 are facing pressures and challenges greater than any other in my lifetime. Elections, wars, rumors of wars, economic pressure, global instability, scandals, artificial intelligence, etc. This may seem overwhelming, but there is a unique opportunity before us. As leaders, this will require the decision to radically re-align ourselves to God's purposes and plans in the world today. On today's podcast, I share some personal reflections on what I believe "radical realignment" looks like and then offer 3 specific invitations from God in this season.

• A staff member is chronically late to team meetings
• Your children are texting during a family meal
• A volunteer is saying they are doing their role, but they clearly are not
• A church elder or board member is living a non-exemplary life
• Someone dropped the ball on getting out promotions for your Christmas Eve service.

• Your spouse and friends will feel seen and heard.
• Your staff and volunteers will feel like you get them.
• Your church will experience you as compassionate and present.
• Your love for others will grow exponentially.

For the first 17 years of my Christian life, my emotional life was completely divorced from my spiritual life.  Or so I thought. When sadness, anger, or disappointment surfaced from my soul, I did not see them as gifts. As a leader, I saw my emotions as interruptions to "my real work" – moving the church forward and reaching the lost! As a result, I was not present with myself, with God, or with others. I saw my sadness as something to be overcome through prayer and Scripture. I would declare, "the joy of the Lord is my strength!" while ignoring the deep cries of my heart. The truth is that emotions never die. They are only buried alive. They always resurface, leaking into other parts of our lives and relationships.  It took a work of God for this to change in my life and marriage. When my wife Geri and I discovered the permission to explore our emotional life, it was like opening up a dam. The world went from black and white to color almost overnight. Emotionally healthy leaders see their emotions as invitations, not obstacles to the mission of God. The fruit of this journey leads to less anxiety and more freedom in our lives, leadership, and relationships. In today's podcast episode, my wife Geri and I share more about the skill of emotional discovery we call "Explore the Iceberg" in Emotionally Healthy Relationships.    Bottom line, your emotional life is a matter of life and death!

Leaders, by definition, are captivated by the future – moving forward, making progress, and changing the world. But what many leaders fail to appreciate is that we are all anchored in our past. In other words, none of us are "blank slates". We each bring the blessings and curses of our families of origin (Exodus 20:5) into our relationships, churches, organizations, and businesses.  Emotionally healthy leaders understand that you cannot go forward without first going backward. That is why the GENOGRAM is one of the core tools in both parts of the Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Course. When I became a Christian, I believed I was a "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17) and that I no longer needed to deal with my past. However, when I discovered the genogram tool, I found a new way to bring all of the baggage of my family of origin to Jesus to be changed.  The truth is – you cannot change what you are unaware of. In today's podcast episode, Geri and I share our history with this powerful tool and how it helped us name the reality of our past to catalyze the transforming work of Jesus in our lives and leadership. Don't miss this one!

• Your expectation is unconscious. You didn't even know you had an expectation until it was violated.
• Your expectation is unrealistic. It is not reasonable given the person or circumstance.
• Your expectation is unspoken. You did not clearly articulate your expectation to another person.
• Your expectation is un-agreed upon. The other person never agreed to follow-through with your expectation.

In over four decades of leadership, I've come to the conclusion that one of the biggest gaps in our leadership training comes down to one essential skill... Creating safety where everyone around you feels empowered to communicate clearly and honestly. Without this skill, church teams remain silenced - unable to speak truth and creating the conditions for an environment of frustration, resentment, and judgement. On today's podcast, I'm joined by my wife Geri, as we explore the first of 8 essential relationship skills that every leader must adopt in order to unleash the God-given voice of our people. We'll model a powerful skill called "Community Temperature Reading" and talk about how it applies to real life leadership scenarios. Imagine leading a church where every staff, leader, and volunteer knows how to communicate clearly. Imagine a culture, where everyone feels safe to tell the truth and has the skills needed to do so. Imagine the unity that is possible when every voice is heard. Take a listen to today's podcast.

According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, the fastest growing stream of the church is the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. In terms of overall numbers, it represents 644 million Christians world wide. This is 8.3% of the world population. By 2050, it will reach over 1 billion people. Unbelievable! We need the power of God, gifts of the Holy Spirit, signs and wonders for the global mission of the church. Much of my personal spiritual and leadership journey was formed in the charismatic movement. We regularly experienced the outpouring of God's power in our church. It was electric. And yet I was still proud, defensive, distant, not present, unable to connect relationally, conflict avoidant, unaware internally, and unloving. This disconnect is what led to the birth of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship. In today's episode, I unpack 5 key contributions of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship that allow us to walk in the healthy, long-term release of God’s power. 

For leaders, one of the most frustrating parts of decision-making is this... It....takes....time. Sure, sometimes quick decisions are necessary. But most consequential decisions (that shape the future of your life, church, and ministry) require the ability to slow down and wait. Usually for longer than is comfortable for you. In order to let your judgments (discernments) come from deep within, you cannot in any way be pressed or hurried. You must wait. To be clear, waiting does not mean you are doing nothing.  You are doing the most important something there is. In today's podcast, I share more about what God is actually developing in you in times of waiting. Then I take time to address several questions listeners have submitted.

Decision-making is primarily about discernment. It's the ability to make decisions that align with God's will for your life and ministry. The truth is - discernment is an art. It takes practice, attention, and a lifetime to develop. But if there is one core practice that is the foundation of discernment, it is learning to pay attention to the movement of God in your own soul through consolations and desolations. "Consolations and desolations" are terms offered by Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits over 500 years ago to describe the inner feelings that move you toward God and the ones that take you away from God.   Leaders who are able to slow down and pay attention to the inner work of God will not only be effective, they will be able to lead from joy, rest, and freedom.

One of the primary tasks of spiritual leadership is the ability to make prayerful, wise decisions. Yet many leaders find it difficult to invest the time and space necessary for sharp discernment. The result is that our decisions become dull, lacking precision and power. Over time, flippant decision-making inflicts tremendous consequences on us and those we lead. In the first episode of this new podcast series, we discuss the importance of boundaries to keep us surrendered to God’s purposes. Why? Because any time God calls us to a specific work, the devil tempts us to live beyond our boundaries. This happens in every season of our life! When we discern and yield to the gravity of God's purpose, life flourishes. This is the first step to becoming leaders who make sharp decisions.

Years ago, we were doing some strategic planning at the church I had founded in Queens, NY. We were reflecting on what contributed to our growth over a 26 year period. A single word kept reappearing on the whiteboard - "BASEMENT" How did we disciple so many quality leaders, many of whom are still leading today? Hint: it wasn't what happened on the stage. It was what happened in the basement. Matthew 28 tells us to "make disciples of all nations". But many leaders today feel a pressure to make their discipleship strategies big and public rather than small and hidden. Jesus modeled a different way of making disciples. In fact, he flipped the entire thing upside down. In today's podcast, I share with you why real discipleship starts in the basement.

Affliction. It's a topic that nobody wants to talk about (including me).

But as it relates to TRUE LEADERSHIP, it is a costly mistake to avoid our afflictions. Why? Because this is how God matures us into spiritual mothers and fathers of the faith.

By "affliction," I'm referring to any kind of hurt, loss, betrayal, broken relationship, abandonment, or disorienting circumstance. While these are obviously things we don't want, they are also unavoidable. Many of us run from our afflictions, seeing them as obstacles to our life and leadership. We distract, jump over, sidestep, and ignore. But Jesus called us to take up our cross and follow him. And when you're on the cross, you can't just jump off! The good news is that God doesn't abandon us in our hardships. In fact – if we're willing to PAY ATTENTION, God uses our afflictions to develop us into the type of leaders worth following. Take a listen to today's podcast episode.

One of the greatest threats to leading with joy is giving into the temptation of overcommitment. When our lives are crowded, cluttered, and cramped, it is difficult to hear God and live in loving union with Him. The irony is, we can "fit in" regular practices of Sabbath and silence while still being driven by an overscheduled life. But how do we resist this temptation? Silence, solitude, and sabbath must become our practices. AND spaciousness must become our mindset.

In order to live spacious lives, we must avoid the critical traps that keep us settling for an overcommitted life.

• What would it feel like to live with breathing room?
• How would it feel to limit your "Yes" and claim more margin in your schedule?
• What if you could build in time for extended thinking, praying, and being?

On today's podcast, I identify several traps that keep you from the gift of spaciousness and offer wisdom that will help you live with a renewed sense of joy.

Many leaders today "know" the importance of a slowed-down spirituality. So why do so many continue to feel overloaded and over scheduled, often working 3 jobs, taking on new side hustles, and remain driven by the fear of missing out? Why can't we stop overcommitting?

Listen, I know this struggle firsthand. And I've found that it goes deeper than knowing intellectually and theologically the right thing to do.

1. How do you break free from the roots of overcommitment inside yourself?
2. How do you help others break free from overcommitment as you lead them?

Recently we crossed an unbelievable threshold with the Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast with over 10 million lifetime podcast downloads. I couldn't be more surprised, humbled, and thankful for this milestone moment.  I say "surprised" because back in 1996, when we first started, the term "emotional health" was considered heretical in much of the church! Now 25 years later, we can see that the cultural landscape has changed dramatically. Not only is emotional health received, but in many ways, it is now considered a promotional buzzword. In today's podcast, I share my observations of what I consider 3 counterfeit versions of emotional health that we settle for, but then cast a vision for an authentic life with God.

I was recently asked by someone... "Pete, if you could go back and give yourself advice in the different seasons of life and ministry, what would you say?" The truth is – every decade has its own unique invitations. As I reflected, I realized that I would say something slightly different to myself at 25, 35, 45, and even 55. Today on the podcast, I share with you some fresh insights as I look back on my own journey and development. While my journey is different than yours, I'm hoping you'll be able to learn from my lessons - both the good and the bad!

I was 19 when I came to Christ and started my training as a Christian leader. As a young leader, I was taught many valuable things. But nobody told me about the most powerful gift leaders can bring to those they lead.

But I've learned (through my own failures) that the greatest gift leaders can actually give is becoming an "incarnational presence" – being DEEPLY PRESENT with people like Jesus. In today's podcast episode, we look at the norm for most churches and leaders, but then we'll explore the beauty of what can happen in our church cultures when we learn to lead in this way. I encourage you to watch our full training video online in our Leader's Training Vault. It's completely free and only takes one minute to register. For now, you can listen to today's episode here...

As a pastor or leader, your primary role is to develop and disciple others.

Not long ago I was spending time with some young pastors, hoping to learn how leaders today define ministry success. The word "influence" seemed to be a common theme. Many leaders obsess over growing their followers, gaining digital credibility, and creating captivating sound bites for social media. While there is nothing wrong with having a following, there exists a pressure and allure to making that the primary scorecard for ministry impact. This way of thinking only leads to destruction. In many ways, this is nothing new. The 3 deadly temptations that Jesus faced in the desert, are the exact temptations we face as leaders, no matter what generation you are from.

• Expectations from others (i.e. board, supervisors, people we serve)
• Internal pressure to be a great leader or to create momentum.
• The “shoulds" of everything that feels important. (i.e. “We should be doing more of this...")

• We diminish the long-term impact of our ministries.
• We allow the wrong people exercise power and leadership. 
• We perpetuate immaturity. 
• We grow resentful and live in dis-ease. 
• We waste the time, energy, and money of God’s people.
• We increase anxiety in everyone around us.
• We, and our community, become less playful (and more “intense/heavy.”)

Every day, people all around us live in a chronic state of dread, anxious about what tomorrow will bring. Nations and economies are crumbling. News media agitates our deepest fears. It often feels like the ground is shaking beneath our feet. In a time like this, it is critical that we continue to LIVE and LEAD out of deep rest in Christ. But how do we break free from the gravitational pull of bad news and despair? I believe we must recalibrate a biblical vision of HOPE. (Hint: it's more than optimism)   Let's be clear – this doesn't happen easily. We must contend for God's vision of reality and vigilantly pursue deep rest in Christ. In today's podcast episode, I share keys to cultivating hope and deep rest.

Hiring new staff (paid or volunteer) is one of the most difficult responsibilities of church leadership.  The difference between the right hire and the wrong hire will have long-term consequences in your church. Two weeks ago on the podcast, I brought the first part of "Emotionally Healthy Hiring (Paid or Volunteer)", in which we covered the first 7 principles that leaders must consider before making a hire. Today, I bring the second part, offering the next 6 out of 13 principles for emotionally healthy hiring. (It's shocking to hear how often principle #11 is overlooked when hiring staff!)

Churches around the world are rebuilding in a post-pandemic world. Leaders are assembling new teams and desperately trying to fill vacant positions. The temptation to cut corners in your hiring process (paid or volunteer) is ENORMOUS. When you feel the pressure to onboard a new worship leader or children's pastor in order to keep "the wheels on the bus", it's easy to make poor hiring decisions.

In today's podcast, I share 7 out of 13 principles that MUST be considered before your next hire. On the following podcast, I'll release part two of this series with the remaining principles. 

Today, very few church leaders feel like they are winning.

We look at our churches compared to what they used to be or what we'd like them to be, and it's hard to feel like we're making a real difference. So we're faced with a difficult temptation... Do we use our best energy to chase the perception of momentum? Or do we pursue heaven's perspective and seek to live with integrity from the inside out?

In today's podcast, I want to encourage you as a pastor or church leader. Jesus is King and He is ruling over the whole world – including your church!

Great news! I'm officially back from my summer sabbatical and I'm excited to share with you insights from my time away. 

In the 3rd - 5th centuries, early Christian men and women fled to the desert to escape the moral compromise in the church and the idols of the world. They did this, not out of self-righteousness, but in order to send a life raft to the church and be a gift to the world.  The truth is – we must find a new way to live as desert fathers and mothers if we are going to live with deep peace and a powerful witness.

In today's podcast, I share 8 ways you can create for yourself a desert from which you can better love God and love others.

One of the most destructive temptations leaders face is living and leading from the veneer of a "false self". In other words, we project an image of how we'd like to be perceived, rather than living from truth.   

In today's podcast, I share a sermon from Colossians 3 that explores how we can overcome our false self and live out of our true self in Christ.

Many leaders today believe that if we're going to get things done and be successful, we must "take the bull by the horns". We are told that strength and power win in the economy of leadership. So when Jesus boldly announces "Blessed are the Meek", it's no wonder that many of us shrug our shoulders and keep plowing ahead. In today's podcast, I share a sermon that explores the depth underneath Jesus' words as he invited us into a life marked by meekness.

Today on the podcast, I share a part of an interview I did earlier this year with the Canadian Church Leaders Network.

I expanded upon what I see as one of God’s purposes for pouring out His Spirit - giving us the power to die.

For too many years, I thought being a peacemaker was simply being a nice person. Because of this illusion, I spiritualized my conflict avoidance and created a culture in my church where everyone pretended things were ok. This is the definition of false peace.

In the second part of this series, we explore how Jesus disrupted false peace by cleansing the temple. If you're a people-pleaser, this is a critical message for our day!

I spent my early years avoiding conflict. True peacemaking, when understood correctly, actually comes through disrupting false peace.

In today's podcast, I share a sermon that goes deeper into this new understanding. I assure you...it changes everything.

Many pastors have been professionally educated and extensively trained.

The problem is – we are facing a massive discipleship crisis. I've found that much of our training doesn't help get at the root of this problem. Deep change requires a new kind of training.

In today's episode, I cast a biblical vision for why training is not a "once and done" experience but a lifestyle we are called to.

Have you ever stopped to consider what season you are in? Spring, summer, fall, or winter?

When we ignore the reality of our season, not only do we constantly feel like we're missing it, but we are unable to receive the unique gifts of God.

On today's podcast, together we'll explore how to discern and navigate our unique leadership seasons.

For many leaders, the pain and failure that come with leadership are often too much to bear.  But the truth is – pain and failure are some of God's greatest gifts to us. Why? Because it is the only way we will mature into the unique leaders He has destined us to become. In today's podcast episode, I'll show you how to perceive the challenges of leadership as gifts from the Father.

Have you ever returned from vacation tired and empty?

As we enter into the summer months in North America, we have an opportunity to completely re-think the way we take our vacations from a biblical perspective. On today's podcast, I explore what you must do BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER your vacation in order for you to get the rest and restoration you need.

Is your life and leadership the same on the INSIDE as it is on the OUTSIDE? You might respond "Of course it is!". But reality is - sometimes it's hard to know. That's why God often sends others to help us see our own blindspots.

In today's podcast, I share this full sermon and 3 invitations that I believe are critical for the day in which we live. 

It has been almost 40 years since I graduated from seminary.  I had no idea there would also be a few HARD lessons waiting for me. Each of them would completely transform my life and ministry. In today's podcast, I share just 5 of these important lessons hoping they can be a gift to you as well.

Most leaders are consumed with solving problems, putting out fires, and managing people.

Most leaders are taught that THIS is good leadership! But the truth is, if you want to be a transformational leader, you must learn to lead from the inside out. In today's episode, I share about the three temptations that must be resisted in order to lead from within.

Last week on the podcast we covered a thorny topic – Church Scandals.

In today's episode, I tackle several questions that listeners sent me last week, and then we dive into part two of the key to addressing our church scandal crisis.

Church scandals. They seem to be more and more frequent in headline news. Each one has a dramatic effect on all of us. They are to be grieved but also carefully examined.

Please listen to today's episode, and if appropriate, share with others leaders who could benefit from this conversation.

We must recover the ancient practice Sabbath. It's how we slow down our lives to delight in Jesus, and in doing so, anchor ourselves into eternity. ​​​​​​​ On today's podcast, I share a message which is the second part of our podcast series on the Sabbath.

Becoming an emotionally healthy disciple is not just about self-discovery and self-improvement. Ultimately, our discipleship MUST lead us to become spiritual mothers and fathers of the faith - helping those around us discover their God-given power and purpose.

In today's podcast, I share a message that invites us to become spiritual mothers and fathers in the faith.

On today's podcast, I share a sermon that will help you grow as an emotionally healthy leader – prudent with your time, wealth, energy, and resources. Only with prudence are we able to become the kind of leaders who create and shape the future!

Recently, I made a large, consequential decision over the period of 3 - 6 months. This discernment process required me to personally apply the principles of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship in a deep way. In today's podcast episode, I will walk you through the specifics of this real-life decision, why it was complex, and five questions that guided me in this decision-making process.

For the last 9 weeks, we've been exploring the core theology and practices of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. But now it's time to address your questions and challenges as you put it into practice. 

In today's podcast episode I bring the last of a multi-week podcast series in which we explore the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to start the journey toward emotional and spiritual health, this series is a must-listen. If you missed the first episode on The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality, you can listen to it here.

We were made by God to live within rhythms and limits. 

Many Christians are familiar with the practice of a daily "quiet time".

But with the speed and volume of our often overscheduled lives, one short moment a day isn't enough to sustain an abiding life with Jesus.

Today's episode is a continuation of an 8-week podcast series in which we explore the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to start the journey toward emotional and spiritual health, this series is a must-listen.

Grief and loss are a central part of our humanity. It comes without our permission and against our will. But this is why suffering is how God uniquely opens our hearts and transforms us.

Today's episode is a continuation of an 8-week podcast series in which we explore the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to start the journey toward emotional and spiritual health, this series is a must-listen.

In today's podcast, I talk more extensively about the 6 stages of the wall and it can lead to complete life transformation. This episode is a continuation of an 8-week podcast series in which we explore the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to start the journey toward emotional and spiritual health, this series is a must-listen. If you missed the first episode on the problem of emotionally unhealthy spirituality, you can listen to it here.

Today, on the podcast, we continue an 8-week series in which we explore the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to grow in emotional health, this series is a must-listen. If you missed the first episode on the problem of emotionally unhealthy spirituality, you can listen to it here.

Today, on the podcast, Pete continues an 8-week series in which he explores the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to grow in emotional health, this series is a must-listen.

Today, on the podcast, Pete launches an 8-week series in which he'll explore the seminal work from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. In this first episode, Pete shines a light on the Top 10 Symptoms of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. If you are a pastor, leader, or listener and you want to know if you are actually emotionally healthy, this episode is a must listen.

Today, on the podcast, Pete shares two biblical invitations that will anchor you when the earth is shifting underneath your feet.

In today's podcast, Pete shares a sermon with an appropriate invitation for 2022 so that you will be encouraged as you lead into a new year.

In today's episode, Pete plays highlights from five of the most popular podcast episodes from 2021.

In today's episode, we'll discover that it's in silence that we learn to pay attention to what God is birthing in and through us.

In today's podcast, Pete shares with you a sermon in which he explores many fascinating details about Herod's life and why it stood in such contrast with the newborn King.

In today's podcast, Pete explores the nuts and bolts and best practices of planning for a sabbatical. It takes advance planning, prayer, and thoughtfulness in order to do well.

In this week's podcast, Pete explores the biblical definition of a sabbatical and makes a case for why all leaders should, at the right time, take one.

Today on the podcast, Pete walks through 4 real-life case studies of leaders navigating transition. In each case, He'll share insights about the right (and wrong) ways these transitions should be handled.

In today's podcast, Pete explores how criticisms can set off internal triggers that may result in anger, defensiveness, or blaming. The good news is – it's possible to get free from these patterns. When you change the way you think, it will be a gift to your whole team and church!

Today on the podcast, Pete walks you through a format for how to host a service where every member of your church is commissioned into full time ministry.

In today's podcast, Pete explores the life of Abraham and the revelation that propelled him forward in his work. Because when we view our life and work from heaven's perspective, everything changes.

In today's podcast, Pete exposes some of the most unbiblical language we use and how we can better communicate good theology so our people can flourish in their everyday lives.

Today on the podcast, Pete builds upon last week's episode about finding our "calling" and shares about the deeper purpose of our work from God's perspective.

In today's podcast, Pete explores the paradox of how God's absence is a form of His presence.

On today's podcast, Pete offers encouragement to pastors who are carrying the weight of the church in a time that is very disorienting. If you need a fresh perspective, take a listen.

If you've come to the end of yourself, you're not alone. On today's podcast, Pete shares with you a message that he believes is timely and encouraging.

Today, Pete gives you a sneak peek of his wife Geri's new podcast, Emotionally Healthy Woman. The first episode is called "Quit Being Afraid of What Other People Think".

In this interview, Pete shares some treasures of church history and why they are vitally important for the leaders of today and tomorrow.

In today's podcast, Pete invites you to listen along as he walks through these three habits detailed in his book Emotionally Healthy Discipleship.

In today's podcast, Pete shares with you a passage that has been instrumental for him as a leader. The scene comes from Mark 15 where Jesus is lonely on the cross. Pete then offers some encouragement for how God comes to us, even in His silence.

In today's episode, Pete offers encouragement by drawing attention to the enormous power of Jesus in the face of evil. Mark chapter 5 offers us the most graphic story in all of the New Testament. In this story, Jesus confronts a man filled with a legion of demons. And in Jesus' presence, this man is freed and restored to his right mind. This kind of power is available to us all in Christ.

When power and dual relationships in your church are not carefully considered, you may be on the road to deep pain, confusion, and division. In this episode, Pete reads five case studies from leaders who are navigating this delicate tension and he draws from difficult personal lessons he's learned to offer leadership wisdom.

Today, Pete shares with you an excerpt of an interview he recently did for Preaching Today. In this interview, Pete shares 6 questions that you must ask if you want to learn how to preach from the inside out.

Today, Pete shares an excerpt from a chapter in his recent book, Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, called "Follow the Crucified, not the Americanized Jesus". It's one of the most important chapters in the book. Within it, he explores four temptations from the Evil One that come to all of us –  regardless of our culture, country, age, demographic, or ministry

In today's episode, Pete offers a NEW scorecard with 7 new metrics leaders MUST begin to measure. It's likely you won't hear about these 7 things in leadership books or church growth conferences. But if you want to lead in a way that actually makes disciples of Jesus, you cannot ignore them. Listen to this episode, to discover 7 questions to measure leadership success.

In today's episode, Pete approaches complex deeply ingrained culture issues by sharing real leadership case studies. He address specific problems and obstacles submitted by 7 church leaders around the world. One by one, he offers practical wisdom for what needs to change in each culture in order to experience true transformation. 

Pete's hope today is that you would be encouraged to know that God is not finished with you yet. The Holy Spirit is ready to bring you into new beginnings!

To be leaders who flourish in the future to come, we must step into several important practices and paradigm shifts. In today's podcast, I explore 3 critical shifts that must take place in order for us to not buckle under the weight of unrelenting pressure.   

Join Pete today as he discusses several case studies that will help you move from theory to reality.

In today's podcast, Pete shares with you a roadmap, that if applied, will help your entire organization not only operate efficiently but lead to Christ-likeness in every person.

In today's episode, Pete will explore these words from Mark 13. Wherever you are today, we pray Jesus breathes into your lungs new perspective, peace, and purpose for your life and future!

Like Jesus, most of the stones in our lives can transform us if we are willing to change the way we see. Listen to today's podcast to learn more.

In today's episode, Pete casts a 6-part vision for a church culture that will accelerate your ability to make deeply changed disciples of Jesus.

In today's episode, Pete covers the next mark of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship. Listen along to learn how to actually lead out of weakness and vulnerability.

In today's episode, we discuss this next mark of emotionally healthy discipleship and why developing a "Genogram" will help us become mature disciples of Jesus.

But how exactly do we make love the measure of our spiritual maturity? In today's podcast, we cover this next mark of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship.

In today's episode, Pete continues the book launch series by exploring the next mark of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship. Like David, Jeremiah and Job, we have an invitation to discover the treasures buried in grief and loss.

John the Baptist, Paul, and Jesus all submitted to the limitations given to them by God.  In today's episode, Pete explores this 3rd mark of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, and invites you to embrace the God-given limits in your life.

In this episode, Pete gives you the top ten indicators that will tell you if your doing has exceeded your being. It's worth a listen just for this list!

Why have our discipleship efforts failed so significantly?

In today's episode, Pete launches into this topic as the first part of a longer podcast series, in which he will discuss the transformational insights of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship.

In today's podcast, Pete goes deeper into this passage and finishes with two poignant questions that are a matter of life and death.

Last week, Pete introduced a powerful skill called "Explore the Iceberg", which is a tool that helps you explore and process your emotional life. In today's podcast, Pete introduces you to another skill called "Climbing the Ladder of Integrity." It's easy to feel stuck, not knowing what to pray. This powerful skill will help you clarify complex thoughts, values, and desires and discover what God might be revealing to you. 

In today's podcast, Pete walks you through a powerful skill, developed over 25 years, called "Explore the Iceberg". It is both practical and profound. This skill has revolutionized the way Pete spends time with Jesus, and we know it will do the same for you!

In today's podcast, I share several keys that will help us pay attention to the work of God in our lives, even in the fog of life transitions.  

In today's podcast, Pete shares with you a message from Ezekiel that Has several timely applications for our present moment. I pray you will listen along and be deeply encouraged!

In today's podcast, I offer ten practical ways we can practice grief and loss. I believe this will give you simple next steps and a new imagination for what this could like in your life and church.

In today's podcast, Pete shares part one of a series where he will talk about the urgent need for us to grieve. It's the kind of podcast that most listeners will skip over because it's not a trendy topic. But if you're serious about doing the deep work of discipleship, take a listen.

In today's podcast, we explore the three things God is wanting to develop in us as we await His rescue in the lion's den.

In today's podcast, Pete addresses the 3 critical tasks of shepherds and reminds you why your work matters deeply to Jesus.

Today on the podcast, Pete shares with you a message about the prophet Jeremiah and his hidden life with God.

In today's episode, Pete shares a word of encouragement as we enter a new year. Based on the story of fishes and loaves, we'll discover how Jesus invites us out of the fear of scarcity into the joy of abundance.

For the final podcast episode of the year, we compiled moments from the highest-rated episodes of 2020. Listen to today's episode to hear a series of short snippets or link to the full episodes

In today's episode, Pete shares a sermon from the prophet Jeremiah that will help us step over fear in the strength and power of God.

We are in the season of Advent - a time of hopeful expectation! Yet we remain several months away from the end of the global pandemic. Across the board, many churches are closing down and others are hanging on with all of their strength.

In today's podcast, Pete shares some insights from the prophet Isaiah to help us see what God is doing when our plans change drastically.

Pete believes this episode will help you enter more deeply into the Advent season AND prepare well for the coming year.

In today's podcast, Pete shares with you this conversation and prays it spurs you on in your own prayer journey. 

In today's podcast, Pete makes the case for why the practice of thankfulness is the antidote to a pervasive ingratitude that causes our hearts to shrink. Near the end, Pete invites you to consider 6 categories of life in which you have the opportunity to give thanks to God.

In today's podcast, Pete shares a message from years ago that is especially important for leaders today. It's about embracing the work of the cross so we can experience resurrection life.

In today's podcast, Pete addresses how we can live, lead, and meet God in the confusing-in-between.

In today's podcast, Pete shares a sermon in which he explores Jesus' parable of the wheat and tares. In this passage, Jesus reveals an astounding picture of how God intends to deal with the good and the evil - especially in the church.

In today's podcast, we learn an important lesson from Martin Buber, a well-known German-Jewish theologian who lived during WWI. From there, we'll explore 3 questions for how we can know whether or not we are actually loving our enemies.

In today's podcast, Pete concludes a three-part series on how Scripture invites us to live and lead in such deeply polarizing times. Throughout this series, we are exploring a total of six radical invitations.

In last week's podcast, Pete explored how our overly-politicized climate is not different from when Jesus walked the earth. Today, he continues the conversation by offering the next two radical invitations from Scripture that will help leaders navigate this moment with health, wisdom, and maturity.

In the first episode of this three-part series, Pete explores how our overly-politicized climate is not different from when Jesus walked the earth. He offers six radical invitations from Scripture that will help leaders navigate this moment with health, wisdom, and maturity.

Following up on last week's podcast called "Relax. It's going to be ok.", I continue the theme by entering into God's invitation for us found in Psalm 23. But how do we rest in a time like this? Listen along to find out.

Have you noticed that everyone is a little on edge? (This may be the understatement of the year!)

In today's podcast, Pete shares with you a message from the book of Revelation that has grounded him for years - especially in times of uncertainty.

In today's podcast, Pete dives into the story of Moses and explore the excuses that could have kept him from responding to God's call on His life.

In this podcast Pete and Geri address topics such as revival, anxiety, and the need for well-differentiated, non-anxious leadership.

In today's podcast, I explore a revelation that came to the prophet Isaiah in a time of great change. In this vision, he saw God on a throne and that a great future was going to spring out of an unlikely place.

In today's podcast, I share with you a sermon based on Isaiah 43 exploring God's divine purpose in a season of disorientation and how we can step into the plan of God.

In today's podcast, Pete addresses this concern head-on. Drawing from historical and global case studies, Pete helps us reframe how the church can thrive even when we can't gather.

In today's podcast, I offer a few ways for us to reframe "success" that will serve us well as we continue our journey through the unknown.

Back in June, I released the first part of today's topic, making a case that leaders must dramatically change the way we approach our devotional life with Jesus.

In today's podcast, I recommend a new way forward. I'll share with you four keys that will breathe life back into your devotions.

Building on last week's podcast theme, today's episode features a deeper exploration of the church as described in Ephesians 3:1-13. We must be gripped by God's design for the church to be one body that spans race, culture, gender, and class.

Today’s podcast features part one of a time-tested sermon in which Pete explores God’s plan to create a new international family. Exploring Ephesians 2:1-11, we are introduced to God’s vision for the church - a revelation so powerful that it dismantles complacency and burns through the sin of racism.

In this podcast I address one of the most important tasks before us as leaders – declaring the certainty of God’s future in the face of the multiple crisis facing our people, our nations, and our churches. 

The world is reeling from three global upheavals.

The coronavirus pandemic, the outrage over racial injustice, and the global recession have exposed us. They've put pressure on the church in uncomfortable ways.

Today's podcast is my passionate plea to respond to God’s invitation.

In this podcast, Pete addresses fundamental discipleship issues confronting the church today in the midst of the global awakening around racial injustice – grief and loss. 

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, Americans and people around the globe are expressing outrage and grief on a level I’ve never seem in my lifetime. It appears to be a moment in which God is doing something significant in the world and the church.

In today's podcast, Pete introduces the elements of one way to move from traditional devotions to transformative devotions through the integration of the practice of the Daily Office. 

In this podcast I talk about one key, often overlooked, ingredient of mature leaders – prudence. As Proverbs says, “…she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.   Prov. 3:13-15

In this podcast, we begin with the reminder that success is becoming the person God has called us to become and doing what God calls us to do. In other words, detaching from the outcomes and circumstances we want, and surrendering to God and his will, is success -- regardless of where that takes us.

This podcast addresses another critical biblical theme for leaders during this Covid-19 pandemic– detachment, that we might follow Jesus, allowing him to birth what he desires in and through us. God has revealed, through this present crisis, our attachment to our plans, our need for security and control, etc. and our strong self-will.

Discerning what season you, your family, your ministry, and the world are in right now may be our most important leadership task. Discerning properly our season will determine our priorities, decisions, and pace – for ourselves and our teams. Failing to discern properly will result in all kinds of internal anguish and wasted energy.  That is the theme of this podcast.

In this podcast, Geri and Pete introduce a foundation spiritual practice called the Community Temperature Reading (CTR for short). This is especially relevant as so many of us are under particular relational pressures during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this podcast, Pete shares a message from Isaiah 36-37 when Israel found herself under enormous pressure surrounded by the armies of Assyria.

Pete is joined by his wife Geri as they address one of the great challenges we face during COVID-19  The prolonged, stay-at-home time in which we find ourselves – our relationships.  

In this podcast, they introduce a life-changing skill called “Clarify Expectations.”

In this week's podcast, Pete's wife Geri joins him in sharing with us four ways to transition from surviving to flourishing during this COVID-19 pandemic. Using the framework of a "Rule of Life", they share ways to structure our days amidst our involuntary isolation. May this podcast be a blessing for you during this time.

In this week's podcast, Pete shares his reflections on the difficult season of the coronavirus pandemic that we have just entered. Challenging, hard-to-believe news is coming at a pace that is demanding to absorb for ourselves – let alone the people we lead.  What is God saying? How is He coming to us? How do we lead others in such an unprecedented time of crisis?

In part 2 of this week's podcast, Pete focuses on the taming of "tiger" behaviors that happen on every team. In Part 1, he defined a “tiger” as someone who invades and damages the overall health of our community due to their own lack of awareness and immaturity. Pete addresses the top ten questions people ask around taming "tigers" and creating a healthy culture.

Pete defines a "tiger" as someone who invades and damages the overall health of our community due to their own lack of awareness and immaturity. In part 1 of this week's podcast, Pete explores the issue of caging and taming "tigers" who emerge under our leadership. He shares with us three important lessons about what good leaders do to cage "tigers" in their midst. 

In today's podcast, Pete shares an important truth from one of his favorite biblical characters – John the Baptist. John does not imitate other people, and part of leadership is to differentiate and bring that uniqueness of who God has made you to be. Pete will be sharing a message with us from John 1. To lead from who you really are, listen to this sermon and answer the 3 questions Pete gives you.

In part 2 of this week's podcast, Pete continues to build on the theology of rhythms and limits from Genesis 2:15-17. Pete expands on how our teams must seek to apply this to our most important task which is cultivating a deep spirituality with Jesus. It is crucial that we understand how much of a critical theme this is for all of us going into the future. 

In this week's podcast, we learn how limits and rhythms are two of the most difficult truths in Scripture to embrace; and how it is very important for teams to be able to embrace these limits and rhythms. Pete gives us two critical questions that teams must be asking in order to lead from a healthy place. 

Each of us has been “formed/discipled” by our family of origin in the early years of our lives – whether we were Christians or not. In part 2 of his podcast, Pete invites you and your team to do three things that will encourage you to continue learning and being formed into disciples of Christ.

One of the core pillars of "Emotionally Healthy Discipleship" is going back to go forward. In emotionally healthy teams, people understand that their family of origin has enormous significance in their ability to function maturely as a team. In this podcast, Pete shares five major points in how making sense of our stories can powerfully transform us, our teams, and those we lead. May it be an encouragement to you and those you lead.

In last week's podcast, Pete introduced us to the first five questions that he has asked himself and others when preaching a message. In part 2 of this week's podcast, Pete dives into the final five questions, while making suggestions that will make your preaching experience rich and enjoyable. May this podcast be a blessing for you!

In his first podcast of 2020, Pete shares with us the first five important questions that will make sure we make room for God to do His work in our lives. If we can learn to apply these questions to our lives, then these will surely help many leaders and preachers to preach in ways that will lead others to more authentic transformations. 

In his last podcast for 2019, Pete offers us an inside view of Moses and his leadership in the midst of great pressure at the Red Sea. It is through this pressure that Moses makes critical leadership choices, and Pete offers us a model of those five leadership choices for us to reflect on as we enter 2020.

In his podcast, Pete shares a critical truth that has shaped his life and leadership for many years. Pete expands on the spiritual truth found in the story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth. As you listen to this podcast, may you be able to meditate on the new thing God may be birthing in you. Jesus is inviting you to slow down to listen to Him. Will you do this for Him?

In this week's podcast, Pete touches on a subject that is a challenge to every leader-being able to have patience in a world that is impatient. Pete explains why learning to wait patiently is one of the greatest gifts we can give to those around us. May we be able to "Be still before the Lord" and learn to wait on Him.

In this week's podcast, Pete shares five specific leadership mistakes to avoid around the Christmas season. He shares from his personal mistakes that took many years to learn from, and in doing so, it is his prayer that you may also hear the voice of Jesus and that you may lead and serve others around Christmas.

In Part 2 of his podcast, Pete expands on the final five hard lessons he learned during his first 21 years serving as Lead Pastor at New Life. In sharing these lessons, Pete's hope is that future generations of leaders would profoundly meditate on these lessons and learn from these mistakes so they will not be repeated.

In part 1 of this podcast, Pete expands on lessons birthed out of difficult labor, costly mistakes, and painful suffering. He offers us the first five lessons that became a turning point for his life, and in offering these lessons, may future generations not repeat those mistakes.

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This podcast invites you into a lesson God brought into Pete's life that shifted his view of himself and his leadership when God met him powerfully through the story of David in 1 Samuel 17.

In this podcast, Pete answers the question, "How do you measure success in your own leadership and how might that be different from the way I’m measuring it today?”

Pete offers nine points as a response to that very important question.

When we step back to see the global, cross-racial, international, historical church as God sees, it is powerfully transformative. In part 3 of this podcast series, Pete expounds on why it is so essential to learn from Christians different than us, as well as from history if we are going to make serious disciples of Jesus. After giving a brief overview of church history, he shares ten treasures for mission from Scott Sunquist, President at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Where did we get the idea that it’s possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature? In this podcast Pete explores the gaps in our theology that have caused such a tragic state of affairs in the church and outlines the core components of integrating emotional health into our discipleship and leadership development.

What are the leadership blind spots that prevent us from developing mature, deeply changed disciples and leaders? Pete addresses the first blind spot, exploring the sobering truth that leadership is essentially giving away who you are, that we can only truly give away what we are living. When we skim in our relationship with God, no spiritual program can substitute for the superficiality and striving that inevitably follows.

Pete builds on last week’s message, “Listen,” and moves to practical applications that have served him to sharpen his own discernment process. In particular, he draws from the insights of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of Jesuits and shares four insights that have served him in listening and discerning God’s will.

Listening and discerning what God is saying is one of the most important areas of discipleship for any Christian. This especially applies to leaders. When we listen wrongly, the ripple effect is far-reaching. In Matthew 17, we observe Peter in a hurry to advise Jesus. He attempts to do the right thing for Jesus, but instead of waiting and listening, he is too eager to make plans. God the Father rebukes him and calls him to right listening, a listening that allows the word of Jesus to do its full work and create a relaxed, un-frenetic obedience in and through him.

In this podcast, Pete shares 6 unique contributions Emotionally Healthy Discipleship brings to the challenge of bridging barriers of race, culture and class and shares the final four contributions of EH Discipleship to this pressing global issue that confronts us as the church in the 21st century.

The first Christians viewed themselves as part of world-wide family that transcended national, class, cultural, and racial barriers. They understood Jesus, through his blood shed on the cross, had destroyed these barriers and created new people, the church (Eph. 2:14-15). Pete shares his story in coming to grips with this complex reality as a new believer and how it led him to plant New Life Fellowship Church in New York City with a mission to bridge racial, cultural, economic and gender barriers. He also discusses three contributions of EH Discipleship for building reconciled communities.

It has been said that all of life is one person handing off their anxiety to another. There are few places this applies more clearly than in leadership. In chapters 6 & 7 of the gospel of John, Jesus' brothers come to Him frantic with worry that Jesus’ ministry is in deep trouble and urge him to go to Jerusalem so the crowds can see his miracles and he can rebuild his following. Jesus refuses to take on their leadership anxiety, replying: “My time has not yet come; for you any time will do” (John 7:1-9). How did Jesus so calmly deal with their anxiety? What do you normally do when external counsel, or an internal voice, urge you to act quickly so you don’t appear to be failing?

Pete and his wife Geri sit down to reflect on the 7 Marks of an Emotionally Healthy Wedding. On August 17th of this year, Pete and Geri hosted an international wedding with 20-25 guests coming from the other side of the world. As a result, a one-day wedding grew into a larger five-day event and offered a window into a unique, high-level application of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship.

Each of us encounters storms and circumstances we cannot overcome. In this podcast, Pete talks about moving beyond an intellectual belief in the resurrection of Jesus to a practical trust that transforms our obstacles into gifts. In John 11 Jesus asks Mary a question: Did I not tell you that if you trust, you will see the glory of God? (John 11:40). He asks us the same question today.

The whole core of the Christian life can be summed up as praying, abiding, and being with Jesus. Our first work in life is not to get something from God but to be with God. In this podcast Pete shares a message from John 2 on prayer and trusting in a wine that never runs out. May it be an encouragement to you to trust in Jesus and cultivate a life of deep connection and being with Jesus each day.

“We must not give to others what we have received for ourselves; nor must we keep for ourselves that which we have received to spend on others. You fall into the latter error, if you possess the gift of eloquence or wisdom, and yet—through fear or sloth or false humility—neglect to use the gift for others’ benefit. And on the other hand, you dissipate and lose what is your own, if without right intention and from some wrong motive, you hasten to outpour yourself on others when your own soul is only half-filled.” words from Bernard of Clairvaux.

What will you do with the treasure of your life?

Being a disciple is an on-going shaping and molding by God. In this podcast based on a recent sermon, Pete shares how Jesus wants us to “stick with Him,” allowing Him to radically transform and reorient our lives.

We've reached the last podcast reviewing the final chapter in The Emotionally Healthy Leader: Endings and New Beginnings. Integrating endings and new beginnings is a critical leadership task. Learn how to master transitions in God's way with his timing.

It was the lessons learned from pain around “Power and Wise Boundaries” that initially served as the impetus for the writing of The Emotionally Healthy Leader. Almost every church, nonprofit organization, and Christian community bears deep scars and hurt due to a failure to steward power and set wise boundaries. In this podcast Pete gives many examples of ways we can do this in a healthy way, attempting to nuance the different situations in which we find ourselves.

One of the primary tasks of a leader is to create a healthy culture with healthy teams. For Christian leaders, this task is even more demanding because the kind of culture and teams we create are to be radically different than those of the world. Pete builds on the four characteristics of emotionally healthy culture and team building from The Emotionally Healthy Leader, expanding on each with personal examples and specific ways he has integrated them into his work over the last 23 years.

Making plans for God without listening to him has been standard practice for thousands of years. In this podcast, Pete talks about the 3 indispensable questions he asks to stay anchored in making plans and decisions that flow out of deep inner life with God – whether they be in personal leadership or with a team.

The integration of Sabbath delight in the midst of an active, missional life is one of the more subversive, radical and powerful gifts we can offer our people and the world we aim to serve. In this podcast Pete explores a number of related Sabbath applications and tangents and answers a number of common FAQ’s.

Pete continues his series on The Emotionally Healthy Leader by sharing a sermon on Sabbath. Sabbath is God’s foundation for our work. It guards us against the powerful idol of making our work the center of meaning for our lives, protecting us from defining ourselves by our work.

Pete builds on the chapter, “Slow Down for Loving Union,” from The Emotionally Healthy Leader, offering additional insights on how to allow Jesus full access to our lives in a posture of openness and surrender and offers a larger perspective on the unique challenges of leading when, at the same time, we’re seeking to deepen our abiding in Jesus.

This podcast explores the second pillar of building a deep inner life out of which we lead for Jesus: lead out of your marriage or singleness. Pete begins by reviewing briefly a theology of marriage/singleness as a sign and wonder that bears witness to God’s love for the world then talks about four challenges we encounter as we embark on this journey.

In part 2 of this series on The Emotionally Healthy Leader, Pete explores the first pillar of building a deep inner life out of which we lead for Jesus: face your shadow. This requires confronting those parts of who we are that we prefer to neglect, forget, or deny, and it is our most difficult leadership task. Pete builds on the material found in book and provides additional avenues to get at this largely unconscious, damaged but mostly hidden version of who we are.

This launches the first of 10 podcasts from The Emotionally Healthy Leader book on “The Emotionally Unhealthy Leader.” Pete describes the four characteristics of an emotionally unhealthy leader and the unhealthy commandments which dominate our Christian leadership cultures. He invites us to let the simple but profound truths of this podcast go deep into our bones, to go from our head to our heart, that the world might know Jesus.

Few leaders have an awareness of, let alone reflect on, the nature of their power. In this podcast, Pete shares a reading from the chapter on power and wise boundaries in The Emotionally Healthy Leader, discussing the complexity of dual relationships and power.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Abraham and Sarah, out of their impatience, birthed a physical son - Ishmael. We too, out of our own impatience, often birth “Ishmaels” as well. This podcast explores The Ishmael Test, four questions to ask ourselves before we launch large decisions for God and his work.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Reflecting on our mistakes and regrets can be a gift if we learn from them. This podcast is Part 2 of Pete's biggest regrets over the last 40 years of leadership. He shares 6 more regrets and discusses discretion (i.e. discernment) in leadership.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete answers the question “what has been your greatest regret in leadership?” by sharing his top four regrets over the last 40 years. This is part 1 of a 2-part series.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete talks about the ancient practice of the Daily Office as one powerful means to carve out sufficient time to be with Jesus and to be with ourselves – out of which we go and offer our lives as a gift to the world. This is not a superficial being simply to stay functional but to a deep waiting on Jesus – a life with deep stillness and silence that serves to center our leadership. He also breaks down one of his morning prayer times as a sample (being fully aware that each of us needs to find our own way) and leads a short Daily Office.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete begins by talking about reading for wisdom and not simply for information – suggesting we re-learn how to read - then shares a list of key books he has read in last six to twelve months.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

It is possible to build a church, an organization, or a team by relying only on our gifts, talents, and experience. But Jesus says that our efforts are worth nothing unless they flow out of a relationship of loving union with him (John 15:5). In this podcast, Pete shares an excerpt from the audio version of The Emotionally Healthy Leader where he talks about slowing down for loving union with Jesus. Staying in communion with Jesus is the most important leadership issue for each of us. 

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete explores the sixth, and final, quality in this 6-part series on the marks of a church culture that deeply changes lives: every person in full-time ministry. After providing a broad theological overview of our calling and our work, Pete offers 5 specific applications for pastors/leaders to build a dynamic culture where people mature and are freed for God’s mission in their lives.

To download a free e-book on Church Culture Revolution: A 6-Part Vision that Deeply changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete expands on the fifth quality of a church culture that deeply changes lives: passionate marriage and singleness. Christian marriage and singleness is different than secular marriage and singleness. Both have implications for multiplying disciples and building Christ-filled communities.

To download a free e-book on Church Culture Revolution: A 6-Part Vision that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete expands on the fourth quality of a church culture that deeply changes lives: healthy community. In a church culture that changes lives, leaders prayerfully and thoughtfully model how to do relationships differently in the new family of Jesus. In this podcast, Pete offers six insights to building a healthy, transformative community.

To download a free e-book on Church Culture Revolution: A 6-Part Vision that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete expands on the third quality of a church culture that deeply changes lives: beneath-the-surface discipleship. In a church culture that deeply changes lives, no one assumes people are maturing on the basis of activities such as church attendance, small group involvement, and serving. Instead, they understand maturity is the fruit of the slow, hard work of following the crucified Jesus.

To download a free e-book on Church Culture Revolution: A 6 Part Vision that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

In part 2 of this series on six marks of a church culture that deeply changes lives, Pete explores integrity in leadership. When we have integrity in leadership, we do not pretend to be something on the outside that we are not on the inside. Pete looks at integrity as a continuum, examines what it means to guard the integrity of the ministry or family we lead, and finally offers a few pointers on practical ways to raise the level of your own integrity that will inevitably impact those you lead.

To download a free e-book on Church Culture Revolution: A 6-Part Vision that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

In part one of this new series, Pete explores the first and most important characteristic of a church culture that deeply changes lives – a slowed down spirituality. This is a church culture where people refuse to allow a hurried world to set the pace for their lives but instead live by rhythms that are slower and more deliberate. They set aside time each day to immerse themselves in Scripture, silence, and solitude, which are foundational practices for their communion with Jesus.

Download free e-book: Church Culture Revolution: A 6-Part Vision that Deeply Changes Lives www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

In this 4th and final episode of a sermon series on the life of Jacob, Pete observes the life of Jacob in contrast to his son Joseph. One lived as if all things were against him. The other lived knowing God was for him even in difficult circumstances. How might you be living?

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

In "Hard Lessons from the Life of Jacob: Part 3" Pete shares how Jacob finally faced his most difficult conflicts, became crippled in the process, but was changed by God.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Tension. Distress. Difficulty. Pressure. Do these adjectives describe some days in your leadership? In Part 2 of “Hard Lessons from the Life of Jacob” Pete shares how God met Jacob in the mess, strain and conflict of his leadership. God is there to do the same in our own difficult leadership days.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Jacob offers us a rich study of leadership. While he was richly blessed by God – chosen, destined to greatness, and deeply loved – he struggled to rest in that reality. In Part 1 of this series, Pete unpacks the lessons of Jacob’s exploitation of Esau to ensure he gets God’s blessings for the future.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Jesus’ challenge to the leaders in his day, found in his sermon in Matthew 23, is so biting and sharp that some interpreters have wondered if these words are authentically Jesus’. They are. In this podcast, Pete breaks down Jesus’ challenge into 5 categories and shares how it applies to us today.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Pete invites you into his personal journey of slowly breaking patterns and behaviors of overfunctioning. After considering the examples of Moses and Martha as classic overfunctioners, he lays out the three steps he took to stop overfunctioning.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

When we cross the line into “fixing” our ministries instead of leading them forward to greener pastures, we are overfunctioning. Pete invites you to listen to Geri’s reading of the audio version of an outstanding chapter out of The Emotionally Healthy Woman called “Quit Overfunctioning.” By the time you finish, it will make sense why quitting overfunctioning is foundational to leadership.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

In part 2 of this podcast series, Pete explores four additional goals we frequently overlook in our leadership. To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

Setting priorities as a Christian leader is one of our most challenging and difficult tasks. If we get it right, fruitfulness and joy follow. If we get it wrong, feelings of failure and misery follow. This podcast (Part 1 of 2) will consider, in detail, the most frequently overlooked priority and goal of our leadership.

To download a free e-book on Six Marks of a Church Culture that Deeply Changes Lives visit www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchculture.

This podcast, a 15-minute experience of silence and stillness before the Lord, is our Christmas gift to you, our way of saying “thank you” for being one of our faithful podcast listeners. For the fuller experience with Jesus, please find the video titled "Breathe: Being with God in Silence" on our YouTube page.

Advent is a low point spiritually for most Christian leaders. We are told that told Christmas is the time to get as many people as possible to the church, to close the financial year strong, to thank all our leaders, and to model reaching out to our neighbors for Christ. The problem is that in the process we lose the wonder and beauty of celebrating God’s coming in Jesus of Nazareth. This podcast talks about the top 4 Christmas killers and what we can do to resist them.

God’s ways are little and slow, i.e. they are a mustard seed. Mustard seeds appear insignificant, powerless, imperceptible, and defeated. Few of us signed up to lead in this way. I surely did not! Yet Jesus pleads with us to resist the big, powerful, and sensational ways of the world and embrace his way.

This podcast returns to Matthew 4:1-11, looking at Jesus as our model of embracing his limits in order to stay rooted in the Father’s love and seemingly “ineffective” timetable.

This podcast is a meditation of Matthew 4:1-11 (Jesus' temptation in the desert) around two questions: 1) In light of Jesus’ responses to Satan, what do we learn about staying grounded in leadership? 2) What are ways in which Satan tries to split you off/separate you away from the Father in your pastoring/leading?

Saying no to leadership opportunities, and the increased impact and influence they can afford, is not a topic talked about very often today. For that we need to look at the work of the Holy Spirit in the history of the church. In Part 2 of this series, Pete looks at two towering figures in particular: Bernard of Clairvaux and Gregory of Nazianzus.

As people who lead in the name of Jesus, we are not to enter every open door or seize every new opportunity. Why? Doing so outside of God’s timetable damages both ourselves and his long-term kingdom mission in the world. In this podcast Pete talks about three reasons we ought to consider pausing to pray before saying yes to new leadership opportunities before us.

Pete offers highlights from the eight charts that formed the basis of his book, The Emotionally Healthy Leader, contrasting the standard practice of how we typically do leadership vs. an emotionally healthy way, and talks about his new free e-book: Why Leadership Matters for a Discipleship that Deeply Changes Lives.

Pete explores the story (with its present-day applications) of God directing Elijah to go to a desert for silence and solitude.

This podcast looks at Jesus’ intentional movement from active ministry with people to times of solitude in a desert place in order to be alone with the Father. It also examines practical ways we can develop a similar rhythm of finding our “desert” with God—regardless of the unique season or circumstances in which we find ourselves.

In this podcast you will hear a message on God’s invitation - at every stage of our life and leadership - to grasp ever more deeply that we are his “beloved,” i.e. we are deeply loved by him. Getting this truth frees us from the demonic voices that tempt us to get our loveability from other sources and fills us with the courage we need to do God’s will regardless of where it leads.    

In part 2 of this series, Pete talks about 4 additional gifts/applications from the Desert Fathers and Mothers that offer a challenge to us in leadership today.

At the end of the third century Christian men and women began to flee the cities and villages of the Nile Delta in Egypt to seek God in the desert. In this podcast, Pete talks about what he believes is their contribution and gift for us today – both in our leadership and in our discipling of others.

Pete expands on the 7 primary lessons (or gifts) from the Rule of Benedict that have profoundly influenced his life and leadership.

The pressure to present an image of ourselves as strong and spiritually “together” hovers over most of us. We forget that not one of us is perfect and that we are all sinners. Pete explores Psalm 51 as a model for us, concluding with a few thoughts about our need to climb a ladder of humility if we are to lead well.

Leadership in the name of Jesus is from the bottom up, not a grasping or controlling of circumstances and people. It is leading out of failure and pain, questions and struggles — a serving that lets go. It is a noticeably different way of life from what is commonly modeled in the world and, unfortunately, in many churches. Listen to this podcast about God’s strange pathway of living and leading out of brokenness and vulnerability.

In the gospel of John the word "belief" can best be understood as "relax in" or "trust." How do we get there? Listen to Pete’s message based on John 6:16-21 and learn to relax. 

Being a leader is knowing what to do next, why it’s important, and then bringing the right resources to bear that will make it happen. And yet a core part of discipleship is being able to say, "I don't understand, Lord." Pete shares why it’s necessary for each of us to go through “Dark Nights of the Soul” where we don’t know what’s going, because these are moments where God pulls us into deeper discipleship with Him.

Pete shares how the truths of 1 Corinthians 13 and learning to really love others impacted him personally, radically changing his leadership and the discipleship culture at the church.

Taken from a message given at the 2017 Emotionally Healthy Leadership Conference, Pete looks at three aspects that make John the Baptist an unlikely but extraordinary model of leadership.

It is easy to lead for God without listening to him. The word listen or hear is found more than 1500 times in the Bible. That is why the most important question every one of us must ask throughout our days is: “God, how are you coming to me, what might you want to say?” In this podcast, Pete gives specific examples of how he regularly applies this question to different areas of his life and discernment process.

Pete discusses a number of powerful truths around Jesus’ command: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? (Matt. 5:43-45).

Pete introduces the ladder of integrity, a simple yet powerful tool to be used when we are feeling angry, frustrated, or hurt in a relationship or a situation.

Living with integrity, whether you're in your twenties or seventies, is no small task. In this podcast, Pete lays the foundation for a leader’s integrity by discussing four critical areas: integrity with God, integrity with yourself, integrity in your marriage / singleness, integrity in your leadership.

The first crisis the early church confronted was a crisis of integrity. Pete speaks on the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11 and shares why integrity is so important to leadership.

Pete shares 10 questions that became an anchor for him during a two-year period that served as a crucible of differentiation in his life.

If you and I were sitting down with David towards the end of his life, and we asked him what tips might he have for our own leadership today, what might he say? Pete shares a few key tips he believes would be near the top of his list

In part 2 of this podcast series on Becoming a More Differentiated Leader, Pete talks about four practical truths that can help us make the radical transition of dismantling our false self in order to lead faithfully out of our true self in Christ.

Pete introduces the paradigm-shifting concept of differentiation as one significant reason why exercising excellent leadership is so hard and addresses three key questions can help us grow in differentiation and maturely navigate high-charged situations.

To live and lead like Jesus requires that we embrace the fact that we are people with deep weaknesses and vulnerabilities. At the same time, it also requires we embrace the glorious truth that we are incredible – with unique passions, histories, gifts, experiences, sufferings, and destinies. 

Our human hearts desperately crave praise, notice, and honor (usually from the wrong places). But actually, we were made to be noticed and honored by God as the primary aim of our lives. In this podcast, Pete completes a 2-part study on the radical contrast of the world’s easy-to-follow discipleship to Jesus’ hard-to-follow discipleship.

In part 1 of this podcast series, Pete shares 19-months worth of learnings on the theme of discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew and makes specific applications for leaders today.

Keeping Sabbath is a core spiritual practice – an essential means God uses to slow us down and mature us. In this podcast, Pete expounds on ten core reasons Sabbath is indispensable for those who lead in Jesus’ name.

God has a great plan for you. But if you are going to become the extraordinary human being He intends and be a blessing to the world, you will have to navigate the dark nights that will come your way.

Discerning what season you, and your ministry, are in right now is one of our most important leadership tasks. In this podcast Pete expounds on the seasons of Fall (transitions), Winter (death), Spring (fruitfulness), and Summer (abundance), examining how each holds its own gift from God – if we cooperate with it.

In part 2 of this series, we will look at the journey of Job as a model of a leader who integrated his sadness, anger, and depression in ways that made him an even greater leader who continues to speak to us today.

In this podcast, Pete explores David’s integration of great leadership with great grieving and why this is so critical for us today.

Limits are often the last place we look for God. The problem is that when we fail to look for God in our limits, we often bypass him. In this podcast, Pete considers Adam and Eve in the Garden, Jesus being tempted by Satan in the desert, and David at the height of his power and influence.

One of the greatest spiritual challenges for leaders revolves around how we frame and respond to the limits God places around us. In this podcast, Pete begins offering a biblical framework to understand limits as gifts of grace from the hand of God and answers three of the most common questions he hears.

In part 2 of this podcast, Pete issues an invitation to get deeply anchored in God by deliberately structuring your life in ancient spiritual practices that have stood the test of time.

Most leaders are starved for time. Few of us have a sustainable, long-term plan that answers the question: How can I live and lead in a way that is calm, relaxed, and filled with contentment in Jesus? In part one of this podcast, Pete discusses how to deliberately structure our lives around God’s rhythms.

In Part 3 of this 3-part series, Pete answers five FAQ’s that emerge over and over again around the topic of redefining success Jesus' way and discusses the challenge of "to do the work before the work.”

In Part 2 of this podcast, Pete offers three different examples of how to redefine success in ways that look beyond numbers. He then looks closely at the three factors necessary to internalize the kind of radical change necessary to make the doing of God’s will, regardless of where it leads, the measure of our success.

Defining success as a Christian leader is one of our most challenging, vexing and difficult tasks. In part 1 of this podcast, Pete looks at two idols that dominate current Western culture and church leadership.

One of the most important topics for any leader is how we develop other leaders. The future of our ministries depends on it. In this podcast, Pete shares the top three mistakes he has made and observed in leadership development over the decades.

Many leaders are overworked, tired, and weighed down with too much to do in too little time. In this podcast, Pete discusses two keys to creative leadership: Sabbath and silence.  

This podcast traces the history of Christianity and how this impacts our discipleship and our leadership today.

Embracing transitions is one of the critical leadership tasks every leader must master if we are to do God’s work, God’s way, and in God’s timing. Sadly, endings and transitions are often poorly handled in our families, ministries, organizations, and teams. This podcast explores the inner work we must do as leaders if we are to cooperate with God in this difficult work of endings and new beginnings.

How we do Christmas as leaders is critically important. Pete talks about the concept of a Blue Christmas, which offers permission for people to stop and pay attention to their losses, while at the same time remembering the power and goodness of God.

It is hard to be a Christian at Christmas, especially if you are a pastor or leader. Pete shares five mistakes that we often make this time of year.

In part two of this podcast, Pete shares the final 5 of 10 shortcuts that leaders and pastors need to avoid.

In part one of this new two-part podcast, Pete expands on 5 of the 10 shortcuts that leaders and pastors need to avoid.

In part 2 of this two-part series, Pete continues to share a biblical perspective on growing older and the hazards of aging we should be careful to avoid.

In part 1 of this two-part series, Pete shares a biblical perspective on growing older and how this informs our understanding of "retirement" (really only a transition to the next phase of what God has for us), of work, and of how we lead people of all ages in our churches.

How is Christian planning and decision making different from that of secular planning and decision making? Pete touches on the dangers of making plans and decisions without God, and the four characteristics of what it means to follow God’s slow ways in planning and decision making.

Pete discusses what we can learn about leadership from the life of King Saul, and how leaders today can finish well.

In this podcast Pete talks about the unique dynamic of leadership and "dark nights of the soul," and how God uses these upheavals to transform us and bring us into a deeper communion with Him.

In part two of this series on triggers, hot buttons, and leadership, Pete shares six steps for how leaders can become aware of their triggers and hot buttons and how they can continue to grow in discipleship.

In part one of a two-part series, Pete discusses why understanding  our personal triggers and hot buttons and those of our teammates is important for our leadership and teams.

Pete Scazzero shares his own journey to emotionally healthy leadership and the 4 inner-life issues that need to be in place in order to have an emotionally healthy leadership team.

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus describes the qualities of spiritual maturity and ends with the words: Be perfect (i.e. perfectly mature) as your heavenly Father is perfect (i.e. perfectly mature). The word for perfect refers to a person coming of age, someone who is no longer a child or minor. In this podcast, Pete Scazzero explores these qualities of spiritual maturity. Listen and consider how Jesus may be calling you to great spiritual maturity today.

Social media has become perhaps the largest universal communication platform for sharing new information, ideas, current events, discussion and, also sadly has become a forum for unhealthy conflict. Pete shares thoughts based the Sermon on the Mount, how Jesus might have asked us to engage in social media. Listen and ponder how might Jesus be asking you to engage in your social media circle.

Millennials have become the largest segment of the U.S. population and have increasingly become the dominant culture in many of our churches. Pete shares some of the critical issues church leaders must address to make mature disciples of the Millennial generation, build sustainable communities, and reach the world effectively.

Drawn from a New Life Fellowship Church strategic planning day over 7 years ago, in this podcast Pete Scazzero shares 10 insightful leadership lessons he and the staff team identified during their planning meeting discussions. These lessons remain relevant to church leadership today.  

Building healthy teams is one of the primary tasks for every leader, whether that leader is a lead pastor, a para-church ministry department head, a nonprofit or marketplace executive, a church board member, or a small group leader. In this podcast Pete summarizes 30-plus years’ experience of building teams into 5 key points.

One of the most challenging tasks of leadership, and life, is perspective. In this podcast Pete Scazzero attempts to give a long view of leadership around God’s process of making us “great” leaders.

Unmet and unclear expectations create havoc in churches, families, friendships, marriages, and leadership teams. In this podcast, Pete Scazzero and Rich Villodas talk about the power of clarifying expectations to transform our lives and teams. They discuss how the issue of expectations intersects with discipleship, job descriptions, and the grief we experience when they remain unmet.

Large numbers of people enjoy attending church but do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Pete Scazzero shares his reflections on this massive problem and what we can do to equip people to create space to allow God’s will and presence full access in every area of their lives.

Pete Scazzero discusses the top 5 reasons leaders don't deal with elephants in the room and how to do so.

Christian leadership, like few other vocations, exposes us to levels of temptation that require a depth of spirituality. Why? Jesus’ sheep are at stake. In this podcast Pete Scazzero speaks with Rich Villodas about the great temptations that confront each of us at the different seasons of leadership.

Measuring ministry impact is biblical. The question is how do we that? The world’s way is measuring only numbers. While measuring numbers as one measure of success is biblical, when it is ALL we measure, it is unbiblical. Success is first and foremost doing what God has asked us to do, doing it his way, and in his timing. Join Pete Scazzero with Rich Villodas on this very theme!

Pete Scazzero & Rich Villodas discuss the question, "can you be a believer and not a disciple?"

Pete Scazzero is the Founder of Emotionally Healthy Spirtuality, and Rich Villodas is the lead paster at New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York.

Pete Scazzero & Rich Villodas discuss transitions, letting go, and all that it entails—both in the church and in everyday life.

Pete Scazzero is the Founder of Emotionally Healthy Spirtuality, and Rich Villodas is the lead paster at New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York.