LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 342: OFFENSE OR ACCOUNTABILITY?
In today’s episode we challenge a reflex most of us don’t even realize we have . . . the instinct to label discomfort as offense. Not everything that stings is harmful, and not every hard conversation is a wrong done to you. Sometimes, what feels like offense is...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 341: PASTORING THROUGH OFFENSE
In a world where offense is almost automatic, how do we tell the difference between real harm and a bruised ego? Today, we’re unpacking why so many people feel easily offended and what it’s costing us. From the rise of emotionally driven reactions and digital outrage...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 340: THE LEADERSHIP LIE: WHY YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO SKIP FRIENDSHIP
What if the reason you feel stretched thin isn’t your workload—but your isolation? Many of us quietly believe we don’t have time for friendships, but the truth is we make time for what we value. And in the pursuit of productivity, relationships are often the first...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 339: A RECIPE FOR GOOD DECISIONS – AN INTERVIEW WITH MIKE KERN III
In today’s episode, we welcome Mike Kern to the mic. With decades of leadership experience spanning both the corporate world and church ministry, Mike brings a rare and valuable perspective to the conversation around decision-making. His unique blend of business...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 338: GUARDING YOUR HEART AS A LEADER
This episode starts with a simple question from our listeners—and quickly turns into something much deeper. Taking our cue from Book of Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life,” we explore what it looks like to protect the...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 337: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S RESURGENCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE
When everything feels fragmented, stability becomes magnetic. In a culture of constant updates, endless scrolling, and reflexive rebellion, it’s no surprise that more than a few young people are gravitating toward the structure and seriousness of the Catholic Church....
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 336: THE SHIFT FROM INNER CRITIC TO INNER ALLY
The way we relate to ourselves—whether with truth, kindness, and grace or with harsh criticism—is more than a personal issue; it’s a defining factor. It powerfully shapes our longevity, our health, and ultimately the kind of fruit we produce in ministry and...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 335: WHAT MAKES PASTORS THRIVE (AND WHAT TAKES THEM OUT) – AN INTERVIEW WITH AARON HLAVIN
In this episode of Leading from Alignment, we talk with Aaron Hlavin, Michigan Assemblies of God Network Superintendent, about what helps pastors thrive, and what holds them back. We explore encouraging trends like spiritual hunger and authentic discipleship,...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 334: MONDAY AFTER THE BIG DAY – AN INTERVIEW WITH LEWIS BRANDON
After a big Sunday, the noise doesn’t always fade when the room empties. Sometimes on the Monday after it gets louder. In this episode, we’ve invited our good friend Lewis Brandon to the mic. We’re talking about how to process the emotional aftermath of a big Sunday...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 333: WHEN THE KNIFE GOES DEEP
When betrayal comes from someone close, it cuts in a way nothing else does. Betrayal isn’t a scratch . . . it often creates a deep wound. And in those moments, forgiveness can feel like surrendering the case, like letting them win. But it’s not. Forgiveness is...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 332: THE FOUR SKILLS EVERY PASTOR NEEDS TO DEVELOP
Many pastors were trained primarily to preach and teach. Some were also equipped to provide pastoral care. But in today’s ministry environment, faithful and effective pastoral leadership needs something more. Pastors are increasingly called to live at the intersection...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 331: LEADING IN AN AGE OF OUTRAGE
Coming back from vacation should mean easing back into rhythm—but instead, I walked into six or seven different crises. Different churches, different situations, but the same underlying reality: people are angry. Boards are tense. Congregational conversations escalate...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 330: BEACH CHAIRS & BREAKTHROUGHS
Earlier this year, Laura and John were given the rare gift of three uninterrupted weeks away. They rented a condo on the ocean, where each morning began with coffee on the balcony and the sun rising over the Atlantic, the steady rhythm of the waves setting the pace...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 329: DELEGATION TIPS & TRAPS
Sharing the ministry load doesn’t always come naturally to a pastor. And if you’re both a pastor and a perfectionist, you’ve got double trouble. It’s easy to fall into familiar thoughts like, “No one can do this as well as I can,” or “It’s just faster if I do this...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 328 – THREE TRUTHS EVERY PASTOR MUST UNDERSTAND
Leading a church can be one of the most meaningful callings in the world—but it can also quietly cost you the very things God never intended you to lose. In this episode, we’re narrowing the noise down to three truths every lead pastor must understand to stay healthy...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 327: WHY PASTORS DON’T ASK FOR HELP
Pastors and church staff regularly call others into community, vulnerability, and asking for help—but many of us struggle to live that out ourselves. The expectations are high, the roles are visible, and the pressure to stay strong can quietly lead to isolation. In...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 326: 3 QUESTIONS TO RESOLVE DISPUTABLE MATTERS
In Paul’s letter to the Romans and his first letter to the Corinthian church, he spends a significant amount of time addressing what he calls disputable matters—those behaviors and choices that aren’t clearly spelled out in Scripture. For many lead pastors, this...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 325: WHEN LIFE & LEADERSHIP DISAPPOINT
What do you do when the season you’re living in looks nothing like the one you prayed for? When your personal life, your ministry life—or both—feel swallowed by disappointment? Life doesn’t always unfold the way we envision, but that doesn’t mean hope is off...
Leading From Alignment Podcast Episode 324: Radical Unavailability – An Interview with Michael Forney
Pastors, ever feel like your phone has a spiritual gift for ringing at the worst possible moment? In this episode, we dive into the holy art of becoming—brace yourself—radically unavailable. Yes, we’re talking about saying “no,” ignoring notifications, and trusting...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 323: SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM PAIN?
Fractured relationships may heal when we address them—and sometimes they won’t. But either way, their grip on our health begins to break the moment we stop punting. In today’s episode, we explore how unresolved tension shapes leaders, how to face hard conversations...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 322: THE TWO HATS EVERY LEADER WEARS
In ministry, every pastor wears two essential hats: the shepherd and the leader. Jesus modeled this perfectly—coming “full of grace and truth”—and Paul echoed it when he urged us to “speak the truth in love.” The challenge? Most leaders naturally lean toward one hat...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 321: RESTORING PURPOSE IN A DISENGAGED WORLD – INTERVIEW WITH JENNI CATRON
Today we welcome Jenni Catron to the podcast. Jenni is recognized as a trusted leadership voice in both church and marketplace worlds. In today’s conversation, we explore the growing challenge of disengagement among staff and volunteers—looking at what’s driving it...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 320: ALWAYS ON: WHY LEADERS WON’T UNPLUG
Many of the moral failures we hear about—and countless more that never make the news—can be traced bacK to just two forces: isolation and exhaustion. Time and again, we’ve watched gifted, capable leaders make shockingly unwise decisions simply because they were alone...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 319: THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING YOUNGER
In 2020, Lifeway Research revealed that the biggest concern among evangelical pastors wasn’t budgets, programming, or even attendance—it was the challenge of reaching a younger audience. In this episode, we’re diving into the challenge of getting younger: what the...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 318: MY MOST IMPORTANT AHA IN 2025
Every January, John reflects on the biggest “aha moments” from the past year. Normally, he would share three or four major insights, but this past year, one stood out so strongly that it deserves an entire episode of its own. It’s a deep one—personal, vulnerable, and...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 317: THE MYTH OF “ARRIVING”
Happy New Year! We are so excited for another year of podcasts with you! Let’s kick off the new year with a challenge that could change everything: what if the biggest barrier to your growth isn’t your strategy, resources, or talent—but your mindset? In this episode,...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST 316: WHAT REALLY MATTERS – A CONVERSATION WITH HAL DONALDSON – CONVOY OF HOPE
How do you stay healthy while serving a world in need? In this episode, Hal Donaldson, the founder and president of Convoy of Hope, shares powerful, down-to-earth insights on leading with compassion without burning out. It’s an honest, hope-filled conversation you...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 315: LOVED, CHOSEN, ENOUGH – PART 2
Last week, Jim unpacked the first four of seven daily declarations that shape how he lives, leads, and relates to God. Our words carry incredible power — not just the ones we speak to others, but the ones we whisper to ourselves about who we are. Here are the four...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 314 – LOVED, CHOSEN, ENOUGH – PART 1
Every journey of faith begins with a question of identity — not who we think we are, but who God says we are. Over the next two weeks, we’re going to unpack seven declarations from Jim’s life. These aren’t just words to repeat — they’re invitations to see ourselves...
LEADING FROM ALIGNMENT PODCAST EPISODE 313: YOU & BOUNDARIES
If you can’t remember the last time you felt “off-duty,” this one’s for you. We’re talking about boundaries, burnout, and the courage to step out of compulsion and back into calling. Learn how to protect your soul, your relationships, and your joy—because faithfulness...