Jan 27, 2026 | Fatigue, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Rest, Sabbath
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...
Nov 18, 2025 | Fatigue, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Pastor
More than a few pastors and leaders are leading on empty—spiritually dry, but outwardly active. They’re still preaching, leading, praying, and showing up for their people, but inside, the well has run dry. In today’s episode we explore the reasons why this phenomenon...
Dec 13, 2022 | Burnout, Disappointment, discouragement, Fatigue, Grief, Leadership, Loss, Ministry Leader, Pain, Pastor
Summary: In today’s episode, John and Jim welcome Josh Spurlock to the mic. Josh is the founder of My Counselor Online, an amazing organization dedicated to the mental and emotional well-being of leaders. In this powerful conversation, John, Jim, and Josh unpack...
Oct 20, 2022 | Burnout, Fatigue, Leadership, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Rest, Rhythms, Sabbath, Workaholism
When I ask leaders about taking a weekly day off, I’m often greeted with a blank stare followed by uncomfortable silence. Some report they haven’t taken a day off in years. And even worse, a few of these leaders are proud of it. They wear busyness as a badge of honor....
Oct 6, 2022 | Burnout, Exhaustion, Fatigue, Leadership, Pastor, Rest, Sabbath, Stress, Workaholism
One of the hardest things to do for most leaders is to separate from work. Pivoting from their professional life to their private life. I know this from personal experience. I had to work hard as a lead pastor to shut off work once I entered our home. According to the...
Jun 28, 2022 | Burnout, Exhaustion, Fatigue, Leadership, Longevity, Ministry Leader, Pastor, Podcast, Productivity, Work
Busy-ness doesn’t guarantee productivity. Busy can fool us into thinking we’re achieving when we’re really not. In today’s episode, John and Jim chat about the idea of “guarding our assignment” and answer the question, “How can we avoid being faked out by busy?” Here...
