5 Leadership Questions: A Leadership Podcast Featuring Interviews With Carey Nieuwhof, Craig Groeschel, Matt Chandler, Jen Wi

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Robby Gallaty, senior pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church and author of Firmly Planted and Foundations. They discuss how is church is experiencing revival through spontaneous baptism and avoiding burnout in ministry. BEST QUOTES "God began to show us that the medium of the screen doesn't minimize the ministry of the Holy Spirit.""Here's how you know you are burning out in ministry: the Bible for you becomes a tool to use and not a treasure to behold.""It's very easy for us to fall in love with the ministry of Jesus and out of love with the Jesus of our ministry.""The Holy Spirit is a great leader, and He is honest. If you ask Him to put His finger on the pulse of the problem of your life, He is great at it.""Every great movement of God begins by not moving.""So many people want to go out in pastoral ministry and they don't want to wait on the Lord.""I went to seminary and traded an anointing for intelle

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by John Mark Comer, pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church and author of Garden City and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. They discuss the following questions: How is your church handling COVID restrictions?What will you take with you and what will you leave behind from this COVID experience?Who or what has been the greatest leadership influence in your life?What is your favorite leadership failure?What advice would you give to someone about leaning into the body of the church?What book would you gift yourself as a young leader and how would you read that book? BEST QUOTES "For us, live stream is a concession, not a conviction.""A year of live stream, online church has deepened our conviction that the future of the church is embodied people around tables not cameras of people on stages.""Pastoral work is bottomless, there is no end to it, so if you don't self-select limits it will literall

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Tami Heim, President/CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance. They discuss the following questions: What are some of the trends you think we are experiencing now? And how do we look ahead to the future about leading in an innovative way?What have you learned about technology disruption and what would you say to leaders so they don't view it in fear but as how we leverage it instead?Who or what has been the greatest leadership influence in your life?How did you feel that God refined your ambition and made it honoring in Him while also wanting to lead out?What advice would you share with someone who is trying to take risks but is scared of failure? BEST QUOTES "There is the timeless truth of God's Word and then there is our ability to adapt to the containers that now allow that wisdom to transfer so that it can be received and timely and relevant for future and current generations to build and innovate aro

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Ben Mandrell are joined by Dave Ferguson and Jon Ferguson, authors of B.L.E.S.S., Exponential and Finding Your Way Back to God. They discuss the following questions: What is your current context?What is the message of your new book B.L.E.S.S.?Explain what B.L.E.S.S. stands forWhat book do you wish someone had given you as a young leader?What mistakes have you made as a leader?What has it been like to stay emotionally healthy through COVID?Who or what has been the greatest leadership influence in your life? BEST QUOTES "Community and connection is the commodity because we have been so isolated.""Anybody who has given their life to Jesus and is compelled by what has happened in their life can in turn begin to bless the people and places around them in everyday ways that could actually lead somebody to Jesus.""If you can create an outreach culture around this relational style of evangelism, that's the game changer.""Unfortunately, Ch

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Jeff Martin, executive director at FCA. They discuss the following questions: How has your role changed and how have things shifted for FCA during COVID?In light of COVID, what has shifted in leading volunteers?What are some of the common mistakes made in leading volunteers?What is your main point of emphasis as you are leading your team currently?What are 2 to 3 things you try to do daily that benefit your life and your leadership?What would you tell your 20-year-old self about leading? BEST QUOTES "Leaders of denominational organizations, global ministry organizations, businesses have said they've realized now how important it is that we empower our people to lead.""The reality of an organization is that the most influential people are the people that take the message out.""As a church body, are we looking at these volunteers as people to be rolled into our organization or are we looking at them as

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Dr. Ken Braugh, former pastor and author of Unhindered Abundance. They discuss right and left brain dynamics in regards to character building and having a safe place for feedback. BEST QUOTES "Character passes through the conduit of relationship.""Information that is dispensed from the pulpit does not produce transformation. It is a part of that dynamic but it doesn't do as much as we think it does.""To measure spiritual growth and maturity is a tricky thing. It may be that the best way to measure that is my growing capacity to love.""We don't have a good theology of emotion within evangelicalism.""You need a place where you can go to experience safe feedback.""I think Satan's greatest weapon against all of us as human beings, as believers specifically, is shame.""The whole aspect of soul care, self care, was not something we got in seminary.""If we are constantly living in the future, we are going to mi

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Ben Mandrell are joined by Brad Lomenick, author of The Catalyst Leader and H3 Leadership. They discuss the following questions: What have you learned over the years about movements and the value they bring?How are you moving forward now?What does it look like to bring smaller groups together?Do you see the shift happening from just preaching to also gathering and developing leaders? BEST QUOTES "If something is God-breathed, just hold on.""Nobody wants to see a movement end, but there is a season to movements and it is OK that they wrap up.""We have to remove ourselves from the idea that whether it grows or it stops that's because of me as the point leader.""Movements don't have to be global in nature. They can be neighborly in nature and still be incredibly God-breathed.""When you gather influencers, let them be the center of the conversation.""The experiences we are creating, how are they different from content that is readily

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Larry Osborne, author and teaching pastor at North Coast Church. They discuss succession planning and how people choose to live in echo chambers. BEST QUOTES "There are no good transitions, there are only good people.""Godly people can make weird structures work, even co-pastoring.""When you have goals you immediately move to metrics, and when you move to metrics you artificially try to reach them.""God does not give me a flock, he gives me to a flock.""It's not a trick to explode in growth, it's a trick to be healthy.""We choose the world we live in informationally.""We need to have a true kingdom mindset to reach our communities like we never have before.""The absolutely predictable fruit of a culture in which everything is have it your way is everybody is different.""The weekend service is simply a catalyst for discipleship.""The only legacy you have is with your spouse, your children, your closest fr

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. They discuss navigating leadership during times of crisis and being a better leader through learning. BEST QUOTES "The cultural moment now is more complex than it has been anytime in my lifetime.""We are probably in the worst days of the worst crisis of our lifetime, so I think things on crisis leadership are really helpful.""We help lead conversations for greater gospel impact.""My role as a missiologist is to help people be thoughtful about engaging an increasingly disinterested and in some ways more hostile culture.""Mission, vision, and values stay the same, but strategy and structure have changed.""Leading through this time is in a lot of ways asking, 'what now?'""What does it look like to pivot as a congregational level?""We have to lead through partly by addressing the cultural issues of the moment, but also partly by mobil

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Ben Mandrell are joined by Carey and Toni Nieuwhof, author of Before You Split. They discuss the following questions: An overview of your backgroundHow did being in the pastorate affect your marriage and this book?What was the transition like going from being lawyers to being in the ministry?What was your viewpoint like as Carey's spouse?What tips do you have on starting to attack this problem instead of watching it wither? BEST QUOTES "Leading up to my burnout there was a lot of strife in our marriage." - Carey Nieuwhof"There were times where our personal struggle was so intense that it was hard to be at church on Sundays - for both of us." - Toni Nieuwhof"At the end of the day, emotional maturity is spiritual maturity and emotional immaturity is spiritual immaturity." - Carey Nieuwhof"It was a real bone of contention between us that there was so much success outside of our home but so much tension between us." - Toni Nieuwhof"If

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Chandler Vannoy is joined by Matt Carter, lead pastor of Sagemont Church in Houston, Texas. They discuss changing culture in an established church and the power of encouragement. BEST QUOTES "One of the biggest things I am facing is how do you honor the legacies of the past but then transition this church that hired you because they want you to help them?""How do you keep the DNA of the organization that is good, and right, and healthy, but at the same time transition the culture in the areas that need to be transitioned without causing World War III?""Culture is something you can change.""I'm trying to instill a culture of excellence in the church.""The goal is to not just come to church and hear preaching but to live on mission wherever God has them.""There's no such thing as a non-missional Christian.""Raising the missional temperature in the church, I think, is done a lot through the pulpit.""I have realized the power of encouragement in my own

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Dr. Henry Cloud, author of Boundaries and Necessary Endings. They discuss how trauma affects decision making and how pruning away healthy things is actually helpful in following intended vision. BEST QUOTES "A lot of times in high performers, their unprocessed hurt does their thinking for them.""If you are going to get from where you are today to wherever you've decided your vision is, it won't happen unless you let go of some things you are doing today.""Over time you have a different audience, a different demographic, a different emphasis in the mission, and it's very difficult for people to create a necessary ending.""That's leadership: to figure out what's got to end.""There's no such thing in the New Testament as people taking up resources and not being accountable for a return on that investment.""If you look at COVID, a lot of people are having to prune ways they used to do church and create stuff

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Andrew Peterson, musician and author. They discuss the following questions: What is a conflict or failure that has benefited you in your leadership?Who or what has been the greatest leadership influence in your life?What book would you gift yourself as a young leader?If you could teach any course on any topic, what would it be?When you look at from a Scriptural stand point and from who we are as being created in the image of God, what does that mean? BEST QUOTES "There is a tendency in our current climate to be really afraid of being wrong and it can make you second guess everything.""Being wrong is one of the best things you can be, and what I mean by that is that being wrong forces you to experience mercy and humility and teaches you how to ask for forgiveness.""The thing that is way better than getting it right every time is being humble enough to know that you can't get it right every time.""Tippi

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Tony Evans, founding president of The Urban Alternative and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. They discuss how God can use the church to fix society issues and what he has learned about preaching virtually throughout this year. BEST QUOTES "Whenever God does a divine disruption, it's because He is after a divine reset.""God doesn't skip the church house to fix the White House.""When you understand the biblical theology which leads you to the systematic theology, it will affect your interpretation.""We are focusing on two things: kingdom discipleship and kingdom impact.""We want to have a kingdom, not a cultural, impact.""We call every member once a month to check on them.""I try to study to grow, not just study to teach, but I will teach what is helping me to grow.""You have to know your flock, you have to know yourself, and you have to merge the two by the Holy Spirit.""The table is the singl

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Louie Giglio, pastor at Passion City Church and original visionary of the Passion movement. They discuss the following questions: What is the plot shift in this book?What issues are young people 8 to 12 facing today that you are most hopeful that they will be encouraged by through what you wrote in this book?What advice would you share for preaching or discipling parents to wrestle with their own giants?How can the giant of addiction manifest itself in kids 8 to 12 today?How can this book impact the spiritual and emotional health of the entire family? BEST QUOTES "When you are talking about the greatness of God and creation, your best audience for that is kids.""If you can start talking about anger when you are 11 and not when you are 41, why wouldn't you want to start doing that?""The big twist is understanding that we are not David in the story of David and Goliath, and if there is anytime to make t

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Doug Paul, author of Ready or Not. They discuss how what is happening today helps churches innovate and how it is a myth that we must be successful by the age of 30. BEST QUOTES "The big idea around the book is that innovation is a skill set you can learn.""On a spiritual level, pastors were seeing that there is a big difference between church being programs that we run versus church being a group of people that God has trusted us to lead.""I wanted to dig into the history and the stories of the people of God to write something that would be able to change both people's minds and hearts at the same time.""There is gold that COVID is giving us right now if we will do a little bit of extra work each week to think through, what have I learned this week from where we are that we can multiply into the future?""From 6:00-8:00 everyday is just with our family. There are no screens, we are just being together."

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Ron Edmondson, Intentional Interim Pastor at First Baptist Clarksville, former president of Leadership Network, and host of the Ron Edmondson Leadership Podcast. They discuss the following questions: What is an intentional interim? How have you navigated making changes during this season?How do you help a church get a healthy church culture through the pastoral search process?Steps for starting a search committee and picking the members?Once a committee is formed, how do you lead a search committee?How much should the previous pastor or an interim pastor help in the search process?What are some practical steps to take once that potential candidate has been chosen?For a pastor who is the potential candidate, what advice would you share?What have been some challenges that you have had to navigate during this pastoral search process? BEST QUOTES "I'm here with an intentionality to help the church be read

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Ben Trueblood, Director of Student Ministry at Lifeway, and Zac Workun, Student Ministry Specialist for Lifeway and cofounder of Youth Ministry Booster. They discuss the following questions: What stories are you hearing about how student pastors are responding to this COVID situation and disruption?What are the creative ways you are hearing for student ministries innovating around not being able to go to camp?What are some things that student pastors with senior pastors knew, in general? What do they wish they knew in light of COVID?How does a student pastor lead up effectively to a senior pastor?What should the mentoring relationship look like between the senior pastor and the student pastor? BEST QUOTES "This is a really fascinating season to see student ministers in a season of forced innovation.""The barrier of trying to get Wednesday night ready kept them from being deeply relational as they hope

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Adam Weber, founder and lead pastor of Embrace Church. They discuss the following questions: What do your Sunday services look like in the midst of COVID?What were ways you were reviewing what success was during an ambiguous time?What are you doing in specific ministry areas?What's the tension of deciding when to continue something and when to cut it?What is an obstacle that turned out to be a blessing throughout this process?How have you adapted existing staff and volunteer responsibilites to meet your current needs? BEST QUOTES "It's easy to forget about online services when you have a full room.""It's very different to review what is happening in the room than what is happening online.""One of the things I loved about COVID, we found things in our staff we never knew they had as far as giftings.""We pride ourselves on being a really simple church and it has gotten more complex because of this.""Onl

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Chandler Vannoy are joined by Josh Gagnon, founding and lead pastor of Next Level Church. They discuss the following questions: What are the local government regulations your church is facing right now?How have you handled different rules and regulations because you have sites in different geographical locations?What does your Sunday service look like right now and how does it change week to week?What does your preaching schedule look like?What are you doing in specific ministry areas?What are the biggest challenges you are facing right now? What are you doing to overcome those? BEST QUOTES "Usually I am working hard toward what's next, but now I have no idea how to plan for what's next because I have no idea what I am even going to be able to do.""God's given us influence and we don't want to give it back by being the rebel.""Just because we are a church of thousands doesn't mean we need to punish the location of three hundred an