In this week’s interview Jenni Wong Clayville interviews the founder and president of Trochia Ministries and one of the teaching pastors at Mariners Church, Ines Franklin. Ines shares her insights on how to make blended families work. With her extensive experience in a blended family, Ines discusses the importance of active listening and understanding the unique dynamics involved.
Blended family challenges are numerous, and Ines emphasizes that addressing these issues with blended families requires patience and empathy. Ines also touches on the issues with blended families, such as the stigma and misunderstandings they face. She believes that recognizing these challenges is crucial for creating a supportive environment to foster a sense of belonging and understanding among family members.
Some key ideas for church leaders include the following:
Recognize the unique dynamics of blended families. Emphasize the importance of active listening. Address blended family challenges with empathy. Understand the issues with blended families to provide better support.
Discover healing in through faith and in a church community.
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
Cross Point Ministry‘s Executive Director, Clifton Roth discusses the importance of presence in pastoral care. He emphasizes that the best gift pastors can offer is their transformed and transforming presence, which is central to the journey of spiritual formation for pastors.
Clifton shares insights into spiritual disciplines for pastors, highlighting how these practices are essential for maintaining emotional and spiritual health. He explains that strategies for building strong pastoral communities involve fostering authentic relationships and being present to God and others.
The discussion also touches on how does recovery relate to spiritual formation for pastors? Cliff notes that recovery processes, such as 12-step programs, are integral to spiritual growth and healing. These programs are part of the broader journey of spiritual formation for pastors, helping them navigate personal and professional challenges.
Cross Point Ministry offers various resources, including retreats and counseling, to support pastors. These initiatives are part of their strategies for building strong pastoral communities, ensuring that pastors have the tools they need for effective ministry.
Understanding how does recovery relate to spiritual formation for pastors is crucial.
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
Two stories are unfolding in American Christianity right now, and most people are only hearing one of them.
The first story is the one making headlines: young people are walking back into church. The second story is quieter, and it’s the one we can’t afford to ignore — the people leading those churches are, in many cases, running on empty.
Both stories are true. And the way we respond to the first one depends entirely on how we respond to the second.
The Quiet Crisis Behind the Pulpit
For years, the narrative around pastoral burnout has swung between alarming and reassuring — and the truth is somewhere in the tension between the two.
The encouraging news first: Barna’s newest research shows the share of pastors seriously considering leaving full-time ministry dropped to 24% in 2025, down from a high of 42% during the pandemic years. More pastors say they can now speak openly about their mental health, and more report strong marriages and support systems than in years past.
But 1 in 4 pastors still contemplating walking away is not a healthy church. And the deeper data tells a more complicated story. Lifeway Research found that nearly half of pastors feel the demands of ministry are more than they can handle, and one in three describe themselves as isolated in their role. Two out of three pastors say they feel they must be available to their congregation around the clock.
When pastors do leave the pulpit, Christianity Today reports that the number who point to burnout as a factor has doubled over the past decade. Political division inside congregations has become one of the sharpest sources of that strain — pastors caught between competing camps, expected to referee culture-war conflicts they never signed up to lead.
None of this shows up on a Sunday morning. A tired, isolated, spiritually depleted pastor can still preach a good sermon. But over time, that exhaustion reshapes everything — a pastor’s marriage, their capacity to love difficult people, their ability to lead a church toward anything bigger than survival. And when a pastor breaks down, whether through burnout or moral failure, it’s rarely just one family that absorbs the damage. It’s a congregation. It’s a neighborhood that quietly decides the church isn’t who it claims to be.
The Generation Nobody Saw Coming
Here’s what makes this moment so urgent — and so hopeful.
After two decades of decline, something is shifting among young adults. Barna’s 2025 State of the Church research found that Gen Z and Millennial Christians are now attending church more often than Gen X or Boomers — a reversal nobody was predicting even five years ago. The typical Gen Z churchgoer now shows up nearly twice a month, and researchers are calling it one of the most significant generational shifts in decades.
Not everyone agrees on how far this “revival” goes, and that’s worth being honest about. Christianity Today’s own reporting points out that a widely cited UK study behind the “Quiet Revival” narrative was later retracted for flawed data — a reminder to hold big claims with open hands. But the same article, written by researchers who work directly with congregations and young people, argues the underlying hunger is real, even if the institutional numbers are messier than the headlines suggest. Young people are asking bigger questions about meaning, belonging, and truth than the culture assumed they would.
Outreach Magazine captures it well: this generation isn’t necessarily returning out of nostalgia or obligation. When they do show up, they’re looking for something real — depth, honesty, a community that will let them belong before they believe.
Which raises the question every church leader has to sit with: if this generation is finally curious again, who is going to lead them? And will that leader have anything left to give?
Why We Exist
This is the exact intersection Innovative Church Leaders was built for.
We believe the church can become a living picture of God’s kingdom — diverse, healthy, engaged in its community, and unwilling to let politics have the last word on what Christianity means. We believe a spiritually curious generation deserves pastors who are not just theologically equipped, but personally whole. And we believe that healthy pastors are the single most overlooked lever for renewal in the American church.
Our goal is to see 30,000 pastors — roughly 10% of all pastors in the U.S. — genuinely pursuing health across every part of their lives: spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and relational. We believe that’s the tipping point. Once 1 in 10 pastors is on a real trajectory toward wholeness, it doesn’t just change their own lives. It changes their churches, their communities, and the story the next generation tells about what following Jesus looks like.
What Your Gift Does
Right now, your support is funding two cohorts launching this fall:
Surprised by the God of Hope — 100 pastors studying with renowned theologian N.T. Wright, learning what it means to bring beauty, justice, and the presence of Jesus into their neighborhoods.
A 12-Step Cohort for Pastors — built around John Ortberg’s newest book, helping pastors break free from burnout patterns, old wounds, and hidden habits before those things break their churches.
Every day, your support funds:
Free counseling, coaching, and retreat grants for pastors who couldn’t otherwise afford them
A podcast (145,000 YouTube subscribers) and weekly newsletter (6,000 pastors and church leaders) telling the stories the news won’t — where the church is getting it right
Grant-writing partnership and Google Ad Grant strategy that multiplies every dollar you give into new pastors reached
Two Stories, One Turning Point
A curious generation is showing up at the door. A generation of pastors is quietly running on fumes. Those two facts are colliding right now, in real churches, in your city and mine.
We don’t think that’s a coincidence. We think it’s an invitation.
Join the Movement
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Your role
Friend
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You’re part of the steady, committed base this movement is built on
Ally
$150/mo
You’re a core part of our community — helping us plan ahead with confidence
Partner
$300/mo
You’re a driving force behind the pastors we reach this year
Pioneer
$12,000+/yr
You’re shaping the future of this movement as part of our Strategic Advisory Team
Champion
$5,000/mo
You’re enabling us to reach out further and faster towards our goal of spiritual renewal in our country
Laurie Short shares her journey of faith and resilience. She explores the profound question: what does trusting in God mean when life gets hard?
Through her personal experiences, Laurie illustrates how trusting in God’s plan can transform our lives, even when circumstances seem bleak. Her story is a testament to how struggle builds character and how trusting God’s plan for my life can lead to unexpected blessings.
Trusting in God does not mean having all the answers but about finding peace in uncertainty. It means realizing that God is present in our circumstances, even when we don’t understand them. This perspective helps us see that struggle builds character, shaping us into who we are meant to be.
Discover the importance of the following:
Reflect on past experiences to understand what trusting in God means.
Identify moments where struggle built character in your life.
Embrace the idea of trusting in God’s plan, even when it’s unclear.
Consider how trusting God’s plan for your life can lead to growth and fulfillment.
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
In this episode of the Innovative Church Leaders podcast, host Jenni Wong Clayville interviews Dr. Chesarae Fletcher about the importance of Sabbath, rest, and community for women of color and church leaders.
They explore practical ways to incorporate Sabbath into daily life, the theological significance of rest, and the power of sisterhood in healing and renewal.
🎬 Video Chapters 0:00 – An Introduction of Dr. Chesarae Fletcher 02:21 – The Birth of Sabbath with My Sisters 05:32 – The Central Invitation of the Book 06:58 – Rest as Formation, Not Escape 10:10 – Practical Steps to Rest 12:25 – The Importance of Communal Rest 17:27 – Personal Significance of Rest 24:29 – The Process of Creating the Anthology 27:11 – Upcoming Rest Retreat 30:30 – Encouragement for Exhausted Listeners
Win a free copy of Sabbath with My Sisters or share your story with Dr. Chesarae Fletcher at dr.chesaraefletcher@gmail.com!
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
In this video, child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Philip Hash discusses the importance of creating inclusive church environments. He shares insights on how to embrace neurodiversity. Dr. Hash emphasizes that the desire for relationships and joy is present in everyone, even if the pathways to get there differ.
Dr. Hash’s work at Valley Church in Ohio highlights the need for church community engagement. By focusing on engaging neurodivergent learners, his ministry uses role-playing games (RPGs) to foster connections. This approach not only aids in personal development but also integrates RPGs and Christian discipleship, offering a unique way to explore faith.
The initiative, known as Dragon Games, started with a small group and has expanded internationally. It demonstrates how RPGs and Christian discipleship can be powerful tools for engaging neurodivergent learners. The program encourages participants to discover their stories within God’s narrative, promoting church community engagement.
Discover how to: Embrace neurodiversity as a normal part of church life. Utilize RPGs to enhance Christian discipleship. Focus on engaging neurodivergent learners through innovative methods. Promote church community engagement by including all members.
Practical steps include creating spaces where neurodivergent individuals feel welcome. This involves understanding their unique needs and integrating them into church activities.
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
In a culture chasing the next big church model, what if the secret to growth is getting back to the basics?
After 20+ years of faithful ministry in South Arlington, Dr. Maurice Pugh has seen God double New Life Fellowship’s attendance since COVID — adding one new service every year — simply by trusting Jesus with the results.
Maurice Pugh and Eric Bryant explore what it looks like to build a thriving, multiplying church on sound doctrine, authentic community, and Spirit-led faithfulness. From micro-group discipleship to city-wide outreach, Maurice shares the rhythms and convictions that are producing real, lasting fruit.
This conversation is a timely encouragement for every pastor who is tempted to measure success by size alone.
The church grows when pastors stop striving and start trusting. Maurice shares how returning to Christology, the Trinity, and sound biblical teaching is drawing people into genuine faith. His two-year micro-group discipleship model is on track to multiply 1,500 disciple-makers, and his personal rhythms of rest have sustained him for the long haul.
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
Are you feeling called to start something new? Discover the transformative journey of how to start a house church and create a community that thrives on faith and fellowship. Starting a house church can be a rewarding experience, offering a unique opportunity to connect with others on a deeper level.
In this video, Jesse Reeves of King’s Porch, explores the essential steps and considerations for establishing your own house church. From understanding the core principles to practical church outreach ideas.
Jesse Reeves – award-winning songwriter (“Speak Jesus”) and worship leader – shares his radical shift from touring with Chris Tomlin to the front lines of a house church movement.
After years on staff at Passion City and The Austin Stone, Jesse took a God-ordained “sabbatical” that led him to a startling realization: We have more Christian resources than ever, yet fewer people coming to know Christ.
Discover the rhythm of King’s Porch, where the “Jesus Stories” practice turned awkward silence into a culture of evangelism.
Jesse breaks down the history of the “clergy-laity divide” and explains why every Christian – from realtors to car salesmen – is called to be a royal priest in their own neighborhood. Learn how a small network of house churches is giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars to global missions by living simply and following the Book of Acts.
It’s time to elevate your priesthood!
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
Join us for an insightful conversation where Filipe and Mandy Santos of Echo Church in the Bay Area interview John Ortberg and they explore spiritual formation, the origins of the 12-step program, and its relevance for church leaders today.
Discover practical wisdom on character, vulnerability, and leveraging technology in a polarized culture.
Spiritual formation is not just about personal growth; it’s about leading others into a transformative relationship with God.
John emphasizes that this process is essential for effective church leadership today. In a world filled with polarization and contempt, fostering a community centered on the teachings of Jesus is more crucial than ever.
Ortberg notes, “The greatest opportunity ever offered to the human race is life in God’s presence with friendship and guidance.”
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
Discover the most effective ways to engage a community with church outreach ideas. Whether you’re part of a small congregation or a large ministry, these strategies will help you connect meaningfully with your community. Join us as we explore innovative approaches that have proven successful in various settings.
In this video, Jeff Brodie, the lead pastor of Connexus Church in Toronto shares innovative methods that have inspired many to rethink traditional outreach strategies and embrace new ways of connecting with people. By focusing on authentic relationships and genuine interactions, you can make a lasting impact in your community. Learn how to create an inviting atmosphere that encourages participation and fosters a sense of belonging.
Jeff also shares about the remarkably smooth transition to the lead role from the founding pastor, Carey Nieuwhof.
Utilize social media platforms to reach a broader audience.Host community events that cater to diverse interests.
Encourage volunteerism to foster a sense of purpose and belonging.
Develop small groups to build deeper connections.
By implementing the most effective ways to engage a community, your church can become a beacon of hope and support.
These strategies not only enhance community involvement but also strengthen the bonds within your congregation.
Summary:”So it’s community, then encountering God in an accessible way. I think in the attractional days, we were so worried about the weird that we pushed away from the weird to the point we lost the wonder of it all. The wonder disappeared and we got so focused on the imminent that we missed the transcendent.”
THE INNOVATIVE CHURCH LEADER PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS:
We want to help pastors experience and bring renewal through Spirit-led innovation, reaching new people, and making disciples who make disciples.
Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter at innovativechurchleaders.org/join-us for a chance to win future book giveaways, retreats, cohorts, workshops, and assessments!
