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Happy New Year!!

Talking about generosity in church can feel like walking through a minefield. You know people have baggage. You’ve seen the damage done by manipulative teaching. So sometimes… we just don’t talk about it at all.

But here’s what Boyd Bailey reminded us in this conversation with Filipe and Mandy Santos of Echo Church: when we avoid teaching biblical generosity, we’re actually withholding a gift from our people.

Boyd Bailey, founder of Wisdom Hunters and author of The Power of Generosity, shared how his grandmother shaped his entire understanding of generous living, and it had way more to do with presence, time, and hospitality than money. Her generosity gave him security during a difficult season. It gave him attention when he needed it most. It gave him a family Bible with words he still returns to on hard days.

That’s the kind of generosity our people are hungry for.

If you’ve been hesitant to approach this topic, this conversation will give you fresh language rooted in freedom, not fear. 

Let’s help our people discover the abundant life Jesus promised.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

Brenden Brown leads Heirs Church in San Francisco — one of the most unchurched cities in America. In this conversation, he opens up about planting a church across 29 venues in 8 years, navigating a healthy transition from Hillsong, and discovering that identity shapes everything in ministry.

From trading jackets with strangers to praying with Uber drivers, Brenden shares how everyday moments become divine appointments when you see people the way God sees them. He talks about the challenge of ministry in post-Christian contexts, the power of story in evangelism, and why understanding we’re sons and daughters before we’re disciples changes how we lead and serve.

If you’re leading in a hard place or wondering how to help your people live on mission, this episode will encourage you.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

Have you ever realized your relationship with Jesus has become… professional?

That’s what Pastor Bob Reed from CyLife Church outside Houston, Texas had to face. Despite leading a growing church, Bob realized every week was just another message to prepare, another stage to step onto. The Bible had become a textbook instead of a lifeline.

So he did something most pastors would never do – he confessed it to his entire congregation.

That moment of vulnerability became a turning point, not just for Bob, but for his whole church. It launched them on a journey toward real discipleship that’s transformed how they do ministry.

In our conversation, Bob gets refreshingly honest about:

• The painful wake-up call that changed his approach to leadership
• Why small groups alone don’t equal discipleship (and what does)
• How to lead relationally without burning out
• The definition of a disciple that actually works in practice

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing ministry but missing the heart of it, this episode is worth your time.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

Ever notice how the best leadership lessons often come from unexpected places?

This week I sat down with Samuel Teka from the Diaspora Network, and what started as a conversation about immigrant ministry turned into something that challenged how I think about community, discipleship, and what the Western church needs most right now.

Samuel is a second-gen Ethiopian-American, and he shared this picture that stuck with me: In Ethiopia, there’s an open-door coffee culture where total strangers can walk in and share a meal. It’s hospitality like Abraham showed the angels, and it’s a gift immigrant churches are bringing to our often isolated Western congregations.

What if the mission field that’s come to us has something vital to teach us too?

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

In this episode of the ⁠⁠Innovative Church Leaders ⁠⁠podcast, ⁠Mike and Lori McDaniel⁠ share about the ⁠Great Invitation⁠, a ministry focused on providing soul care and support for pastors and church leaders. They discuss the challenges of burnout, the importance of community, and the need for spiritual direction.

From their website: “In a world that demands more, The Great Invitation offers something different: a spacious call back to the presence of God. We create sacred spaces where leaders, missionaries, and teams can be renewed—not by doing more, but by returning to the One who restores the soul.”

🔥5 Key Takeaways:

1. Ministry can be exhausting and isolating for leaders.
2. The Great Invitation focuses on soul care for ministry leaders.
3. Creating safe spaces for healing is essential.
4. Spiritual direction can change the trajectory of ministry.
5. Healthy leaders lead healthier ministries.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

In this episode of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Innovative Church Leaders ⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Eric Bryant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ interviews Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing⁠, a theologian, author, speaker, and founder of ⁠The Advocate Collective⁠.

Amy shares about the resurgence of interest in Christianity in the U.K. and how the church can engage with the spiritually curious through bold preaching and compassion for the vulnerable.

Amy is the author of the following books:

• ⁠Lead Like the Real You: Wisdom for Women on Finding Your Voice, Pursuing God’s Calling, and Leading with Courage⁠
• ⁠But Is It Real?: Answering 10 Common Objections To The Christian Faith⁠
• ⁠Why Trust the Bible? (Revised and updated): Answers to Ten Tough Questions⁠
• ⁠Where Is God in All the Suffering?⁠

🔥 5 Key Takeaways:

1. The Lord is actively working in the UK, drawing people to faith.
2. Prayer and cultural engagement are essential for spiritual renewal.
3. The church must address the questions of suffering and injustice.
4. Survivors of abuse need to be heard and supported.
5. The church’s response to harm and injustice reflects its values.

In this episode of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Innovative Church Leaders ⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Eric Bryant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ interviews ⁠McLaren Lewis⁠, pastor of ⁠Mosaic London⁠.

McLaren shares his journey to faith, the challenges of ministry in a post-Christian context like London, and the vision behind Mosaic London, a church plant of ⁠Mosaic in Los Angeles⁠. He emphasizes the importance of community, discipleship, and the need for church leaders to remain encouraged and active in their calling. McLaren’s insights reflect a deep understanding of the complexities of modern ministry and the necessity of building genuine relationships within the church.

🔥5 Key Takeaways:

1. Ministry in London is challenging due to people’s guarded nature.
2. Mosaic London aims to help individuals discover their purpose.
3. Community and relationships are vital for church growth.
4. Discipleship involves teaching others to teach.
5. The church’s foundation is built on community and shared experiences.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

What if the key to church growth isn’t doing more ministry yourself, but empowering others to step in?

In this episode, Dr. Eric Bryant sits down with prolific author and researcher Warren Bird to discuss the surprising trends in post-pandemic church health, the shift from attendance to attachment, and why the future of ministry depends on raising up the next generation of leaders.

Warren shares insights from his latest book Becoming a Future Ready Church and unpacks practical wisdom about breaking growth barriers, building diverse communities, and why your communication skills matter more than you think.

Whether you’re leading a church of 50 or 5,000, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to think differently about what success really looks like.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

What if the real barriers to reaching secular communities are the assumptions we bring with us?

I recently interviewed Mandy Santos, Spiritual Formation Pastor at Echo Church in Silicon Valley. They planted expecting hostility in one of America’s most de-churched regions. Instead, they found neighbors who joined the launch team before believing and atheists who eventually started baptizing others.

The reality of ministry in post-Christian contexts often looks different than we expect. Mandy shares insights from years of experience in the Bay Area—navigating leadership transitions, creating space for both skeptics and disciples, and building formation rhythms that don’t feel like performance.

If you’re wrestling with how to stay accessible while going deeper, or simply rethinking what discipleship looks like in your context, this conversation offers a perspective worth hearing.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

In this episode of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Innovative Church Leaders ⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Eric Bryant⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ interviews three generations of the Neighbour family, all of whom are involved in ministry.

Prolific author and church leader for decades ⁠Ralph Neighbour, Jr.⁠, his son ⁠Ralph Neighbour III⁠ of ⁠Converge Coaching⁠, and his grandson ⁠Nathan Neighbour⁠, pastor of ⁠Humanity Church in Pomona, CA⁠ discuss the significance of legacy, innovation, and the anointing in ministry, as well as the commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders.

🔥5 Key Takeaways:

1. The Neighbour family has a rich legacy of ministry spanning generations.
2. Each generation adapts ministry to meet the unique challenges of their time.
3. Prayer has been a foundational element in the Neighbour family’s ministry.
4. Recognizing one’s anointing is crucial for effective leadership.
5. The importance of authentic community in ministry cannot be overstated.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.

What if everything you’ve heard about declining church attendance is about to change? 

⁠Luke LeFevre⁠ joins us to share what he’s witnessing across North America—from college campuses to historic churches like Saddleback—and why he believes we’re on the cusp of a 60-year movement of God.

In this conversation, Luke pulls back the curtain on what happened at Saddleback’s sacred assembly, shares his encounter with Andy Wood that started it all, and explains why Gen Z is now the most frequent church-attending generation in the West.

But here’s the challenge: Are our churches actually ready for what’s coming?

Luke doesn’t hold back on what he believes the Western church has lost—and what needs to be restored before we can sustain a genuine move of God’s Spirit.

Whether you’re a pastor feeling isolated in your hunger for revival or a church leader wondering what the next decade holds, this conversation will stir something in you.

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!

Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Innovative Church Leaders Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or youtube.com/@InnovativeChurchLeaders.