Canadian Church Leaders Podcast

By CCLN

What's Canadian Church Leaders Podcast about?

Conversations that speak to the heart, soul and vision of the pastor, with ample time to hear the stories and processing of church leaders. Hosted most often by Jason Ballard, Pastor at The Way Church in Vancouver, BC.

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Canadian Church Leaders Podcast episodes:

04.08.2024
Mark Buchanan on Pastoring Others Without Losing Your Soul, Growing Deep Over Fast, and Telling Gospel-Shaped Stories
Mark Buchanan sits down with us again to explore everything from how storytelling forms us to our addiction to control. He articulates how narratives help us navigate the truths of life and our identity, emphasizing the significance of weaving hope-filled,...
03.25.2024
Tammy Giffen on Neighbourhood Contextualization, Processing When People Leave, and What Helps Canada Feel Smaller
How do we contextualize our churches to the neighbourhoods God has called us to? And how do you keep your heart healthy when people leave your church? In today’s episode with Tammy Giffen, lead pastor of Groundswell Church in Truro, Nova...
03.11.2024
Nicky Gumbel On His Succession at HTB, a Vision to Train 10,000 Pastors, and the Significance of April 17, 2033
In this episode, Jason sits down with the pioneer of the Alpha Course and former Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton in London, Nicky Gumbel. Nicky shares about his journey of transitioning leadership at HTB after nearly two decades in the...
02.26.2024
Jerry L. Sittser On the Early Church “Third Way”, Re-introducing a Christian Imagination, and Navigating Grief through a Redemptive Lens
In this episode, Jason had a conversation with Jerry L. Sittser, a retired professor of theology from Whitworth University, renowned for his expertise in Christian spirituality and history. In this conversation, Jerry shares the relevance of early Christian practices in...
02.12.2024
Jonathan Smith On Nurturing Change in Churches with Compassion, Embracing the Vitality of Pruning for Church Growth, and Recognizing the Essential Role of Spiritual Mentors
Change and the process of pruning are essential yet challenging aspects of personal growth and church life. Jonathan Smith understands this reality deeply, having navigated 30 years of church ministry and leadership. In this engaging conversation with Jason, Jonathan candidly...
01.29.2024
Jeff Vanderstelt on The Dealing With Criticism, Navigating Toxic Church Culture, The Crisis of Discipleship, and Dallas Willard’s Last Unanswered Question
Discipleship lies at the heart of the Christian journey, yet it often becomes compartmentalized within separate ministries or aspects of the Christian faith. Jeff Vanderstelt, with years of experience leading others in the way of Jesus and equipping the broader...
01.16.2024
Durwin and Angel Gray on Being Called to a Place and Community, Navigating Imposter Syndrome, and Parenting as the Primary Avenue of Discipleship
In this episode, Jason had the privilege of sitting down and having a conversation with his very first pastors—Angel and Durwin Gray, who played a crucial role in shaping his pastoral imagination during his formative years. Angel and Durwin have...
01.08.2024
Special Episode: Elita Friesen on Abiding in Jesus, The Fruitfulness of Rocky Soil, and Recognizing the Work of the Vinedresser
This past year we gathered for a one day conference with pastors and leaders from across North America, collaborating with our friends at Practicing The Way. Together, we engaged in meaningful discussions on spiritual formation within the context of the...
12.14.2023
Darren Herbold on Embracing Holy Inconvenience, Why Ministry Friendships Are Key & Choosing Faithfulness in All Seasons
In this episode, Jason and Darren Herbold, President of The Alliance Canada, mine Darren’s eclectic ministry background which includes time in pastoral ministry, the business world and in the missionary field. Darren lets us into his own journey of wanting...
11.28.2023
Evan Wickham on Fostering Compassionate Curiosity, Embracing Courageous Orthodoxy, and Creating Healthy Spaces for Questions & Disagreement
Today, church planter and worship leader Evan Whickman joins us from Park Hill Church in sunny San Diego. In this conversation, Jason and Evan explore various themes, starting with Evan's personal journey of deconstructing and reconstructing his faith in Jesus,...
11.27.2023
Darrell Johnson on Carving out a New Understanding of Pastoring, Trusting the Power of God’s Word, & How the Ten Commandments Speak to Our Cultural Moment
Darrell Johnson, our record holder for “most interviews on the podcast” joins us to speak into the evolving landscape of pastoral ministry. Join Jason and Darrell as they explore themes like the art of preaching, going the distance in ministry...
11.06.2023
Bonus Episode: Getting Practical with Jon Wright on Nurturing a Culture of Biblical Generosity & Year-End Giving
For this 30-minute episode, we're stepping away from our usual podcast format to dive deep into a topic that we know many pastors feel stuck or uncomfortable in – the art of communicating about giving and generosity to a church....
10.30.2023
Ebonie Davis on Nurturing Gritty Faith, Four Spiritual Practices for the Next-Generation & Being a Student of Those You Lead
No matter where you fall on your church's organizational chart, we believe that this conversation with Ebonie around thoughtful discipleship in the youth space will serve you. In their time together, Ebonie and Jason explore how the church can play...
10.17.2023
Pieter Valk on the Historical Christian Sex Ethic, Demystifying Vocational Singleness & How Pastors Can Serve the LGBT+ Community
In this episode, we deviate from our typical format of interviewing a pastor, to host a conversation with Pieter Valk from Equip on how the Church can live into loving and serving the LGBT+ community. Through conversations with pastors across...
10.03.2023
Jason Matta on Prioritizing Your Closest Relationships in Ministry, Being Held By the Body of Christ in Hard Times, and Building For Eternal Value
In this episode, join Jason Ballard as he interviews Jason Matta, the senior pastor of Hope Church Toronto West. This dynamic community, rooted in the gospel, unwavering in proclaiming the Word, and deeply reliant on prayer, has been serving the...
09.19.2023
Archbishop Michael Miller on Overseeing 70+ Parishes, Prayer as a Central Pastoral Activity & Dealing Realistically with Criticism
It's not everyday that we have an Archbishop on the podcast... In this conversation, Jason and Archbishop Michael Miller dive into the story of how he ended up in such a prominent position in the Catholic Church, and the insights...
09.04.2023
Chris Price on Preaching: Being a Prophet to Culture, Adopting the Right Kind of Relevancy & Moving Beyond Information Transfer to Encounter
One of the most requested topics for the podcast has been preaching. Here it finally is… a long-awaited conversation on preaching featuring a friend of the podcast – pastor, preacher, and author Chris Price. After delving into Chris' captivating journey...
08.21.2023
Bishop Jenny Andison on Stewarding a Church with 180 Years of History, Her Passion for Evangelism & Cultivating the Monastery Within
St. Paul’s Bloor Street, the largest Anglican Church in Toronto, carries a 180-year-old history of ministry to one of Canada’s greatest cities. Leading this diverse and expanding community is Bishop Jenny Andison. Join Jason and Jenny as they delve into...
08.08.2023
Jonny Hughes on the Simplicity of Prayer, Discerning His Call to Pastoral Ministry & the Story of Trinity Church
For this interview, we welcome Jonny Hughes, an English pastor and close friend of Jason's, joining us all the way from Nottingham, England. Jonny's journey as a pastor began in London and Southern California, where he served in various churches...
07.25.2023
Montreal Spotlight | A Conversation with David Pothier of La Chapelle
In a span of just a few decades, Montreal underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding its once-revered title of "city of a hundred steeples" to become one of Canada's most secularized urban centers. Today only 0.7% of Montreal's population identifies as...
07.10.2023
Montreal Spotlight | A Conversation with Patti Miller of Evangel Church
In just a few decades, Montreal has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from the once-revered "city of a hundred steeples" to becoming one of Canada's most secularized urban centres. As a result, the percentage of Montreal's population identifying as evangelical...
06.26.2023
John’s Story: How a Pastor’s Journey to Health Transformed Him and His Family
In 2020, John Lamos sat down next to his wife Jessie after a long day at the church, and she expressed with great fatigue and honesty: “John, if this is what ministry is like, I can’t keep doing this.” John...
05.29.2023
Special Episode: Mark Sayers On Discipleship as Perseverance, Giving God Your Reputation & Recalibrating the Church’s View of Revival
What might it look like for us to match the complexity of our time with courageous and creative responses for discipleship? Join pastor and thought leader Mark Sayers as he seeks to answer this question amongst many others in this...
05.16.2023
Ken Shigematsu on Seeking to Bless Those We Envy, Practicing Confession as a Pastor & How We Can Survive Shame
Into a revolving door of senior pastors, Ken Shigematsu arrived to lead a struggling community in Vancouver, BC by the name of Tenth Church in 1996. After over two decades, Ken is still at the helm, having led Tenth to...
05.01.2023
Jonathan Tremaine Thomas on Engaging the Gospel Amidst Unrest, Seeking Righteousness and Distinguishing Between a Biblical and Secular View of Justice
“You will love the guns out of their hands.” These are the words that Jonathan Tremaine Thomas sensed the Lord say to him in his junior year after he led a violent drug dealer to Jesus on the curb of...
04.17.2023
Albert Chu on Church Planting as a Discipleship Engine, Resurrecting Dying Churches & How a Second Chance to Pastor Changed Him
Albert Chu has spent decades leading in the same community, in the same area, with the same mission – creating room for people to discover and grow as disciples of Jesus. With his pastoral experience planting and leading a multisite...
04.03.2023
Brett Landry on Contextual Church Ministry, Healing After Burnout & the Difference the Gospel Makes for Pastors
When Jason, Chris and Jeremy set out to plant the Way Church in 2020, they found in the Vancouver Church many allies – one of them being Brett Landry. With Brett’s own history of planting in one of Canada’s most...
03.13.2023
Henry Schorr on Prayer as the Starting Place, Choosing Generosity Over Ingrowth & His Reflections on 40+ Years of Pastoring
Studies have shown that a pastor typically stays at one church for an average of 4 years. For Dr. Henry Schorr however, that is far from the case. With 43 years of pastoring under his belt at Centre Street Church...
02.27.2023
Jessica DiSabatino on Growing up in an Accidental House Church, How Loss Shaped Her Calling & Living Like the Harvest is Plentiful Today
Have you ever wondered if anyone reads those New Testaments that you can sometimes find in hotel bedside tables? Well, that is exactly how Jess DiSabatino’s parents came to know Jesus… and her life was never the same. In today’s...
02.13.2023
Kevin Palau (Son of Luis Palau) on His Father’s Legacy, Rekindling a Passion For Evangelism & How He Unified 200+ Churches to Serve Portland
Right alongside the name Billy Graham when it comes to discussions on evangelism, is the name Luis Palau. Luis was a passionate evangelist who preached in over 80 different countries, and saw millions of people come to know Jesus before...
01.30.2023
Ross Hastings on How to Make Ethical Decisions, the Starting Place for Personal Transformation & Participation in the Life of God
Over decades in the church, Ross has seen pastors pass the preaching test, and even the pastoral test, but seen less pass the character test than one would want. Today Ross is giving much of his time seeking to understand...
01.02.2023
Special Episode: The Best from the Canadian Youth Pastor Summit West (Part 2)
In October, we welcomed 100+ youth pastors representing over 8,000 students to Vancouver, BC for our very first Canadian Youth Pastor Summit. 3 days with some of Canada’s best youth pastors, all gathering for the sake of the next generation....
12.19.2022
Special Episode: The Best from the Canadian Youth Pastor Summit West (Part 1)
In October, we welcomed 100+ youth pastors representing over 8,000 students to Vancouver, BC for our very first Canadian Youth Pastor Summit. 3 days with some of Canada’s best youth pastors, all gathering for the sake of the next generation....
12.05.2022
Nathan Weselake on Four Church Shaping Prayers, His Desire for Indigenous Reconciliation & What the Lord Is Doing in Fly-In Communities
Though the major cities in Canada seem to have a sort of gravitational pull to them, there is a deep need for smaller towns in our country to see church planting, multiplication and revitalization. Canada needs more pastors like Nathan...
11.21.2022
Joyce Rees on Building a Life Not Just a Ministry, Pursuing Calling Amidst Pushback & the Kingdom’s Measurement of Success
With Jesus’ words living deep in her heart, Joyce Rees is known as someone who calls the Church and Her leaders to the main things. To sit down with Joyce is to inevitably talk about loving the poor, becoming a...
11.07.2022
Special Episode: Darrell Johnson on the Pastor as Shepherd, Dealing With Hurt in Ministry & What Has and Has Not Changed for Pastors
We have had quite a few conversations with Darrell Johnson now, and it still feels like we are just scratching the surface of what the Lord has taught him in his 50+ years of ministry. For this special episode, we...
10.24.2022
Mike Voll on Revitalizing Churches in Small Towns, the Importance of Submitting to Process & His Journey Through Loss as a Young Pastor
After almost 100 episodes, Mike happens to be the first pastor/body-builder that has graced the podcast … and he did not disappoint. With almost 20 years at the same church (North Pointe Community Church), and a story marked with unimaginable...
10.11.2022
Katia Adams on Dreaming to Church Plant as a Teenager, Pastoring With Legacy in Mind & What the Persecuted Church Can Teach Us
While most teenagers her age were dreaming about years of travelling or schooling after graduation, young Katia Adams was dreaming about planting a church. With parents and grandparents that played a vital role in the inception of the Iranian Church,...
09.26.2022
Special Episode: Searching for Faithful Pastors (Part 2)
In a time where the list of pastors who are falling seems to be growing, we’ve been on the search for faithful pastors. Pastors who have finished well, stayed the course, maintained a deep love for Jesus and His Bride...
09.22.2022
Special Episode: Searching for Faithful Pastors (Part 1)
In a time where the list of pastors who are falling seems to be growing, we’ve been on the search for faithful pastors. Pastors who have finished well, stayed the course, maintained a deep love for Jesus and His Bride...
08.29.2022
What's Coming Up
Here's a quick update on an upcoming episode we're excited to release, and a bit about what this fall will look like on the podcast. Take a listen.
08.15.2022
Pete Greig: What Echoed From A Prayer Room, the Necessity of the Local Church & A Call to Consider the State of Our Hearts
There aren’t many who can say that in the wake of their life there is a 24/7 prayer movement that has impacted half the nations on earth - but Pete Greig can. And though Pete’s resume has marked the world,...
08.02.2022
Sunder Krishnan on Knowing Who You Are Not, What Pastors Must Embody to Finish Well & Living A Life Worth Watching
We want to see Sunder Krishnan's story repeated over and over in Canada. Sunder represents a faithful demographic of church leaders who have finished well in ministry, now taking up the mantle of mentoring the next generation of pastors in...
07.18.2022
Joshua Butler on Creative Mission In Your City, the Power of Listening, and How Trial Formed His Pastoral Heart
Jason has a great conversation with Joshua Butler, pastor of Redemption Tempe in Arizona. They discuss Josh's story of coming to faith, entering ministry, and working at a church in Portland doing mission and outreach in their city. Josh also...
07.04.2022
Simon Ponsonby on How Church History Can Fuel Us, Staying Amazed by Jesus, and Why the Fear of the Lord is Key
Jason and Simon Ponsonby sit down for a conversation following CCLN's Incubator Program's time in Oxford. When there, Simon gave a historic tour of their neighbourhood and its spiritual history to our cohort of Canadian Pastors. Bio | A fourth generation...
06.22.2022
Incubator Sessions: In England with Pete Hughes, Simon Ponsonby, Tim May & Others
In today’s episode, we share some highlights from our time in England with our Church Leaders Incubator. This cohort of 17 young, senior leaders in Canada got to connect with pastors and church teams over a 5 day trip as...
06.13.2022
Next Episode On Its Way!
For our next episode, we will be releasing audio from our sessions in England with different church leaders there. It's on it's way! Thanks for your patience - we promise it'll be worth the wait!
05.30.2022
Incubator Sessions: Mark Sayers on Self Actualization as Idolatry, Spiritual Authority, the Priestly Call to Sacrifice, and Stewarding Soft Power
Mark Sayers joined an online session with our Church Leaders Incubator back in the Fall where he explored a variety of topics on pastoral leadership and prophetically spoke into where he believes the Spirit is moving the church in the...
05.16.2022
Incubator Sessions: Darren Rouanzoin on Preparing for What’s Next by Disrupting Comforts, Identifying Compromise & Consecrating Oneself
In today’s episode, we bring you into a conversation Jason hosted for our Church Leaders Incubator with Darren Rouanzoin. Amongst our group of young, senior leaders, Jason and Darren wade into conversations on what a Spirit filled church looks like,...
05.02.2022
Gordon Smith on How Individuals, Churches, and Pastors Can Discover Their Calling & Find Hope in Exile
Gordon Smith joins Jason to dive into topics like calling, ecclesiology, secularism, and having hope for the next season as pastors and leaders. Bio | Gordon T. Smith (PhD, Loyola School of Theology, Ateneo de Manila University) is the president of...

What's Canadian Church Leaders Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Canadian Church Leaders Podcast episodes:

Mark Buchanan on Pastoring Others Without Losing Your Soul, Growing Deep Over Fast, and Telling Gospel-Shaped Stories

Tammy Giffen on Neighbourhood Contextualization, Processing When People Leave, and What Helps Canada Feel Smaller

Nicky Gumbel On His Succession at HTB, a Vision to Train 10,000 Pastors, and the Significance of April 17, 2033

Jerry L. Sittser On the Early Church “Third Way”, Re-introducing a Christian Imagination, and Navigating Grief through a Redemptive Lens

Jonathan Smith On Nurturing Change in Churches with Compassion, Embracing the Vitality of Pruning for Church Growth, and Recognizing the Essential Role of Spiritual Mentors

Jeff Vanderstelt on The Dealing With Criticism, Navigating Toxic Church Culture, The Crisis of Discipleship, and Dallas Willard’s Last Unanswered Question

Durwin and Angel Gray on Being Called to a Place and Community, Navigating Imposter Syndrome, and Parenting as the Primary Avenue of Discipleship

Special Episode: Elita Friesen on Abiding in Jesus, The Fruitfulness of Rocky Soil, and Recognizing the Work of the Vinedresser

Darren Herbold on Embracing Holy Inconvenience, Why Ministry Friendships Are Key & Choosing Faithfulness in All Seasons

Evan Wickham on Fostering Compassionate Curiosity, Embracing Courageous Orthodoxy, and Creating Healthy Spaces for Questions & Disagreement

Darrell Johnson on Carving out a New Understanding of Pastoring, Trusting the Power of God’s Word, & How the Ten Commandments Speak to Our Cultural Moment

Bonus Episode: Getting Practical with Jon Wright on Nurturing a Culture of Biblical Generosity & Year-End Giving

Ebonie Davis on Nurturing Gritty Faith, Four Spiritual Practices for the Next-Generation & Being a Student of Those You Lead

Pieter Valk on the Historical Christian Sex Ethic, Demystifying Vocational Singleness & How Pastors Can Serve the LGBT+ Community

Jason Matta on Prioritizing Your Closest Relationships in Ministry, Being Held By the Body of Christ in Hard Times, and Building For Eternal Value

Archbishop Michael Miller on Overseeing 70+ Parishes, Prayer as a Central Pastoral Activity & Dealing Realistically with Criticism

Chris Price on Preaching: Being a Prophet to Culture, Adopting the Right Kind of Relevancy & Moving Beyond Information Transfer to Encounter

Bishop Jenny Andison on Stewarding a Church with 180 Years of History, Her Passion for Evangelism & Cultivating the Monastery Within

Jonny Hughes on the Simplicity of Prayer, Discerning His Call to Pastoral Ministry & the Story of Trinity Church

Montreal Spotlight | A Conversation with David Pothier of La Chapelle

Montreal Spotlight | A Conversation with Patti Miller of Evangel Church

John’s Story: How a Pastor’s Journey to Health Transformed Him and His Family

Special Episode: Mark Sayers On Discipleship as Perseverance, Giving God Your Reputation & Recalibrating the Church’s View of Revival

Ken Shigematsu on Seeking to Bless Those We Envy, Practicing Confession as a Pastor & How We Can Survive Shame

Jonathan Tremaine Thomas on Engaging the Gospel Amidst Unrest, Seeking Righteousness and Distinguishing Between a Biblical and Secular View of Justice

Albert Chu on Church Planting as a Discipleship Engine, Resurrecting Dying Churches & How a Second Chance to Pastor Changed Him

Brett Landry on Contextual Church Ministry, Healing After Burnout & the Difference the Gospel Makes for Pastors

Henry Schorr on Prayer as the Starting Place, Choosing Generosity Over Ingrowth & His Reflections on 40+ Years of Pastoring

Jessica DiSabatino on Growing up in an Accidental House Church, How Loss Shaped Her Calling & Living Like the Harvest is Plentiful Today

Kevin Palau (Son of Luis Palau) on His Father’s Legacy, Rekindling a Passion For Evangelism & How He Unified 200+ Churches to Serve Portland

Ross Hastings on How to Make Ethical Decisions, the Starting Place for Personal Transformation & Participation in the Life of God

Special Episode: The Best from the Canadian Youth Pastor Summit West (Part 2)

Special Episode: The Best from the Canadian Youth Pastor Summit West (Part 1)

Nathan Weselake on Four Church Shaping Prayers, His Desire for Indigenous Reconciliation & What the Lord Is Doing in Fly-In Communities

Joyce Rees on Building a Life Not Just a Ministry, Pursuing Calling Amidst Pushback & the Kingdom’s Measurement of Success

Special Episode: Darrell Johnson on the Pastor as Shepherd, Dealing With Hurt in Ministry & What Has and Has Not Changed for Pastors

Mike Voll on Revitalizing Churches in Small Towns, the Importance of Submitting to Process & His Journey Through Loss as a Young Pastor

Katia Adams on Dreaming to Church Plant as a Teenager, Pastoring With Legacy in Mind & What the Persecuted Church Can Teach Us

Special Episode: Searching for Faithful Pastors (Part 2)

Special Episode: Searching for Faithful Pastors (Part 1)

What's Coming Up

Pete Greig: What Echoed From A Prayer Room, the Necessity of the Local Church & A Call to Consider the State of Our Hearts

Sunder Krishnan on Knowing Who You Are Not, What Pastors Must Embody to Finish Well & Living A Life Worth Watching

Joshua Butler on Creative Mission In Your City, the Power of Listening, and How Trial Formed His Pastoral Heart

Simon Ponsonby on How Church History Can Fuel Us, Staying Amazed by Jesus, and Why the Fear of the Lord is Key

Incubator Sessions: In England with Pete Hughes, Simon Ponsonby, Tim May & Others

Next Episode On Its Way!

Incubator Sessions: Mark Sayers on Self Actualization as Idolatry, Spiritual Authority, the Priestly Call to Sacrifice, and Stewarding Soft Power

Incubator Sessions: Darren Rouanzoin on Preparing for What’s Next by Disrupting Comforts, Identifying Compromise & Consecrating Oneself

Gordon Smith on How Individuals, Churches, and Pastors Can Discover Their Calling & Find Hope in Exile