In this episode of The Church Law Podcast, host Erika Cole, The Church Attorney®, sits down with Rev. Dr. Nicole Massie Martin—COO of Christianity Today and author of Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering & Surrender—to explore how church leaders can navigate challenging times with wisdom, integrity, and grace. Together, they tackle key issues such as scaling ministries without losing sacred intentions, avoiding dysfunctional loyalty, fostering unity over blind allegiance, and embracing a God-aligned pace in leadership. Packed with biblical insight and practical strategies, this conversation equips pastors, ministry leaders, and church staff to lead faithfully, even in seasons of difficulty. Plus, listeners will hear how to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Nicole’s book during the upcoming Church Law & Leadership Summit! 

SHOW NOTES 

Register to join us virtually on Sept. 18th at the 18th Annual Church Law & Leadership Summit and be entered in the book giveaway! https://www.erikacole.com/summit2025 

For more information on Dr. Nicole Massie Martin’s book, Nailing-It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender, visit: https://www.ivpress.com/nailing-it 

Ep. 31: Equipping Younger Church Leaders, with guest Dr. Nicole Martin, CT’s chief impact officer – https://www.churchlawandtax.com/podcast-church-law/equipping-younger-church-leaders/ 

Ep. 14: The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and What You Should Consider Before Changing Your Bylaws – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjvpNxPpC4U 

Join the Faithful Foundations Membership today! 2025 Faithful Foundations Membership enrollment 

Download your FREE copy of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System document checklist here, and check out Episode 29 (“Using a Legal Audit to Position Your Church for the Long Haul”) to learn about the importance of a legal audit for your church. 

Unlock exclusive insights and expert advice by subscribing to The Church Attorney® YouTube Channel! Get access to video podcasts, live recordings, and much more—designed to help you navigate the legal landscape of church management with confidence. Don’t miss out—subscribe today! 

Questions? Comments? We welcome them! Please contact Erika Cole at erikacole.com. Erika reads each comment and may answer your question in an upcoming episode. 

See all episodes of Church Law. 

The Church Law podcast is part of Gloo LLC’s ChurchLawAndTax.com. 

Erika E. Cole, Esq., known as The Church Attorney®, is the creator of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System, a proprietary legal audit process that helps church leaders be confident they are operating with integrity, and avoiding costly risks. Learn more at erikacole.com.