Next Step Leadership

In her second conversation, Trudy Simmons continues to speak with wisdom and compassion about the deep hurts she sees in today’s leaders and ministries. Chris and Tracy explore the pressures leaders face, the emotional weight many carry in silence, and the spiritual cost of ignoring pain.

Trudy offers thoughtful insights from her work in counseling and coaching, pointing listeners toward true hope that is rooted in healing, truth, and God’s presence. This episode is a timely reminder that encouragement, care, and honest conversation are not luxuries for leaders—they are necessities. Her words bring true hope in a hurting world.

https://trudysimmons.com/

The Christian View - https://trudysimmons.com/the-christian-view/

https://miltoncounseling.com/

In this episode of the Next Step Leadership Podcast, Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds welcome Trudy Simmons for an honest and hope-filled conversation about leadership, healing, and faith. Trudy shares her powerful personal story—working through past speech challenges and learning disabilities to become a counselor, coach, and communicator serving leaders and ministries around the world.

Together, they discuss the importance of safe places and safe people, the dangers of identity confusion and comparison, and what happens when trauma is left unaddressed. This episode offers deep encouragement for leaders who are learning to lead from wholeness rather than hidden wounds. Listen and receive hope, healing, and the courage to lead.

https://trudysimmons.com/

The Christian View - https://trudysimmons.com/the-christian-view/

https://miltoncounseling.com/

Continuing the conversation, Jon and Erica Campbell return to share what life and ministry look like now in Los Angeles. Chris and Tracy ask about the realities of serving in a complex city, sustaining hope when progress feels slow, and caring for the soul while meeting constant needs.

Jon and Erica speak honestly about lessons learned, spiritual rhythms that sustain them, and their hopes for the future. This episode offers wisdom and encouragement for leaders serving faithfully in demanding places—and a reminder that God is at work even when the journey feels hard.

Jon & Erika Together - https://www.jonandericatogether.com/

Support Jon & Erika - https://give.iphc.org/project/jon-and-erica-campbell-1

Jon Instagram - @_jon_campbell 

Erika Instagram - @_erica_campbell

Church Plant - www.goodnessandlove.org

What happens when God calls you to leave what’s familiar and step into the unknown? In this inspiring episode, Chris and Tracy talk with Jon and Erica Campbell about their journey of faith, obedience, and courage that led them to Los Angeles.

Jon and Erica share their story—the call, the cost, the transition, and the surprises along the way. Together, they reflect on what it means to say “yes” to God even when the path is unclear. This episode will challenge and encourage leaders who sense God inviting them into something new.

Bill Robinson - Incarnate Leadership book - HERE 

Jon & Erika Together - https://www.jonandericatogether.com/

Support Jon & Erika - https://give.iphc.org/project/jon-and-erica-campbell-1

Jon Instagram - @_jon_campbell 

Erika Instagram - @_erica_campbell

Church Plant - www.goodnessandlove.org

Grief, loss, and change touch every life—and leaders are no exception. In this moving episode, April Yamasaki returns to discuss her book Hope Beyond Our Sorrows and what it means to live with sorrow while holding on to hope.

Chris and Tracy explore April’s reflections on loss, her pastoral experience walking with those who grieve, and the kind of hope that grows slowly and honestly in the midst of pain. This conversation offers compassion, depth, and encouragement for anyone navigating sorrow—or supporting others through it.

https://aprilyamasaki.com/

In a world that rarely slows down, this episode invites leaders to rediscover the spiritual power of pause. Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds welcome pastor and author April Yamasaki for a reflective conversation about writing, stillness, and spiritual formation.

April shares her journey as a writer, how the practice of pausing has shaped her life and ministry, and why intentional stillness is essential for spiritual growth. This episode offers gentle wisdom and practical guidance for leaders longing to listen more deeply, live more attentively, and lead from a place of quiet faithfulness.

https://aprilyamasaki.com/

Money can be one of the most difficult topics for leaders to talk about—yet it’s deeply connected to faith and discipleship. In this episode, Travis Lowe returns to explore stewardship, finances, and meaning in ministry.

Chris and Tracy talk with Travis about his new role in denominational financial leadership, the common struggles pastors face with money, and how stewardship can be practiced with grace rather than guilt. With honesty and wisdom, Travis offers practical insights for leaders seeking healthier financial habits and a deeper understanding of generosity rooted in faith.

IPHC Extension Loan Fund - https://www.facebook.com/iphcelf

HopeWords Writers Conference - https://www.hopewords.org/

What does faithful pastoring look like in a changing world? In this episode of the Next Step Leadership Podcast, Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds sit down with pastor and writer Travis Lowe for a thoughtful conversation about ministry, leadership, and hope.

Travis shares his personal journey into pastoral life, the lessons he’s learned through years of serving people, and how the landscape of ministry continues to shift. He also talks about the heart behind the HopeWords Writers Conference and why writing and storytelling matter for pastors and leaders today. This episode offers encouragement, perspective, and hope for anyone committed to leading well.

IPHC Extension Loan Fund - https://www.facebook.com/iphcelf

HopeWords Writers Conference - https://www.hopewords.org/

In this deeply moving follow-up episode, Kathleen Norris guides Tracy and Chris into the heart of her newest book, Rebecca Sue: A Sister’s Reflection on Disability, Faith, and Love. Hear the reflections from Kathleen’s latest work, which will be a great story for today’s pastors and leaders to learn from. Kathleen shares stories of her sister—her personality, her struggles, her joy—and the ways her sister’s life reshaped Kathleen’s spirituality and expanded her understanding of love, dignity, and what it means to bear God’s image. This episode offers pastors and leaders a compassionate and practical conversation about disability in the church, family grief, hope in suffering, and the spiritual insights that rise from honoring the lives of those society too often overlooks. It is tender, honest, and beautifully pastoral. Rebecca Sue's story from Kathleen Norris reminds listeners that faith, disability, love, and death are part of life and ministry. 

https://www.ivpress.com/Search?q=Kathleen+norris

https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Sue-Sisters-Reflections-Disability/dp/1514011409

In this opening conversation with acclaimed writer Kathleen Norris, Chris and Tracy welcome one of Chris Maxwell’s all-time favorite authors into the Next Step Leadership studio. Kathleen shares the story behind her vocation—her upbringing, her journey of faith, and the experiences that shaped her distinctive voice as a poet, memoirist, and spiritual writer. The conversation explores the contemplative rhythms that have guided her life, the monastic influences woven through her work, and the deep connections she sees between faith and the ordinary moments of daily existence. Listeners are invited into a reflective, gentle, and profoundly human conversation with one of the most beloved Christian writers of our time. Welcome to the life and words of Kathleen Norris: a journey of faith, writing, and spiritual reflection.

https://www.ivpress.com/Search?q=Kathleen+norris

https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Sue-Sisters-Reflections-Disability/dp/1514011409