What do 14 years of leadership actually teach you?

In Episode 2 of Passing the Baton, host Mitch Benedict sits down with Pastor Lawrence to mine the wisdom behind one of the most significant decisions in Grand Point Church's history. If Episode 1 told the story of how the decision came to be, this conversation digs into why it's even possible: because a healthy transition is built on years of healthy leadership.

Pastor Lawrence opens up about the pastor he was 14 years ago and what he'd tell that younger version of himself, the beliefs about ministry he's had to let go of, and what healthy leadership actually looks like from the inside — the parts the congregation never sees. He talks honestly about sustainability, the personal cost of leading well for the long haul, and the difference between a church built around a personality and one built around a mission.

It's an honest, hopeful, and practical conversation for anyone who cares about finishing one lap well and handing off the baton so the next runner can go further.

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It started with a conversation in a Denver Seminary classroom six years ago. In this first episode of Passing the Baton, Pastor Lawrence shares the story behind his decision to begin a leadership transition at Grand Point Church — the mentors, the prayers, the conversations with his wife Penny, and the moment they knew it was time. Not a resignation. Not burnout. A healthy handoff, years in the making. Because ministry isn't a marathon — it's a relay.