The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast

John Ortberg has spent decades leading churches, writing books, and teaching leaders. But every leader has parts of the job they're not naturally good at. In this conversation, John opens up about pain in leadership, what it's like to be an introvert in ministry, and how to handle the work you'd rather avoid.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF PREACHING

If you're still writing your sermon Saturday night and replaying the mistakes Monday morning, The Art of Preaching is for you. It's a step-by-step course that's helped over 3,500 preachers write and deliver messages that land. Until July 15th, grab it for fifty dollars off at theartofpreachingcourse.com.

FREE WHEELCHAIR MISSION

80 million people with disabilities in developing countries can't get to work, school, or church because they have no way to move. Free Wheelchair Mission provides durable wheelchairs completely free to recipients across 95 countries.

For about $100, you can give someone their independence back.

Visit https://freewheelchairmission.org

Matt Chandler doesn't pull punches. The lead pastor of The Village Church joins Carey to talk about why wearing a cape doesn't help anyone, the death of secularism, and why the church is all wood and no fire.

Matt also opens up about the moment he almost quit, what Spurgeon taught him about suffering, and why he stopped neglecting the Holy Spirit.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF PREACHING

If you're still writing your sermon Saturday night and replaying the mistakes Monday morning, The Art of Preaching is for you. It's a step-by-step course that's helped over 3,500 preachers write and deliver messages that land. Until July 15th, grab it for fifty dollars off at theartofpreachingcourse.com.

BELAY

BELAY gives you U.S.-based assistant or accounting support tailored to your church so you can lead instead of manage. Text CAREY to 55123 for a free copy of The Freedom Framework.

RIGHT NOW MEDIA

God's Kids from Right Now Media is a brand-new elementary and preschool curriculum launching this fall. Head to RightNowKids.org/access to schedule a free demo.

Networking feels fake because most people do it wrong. Michael Bungay Stanier has a better way. In this conversation, MBS breaks down how to connect without the cringe, the seven questions you need to ask to run 1:1s that actually matter, and build a career path nobody handed you.

Plus: a deep dive into self-publishing and viral marketing.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

SERMON PREP CHALLENGE

July 7th through 9th, my team and I are running a free three-day challenge to help you get two weeks ahead on your sermon prep. There's a one-hour call each day, and if you stick with it, by Thursday you'll have a two-week buffer built in. It's free.

Sign up at careynieuwhof.com/sermonprep.

MINISTRY BRANDS

Get the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report from Ministry Brands.

This free report breaks down the latest trends in church generosity, digital giving, donor behavior, and financial engagement — all designed to help church leaders make smarter decisions in a changing ministry landscape.

ministrybrands.com/carey

CHURCH SALARY

Trying to figure out what to pay your team fairly? Church Salary gives you personalized compensation recommendations built on the largest church-specific salary database in the world. Head to ChurchSalary.com/carey.

Six months into 2026, four church trends deserve a closer look. Algorithms are discipling your congregation 49 hours a week. AI's biggest threat isn't prompts—it's disruption on a scale the church isn't ready for. Women are still leaving, and now we know why. And a new kind of megachurch pastor is quietly emerging.

Here's what's changing and what to do about it.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

SERMON PREP CHALLENGE

July 7th through 9th, my team and I are running a free three-day challenge to help you get two weeks ahead on your sermon prep. There's a one-hour call each day, and if you stick with it, by Thursday you'll have a two-week buffer built in. It's free.

Sign up at careynieuwhof.com/sermonprep.

MINISTRY BRANDS

Get the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report from Ministry Brands.

This free report breaks down the latest trends in church generosity, digital giving, donor behavior, and financial engagement — all designed to help church leaders make smarter decisions in a changing ministry landscape.

ministrybrands.com/carey

LIFESTONE MINISTRIES

Adult Bible Teacher gives you a verse-by-verse exposition of every week's lesson, built-in discussion questions, practical points, research helps, and lesson preparation notes. Everything you need to walk into your classroom with confidence every quarter.

http://lifestoneministries.org/carey

Most leaders don't think of themselves as creative. Al Gordon says that's the lie keeping you stuck. Al, founder of Renaissance, lead pastor of SAINT in East London, talks about why creativity is the church's lost superpower, how stress and algorithms are quietly killing your imagination, and what it actually takes to unlock creativity in yourself, your team, and your church.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

SERMON PREP CHALLENGE

July 7th through 9th, my team and I are running a free three-day challenge to help you get two weeks ahead on your sermon prep. There's a one-hour call each day, and if you stick with it, by Thursday you'll have a two-week buffer built in. It's free.

Sign up at careynieuwhof.com/sermonprep.

MINISTRY BRANDS

Get the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report from Ministry Brands.

This free report breaks down the latest trends in church generosity, digital giving, donor behavior, and financial engagement — all designed to help church leaders make smarter decisions in a changing ministry landscape.

ministrybrands.com/carey

GLOBAL CHRISTIAN RELIEF

Global Christian Relief serves persecuted Christians in places like Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, India, and Iran. They bring Scripture where it's restricted, provide emergency relief when crisis hits, and give long-term support so local churches can remain and grow.

When you give to GCR, you're standing with family.

http://gcrelief.org/

New York Times bestselling author David Epstein talks about why Malcolm Gladwell's 10000-hour rule isn't accurate, how he and Malcolm became friends, how creativity actually works (what you can learn from Dr. Seuss), and why constraints and limits set you free.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

AI AND THE FUTURE CHURCH

A world growing more artificial by the day is going to produce people starving for what's real. And the church has been answering that hunger for two thousand years.

Carey's book, AI and the Future Church, walks you through three shifts every church needs to make now to be prepared for whatever change AI brings.

Pre-order is open now. You can find it at careynieuwhof.com/ai or search for AI and the Future Church on Amazon.

LIFESTONE MINISTRIES

Adult Bible Teacher from Lifestone Ministries gives you a verse-by-verse exposition of every week's lesson, built-in discussion questions, practical points, research helps, and lesson preparation notes. Everything you need to walk into your classroom with confidence every quarter.

lifestoneministries.org/carey

MINISTRY BRANDS

Get the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report from Ministry Brands.

This free report breaks down the latest trends in church generosity, digital giving, donor behavior, and financial engagement — all designed to help church leaders make smarter decisions in a changing ministry landscape.

ministrybrands.com/carey

Former pastor, minimalist, and New York Times bestselling author Joshua Becker returns to the podcast. He discusses why he left ministry to pursue a fresh calling, how minimalism can usher in an end to anxiety, when enough is enough, and how decluttering can be good for your soul.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

AI AND THE FUTURE CHURCH

A world growing more artificial by the day is going to produce people starving for what's real. And the church has been answering that hunger for two thousand years.

Carey's book, AI and the Future Church, walks you through three shifts every church needs to make now to be prepared for whatever change AI brings.

Pre-order is open now. You can find it at careynieuwhof.com/ai or search for AI and the Future Church on Amazon.

VICTORY BEYOND THE CUP

The World Cup is underway and billions of people across every culture and background are gathering together.

Victory Beyond the Cup has two free kits you can access. One, for pastors to help you cast vision and equip your church, and another that your people can use to host watch parties that feel natural, not forced.

Visit victorybeyondthecup.com to access these free tools.

ALPHA USA

If your church is ready to open a door for the people in your community who are searching, Alpha has a free 3-Step Launch Plan that shows you exactly how to get your first gathering off the ground.

Download it at alphausa.org/carey.

New York Times bestselling author Eric Ries applies his startup philosophy to churches. Carey and Eric cover how to know when to take a risk, how to get past broke thinking in your church, and why the harder path is often easier.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

AI AND THE FUTURE CHURCH

A world growing more artificial by the day is going to produce people starving for what's real. And the church has been answering that hunger for two thousand years.

Carey's book, AI and the Future Church, walks you through three shifts every church needs to make now to be prepared for whatever change AI brings.

Pre-order is open now. You can find it at careynieuwhof.com/ai or search for AI and the Future Church on Amazon.

JONI & FRIENDS

Joni and Friends exists to bring Gospel hope and dignity to people living with disability—and they do it in a real, hands-on way.

Over 250,000 wheelchairs delivered internationally, tens of thousands of special needs families served at Family Retreats every year, and Bibles put into the hands of people who've never had access to one.

If you want to get involved, give, volunteer, or just learn more, head to joniandfriends.org/carey.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Nicole Martin made history as Christianity Today's first Black female CEO — and took the hits that come with it.

In this conversation: the backlash, Billy Graham's original vision, how the magazine is advancing and speaking into a polarized world, and why leadership is designed to kill you.

🔗 Show Notes

🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

AI AND THE FUTURE CHURCH

A world growing more artificial by the day is going to produce people starving for what's real. And the church has been answering that hunger for two thousand years.

Carey's book, AI and the Future Church, walks you through three shifts every church needs to make now to be prepared for whatever change AI brings.

Pre-order is open now. You can find it at careynieuwhof.com/ai or search for AI and the Future Church on Amazon.

BELAY

BELAY pairs pastors with U.S.-based Financial Experts who bring clarity and confidence to your numbers. Their support is fractional, flexible, and tailored to your church so you get exactly what you need, within your budget.

Not sure where to start? Download BELAY's free resource: "The Small Business Guide to Outsourced Accounting."

SPIRE CONFERENCE

You're juggling a lot. And it's easy for development to get pushed to "someday."

SpireConference 2026 is happening September 29 through October 1 in Indianapolis. Spire is one of those environments that helps your team step back, get clarity, and move forward together with real momentum.

Learn more at spire.network

Use code CAREY50 to get $50 off each ticket.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Twenty years after burnout almost took him out, Carey is back with Part 2—the recovery playbook.

You don't need to get back to normal. Normal is what burned you out.

In this solo episode, Carey shares seven strategies to burnout-proof your life: stop managing time and start managing energy, move to a fixed calendar, guard your green zone, and stop letting the wrong people hijack your best hours.

🔗 Show Notes

📩 On The Rise Newsletter

🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet

🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy

🎥 Watch on YouTube

Follow @careynieuwhof

Follow @theartofleadershipnetwork

❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life.

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

LIFESTONE MINISTRIES

Adult Bible Teacher gives you a verse-by-verse exposition of every week's lesson, built-in discussion questions, practical points, research helps, and lesson preparation notes. Everything you and your volunteers need to lead with confidence every quarter. Available in standard and large-print editions.

You were asked to teach. Let Adult Bible Teacher help you do it well.

http://lifestoneministries.org/carey

GLOO

Gloo has built a way to reach Christians who are already engaged, already reading, listening, looking for resources that line up with what they believe—podcasts like this one, trusted publishers, quality content channels.

If you're a business, ministry, or nonprofit that wants to get in front of an audience like this, that's exactly what their network is for. You're not buying a random ad placement. You're reaching people who are already leaning in.

If your organization wants to be featured in spots like this one, contact Gloo by visiting gloo.com/grow.

COMPASSION CANADA

Compassion Canada has spent over 70 years partnering with local churches — including my own, Connexus — to release children from poverty in Jesus' name through real, on-the-ground community transformation. Head to compassion.com/carey and click the Canada link to find out how your church can get involved.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network