The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast

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

Twenty years ago this month, Carey almost became ministry road kill. After 11 years of 30%+ annual growth, he burned out, hard.

In Part 1 of this solo episode, Carey shares 5 honest insights from two decades of reflection: why dysfunction gets rewarded in the church, how denial accelerates the crash, and why grieving your losses matters.

If your passion is fading, this episode is for you.

🔗 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

GLOBAL CHRISTIAN RELIEF

Global Christian Relief supports our church family in places where following Jesus carries a cost—Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, India, Iran, and many more. They bring Scripture where it's restricted, provide emergency relief when crisis hits, and offer long-term support so the Church can remain and grow strong.

When you support the global church, you're not supporting a cause, you're standing with family. Learn more: gcrelief.org

AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY

It's hard to know what's really going on in people's lives. Are they growing? Are they fighting battles you can't see? That's why the American Bible Society created the Next Step for Church assessment.

It shows pastors exactly where their church is growing, where it's not, and what to do next. In as few as three weeks you can get real insights about what's happening in your church, at no cost.

Sign up for their upcoming Live Q&A to ask questions and see how it works.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

There's a battle happening in our minds: one that shapes how we see ourselves, our circumstances, and even God. In this episode, Carey moderates a conversation with Louie Giglio, Jennie Allen, and Craig Groeschel as they come together to talk honestly about mental health, the lies we believe, and how faith changes the way we fight. Download the free reflections and takeaway guide here: https://share.hsforms.com/1r7u1sOZMSgKMcVTKf1kyFg4rhq6

The vast majority of churches are plateaued or declining, and Exponential CEO Dave Ferguson explains why most churches never grow, let alone multiply.

Plus, he shares the latest trends in church planting in this special episode recorded backstage at Exponential Global Conference in Orlando.

🔗 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

THE ART OF LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

You can get every course I've created—on preaching, leading volunteers, preventing burnout, building healthy teams, growing your church—all in one place.

Plus, once a month, I jump on a live coaching call with you and our members to work through your questions together. Head to careynieuwhof.com/academy to join us inside.

SUBSPLASH

Church leaders are staring at AI with a mix of fascination and, let's be honest, a fair amount of fear. But at Subsplash, they don't see AI as a way to automate ministry, they see it as a way to accelerate it. The goal isn't to replace the minister; it's to remove the administrative noise that keeps ministry staff stuck behind their desks instead of being present with people.

It's all about stewardship: helping church leaders lead the mission while Subsplash leads the technology.

subsplash.com/carey

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network