Gentle January is a reminder that winter is not a failure. This episode explores seasonal fatigue and emotional exhaustion while inviting you to release pressure, honor your energy, and trust the slower rhythm of winter as growth unfolds naturally.

Tony Robbins once said, “Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure.”
For many ministry leaders, the metrics look good—attendance, budgets, programs—but the soul feels tired, disconnected, and unfulfilled. In this episode, we explore why ministry success can still feel empty, how burnout quietly takes root, and what it looks like to lead from a place of deep fulfillment rather than constant output.

When you want life to feel different but everything looks the same, frustration can set in. This episode explores why change doesn’t always arrive externally—and how the real shift may be happening inside you.

If this episode resonated, you may find support in resources that focus on internal change and self-leadership—especially when external circumstances feel stuck. Books like Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown explore meaning, agency, and authenticity. Therapeutic approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can also help with values clarification and belief shifts. Additional research and reflections can be found through Psychology Today, the Greater Good Science Center, and Harvard Business Review.

 If resolutions have never worked for you, this episode offers a different approach. We talk about why motivation fades, how burnout impacts change, and what it means to lead yourself with compassion instead of pressure.

Resources:

Books:

The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk

Dare to Lead – Brené Brown

The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown

Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma  by Dr. Peter A. Levine

Website:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

Every January, leaders feel the pressure to set new goals, fix what’s broken, and chase big resolutions—many of which fade by February. What if there was a better way? In this episode, we explore the power of choosing one word to live byinstead of a long list of New Year’s resolutions. Drawing from our Star Words practice at Messiah and personal leadership experience, we talk about why a single guiding word brings clarity, focus, and sustainability—for leaders and organizations alike. I’ll share why my word for this year is Enjoyment, how our leadership team is choosing their own words, and how this simple practice can transform the way you lead in the year ahead.

Not all beginnings feel bold—some feel tender. This episode invites you to start gently, grounded in self-trust, faith, and emotional well-being.

A gentle pause for Christmas week—offering permission to slow down, honor mixed emotions, and care for yourself without pressure.

The weeks leading up to Christmas are some of the most beautiful—and exhausting—moments in the life of a church leader. After the services, the programs, the giving campaigns, the pastoral care, and the emotional weight of the season, many leaders hit what I call “The Post-Christmas Crash.” In this episode, Pastor Brad explores why this crash happens, how it impacts our leadership, and what we can intentionally do to care for our souls and our teams after the busiest season of the year. You’ll walk away with practical rhythms, compassionate insights, and a renewed understanding that rest is not a reward—it’s a responsibility.

December burnout hits helpers hard. This episode explores why the end of the year feels so heavy — and how to care for yourself gently when rest feels out of reach.

Resources:

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle — Emily & Amelia Nagoski

Compassion fatigue & vicarious trauma — National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

Therapist Aid (free worksheets on burnout, stress, boundaries)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988

In this episode, Pastor Brad sits down with LEAD’s Executive Director, Deacon Jessica Noonan, for a powerful conversation about the transformative work LEAD accomplished in 2025 and the bold, Spirit-led steps ahead in 2026. Together, they reflect on how congregations grew, how leaders were equipped, and how LEAD continued to inspire purposeful, adaptive ministry across the church. Jessica also shares what’s on the horizon—new initiatives, new tools, and new opportunities for congregations seeking clarity, vitality, and renewal. As the year comes to a close, we invite listeners to join the momentum by making a year-end gift to LEAD, helping ensure that this vital ministry enters 2026 on strong footing and ready to continue shaping courageous leaders for a changing world.