Church board members carry more than one role. They may also be small group leaders, ministry volunteers, longtime members, friends, or family—and knowing which “hat” they are wearing in each situation matters.

In this episode of the LeadingSmart Podcast, Tim Stevens and Holly Tate discuss the multiple hats of a church board member and why board members need to clearly communicate when they are—and are not—speaking with board authority.

They unpack how a casual question or idea can unintentionally feel like a directive to church staff, how to respond when church members bring operational concerns to the board, and why a church board should only exercise its authority collectively—not through individual board members outside the boardroom.

In this conversation:

• Why a board member’s words carry extra weight
• When to take off your “board member hat”
• How to offer a perspective without making it sound like a directive
• What to do when church members ask the board to fix operational issues
• How pastors can bring clarity to church board roles and responsibilities
• Why church leadership involves uniquely complex relationships
• How clearer roles help create a healthier relationship between the pastor, staff, and board

Tim and Holly also share more about the new Healthy Church Board Masterclass, created to help church boards clarify their roles, establish a healthy governance framework, and practice healthy governance over time.

00:00 The influence board members carry
05:12 Why church board roles become confusing
08:25 When to wear your board member hat
09:45 How board authority affects church staff
12:02 What a church board should—and should not—handle
14:05 Navigating multiple leadership roles
15:35 Why church leadership is uniquely complex
19:08 When a church board starts micromanaging
20:15 Helping a board move from managing to governing
21:30 Introducing the Healthy Church Board Masterclass
24:18 Building a healthy governance framework
26:15 Resources and discounts for churches

Subscribe to the LeadingSmart Podcast for practical conversations about church leadership, church governance, organizational health, leadership teams, culture, and succession planning.

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
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💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

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 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

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How do great leaders continue learning and growing—especially when traditional conferences and classroom settings aren’t enough?

In this episode of the LeadingSmart Podcast, Tim Stevens and Holly Tate share four pathways to leadership growth: learning from experts, learning from peers, learning through experience, and learning through relationships.

They discuss why leadership development isn’t one-size-fits-all, how peer learning can help church leaders solve problems faster, and why attending a conference or leadership experience alone can sometimes create more distance within your team. Tim also explains what one pastor meant when he said, “Education is alienation,” and why shared learning experiences can strengthen trust, alignment, and execution.

Whether you’re a lead pastor, executive pastor, second-chair leader, or part of a church leadership team, this conversation will help you identify how you learn best—and how to create better development opportunities for the people you lead.

In this episode:

• Four pathways to leadership growth
• How leaders learn from experts
• Why peer learning is valuable for church leaders
• The role of hands-on experience and case studies
• How trusted relationships improve leadership development
• Why teams benefit from learning together
• How to turn leadership insights into action
• Opportunities to learn through LeadingSmart coaching and Gatherings

00:00 Why education can create alienation
00:34 Welcome to the LeadingSmart Podcast
02:31 Are traditional conferences still effective?
04:18 How Tim developed as a lifelong learner
05:39 Pathway 1: Learning from experts
07:49 Pathway 2: Learning from peers
10:18 Pathway 3: Learning through experience
13:08 Pathway 4: Learning through relationships
14:00 Why teams should learn together
16:08 Leadership coaching and peer learning
17:23 LeadingSmart Gatherings
19:33 What degree would Tim pursue?
21:20 Will AI make traditional MBA programs less relevant?
23:17 Turning knowledge into action

Explore LeadingSmart’s coaching and consulting resources:
https://www.leadingsmart.com

Contact Tim or Holly:
[email protected]
[email protected]

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
Instagram: @timstevens
Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

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Can leaders truly disconnect without returning to an overwhelming workload?

After spending 16 days in Italy, Tim Stevens shares how he prepared to step away from LeadingSmart, remain present with his wife, Faith, and keep essential work moving without allowing it to take over the trip.

Tim and Holly Tate discuss practical rhythms of rest for busy leaders, including working ahead, tracking priorities, calendar blocking, empowering your team, and planning meaningful time away. They also explore why rest is essential for healthy leadership, strong marriages, sustainable ministry, and avoiding burnout.

In this episode:

• How Tim prepared his clients, projects, and team before leaving
• Why leaders need something meaningful to look forward to
• How to stay minimally connected without letting work consume a vacation
• Practical calendar-blocking strategies for working ahead
• Why annual time away can strengthen a marriage
• How church leaders can create healthier rhythms of rest
• The value of sabbaticals and intentional time away from ministry

Whether you lead a church, manage a team, or run an organization, this conversation will help you build sustainable rhythms that allow you to rest, reconnect, and return ready to lead well.

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
Instagram: @timstevens
Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962

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Is your church organizational structure helping your team thrive—or creating confusion?

In this episode of the LeadingSmart Podcast, Tim Stevens and Holly Tate discuss why every growing church needs a clear organizational structure. They break down the three most common church org chart models, explain how healthy churches structure their staff, and share practical insights to help lead pastors, executive pastors, and church leadership teams create greater clarity, accountability, and alignment.

If your church is experiencing decision-making bottlenecks, unclear reporting relationships, or growing staff complexity, this conversation will help you evaluate your current church organizational chart and determine what structure best fits your ministry.

In this episode:

• The 3 most common church organizational structure models
• When a lead pastor should stop managing every direct report
• How executive pastors can reduce bottlenecks
• Why "clarity is kindness" in church leadership
• How to create an effective church org chart
• Why every church organizational chart should be a living document
• Common staffing mistakes churches make as they grow
• Practical church leadership principles for healthier teams

Whether you're a lead pastor, executive pastor, associate pastor, church administrator, ministry director, or leadership team member, you'll gain practical strategies to improve communication, decision-making, and organizational health.

00:00 Org Chart Frustrations

00:14 Podcast Welcome Banter

00:56 Why Org Structure Matters

02:38 Org Chart Clarity Story

04:01 Three Org Chart Models

07:51 Keeping Charts Practical

09:22 Decision Merry Go Round

10:04 Next Steps Resources

10:44 2027 Gatherings Overview

12:00 New Lead Team Experience

15:11 Quick Dinner Segment

17:06 Final Wrap Up

Resources Mentioned
• Staffing & Structure Webinar https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N2my7U6lSxG73NtjxHfY-g#/registration
• 2027 LeadingSmart Gatherings https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings
• More church leadership resources: https://leadingsmart.com

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
Instagram: @timstevens
Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

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Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962

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Influence grows when people trust both your character and your competence. Character may open the door, but results, wisdom, initiative, and leadership skill determine how much influence you can carry.

In this episode, Tim Stevens talks again with David Whiting (GenerosityOS SVP and LeadingSmart Senior Consultant) about the competency side of growing influence on a church staff team. Building on part one, they unpack why some leaders continue gaining influence while others hit a lid, even when they are faithful, dependable, and well-liked.

They also discuss why influence is connected to results, volunteer leadership, internal drive, strategic thinking, and the ability to represent the church well. This is part two of a two-part conversation on influence, focusing on the competencies that help leaders bring value, build trust, and contribute more meaningfully to the mission of the church.

Additional topics include:

church leadership
staff culture
leadership influence
ministry teams
character and competency
staff development
volunteer leadership
strategic thinking
church staff trust
team alignment
decision-making
leadership development
ministry excellence
organizational health
leading with wisdom

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome back to part two with David Whiting
04:00 The difference between character issues and competency issues
06:00 Why leaders need to understand their competency limits
07:30 Win at your assignment and build trust through results
10:00 What happens when someone is in the wrong seat
11:30 Make it better without weaponizing excellence
14:00 Why volunteers are one of the church’s greatest resources
17:00 Add value in the room with ideas, solutions, clarity, and wisdom
20:00 Why bringing problems without solutions limits influence
22:00 Think ahead and learn to see around corners
25:00 The difference between managing what is assigned and leading what is next
27:00 Succeed with volunteers in a volunteer-driven organization
30:00 Why “I can’t get people to serve” is often a leadership issue
33:00 Bring internal drive, ownership, and initiative
36:00 Represent the church, mission, and leadership with wisdom
40:00 How to speak well for decisions you may not fully agree with
43:00 Using these conversations to help your staff grow in influence
45:00 LeadingSmart Gatherings and final thoughts
48:00 Focus on your character, grow in your competencies, and increase your influence

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
Instagram: @timstevens
Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

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Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962

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Influence doesn't always come from title, age, tenure, or position. Sometimes the people with the most influence are simply the people leaders trust the most.

In this episode, Tim Stevens talks with David Whiting (GenerosityOS SVP and LeadingSmart Senior Consultant) about how church staff members can grow their influence in healthy, practical ways. Drawing from David’s years as a senior pastor and ministry leader, they unpack why some people are invited into more conversations and decisions while others feel overlooked, under-appreciated, or left out of the room.

They also discuss why influence starts with the things every leader can control: follow-through, honesty, effort, ownership, teachability, loyalty, and joy. This is part one of a two-part conversation on influence, focusing on the character side of leadership before moving into competency in the next episode.

Additional topics include:

church leadership
staff culture
leadership influence
ministry teams
character and competency
staff trust
decision-making
follow-through
ownership
team alignment
teachable leadership
healthy communication
church staff development
leading with humility
organizational trust

Timestamps

00:00 Introducing David Whiting and today’s conversation on influence
03:00 Why many staff feel under-appreciated, overlooked, or left out
05:00 Why the decision-making room often gets smaller as a church grows
07:00 The difference between character issues and competency issues
09:00 Why influence starts with what you can control
10:30 Do what you said you would do
13:00 Own it when you blow it
16:00 Tell the truth without shading, spinning, or hiding details
19:00 Bring the effort and become dependable
23:00 Think church, not turf
27:00 Why leaders lose influence when they become territorial
29:00 No surprises: keeping supervisors informed
32:00 Stay teachable and receive correction without defensiveness
36:00 Evaluate honestly and care more about getting better than looking good
39:00 Be loyal in the right rooms
44:00 What reasonable loyalty looks like on a healthy team
47:00 Serve with joy, humility, and a good attitude
50:00 Why character grows influence but competency creates the lid
52:00 Final thoughts and a preview of part two

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
Instagram: @timstevens
Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962

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Preschool ministry is not just childcare. It may be one of the clearest relational bridges your church has to young families in the community.

In this episode, Tim Stevens talks with Brandi Watterson about how churches can think more strategically about preschool ministry. Drawing from Brandi’s 17 years of experience owning and operating preschools, they unpack the opportunity churches have to start, strengthen, or realign early childhood programs connected to their ministry.

They also discuss why many church preschools drift over time from mission to maintenance, how tension can build between the church and preschool sides, and why excellence, trust, and clear alignment matter if a preschool is going to serve families well.

Additional topics include:

church preschool
early childhood ministry
daycare ministry
church leadership
family ministry
children’s ministry
church operations
ministry alignment
community outreach
preschool leadership
staffing and structure
church facilities
mission drift
building trust with families

Timestamps

00:00 Introducing Brandi Watterson and preschool consulting at LeadingSmart
02:00 Brandi and Danny’s story in ministry
04:30 Starting a church and buying their first preschool
08:00 Taking over a struggling school and rebuilding trust
11:00 Expanding into multiple preschool models
13:30 Common challenges churches face with preschools
14:30 The tension between the preschool and the church
16:00 How churches lose sight of preschool as a ministry opportunity
18:00 Why preschool can become a relational bridge to families
20:00 Bringing excellence to church preschool programming
22:00 Practical ways pastors and ministry teams can connect with preschool families
24:00 Should your church run the preschool or partner with someone else?
26:00 Licensing, timelines, facilities, and startup realities
29:00 How LeadingSmart helps churches start, strengthen, or realign preschool ministry
31:00 Brandi’s leadership experience and Forbes Business Council work
33:00 Final thoughts for churches with preschool opportunities

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
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💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
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In this episode, Tim Stevens and Holly Tate talk about what makes a healthy church leadership team and why having the right people in the room matters. Drawing from Tim’s leadership team teaching and their work with churches, they unpack the characteristics leaders should look for when deciding who belongs at the senior leadership table.

They also discuss why leadership team health is about more than titles and org charts, how to know whether someone can think beyond their own ministry area, and why senior leaders set the tone by the way they participate in meetings. Tim and Holly also talk through the tension between executive teams, senior leadership teams, subject matter experts, and the importance of clarity around decision rights.

Additional topics include:

church leadership
healthy leadership teams
church staffing and structure
executive team dynamics
senior leadership teams
decision rights
church org charts
team alignment
healthy conflict
leadership team meetings
mission commitment
active participation
adaptive leadership
church staff culture
senior pastor leadership

Timestamps

00:00 Why healthy teams require the right people
05:30 Committed to the whole mission, not just one ministry area
09:45 Healthy conflict, respectful debate, and decision support
17:15 Adaptability, accountability, and leadership maturity
22:10 Empathy, listening, and team culture
28:30 Active participation and why senior leaders set the tone
34:15 Titles, org charts, and who should really be in the room
45:30 Random segment: favorite sandwiches
51:00 LeadingSmart’s first Executive Team Gathering

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
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Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

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In this episode, Tim Stevens and Holly Tate talk about the difference between leading from scarcity and leading from abundance. Drawing from Tim’s first three years leading LeadingSmart full-time, they unpack why leadership pressure can pull even healthy leaders toward comparison, defensiveness, competition, and fear.

They also discuss why generosity is one of LeadingSmart’s core values, what it means to believe the best about other leaders and organizations, and how an open-handed posture can shape the way leaders make decisions, build relationships, and respond when they feel threatened.

Additional topics include:

church leadership
scarcity mindset
abundance mindset
generous leadership
kingdom-minded leadership
competition in ministry
leadership motives
organizational values
trust and reputation
open-handed leadership
church staff transitions
leading through pressure

Timestamps

00:00 Tim joins from Vancouver and reflects on year three of LeadingSmart
02:45 Why leadership pressure can pull people toward scarcity
05:45 The difference between competition and open-handed leadership
08:25 Why generosity is a core value at LeadingSmart
11:30 Playing the long game with relationships, reputation, and social capital
14:10 How fear of missing out can drive urgency and pressure
15:45 Why churches aren’t actually competing with each other
18:40 When healthy ambition turns into fear-based competition
21:30 Random segment: favorite or most meaningful gifts

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
Instagram: @timstevens
Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

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In this episode, Tim Stevens and Holly Tate unpack the four types of crises churches commonly face: character, credibility, cash, and cultural. Drawing from Tim’s experience leading through crisis at Granger and Willow Creek, they discuss why crisis can feel like everything is on fire and how naming the type of crisis helps leaders focus on the right problem instead of spinning their wheels.

They also talk about why communication matters when trust begins to erode, how credibility crises can form in the absence of clarity, why cash crises require courage and honesty, and how cultural crises can put pressure on church leaders in ways that feel impossible to navigate.

Additional topics include:

church crisis leadership
church communication
organizational trust
leadership credibility
church staffing and structure
leading through change
church health
executive pastor leadership
board and elder leadership

Timestamps

00:00 Do the next right thing
01:15 Why churches need language for different types of crises
02:20 Tim reflects on leading through crisis at Granger and Willow Creek
05:20 Character crisis: when a leader’s failure creates public fallout
07:25 Credibility crisis: when trust in leadership begins to erode
10:20 When clarity lacks, negativity fills the void
13:35 Cash crisis: when the numbers tell a hard story
15:45 Cultural crisis: when outside events create pressure inside the church 
17:00 How multiple crises can stack together
18:25 Why doing the next right thing is simple but not easy
20:00 How LeadingSmart helps churches navigate pivotal moments
20:50 Random segment: favorite travel brands

📱 Follow us for more insights and resources
Instagram: @timstevens
Facebook: @timstevens

💻Visit LeadingSmart.com

Need help facilitating your next staff retreat or strategic offsite? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

Listen to Leading In Real Time Podcast Series
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ2wnxRYYqm_ThAiSPBwjH7vQH5i3H3aK

Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series
https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast

Download The Simply Strategic Show

 https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2

📩 Have questions or want to connect?
https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk

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Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962

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