Best ECFA Podcasts (2025)

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How the ECFA Is Redefining Care for Church Leaders (featuring Jake Lapp) 41:08

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16d ago41:08

41:08

Behind every thriving ministry is a foundation you can’t always see - standards, accountability, and trust. Without them, the most passionate vision can unravel overnight. In this episode of Life After Ministry, ECFA’s Jake Lapp explains why accountability matters not just for auditors and boards but for pastors, leaders, and anyone entrusted with …

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Leaving Willow, Finding Wilderness: What Integrity Costs and Why It's Worth It (featuring Steve Carter) 49:56

1d ago49:56

49:56

By Matt & Marilee Davis

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The High Cost of Ignoring Leader Care 44:59

8d ago44:59

44:59

What happens when churches prioritize productivity over people? Doug Sauder, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, has lived through the fallout of leader neglect—and the transformation that comes when soul care becomes a core value. In this powerful conversation, Doug shares his journey from a culture of overwork and burnout to one of r…

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Why Ministry Leaders Don’t Talk About Retirement (featuring Gabe Pelphrey) 36:50

9d ago36:50

36:50

Many pastors find themselves at the end of their ministry career unable to retire - not because they lack calling, but because they lack financial security. Churches often avoid the money conversation, leaving leaders stuck in the pulpit longer than they should be. In this episode, financial strategist Gabe Pelphrey opens the curtain on why retirem…

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The Body We Lead From | Jedd Medefind 51:31

22d ago51:31

51:31

What if the biggest threat to your leadership isn’t burnout, bad strategy, or lack of vision — but neglecting your own body? In this episode, Jedd Medefind, President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), opens up a conversation many leaders avoid: the role of physical health in shaping how we lead. From sleep and diet to movement and scree…

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Why Ministry Needs a Mental Health Strategy (featuring Laura Howe) 44:40

24d ago44:40

44:40

What happens when the very act of caring for others leaves you depleted? Laura Howe, founder of Hope Made Strong, knows firsthand the toll of compassion fatigue. From her own season of burnout came a global movement equipping churches to address mental health with wisdom and grace. In this conversation, Laura shares her personal journey from exhaus…

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Deeply Loved: Why Empathy Is Oxygen for the Soul (featuring Bill & Kristi Gaultiere) 47:31

1M ago47:31

47:31

What if the missing piece in your leadership is not more strategy but more empathy? Bill and Kristi Gaultiere say empathy is oxygen for the soul, and many leaders are gasping without realizing it. They join Matt to unpack how Jesus models secure attachment with the Father and how we can receive and reflect that love in daily life. Bill and Kristi n…

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Untrustworthy | Bonnie Kristian 45:23

1M ago45:23

45:23

What happens when truth itself feels up for grabs? In this episode of Behind the Seal, host Michael Martin sits down with journalist and author Bonnie Kristian to unpack what she calls our epistemic crisis — a breakdown in how we discern truth in an age of misinformation, conspiracy, and cancel culture. Together, they explore how fake news and soci…

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Reflecting on Season Four: A Journey of Growth 17:29

1M ago17:29

17:29

Sixty episodes. More than 70,000 downloads. And countless stories of leaders who’ve walked through suffering, loss, and transition - and discovered God’s faithfulness in the middle of it all. In this season finale, Matt Davis pauses to look back on the lessons of Season Four. From transformational suffering to leadership in crisis, from the wildern…

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Starting Scared: Why You're More Ready Than You Think (featuring Holly Tate) 33:32

2M ago33:32

33:32

What if waiting until you’re ready keeps you from ever starting? In this episode of Life After Ministry, Matt Davis sits down with Holly Tate, founder of The Ready Network, to talk about leadership, courage, and stepping into the unknown. Holly shares her own story of transition - from years at Vanderbloemen, to joining Leadr, to launching her own …

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How Leaders Lose Their Way | Peter Greer 49:57

2M ago49:57

49:57

Finishing well is the exception—not the rule. Far too many leaders start with conviction but end with compromise. It rarely happens overnight. Most drift quietly—through small compromises, unchecked ambition, and a subtle shift from purpose to performance. In this powerful episode of Behind the Seal, Peter Greer (President & CEO of Hope Internation…

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Ministry Transitions Nobody Prepares You For (featuring Tim Stevens) 36:10

2M ago36:10

36:10

Every ministry transition comes with both a push and a pull. Sometimes you’re drawn toward a new calling. Other times you simply know you can’t stay. For Tim Stevens, those moments have shaped four decades of leadership in the church - and given him a front-row seat to hundreds of leaders navigating their own endings and beginnings. In this convers…

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Absolute Best Practices of Nonprofit Boards (featuring Dr. Michael Anthony) 1:01:20

2M ago1:01:20

1:01:20

What if the health of your ministry depends more on your board than you think? Dr. Michael Anthony has spent 40 years in boardrooms - as a member, chair, consultant, and C-suite leader - and he’s seen what works and what breaks ministries apart. In this candid conversation, Dr. Anthony unpacks common mistakes boards make, the unseen cost of poor go…

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Leading Without Loneliness | Walter Kim 45:25

2M ago45:25

45:25

Is your leadership costing you connection? In this honest and thought-provoking conversation, Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, joins ECFA President Michael Martin to explore the emotional and relational challenges leaders face behind the scenes. From the illusion of transparency to the power of biblical vulnerabili…

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Positioned for This: Succession, Calling, and the Next Chapter (featuring Ron Henry) 29:52

2M ago29:52

29:52

What happens when a leader transitions not just into a new role - but into their calling? In this episode, Matt Davis introduces Ron Henry, the newly appointed Chief Succession Officer at Ministry Transitions. Ron brings decades of experience in executive placement and career development, but his deeper calling? Helping leaders find where God wants…

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Balancing the Business Brain and the Pastoral Heart (featuring Dave Fletcher) 35:27

2M ago35:27

35:27

What do scuba diving, salary spreadsheets, and severance packages have in common? According to David Fletcher - everything. In this episode, Matt sits down with the founder of xPastor and longtime executive pastor, David Fletcher, to talk about the messy, complicated, and deeply human work of leadership transitions in the church. They unpack the re…

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"Ministry Didn't End, It Just Moved" (featuring Josh Taylor) 36:06

3M ago36:06

36:06

What if the scariest thing about leaving ministry wasn’t the loss of your job - but the loss of your identity? In this episode, Matt sits down with Josh Taylor, former executive pastor turned chief marketing officer, who opens up about what it’s really like to step off the platform and into the unknown. From twelve years of trusted leadership in a …

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The Guardrail Gap | David Ashcraft 48:19

3M ago48:19

48:19

What happens when no one’s asking the hard questions? ECFA President Michael Martin talks with David Ashcraft, CEO of the Global Leadership Network, about the urgent need for accountability, care, and clear guardrails in leadership. From the isolation many pastors and nonprofit leaders face to how transparency can rebuild trust, this episode offers…

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Faithly and the Future of Ministry Connection (featuring Alicia Lee) 35:20

3M ago35:20

35:20

Alicia Lee didn’t leave ministry. She left Wall Street. After nearly two decades at Goldman Sachs, Alicia was managing a massive trading floor and rubbing shoulders with IPO titans. She loved the fast pace. She was good at it. And then God pulled the plug. A missed promotion became a divine pivot - and what followed was not a sabbatical, but a star…

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Redeployed, Not Retired (featuring Jon Talbert) 51:52

3M ago51:52

51:52

What do you do when ministry success comes at the cost of your soul? In this episode, we sit down with Jon Talbert - pastor, coach, and co-founder of Forte - to talk about the quiet unraveling that often happens behind the scenes in leadership. Jon has led at the highest levels of church and nonprofit work, but somewhere along the way, he realized …

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Before the Boiling Point | Dr. Jeramy Clark & Jerusha Clark 1:04:17

3M ago1:04:17

1:04:17

What if your pastor is one conversation away from burnout—and no one knows it? In ministry, the warning signs don’t always look like collapse. Sometimes, they look like silence, fatigue, or a slow drift from intimacy with God. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jeramy and Jerusha Clark of Standing Stone Ministry to talk about the emotional and s…

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The Leader's Edge | Gabe Lyons 48:53

4M ago48:53

48:53

What if the key to leading others well starts with healing your own heart? In this powerful conversation, Gabe Lyons—author, speaker, and founder of THINQ Media—joins us to talk about leadership, marriage, emotional health, and why being grounded in your identity as a child of God is more important than your title or metrics. From cultivating hones…

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The Trust Factor | Dr. Henry Cloud 55:42

4M ago55:42

55:42

What does it take to build—and rebuild—trust in leadership? In this powerful episode, Dr. Henry Cloud, bestselling author of books like Boundaries and Trust, reveals why trust is the foundation of every healthy relationship, team, and organization—and what leaders can do when it’s been broken. From identifying the key elements of trust to recognizi…

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Restless Devices | Felicia Wu Song 50:01

5M ago50:01

50:01

As leaders in a digitally driven world, how do we balance productivity with presence? How do we create space for silence, reflection, and meaningful connection in an always-on world? What role do faith communities play in shaping healthier digital habits? Felicia Wu Song, cultural sociologist and author of Restless Devices, joins host Michael Marti…

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Burnout to Breakthrough | Mindy Caliguire, Soul Care 1:16:23

5M ago1:16:23

1:16:23

Leadership doesn’t have to come at the cost of your soul. In this compelling episode, ECFA President Michael Martin sits down with Mindy Caliguire, founder of Soul Care and author of Ignite Your Soul, for a candid conversation on the growing crisis of burnout—and what we can do about it. Together, they unpack ECFA’s new Standard for Leader Care, ex…

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The Making of a Lasting Leader: Season 3 Trailer 1:01

6M ago1:01

1:01

This season, we explore what makes leaders last, from humility to impact and the care that carries them there.By ECFA

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Why Leader Care Can't Wait: Season 3 Trailer 1:01

6M ago1:01

1:01

What if leadership wasn’t just about performance but about wholeness? This season, we’re having the real conversations every leader needs—about burnout, trust, soul care, relationships, and leading with integrity. Featuring insightful voices like Mindy Caliguire, Dr. Henry Cloud, Lysa TerKeurst, and more, we’re exploring the unseen challenges leade…

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The Way of Interruption (featuring Bill Simmons) 41:14

7M ago41:14

41:14

Bill Simmons thought he was in control - until a child soldier in the Congo held him at gunpoint. In that moment, as the AK-47 clicked into place, Bill realized the terrifying truth: control was an illusion. Years later, as the CEO of a global nonprofit, he faced a different kind of pressure - leading an organization, carrying the weight of a missi…

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Can You Lead While Struggling? (featuring Matthew & Joanna Raabsmith) 33:34

7M ago33:34

33:34

Matthew had been hiding a secret for years. A secret that was growing, festering, and slowly creating a wedge in his marriage. He was a pastor. A leader. A man who thought he had it under control - until he didn’t. Until Joanna asked him the one question he had spent years avoiding. In that moment, everything unraveled. Their marriage. Their minist…

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The Kingdom Principle of Transformational Suffering (featuring Bryan Elliott) 50:08

8M ago50:08

50:08

What do you do when life shatters around you? When everything you built - your family, your future, your faith - feels like it’s slipping through your fingers? Bryan Elliott knows suffering intimately. A tragic accident left his brother in a vegetative state. Addiction nearly destroyed his daughters. A brutal murder stole one of them forever. His b…

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A New Conversation on Collective Church Trauma (featuring Kayleigh Clark) 40:19

8M ago40:19

40:19

Episode Summary The church is supposed to be a place of healing. But what happens when it’s the source of the hurt? Too often, we hear stories of toxic leadership, forced terminations, and broken congregations. And yet, no one wants to talk about it - not in the pulpit, not in the pews. The result? Wounds that never heal, pastors who burn out, and …

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Coached Off Staff: Seeking Reconciliation After Transition (featuring Jonathan Carone) 38:39

8M ago38:39

38:39

Stepping out of ministry can feel like stepping into a free fall. For Jonathan Carone, leaving his church staff role wasn’t just a career transition—it was a journey of unraveling identity, reconciling relationships, and rediscovering purpose. In this episode of Life After Ministry, Jonathan shares his raw and honest story of being “coached off sta…

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Why Culture Matters (featuring Jenni Catron) 55:24

9M ago55:24

55:24

Episode Summary What if the missing piece to a thriving ministry isn’t more strategy or programs but healthier culture? In this episode of Life After Ministry, we dive deep with Jenni Catron, a renowned culture coach, to uncover the secret sauce behind teams that thrive. Together, we explore how great leaders don’t leave culture to chance - they bu…

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Season 3 Finale: What We Have Learned About Transition (featuring Bill Tom & Noe Rivera) 40:32

10M ago40:32

40:32

Episode Summary: In this special episode of the Life After Ministry Podcast, Matt Davis, Bill Tom, and Noe Rivera - the founders of Pastoral Transitions - take listeners behind the scenes of their work, sharing insights into the emotional and practical challenges pastors face during ministry transitions. From navigating grief and burnout to finding…

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New Soil, New Roots - Part Two (featuring Brian Fisher) 28:36

11M ago28:36

28:36

Why is it that modern churches seem so successful in introducing people to Jesus but struggle to lead them into a life of true transformation? Brian Fisher doesn’t hold back as he has done a deep dive on how there is something missing in the church experience: a failure to address the deeper stages of discipleship. Drawing from his own journey thro…

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New Soil, New Roots - Part One (featuring Brian Fisher) 27:24

11M ago27:24

27:24

What Happens When Ministry Ends? What do you do when the life you built for the kingdom - your identity, your mission, your livelihood - gets ripped away without explanation? For Brian Fisher, founder of a thriving pro-life nonprofit that saved over 18,000 lives, the answer wasn’t immediate. In 2020, he and his wife were forced out of the ministry …

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What's Your Story? (featuring Wes Gay) 41:10

11M ago41:10

41:10

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Learn more about the great work Wes Gay is doing through StoryBrand by going to: https://www.wesgay.com/ Episode Summary Imagine being just weeks away …

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What Happens After The Last Service? (featuring Matt McGee) 44:50

12M ago44:50

44:50

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Learn about the great work Matt McGee is doing through "The Last Service Podcast" by going to: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-last-service-p…

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Inside The Ministry Job Market (featuring Jordan Whilden) 26:15

12M ago26:15

26:15

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Learn more about the great work Jordan Whilden is doing through MinistryHub by going to: https://ministryhub.org/ Episode Summary What happens when you…

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When The Bottom Falls Out (featuring Jeremy Stalnecker) 33:16

12M ago33:16

33:16

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Learn more about the great work Jeremy Stalnecker is doing through the Mighty Oaks Foundation by going to: https://www.mightyoaksprograms.org/ Episode …

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Prioritizing Mental and Emotional Well-being in Ministry (featuring John Opalewski) 41:48

1y ago41:48

41:48

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Learn more about the great work John Opalewski is doing at Converge Coaching by going to: https://convergecoach.com/ Episode Summary Imagine achieving …

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There Is No "Everything Pastor" (featuring David Robinson) 31:26

1y ago31:26

31:26

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Learn more about the great work David Robinson is doing at Coaching 4 Marketplace by going to: https://coachdaverobinson.com/ What if you dedicated dec…

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Is There Life After Divorce? (featuring Kathey Batey) 32:52

1y ago32:52

32:52

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Learn more about the great work Kathey Batey is doing at Divorce Support Anonymous by going to: https://divorcesupportanonymous.com/ Episode Summary Im…

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Flourishing In Ministry (featuring Chris Adams) 35:44

1y ago35:44

35:44

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk In this episode of Life After Ministry, Chris Adams, Executive Director of Flourishing in Ministry, takes us deep into the heart of one of the biggest …

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The Disciple Dilemma (featuring Dennis Allen) 32:02

1y ago32:02

32:02

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk In Episode 34 of Life After Ministry, Dennis Allen, author of The Disciple Dilemma, shares his journey from a military and corporate background to addr…

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This Dream Is Not For You (featuring Wade Joye) 33:00

1y ago33:00

33:00

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk What do you do when God asks you to let go of the dream you’ve built your life around? Wade Joye, former worship leader at Elevation Church, shares his…

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The Measure of a Ministry (featuring Gene Getz) - Part 2 27:54

1y ago27:54

27:54

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk What happens when pastors hang on too long or find themselves suddenly cut off from ministry? In part two of our conversation with Gene Getz on Life Af…

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The Measure of a Ministry (featuring Gene Getz) - Part 1 31:24

1y ago31:24

31:24

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk What happens when a pastor knows it’s time to pass the baton? How do you handle transitions with grace, humility, and purpose? As we kick off this epis…

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8 Things Ministry Leaders Need In Transition (featuring Matt & Marilee Davis) 31:44

1+ y ago31:44

31:44

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Summary In this episode, Matt and Marilee Davis discuss eight things that ministry leaders need in their transition out of ministry. These include cons…

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I'm Not Dying In The Pulpit (featuring Dr. Toney Parks) 49:24

1+ y ago49:24

49:24

For more information about the work we do at Pastoral Transitions, visit us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/ To book a confidential call with our team, go to: https://pastoraltransitions.com/talk Summary In this conversation, Pastor Toney Parks shares his journey from an unlikely candidate to becoming a pastor and his experiences growing up in B…