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/