CNLP 752 | How Do You Fire Staff That Are Like Family? Jon Gordon on Making the Tough Calls on Staffing and Creating Great Teams

Julian Lowe never expected to be a pastor, which ironically freed him up to become one. He talks about what he learned at the Groundlings, in Music, and in ministry, sharing why he feels white men are afraid to preach the Bible, and how to speak the biblical truth to people who disagree with 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   CONVOY OF HOPE Convoy of Hope’s Hope Summit has an amazing lineup of speakers like Chris Hodges and Jennie Allen. I'll be speaking as well, and Natalie Grant will be leading worship. You can register at hopesummit.com/carey to take advantage of a special discounted rate.   GLOO FEED Gloo Feed is the best way to stay informed about what matters, when it matters… without having to sift through the noise.  Get all the latest research, updates on AI and the church, access to resources and much more. Join the Gloo Feed today, for free. Text CAREY to 46816 to join for free.   Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Many church leaders think of their staff as family. But if they're family, can you fire them? Jon Gordon has coached hundreds of professional sports teams and companies and explains what it takes to make the tough calls, including firing people you see as family.   🔗   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   CHURCH SALARY If you have questions about church salaries, ChurchSalary is your starting place. Visit ChurchSalary.com/carey to get your free preview today.   BELAY Download BELAY’s free resource: “15 Tasks a Pastor Can Delegate to a Marketing Assistant.” Text the word CAREY to 55123 for your free download.   COMPASSION If you’re ready to grow your generosity and answer God’s call, head to compassion.com/carey.   Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Dan Heath, author of Made to Stick, The Power of Moments, and other seminal leadership books, talks about the six surprising traits of sticky sermons, how to design church experiences people never forget, why focusing on the problem is the wrong approach to leadership, what he's learned from Chick-fil-A, and getting people to change. 🔗   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 CHURCH NETWORK Looking to lead your church with clarity, confidence, and connection? Join The Church Network, the premier association for church operations leaders and administrators. Whether you're navigating budgets, staffing, or tech transitions, TCN equips you with practical tools, expert insights, and a nationwide community that gets it.   SUBSPLASH With Subsplash Tap, guests can instantly take their next step—whether that’s filling out a connect card, joining a small group, or signing up for events—with just a tap of their phone. Each tap brings them closer to your church community. Head to subsplash.com/carey to save $500 when you sign up.   Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Matt Smethurst has listened to and studied more hours of Tim Keller's preaching and teaching than almost anyone alive. In this conversation, Matt gets us inside Tim Keller's mind, breaking down what made Keller's preaching so effective, his DNA, and even his rule of life. 🔗   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   STATE OF THE CHURCH Get instant access to the latest research from State of the Church. Simply go to stateofthechurch.com/carey   COMPASSION God describes Himself as compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love - aspects that describe His deeply caring, merciful, and generous nature. This summer, I'd like to encourage you to visit my friends at Compassion International to learn how you might grow YOUR compassion and generosity today. Find out more at www.compassion.com/carey.     Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

In Part 5 of our Revival series, JP Pokluda brings firsthand accounts of how God is moving in college stadiums. He shares the Gospel with your Uber driver, server, and other people you meet, what's different about Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and why God is moving so powerfully now.  🔗   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   BELAY Take the first step toward financial peace of mind by downloading BELAY’s free Mission-Based Budgeting Guide today.  This resource includes templates, step-by-step guides, and a training video to make aligning your budget and your mission simple. CONVOY OF HOPE Convoy of Hope’s Hope Summit has an amazing lineup of speakers like Chris Hodges and Jennie Allen. I'll be speaking as well, and Natalie Grant will be leading worship. You can register at hopesummit.com/carey to take advantage of a special discounted rate. GLOO+ With powerful messaging tools, automated workflows that handle follow-ups and reminders, and, tools like the New Mover Program that help you connect with new families, Gloo+ helps you simplify your fall planning and lead with confidence.     Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

In Part 4 of the Revival series, Nicky Gumbel, Al Gordon, and Stephen Foster explain how and why Gen Z men in the UK are becoming Christians in record numbers. They discuss how they're seeing generations of church decline reversed and what America can learn from it. 🔗   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   GLOO+ With powerful messaging tools, automated workflows that handle follow-ups and reminders, and, tools like the New Mover Program that help you connect with new families, Gloo+ helps you simplify your fall planning and lead with confidence.     Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

In Part 3 of our Revival series, Andy Wood (Lead Pastor of Saddleback Church) and Luke LeFevre (A Gen Z preacher who works with the Gather movement) discuss a prophetic word Luke received about an outpouring of the Spirit at Saddleback church. They discuss the prophetic word, what actually happened, how God is moving at Saddleback, and the implications for every pastor in America who leads large or small churches. 🔗   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   UPWARD SPORTS Get your church outside its walls and into real connection with people. Right now is the perfect time to start thinking about a winter sport or planning for 2026.  Learn more about what Upward sports has to offer at Upward.org/carey   CONVOY OF HOPE Convoy of Hope’s Hope Summit has an amazing lineup of speakers like Chris Hodges and Jennie Allen. I'll be speaking as well, and Natalie Grant will be leading worship. You can register at hopesummit.com/carey to take advantage of a special discounted rate.   Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

In Part 2 of our Revival series, Jon Tyson does a deep dive on the history of revival, including a detailed account of what happened/is happening in the Hebrides and in NYC. Jon explores how to prepare and preach for revival, how to be sensitive to its dynamics, and what to do to get ready personally and organizationally. 🔗   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   ONEACCORD OneAccord is an AI-based translation platform designed exclusively for the local church, by believers actively serving in the local church. With over 40 languages available, OneAccord would love to partner with your church to bridge this language gap. When you visit oneaccord.ai/carey, you can get a free trial with 3 hours of translation credit.   GLOO AI CHAT Gloo AI Chat gives you the power of AI, but from a trusted, faith-based source. It’s built for Christians, so you’re not getting random internet answers. You’re getting responses that are thoughtful, aligned with biblical values, and actually helpful—on real-life stuff like parenting, relationships, leadership, or faith questions. And, it’s free!   Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

In our Revival Series opener, Zach Meerkreeb shares the backstory of the Asbury Outpouring sparked by his sermon, which didn't go particularly well.  He explores Gen Z's unique spiritual awakening, the power of humility and confession, and offers guidance for church leaders who want to see revival in their churches. 🔗   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   SUBSPLASH Never miss an opportunity to engage your community instantly—with Subsplash Tap—now a part of the only integrated platform designed to simplify next steps. Go to ​subsplash.com/carey​ to save $500 when you sign up.   PARKHILL Church design is changing—and Parkhill is leading that change. Today’s forward-thinking ministries are moving from pews to circles, from crowds to true community, and from auditorium seating to vibrant, multipurpose campuses.  With a scalable process designed to protect Kingdom resources, Parkhill empowers churches to join the 20% who see their plans built and their purpose fulfilled.   Your vision deserves more than plans. Discover how to be the 20 at Parkhill.com/Faith.     Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Ray Johnston, senior pastor of Bayside Church in Sacramento, CA, reflects on decades of ministry and how to stay encouraged in ministry even when you feel done, why cynicism is incurable, how to finish well, and how to park your ego so you can raise up a team of all-stars. This episode is a 90-minute breakdown of what a long obedience in the same direction and finishing well look like. 🔗   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   STATE OF THE CHURCH Check out the latest research coming out of the State of the Church. Visit stateofthechurch.com/carey   CONVOY OF HOPE Convoy of Hope’s Hope Summit has an amazing lineup of speakers like Chris Hodges and Jennie Allen. I'll be speaking as well, and Natalie Grant will be leading worship. You can register at hopesummit.com/carey to take advantage of a special discounted rate.   Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network