The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast

Follow @careynieuwhof

http://lifestoneministries.org/carey

❗️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 ART OF PREACHING

I’ve been preaching for more than 30 years and I’ve made just about every mistake you can make, more than once. That’s why I created The Art of Preaching, a step-by-step course to help you preach with clarity, confidence, and impact, featuring insights from communicators like Faith Eury Cho, Mark Clark, and Megan Fate Marshman. Enrollment is open now—check it out at theartofpreachingcourse.com.

VICTORY BEYOND THE CUP

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is one of the most significant outreach opportunities of our lifetime—and Victory Beyond the Cup is equipping churches to make the most of it. They’re offering free Pastor Kits and Host Kits to help you run meaningful events all summer long. Claim yours here.

LIFESTONE MINISTRIES

The Quarterly Bible Curriculum from LifeStone Ministries has been serving churches for over 120 years. The Adult Bible Class is a verse-by-verse, theologically sound resource that gives teachers and students everything they need with confidence.

For teachers who want to go deeper, Adult Bible Teacher adds exposition, discussion questions, and lesson preparation helps. More than 10,000 churches rely on it every quarter.

Direct download: CNLP_804_With__Rich-Villodas_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:56am EDT

Tue, 12 May 2026

CNLP 803 | Mass-Marketed Sin, Political Warfare, and Why Your Best Staff Keep Leaving with Joel Muddamalle

Joel Muddamalle is a theologian who thinks harder about spiritual warfare than almost anyone in the church today. In this conversation: how sin got a mass-marketing strategy, why your devices are a primary battleground, why the best answer to political division might be subversion, and how to keep your best people long-term.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 802 | How the Modern Church Was Shaped: Church Growth, Seeker Sensitive, Attractional, Missional with Todd Wilson

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

THE ART OF PREACHING

BELAY

BELAY hand-matches pastors and church leaders with highly-vetted, U.S.-based Assistants and Financial Experts who take operational work off your plate—without sacrificing the human touch your church deserves.

Download BELAY’s free resource, Five Traits AI Can’t Replace, by texting CAREY to 55123.

CHURCH GROWTH ENGINE

Church Growth Engine’s free guide, “Why Do Good Churches Get Stuck?”, identifies ten fixable problems—like leadership exhaustion cycles and visitor retention gaps—that prevent good churches from becoming all God has called them to be. Each challenge comes with symptoms to recognize and practical steps that have helped thousands of churches move from survival mode to thriving ministry.

Download it free at churchgrowthengine.com/actionplan.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_804_With_Joel-Muddamalle.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 5 May 2026

Most church leaders are leading inside a model they never chose and rarely understand.

In this episode, Todd Wilson, founder of Exponential, walks through the true history of the modern church: Church Growth, Seeker Sensitive, Attractional, Missional—and what’s coming next.

This is the seminary class no one got, but every church leader needs.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 801 | When the Ministry Playbook Doesn't Work Anymore: Robby Gallaty and Vick Green on the Keys to Discipleship and Revival

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

THE ART OF LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Inside The Art of Leadership Academy, you’ll find bite-sized tools, weekly conversations, and leaders who are walking the same road you’re on.

Create a free account, get started in minutes, and see what a difference it makes. All you have to do is visit theartofleadershipacademy.com.

CHURCH GROWTH ENGINE

Church Growth Engine gives you a weekly pulse on what's actually working in churches like yours right now.

Get research-backed strategies straight to your inbox every Tuesday morning. No fluff. No theory. Just practical insights you can scan in five minutes and implement this week, whether you lead 50 people or 500.

Join over a thousand pastors who are building thriving churches without the overwhelm. Subscribe for free at churchgrowthengine.com.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_802_With_Todd-Wilson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 28 April 2026

What do you do when you run a playbook on discipleship that’s worked for years, and it stops working? That led Robby Gallaty to a place of despair, and out of that, revival and renewal came. Robby Gallaty and Replicate CEO Vick Green explain how to renew your ministry through revival and discipleship.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 800 | Women in Ministry: Preston Sprinkle on What the Bible Actually Says

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

LIFESTONE MINISTRIES

Adult Bible Teacher from LifeStone Ministries gives Sunday school teachers verse-by-verse exposition, built-in discussion questions, and lesson preparation notes—everything you need to walk into your classroom with confidence. Head to lifestoneministries.org/carey to learn more.

CHURCH GROWTH ENGINE

Church Growth Engine’s free guide, “Why Do Good Churches Get Stuck?” identifies ten fixable problems holding churches back—from leadership exhaustion cycles to visitor retention gaps—with practical steps that have helped thousands of churches move from survival mode to thriving ministry.

Download it free at churchgrowthengine.com/actionplan.

COMPASSION

Compassion International equips churches to lead with a posture of compassion just as Jesus did—offering resources, events, and experiences that help your church family take action, love their neighbors, and help release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.

Visit compassion.org/carey to download free resources and learn more.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_801_With_Vick-Green-and-Robby-Gallaty.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Thu, 23 April 2026

Preston Sprinkle studied the full biblical narrative on women in ministry inductively, without an agenda. From Genesis to Paul, we discuss what he found and where it led him.

We also tackle what faithfulness to scripture looks like, and how opening your mind and changing your view can make you more biblically faithful rather than less.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 799 | Christine Caine: The Real Reasons Women Are Done With Church

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

The Art of Leadership Live ISN’T a conference where you’ll sit down and listen to keynote speakers for 8+ hours a day. Each day is carefully designed with a perfect balance of teaching, connection, and free time so you can find the right insight and act on it. Learn more.

VICTORY BEYOND THE CUP

BELAY

If your schedule is maxed out and you’re doing work that someone else could handle, Belay can help. They match you with pre-vetted, US-based Virtual Assistants and Financial Experts on a flexible, fractional basis—so you only pay for what you need. Download their free resource, “5 Traits AI Can’t Replace,” by texting CAREY to 55123

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_800_With_Preston-Sprinkle.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 21 April 2026

Christine Caine returns to the podcast to discuss the real reasons she thinks women are done with the church, how to get them back, why playing the Holy Spirit’s role in other people’s lives has to stop, and the necessity of being pruned if you want to flourish.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 798 |Finally Beat Sermon Deadline Procrastination: Jon Acuff on Procrastination, Building an Audience, and AI-Proofing Your Impact

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

COMPASSION

Compassion International has partnered with churches for decades to connect children in poverty with loving, safe environments where both their physical and spiritual needs are met. You can partner with Compassion to equip your church members to step into global missions—they have a library of resources, experiences, and events designed for leaders like you.

Check out compassion.org/carey to download free resources and learn more.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_799_With_Christine-Caine.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 14 April 2026

Find yourself procrastinating? You're not alone. Jon Acuff explains how to finally stop procrastinating on your sermon writing and other projects. Plus, he explains how he continues to grow as a leader, build an audience, and AI-proof his influence.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 797 | Why You Shouldn't Chase Your Passion: Bill Gurley on the Delusional Factor Every Outlier Needs and How to Find a Mentor

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

LIFESTONE MINISTRIES

The Legacy Bible Curriculum from LifeStone Ministries is a verse-by-verse, theologically sound adult Sunday school resource that more than 10,000 churches rely on every quarter. Visit lifestoneministries.org/carey to order or learn more.

THE CHURCH NETWORK CONFERENCE

The Church Network Conference 2026 is coming to West Palm Beach this July—four days of practical learning on everything from finance and HR to technology and leadership development, designed specifically for executive pastors, church administrators, and operations leaders. Learn more and register at thechurchnetwork.com/conference

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_798_With_Jon-Acuff.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Thu, 9 April 2026

Bill Gurley, legendary investor behind Uber, Snapchat, and Twitter, shares why "follow your passion" is dangerously misleading, what to chase instead, what the best startup founders do, and the delusional factor that separates outliers from everyone else.

Plus, his best advice on finding a mentor, landing your dream job, his biggest mistake (passing on Google), and what he'd tell young leaders just starting out.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 796 | Best Advice For Preachers: Arthur Brooks on How To Reclaim 20 Hours of Sermon Writing Time + The Meaning of Your Life

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

CHURCH GROWTH ENGINE

Every Tuesday, get research-backed insights on what's working right now in churches your size. Recent Church Growth Engine issues explored how 30 million Americans embraced Jesus outside church walls, why autism-friendly services open new ministry opportunities, and how churches are using AI without losing their pastoral heart.

Subscribe for free and start building a church that grows in every way that matters. Visit churchgrowthengine.com.

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_797With_Bill-Gurley.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 7 April 2026

Arthur C. Brooks attends church every single day, has sat through thousands of sermons, gives lectures and talks around the world and based on that, gives his best advice to preachers. Plus, we look at how to reclaim writing time and the meaning of life.

🔗 Show Notes

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And because you listen to the podcast, you can get a $500 credit when you sign up!

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

SUBSPLASH

The Subsplash Platform is the complete solution for connecting with your community on Sunday and beyond. There’s no better way for your church or ministry to engage your audience, grow your giving, and host and stream your media.

STATE OF THE CHURCH

See the latest research and stay up to date on what’s happening in the American church.

Visit stateofthechurch.com/carey

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_796_With_Arthur-Brooks.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 31 March 2026

CNLP 795 | A 100% Digital Church: What Mark Lutz Learned That Physical Churches Are Missing

Mark Lutz pastored a regular church for a few years. Then, as a gamer, he opened up Lux Church, a 100% ditigal church created for gamers. He explains the model, why it's reaching people no one else is reaching, how online relationships are as real as IRL relationships, and what other churches are missing and getting wrong when it comes to their digital ministry.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 794 | Overcoming Your Self-Limiting Beliefs and the Science Behind How Prayer Builds Resilience With Nir Eyal

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

VICTORY BEYOND THE CUP

The World Cup kicks off this summer. When more than 5 billion people are paying attention to the same moment, that’s not just a sports event, it’s a leadership opportunity.

Victory Beyond the Cup has created two free kits to help pastors and everyday believers steward that moment well.

There’s a Pastor Kit to help you cast vision and equip your church, and Host Kits equip people to open their homes, gather friends, and create space for meaningful conversations.

If you’re ready to help your people step into this global moment with intention and purpose, visit victorybeyondthecup.com and download the free kits.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_795_With_Mark-Lutz_3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Thu, 26 March 2026

How do you get past your self-limiting beliefs? Best-selling author Nir Eyal talks about the research on why some leaders see the positive while others see the negative, how to change your mindset and gain greater agency, and the science behind why prayer improves resilience and mindset.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 793 | Carl Lentz On Preaching While Having Sex Outside Marriage, How the Pressure of Church Growth Got To Him, And Warning Signs for Other Church Leaders

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

3 days of deep growth, trusted guidance, and fresh vision for what's next. Join me in Nashvile, TN September 21-23, 2026.

Learn more: https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-live/

COMPASSION

In partnership with global churches, Compassion International has been serving children for more than 70 years.

Download free resources and learn more about how compassion changes everything at compassion.com/carey.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_796_With_Nir-Eyal_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 24 March 2026

Former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz opens up about the factors that led to the collapse of his ministry.

He discusses the core issues that led to his breach of trust, what it was like to preach while he was having an affair, the relentless pressure of rapid growth, what rehab taught him about addressing core issues, his regrets, and warning signs for church leaders facing the pressure.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 792 | I Wanted to Quit Everything: Jennie Allen on Suffering, Spiritual Warfare, Lies Leaders Believe, and Not Giving Up

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

3 days of deep growth, trusted guidance, and fresh vision for what's next. Join me in Nashvile, TN September 21-23, 2026.

Learn more: https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-live/

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_793_With_Carl-Lentz_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 17 March 2026

Jennie Allen reflects on a year like no other she's had: an ephocal global event followed by a terribly difficult sabbatical, health scares, and discouragement.

Jennie talks about wanting to quit, suffering and spiritual warfare, lies leaders believe, and not giving up.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 791 | Why Church Dating Advice No Longer Works: JJ and Kait Tomlin on the Realities Single Christians Face

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

FUND THE FUTURE MASTERCLASS

If you’re tired of feeling awkward about funding your mission and are ready to lead boldly into the future, check out my course, Fund the Future Masterclass.

Learn more at careynieuwhof.com/fundthefuture

SWITCHER STUDIO

Want to take your church’s live stream to the next level, especially as you head into Easter?

Switcher lets you grab your iPhones, iPads, and cameras, sync them together, and switch between angles live without complicated gear.

Add scripture, lyrics, and graphics on screen to keep your congregation engaged and stream to your website and all the major social media platforms at once.

Get an additional $5 off at checkout when you use the code “carey5”.

Visit switcherstudio.com/carey to learn more.

COMPASSION

In partnership with global churches, Compassion International has been serving children for more than 70 years.

Download free resources and learn more about how compassion changes everything at compassion.com/carey.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_792_With_Jennie-Allen.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Thu, 12 March 2026

JJ and Kait Tomlin join the podcast to give candid advice to church leaders who, um, haven't dated in a while. It's different out there than it used to be.

They cover outdated dating advice, what pastors should say, and the real challenges of being a Christian and single today.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 790 | Red Flags Driving Women Out of Church (and How to Fix Them) with Kadi Cole

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

FUND THE FUTURE MASTERCLASS

If you’re tired of feeling awkward about funding your mission and are ready to lead boldly into the future, check out my course, Fund the Future Masterclass.

Learn more at careynieuwhof.com/fundthefuture

CHURCH SALARY

ChurchSalary 3.0 helps pastors and leaders answer things like: Am I being paid fairly? Are we paying our team fairly? How should cost of living, education, and experience affect compensation? It uses real, ministry-specific data to give you clarity and confidence.

Visit ChurchSalary.com/carey and start for free today.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_791_With_JJ--Kait-Tomlin.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 10 March 2026

Recent data shows that while young men are coming to church in record numbers, women are leaving. Why? Kadi Cole shares the #1 reason women are leaving church (lack of trust) and outlines numerous other red flags that are alienating women.

Plus, she discusses how to address them and how to create an engaging environment for women, whether you lead a complementarian or egalitarian church.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 789 | Beth Moore on Knowing When It's Time to Leave and Proof-Texting Scripture to Keep the Pulpit and Power

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

If you’re leading a church and you know there’s more in you—and more ahead for your team—I want to personally invite you to something special.

September 21–23, 2026, I’m hosting The Art of Leadership LIVE in Nashville, Tennessee.

Visit theartofleadershiplive.com to secure the best pricing.

COMPASSION

In partnership with global churches, Compassion International has been serving children for more than 70 years.

Download free resources and learn more about how compassion changes everything at compassion.com/carey.

GLOO

With solutions like Gloo Workspace, where ministry leaders get work done, and partners like Igniter Media, Barna, VisitorReach, and Outreach, Gloo is providing the digital backbone for the faith ecosystem, equipping your church, ministry, and individuals to thrive in a digital age.

Learn more about how Gloo can help you do more of what you’re called to do by texting CAREY to 46816. That’s C-A-R-E-Y to 46816

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_790_With_Kadi-Cole.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 3 March 2026

Beth Moore talks about leaving the SBC a decade ago, how to know when it's time to leave, why so many women are leaving the church, and proof-texting scripture to keep the pulpit and power.

🔗 Show Notes

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https://resources.belaysolutions.com/carey

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

If you’re leading a church and you know there’s more in you—and more ahead for your team—I want to personally invite you to something special.

September 21–23, 2026, I’m hosting The Art of Leadership LIVE in Nashville, Tennessee.

Visit theartofleadershiplive.com to secure the best pricing.

GLOO FEED

We all know how fast things move in ministry—and how hard it can be to keep up.

That’s exactly what the Gloo Feed is built for.

This is a totally free, regular text that delivers the latest research, trending topics, and updates from across the Church.

Text CAREY to 46816 to join for free.

BELAY

BELAY is giving away its resource, The Future of Financial Leadership, for free. It discusses how to manage your church’s finances with efficiency and care, how their Financial Experts provide a human touch, and why it matters.

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_789_With_Beth-Moore.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Thu, 26 February 2026

CNLP 788 | Are You Marketing Revival? The Problem with Mixed Motives and Social Media in Church Leaders

In this episode, Carey asks the question of whether we're selling church growth and marketing revival on social media.

As leaders, our motives are always mixed, and Carey offers a framework for checking our motives before posting on social media. Momentum doesn’t need marketing. Don’t sell it. Steward it.

🔗 Show Notes

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CNLP 787 | Emergency Episode | Pastoring Angry People: When to Speak, When to Stay Silent, and Leading Without Losing Everyone

Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes

ART OF LEADERSHIP LIVE

If you’re leading a church and you know there’s more in you—and more ahead for your team—I want to personally invite you to something special.

September 21–23, 2026, I’m hosting The Art of Leadership LIVE in Nashville, Tennessee.

Visit theartofleadershiplive.com to secure the best pricing.

STATE OF THE CHURCH

Stay up to date on what's happening in the church. Find current research, data, and other resources at stateofthechurch.com/carey

Brought to you by The Art of Leadership Network

Direct download: CNLP_788_Are-You-Selling-Church-Growth_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Tue, 24 February 2026

The cultural moment we're in isn't just tense — it's a full convulsion, and it's landing in your church every Sunday. In this emergency panel episode, Ed Stetzer, Adam Mesa, and Sharon Hodde Miller debate when to speak up, when to be silent, how to deal with fallout, and how to pastor people in a deeply divided age.

This is the conversation many pastors are desperate to have but afraid to start.

🔗 Show Notes

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