Advertise on podcast: ServingLeaders Podcast

In this episode, we revisit a conversation with Soul Shepherding founders Bill and Kristi Gaultiere around the vital need of each one of us to receive the empathy of Jesus. Bill and Kristi will be the keynote speakers at the upcoming ServingLeaders Annual Celebration Banquet and will also be leading a special workshop hosted by New Story Church in Phoenixville, PA. Don't miss this special opportunity to hear from them and register today for the banquet and workshop!  You're invited! Register for the 2026 ServingLeaders Annual Celebration Banquet Register for the Deeply Loved Workshop Purchase the book, Deeply Loved: Receiving and Reflecting God's Great Empathy for You Find out more about Soul Shepherding

What does it actually mean to have confidence in Christ? In this conversation, Rebekah Hannah challenges the way we often think about identity, confidence, and leadership, especially the temptation to use “identity in Christ” as a Christianized form of self-help. Together, we explore the freedom that comes from seeing Jesus rightly, embracing both our weakness and our God-given strengths, and releasing our need for approval. Rebekah offers practical wisdom for ministry leaders navigating criticism, difficult decisions, insecurity, and the pressure to be liked—reminding us that confident leadership isn't about becoming more impressed with ourselves, but becoming more grounded in Christ. The Secret to Confidence: Finding Lasting Confidence in Christ When Identity and Feelings Waver Talking to Kids About Hard Things: Honest Conversations When Life Gets Complicated  Zara and the Mean Girl: The Courage of Kindness Q&R Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with Chuck DeGroat—therapist, professor, pastor, and author of When Narcissism Comes to Church and Healing What’s Within—to explore the question, “Who are we becoming?” Chuck is Professor of Counseling and Christian Spirituality at Western Theological Seminary, a licensed therapist specializing in pastoral and leadership health, spiritual abuse, and religious trauma, and has spent more than 25 years helping people pursue greater wholeness and wholeheartedness. In anticipation of his new book, Who You’re Becoming: The Slow and Courageous Work of Cultivating Character in a Narcissistic Age, releasing October 20, we talk about the difference between self-awareness and genuine transformation, the temptation to use therapeutic tools as a shield from accountability, “fauxnerability,” humility, and what it actually looks like to slowly become more like Christ. Who You're Becoming: The Slow and Courageous Work of Cultivating Character in a Narcissistic Age Chuck DeGroat's website The Soul Care Collaborative Sit with Chuck on Substack

In this second part of our series on “The Spiritually Healthy Leader: Finding Freedom from Self-Sabotage,” Dave Wiedis talks about what it means to live centered in the supremacy of Christ as the pathway to freedom, what to do with our longings, and how Christ's lordship supercharges our desires. A personal recommendation from ServingLeaders Founder and Executive Director, Dave Wiedis: “I like this episode because in it we explore the supremacy of Christ as our ruling passion and why that matters. Many Christians try to kill their desires or pathologize them. A more scriptural and comprehensive approach to desires and spiritual growth is reordering our desires under the supremacy of Christ.” Buy Dave's book here: On Amazon On New Growth Press

In this episode, Dave and Laura sit down with world-renowned psychologist Dr. Diane Langberg for a conversation around her newest book, "When the Church Harms God's People: Becoming Faith Communities that Resist Abuse, Pursue Truth and Care for the Wounded". They talk about what it really means to be the body of Christ, the dangers of unhealthy leadership and how to identify it in yourself and others, how to practically address issues of abuse in the church, and what healthy forgiveness and restoration look like. Stay tuned after the episode while Dave and Laura debrief our conversation with Diane. A personal recommendation from ServingLeaders Clinical Director, Jon Sovocool: “I like this episode because it explores the incentives for churches to ignore, dismiss or cover up abuse and the unforeseen and devastating ramifications of doing so. Abuse requires the habituation of deception--including deception of the self--in order to protect the self and the organization.” Find Dr. Langberg's book on Amazon, Baker Publishing Group, TGC, and more.

Join us in a conversation with Dave Wiedis as we take a deeper dive into the heart of sexual wholeness. In this episode, we explore how the motives and idols of the heart intersect with and drive our sexual brokenness and how to find freedom. A personal recommendation from ServingLeaders Assistant Clinical Director, Dr. Penny Freeman: “It can be so hard for believers to respond well to our current culture, where gender is determined by how we feel. It’s helpful to think about sexual maturity and how our ruling passions intersect with that.”  Get Dave's book, The Spiritually Healthy Leader on Amazon here.

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Penny Freeman, our Clinical Supervisor at ServingLeaders, to discuss the complex generational family dynamics that influence our lives. We talk about how to understand (and have context for) the differences and challenges we experience between us and our parents, grandparents, and children. We also talk about how to change family dynamics over time and experience God’s redemption in even the hardest family challenges. A personal recommendation from ServingLeaders Ministry Director, Tucker Else: “Penny’s vast experience and wisdom should be required listening for young counselors and church leaders, and anyone who longs to serve others in a Godly, thoughtful, clinically-informed way.”  Reflection Questions Information about generations

In this episode, Dave Wiedis interviews missionary Jim Rhodes, who provides lessons learned from 45 years of ministry leadership to encourage and equip leaders well. A personal recommendation from ServingLeaders Chief Operating Officer, Joe Bruni: “I love these episodes because Jim, with years of experience in ministry, shares some of the core principles for health and flourishing as a leader. Jim’s passion for keeping our heart set on Jesus as we navigate some of the biggest struggles in ministry (including enduring hardship, openness to the Spirit, creating community, navigating conflict, and creatively living out our calling) is invaluable as a vision for healthy leadership.”

In this episode, we share a special interview of Dave Wiedis on what it means to be a spiritually healthy leader. This episode was aired on the "Fueled Pastoral Resilience" podcast hosted by Pastor Raphael Mnkandhla.  The Spiritually Healthy Leader: Finding Freedom from Self-Sabotage Fueled Pastoral Resilience podcast

In this episode, we host a powerful panel conversation with three women in ministry roles: Erin Bahbah from ServingLeaders who is also a pastor’s wife, Rachel Short from 938 Church in West Chester who is a teaching pastor and counselor, and Jodie Merow from Christ Memorial Church who has decades of leadership in children’s ministry.  Together, we explore the unique (and sometime challenging) role of women in ministry roles, the joys and unique calling of ministry, and the unexpected ways we land in ministry. From behind-the-scenes support to visible leadership, each woman shares her unique journey of growing in confidence in being herself in leadership, the vital importance of community and connection, lessons learned along the way, and the meaning of a life serving Jesus. Whether you’re a pastor’s wife, a ministry leader, or a woman discerning your calling, this conversation offers encouragement, wisdom, and a reminder that you are not alone in the journey.

In this episode, Dave and Laura sit down with Jimmy Dodd, founder of PastorServe, a ministry dedicated to helping pastors and leaders thrive. Jimmy unpacks the danger of isolation and the importance of living with integrity between “frontstage” and “backstage.” We explore the 6 key relationships every pastor needs to stay grounded, and how intentional openness and connection can strengthen healthy leadership. Jimmy also shares the story behind the founding of PastorServe and the ways it is supporting pastors across the country. PastorServe.org FrontStage BackStage Podcast The Spiritually Healthy Leader

In this episode, we turn the conversation inward as we talk about disordered eating, body image, and the often-overlooked ways ministry leaders can neglect their own well-being while caring for others. Dave Wiedis sits down with co-host Laura Yoder—licensed professional counselor, registered dietitian, wellness coach, and spiritual director—to explore how unhealthy patterns with food and our bodies form, and what true healing can look like. Through both personal story and professional insight, Laura unpacks the deeper emotional and spiritual roots of disordered eating, the unique pressures leaders face, and how self-rejection can quietly take hold. This conversation offers a hopeful vision of freedom—inviting leaders to rediscover their worth, care for their whole selves, and cultivate a healthier, more grace-filled relationship with food, their bodies, and God. Resources: When Food is Love by Geneen Roth Feeding the Hungry Heart by Geneen Roth You Are the Beloved by Henri Nouwen Spiritually Healthy Leader: Finding Freedom from Self-Sabotage by Dave Wiedis  "How to Process Your Emotions to Revitalize Intimacy with Jesus: An Interview with Dave Wiedis" ServingLeaders Podcast

In this episode, we’re joined by Robb Holman—a globally recognized leadership expert, executive coach, and CEO of a leadership consultancy who has been named one of the world’s top leadership speakers. Bestselling author of Lessons from Abdul and other leadership books, Robb is known for his “Inside Out Leadership” approach, helping leaders grow from within to lead with purpose and authenticity. In our conversation, Robb challenges the assumption that great leaders are defined by how much they give, and instead invites us to discover the transformative power of receiving. https://www.robbholman.com/ Robb's Book: Lessons from Abdul: The Hidden Power of Receiving from Anyone, Anytime

“Loneliness is God’s grace in your life to bring you to the end of yourself” - Shelby Abbott.  In this compelling conversation, Shelby Abbott joins us to talk about his new book on loneliness — and why he believes loneliness can actually be a uniquely meaningful season in our walk with Jesus.  Together we explore why loneliness is universal yet uniquely intensified in leadership and ministry, how our hyper-digital world has reshaped (and often weakened) real connection, and why quick fixes like sex, achievement, or distraction can’t satisfy the deeper ache of the human heart. Shelby reframes loneliness not as something to escape at all costs, but as an invitation — to deeper dependence on God and to courageous, embodied relationship with others. Shelby's website: https://shelbyabbott.com/about/ Link to Shelby's favorite read right now: Deeper by Dane Ortlund Link to Shelby's new book Why We're Feeling Lonely (and what we can do about it): Shelby Abbott's Book

What are the gifts — and sometimes costs — to be a woman connected to ministry?  In this honest conversation, Sarah Gammage unpacks the hidden emotional load many pastors’ wives and ministry women carry. From the “one-legged stool” reality described in Resilient Ministry to navigating burnout, protecting marriage, raising kids in the spotlight, and walking through cancer in the spotlight of ministry, Sarah offers practical wisdom and hope through her own journey.  Listeners will gain language for how to think about the uniquely complex role of ministry spouse, tools for building healthy boundaries, and encouragement to cultivate identity in Christ — not just in a role. Whether you’re a pastor’s wife, female ministry leader, or simply walking closely with someone in church leadership, this conversation will give you a unique vision of joys, challenges and gifts encountered while walking the ministry road.  Referenced in the episode: Resilient Ministry on Amazon Dale Ralph Davis' books on the Psalms:  Psalms 1-12 Psalms 13-24 Psalms 25-37 Psalms 38-51 Sarah's blog: hopeinthehard.net  Instagram: @free2sing2him