Today on The Pod, we tackle two ideas that many ministry leaders have a difficult time accepting. First, we’re joined by Jeanne Stevens who reminds us that with God all things are possible—but He never intended for us to live as though we are limitless. Then Ryan Leak sits down with guest hosts Holly Crawshaw and Sarah Bragg to talk about principles found in his book UnOffendable: No Offense. None Taken.

It’s no secret that parenting is an emotional rollercoaster. One moment you’re beaming with pride over a job well done and the next you’re asking yourself how your darling angel turned into such a hooligan. For all the ups and downs of being a parent, families with special needs deal with all that and more. That’s why it’s important as ministry leaders that we find creative ways to make special needs families feel at home in our ministries. Today on The Pod, we’re joined by four leaders who have made it their mission to serve in a special needs context. They share the heart behind special needs ministry, tips and tricks for getting the resources you need, and a plan for recruiting and keeping the right volunteers. Whether you’re a leader looking to start or improve the special needs ministry in your church or a volunteer looking for ways to lean in, we know you’re going to get a lot out of this episode.

Spiritual habits are important—there’s not a Next Gen leader out there who will argue with that. We all agree we want students actively pursuing a relationship with God. But for most students, the idea of reading the Bible or having an active prayer life can feel unattainable or just plain boring. On today’s episode of The Think Orange Podcast, we’ll talk about cultivating environments where kids and students can develop an authentic faith by focusing on four faith skills. We’ll hear from youth ministry veterans Crystal Chiang and Stuart Hall who will cast a vision and provide practical tools for helping students develop a prayer life and a relationship with God.

Today’s episode of the Think Orange Podcast is being aired in memory of Craig Jutila. An integral part of the Orange family, Craig was an advocate of church, family, and ministry, as well as a champion for pastors all across the country. Craig was incredible at leading change and shaping teams, and that’s what he’ll be sharing about today through an interview captured at Orange Conference 2018. After our conversation with Craig, we’re joined by Carey Nieuwhof. Carey provides some profound yet fundamental insights on the correlation of change and mission—and how to communicate change to those you lead.

Having a strategy and a plan is important. Even more important is being able to measure if your strategy is working!

There’s a reason that we call getting married “tying the knot.” When two people vow to love each other forever, in front of God, their lives join together in a bond that feels unbreakable. However—like all knots—over time our marriages can get frayed and even loosen. Healthy churches and healthy marriages are deeply and intricately connected. They both need each other. Ron and Jody Zappia have a story of a redeemed marriage. They use their story as a platform to show God’s glory and use transparency to help other couples find hope. Today on the podcast, they join Dave to talk about how churches can partner with couples to help them develop and maintain healthy marriages.

We’ve all heard the joke, “Ministry would be easy if not for the people.” We all have days that can feel frustrating or out of sync—like when you’re overwhelmed by your workload or those on your team aren’t speaking the same language. In those moments we wonder if it might be easier to just go at it alone. But the reality is we need more than just ourselves to accomplish the mission we’ve been given. In today’s conversations, we hear from Doug Fields and Amber Baker. With a combined 50-plus years of experience leading teams, they share the whys and hows for celebrating and empowering those you’ve been called to lead. Whether you lead a team of staff, volunteers, or students, these techniques will help you grow in your awareness of yourself as a leader, as well as those you’re working with every single day. Welcome to Episode 80 of the Think Orange Podcast.

The new year is a popular time for saying “yes.” “Yes” to more family time. “Yes” to exercise. “Yes” to getting plenty of rest. But what if this year, you could accomplish all these things and more because of a decision to say “no” instead? Today on The Pod, Frank Bealer and EJ Swanson join us to talk about the practice of slowing down. As two ministry leaders fluent in large-church ministry and high-level responsibility, Frank and EJ are pros at being efficient with their time while still leaning into relationships. They share how we can all slow down and manage our days in a way that won’t drive us—or our families—to the breaking point.

It’s a bittersweet day here at the Think Orange Podcast as we celebrate and commemorate Ashley Bohinc’s last show as a regular host (don’t worry though, she’s not going far!). In honor of the self-proclaimed “lead singer of the podcast,” Dave and Ashley are recapping Ashley’s most insightful, moving and musical contributions to the show. This, of course, means talking about Small Group Leaders, generational differences and Taylor Swift. The Think Orange Podcast is so thankful for Ashley’s time on the show. We know that in her next endeavors, she’ll bring her contagious joy and vast knowledge on all things next generation with her. As for the rest of us, Merry Christmas and we’ll see you in 2019!