Carey Nieuwhof
Don’t settle for an impact smaller than you’re called to make. It's time to unlock your potential and lead confidently into a future filled with growth — for yourself, your church, and your mission. Get access to some of my best leadership content, only published in my newsletters.
7 disruptive church trends that will rule 2026
Hi Reader, 2025 was the first year we began to see the stirrings and anecdotes associated with revival become statistically meaningful. Bible sales up 41.6% since 2022. Christian music streams are up 50% since 2019. Spiritual app downloads rose 79.5% since 2019. BUT... it isn't all good news as we start off 2026. If you miss the cultural shifts happening, your day-to-day efforts in ministry often miss the mark, no matter how well-intentioned you are. That's why I release my annual Church...
7 disruptive church trends that will rule 2026
Hi Reader, 2025 was the first year we began to see the stirrings and anecdotes associated with revival become statistically meaningful. Bible sales up 41.6% since 2022. Christian music streams are up 50% since 2019. Spiritual app downloads rose 79.5% since 2019. BUT... it isn't all good news as we start off 2026. If you miss the cultural shifts happening, your day-to-day efforts in ministry often miss the mark, no matter how well-intentioned you are. That's why I release my annual Church...
On The Rise: The top 120 New Year’s Resolutions, Warren Buffett, and the 100 best comedies.
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, everything you wanted to know about New Year’s resolutions (even if you’re a cynic), Warren Buffett’s wisdom, Craig Groeschel’s take on habits, and the 100 best comedies of all time to make 2026 a year where you laugh again. The Top 120 New Year’s Resolutions Are… Plus, the biggest reason people change. So it’s a BRAND NEW YEAR, but guess what?...
A masterclass in small church dysfunction
Hi Reader, If you’ve ever wondered whether the tough, dysfunctional early days of ministry are normal, today’s episode is going to encourage you more than you expect. I’m joined by David Ashcraft—longtime senior pastor of LCBC in Pennsylvania, a church that grew from a handful of people to more than 22,000. But what’s most refreshing about David is this: he didn’t start in a thriving environment. In fact, his early years were filled with opposition, control battles, music wars, board blowups,...
5 moments that defined the Church in 2025
Hi Reader, 2025 was a big year for the Church, for leaders, and for culture—full of challenges, surprises, and hope. As I reflected on the top books and podcasts, I also started collecting the stories that shaped ministry and leadership this year. So, let’s take a look. 5 Moments That Defined the Church in 2025 From pastors hanging in through burnout, to signs of a real reversal in church attendance, to moments that united believers around the world — this year reminded us that God is still...
On The Rise: Surprising marriage trends, layoffs, and great mac and cheese
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, some surprising trends about marriage, how to develop better habits, practical advice for leaders who get laid off, and some sweet mac and cheese recipes. The Majority of Americans Are Not Married Time to rethink your sermon illustrations (and who you’re reaching). A new Barna study might cause you to rethink most of the assumptions about the...
When ministry breaks your heart (and how to stay healthy anyway)
Hi [FIRST NAME GOES HERE], If you’ve been in ministry for more than five minutes, you know this: people are amazing…and people can break your heart. Today on the podcast, I sit down with my friend Sharon Hodde Miller for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had in a long time about resilience, disappointment, and the quiet wounds that come with leadership. Sharon leads Bright City Church in Durham and has been doing deep work on pastoral resilience. She shares openly about relational...
Top podcasts you need to hear in 2026
Hi Reader, If you listen to my podcast, you know I’m a big fan of great conversations — they shape how we think, lead, and grow. So today, I want to share five podcasts that really stood out to me this year. The ones that sparked new ideas, shifted my perspective, and helped me grow as a leader and a person. Check them out to sharpen your leadership as we head into 2026. Top 5 podcasts every leader should hear in 2026. From brilliant thinkers, innovative leaders, and creative minds, these...
On The Rise: The Bible-reading reversal no one expected + See the actual Roman roads network
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, some helpful data on who’s reading the Bible right now and who’s not (hint: more Boomer dropouts), a helpful word for those of us addicted to success, and a map of the entire Roman road system because you asked for it (kidding, but it’s still cool to see). Gen Z and Millennial Bible-Reading is Surging Boomers are backsliding. You probably heard...
How to reach people who are (very) hard to reach
Hi Reader, What if the very thing you’re praying for—revival, growth, momentum—would actually crush your church if it happened tomorrow? That’s where today’s conversation with my long-time friend, church planter, and thoughtful leader Domenic Ruso takes us. Dom pastors in one of the hardest, most secular contexts in North America, Montreal. He’s leading a vibrant, growing church in a place where most people don’t even have a category for Christianity, let alone a curiosity about it. Dom and I...
Don’t settle for an impact smaller than you’re called to make. It's time to unlock your potential and lead confidently into a future filled with growth — for yourself, your church, and your mission. Get access to some of my best leadership content, only published in my newsletters.