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.
On The Rise: Families are more fragile than you think + making typos in the age of AI and sleep tracking limits
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, a fresh report on the state of US families. The stress is getting to almost everybody, it seems. Plus, why the best antidote to AI is being more human, how to heal your hurting mind, and the benefits and limits of sleep trackers. Only 14% of US Families are Resilient We’re a little more fragile than we think. If some days it feels to you like...
The lies leaders believe when life gets hard
Hi Reader, If you’ve ever wanted to quit, you’re in good company. I’ve wanted to throw in the towel. And in the last 12 months, Jennie Allen wanted to quit everything, too. In today’s episode of the podcast, Jennie gets painfully honest about what happened after Gather 25 👉 the mountaintop, the crash, and the spiritual battle that followed. We talk about suffering, spiritual warfare, and the lies leaders believe when life starts coming at you from every side. And if you’re one of the 1 in 4...
The problems (and promise) of denominations
Hi Reader, Denominations have shaped Christianity for centuries. But in the last few decades, something has shifted... and not in a small way. Many denominations have declined, sometimes dramatically. Other new denominations have started. And a few are growing. Have denominations drifted and lost their purpose? What's the path forward? The problems (and promise) of denominations in 2026 When protecting the system matters more than advancing the mission, when leaders guard turf instead of...
On The Rise: The Percentage of Pastors Who Still Want to Quit is _______ (+ Freeing Up Church Budget Money)
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, the number of pastors considering quitting full-time ministry is at a five-year low, but it’s still too high. Plus, how to almost instantly free up church budget money and grow your giving, and a James Clear quote I’m pondering about scripts. Pastors Wanting to Quit Ministry Drops to Five-Year Low But 1 in 4 are still thinking about packing it...
Pastors, we need to talk about dating
Hi Reader, More than half of American adults are single. Let that sink in for a minute. And yet most churches still preach and program like everyone is married with two kids and a mortgage. In this episode, I sit down with JJ and Kait Tomlin from Heart of Dating, and honestly, I learned a lot. We talk about why dating feels so high-pressure today, how purity culture fallout still lingers, why commitment is harder than ever, and what pastors often get wrong when we talk about singleness....
Are women disengaging from your church? Here’s what to do.
Hi Reader, Quick question: are women in your church quietly disengaging… even if attendance looks “fine”? In today’s podcast episode, I sit down with Kadi Cole to tackle a tough (and honestly urgent) topic: why women are leaving the church and what leaders can do to rebuild trust, create safety, and unleash the leadership potential already in your congregation. Kadi believes the number one issue behind the trend is a breakdown of trust, from leadership failures to church culture that feels...
Overwhelmed? The easiest (and deadliest) thing to do is this.
Hi Reader, When the world's on fire, which perhaps it is, what do you do? Seth Godin frames it well. “ The easy thing to do is to stay home and do nothing. The easy thing to do is abdicate, to let other people do something, and then blame them when it doesn’t match your agenda. - Seth Godin The challenge, of course, is that doing takes risks. Blaming, not so much. Blaming costs nothing in the short run. But in the long run, blaming costs you your joy, your creativity, and ultimately your...
On The Rise: 6 Selfish Reasons to Have Kids, How to Find Your Dream Job, and What AI Will Do to Jobs
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, more on the disruptive impact of AI on jobs, and, conversely, how to find your dream job (best book about finding fulfilling work I’ve read), why you don’t need to put Sriracha in the fridge, and six selfish reasons to have kids (or more kids). America Isn’t Ready for What AI Will Do to Jobs It’s time to start thinking through a very different...
How do you measure evangelism health?
Hi Reader, Almost every Christian leader I talk to has a passion for reaching people who don’t know Christ. But passion doesn't always translate into impact. How do you know if your church is effective at reaching people? How can you tell if your drive to reach the unchurched is coming up short? The issue is that most churches lack a reliable way to measure it. For a lot of leaders, this creates a quiet anxiety you can’t quite name. You’re doing everything you can… and you don’t even know if...
Are we fighting for something… or just against everyone?
Hi Reader, Today’s episode is one I’ve wanted to bring you for a long time. Beth Moore joins me for a candid conversation about leadership, calling, and the cost of conviction. We talk about how to know when it’s time to leave—whether that’s a role, a church, or even a denomination—and why many leaders stay far past the moment God first starts nudging them to go. Beth also goes where many leaders won’t: the difference between fighting against something and fighting for something… and why so...
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.