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.
What load are you carrying that doesn't belong to you?
Hi Reader, Okay so this is a really honest email. Not that the others have been lies, but you know what I mean. Honest. Transparent. Embarrassing. I wrote a book about burnout and I've taught leaders all about margin and guess what? I still carry too much of the leadership load. A book project is a great example of needing an entire team to make something work. Yet there's something in me that makes me think that I'm somehow still responsible for everything. For example, today we released the...
Still finishing your sermon on Saturday?
Hi Reader, Are you feeling pinched on preaching prep time? If you're like most preachers, you probably don't have a sermon prep problem; you have a margin problem. Sunday comes every seven days (whether you're ready or not). And for a lot of pastors, that means Thursday rolls around, the week has already gotten away from you, and suddenly you're writing your message in whatever cracks and corners you have left. You find yourself polishing it up on Saturday night, or even early Sunday...
On The Rise: Do young adults still believe in marriage?
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, new Barna data on Gen Z’s attitudes to marriage and family, how to solve some chronic team issues, stolen focus and the gambling on everything craze. Do Young Adults Still Believe In Marriage? Well... The good news is that 78% of Gen Z say they want to get married. The other news is they’re waiting longer than ever and are rethinking family. The...
The trend I should have ranked #1
Hi Reader, A question for you: Who is discipling your church Monday through Saturday? Most pastors would instinctively answer, "The church." But what if that's no longer true? In today’s Church Trends Update, I unpack the trend I underestimated back in January. I originally ranked it fifth. Looking back, it probably should have been number one. Your people spend an average of 49 hours a week on their phones. Every scroll, click, recommendation, and video is shaping how they think, what they...
You’re more creative than you think
Hi Reader, How easy is it for you to be creative? Most leaders will tell you they’re not creative, but Al Gordon says that’s the lie keeping you stuck. Al is the founder of Renaissance and lead pastor of SAINT Church in East London, a city where less than 1% of people attended church when he planted it a decade ago. Al makes the case that creativity isn’t a nice-to-have for the church. It’s the missing superpower. He shared something I hadn’t heard before: neuroscience research showing that...
Your Best Leaders are Leaving (Here's Why)
Hi Reader, Do you have enough high-capacity volunteers right now? I'm talking about volunteers who attract other capable leaders. Who don't drop balls. Who love a challenge and constantly overperform. They can be very hard to find and even harder to keep. If you're like most church leaders I talk to, the honest answer is no. The frustrating part is that those people are probably already in your church. They're sitting in your seats; they're just not serving (or they tried and walked away)....
On The Rise: Is Religious Interest Turning Into Church Attendance? + Loving AI too much + Throwing Less Stressful Parties.
Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week. Today, a new practice area for counselors and pastoral care category for pastors, fresh data on the rise in religious interest and church attendance, and how to throw a not-very-stressful summer part. This One’s for Preachers and Counsellors Counselling for people who get too attached to their AI When I was still a lead pastor, I made an offhand...
The conversation your staff hasn't had yet (but needs to)
Hi Reader, AI isn't some future thing. We're in the era now. This week, someone in your congregation is asking ChatGPT a theological question. They're getting spiritual direction from an algorithm. And they trust it. New Barna data says nearly half of practicing Christians say they'd trust AI with their spiritual growth. Pastors, that's half of this people in your church this Sunday. And one in three U.S. adults believes spiritual advice from artificial intelligence is just as trustworthy as...
Why the 10,000-hour rule is wrong
Hi Reader, How much time do you spend wishing you had more? 👉 More budget. 👉 More staff. 👉 More time. 👉 More freedom. What if the very constraints you're fighting against are actually the key to better leadership? In today’s podcast conversation, bestselling author David Epstein challenges some of our most deeply held assumptions about success, creativity, and growth. You'll discover why early specialization often backfires, how curiosity can make you a stronger leader, and why Dr. Seuss...
Should Your Idea Win if You're the Senior Leader?
Hi Reader, It's your job to bring your best ideas to the table as a leader. On a recent very important project, though, 100% of my ideas didn't win. And I'm the CEO of our company. The project? The cover design for my new book on AI and the Future Church that releases September 15th. Naturally, the publisher asked me what I envisioned for the cover. I really liked my last two books covers and thought we'd continue a theme. So I pitched some ideas (like a gear shift as the key metaphor). After...
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.