Hi Reader,

Do you feel like you just can't win right now?

No matter what you preach, someone walks out…
No matter what you do (or don't) say, someone sends an upset email...

You’re not alone.

But here's the hope: Maybe it doesn't feel hard because you’re doing it wrong; maybe it feels hard because you're doing it right.

A leadership reality check in 2025...

Everyone in your congregation is being shaped—day in and day out—by algorithms:

• One person scrolls hours of politics
• Another watches progressive deconstruction videos
• Someone else is caught in conspiracy TikToks

And by the time they walk into church, their expectations have already been curated, shaped, and solidified by something far more consistent than your Sunday sermon.

And when you speak, they hear you through a filter someone else built.

That’s why, no matter what you say on Sunday, it won’t feel like enough.

So, what do you do about it?

Today, I'd love to dive into why outrage is no longer avoidable, how to stop chasing approval, and what faithful leadership actually looks like. Whether you're preaching or on staff at a church, this conversation matters.

(Shout out to J.D. Greear, who really got me thinking about this.)

Find out here

Cheering for you,

P.S. We’re wrestling through this together in The Art of Leadership Academy—a community full of smart, humble, mission-driven leaders like you. Join the conversation here.