by Stephen Hay | Apr 25, 2025 | Spiritual Formation, Leadership
I used to think stress was the enemy.
Like many pastors, I assumed that when my chest tightened and my to-do list felt like it had teeth, I was somehow doing it wrong—living outside God’s best, missing some secret formula for “peace that surpasses understanding.” Stress, I believed, was a neon sign flashing Failure! over my life.
But recently, I learned something that turned that assumption upside down.
I stumbled across the difference between distress and eustress—two words that describe two very different stories that stress can tell. It was Hans Selye, a scientist in the 1970s, who first named them. Distress is the story most of us know: the grinding, overwhelming kind of stress that erodes hope and health. But eustress (from the Greek word for “good”) is a different tale altogether—it’s the energizing, growth-stretching kind of stress that actually strengthens you.
It hit me hard:
Stress isn’t always the enemy. Misinterpreted stress is.
A Different Kind of Fight
As I dug deeper, I learned that the key difference between distress and eustress isn’t the size of the problem. It’s the way our hearts appraise it.
When a challenge feels bigger than our resources, it mutates into distress. But when a challenge feels just within reach, it sparks eustress—fueling learning, resilience, even joy. In God’s kindness, our bodies are wired to handle both—but they thrive when we name the story rightly.
And here’s where it got personal.
I thought about the new ministry initiatives we were launching—the way excitement had so quickly soured into sleepless nights, tangled in what-ifs and worst-case scenarios. Distress had been gnawing at me, not because the task was inherently bad, but because somewhere along the way, I had lost the perspective that God equips those He calls. I had stopped seeing the opportunity and only saw the threat.
Choosing to Reframe
One small but profound practice I’ve started since is learning to reframe stressful situations intentionally—right there in the moment. When a heavy meeting or a tight sermon deadline looms, I now ask myself:
“Is this a threat—or a stretch?”
“Is God exposing my weakness to shame me—or inviting me to trust Him for more?”
It’s startling how often my gut response changes. What once felt like distress now feels more like holy eustress—a chance to lean harder on the Spirit and discover new muscles I didn’t know I had.
I also started building small recovery rhythms into my days: pausing for prayer after long meetings, taking five-minute walks between writing sprints, practicing actual Sabbath instead of “crash-and-binge” days off. Those tiny margins aren’t indulgences. They are what allow eustress to sharpen me without tipping into burnout.
A Takeaway for the Weary Leader
If you’re reading this, weighed down under the demands of ministry, let me remind you:
Stress is not a sign you’re failing. It may be the sign you’re growing.
The enemy would love to convince you that every heavy moment is a sentence of doom. But Scripture reminds us:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair…” (2 Corinthians 4:8)
In Christ, even our pressure points become places of renewal.
The challenge is not to eliminate stress (an impossible goal) but to rightly interpret it—to ask what kind of story it’s telling, and who’s holding the pen.
So the next time your heart races before you step into a hard conversation, or your mind spins with deadlines and sermons and counseling appointments, pause. Take a breath. Name the moment:
“This isn’t a threat. It’s an invitation.”
And walk forward with hope.
God is not just the God of peace in our stillness.
He is the God of strength in our striving.
And remarkably, He uses even the pressures of ministry—not to crush us—but to carve us more fully into the likeness of Christ.
May we be those who see God’s hand even in the weight, and who trust that in every pressure, He is making us more like His Son.
by Stephen Hay | Mar 13, 2025 | Leadership
We don’t often speak about pastoral succession in our churches — not in the way we need to.
We might allude to it in elder meetings or crack a nervous joke about “preaching until we drop,” but rarely do we treat it as the serious, spiritual responsibility that it is. And yet, leadership transitions are not an if but a when. We will all, eventually, step aside.
Recently, I read a doctoral thesis that offered a gentle but urgent nudge. It wasn’t loud or dramatic. It was thoughtful and quietly convicting — the kind of writing that does what God’s Word so often does: lays us bare and builds us up.
Among its many insights, one rose to the surface like a truth I already knew but hadn’t dared say out loud: to lead well is to prepare others to lead after you.
Leadership Isn’t a Lifetime Appointment
There’s a sacredness to pastoral leadership — and with that comes a temptation to treat the role as something permanent. But biblically speaking, leadership is a season, not a possession.
The research I reviewed pointed to a compelling statistic: 84% of churches in America lack a written succession plan for their senior pastor (Vanderbloemen & Bird, Next: Pastoral Succession That Works). Let that sit with you for a moment.
Eighty-four percent.
That means most churches are unprepared for the inevitable — be it retirement, illness, moral failure, or the quiet nudge of the Holy Spirit calling a pastor to a new season. The absence of a plan is rarely out of apathy. More often, it’s out of discomfort. But faithfulness invites us into discomfort when it’s required for the flourishing of God’s people.
The “Moses Effect” — And the Cost of Delay
The thesis described a leadership pattern called the “Moses Effect.” It refers to faithful pastors who lead well for decades but remain in their role long past the season of fruitfulness — often without training a successor.
The image is compelling: Moses led the people out of Egypt, but Joshua led them into the Promised Land. God’s purposes required both. And for the transition to work, the baton had to be passed intentionally.
We are not Moses forever. We are stewards for a time. The question is: will we raise up Joshua while we still can?
Succession Planning Is Spiritual Formation
Succession is not just a leadership issue — it is a discipleship issue. It is the natural extension of what Jesus modeled.
Jesus didn’t just preach the kingdom. He prepared people to preach after Him.
He empowered His disciples. He equipped them. And — maybe most counterintuitively — He left. He did not cling to His earthly ministry. He completed it, and in doing so, gave it away.
To prepare a successor is to say with our lives what we preach with our lips: This ministry was never mine to begin with. It belongs to God, and He will raise up the next shepherd, just as He raised up me.
Why We Delay (and Why We Can’t)
So why don’t churches plan?
The research uncovered familiar obstacles: fear of financial insecurity, emotional attachment to the role, fear of irrelevance, and, perhaps most deeply, the absence of a vision for what comes next.
As a consultant, I’ve seen this up close. Churches hope the conversation will wait until a better time — after Easter, after the budget is settled, after this next hire. But succession planning is never urgent until it’s too urgent.
The longer we wait, the more we risk:
- Leadership confusion
- Loss of trust
- Congregational division
- Ministry decline
Planning doesn’t weaken your leadership. It strengthens your legacy.
A Better Way Forward
You don’t need a retirement date on the calendar to begin thinking about succession.
Here’s what you do need:
- The humility to admit your season has limits.
- The courage to ask who God might be raising up.
- The wisdom to involve others in the process.
- The love to leave well — not for your sake, but for theirs.
Because a leader who loves their people prepares them not just for this season, but for the next.
One Takeaway for All of Us
Successions are not about endings, but about endurance.
It is the quiet, courageous work of ensuring the Church continues — not on your shoulders, but on the shoulders of those you’ve discipled, mentored, prayed for, and released.
We are not called to be the cornerstone. We are called to build faithfully upon it.
So whether you’re a lead pastor, a board member, or someone serving behind the scenes, consider this an invitation: to begin the conversation, to trust the Spirit’s timing, and to believe that what God started through you, He will continue — through someone else.
Because the true measure of leadership is not what we keep. It’s what we leave.
by Stephen Hay | Mar 4, 2025 | Leadership
The sands of culture shift as swiftly as the desert winds. As ministry leaders, we can either lament the changing landscape or engage with it—wisely, strategically, and with unwavering faith.
A recent study, 2025 Trends Outlook, released by Dr. George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, presents a sobering yet essential roadmap of where faith and culture are heading. Some of these shifts may feel unsettling, even convicting. But ignoring them is not an option.
These trends ask for our attention—not just as passive observers but as shepherds called to guide our flocks through an era of transformation.
1. The Reshaping of Faith: Is the Church Ready?
One of the most striking trends in Barna’s findings is the growing shift away from a biblical characterization of God. Many Americans are redefining God into a less demanding, more accommodating figure—one that fits neatly within their worldview.
Coupled with this is the rise of syncretism, where people blend elements of Christianity with various philosophical and spiritual beliefs. The result? A dilution of the biblical worldview, where absolute truth is replaced with personal preference.
This should stop us in our tracks. If discipleship is already struggling, as the study suggests, then our task is even clearer: we must reclaim a culture of deep, transformative discipleship. Sermons alone won’t suffice. The next generation needs robust mentorship, biblical literacy, and a faith that isn’t easily swayed by cultural currents.
Are we equipping believers to defend and live out their faith, or are we simply maintaining traditions?
2. The Church Beyond the Building: A Decentralized Future
Another growing trend is the decentralization of worship. Traditional church models face new challenges as more believers explore home-based gatherings, digital discipleship, and alternative faith communities.
This isn’t just a logistical shift—it’s a theological one. If people are moving away from traditional Sunday gatherings, are we still discipling them effectively? Are we preparing leaders who can shepherd in homes, coffee shops, and workplaces?
Jesus built His church not on a location but on people—people who made disciples wherever they went. If the structures are shifting, perhaps our mindset needs to shift as well.
Instead of resisting change, we should ask: How can we innovate while staying rooted in biblical truth?
3. The Call to Justice: Is the Church Leading or Lagging?
For years, the church has wrestled with its role in social justice. Some fear that engagement in justice issues means embracing secular activism. Others believe that if the church doesn’t step in, it will lose credibility with an emerging generation that deeply values justice and advocacy.
Barna’s research confirms that the expectation for churches to be active in justice work isn’t fading—it’s intensifying. And if we take Micah 6:8 seriously—“To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God”—then we must ask:
- Are we teaching our congregations how to live justice, not just talk about it?
- Does our orthodoxy inform our orthopraxy?
- Justice is not a trend; it’s a biblical mandate. It’s time for the church to lead with both truth and compassion.
4. The Mental Health Crisis: A Silent Epidemic in Our Pews
One of the most alarming cultural shifts highlighted in the report is the rising tide of mental health issues—especially anxiety and depression. This is not just a societal issue; it’s a church issue.
How many in our congregations suffer in silence because they fear judgment instead of support? How many are turning elsewhere for help because the church hasn’t made space for their struggles?
The gospel speaks to the whole person—body, mind, and soul. The church must become a sanctuary for healing, where biblical truth and compassionate care meet. This means equipping pastors and ministry leaders to engage with mental health in meaningful, informed ways.
5. The Future of Discipleship: From Consumers to Participants
At the heart of all these trends is a common thread: a shift from institutional faith to personalized, lived-out belief. More than ever, people want a faith that feels real—not just something they consume on Sundays.
This challenges us to ask: Are we making disciples or just creating churchgoers?
Discipleship in 2025 won’t be about attracting crowds—it will be about engaging hearts and minds. It will require relational investment, intentional mentorship, and a willingness to adapt how we disciple without compromising what we teach.
A Challenge to Ministry Leaders
The church is not dying. But it is changing. And the leaders who will thrive in this new era are the ones who see these shifts not as threats, but as opportunities.
We are called to disciple people, not just maintain institutions.
We are called to shepherd—not simply preserve the status quo.
So as we step into 2025 and beyond, let’s ask ourselves:
- Are we preparing our people to navigate a world where truth is contested?
- Are we equipping them to live out justice, not just debate it?
- Are we cultivating communities that foster mental, spiritual, and relational health?
- Are we discipling in ways that go beyond Sunday services?
These are not easy questions—but they are necessary ones.
The future of faith in America is being written right now. The only question is: Will we, as ministry leaders, rise to the occasion?
What are your thoughts? How is your church preparing for these shifts?
by Stephen Hay | Feb 3, 2025 | Leadership, Spiritual Formation
As ministry leaders, we often find ourselves caught in an unrelenting cycle of responsibilities—sermons to prepare, counseling sessions to lead, and communities to shepherd. Amid it all, the pursuit of joy can become secondary; an afterthought drowned out by the demands of daily ministry. But what if joy isn’t something we stumble upon but actively fight for?
Recently, an article from Desiring God titled “Do You Fight for Joy?” stopped me. The title alone was enough to challenge me, forcing me to consider how often I let the busyness of ministry obscure the very joy I long to experience. As I read on, I deeply resonated with the insights—a compelling call to action reminding me that joy isn’t just a passive emotion but an intentional pursuit.
Joy Is More Than a Feeling—It’s a Fruit
One of the most striking points in the article was the distinction between happiness and joy. While happiness is often circumstantial, joy is something more profound—a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that remains steadfast despite external situations. It’s not dependent on everything going right, but rather, it’s anchored in the unchanging character of God.
This realization led me to reflect on where I have found joy in ministry, often in unexpected places. It’s in the quiet moments of prayer, the laughter shared at a church potluck, or the soaring harmonies of the choir on a Sunday morning. These reminders reinforced that joy doesn’t require perfect conditions but a focused heart.
Cultivating Joy in Ministry
The article also offered practical ways to cultivate joy, seamlessly weaving Scripture into every point. One practice that resonated with me was the discipline of gratitude and remembrance. How often do we, as pastors, encourage others to count their blessings but forget to do the same ourselves?
Inspired by this, I made a commitment to start a gratitude journal—a small but significant step in re-centering joy in my ministry. Carving out time each week to reflect on God’s goodness is a simple yet profound way to shift focus from burdens to blessings.
Joy as a Strength, Not a Distraction
Perhaps the most convicting takeaway from the article was the reminder that joy is not a distraction from ministry—it’s the very strength that sustains it. Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” It’s easy to view joy as a byproduct of a smooth season, but Scripture tells us that it is in joy that we find the resilience to navigate challenges.
This realization has reshaped my approach to leadership. Instead of seeing joy as something to be experienced when time allows, I now see it as a necessity for thriving in ministry. The call to shepherd others isn’t just about guiding them through trials but also about modeling a life rooted in the unwavering joy of Christ.
Joy Is a Daily Choice
The key lesson from Desiring God’s article is this: joy is both a charge and a choice. As pastors and ministry leaders, we must daily decide to see God’s goodness in the mundane and to recognize His hand in the ordinary.
So I leave you with this encouragement: Let joy be the thread that weaves your work into a vibrant tapestry of faith. With every sermon, every prayer, and every conversation, choose joy—not as a fleeting emotion but as a testimony to the hope we have in Christ. The fight for joy is not a burden; it is a blessing. And as we embrace it, we become living beacons of hope to those we are called to serve.
The article walks us through a landscape where joy isn’t a passive, accidental pursuit but an active fight—a notion that immediately resonated with me. It was both comforting and challenging, like the gentle nudge from a good friend reminding you of the truth you already know but often overlook. In the swirl of weekly sermons, counseling sessions, and community outreach, I’d inadvertently started letting joy take a backseat to all the “necessary” tasks of being a pastor.
What struck me most was the author’s emphasis on joy as a fruit of the Spirit, not a mere byproduct of favorable circumstances. They gently unraveled the misconception that joy is synonymous with happiness, instead presenting it as a steadfastness rooted in the unchanging character of God. As I read, I was reminded of the times I had found joy in unexpected places—quiet corners of prayer, shared moments of laughter during a church potluck, or witnessing the choir’s harmonies soar on Sunday mornings. These reflections served as poignant reminders that joy doesn’t demand perfect conditions but a focus on Christ.
The article humbly suggested practical strategies to cultivate joy, weaving Scripture seamlessly into every point. I particularly appreciated the encouragement to lean into gratitude and the discipline of remembrance. As pastors, we’re often quick to soothe others’ troubles yet slow to recount our blessings. This struck a chord with me. I made a mental note to carve out time each week for gratitude journaling, a slight but purposeful shift towards re-centering joy in my ministry.
Navigating through the writer’s insights, it became apparent that joy in ministry isn’t about the absence of challenges but finding strength in them. It invited me to rethink my approach to leadership and day-to-day interactions, challenging me to prioritize joy as a guiding light through the ebbs and flows of church life. By the end of the article, I wasn’t just encouraged; I was motivated to take substantive steps towards embodying joy as an everyday pursuit, not just for myself but as a testimony to those I lead.
The takeaway for us as ministry leaders is clear—joy is both a charge and a choice. It’s a daily decision to see the goodness of God in the mundane, the miraculous in the ordinary. As I closed my laptop and prayed, I felt a renewed sense of clarity that joy is worth the fight. Fellow pastors, I advise you: with every sermon, prayer, and interaction, let joy be the thread that weaves your work into a vibrant tapestry of faith. The fight for joy is not a burden but a blessing, leading us ever deeper into the heart of ministry and molding us into living beacons of hope for those God has placed in our care.
by Stephen Hay | Jan 20, 2025 | Leadership
Have you ever read something that felt like it was written just for you? That’s exactly how I felt reading Chapter 2 of Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell. As a pastor, leadership is at the heart of what I do, and Maxwell’s reflective questions struck a chord deep within me. They didn’t just make me think—they made me change.
Let me take you on this journey, one question at a time, because I believe they can change how you lead, too.
1. Am I Investing in Myself?
When I read this question, I had to pause. As pastors, we’re constantly pouring into others—writing sermons, leading Bible studies, and counseling those in crisis. But when was the last time I truly invested in me? Maxwell reminded me that self-leadership isn’t selfish; it’s essential.
I began carving out time each week for personal growth. For me, that looked like carving out time at 5 am each morning to read, reflect, journal, pray, and go to the gym. It felt strange at first—like I was stepping away from the focus I was called to do. But here’s the thing: when I invested in myself, I noticed my capacity to serve others expanded. I had more energy, more ideas, and more patience.
2. Am I Genuinely Interested in Others?
This one hit hard. I’d always thought I was interested in others—I’m a pastor! But Maxwell asks if we prioritize people over our own leadership ambitions. Ouch. I realized that sometimes I was so focused on “the vision” or “the goal” that I overlooked the people God had placed right before me.
After reading this, I made a conscious effort to slow down. Instead of rushing from one task to the next, I started asking deeper questions: How are you really doing? What’s God teaching you right now? It’s amazing how much more connected I felt to my congregation and team when I stopped treating conversations like checkboxes.
3. Am I Grounded as a Leader?
Authenticity and humility—two words that are easy to preach about but harder to live out. Maxwell’s question about being grounded forced me to reflect on whether I was leading from a place of genuine connection or a pedestal.
On Sunday, I decided to start sharing a personal moment in my sermons—and to my surprise, it didn’t make people see me as weak. It made them feel closer to me. Maxwell is right: people follow leaders who are genuine, not perfect. Staying grounded doesn’t just benefit you; it creates trust and community.
4. Am I Adding Value to My Team?
Finally, Maxwell’s emphasis on adding value to others challenged me to rethink how I approached leadership. Was I building up my team, or was I merely using their talents to accomplish my own vision?
I began shifting my focus from “What can you do for the ministry?” to “How can I help you grow?” That shift transformed our team meetings. They became spaces of encouragement and collaboration rather than tasks and to-do lists. And you know what? The ministry didn’t just survive—it flourished.
My Takeaway for You
Maxwell’s four questions didn’t just refine my leadership; they redefined it. They reminded me that leadership isn’t about a title, a vision, or even results. It’s about people—starting with yourself and extending to those you serve.
So, here’s my advice to you, fellow ministry leaders: Take time this week to sit with these questions. Be honest with yourself. You might be surprised by what you discover. And remember, investing in your growth is one of the best gifts you can give to those you lead.
Because at the end of the day, the best leaders aren’t the ones who stand tallest—they’re the ones who lift others higher. Anágo.
by Stephen Hay | Dec 27, 2024 | Leadership
In their work, Creating Shared Resilience: The Role of the Church in a Hopeful Future, David M. Boan and Josh Ayers delve into local churches’ pivotal function in fostering resilience within communities. They define resilience as the capacity of individuals or systems to recover from shocks and stresses, akin to a rubber band returning to its original state after being stretched.
The authors argue that faith significantly influences resilience by shaping worldviews, suggesting that a healthy, active church naturally contributes to a community’s ability to rebound from crises. They emphasize the concept of integral mission, which integrates word and deed, urging churches to engage in advocacy, civic participation, and creation care as expressions of their faith.
Boan and Ayers introduce a “Shared Resilience” model, encouraging churches to:
- Seek justice
- Build social capital
- Create restoration
- Practice engagement
These practices strengthen the church and the broader community, enhancing collective resilience. Conversely, they caution against negative behaviors—such as increasing separation, fostering dependency, promoting paternalism, and engaging in toxic charity—that can undermine resilience.
The book guides churches aiming to play a proactive role in community development, highlighting the profound impact of faith-based engagement on societal well-being.
