{"podcast":{"title":"Pastors Thriving | Ministry, Leadership, Discipleship, Church Growth, Small Church Strategies","slug":"pastors-thriving-ministry-leadership-discipleship-church-growth-small-church-strategies-6589021","podcast_index_feed_id":6589021,"rss_url":"https://media.rss.com/kevinelworthunplugged/feed.xml","website_url":"http://www.pastorsthriving.com","image_url":"https://media.rss.com/kevinelworthunplugged/20240601_110619_eb9f1dfa08fcb16867f48f3494be5110.png","author":"Kevin Elworth-Business & Ministry Coach, Passive Income, Entrepreneur Pastor, Ministry Marketing","episode_count":142,"summary":"The SOURCE for Pastor help, encouragement, strategies for growth and Leadership Hey Pastor! Do you wish you knew the secret to growing your church while finding balance between ministry and your family? Do you find yourself updating your resume and browsing the job ads on ministryjobs.com ? Do you want to develop leaders within your church to relieve the burden from your shoulders, but instead you’re constantly dealing with drama and conflict? You’re in the right place. Welcome to Pastors Thriving, where you will learn the secrets to leadership growth in your church - spiritually, numerically, and financially. You’ll learn how to equip and develop your staff and congregation so that you don’t have to feel alone on this journey - and enjoy the ministry that you’ve been called to once again. Hi, I’m Kevin. Twenty-year ministry veteran, husband of a powerhouse wife, the father of 5 wonderful kids, and lover of Jesus powered by coffee and tacos. It wasn’t long ago that I grew a church from zero to 700 in five short years and wrestled with the trauma and drama that goes along with intense church growth. It wasn’t until I learned the power of creativity and how I could harness it to lea…","last_synced_at":"2026-06-18T20:17:17.951612+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/pastors-thriving-ministry-leadership-discipleship-church-growth-small-church-strategies-6589021"},"episode":{"title":"101- What to Do When You Realize You’ve Been Leading in Isolation","slug":"101-what-to-do-when-you-realize-you-ve-been-leading-in-isolation","published_at":"2026-04-21T05:52:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/pastors-thriving-ministry-leadership-discipleship-church-growth-small-church-strategies-6589021/101-what-to-do-when-you-realize-you-ve-been-leading-in-isolation","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/pastors-thriving-ministry-leadership-discipleship-church-growth-small-church-strategies-6589021","url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/kevinelworthunplugged/2750585","audio_url":"https://content.rss.com/episodes/226009/2750585/kevinelworthunplugged/2026_04_20_19_50_35_2fa03ed8-4eff-4a4c-8cf9-663bfeef4bdd.mp3","summary":"After recognizing the pull toward isolation in leadership, the next question becomes simple—but important: What do you actually do about it? In this episode, Kevin walks pastors through a clear and grounded response to isolation—not by adding pressure, but by helping them take intentional steps toward connection. This is not about overhauling your leadership overnight. It’s about choosing a different direction. Because growth doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in connection. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why isolation is a common response to pressure in pastoral leadership How to recognize when you’ve been carrying too much alone The difference between awareness and action Simple, practical steps to begin reconnecting Why one honest conversation can shift everything How connection creates clarity—for both you and your church A Biblical Reflection In Exodus 18, Moses is leading alone—carrying the weight of the people from morning until evening. When Jethro observes this, he responds plainly: “What you are doing is not good.” Not because Moses lacked calling— but because he was trying to carry what was never meant to be carried alone. The solution wasn’t more effort. It was shared responsibility. Key Takeaways Isolation Is a Response—Not a Strategy It often feels safe in the moment, but it limits growth over time. You Don’t Need Everything—You Need Someone Growth doesn’t require a network. It starts with one honest connection. Clarity Comes Through Conversation Many of the answers you’re looking for won’t come in isolation—but in dialogue. Stay Longer Than Feels Comfortable Most leaders disconnect right before growth begins. Practical Steps to Reconnect If you’re recognizing isolation in your leadership, start here: Identify one person you can connect with Be honest…","meta_description":"After recognizing the pull toward isolation in leadership, the next question becomes simple—but important: What do you actually do about it? In this episo…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1226,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/pastors-thriving-ministry-leadership-discipleship-church-growth-small-church-strategies-6589021/episodes/101-what-to-do-when-you-realize-you-ve-been-leading-in-isolation/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/pastors-thriving-ministry-leadership-discipleship-church-growth-small-church-strategies-6589021/101-what-to-do-when-you-realize-you-ve-been-leading-in-isolation.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}