Shows
The Healthy Church Staff PodcastGod Will Provide Is Not a Financial PlanThe Healthy Church Staff Podcast discusses the importance of financial planning for ministry leaders. Host Todd Rhoades highlights the misconception that relying solely on faith without financial awareness is adequate. He stresses the need for honest conversations about salary expectations and financial literacy, arguing that spiritual decisions should also be informed decisions. Rhoades encourages church leaders to guide ministry staff in making wise financial choices to ensure sustainability and prevent future stress.
• Many ministry leaders have a misconception that financial planning shows weaker faith.
• There is discomfort around discussing salary expectations.
• Financial literacy is not typically taught in Bible colleges or sem...
2026-06-2607 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Perseverance Paradox: When Grit Becomes GridlockIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, host Todd Rhoades discusses the distinction between biblical perseverance and stubborn resistance within church staff dynamics. He emphasizes the importance of staying mission-focused while being open to adapting methods, cautioning against confusing faithfulness to God with faithfulness to outdated practices. Rhoades suggests addressing underlying fears associated with change and encourages teams to maintain a flexible approach to fulfilling their mission effectively. • Difference between faithful endurance and foolish resistance. • Biblical perseverance is mission-focused, not method-focused. • The risk of mistaking fear for spiritual perseverance. • Importance of adapting methods while maintaining the core mission...
2026-06-2405 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastMinistry Minimum Wage: The Hidden Cost of Underpaying Church StaffThis podcast episode, hosted by Todd Rhoades, addresses the issue of underpaying ministry staff and how it impacts churches negatively. It highlights the cycle of attracting underqualified candidates due to low salaries, resulting in increased turnover, training costs, and operational inefficiencies. Rhoades emphasizes that providing competitive compensation is crucial for attracting and retaining quality staff who can contribute positively to the church's mission. • Underpaying ministry positions leads to attracting underqualified and desperate candidates. • Low salaries create a cycle of turnover, higher training costs, and operational issues. • Investing in competitive salaries for quality staff reduces long-term costs and improves church operat...
2026-06-2307 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Faithful Few: Programming for Presence, Not AttendanceIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the common issue of reduced church attendance during the summer months, often referred to as the 'summer slump'. Rather than focusing on retaining those who are absent, Rhoades encourages churches to appreciate and tailor experiences for the faithful few who continue attending. By creating more intimate and personal settings, churches can make those attendees feel valued and foster deeper connections. • Summer slump in church attendance is common and predictable. • Churches often react by creating bigger events to attract missing members. • This approach can overlook the needs of those...
2026-06-1805 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Faithful Few: Stop Apologizing for Summer MinistryIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses how church leaders often apologize for lower summer attendance, viewing it as a negative rather than seeing the committed attendees as valuable. He suggests shifting the focus from those who are absent to those who are present, emphasizing the importance of investing in and celebrating these key members. This perspective change can foster a greater sense of community and opportunity within the church. Rhoades challenges listeners to revise their summer communications to reflect abundance and appreciation, rather than scarcity and apology. • Stop apologizing for low summer attendance. • View...
2026-06-1504 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastWhen Your Church Staff Becomes a Refugee CampIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses how churches often become centers for healing trauma rather than fulfilling their mission. He emphasizes the importance of hiring individuals who have processed their pain rather than those still entrenched in it, encouraging a mission-first approach in staffing. Rhoades explains the risks of creating a staff culture focused on shared trauma and offers strategies for transitioning to a mission-driven environment.
• Staff meetings can sometimes become therapy sessions due to church trauma.
• Churches often become sanctuaries for recovering personnel, inadvertently prioritizing healing over mission.
• Hiring is frequently based on person...
2026-06-1104 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Benefits Package Your Church Can't Afford Not to OfferIn this episode, Todd Rhoades discusses creative, low-cost benefits that churches can offer to attract and retain staff without matching corporate salaries. He emphasizes the importance of investing in staff through professional development, mental health days, flexible schedules, and other non-monetary perks that show employees they are valued as individuals.
• Churches struggle to compete with corporate salaries.
• Discussing low-cost, high-impact perks for church staff.
• Offering professional development funds, personal growth days, and flexible schedules.
• Providing creative benefits like summer Fridays and sabbaticals.
• The importance of valuing staff beyond their productivity.
• Key findings from church staff health assessment.
• Encouragement to ask staff for non...
2026-06-0108 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastMinistry FOMO: When Other Churches' Success Makes You Question Your CallingIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades addresses the challenges of comparing one's church ministry to others, particularly via social media. Highlighting the dangers of 'FOMO' (Fear of Missing Out), he discusses how this can lead to spiritual and emotional distress for church leaders. Rhoades emphasizes the importance of recognizing and valuing different contexts and personal assignments in ministry, rather than aspiring to mirror larger or seemingly more successful churches. • Social media fuels FOMO in church ministry by showing selective highlights. • Comparison can lead to dissatisfaction and a sense of inadequacy. • Different ministry contexts have unique...
2026-05-2805 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Sacred No: When Saying No to Good Things Becomes a Ministry SkillIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the concept of opportunity costs in church leadership. The focus is on the pressure to say 'yes' to every opportunity, even when it aligns with values, leading to mission drift and overburdened teams. He emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the church's main mission by knowing when to say 'no' to additional opportunities, despite the fear of missing out (FOMO). Rhoades advocates for conducting audits on current commitments to ensure alignment with the church's core mission. • Churches often face the challenge of handling more good ideas than they ca...
2026-05-2606 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Communications Crisis Hiding in Plain SightThis episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, hosted by Todd Rhoades, addresses the critical topic of communication within church teams. Rhoades highlights how poor communication can cripple staff effectiveness and lead to misaligned priorities, resentment, and reduced initiative. He discusses the importance of strategic communication, emphasizing systems like weekly updates, decision logs, and pre-meeting briefs. The episode encourages listeners to audit their information flow, ensuring all team members have the information they need to succeed. For improvements, churches are invited to reach out for guidance and strategies.
• Poor communication leads to misaligned priorities and resentment.
• Strategic communication is more effe...
2026-05-2007 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Human Touch (Part 5): Leading with Emotional Intelligence When Everything Else Is DigitalIn this episode of the 'Leadership in the Digital Age' podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the challenges church leaders face in the digital communication era, especially when it comes to discerning emotional cues and maintaining team chemistry despite advancements in technology. Technological solutions have addressed logistical issues but failed to solve human connection problems. Rhoades emphasizes the importance of reading digital body language, such as camera behavior and response delays, and suggests ways to foster open communication about emotional well-being among church staff. • Zoom meetings are prevalent, but can obscure important emotional cues. • Technology has improved logistical efficiency but hasn't reso...
2026-05-1506 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Human Touch (Part 4): Creative Problem-Solving That AI Can't TouchIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the potential pitfalls of relying too heavily on AI, templates, and external solutions for ministry challenges. Emphasizing the unique nature of each church community, Rhoades encourages church leaders to leverage their creativity and knowledge of their congregation to develop customized solutions. He advocates for a balance between using external resources and fostering original ideas that cater specifically to the needs of their community. • Outsourcing creative thinking to AI and templates may not address unique ministry challenges. • Churches should avoid 'cookie-cutter' solutions and instead focus on their unique comm...
2026-05-1407 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Performance Review Revolution: When Reviews Reveal Deeper Culture ProblemsIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, host Todd Rhoades discusses the pitfalls many leaders face during performance reviews. He highlights the importance of introspection and suggests that consistent performance issues across staff may indicate systemic problems rather than individual failings. Rhoades emphasizes the necessity of clear expectations, proper training, and appropriate timelines to ensure employee success, and offers a detailed church staff performance review system to help identify and address these issues. • Performance reviews often highlight organizational, not just individual, issues. • Leaders should reflect on whether their systems provide clear expectations and support. • Consistent issues among staff...
2026-05-0808 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastPastoring People Who Don't Trust Each OtherIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the impact of current societal and political divisions on church communities. The central theme is the erosion of trust within churches, paralleling trust issues in broader society. Rhoades emphasizes the importance of personal pastoral work to rebuild trust and foster connection in fractured communities. He suggests that church leaders need to engage in individual conversations and pastoral care, emphasizing listening and presence over performance and metrics.
• Discussion of the recent White House Correspondents Dinner shooting and its impact.
• The erosion of trust within church communities reflects wider societal divi...
2026-05-0110 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Pulpit Is Not a Cable News DeskIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the challenges of addressing current events from the pulpit. He urges church leaders to focus on the gospel rather than chasing the latest news stories, emphasizing the importance of providing a consistent and true message. Todd argues that while significant events may require a pastoral response, the pulpit is not meant for hot takes or performative commentary. The key is to balance acknowledgment of current events with keeping the gospel central.
• Todd Rhoades discusses the temptation for church leaders to comment on major current events like the White Ho...
2026-04-2908 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastWhen the Violence Comes InsideIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, host Todd Rhoades discusses how church leaders should navigate the aftermath of significant societal events, such as the recent incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Rhoades emphasizes the importance of not ignoring such events while also maintaining a non-political stance when addressing them. He proposes a balanced approach for pastors to pastorally support their congregations without taking political sides. • Incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner has shaken churchgoers. • Pastoral response should acknowledge the event without political bias. • Discusses the role of the church and pastors in guiding congregations throug...
2026-04-2710 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Volunteer Ceiling_ When Unpaid Leaders Outperform Paid StaffIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, host Todd Rhoades explores the complex dynamics that arise when passionate volunteers outperform paid staff in church environments. He discusses the potential issues this can create, including the protection of current staff at the expense of mission effectiveness and hesitant leadership decisions. Rhoades offers practical advice for churches, such as having honest conversations, creating pathways for volunteers to become staff, and recognizing the true value individuals bring regardless of their title. Additionally, he promotes the 'Church Leadership Radar' email newsletter for further insights tailored to church staff.
• Volunteers sometimes outperform paid st...
2026-04-2408 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Empathy Burnout: When Caring Too Much Becomes Your Ministry KryptoniteIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades addresses the challenge of empathy burnout among church staff. He emphasizes the importance of establishing boundaries to protect emotional well-being while maintaining the ability to care for others effectively. Rhoades provides practical advice on managing emotional absorption and stresses the significance of redirecting burdens to a higher power through prayer. • Empathy can turn into a weakness if not managed properly. • Overemphasis on emotional availability can lead to burnout. • Empathy without boundaries can create emotional codependency. • Practical steps include naming emotional states and having decompression routines. • Prayer can help shift burd...
2026-04-2110 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastWhy Your Best Staff Member Just Applied for Another JobIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the importance of recognizing and addressing the aspirations of high-performing staff members to prevent them from seeking opportunities elsewhere. High performers often leave not because they are unhappy, but because they seek growth and new challenges. Rhoades emphasizes the need for church leaders to create pathways for growth and have open conversations about future goals with their staff to retain top talent.
• High-performing staff seek growth, not just comfort or more pay.
• Churches often miss that high performers leave due to lack of challenges or growth opportunities.
• Creating growth...
2026-04-1609 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Reverse Reference Check: What Former Churches Really Tell Candidates About YouIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the importance of recognizing that job candidates perform 'reverse reference checks' on potential employers. He emphasizes the necessity for churches to be aware of their reputation among former staff members, as these individuals significantly influence a church's perceived culture and leadership. Rhoades advises performing internal audits and maintaining transparency in the hiring process to accurately manage the church's reputation and address any underlying cultural issues. • Candidates often check up on potential employers through 'reverse reference checks'. • Former staff opinions can greatly influence a church's hiring reputation. • Transparency and ho...
2026-04-1411 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Elder Board Relationship: The Goldilocks Zone Between Micromanagement and NeglectIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the extremes of church leadership structures, emphasizing the importance of healthy board dynamics. He introduces the concept of the 'two ditches' in church board management: micromanagement and abandonment. Rhoades advocates for finding a balance, or the 'Goldilocks zone,' where boards focus on outcomes rather than methods, allowing for strategic leadership without unnecessary control. He underscores the necessity of training board members to create effective partnerships between church staff and boards.• Church leadership often swings between micromanaging or neglectful board governance.• Micromanagement stifles staff innovation and fosters a cu...
2026-04-0808 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastAre You Building Your Own Replacement: Why Every Staff Member Should Be Developing OthersIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the dangers of church staff members becoming bottlenecks by not mentoring others and keeping crucial knowledge to themselves. He emphasizes the importance of succession planning, mentoring, and documenting key information to ensure the continuity and growth of church roles. Rhoades encourages leaders to be multipliers rather than hoarders of information, promoting a culture of resilience and faster development within the church.• Staff often become bottlenecks by keeping critical knowledge to themselves.• Ownership of roles can lead to 'turf protection,' creating dependency within teams.• Succession planning and mentor...
2026-03-2706 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Spiritual Comparison Game_ How Ministry Competition Kills TeamsIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the prevalent issue of spiritual competition among church staff, where team members unintentionally rank their spiritual experiences, leading to a toxic environment. Rhoades suggests focusing on authentic sharing of struggles rather than highlights, celebrating diverse expressions of faith, and stopping the 'testimony arms race.' The aim is to foster an atmosphere where staff collaborate in God's mission rather than compete for his approval.• Spiritual competition can subtly lead to a toxic church staff environment.• Staff often rank their spiritual experiences, creating unhealthy competition.• Encourages authentic sharing of both s...
2026-03-2406 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Ministry Identity Crisis_ When Your Role Evolves But Your Job Description Doesn'tIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast, Todd Rhoades addresses the inevitable evolution of job roles within church staff positions. He discusses how church growth and emerging needs can lead staff members to take on tasks outside their original job descriptions, which can create confusion and tension. Rhoades provides practical steps to manage this evolution intentionally and to ensure clarity in job roles.• Church staff roles often evolve beyond the initial job description.• This evolution can lead to role confusion and job dissatisfaction.• Key steps to manage role evolution: recognize changes, evaluate role fit, rewrite job expectations.• Essential to discu...
2026-03-2306 minThe Healthy Church Staff PodcastThe Permission Problem: Why Church Staff Wait for Green Lights That Never ComeIn this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the prevalent issue of 'permission addiction' in churches where staff are restricted from making even minor decisions without top-level approval. This culture stifles innovation and transforms leaders into order-takers. Rhoades advocates for shifting from a permission culture to a boundary culture where staff are empowered to lead within set guidelines. A practical 'permission audit' is suggested for leaders to assess and remedy excessive approval dependencies.• Churches often hinder staff initiative by requiring excessive approvals.• This creates 'permission addicts' where leaders are reduced to order-takers.• The restrictive culture stems...
2026-03-2008 min