The Christian Leader Podcast

If God never changes, why does the God in the Old Testament seem so different from Jesus in the New Testament? The Old Testament seems to be full of blood, gore, and violence, but Jesus promotes peace and...

Wendell Funk has spent three decades building a successful career with significant impact in his community. He currently serves 3,000 business leaders as the president and CEO of the Wichita Independent Business...

This week Matt sits down with Brady Bergman, a licensed clinical professional counselor in Wichita and former firefighter of over 20 years, to talk about one of the trickiest parts of parenting: letting kids fail. Brady...

Pastor Nathan Ensz of Kingwood Bible Church in Salem, Oregon, returns to the podcast to talk about sabbaticals, what they are, why the Bible points toward them, and what he learned from taking one in 2024 after seven...

If you were a Christian music fan in the early 2000s, Hawk Nelson needs no introduction. Jason Dunn fronted one of the era's biggest Christian punk-rock bands, touring nearly 280 shows a year, appearing on NBC and...

This is a big episode, and not just because of the topic. After more than 150 episodes as LEAD Pods, we've officially got a new name. Today Matt shares a little context for the rebrand at the top of the episode, but the...

Peggy Goertzen is back for her fourth appearance on LEAD Pods, and she's bringing history to life once again. As director and archivist of the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies at Tabor College, Peggy is the go-to...

After five years at the helm of MCC as the world faced some of its most turbulent times in recent history, US Executive Director Ann Graber Hershberger is passing the baton, and she couldn't be more at peace about it...

This week Matt sits down with three members of the Gathering planning team, Kelsey Ensz, Drew Pankratz, and Alec Alvarado, for a behind-the-scenes look at what to expect for the USMB national convention this July in...

Andy Owen and Kyle Goings return to LEAD Pods for a timely and energizing conversation about one of the church's most urgent challenges: developing the next generation of leaders before a looming leadership crisis...

Amy Jackson-Kincaid joins LEAD Pods for an eye-opening and faith-filled conversation about foster care, the guardian ad litem program, and the vital role churches can play in one of America's most pressing needs. Amy...

Pastor Aaron Halvorsen joins LEAD Pods for a warm and wide-ranging conversation about preaching, pastoral identity, and the often unglamorous but essential work of long-term ministry. Aaron is the lead pastor of...

Pastor Endashaw Kelkele joins LEAD Pods for a wide-ranging conversation about immigrant church leadership, mission, and faith shaped by perseverance. Endashaw is the lead pastor of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church of...

Pastor Jon Annin joins LEAD Pods for a thoughtful conversation about leading change without losing people. Jon is one of the speakers for the USMB Gathering this summer, and this episode offers a window into his heart...

In this special role-reversal episode of LEAD Pods, host Matt Ehresman steps into the guest seat as he is interviewed by Lacey Scully, the editor of the Christian Leader magazine. Together they explore the fast-moving...