Discover seven powerful strategies to transform your ministry in 2025 on this episode of The Christian Leader Made Simple Podcast. Host Ryan Franklin shares practical insights to help Christian leaders find balance, avoid burnout, and maximize their impact. From developing a sustainable rhythm of life and crafting a clear personal vision to leveraging your strengths and building a personal support team, Ryan provides actionable steps to strengthen your leadership. You’ll also learn how to identify and address leadership derailers and foster a culture of growth within your team. Packed with biblical wisdom and real-life tips, this episode is perfect for pastors, church leaders, and Christian business leaders ready to elevate their ministry and lead with greater purpose and effectiveness.
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Transcript
Welcome to the Christian Leader Made Simple Podcast. We're already a few weeks into the year, and if you're a Christian leader who is still struggling to get direction and focus for this year, then this podcast is for you. I want to take a few minutes today to invest in you, and I'm going to give you some thoughts that I know will strengthen your leadership and ministry and help you get fully ready for the remainder of the journey that's ahead of you this year.
Today, I'm giving you seven ways to strengthen your ministry in 2025. Welcome to the Christian Leader Made Simple Podcast! I really hope this episode helps you learn and master the skills you need to grow your leadership effectiveness and enjoyment. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get notified as soon as I post a new session so you don't miss a single episode. I'd also greatly appreciate any reviews, likes, and shares that you can give me; it just helps me extend my reach to more people.
So leaders, I know just how frustrating it can feel when you're in the weeds of work or ministry and life is chaotic. You're struggling to feel effective, and you're just not enjoying leadership as much as you could be. To help you, after many years of leadership and executive coaching, I've developed a framework called the Christian Leader Blueprint that'll guide you to find clarity in your life and leadership. It'll help you gain a better rhythm of life, help you see yourself more clearly to leverage your strengths, and you'll produce more productive relationships. It's a step-by-step guide to leadership transformation, and I have that in two formats now: a free short guide that you can find on ryanfranklin.org and a book titled The Christian Leader Blueprint, which you can find in any format, including an audiobook or wherever you buy your books.
I have a few more things on my website that you may be interested in, so just head on over to ryanfranklin.org and check it all out.
And now let's get to our session. Here's number one: Develop a Sustainable Rhythm of Life. Developing a sustainable rhythm of life is critical for long-term effectiveness in ministry. We can do hard things sometimes; we can do it for a season. We can even do things that we were not designed to do for a season with supernatural help from the Lord occasionally. But if you're a leader who is allowing yourself to reach those emotional feelings of burnout on a regular basis, there's no way that you're going to last for the long haul. You may stay afloat somehow, some way, but there's no way that you'll continue to be effective for many years to come.
Life balance is a constant negotiation for everyone. Even for those who have a good grasp on this concept — even for me — it's a constant negotiation. This was a struggle that even Jesus faced; in Mark 3:7 we see that he withdrew with his disciples to the sea. This just shows us the great importance of balance and rest in the middle of the demands of ministry.
There's a lot that I can say about the rhythm of life and balance, but I want to bring out the concept of balancing four elements: work, rest, play, and worship. Balance is not equal amounts of those four things; it's more of just a rhythm, much like a metronome that musicians use. Many of you are familiar with a metronome; it's perfectly fine if you swing out occasionally as long as you're able to find your way back to what keeps you in rhythm and balance.
If we can't get back to that smooth and regular life rhythm, that can lead to overwhelm. Eventually, it will lead to big energy drain within us and then those dreaded feelings of burnout. That's why it's so critical for us to manage our life rhythms in this fast-paced world with work, rest, play, and worship.
Personally, one of my biggest struggles with healthy life balance — even to this day — is my ability to create and enjoy play in my life. Play is just engaging in activities for the purpose of fun and enjoyment; that's it! Proverbs 17:22 says that "a merry heart does good like medicine." We don't need a lot of this play, but we do need some.
This is an area of my life that I've had to put some intentional focus into — stop the guilt that I've associated with play — and create a healthier approach in my life. So too must you try to identify the activities or practices that are going to help you move toward a more balanced approach to work, rest, play, and worship.
Here's a power tip: always remember to build margin into your schedule and your life first! If we wait until the last thing to put margin in, it's not going to happen. In fact, put margin in first before you start piling everything else into your world. The only exception would probably be our devotion; we want that to be first and then margin would be next.
All right! You ready for the second tip for a stronger ministry in 2025? The second one is develop a clear personal vision. When we have a clear personal vision, this is like having a roadmap that literally guides your decisions and helps you know exactly where you're going. Proverbs 29:18 is a very familiar passage of scripture; it says where there is no vision, the people perish.
Now I don't believe you're going to actually die because you don't have a vision; but you will experience something that almost feels like death inside — you'll sort of waste away inside — as Scripture says. And here's what I know: God has a big God-sized vision for every one of us — including you — and I hope you believe that for yourself.
Now I like to do little exercises for vision in my life called personal three-to-five-year sight; I wrote about it in my book. This is a powerful tool that'll help you get laser-focused. I prefer doing three-to-five-year visions as opposed to longer visions like ten-year visions because ten years feels too far out; it's just dreaming at that point.
I find it hard to generate motivation for ten-year visions; while there's definitely value there — it's good — three-to-five years feels right around the corner! If you don't get started on that now, it's not going to come pass! I'm motivated by getting work done with three-to-five-year visions.
My vision is never really set in stone because it sort of evolves as life unfolds and my perspective changes over time. At least every six months — sometimes more often if I want — I'll tweak or adjust my vision as I go through life.
You have to understand that vision is not just for the future; it helps give us purpose and motivation for the year ahead of us — the month ahead of us — even this week or even today! I'm not going into detail on crafting vision here but when you're looking at your personal vision consider your calling first.
Then look at your gifts: what are you good at? What are your strengths? Also consider your personal history; you've experienced certain things in your life for particular reasons. It's important — very important —to consider your calling, gifts, and history as you're working on your vision.
Ask yourself prayerfully: In a perfect world how would I want my life or ministry look over these next three-to-five years? When writing it down encourage yourself: write as if you're transported through time already living it! Write it out in paragraph form; craft this vision with words! This gives you powerful imagery about where you're headed towards!
All right! You ready for tip number three? Establish effective routines and goals! If you're going put wheels on your vision you've got establish effective routines & goals! This will keep focused & allow tons progress!
These small decisions every day allow big consistent results & where rubber meets road! It's all about maximizing God-given potential creating success both personally & professionally!
Break goals down manageable monthly weekly daily tasks establish regular routines align these tasks overall priorities even vision! Of course identify most important activities each day—devotion personal growth exercise etc.—and purposely give time each!
Even small daily routines can hugely impact effectiveness over time! Most high-producing people know increment improvements matter climbing 1% ladder where daily improvements compound significant progress!
Last thing I'll say about routines & goals—if don’t nightly routine absolutely need one! When started focusing going bed certain time specific things leading up bedtime game-changer quality sleep implemented morning routine heavily impacted implementation!
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Now back podcast—Alright ready number four? Number one was rhythm life number two was personal vision number three routines goals here’s number four address leadership derailers!
Every one us has things lives behaviors reactions guardedness called blind spots hinder effectiveness sometimes damage relationships! If somehow open feedback willing work areas make big difference building effective relationships ultimately taking lid off leadership!
Here’s deal—when tired stressed had enough what behaviors triggered ooze out those called derailers they pop out nowhere hurt frustrated exhausted?!
Jeremiah 29:11 speaks Lord having plans peace not evil give expected end—I believe He wants dig tough things lives live full potential not let hinder what wants through us—His plans!
These derailers unique each heavily influenced past experiences childhood origin successes failures emotional history start identifying them finding tactics soften trim rough edges them speaking recognizing patterns redirecting defensiveness positive ways best place awareness feedback trusted friends family members asking good question:
“When tired stressed what’s around me?” Remember feelings hurt honest try NOT defensive—it’ll extremely helpful end if allow someone speak into life way!
End part saying recognize tough derailers many us have overcome them—it may take professional help coach counselor someone else but overcome make effective leader moving road!
Alright fifth tip strengthen ministry 2025 leverage strengths maximizing God-given abilities focusing time energy things wheelhouse—that fill up focus most fulfilling knowing certainty uniquely designed doing!
Many caught trap focusing weaknesses trying fix them—I say work enough don’t drive crazy pour rest time energy best build team whose strengths complement weaknesses when everyone doing best see amazing compounded success organizations Acts chapter 6 illustrates importance teamwork leveraging strength church goal NOT doing ton average—but few well!
With leveraging strengths also intentional investing teams personal development growing leaders around reproducing ourselves next level leadership!
Sixth tip stronger ministry 2025 build personal support team before shut thinking good support team bet most listening have relationships lives—not talking associated people see regularly—a small group two-three people meet monthly vulnerable truthful even tough parts yourselves love yet stay close during tough trying times coaching ton people—not many strong relational support lives reason isn’t easy takes effort vulnerability biggest resistance facing internal issues bonding attachment using defenses against relationships loving people yet won’t let innermost parts lives Dr John Townsend says most think spouse dog enough—but it’s not enough too much pressure spouse Lord called deeper relationships bear burdens helping emotional junk scripture supporting loving deeper than most pastors leaders doing!
Support team could include mentors peers trusted friends family members understand challenges leader be there when needed often struggle giving care support others but struggle allowing others support common lonely surrounded tons people passionate doesn’t have way times emotionally struggling instead detaching move towards established support team filled exactly needed move forward health healing challenge think who could part personal support team have conversation one them week trust make world difference having right people corner!
Ready last tip seventh ways strengthen ministry 2025 covered first rhythm life second clear personal vision third routines goals fourth leadership derailers fifth leverage strengths sixth hard one build personal support team finally number seven foster culture growth creating environment encourages celebrates personal professional development idea cultivate space achieving targets deadlines numerical growth church organization growing individuals disciples Christ cohesive team create personal growth lives create lives team members around us get real environment grace truth speak hard things one another ton grace remember taking time energy fostering culture growth ourselves others compounding effect over time lives people lead find better rhythm increase capacity greater effectiveness ministry love compounding effects personal growth ended saying if focus plan work seven things tremendous strength ministry 2025 covered book Christian Leader Blueprint four workbooks go along cover seven detail nine other topics grow leadership health effectiveness total sixteen topics serious 2025 encourage join Christian Leader Community Coaching Online membership online community provides courses topics forum interaction talk one another great group wonderful people courses together weekly community coaching example environment talking grace truth moves needle ministries holistic approach difference relationships work church make difference relationship spouse kids anyone join focused path lead better ministry health greater effectiveness leader no doubt mind 2025 greater year interested come check ryanfranklin.org feel free reach anytime questions concludes show today name Ryan Franklin thank joining Christian Leader Made Simple Podcast!
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