It’s hard to show up like Christ when you’re exhausted
Pastors and church leaders carry the weight of other people’s tensions every day. And when leadership becomes reactive, rushed, or emotionally draining, it can be difficult to stay present and attentive to the Holy Spirit.
This guide is an invitation to slow down. To make space to hear from God and develop Christlike responses to tension in your everyday life.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Four short chapters on how to slow down when conflict hits
- Simple exercises you can follow to calm your body and mind
- Questions that help you name what you’re feeling and why
- Short prayers to help you reset and refocus in stressful moments
Insights to help your church make hard decisions
Whether your church is navigating disagreement on politics or building renovations, discernment is an essential part of life together. On the Practicing Hope podcast, we’re having conversations to help pastors, church leaders, and congregations approach hard decisions with hope.
-
Don’t Let Fear Drive Your Decisions
Have you ever carried a decision that felt heavy? Leadership often puts us in moments where there’s no obvious right answer — just responsibility, consequence, and the hope that we don’t cause harm. In this episode, Tanner Smith is joined by Chase Stancle and Sarah Johnson to explore what it means to discern well under pressure. -
What to Do When Your Community Makes a Decision You Disagree With
Have you ever wished there were a simple formula for knowing when it’s time to move on, especially after your community makes a decision you wouldn’t have chosen? In this episode, Tanner Smith, Chase Rashad Stancle, and Sarah Johnson explore what faithful discernment looks like when you find yourself out of step with your community. -
How to Lead Communal Discernment Without Losing Trust
What do you do when a decision impacts everyone, but not everyone agrees?
Choosing one another in a politically divided world
Many pastors and church leaders feel caught in the middle, trying to hold communities together while political tension, distrust, and disagreement drive people apart. It can feel exhausting to lead conversations where everyone expects you to choose a side.
One Anothering is an eight-chapter book designed to help churches practice a more Christ-centered way of engaging disagreement. Whether used in a small group, leadership team, adult education class, or sermon series, it offers pastors and church communities practical guidance for approaching political conversations without sacrificing conviction, compassion, or relationships.
Help your church become more like Christ in conflict
Leading faithfully feels increasingly complex.
Church leaders are navigating change, strained relationships, political differences, and decisions that require wisdom and care. Our workshops help pastors, ministry teams, and congregations learn to love like Christ as they navigate conflict and challenges together.
Some of our most requested workshops include:
- Cultivating Resilience — helping leaders remain calm, clear, and connected under pressure.
- Beholding — discovering hope and faithful next steps in difficult relationships.
- One Anothering — cultivating curiosity and love across political differences.
Whether you’re planning a staff retreat, equipping leaders, or supporting your congregation through a difficult season, we’d love to help you discern what would serve your church best.
Hope for leading through tension
Subscribe to our newsletter, Hope in Your Inbox, for encouragement, practices, prayers, and honest reflections to help you navigate dynamics, difficult conversations, and the relational pressures that shape congregations and ministry staff with wisdom, compassion, and hope.