If you're carrying too much of your parish on your own, this conversation is for you! Parish renewal doesn't happen because one pastor works harder. It happens when the right people are raised up, equipped, and entrusted with the mission. In this episode of the Huntley Leadership Podcast, Ron Huntley sits down with Fr. Michael Nixon to talk honestly about the challenge of recruiting staff and volunteers who don't simply fill a role, but genuinely share the mission of the parish. ➡️ Read "Road to Renewal," featuring Fr. Michael's chapter on recruiting, for a deeper look at this topic: https://a.co/d/04ELO9S9 About this episode: Fr. Michael Nixon has spent years building a parish culture at St. Dominic Catholic Parish where mission, structure, leadership, and giftedness work together. In this conversation, he shares what he has learned through both successful hires and difficult ones—including why he looks first for people who are joyful, generous, and passionate about the mission. But this conversation goes much deeper than hiring. Ron and Fr. Michael explore the temptation pastors can face to do everything themselves, the importance of building a team of people who are better than you at certain things, and the responsibility of creating the structures that allow those people to thrive. They also talk candidly about difficult conversations, mismatched hires, onboarding, past wounds that can shape leadership decisions, and the spiritual foundation underneath it all. For Fr. Michael, recruiting isn't ultimately about finding people to make the pastor's life easier. It's about inviting people into what God is doing and helping them discover how their gifts can serve something bigger than themselves. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why there is no such thing as a truly “well-rounded” leader—and why pastors need people who complement their gifts. - How to identify the cultural values you want every staff member and key volunteer to embody. - Why Fr. Michael looks for people who are joyful, generous, and passionate about the mission. - How clarity about your parish mission can make recruiting dramatically easier. - Why prayer, curiosity, and asking better questions are essential to discerning the right people. - How to have the difficult conversations that protect both the mission and the people involved. - Why pastors need to create structures that support, develop, and onboard the people they recruit. About Fr. Michael Nixon Fr. Michael Nixon is pastor of St. Dominic Catholic Parish in Pensacola, Florida, where he has served for more than a decade. He has led the parish through significant rebuilding and renewal, including the recovery following Hurricane Michael and the development of a clear mission, discipleship pathway, leadership structure, and ministry framework. He is also the host of the Made for Glory video and podcast series. Links Fr. Michael Nixon / St. Dominic Catholic Parish: https://www.saintdominicpc.com/ Made for Glory video series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_iiI_0LVffrPA6dJTpC2oLfmopfWsq4-&si=L1aprG3Fv9E2DEdJ St. Dominic Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SaintDominicMedia Mentioned resources Road to Renewal — Ron Huntley's book on the journey from maintenance to mission, featuring a chapter by Fr. Michael Nixon on recruiting for parish renewal. https://a.co/d/04ELO9S9 If this conversation was helpful, subscribe to the Huntley Leadership Podcast and share this episode with a pastor, parish leader, or team member who needs the encouragement—and perhaps the permission—to stop carrying the mission alone. ___ Be the first to get updates on our new course by signing up for our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/huntleyleadership/newsletter-sign-up ___ You can also listen to the podcast weekly on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Listen on Spotify ⇥ https://spoti.fi/3PYXGa6 Listen on Apple ⇥ https://apple.co/3vjltcS Subscribe on YouTube ⇥ @huntleyleadership ___ Work with Huntley Leadership! Contact us to inquire about coaching or speaking ⇥ https://www.huntleyleadership.com/contact-us Visit our course website ⇥ https://courses.huntleyleadership.com ___ Connect with Huntley Leadership! Connect on LinkedIn ⇥ / huntleyleadership Follow on Twitter ⇥ / ron_huntley Follow on Instagram ⇥ / huntleyleadership Follow on Facebook ⇥ / huntleyleadership Subscribe to this YouTube channel ⇥ @huntleyleadership ___ QUESTION: What kinds of videos and podcasts would you like to see from us?
