The LeadingSmart Podcast

Tim Stevens
  • 4.6 (7)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • SERIES

Honest conversations. Practical insights. Smarter leadership. Hosted by Tim Stevens and Holly Tate, The LeadingSmart Podcast exists to equip church leaders who care deeply about leading with integrity, clarity, and wisdom—even when it’s hard. We are officially on Season 3! This season is about staying sharp in today’s rapidly changing environment. We’ll dive into the practical issues leaders are facing right now—from running effective executive team meetings to navigating crucial conversations to leading in moments when the playbook doesn’t exist yet. Holly and Tim are moving out of the studio into our offices, and they will be recording and posting in real time, responding to current events as they happen, sharing fresh insights from our work with leaders across North America.  Be sure to email us at tim@leadingsmart.com if there are specific topics you want us to cover! Enjoy! #LeadingSmartPodcast, #ChurchLeadership, #SuccessionPlanning, #LeadershipDevelopment, #ExecutivePastor, #LeadershipTools, #MinistryCoaching, #LeadershipPodcast

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  1. EPISODE 1

    Season 3 Preview: Leading in Real Time │ The LeadingSmart Podcast

    Officially launching Season 3, October 28! This season is all about leading in real-time. Tim Stevens and Holly Tate tackle the biggest leadership challenges facing executives and managers today bringing you timely leadership insights as events unfold. This season focuses on real-time leadership strategies, practical management tips, and proven frameworks for navigating rapid organizational change. What You'll Learn This Season: ✅ How to run effective executive team meetings and leadership summits ✅ Mastering crucial conversations and difficult workplace discussions ✅ Leading through uncertainty and organizational change management ✅ Real-time decision making when there's no playbook ✅ Current leadership trends and business strategy insights from North America 🎉 BONUS: The Simply Strategic Show 20th Anniversary Edition We're partnering with The Unstuck Group to re-release all 37 episodes of the original podcast Tony Morgan and I launched two decades ago—now available for the first time in years! 📌 Subscribe now to get notified when Season 3 drops next week! 00:00 Welcome to Season Three of the Leading Smart Podcast! 00:35 Reflecting on Past Seasons and Production Challenges 02:01 What to Expect in Season Three 03:30 Special Announcement: Simply Strategic Show Re-release 03:56 Honoring Tony Morgan and the Simply Strategic Show 05:03 Conclusion and How to Access Resources 📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    5 min

  2. EPISODE 1

    [S3EP1] How Men Can Create Environments Where Women Thrive in Leadership │ Leading In Real Time

    Welcome to Season 3 of The LeadingSmart Podcast! Join co-hosts Holly Tate and Tim Stevens as they tackle the real, unfiltered challenges facing church leaders today in real-time. With decades of combined experience consulting with churches across the country, Holly and Tim bring honest conversations about what's actually happening in ministry leadership right now. Season 3 dives into the hot-button issues you're thinking about but might not be discussing openly—starting with women in leadership, team dynamics, and the evolving landscape of church culture. Whether you lead in a complementarian or egalitarian context, you'll find practical wisdom, research-backed insights, and actionable strategies to help your church thrive. This isn't about changing your theology—it's about improving your leadership. Each episode features: Real-world examples from churches making it workResearch and data on current ministry trendsPractical takeaways you can implement immediatelyHonest discussions about the challenges (and solutions) no one else is talking aboutHolly and Tim don't shy away from complexity. They lean into it, offering nuanced perspectives that respect diverse theological positions while pushing every leader to do better for their teams and congregations. Perfect for: Lead pastors, executive pastors, ministry leaders, and anyone invested in building healthier church teams. New episodes release weekly.  📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    41 min

  3. EPISODE 2

    [S3EP2] Gen Z Church Attendance Is Up—Here's What Barna's New Data Means for Your Ministry

    Gen Z Church Attendance & Young Adult Ministry: The Great Return to Church | Leading Smart Podcast S3E2 Discover why Gen Z and millennials are now the most regular churchgoers, outpacing older generations for the first time in decades. In this episode of the Leading Smart podcast, hosts Tim Stevens and Holly Tate explore groundbreaking Barna research on church attendance trends, young adult ministry, and Generation Z spiritual formation. Read more in this article: https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/ Topics Covered: Gen Z church attendance statistics and millennial churchgoers data (2025 Barna research)Church growth strategies for reaching young adults and Gen ZDiscipleship pathways for younger generationsChurch giving trends and generosity challenges with new attendeesPost-COVID church attendance patterns and why older generations haven't returnedYoung adult ministry best practices and spiritual formation strategiesChurch leadership challenges in ministering to Gen Z and millennialsRethinking Sunday service planning when attendees come 1.9 times per monthBuilding community and relational connections with younger churchgoersGeneration Distinct interview: young leaders responding to spiritual curiosity This episode is perfect for, church leaders, pastors, ministry leaders, church staff, worship leaders, executive pastors, and anyone interested in church growth, Gen Z ministry, young adult outreach, discipleship strategies, and contemporary church leadership trends. Learn practical strategies for spiritual formation, volunteer engagement, and creating meaningful touchpoints with the next generation of churchgoers.  Generation Distinct: https://www.generationdistinct.com/ 📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    21 min

  4. EPISODE 3

    [S3EP3] Increase Church Giving with these 6 Tiers of Generosity

    Church giving not growing like it used to? You're not alone. In the 3rd episode of the LeadingSmart podcast, hosts Holly Tate and Tim Stevens sit down with generosity consultant David Whiting to unpack a 6 steps revolutionary framework for understanding and growing church generosity. David, a dear friend of Tim's for over 50 years and consultant with Generosity OS, reveals his six-level framework for church giving that's helping churches across the country break through plateaus and build sustainable cultures of generosity. What You'll Learn: The 6 Levels of Church Giving: Level 1: Duty-Based GivingLevel 2: Worship-Based GivingLevel 3: Needs-Based GivingLevel 4: Mission-Based GivingLevel 5: Disciple-Based GivingLevel 6: Legacy/Kingdom-Based GivingPlus:  -  How to diagnose where your church is strong (and weak) in generosity  -  Why most churches struggle with the 2-minute offering moment (and how to fix it)  -  How to create a 52-week giving calendar that keeps your messaging fresh  -  The difference between transactional and transformational generosity  -  Why younger generations give differently than older generations  - How one church increased giving by 27% in one year  - The biggest mistakes pastors make during offering talks Perfect For: Lead Pastors seeking to grow church givingExecutive Pastors managing church financesStewardship committee membersChurch leaders planning capital campaignsAnyone interested in biblical generosity and discipleshipDavid Whiting is a church consultant specializing in generosity with Generosity OS and Leading Smart. With decades of experience as a lead pastor and consultant, David has helped hundreds of churches transform their culture of giving from transactional duty to transformational discipleship. Connect with David Whiting: david@generosityos.com | david@leadingsmart.com  Learn more about Generosity OS: generosityos.com #ChurchLeadership #ChurchGiving #Generosity #PastoralMinistry #ChurchGrowth #Stewardship #LeadingSmart 📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    31 min

  5. EPISODE 4

    [S3EP4] Patrick Lencioni's Working Genius: Why Your Team Gets Stuck (And How to Fix It)

    Tim and Holly dive into one of their favorite tools for helping leadership teams work better together: the Working Genius assessment from Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group. Here's the thing most leaders miss: your team isn't lacking intelligence, resources, or talent. The problem is you're not working together well. That's where Working Genius comes in. Unlike personality assessments like Myers-Briggs or Enneagram that help you understand yourself, Working Genius shows you how to actually get work done as a team. In this episode, Tim and Holly break down the six stages every project goes through - Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, and Tenacity (W-I-D-G-E-T). They explain why some people love brainstorming sessions while others want to scream "just make a decision already," and how understanding these differences keeps your meetings from dragging on forever with the wrong people in the room. You'll learn about the critical "decision line" that most executive teams blow right past (causing confusion for everyone else), why sitting in endless discernment loops kills momentum, and how to stop wasting time in meetings that drain your energy instead of filling your tank. This episode is for executive pastors, lead pastors, and leadership teams who are tired of butting heads, frustrated by inefficient meetings, or wondering why great ideas never seem to make it across the finish line. If you've ever thought "we have plenty of smart people - why can't we get this done?" this conversation will help you figure out what's actually holding your team back. Find out what your working genius is here: https://www.workinggenius.com/about/assessment 📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    32 min

  6. EPISODE 5

    [S3EP5] Stop Wasting Time: How to Lead Executive Team Meetings

    Episode 5: Executive Team Meetings That Actually Work | Leading Smart Podcast Welcome back to Season 3 of the LeadingSmart podcast—leading in real time, where ideas spark mid-week, inspiration hits on Zoom calls, and yes… sometimes Tim is literally recording from a hotel room overlooking LAX. In this episode, Holly and Tim dive deep into one of the most misunderstood, overcomplicated, and under-disciplined parts of church leadership: executive team meetings. Turns out, even the big churches feel unsure about cadence, structure, and how to stop talking in circles. So we break it all down—tactically, honestly, and with plenty of laughs. Inside this episode, you’ll learn: • The ideal cadence for an executive meeting (and why weekly works best) • How long these meetings should really be • Agenda frameworks that reduce confusion and clarify who decides what • How to use goals, dashboards, and priorities without overengineering them • The collaborative tools every team should be using • The “end-of-meeting discipline” that prevents miscommunication • Why offsites are an investment, not an indulgence • And a “Hot Takes on the Holidays” segment you didn’t know you needed If you’ve ever sat in a meeting wondering, “Didn’t we already decide this?” or “Why are we talking about this again?” — this episode is for you. Helpful Links Have a question or episode topic? Email us at tim@leadingsmart.com 📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    38 min

  7. EPISODE 6

    [S3EP6] Strategic Planning for Churches: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and Why It Matters

    Welcome Back to The LeadingSmart Podcast! In this episode, Tim and Holly take you inside a real-time strategic planning process with one of their client churches. They break down what a strategic plan actually is, what it isn’t, and why so many organizations get stuck by overcomplicating the process. Drawing from decades of experience, they explain why long-term three- to five-year plans are becoming less effective, how to build a roadmap your team can align around, and why collaboration and early “weigh-in” create lasting buy-in. You’ll hear how they gathered input from staff, key leaders, and the congregation, how they filtered ideas down to what deserves disproportionate focus, and the exact steps they use to help churches form a plan that reflects who they are and where God is leading them next. Whether your team feels overwhelmed by too many initiatives, unclear about direction, or stuck after finishing a major milestone, this episode offers a practical and honest framework for building a strategic plan that actually works. 📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    35 min

  8. EPISODE 7

    [S3EP7] 5 Leadership Lessons Churches Learned in 2025 (Boards, Meetings, Succession & More)

    As we close out the year, we’re reflecting on the five biggest leadership lessons we learned in 2025—lessons shaped by real conversations with church leaders, boards, and executive teams across the country. In this season finale of LeadingSmart, Tim and Holly unpack what 2025 revealed about: Why many churches outgrow their board structure without realizing itHow men and women can lead together in healthy, effective waysWhy poor meeting discipline quietly damages staff cultureWhat senior pastors need to clarify before and after leadership transitionsAnd why consistency is harder—and more important—than most leaders expectThis is an honest, practical conversation about what’s working, what’s not, and what church leaders should pay attention to as they head into 2026. Whether you’re a senior pastor, executive pastor, board member, or ministry leader, this episode will help you reflect on the past year and move forward with greater clarity and intention.  📱 Follow us for more insights and resources Instagram: @timstevens Facebook: @timstevens 2026 LeadingSmart Gatherings Are OPEN! https://www.leadingsmart.com/gatherings 💻Visit LeadingSmart.com 🎧 Listen to the full 40 Lessons In 40 Years series https://www.leadingsmart.com/podcast Download The Simply Strategic Show https://www.leadingsmart.com/books-2 📩 Have questions or want to connect? https://www.leadingsmart.com/lets-talk 🔔 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leadingsmart-podcast/id1813933962 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1IqLLXtvtZBEgRsM2gOXpO?si=8b6cc3d0a1124bdc

    31 min
See All Season 3 (8)

Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Honest conversations. Practical insights. Smarter leadership. Hosted by Tim Stevens and Holly Tate, The LeadingSmart Podcast exists to equip church leaders who care deeply about leading with integrity, clarity, and wisdom—even when it’s hard. We are officially on Season 3! This season is about staying sharp in today’s rapidly changing environment. We’ll dive into the practical issues leaders are facing right now—from running effective executive team meetings to navigating crucial conversations to leading in moments when the playbook doesn’t exist yet. Holly and Tim are moving out of the studio into our offices, and they will be recording and posting in real time, responding to current events as they happen, sharing fresh insights from our work with leaders across North America.  Be sure to email us at tim@leadingsmart.com if there are specific topics you want us to cover! Enjoy! #LeadingSmartPodcast, #ChurchLeadership, #SuccessionPlanning, #LeadershipDevelopment, #ExecutivePastor, #LeadershipTools, #MinistryCoaching, #LeadershipPodcast

Information

  • Creator
    Tim Stevens
  • Episodes
    31
  • Seasons
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The LeadingSmart Podcast
  • Show Website
    The LeadingSmart Podcast

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