Ministry Mix
Real conversations for the strategies and souls of ministry leaders.
Our goal is to bring you a mix of conversations on topics you are thinking about to help you lead more strategically and care for your soul more intentionally.
Phil is the pastor of Connecting Church in Abingdon, MD. He also trains church planters with the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware and serves as an adjunct instructor at Liberty University. Phil is married to Pam and has three children.
Richard is the pastor of Canvas Church in Salisbury, MD. He also serves as the Church Planting Leader for the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware and as a Multiplying Pastor with Send Network. Richard is married to Payton and has a dog.
Ministry Mix
How to Lead When You Are Hurting
Leading While Hurting: Showing Up When You’re Struggling
What do you do when your soul is limping but the sermon still needs to be preached? In this vulnerable episode of Ministry Mix, Phil and Richard open up about what it’s like to keep leading when you’re tired, grieving, burned out, or just broken. They share honest stories of preaching through pain, shepherding with a heavy heart, and discovering how Jesus meets leaders not after the storm—but in it.
If you’ve ever had to lead while hurting, you’re not alone. And you’re not disqualified.
Key Takeaways:
- Leadership doesn’t stop when life gets hard—but it should get more honest.
- You don’t have to pretend to be okay to be effective.
- Hurting doesn’t make you a bad leader—it makes you a human one.
- God often ministers through us while He’s ministering to us.
- Authenticity in pain opens doors that polish never could.
Practical Soul-First Leadership Tips:
- Admit when you’re hurting—to yourself and to someone else.
- You can bleed and still bless. Jesus did.
- Find small ways to rest even when retreat isn’t possible.
- Don’t lead from your wounds, but don’t hide them either.
- God can still use you—especially when you feel weak.