The RISE Leadership Podcast
The RISE Leadership Podcast is a resource for leadership development within Cross Church, specifically created to equip and inspire our dream team volunteers, seminary residents, and staff members, though other churches may find value as well. In each episode, we offer insights and actionable takeaways to help you grow spiritually, lead with confidence, and make a Christ-centered impact in your ministry and life. Whether you’re looking to enhance your leadership skills, deepen your faith, or navigate challenges with grace, The RISE Leadership Podcast provides the tools you need to lead yourself and empower those around you.
The RISE Leadership Podcast
The Weight of Leadership: Stewardship Beyond the Pulpit
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Most people picture ministry on a stage.
But what if real ministry also looks like boardrooms, budgets, and carrying the weight of decisions that affect thousands of lives?
In this episode of the RISE Leadership Podcast, Jeremy Dixon and Phil McMichael sit down with Jeff Pearson, Executive Director of Compassion 479 and Strategic Initiatives at Cross Church.
Before joining church staff, Jeff spent nearly three decades at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, including 15 years as CFO of the organization responsible for raising the majority of its funding. He woke up every day knowing millions of dollars had to be raised — and that children’s lives depended on it.
In this honest conversation, Jeff shares:
- What the “weight of leadership” really feels like
- How to view your workplace as ministry
- The difference between platform and stewardship
- How to discern when God is releasing you from a role
- Why obedience sometimes means walking away from something you love
If you’re leading in business, healthcare, education, ministry, or anywhere in between, this episode will challenge how you think about calling.
Ministry isn’t about visibility.
It’s about faithfulness with what God has entrusted to you.
