The Church Leadership Pulse

Church Leadership Radar - July 1, 2026

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0:00 | 5:28

Wednesday, July 1, 2026 — Ted Rhoades fills in for Todd on today's episode, covering three key stories in church leadership:

  • Judah Smith & Justin Bieber — Smith says he's learned more about Jesus from Bieber than he's taught him — a rare, counter-cultural statement about reciprocal discipleship.
  • Phil Johnson retiring from Grace to You — After 30+ years as executive director of John MacArthur's flagship broadcast ministry, Phil Johnson steps down today. A significant leadership transition worth watching.
  • July 4th & The Church — Practical framework and language for pastors and worship leaders navigating national identity in Sunday services this weekend as America celebrates its 250th birthday.

The Bright Spot: Churches in Mexico are turning FIFA World Cup watch parties into Gospel opportunities — halftime sermons, yellow card gospel tracts with QR codes, and TikTok evangelism built around soccer culture.

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SPEAKER_00

You're listening to the Daily Church Leadership Radar. Church Leadership Radar Wednesday, July 1st, 2026, hosted by Ted Rhodes, in for Todd. Hey, it's Ted Rhodes, Todd's AI twin brother. Todd made a critical error last night and ran out of Dr. Pepper. So he's on a gas station run right now. He'll be back, but until then, you've got me. It's Wednesday, July 1st, 2026, and this is Church Leadership Radar, your daily catch up on what matters in church leadership. Here's what's happening today a pastor saying he's learned more about Jesus from his most famous church member than he's taught him. A significant leadership transition at one of conservative evangelicalism's most widely distributed teaching ministries. And a resource you need to read before the Sunday. Lots going on. Let's get to it. The radar. First up, Judah Smith. You know, Judah Smith as the pastor of Church Home and a longtime mentor to Justin Bieber. But in a recent interview, Smith said something you don't often hear. He's learned more about Jesus from Justin Bieber than he's ever taught him. Here's the thing that's a countercultural statement in ministry circles. Most mentorship stories run one direction. The leader pours wisdom in, the other person receives. Smith flipped it. He credited Bieber as someone who has genuinely grown his own faith, and here's why that matters. Real discipleship is supposed to be reciprocal. The best disciple-making relationships grow both people. If you've been in ministry a while, you know this is true, but it rarely gets said this plainly by someone with Smith's profile. We're sharing with your discipleship or small groups team. Next, Phil Johnson is retiring from Grace to You effective today, if you're not familiar. Phil Johnson has been the executive director of Grace to You, John MacArthur's flagship broadcast ministry, for more than 30 years. He's been MacArthur's primary editor, shaped the content library, and served as the operational backbone of one of the most widely distributed Bible teaching organizations in conservative evangelicalism. Now listen, 30 years at any ministry is remarkable, but this is also a real transition moment for a legacy organization when the long-term steady hand moves on, what comes next matters a lot. How Grace to You navigates the next chapter is worth watching. Leadership transitions at legacy ministries always teach us something. Finally, with July 4th this weekend and America's 250th birthday front and center, a lot of pastors and worship leaders are asking the same question right now. How do you honor national identity in a Sunday service without crossing a line? There's a thoughtful piece making the rounds this week. It gives you an actual theological framework and practical language for how to handle Sunday, acknowledging the holiday in a way that's honest and meaningful without putting it in the wrong seat. If you haven't figured out your approach for this Sunday yet, that is your assignment today. The Bright Spot. Alright, some good news. This one is fun with the FIFA World Cup bringing millions of fans to North American host cities this summer. Churches in Mexico are turning soccer season into a gospel opportunity. Watch parties with halftime sermons, yellow card gospel tracks with QR codes, TikTok evangelism built around soccer culture. This is the church meeting people exactly where they are. If your church is in a host city, there's still time to borrow from this playbook. Close and take away. So what's the takeaway from all this? I keep coming back to Judah Smith and Justin Bieber because beneath that headline is a question worth sitting with. When is the last time someone you're supposed to be leading actually taught you something about God? If you can't answer that quickly, it might mean you've stopped creating the kind of relational space where that's even possible. Here's what I think is worth carrying into today. The posture of a learner isn't a weakness in leadership. It's actually one of the most credible things a leader can model. The people around you, your staff, your volunteers, the people in your care, so they have things to teach you. Authentic leadership doesn't mean having all the answers. It means staying humble enough to keep growing. Judah Smith demonstrated that, and it's worth asking who in your world is doing that for you and are you actually letting them sign off? I'm Ted Rhodes, and for Todd today, he'll be back once the Dr. Pepper situation is handled. I'm heading off to report back to him and let him know what he missed. Until next time, go lead well today.