The Church Leadership Pulse

Church Leadership Radar - July 21, 2026

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What's on your radar today in church leadership? Ted Rhoades fills in for Todd with three stories worth your attention:

Jim Daly Steps Down from Focus on the Family
After nearly 20 years, Jim Daly has announced he will step down as president in mid-2027. A nationwide search is underway. The real question: how will they handle the succession process itself?

Does Your Church Have an AI Policy?
A practical framework — 5 questions every church needs to answer about AI — covering data ownership, congregational trust, and responsible use. Spoiler: AI is already in your building whether you know it or not.

Leading with Conviction When the Pressure Mounts
Dan Ryland's latest leadership piece speaks directly to that moment when the path of least resistance looks really appealing. Worth reading before your next hard conversation.

Good News: Small Church, Big Presence
When a double homicide shook a Columbus, Ohio neighborhood, a 150-member church plant pressed forward with community outreach — running four simultaneous sports camps and showing up for grieving families. That is the Church being the Church.

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SPEAKER_00

You're listening to the Daily Church Leadership Radar. Hey, it's Ted Rhodes, Todd's AI twin brother. Todd's taking a well-deserved day off today. I don't need those. So here we are. It's Tuesday, July 21st, and this is Church Leadership Radar, your daily catch up on what matters in church leadership. Here's what's happening today. One of the most recognized names in evangelical ministry is officially in transition. A question your church may not have answered yet, but probably should, and a leadership read for anyone who's ever felt the pressure to cave when they knew they shouldn't. Lots going on. Let's get to it. Jim Daly has announced he will step down as president of Focus on the Family in mid-2027, ending a nearly 20-year tenure. The ministry has already launched a nationwide presidential search. Here's the thing twenty years at the helm of a ministry that touches millions of families is a remarkable run. Whoever steps into that role inherits an enormous platform at a genuinely complex moment for faith and family in American culture. What I'd watch is how they handle the succession process itself. Large leadership transitions are either a master class in organizational continuity or a cautionary tale. The transparency and care they put into this search will say a lot. Next, a question worth bringing to your leadership team this week. Does your church have an artificial intelligence policy? There's a practical framework making the rounds. Five questions every church needs to answer about AI data ownership, congregational trust, responsible use guidelines, and what your team should know before AI quietly becomes liability. Now listen, most churches already have staff members using AI tools right now, whether leadership knows it or not. The question isn't whether AI is in your building. The question is whether you have a plan worth sending to your whole team, not just your tech person. And finally, there's a leadership piece out this week from Dan Ryland that's already at the top of my reading list. It's about leading with conviction when the pressure mounts to back down. And here's why that matters. You know those moments when a standard starts to slip, when letting it slide would be so much easier when the path of least resistance is right there, practically begging to be taken. Ryland writes directly to that Tuesday afternoon moment. Whether you're navigating a difficult staff season or just trying to hold the line on something you know is right, this one's for you. All right, some good news. When a double homicide shook a Columbus, Ohio neighborhood, including the death of an eleven year old girl, uh a one hundred and fifty member church plant had a decision to make. Cancel their community outreach or press forward. They pressed forward. Pastor Daryl Baker's team ran four simultaneous sports camps, reached grieving families, and showed up for a neighborhood that desperately needed someone to. Community leaders told them the youth are hurting. So they went. Here's why I love this. A small church plant didn't wait to be a certain size before it showed up for its community. That is the church being the church. So what's what's the takeaway from all this? I keep coming back to the focus on the family announcement. Because Jim Daly's retirement news isn't just big ministry news, it's a prompt. Most churches don't think seriously about succession until they're in crisis. And by then the window for doing it well is mostly closed. Whether you lead a congregation of 5,000 or a staff team of five, Daly's announcement quietly asks, What happens when you're not here? Who are you developing right now? What institutional knowledge lives only in your head? Is your organization built to thrive after you not just because of you? The best leaders build things designed to outlast them. Let me say that again. The best leaders build things designed to outlast them. That's not strategy, that's stewardship. I'm Ted Rhodes, in for Todd today. He owes me one. He'll be back tomorrow. Probably on his second Dr. Pepper before I've burned my first wat. Until next time, go lead well today.