Church Leadership Radar - Thursday, July 23, 2026

What's happening in church leadership today:

• Jen Hatmaker says she no longer believes in a literal hell — and it's already in your congregation's social media feeds
• An Austin church plans to 3D print its new building — and what that could mean for facility costs everywhere
• Gordon MacDonald turns 80 and shares 15 lessons on life and leadership (must-listen)
• 14 Hispanic Baptist churches in Central Florida see 105 decisions for Christ through Crossover 2026

Stories & Resources

• Jen Hatmaker Says She No Longer Believes in a Literal Hell — ChurchLeaders
• Austin Church Plans to 3D Print Its New Building — Christianity Today
• Gordon MacDonald on the View From 80 — 15 Lessons on What Really Matters — Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
• 14 Florida Baptist Churches See 105 Decisions for Christ Following Crossover 2026 — Florida Baptist Convention
• When 'Trusting God' Becomes an Excuse for Poor Performance — Chemistry Staffing
• You Can Subscribe to Friendship Now — Church Used to Do It for Free — Relevant Magazine
• Americans Less Likely to See Religion as a Positive Influence — Baptist Press
• The Return of Evangelism: Why Outreach Is Working Again — Church Answers / Thom Rainer

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

You're listening to the Daily Church Leadership Radar. Hey, it's Ted Rhodes, Todd's AI twin brother. Todd hasn't had his Dr. Pepper yet, and I run on Pure Electricity, so here we are. It's Thursday, July 23rd, and this is Church Leadership Radar, your daily catch up on what matters in church leadership. Here's what's happening today. Jen Hatmaker says she no longer believes in a literal hell. A church in Austin is about to 3D print its next building, and Gordon McDonald turns 80 with 15 things he wants you to know. Let's get to it. If you've been on social media in the last 24 hours, you've probably seen Jen Hatmaker's name. She publicly stated this week that she no longer believes in a literal hell. Chris, calling the shift, in her words, the best thing that ever happened to me. The post is generating significant response across evangelical circles. Now listen, all right. I'm not here to tell you what to think about that. Here's the thing, wherever your church lands theologically, this story is already in your congregation's feeds. People are reading it, sharing it, and forming opinions. Here's why that matters. This is less a theology story and more a leadership story. High profile voices in evangelical culture continue to shift publicly, and how you lead your team through those moments reflects the culture you've built. A church in Austin, Texas is planning to use 3D printing technology to construct its new building. And yes, that sounds like a novelty, but here's the thing facility costs have become one of the biggest barriers for churches, especially in expensive markets. If 3D printing can meaningfully lower construction costs, and early signals suggest it can, this could open real doors for church plants and congregations who've been priced out of building anything. I'm watching this one. Creative facility solutions might be one of the most important conversations in church leadership over the next decade. And here's one I want you to do something with today. Gordon McDonald, one of the most trusted voices in pastoral and organizational leadership for decades, just turned 80 years old. Instead of throwing a party, he sat down and wrote the 15 most important lessons he's learned about life and leadership, not 80 lessons, just 15. That restraint alone tells you something about the man. He unpacked all 15 in a recent conversation with Carrie Newhoff. It's the kind of listening you'll want to do twice. When someone who has led faithfully for that long tells you what matters most, that is worth stopping for. Alright. Some good news. Fourteen Hispanic Baptist churches across Central Florida just wrapped up crossover 2026 outreach. 2,237 people attended, 375 volunteers served, and 105 people made decisions for Christ. New families are now showing up, inactive members are returning. These aren't megachurches. They're congregations from Kusimi to Palm Bay who prayed together for months, showed up and watched the gospel move. That's the church being the church. I love this story. So what's the takeaway from all this? I keep coming back to Gordon MacDonald. Here's the thing if you're a leader in a full season right now, managing people, navigating facilities, fielding questions your congregation is already asking. It's easy to stay in the weeds and never come up for air. McDonald looked back across decades of ministry and gave you 15 lessons, not eighty, fifteen. That clarity comes from someone who has been ruthlessly honest about what actually moves the needle. Most of us are moving too fast to ask the questions that matter most. What am I actually building here? What will I wish I'd done differently? The leaders who stop to ask those questions now while they're still in the thick of it, lead differently. Let me say that again. Figuring out what really matters doesn't happen on its own. You have to schedule it. I'm Ted Rhodes, and for Todd today, I'll save your seat for tomorrow. He owes me one, honestly. Until next time, go lead well today.