Behind the Seal

Is your leadership costing you connection?

In this honest and thought-provoking conversation, Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, joins ECFA President Michael Martin to explore the emotional and relational challenges leaders face behind the scenes. From the illusion of transparency to the power of biblical vulnerability, this episode uncovers what it really takes to build meaningful friendship...

What happens when no one’s asking the hard questions?
ECFA President Michael Martin talks with David Ashcraft, CEO of the Global Leadership Network, about the urgent need for accountability, care, and clear guardrails in leadership.

From the isolation many pastors and nonprofit leaders face to how transparency can rebuild trust, this episode offers practical insights and a call to action for leaders, boards, and teams a...

What if your pastor is one conversation away from burnout—and no one knows it?

In ministry, the warning signs don’t always look like collapse. Sometimes, they look like silence, fatigue, or a slow drift from intimacy with God.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jeramy and Jerusha Clark of Standing Stone Ministry to talk about the emotional and spiritual toll leadership can take—and what it looks like to care for pastors b...

What if the key to leading others well starts with healing your own heart?

In this powerful conversation, Gabe Lyons—author, speaker, and founder of THINQ Media—joins us to talk about leadership, marriage, emotional health, and why being grounded in your identity as a child of God is more important than your title or metrics. From cultivating honest spaces for leaders to wrestle with hard questions, to sharing the d...

What does it take to build—and rebuild—trust in leadership? In this powerful episode, Dr. Henry Cloud, bestselling author of books like Boundaries and Trust, reveals why trust is the foundation of every healthy relationship, team, and organization—and what leaders can do when it’s been broken. From identifying the key elements of trust to recognizing barriers like defensiveness, fear, and narcissism, Dr. Cloud offers pract...

As leaders in a digitally driven world, how do we balance productivity with presence?
How do we create space for silence, reflection, and meaningful connection in an always-on world?
What role do faith communities play in shaping healthier digital habits?

Felicia Wu Song, cultural sociologist and author of Restless Devices, joins host Michael Martin to explore these pressing questions. 

Felicia unpacks the profound...

Leadership doesn’t have to come at the cost of your soul. In this compelling episode, ECFA President Michael Martin sits down with Mindy Caliguire, founder of Soul Care and author of Ignite Your Soul, for a candid conversation on the growing crisis of burnout—and what we can do about it.

Together, they unpack ECFA’s new Standard for Leader Care, explore the warning signs of soul neglect, and share practical rhythms for spi...

What if leadership wasn’t just about performance but about wholeness? This season, we’re having the real conversations every leader needs—about burnout, trust, soul care, relationships, and leading with integrity. Featuring insightful voices like Mindy Caliguire, Dr. Henry Cloud, Lysa TerKeurst, and more, we’re exploring the unseen challenges leaders face and the wisdom needed to overcome them. Whether you’re navigating di...

Harold Moore's story of hard work and striving is all too familiar. After a marketing and pastoring career, the Lord led him uniquely to ECFA as the Executive Administrator to the President. Harold exudes joyous serving while also exhorting ECFA staff towards healthy leadership. Michael and Harold talk candidly about their professional, personal, and spiritual dynamic as humility, honor, and legacy overlap.

Find out more ab...

Michael Martin, ECFA's President, takes us back to 2021 when ECFA's Board started digging into how a leader's health affects financial integrity and trust. In the past two years, ECFA has surveyed and researched this connection. The ECFA board has applied these findings to better support the health of its own leadership and staff. With each conversation, ECFA was encouraged by ministry and church leaders to continue this r...

We’re blessed to speak with Bishop Derek Grier of Grace Church. He’s the top leader at Grace and a Board Member here at ECFA.  He dives into why supporting pastors is so vital right now and how the board can prioritize relationship building with top leaders!  His leadership in the National Unity Weekend has spurred Christ-Centered conversations and action on race and diversity nationwide.  Finally, he's  been involved in E...

Rob Hoskins and David Branker of One Hope Ministries have developed a reputation as a ministry with excellence in board and leader relationships, staff culture, and Christ-centered vision. Intentionality underscores all parts of their culture as leadership seeks intergenerational accountability. To live for Christ in your personal life and your public life, if they all look the same, is the most authentic you can be!

One Ho...

What do job interviews reveal about the current character of a candidate? William Vanderbloemen and his search firm have a unique knowledge of the staff at many Christian organizations and churches because they interviewed and recruited many of them! What do they look for when talking to a potential church or ministry leader? Ownership, transparency, excuses. No one is perfect, and how we approach our past failures defines...

Mark Yarbrough was a student, professor, and now President of Dallas Theological Seminary. For 100 years, DTS has held the word of God high in training young men and women to go into ministry and shepherd flocks worldwide.

What's next for Pastors? How do cultural influences challenge private seminaries? How does a seminary take on the challenge of teaching integrity to future leaders?

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts...

Raised as a Pastor's kid, then going in the ministry himself for over 35 years, Sam Chand has seen the changes in the church firsthand. His book, Leadership Pains, dials into the challenges that have resulted in failure among pastors. He's come alongside leaders as a first responder after a fall.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: https://www.ecfa.org/podcast

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