Épisodes

  • Ministry Friendships vs. Professional Boundaries

    Ministry Friendships vs. Professional Boundaries
    Jan 23 2026

    In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades explores the complexities of blending friendship with professional relationships in church settings. While building friendships with team members is natural, maintaining professional boundaries is essential for genuine relationships. Rhoades suggests a 'both-and' approach to balance personal and professional interactions, emphasizing clarity in expectations and separating friendship from work responsibilities. He encourages healthy communication to prevent blurred lines and protect relationships.• Church work involves close personal interactions, making friendships common.• Professional boundaries enable authentic relationships.• Blurred lines between friendship and work can complicate team dynamics.• 'Both-and' approach: balance caring with professional clarity.• Set office hours for personal conversations and clarify roles.• Clear boundaries ensure safety and authenticity in relationships.• Challenge: Identify and clarify blurry relationships on your team.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
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    6 min
  • The Heart-Head-Soul Executive: Leading Beyond Just Operations

    The Heart-Head-Soul Executive: Leading Beyond Just Operations
    Jan 22 2026

    In this episode, the discussion revolves around the diverse roles of executive pastors in churches, particularly those who excel in business operations but struggle with ministry aspects. The podcast emphasizes the importance of combining business acumen with pastoral duties to create a holistic approach that benefits church culture and operations. The episode concludes with practical advice for executive pastors to integrate spiritual leadership with their operational responsibilities.• Executive pastors have varied roles depending on the church's needs.• Focus on combining business skills with pastoral responsibilities.• Challenges of executives transitioning from business to ministry roles.• Importance of integrating heart, soul, and head in church leadership.• Practical steps for executive pastors to engage with staff spiritually.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
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    9 min
  • The Permission Paradox_ When Staff Stop Making Decisions Without You

    The Permission Paradox_ When Staff Stop Making Decisions Without You
    Jan 21 2026
    In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses how unclear boundaries can lead staff to seek unnecessary permissions, burdening leaders with extra decisions. He offers strategies for recalibrating decision-making authority to empower staff and promote better leadership within church teams.• Staff are seeking permission unnecessarily due to unclear decision-making boundaries.• Gradual shifts in staff behavior may stem from past instances where leadership questioned or redirected decisions.• Leaders should initiate conversations to clarify decision boundaries with team members.• Providing explicit permission and clarity can rebuild trust and empower staff.• Having team-wide discussions may be necessary if the issue is widespread.• The goal is to create confident leaders by defining clear expectations.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
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    5 min
  • The Risk Management Conversation Your Staff Isn't Having

    The Risk Management Conversation Your Staff Isn't Having
    Jan 20 2026
    This episode of the Healthy Church Staff podcast addresses the prevalent issue of 'risk allergy' in church planning meetings, where fear of worst-case scenarios prevents innovation and new ideas. The host encourages church leaders to reframe their thinking, asking constructive questions aimed at fostering innovation and faith-driven ministries instead of defaulting to fear-based decisions. The challenge is set for church teams to revive previously dismissed ideas and allow them space to grow so the ministry can evolve and better serve its community.• Discussion on risk allergy in church planning and its impact on innovation.• Fear of failure prevents new ideas from being pursued.• Encourage reframing questions to focus on possibilities rather than limitations.• Challenge to resurrect a previously discarded ministry idea.• Emphasis on faith-driven rather than risk-free ministry.• Announcement about upcoming Healthy Church Staff assessment report.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    7 min
  • The Side Hustle Question for Ministry Staff

    The Side Hustle Question for Ministry Staff
    Jan 19 2026
    This podcast episode addresses the growing trend of church staff members taking on side hustles due to inadequate salaries and explores whether this development positively or negatively affects church operations. Todd Rhoades discusses the financial challenges ministry workers face and suggests strategies for churches to manage this reality effectively.• Many church staff members need additional income due to low salaries.• Side hustles can impact church staff's primary responsibilities.• Radical honesty about financial gaps is necessary for churches.• Clear boundaries and conversations can help manage side hustle impacts.• Side jobs can sometimes benefit the church's mission.• Lack of transparency about side incomes leads to trust issues.• Churches should look for solutions collaboratively to support staff financially.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    8 min
  • The Death of the Church Secretary_ How Technology Killed a Sacred Role

    The Death of the Church Secretary_ How Technology Killed a Sacred Role
    Jan 16 2026
    In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the implications of replacing the traditional church secretary role with technology. Despite efforts to improve efficiency, this shift has led to unintended costs, such as decreased relational interaction and administrative overload on pastoral staff. The episode emphasizes the importance of maintaining human connection within church administration and challenges listeners to evaluate and restore effective support roles.• Church secretaries were once vital for church administration and relational engagement.• Technology aimed to replace these roles, but has led to issues in human connection and oversight.• Automating relational tasks can lead to a loss of personal touch in church interactions.• Churches need a person to manage not just data but also relational stewardship.• Efficiency should not come at the cost of personal relationships and care.• Todd challenges churches to audit tasks that fell through the cracks without human oversight.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    7 min
  • The Superhero Executive Pastor Trap_ Why Your Team Needs You to Be Human

    The Superhero Executive Pastor Trap_ Why Your Team Needs You to Be Human
    Jan 15 2026
    In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades discusses the 'superhero complex' often found among executive pastors. He urges leaders to embrace their humanity by involving their team in decision-making processes, demonstrating vulnerability, and not portraying themselves as infallible. By doing so, leaders can foster independence and leadership skills within their team, creating a stronger and more sustainable church environment.• Executive pastors often assume a 'superhero' role, trying to solve all problems.• This behavior leads to dependency and lack of development among the staff.• Leaders should demonstrate vulnerability and involve their team in decisions.• Fostering an environment of growth and leadership is more sustainable than creating dependence.• Embracing humanity and showing the decision-making process strengthens the team.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

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    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    5 min
  • The Mid-Career Ministry Refresh_ When You're Too Experienced to Start Over But Too Restless to Stay Put

    The Mid-Career Ministry Refresh_ When You're Too Experienced to Start Over But Too Restless to Stay Put
    Jan 14 2026
    In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, host Todd Rhoades addresses the feeling of restlessness that can occur in ministry when expertise becomes routine. He introduces the concept of the 'competence paradox,' where accumulated knowledge and efficiency lead to stagnation rather than growth. Todd discusses ways to refresh and reinvigorate one's ministry role, such as expanding into adjacent responsibilities, mentoring younger staff, taking on challenging projects, and planning for succession. He emphasizes that restlessness is not a flaw but a sign to pursue greater impact.• Longevity and expertise in ministry can lead to feelings of restlessness.• The 'competence paradox' refers to how mastery in a role can feel like a prison.• Suggestions to revitalize one's role include expanding into new areas, mentoring, tackling challenging projects, and succession planning.• Restlessness is seen as a call towards achieving greater impact, not a flaw.• Encouragement for church staff to have open conversations about growth desires with leadership.

    Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

    Be sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.

    - - - - -

    Is Your Church Hiring?
    If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.

    Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?
    If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.
    Voir plus Voir moins
    7 min