The Attentive Church Leadership Podcast offers insightful discussions and practical advice for church leaders seeking to enhance their effectiveness in leading from a place of health and effectiveness within their congregations. Through engaging conversations and expert interviews, this podcast equips leaders with valuable tools to navigate contemporary challenges while remaining attentive to the evolving needs of their churches.
Pastoral leadership is deeply personal work. It asks leaders to hold conviction and compassion, vision and presence, courage and humility all at the same time.
In this episode of the LFM ACL Podcast, we sit down with Mark Toone, longtime pastor, author, and teacher, to reflect on the inner life of leadership and the practices that help pastors remain grounded over time.
Mark shares from decades of ministry experience about calling, faithfulness, and the quiet formation that sustains leaders through change, pressure, and seasons of uncertainty. This conversation invites pastors and Christian leaders to slow down, pay attention, and lead from a deeper place of trust in God.
This episode is especially for leaders who want to serve well without losing their soul.
In this episode, you will hear about:
The interior life of pastoral leadership
How calling is shaped over time
Staying grounded amid responsibility and expectation
Why attentiveness matters for long-term faithfulness
The LFM ACL Podcast exists to encourage and equip Christian leaders to live into their calling with wisdom, humility, and hope.
Learn more about Leighton Ford Ministries at lfmconnect.org.
6 Jan 2026
How Do We Facilitate Real Transformation? (ft. Tod Bolsinger)
Change is no longer the exception for church leaders. It is the environment we lead in.
In this episode of the Attentive Church Leadership Podcast, we sit down with Tod Bolsinger, pastor, leadership strategist, and author of Canoeing the Mountains and Tempered Resilience. Tod brings decades of experience walking alongside pastors and ministry leaders who are navigating uncertainty, loss, and transformation.
Together, we explore what faithful leadership looks like when old maps no longer work, why resilience is formed through spiritual maturity rather than sheer effort, and how leaders can grow steadier, wiser, and more hopeful in seasons of deep change.
This conversation is especially for pastors, Christian leaders, and ministry teams who feel stretched, tired, or unsure how to lead forward without losing their soul.
In this episode, you will hear about:
- Why adaptive leadership matters in today’s church
- The difference between technical fixes and deeper formation
- How resilience is shaped through practice, community, and trust in God
- What it means to lead with courage and clarity when outcomes are uncertain
Leighton Ford Ministries exists to encourage and equip leaders to live into their calling with faithfulness, humility, and hope.
Learn more about Leighton Ford Ministries at lfmconnect.org.
15 Oct 2025
How Do We Build a Great Culture? (ft. John E. Walker)
In this episode of the Attentive Church Leadership Podcast, we sit down with John E. Walker, for a conversation that cuts to the core of what every thriving ministry—and organization—depends on: culture.
Together, they unpack the practical and spiritual principles behind building a healthy, high-trust environment where people love to serve, leaders grow, and vision flourishes. John shares real-world wisdom on how to confront dysfunction, model values from the top down, and protect the heart of your team without losing momentum.
If you’ve ever wondered why some teams thrive while others just survive, this conversation will give you the tools to start shaping a culture worth being part of.
15 Oct 2025
Are We Entitled or Engaged? (ft. Alan Platt of City Changers)
In this episode of the Attentive Church Leadership Podcast, we sit down with Alan Platt, founder of City Changers, for an honest and challenging conversation about the posture of today’s Church. Are we showing up to consume—or to contribute?
Alan unpacks what it means for leaders to cultivate a culture of engagement rather than entitlement—both in their congregations and in their own hearts. From redefining success in ministry to mobilizing believers for impact in every sphere of society, this conversation will equip and inspire you to lead with humility, clarity, and conviction.
Whether you’re a pastor, team leader, or passionate church member, this episode will stir you to evaluate your leadership through the lens of participation, not privilege.
12 Aug 2025
How to Build Real Community in a Narcissistic World (ft. Dr. Jim Singleton)
In a culture obsessed with self, is true community even possible?
In this episode, Dr. Jim Singleton joins us to unpack what it looks like to build authentic, life-giving relationships in a world dominated by individualism and self-promotion. We discuss why loneliness is on the rise, the spiritual roots of our disconnection, and practical steps we can take to cultivate communities that reflect the heart of Christ.
Whether you’re a pastor, leader, or simply someone longing for deeper connection, this conversation will challenge the way you think about friendship, church, and your role in fostering community.
2 Aug 2025
Is The Tail Wagging the Dog?
In this thought-provoking episode, Rev. Tom Hall joins Tim to unpack the question: Is the tail wagging the dog? - a challenge to the modern church's priorities, posture, and purpose. Drawing from years of pastoral experience and deep theological insight, Tom explores how cultural trends, political pressures, and institutional habits can distort the mission of the church.
Are we being led by Christ, or by the systems we've built in His name? What happens when strategy outweighs Spirit? And how can leaders reclaim a faithful center in turbulent times?
This is a candid, convicting, and hope-filled conversation for anyone longing to see the Church re-centered on Jesus.
15 May 2025
How Do We Create Communication Strategies in Our Churches?
In this episode of the Attentive Church Leadership Podcast, we sit down with Christina McDaniel to explore how strategic clarity and Spirit-led leadership can transform a local church.
Christina shares her firsthand experience walking through a visioning process with her church, the impact of outside perspective, and how rediscovering core values brought alignment and renewed momentum to their ministry.
If you're a pastor, church leader, or ministry influencer seeking practical insights on church health, leadership clarity, and spiritual renewal—this conversation is for you.
29 Apr 2025
How Do We See a Church Transform?
How does real, lasting transformation happen in a church?
In this episode of the Attentive Church Leadership Podcast, Dr. David Swanson (Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando) and Dr. Jack Peebles join Kevin Ford to unpack what it looks like when a congregation moves from decline to revitalization.
Drawing from firsthand experience and decades of leadership, they share powerful insights on building trust, leading with attentiveness, and creating space for the Holy Spirit to work in the life of a church.
If you're a pastor, church leader, or someone passionate about seeing the Church flourish, this conversation will encourage and equip you.
27 Aug 2024
How Do I Build Trust as A Leader?
Rhett Wilson interviews Marnie Crumpler, pastor of Grace Church in Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania. They discuss the vital importance of trust, how to gain it, and how
to use it effectively as you lead others.
9 Jul 2024
How Do I Manage Anxiety?
Kevin Ford and Jim Osterhaus, a psychologist and senior leadership coach at LFM,
discuss the anxiety pastors feel leading an organization and facing criticism and
conflict. They talk about healthy conflict vs. unhealthy and look at four areas
pastors need to give attention to as they seek to be self-aware.
4 Jul 2024
How Do I Become an Attentive Person?
Leighton Ford sits down with Ken Shigematsu, pastor of Tenth Church in
Vancouver, British Columbia. Pastoral ministry by nature includes a drive to
perform and please others. But if a leader does not first take care of self, it can
produce disastrous results. Longtime friends Leighton and Ken discuss how to let
God take care of our souls.
14 May 2024
How Did We Get To A World We’ve Never Known?
Rhett Wilson interviews Jim Singleton, former professor at Gordon Conwell
Seminary and Executive Director of North American Mentoring Services for LFM.
Reflecting on the time of transition in Joshua 3, they talk about how leaders can
embrace or resist times of change – and lead others to do the same.
14 Apr 2024
Thriving in a World We’ve Never Known
Rich Hurst interviews Megan Hackman, a pastor at Chapel Hill Church in Gig
Harbor, Washington. They discuss how important it is for Christian leaders to stay
attentive to God, their congregations, and their community as we navigate a
changing world.
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