"I never wanted to work for a church," says Pastor Jelani Lewis, who has now worked at Gateway Church for more than a decade. Now Jelani is a regional campus pastor and he oversees multiple campuses at Gateway, where he started as a children's pastor.In this episode of Church InTension, The King's University President, Dr. Jon Chasteen, talks with Jelani about his career and the difference between having selfish ambition and godly desire.

Church InTension

How to Lead When You Don't See Yourself As a Leader

Finances are a taboo subject when it comes to the Church. How much should a pastor make? How should a church's finances be handled? How much is too much talk about giving?In this episode of Church InTension, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks to Leo Sabo and David Thompson from the Getting Money Right podcast. These two pastors have decades of church finance and stewardship experience and offer direct answers to some of the tough questions many pastors ask regarding finances and the Church. 

Change in the Offering Plate: Why Pastors Don't Talk About Money

When things don't occur properly at the leadership table, the organization struggles. In this episode of Church InTension, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with leadership expert Hrishi Baskaran about the importance of vulnerability and the pitfalls of transparency and false modesty. Hrishi Baskaran is a principle consultant for Patrick Lencioni’s Table Group and the founder of Hrishi Baskaran Company. He’s a consultant who helps executive leaders and pastors with organizational health, teamwork, and leadership. His clients include Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, Lockheed-Martin, and many more.

Leaders in Tension: The Difference Between Transparency and Vulnerability

Pastor Brady Boyd took over New Life Church, whose previous pastor experienced a highly publicized moral failure. Bringing the church back to health would be an uphill battle. That's when disaster struck. A shooter entered the church and killed two members after services. "It was the darkest day of my life," says Brady Boyd.In this episode of the Church InTension podcast, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks to Brady Boyd about how the church survived and is now thriving. Recorded in early 2020, this podcast talks about creating a culture of health in a polarized political climate.

Reviving a Dying Church in Uncertain Times

The Church is growing rapidly in its understand of its Jewish roots. One big leap took place in Gateway Center for Israel Director Nic Lesmeister's life when he discovered unknown anti-Semitism in his theology. Find out more in this episode of the Church InTension podcast, in which Dr. Jon Chasteen discusses the topic of anti-Semitism and Jewish Christianity with Nic Lesmeister.

Is there Unknown Anti-Semitism in Your Theology?

One in every four pregnancies ends in abortion. Even more shocking? That statistic is the same inside the Church as it is outside. How can the Church help these young women with unplanned pregnancies?In this episode of Church InTension, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Embrace Grace founder, Amy Ford, about how churches can bring this once taboo subject out in the open and reach an unseen group within their communities. 

The Church and Unexpected Pregnancy

Theological training is becoming less relevant to the Church, and that's a problem. In much of today's church culture, strong leadership traits and skills have replaced education and sound theology. The truth is, there's a balance that must be achieved, and the answer might be found higher education. In this week's episode of Church InTension, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Dr. Dan Call about the disconnect between the Church and higher education.

Why Pastors Need Higher Education

A worship pastor is more than a song leader. What are the tensions a worship pastor experiences? How does a worship pastor do his job effectively, while submitting to the leadership of a senior pastor?In this episode of the Church InTension podcast, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Gateway Worship pastor and 4Him founding member Mark Harris about how to steward the role of the worship pastor in a local church.churchintension.com

The Tension of Being a Worship Pastor

What are the tell-tale signs that you're working with a narcissistic leader? Have you ever been hurt by one? Is it possible you could be one?In this episode of the Church InTension podcast, The King's University President, Dr. Jon Chasteen, and Dr. Cassie Reid (director of The King's University's Master of Marriage and Family Therapy degree) discuss this fascinating topic with prolific author and narcissism expert Dr. Chuck DeGroat.churchintension.com

How to Deal with a Narcissistic Leader

Diffusing anxiety is one of the biggest challenges leaders face—especially their own. In this episode of the Church InTension podcast, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Steve Cuss, a leadership anxiety expert who helps coach leaders on addressing anxiety in themselves and their teams.The Church InTension podcast is a place to have healthy conversations about areas of tension and the intentions of the Church. Hosted by Dr. Jon Chasteen and powered by The King's University and Gateway Church.churchintension.com

How to Address Leadership Anxiety

The future of the Church looks different in 2020 than anyone could have expected. Pastors must take new and innovative approaches to stay connected with and relate to their communities. Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Garrett Booth and Ethan Fisher, both senior pastors in Houston, Texas, about what it means to be a successful church.   Garrett Booth is the senior pastor of Grace Church in Houston where he and his wife both pastor. He also earned his Master’s degree from The King’s University. Ethan Fisher is the senior pastor of Gateway Church in Houston, which is a church planted by Gateway Church in Southlake. He and his wife both pastor there as well. The Church InTension podcast is a place to have healthy conversations about areas of tension and the intentions of the Church. Hosted by Dr. Jon Chasteen and powered by The King's University and Gateway Church. churchintension.com

Leading a Church in Uncertain Times

Studies show that church attendance was dwindling in recent years, then COVID hit. Pastor Jimmy Witcher of Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo, Texas,has seized the opportunity to makesignificant changes that he and his team have consideredfor years. In this episode, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Jimmy Witcher about the new things Trinity is doing and how churches everywhere can adapt to a post-COVID culture.  Jimmy Witcher is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Fellowship in Amarillo, Texas. He has a background in business where he gained extensive leadership experience while managing product development, international sales, and corporate marketing. He’s been a CEO, a COO, and a pastor. He and his wife, Kim, have been married for more than 30 years and have three children. Connect with Jimmy Witcher:Instagram: @jimmywitcher About Church InTension:The Church InTension podcast is a place to have healthy conversations about areas of tension and the intentions of the Church. Hosted by Dr. Jon Chasteen and powered by The King's University and Gateway Church.churchintension.com

How Can the Church Adapt to a Post-COVID Culture?

Sometimes when you’re doing what you love, and doing it successfully, you are entrusted with more responsibility. That often means laying down things you love. Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Gateway Church Executive Ministry Pastor, Thomas Miller about giving up his longtime job as head of Gateway Worship to take on a bigger role.Thomas Miller is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and pastor overseeing Gateway Worship, Gateway Create Publishing, The Blessed Life TV, and Gateway Conference at Gateway Church. Connect with Thomas Miller:Twitter, Instagram: @thomasgateway About Church InTension:The Church InTension podcast is a place to have healthy conversations about areas of tension and the intentions of the Church. Hosted by Dr. Jon Chasteen and powered by The King's University and Gateway Church.churchintension.com

When Your Role In Ministry Changes

The tension surrounding racism in America has reached a breaking point. This episode of Church InTension is a little different from previous episodes. Dr. Kenneth Ulmer, the former President of the King’s University in Los Angeles, hosted a round table with church leaders including Dr. Jon Chasteen, Rick Warren, and Chris Hodges to talk about how the Church can partner with God to stand against systematic racism.  About Church InTension:The Church InTension podcast is a place to have healthy conversations about areas of tension and the intentions of the Church. Hosted by Dr. Jon Chasteen and powered by The King's University and Gateway Church.churchintension.com

A Healthy Conversation About Racism

Homosexuality has often been a sensitive subject for the Church, but Pastor Landon Schott approaches the topic with confidence and grace. In this episode of Church InTension, Dr. Jon Chasteen talks with Pastor Landon about his book Gay Awareness and how churches and church leaders should engage the LGBT community.  Landon Schott is the lead pastor of Mercy Culture, a church in Fort Worth. He’s the author of the books Jezebel: The Witch Is Back and Gay Awareness. He and his wife, Heather, have three children, and Mercy Culture is growing quickly.

The Church and the LGBT Community

The Church InTension podcast is a place to have healthy conversations about areas of tension and the intentions of the Church. Hosted by Dr. Jon Chasteen and powered by The King's University and Gateway Church.

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Church InTension

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