The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast

In this inaugural episode of Required Listening, Carey talks to Gordon MacDonald. For his 80th birthday, Gordon MacDonald wrote down the 15 leadership and life lessons he's learned so far.
He unpacks all of them here: how to stop cheating the people closest to you, how to survive doubt and obscurity, why you reinvent your interior life every decade, and how to ask the questions that open a heart.
🔗   Show Notes
🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!
🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet
🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy
🎥 Watch on YouTube
Follow @careynieuwhof
❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life. 
Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes
AI AND THE FUTURE CHURCH
I'm releasing a new book this September called AI and the Future Church, a pastoral playbook for leading your church through the biggest disruption of our lifetime. Pre-order it now at aifuture.church, on Amazon, or wherever you buy books.
 BRUSHFIRE
Brushfire has been helping churches manage registrations, check-in, communication, and reporting for over 20 years, all in one easy-to-use platform. Save by visiting brushfire.com/Carey.
ALPHA 
Alpha is a free resource that gives your church a step-by-step guide to host conversations where people can explore Christian faith together over a meal, no pressure. Download your free 3-Step Launch Plan at alphausa.org/carey.

Father Ron Rolheiser has thought longer and harder about grief, aging, leadership, bitterness, and surrender than almost anyone alive.
John Mark Comer joins me to co-interview him on what ministry actually costs, why so many leaders end up bitter, and what it looks like to give your life away before it's taken from you.
🔗   Show Notes
🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!
🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet
🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy
🎥 Watch on YouTube
Follow @careynieuwhof
❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life. 
Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes
ART OF PREACHING
If you're still writing your sermon Saturday night and replaying the mistakes Monday morning, The Art of Preaching is for you. It's a step-by-step course that's helped over 3,500 preachers write and deliver messages that land. Until July 15th, grab it for fifty dollars off at theartofpreachingcourse.com.
VISITOR REACH
Use the free Digital Health Assessment to see how many people are searching 'church near me' in your area.
Visit VisitorReach.com/Carey to get your free assessment or book a demo.
GLOO
Gloo is the technology platform for the faith and flourishing ecosystem. They exist to serve the people who serve others. 
They do two things really well: they handle your technology, and they help you find and connect with people.
If you're a church or a nonprofit or a ministry and you're tired of spinning plates, go to gloo.com/grow

John Ortberg has spent decades leading churches, writing books, and teaching leaders. But every leader has parts of the job they're not naturally good at. In this conversation, John opens up about pain in leadership, what it's like to be an introvert in ministry, and how to handle the work you'd rather avoid.
🔗   Show Notes
🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!
🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet
🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy
🎥 Watch on YouTube
Follow @careynieuwhof
❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life. 
Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes
ART OF PREACHING
If you're still writing your sermon Saturday night and replaying the mistakes Monday morning, The Art of Preaching is for you. It's a step-by-step course that's helped over 3,500 preachers write and deliver messages that land. Until July 15th, grab it for fifty dollars off at theartofpreachingcourse.com.
FREE WHEELCHAIR MISSION
80 million people with disabilities in developing countries can't get to work, school, or church because they have no way to move. Free Wheelchair Mission provides durable wheelchairs completely free to recipients across 95 countries.
For about $100, you can give someone their independence back.
Visit https://freewheelchairmission.org

Matt Chandler doesn't pull punches. The lead pastor of The Village Church joins Carey to talk about why wearing a cape doesn't help anyone, the death of secularism, and why the church is all wood and no fire.
Matt also opens up about the moment he almost quit, what Spurgeon taught him about suffering, and why he stopped neglecting the Holy Spirit.
🔗   Show Notes
🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!
🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet
🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy
🎥 Watch on YouTube
Follow @careynieuwhof
❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life. 
Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes
ART OF PREACHING
If you're still writing your sermon Saturday night and replaying the mistakes Monday morning, The Art of Preaching is for you. It's a step-by-step course that's helped over 3,500 preachers write and deliver messages that land. Until July 15th, grab it for fifty dollars off at theartofpreachingcourse.com.
BELAY
BELAY gives you U.S.-based assistant or accounting support tailored to your church so you can lead instead of manage. Text CAREY to 55123 for a free copy of The Freedom Framework.
RIGHT NOW MEDIA
God's Kids from Right Now Media is a brand-new elementary and preschool curriculum launching this fall. Head to RightNowKids.org/access to schedule a free demo.

Networking feels fake because most people do it wrong. Michael Bungay Stanier has a better way. In this conversation, MBS breaks down how to connect without the cringe, the seven questions you need to ask to run 1:1s that actually matter, and build a career path nobody handed you.
Plus: a deep dive into self-publishing and viral marketing.
🔗   Show Notes
🤖 AI and the Future Church - NEW BOOK!
🗣️ Preaching Cheat Sheet
🧠 The Art of Leadership Academy
🎥 Watch on YouTube
Follow @careynieuwhof
❗️Connect with other podcast listeners about each episode of my podcast, including me. You'll get exclusive insights by asking questions, sharing insights, and learning how others are applying the content in real life. 
Join for free: https://careynieuwhof.com/shownotes
SERMON PREP CHALLENGE
July 7th through 9th, my team and I are running a free three-day challenge to help you get two weeks ahead on your sermon prep. There's a one-hour call each day, and if you stick with it, by Thursday you'll have a two-week buffer built in. It's free.
Sign up at careynieuwhof.com/sermonprep.
MINISTRY BRANDS
Get the 2026 Annual Church Giving Report from Ministry Brands.
This free report breaks down the latest trends in church generosity, digital giving, donor behavior, and financial engagement — all designed to help church leaders make smarter decisions in a changing ministry landscape.
ministrybrands.com/carey
CHURCH SALARY
Trying to figure out what to pay your team fairly? Church Salary gives you personalized compensation recommendations built on the largest church-specific salary database in the world. Head to ChurchSalary.com/carey.