The Leadership Community Podcast

James Shepherd: Establishing a Fresh Vision

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we talk to James Shepherd, Lead Pastor of City Church in Newcastle, UK.
The transition story of City Church was part of a previous Podcast episode with Ian Galloway, and we continue this with James, as he shares part of his experience of that transition journey.
We talked about:
His journey into the senior leadership role
Vision formation & the process before presenting it to the Church
How to honour the past while looking to the future
Prioritising the right things at the right time
What he is excited about at the moment for the Church
Check out City Church here
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please leave a review as well.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Chris Denham: Lessons Learned From 30 Years of Leadership

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we talk to Chris Denham, Pastor of C3 Life in Leeds, UK.
We get Chris talking about his 30 years of leadership, from starting as a University Ministry Leader to the role he now has as the Senior Pastor of C3 Life.
These conversations are always full of lived-out wisdom, helpful for any leader in whatever context we might find ourselves in.
 
We talked about:
How he has changed as a leader over the past 30 years
What he would tell his younger self
How the Law of the Lid is still impacting him today
Navigating leadership challenges
Leading a multi-site Church
Check out C3 Life here
Follow Chris here
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please leave a review as well.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Phil Knox: Misional Trends for 2026

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we talk to Phil Knox, Evangelism and Missiology Senior Specialist at The Evangelical Alliance.
We talk with Phil about each of the Missional Trends for 2026, which are drawn from the latest research, listening to EA members and observing the missional landscape.
You can read the report here https://www.eauk.org/what-we-do/initiatives/missional-trends-2026
We talk through each trend, allowing Phil to share stories and help us as leaders in our own context know how to make the most of the moment we find ourselves in.
Check out the Trends below:
Look out for the spiritually open: 2026 will be the most spiritually open year in living memory. 
Look out for the unexplained: 2026 will see spiritual experiences, dreams and unexplained events drawing thousands to church. 
Look out for the gospel opportunities: 2026 will see the church needing to better join the dots between compassion ministry and faith sharing.
Look out for booming Bible engagement: 2026 will see Bible sales continue to soar, with seekers turning up to church having done their theological research. 
Look out for discipleship questions and challenges: 2026 will see more people come to faith through new pathways, so good answers about what’s next in their discipleship journey will be essential. 
 
You can follow Phil on Instagram @mrphilknox
Check out the work of The Evangelical Alliance
He is also an author ~ Good News People ~ get your copy here
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please leave a review as well.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Stu Otten: Leading Through Trauma

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we talk to Stu Otten about Leading Through Trauma.
 
Stu shares his story of how he was brought up in a Christian home, bullied at school, and through circumstances that he explains, got into criminality, violent and aggressive criminal activity
 
Yet through it all, he held onto some kind of belief in God, and it was anger at a sign for a church on the side of a hotel that led to a Holy Spirit God encounter, which turned his life around completely.
 
Stu has 3 decades of experience as a senior leader in social work, Churches, pastoral care, criminal justice, and the charitable sector. He is passionate about sharing his own lived experience of change from criminality as a young man, now focused on supporting others, and using his expertise to train and consult with leaders.
 
Stu is an author; his book The Switch is based on his past, while working within the British criminal world. You can read as the hero battles through, fighting to literally survive and keep his integrity while living in a world of violence and drugs.
Go to sjotten.com for more details or to connect with Stu directly.
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please leave a review as well.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Jamie Daniels: Bi-Vocational Ministry

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we talk to Pastor Jamie Daniels about 'Bi-Vocational Ministry'.
Jamie is the Pastor of County Durham CLC and also the Director of the Growing Leaders programme at Cranmer Hall, Durham University.
Having two jobs doesn't make Jamie unique from a ministry perspective, but it was helpful to discuss what it is like to lead in this way.
Jamie shares his leadership story before we get into talking about:
The benefits of being a bi-vocational leader
Leading others well
Navigating the tension of multiple roles
What success looks like for him as a leader
 
You may also be a bi-vocational leader. We would love to hear from you. Let us know what you think about this conversation, and what thoughts you might add to the ones that Jamie brings.
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. Please leave a review as well.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Dave Brackenridge: Being a Successful Leader

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we talk to Pastor Dave Brackenridge about what it looks like to 'Be a Successful Leader'.
Dave is the Pastor of Home Church, Scotland, and also the Director of British Youth for Christ.
During our conversation, we focus on:
Dave's story and what being a leader has cost him personally
The importance of culture over vision
The challenge of leading locally and nationally
Whether we are facing a leadership crisis
We cannot guarantee that you will agree with everything Dave shares, but we guarantee you will be inspired and challenged by it.
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. And please, if you can, leave a review too.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Paul Benger: How To Series: How To Activate The Gifts of The Spirit

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we welcome back Ps Paul Benger for a conversation as part of our 'How To Series'.
Jonny talks to Paul about How To Activate The Gifts of the Spirit in the Local Church.
We believe this is a much-needed conversation, as God has given each of us gifts for use within the church and in everyday life. Enjoy listening to Paul as he talks through his thoughts on this topic.
You can also buy his new book, 'Empowered: Discovering and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts' ~ available on Amazon or wherever you buy your books.
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. And please, if you can, leave a review too.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Jonny & Julian: How To Series: How To Run An Effective Sunday Service

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, our co-hosts Jonny & Julian continue the How To Series with a conversation on How To Have An Effective Sunday Service.
They unpack 4 principles:
Excellence Through Consistency
Everything Communicates
Design Sunday Services for God, Christians and Guests (In That Order)
Small Changes, Big Impact
 
Listen as they explain what these principles mean and share comments, ideas, and thoughts from their own experiences on how they impact them every Sunday.
You can follow Jonny & Julian on Instagram
@julianclark__ 
@jonathandclarke
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. And please, if you can, leave a review too.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Rachel Mawston: How to Series: How to Be a Spirit-Led Leader

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we are in conversation with Rachel Mawston and continue our How to Series as we talk about being a Spirit-led leader.
 
Rachel is a speaker, author, leader and coach. She is passionate about helping women find their voice. Find out more by following her on Instagram @rachelmawston
 
We talked about what a Holy Spirit-led leader looks like, and what she does each day to be that kind of leader.
Rachel gives lots of practical advice to help us lead this way, including the idea of monitoring the health of what she and her husband Steve call their RPMs ~ the Relational, Physical and Spiritual aspects of life.
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. And please, if you can, leave a review too.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__ 

Gavin Calver: How To Series: How to Reach The UK

Welcome to the Leadership Community Podcast.
 
In today's episode, we are in conversation with Gavin Calver, CEO of The Evangelical Alliance, who has been in this role for 6 years.
 
The Evangelical Alliance is made up of hundreds of organisations, thousands of churches and tens of thousands of individuals, joined together for the sake of the gospel. You can find out more about them at eauk.org
 
Gavin worked for Youth for Christ for 14 years and was the National Director of YFC for 7 years before joining the Evangelical Alliance team.
 
Our conversation was focused on ‘How to Reach the UK’, and is part of our new How to series.
 
You will hear Gavin talk about how 2025 felt like things had changed; instead of other years, which had been difficult, 2025 felt like he had the wind at his back. There is an awakening, and incredible stories are being told of people coming to Christ who never thought they would come to Christ.
 
We talked more about this and how churches can position themselves to make the most of the moment we find ourselves in. You are going to love this conversation.
 
Thank you for being a part of our community. We look forward to sharing more leadership insights with you in the future!
 
Don't forget to like & subscribe so you never miss an episode. And please, if you can, leave a review too.
 
Come & follow us on social media too @theleadershipcommunity__