Todd Rhoades

I help church leaders hire well, stay healthy, and not lose their minds. Publisher, Church Leadership Radar (free daily email). 30+ yrs in ministry.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

I read 50+ church leadership articles, newsletters, and podcasts every week so you don't have to.

Every weekday morning I send the 3-5 things church leaders actually need to know — no fluff, no takes-for-the-sake-of-takes, no "subscribe to my course" nonsense.

Just what's happening in the church world and what to do about it.

It's free.

Subscribe: https://t.co/zgqDDGCfM0

(Then come back here and tell me what I got wrong — I read every reply.)

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Sunday sneaks up on pastors the way Monday sneaks up on everyone else.

It's Friday.

Somewhere right now:

A senior pastor is staring at a half-written sermon thinking "wait, that's in 48 hours?"

The worship pastor's vocalist just texted that she's got strep.

The kids pastor is one volunteer short for the 2s and 3s.

The XP is running the giving numbers and hoping they hold.

Somebody's spouse is wondering what day of the week you last had a full conversation.

You might need to hear this today. So let me say it...

This Sunday, somebody is going to walk into your building carrying something they haven't told anyone. A marriage quietly falling apart. A diagnosis nobody knows about. A teenager they can't reach. A faith that's gone quiet.

They'll sit near the back. They won't fill out a card. They won't introduce themselves.

But a song is going to crack something open. A line in your sermon is going to hit exactly where they needed it. A greeter is going to look them in the eye like they actually matter.

And ten years from now they'll point to this Sunday as the one that changed everything.

You won't know. You'll never hear the story. You might not even remember you were there.

That's why you do what you do.

Keep going.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Many church senior pastor searches take 14 months. The average corporate CEO search takes 4.

Before you blame the candidate pool entirely (and that can be legitimate according to exactly what you're looking for), look at what your search committee is doing with the extra 10 months.

Most of it isn't interviewing. It's scheduling. Arguing.

Waiting for Bob to come back from vacation.

Reading one more resume the chairman's cousin sent over.

Praying about whether to pray about it again.

Meanwhile the candidates you actually want have other options. Strong ministry leaders are getting three to five inquiries a year from other churches. They aren't sitting by the phone for you.

By month six, your top three have moved on. By month nine, you're interviewing tier two. By month twelve, you're considering tier three and telling yourselves the Spirit led you there.

A fast process isn't a careless one. It means the committee meets weekly instead of monthly. The senior leader is in the room every meeting, not briefed afterward. A candidate moves from first call to offer in 60 days, not 300.

According to your search parameters, finding the right candidate may take longer than you anticipated (in fact, we tell people to plan on 3x longer than you think it will take). That's ok. But once you find a great candidate, be sure your process can process. :)

Stuck? Happy to chat.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

@budapp Sure, I'd love to give it a spin!

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Hiring is up almost everywhere.

Healthcare added 76,000 jobs in March. Construction grew. Warehousing grew. U.S. employers across the board are adding people to payroll.

Walk into any church staffing meeting and you hear the opposite story: "We just can't find anyone."

Both things are true. Only one of them is actually a candidate problem.

Here's what we see every week at Chemistry Staffing. And a lot of times it's a big part of the problem.

A church posts a "worship pastor" role that's really four jobs stacked on top of each other. Lead worship Sunday morning. Direct the choir. Run tech and livestream. Manage social media for the whole church. Salary: $48,000.

In the broader market, one experienced worship leader plus one tech director plus one social media manager costs you close to $150K combined. Candidates looking at your posting can do that math in about ten seconds.

They skip it.

You get whoever's left. Then you call the pool shallow.

The market has the candidates. And yes, they are harder to find these days. But your posting has three jobs mashed into one for half the money.

Rewrite the description. Repost it. That will get you started.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

This is so true but it's not just that relationships drive the rural church; they also drive the larger churches as well. Just maybe not at the grassroots level, but larger churches that often get in trouble many times isolate their leadership and constrict relationships. That often sets up a disconnect and an eventual fall in leadership.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

We work with churches to help them hire great pastors, and here's where this gets tested: the candidate you didn't pick. The staff member you let go. The reference call you made last week. Tone and posture show up there. Usually where churches fall short of what they preach. Great reminder, Andy.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

@LifewayResearch Self-reports always run higher than actual behavior. But even at face value, the data I'd want to see next: does the 69% hold up among church staff specifically? From our hiring conversations, the gap between staff and congregants is real.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Fifteen years is where the compounding shows up. In our recruiting work, the churches with the healthiest staff cultures are almost always led by someone who's been in the seat 10+ years. Returning families are the most visible sign of something that's been growing underground for years. Begg's right.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Working Genius COO Cody Thompson says it plain: burnout isn't about how much work you have. It's about the TYPE of work you're doing.

That's not a productivity tip. That's a liberation.

The pastor who's exhausted every Tuesday isn't lazy. They're in the wrong seat doing the wrong kind of work. Their calendar says "admin." Their wiring says "shepherd." No time-blocking system fixes that.

If your best staff member is always tired and your weakest staff member is always fine, you may have a role-fit problem you've been calling a work-ethic problem.

Fix the seat. The fatigue changes.

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Budget cuts can reveal your true beliefs about stewardship and faith. How you handle financial challenges will shape your team’s trust in your leadership. Are you ready to lead through it? Find insights here: https://t.co/bsZForg0tQ

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Your church’s future isn't determined by your bank account; it’s determined by your leadership in difficult seasons. How are you demonstrating strong leadership during financial challenges? Find insights here: https://t.co/5hxiCQfQRt

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Separate the sacred from the sentimental. What must continue for your church to fulfill its mission, and what can be sacrificed? This could change your perspective on budget cuts. Learn more: https://t.co/5hxiCQfQRt

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Separate what’s sacred from what’s sentimental. Focus on what’s essential to fulfill your mission, not just what you love. This shift can change your perspective on budget cuts. Learn more: https://t.co/bsZForg0tQ

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Be transparent with your team during budget cuts. Don’t make cuts in secret—communicate openly about what you know and what’s to come. Why is transparency so important? Explore here: https://t.co/5hxiCQfQRt

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Be transparent with your team during financial setbacks. Open communication is crucial in tough times, so keep your staff in the loop. Agree or disagree with this approach? Explore the conversation here: https://t.co/bsZForg0tQ

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Avoid the panic response when facing budget cuts. Your team can sense fear, and it can harm morale. How are you preparing to lead during tough financial times? Let's discuss: https://t.co/5hxiCQfQRt

[Todd Rhoades @toddrhoades]

Don't fall into panic mode when facing budget cuts. Your team can smell fear from a mile away, and it can destroy morale. What strategies do you use to maintain calm in crisis? Let’s discuss: https://t.co/bsZForg0tQ