Craft & Character

Erwin McManus has spent decades honing his skill as a communicator, at Mosaic (the church he founded in Hollywood, CA), at conferences around the world, and in living rooms filled with a handful of friends. Wherever he goes一even in places where he doesn’t speak the native language一he’s able to communicate in a profound way. Why? Erwin explains to Steve Carter that it’s all about “frequencies,” a concept he unpacks in his recent MasterClass titled “The Art of Communication.” Frequencies are the key to understanding your own voice, as well as intuitively sensing the needs of your audience in real-time. Until you develop this awareness of self and listener, you’re likely to communicate as ineffectively as “the loneliest whale in the world.” Want to know what that means? Listen to the episode! EPISODE LINKS Erwin’s books: The Genius of Jesus, The Last Arrow His masterclass: The Art of Communication Website: thegeniusof.com Church: Mosaic @erwinmcmanus @steveryancarter @craft_character

This episode is packed with insights from Luke Norsworthy, pastor of Westover Hills Church in Austin, Texas, and author of God Over Good and Befriending Your Monsters. His conversation with Steve Carter meanders through all sorts of topics: How to put yourself into sermons without being narcissistic. Why Luke uses a checkmark system to track sermon writing progress. How the sobering but hope-filled journey of an Afghan family is shaping Luke’s church. How Luke receives sermon feedback before Sunday, and why he’s a better preacher because of it. Luke’s final advice? Be grateful every time you preach, regardless of how you feel it went. There will always be another goal to reach, criticism to field, or growth area to explore. For today, be content with where you’re at, trusting grace to carry you wherever you need to go. EPISODE LINKS Luke’s books: God Over Good, Befriending Your Monsters Podcast: Norsworthy Website: www.lukenorsworthy.com His Church: Westover Hills Church @lukeanorsworthy @steveryancarter @craft_character Check out the book that inspired Luke to write 500 words a day: The War of Art

“I can’t do another meeting. I don’t want to preach another sermon. Lord, help me!” Two years into his pastorate, Max Lucado offered this prayer as a last-ditch effort to stay in ministry. God answered him, and now decades later, he’s written a new book that offers hope and wisdom to others feeling burned out and wiped out. The book is called Help Is Here: Finding Fresh Strength and Purpose in the Power of the Holy Spirit. Like all of Max’s writing, this book masterfully tills the hardened soil of the heart, so that more of God’s grace can be sown there. This book calls us to trade independence for Spirit-reliance. It’s a reminder that, because He dwells in us, we never walk alone. The church often struggles with the mysterious nature of the Holy Spirit, but this, says Max, is part of the point: the Spirit can’t be fully explained or contained. He is unpredictable, yet totally dependable. He is the unfailing friend of every saint. He is our helper. That’s good news in our world of unprecedented anxiety. When we receive from the Spirit, not only can our souls be refreshed, but our character can be formed into the people God made us to be. EPISODE LINKS Max newest books: Help Is Here Website: https://maxlucado.com/ Church: oakhillschurch.com @maxlucado @steveryancarter @craft_character

In Christian circles, thinking about yourself is often labeled selfish. Psychologist and theologian Dr. Alison Cook pushes back on this assumption, explaining why caring for yourself is actually the best way to care for others. It’s the oxygen mask principle you always see in airplane safety videos: Put on your own mask so you can assist those around you. With jolting clarity, Dr. Cook debunks the narratives we use to justify self-neglect: We tell ourselves it’s all about them, but actually we just want to be needed. We tell ourselves we’re being sacrificial, but actually we lack healthy boundaries. We tell ourselves they are the problem, but actually we’ve trained them to be codependent. We tell ourselves we must solve every issue, but sometimes it’s ok to walk away. Many of us want to care for ourselves, but years of bad habits have atrophied our self-awareness and self-care. Dr. Cook offers a simple, yet profound model called “the MEPS,” which involves taking a regular inventory of your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual condition. This episode is a must-listen for every preacher, spouse, parent, friend一every human! EPISODE LINKS Dr. Cook’s new book: The Best Of You Other books: Boundaries For Your Soul Dr. Cook’s website. @dralisoncook @steveryancarter @craft_character

In this episode, Steve Carter chops it up with four recipients of the 2022 Preaching Today Biblical Preaching Award: Ryan Roach (Western Seminary, Portland, OR), Abby Stuckle (George W. Truett Seminary, Baylor, TX), Rachel Koch (Denver Seminary, Denver, CO), and Christian Schmitt (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, MA). This award is given on the basis of faithful biblical exposition, clear and simple structure, creativity, pastoral application to daily life, and urgency in delivery. These students beautifully embody not just the excellence of world-class theological education, but also the humility of Jesus. They tackle some hard-hitting homiletics topics like: How to preach in a multiethnic church. Why preachers should know their passage AND their people well. Why expository preaching is a gift to the preacher and congregation. How to preach in a way your audience can absorb and process. The pros and cons of Haddon Robinson’s legendary “big idea” preaching model. This episode will add tools to your belt as a preacher, while infusing you with hope about the quality of today’s rising expositors. EPISODE LINKS You can read each guest’s award-winning sermon here.

In this special episode of Craft and Character, Steve Carter shares why humility is the key to growing as a preacher一a reflection sparked by a conversation he had with Nancy Beach. Communicators give many reasons for neglecting their own development, but as 1 Timothy 4:14-15 reveals, honing our craft is a matter of stewardship, not just excellence. Steve gives three practical ways to embrace humility and grow as a preacher: Development Coaching Feedback This is a timely reminder that, to give ourselves wholly to the task of preaching, we must showcase a relentless consistency to get better each day as people, disciples, and preachers. Don’t forget to sign up for Steve’s epic book giveaway, featuring titles from past guests on the show! EPISODE LINKS Steve’s books: The Thing Beneath the Thing, This Invitational Life Website: stevecarter.org Church: forestcitychurch.com Preaching Cohorts: theascentleader.org @steveryancarter @craft_character

Like many of us, Jay Kim often feels that involuntary urge to reach for his phone. As the lead pastor at Westgate Church in San Jose, CA, he knows firsthand that modern people crave guidance for using devices well. Jay’s new book, Analog Christian, explains how Christians can respond to the values of the digital world一not by abandoning technology一but by faithfully stewarding it. Jay also shares with Steve Carter some valuable leadership practices, like pausing email while he’s on vacation, resisting the pressure to respond to every headline immediately, and honestly admitting when he needs more time to hear from God. He paints a practical and compelling picture of life that’s peaceful, not frenetic一intentional, not aimless. And in our overstimulated world, that’s a vision we desperately need. EPISODE LINKS Jay’s new book: Analog Christian Jay’s other book: Analog Church Website: jaykimthinks.com Church: Westgate Church @jaykimthinks @steveryancarter @craft_character

“Ken, if the ship sinks now, everyone will blame you.” It wasn’t the ideal pep talk for a pastor in his first few days on the job, especially at a church that had gone through 20 pastors in 20 years. But when someone spoke those words to Ken Shigematsu, he stuck it out. 25 years later, he’s still leading Tenth Church in Vancouver, Canada. Steve Carter asks about his sermon prep process, and Ken explains how a tidbit from preaching legend Haddon Robinson transformed his method from anxiety-laden to prayerful一from crammed to creative. Ken shares why he’s thankful for his Japanese heritage, and how he’s learned to surrender outcomes to God through Father Thomas Keating’s “The Welcoming Prayer,” and practicing sabbath. He also uses an app called Centering Prayer that pings him throughout the day, reminding him to receive from God, not just achieve for God. EPISODE LINKS Ken’s books: Survival Guide for the Soul, God In My Everything Church: https://www.tenth.ca @KenShigematsu @steveryancarter @craft_character

The modern world is a relentless waterfall of information一sound bytes and images flood our minds and trouble our hearts. Enter Jeanne Stevens, whose recent book, What’s Here Now?, unpacks the power of presence and how it offers peace so many ache for in our frenzied age. Steve Carter asks Jeanne to unpack her book’s punchy tagline: How to stop rehashing the past, and rehearsing the future, and start receiving the present. Presence begins with an awareness of your body, emotions, and thoughts一aspects of our God-created existence that have been neglected in the church. Jeanne also shares some preparation hacks she’s honed through the years: the vital role of eliminating content, how to speak to the soul, the urgency to touch on tension in the first five minutes of a talk, and how to share stories that showcase her humanity rather than airbrush it. EPISODE LINKS Jeanne’s book: What’s Here Now? Website: jeannestevens.com Church: soulcitychurch.com @jeannestevens

Nick Hall’s mission is to raise up the next generation of evangelists. In our anxiety-filled age, Nick boldly models how the gospel offers the exact hope and comfort the world craves. His voice is prophetically challenging一pointing out the ease with which apathy creeps into the church. But he’s also relentlessly hopeful that God is stirring the next generation to share Jesus and transform the world. Steve Carter talks with Nick about the upcoming Together ‘22 conference, which seeks to empower the next generation of Christians to make Jesus known. Significantly, it will take place on the 50th anniversary of Explo ‘72一a historic evangelistic conference that transformed the lives of many people in Nick’s life, including his dad. Nick’s call to evangelism is bursting with zeal, yet rooted in reality. He says the goal is not arrival, but growth: all of us can take the next step in obedience. By God’s grace, the character of our lives will open people’s hearts to the gospel on our lips. EPISODE LINKS Hall’s book: Reset: Jesus Changes Everything Website: https://pulse.org/ Register for Together ‘22 here. @nickhallpulse @pulse.movement @steveryancarter @craft_character

In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Nancy Beach and her daughter Samantha Beach Kiley一two women humbly modeling what it looks like to lead the church in a skeptical age. They are both pastors, leaders, and champions of the local church. Steve unpacks a recent sermon Samantha delivered at Church on Morgan in Raleigh, NC and the way she writes her messages with such verbal precision. Nancy and Samantha love the local church and they spend time unpacking how they would debrief moments in a service or sermon around the kitchen island most weekends. Their forthcoming book, which they co-authored, looks honestly at issues plaguing the church: racism, patriarchy, exclusivity, abuse, and unchecked power. In light of these sobering realities, Nancy and Samantha are hopeful about the future of the church and fiercely committed to seeing it thrive. This conversation showcases the beautiful dynamic of a mother and daughter partnering in life and ministry一and also what it looks like when a veteran leader champions the next generation. EPISODE LINKS Nancy and Samantha’s book: Next Sunday: An Honest Dialogue About the Future of the Church Website: nancylbeach.com @NancyLBeach @SamanthaBeachk @steveryancarter @craft_character

Annie F. Downs hosts a podcast called That Sounds Fun一a title which captures the contagious joy emanating from everything she does. Her content travels the globe through speaking tours, books, and podcasts, but her most cherished role is serving on the teaching team at Cross Point Church in Nashville. Her rootedness in this local community keeps her grounded, accountable, and reflects her heart to prioritize people over platform. For any communicator who struggles against the time clock, or who gets overwhelmed by everything they want to say, Annie helpfully explains her process of elimination when crafting a talk. As a traveling speaker challenged to meet fluctuating time limits, she prepares 30, 45, and 60-minute versions for all her major messages. She also practices out loud, often in front of a football or baseball game on her TV. Steve Carter and Annie also reflect on the important voice of women in the church, and how she winsomely navigates the tensions facing female preachers today. They end with a discussion on the four Gospels and how they’ve been transformative in Annie’s life in the past few years. EPISODE LINKS Annie’s books: That Sounds Fun, Remember God, 100 Days to Brave, Looking for Lovely Cross Point Church: crosspoint.tv www.anniefdowns.com @anniefdowns @steveryancarter @craft_character

Ever deliver a message—from the pulpit or in a meeting—that excited some but bored others? Why is the response in the room a mixed bag? Sean Palmer, teaching pastor at Ecclesia in Houston, TX, shares an Enneagram-informed strategy that helps him answer the one question plaguing communicators: How do I reach my entire audience? Sean explains to Steve Carter, how every person has three intelligence centers: thinking, feeling, and doing. We need to understand the demographic of our people to transform the effectiveness of our pulpits. While statistics are helpful, Sean doesn’t reduce effective communication to crunching numbers. As he says, spending time with people, and listening to them deeply, is indispensable to crafting a powerful message. EPISODE LINKS Sean’s books: Forty Days On Being a Three, Speaking By the Numbers, Unarmed Empire Ecclesia Church www.seanisaacpalmer.com @seanisaacpalmer @steveryancarter @craft_character

Jonathan Pokluda believes that good teachers are exceptional listeners. As the lead pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, TX, he’s intentional about checking the pulse of his people. Every Friday he hosts a Q&A session on Instagram Live, often with his wife and kids in the car. Of the 2,000-ish questions that pour in weekly, he tackles 50-100 of them. Inquiries come from people of all ages一boomers to Gen Z, and span all topics: sex, marriage, faith, divorce, friendship, you name it. At 3 pm every Thursday, a small group of people from his church listen to his full sermon, then offer honest feedback. Jonathan’s humility to listen fuels his courage to speak on raw issues, like his recent series: The 7 Deadly Sins of Suburbia. Underneath his creative teaching approach to framing a talk is a 7-part outline, which he unpacks with Steve Carter in this episode: Image Subject Need Preview Text Summary Conclusion EPISODE LINKS Jonathan’s books: Outdated, Welcome to Adulting, Welcoming the Future Church Harris Creek Baptist Church: www.harriscreek.org jonathanpokluda.com @jpokluda @harriscreek @steveryancarter @craft_character

What Bible verse did Buzz Aldrin take to outer space? What was the first meal eaten on the moon? What do space travel and the Christian life have in common? In this fascinating conversation, Steve Carter interviews Levi Lusko, the founder and lead pastor of Fresh Life Church, located in Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Utah and everywhere online, about his new book, The Last Supper on the Moon, which plays off NASA’s 1969 lunar voyage to draw powerful principles about what it means to follow Jesus. Sometimes we need to hear age-old truths in a new way, which is arguably Levi’s forte. Whether curating a user-friendly digital livestream, or requiring all church employees to read a Michelin-rated restaurateur's manual on hospitality, Fresh Life Church is leading the way in engaging our cultural moment. At the core of his sermon prep and writing is a practice Levi calls “collect and connect,” which is a relentless quest to learn, catalog stories and ideas, then use them as illustrations. He also shares how suffering has shaped him as a pastor, and how something as simple as taking a deep breath can be instrumental in cultivating character. Episode Links Levi’s newest book: The Last Supper on the Moon His kids devotional: Roar Like a Lion Fresh Life Church levilusko.com @levilusko @freshlife @steveryancarter

For Albert Tate, a sermon isn’t about words streaming from your mouth, but truths running through your life. He explains how the best sermons start in the head, move to the heart, then lodge in your gut一until the Spirit grips you with conviction, you aren’t actually preaching yet. A cursory glance at Tate’s dynamic teaching reveals not only a willingness to say hard things, but to preach them to himself first. Steve Carter interviews Tate about his forthcoming book, How We Love Matters: A Call To Relentless Racial Reconciliation. With his trademark blend of creativity and conviction, Tate tackles a culturally contentious issue, building off his upbringing in Mississippi and decades of church ministry in Southern California. He views the Table as utterly transformative一a place where, like Jesus, we sit with people drastically different than ourselves. When we learn to listen well, we learn to love well. Episode Links Preorder his new book: How We Love Matters Read Albert’s chapter in a book on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr His church: Fellowship Monrovia alberttate.com

Whether in his books or live talks, Bob Goff seems to have ten lifetimes worth of stories. He has an uncanny knack for putting himself in unlikely places with unlikely people. He talks to dozens of strangers every week, because he listed his cell phone number in the back of his New York Times bestselling book, Love Does. He teaches classes at Pepperdine University and San Quentin State Prison. After the Taliban took control of major cities in Afghanistan in 2021, Bob called them to ask if they would allow women to return to a school he helped launch there. They said yes. Steve Carter talks with Bob about his forthcoming book, Undistracted一a manual for navigating life with purpose and passion. As always, Steve chops it up with Bob about how to put together a talk. They discuss how to spark action in people’s lives, rather than spoon-feeding an audience prepackaged to-do’s. The thread running through this whole conversation is Galatians 5:6, a verse that could easily serve as Bob’s mantra: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Episode Links Bob’s website The Oaks Retreat Center Bob’s books: Love Does, Everybody Always, Dream Big Preorder his new book: Undistracted

Few aspects of Joby Martin’s ministry journey have been predictable. His first sermon was an impromptu talk at a youth camp, thanks to a coach who believed in him and tossed him into the deep end. He planted a church almost without realizing it. On Mondays he prepares sermons while hunting, tucked away in the woods, or poised quietly in a tree stand. He rarely plans sermon illustrations beforehand一they just sort of come to him in the moment. Through the ups and downs of 20+ years as a pastor, now as the pastor of The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, the gospel of grace has kept him buoyant and grateful. Steve Carter draws out the hacks and habits Joby has refined through the years, including the storytelling culture Joby grew up in and how it informs his preaching, the necessity of humility, how to map out a preaching series that’s culturally engaging and biblically robust, and the habits that enable pastors to finish well. They also chat about Joby’s new book and it’s central thesis: “If the tomb is empty一then anything is possible.” Episode Links The Church of Eleven22 If the Tomb Is Empty: Why the Resurrection Means Anything is Possible by Joby Martin If the Tomb is Empty Study Guide by Joby Martin @jobymartin @steveryancarter @craft_character

“We are living in times that demand a decision on justice.” In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Historian, Author, and Speaker, Jemar Tisby. Tisby walks listeners through why we have to be pushing people towards the gospel truth, his expansive understanding of what progress looks like, and why the transformation of the heart as people pursue racial justice still gives him hope. He encourages pastors not only on WHY to lead your church well through racial justice, but provides priceless and practical recommendations on HOW to bake racial justice into the core of your culture. Finally, Tisby reminds pastors that as you pursue racial justice, you don’t have to come up with it yourself. If you are ready to proclaim the good news for everyone in your preaching, you won’t be disappointed. Episode Links The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby How To Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby How to Fight Racism: Young Leader’s Edition by Jemar Tisby The Witness Inc White Awake: An Honest Look at What It Means To Be White by Pastor Daniel Hill

In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Pastor, Teacher, and Author, Daniel Grothe. The vow of stability and place is counter cultural. We live in a world of cultural impermanence… and Daniel challenges us with the question, “How is that going for us?” Place matters. Stability matters. You have to fight to stay. “If salvation is going to break into the world, it’s going to be local and personal.” EPISODE LINKS Follow Craft & Character on Instagram: @craftandcharacter Find Daniel at DanielGrothe.com Get Daniel’s New Book: The Power of Place: Choosing Stability in a Rootless Age YouTube: Rev. C L Franklin Sermons

In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter interviews teaching pastor and author of Quest 52 Mark Moore about how to intentionally pursue Jesus. Mark Moore is an NT scholar that has the ability to unpack the person, preaching, power, and passion of Jesus in ways that are wildly accessible. Steve and Mark discuss different passages that Mark writes about in Quest 52, playing off one another, diving deeper into the text to discover what it meant then and what it means for us today. Mark ends the podcast by examining the humility required to pastor today. The lessons learned in this alone are worth the entire episode. Mark joined the staff at Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Peoria, Arizona in July 2012 as a teaching pastor. CCV currently has ten locations and over 35,000 in weekly attendance. Prior to joining the CCV team, Mark was a Professor at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, (1990-2012). Currently, he is an online professor for Ozark, an Adjunct Professor at Hope International University in Fullerton, California, and Haus Edelweiss, Vienna, Austria. Mark is also the author and co-author of many books mostly on the Life of Christ, the book of Acts, and Revelation.

In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter interviews Hope International University President Dr. Paul Alexander about the importance of soul care and his findings in a study he conducted with over 2200 pastors about depression and anxiety in the pastorate. Dr. Alexander is an ordained pastor, licensed therapist, and has a doctorate in organizational leadership. His love for the local church, his compassion for the loneliness from which many pastors suffer, his transparency, and the way in which he walks you through how you can find true rest and care for your soul is deeply refreshing. YouTube link for conversation mentioned by Dr. Alexander: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ8xjkIBlbI Who is Paul Alexander? Paul Alexander is the President of Hope International University in Fullerton, California. Having served as a long-time faculty in the area of Psychology, Paul speaks in churches regularly on anxiety, depression, and leadership. Paul is an ordained pastor as well as a licensed therapist. Paul and Leslie have two adult children and are involved at Eastside Christian Church in Anaheim, California.

In this episode of Craft & Character, preacher and author of How (Not) to Save the World, Hosanna Wong, unpacks how poetry has influenced her preaching. Growing up in San Francisco, Hosanna competed in various underground slam poetry contests and she learned the art of storytelling, the rhythmic patterns within sentences, and how to speak truth using the fewest words possible. She talks candidly about what the transition was like moving from spoken word artist to preaching regularly at her church and around the world.

In this episode, Steve Carter interviews the creator of the Rise And Fall Of Mars Hill Podcast, Mike Cosper, about what he discovered unpacking the Mars Hill story. We discuss which interview from the podcast broke his heart the most, why people are drawn to charisma over character, people’s critiques of the podcast, and what he’s looking for in a preacher and pastor.

In the latest Craft & Character podcast, Steve Carter interviews Pastor and Author Charlie Dawes. Charlie and his team planted Hill City Church in the greater DMV ( DC + Maryland + Virginia) area. Steve and Charlie talk about how prayer plays a crucial part in the sermon prep process. Charlie wrote a fantastic book a few years ago called “Simple Prayer” about learning to speak to God. Charlie speaks candidly about the practice of prayer, not needing to hype up moments but rather how to stay wildly open to the burning bush moments that occur all around us, shaping us and the messages we get to preach. Who is Charlie Dawes? Charlie Dawes pastors Hill City Church in Alexandria, VA. He is the author of Simple Prayer and a loyal Cubs fan that hopes it won’t be another 108 years until the next World Series. He is married to Nicole and they have 3 incredible kids (Caden, Hailey, and Declan).

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character Podcast episode, Steve Carter takes your questions about how to dive deeper into your sermon prep. Steve unpacks how every person tuning into a sermon has an ache and good desires. As communicators, we must keep searching, praying, studying, and marinating to name the ache people are feeling and also how this text can call out good desires within. Every context we speak in has unique strongholds that must be addressed when we preach. In this episode, Steve will help you identify the problem (these three words), name the premise (what the scriptures have to say about it), and articulate the promise (what a person's life will look like if they apply it to their life). Who is Steve Carter? Steve Carter is a pastor, speaker, author, podcaster, and sports enthusiast. He is the author of, The Thing Beneath The Thing. He is the host of the Craft & Character Podcast and also the Home Team Podcast, a weekly show that talks about the intersection of sports, culture, and faith. Steve currently travels all over speaking to congregations and coaching communicators through The Ascent Leader. He resides in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Sarah and their 2 children.

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter interviews author, professor and Christ Church of the Valley Teaching Pastor Mark Moore about the makings of a great talk. Mark explains his process, why he believes he needs to practice preaching a message six times before ever speaking it to an audience and how he has framed talks for students, college classroom, and adult congregation. What Mark shares about the importance of character at the end is worth the whole episode. Who is Mark Moore? Mark joined the staff at Christ’s Church of the Valley (CCV) in Peoria, Arizona in July 2012 as a teaching pastor. CCV currently has eight locations and 28,000 in weekly attendance. Prior to joining the CCV team, Mark was a Professor at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri, (1990-2012). Currently, he is an online professor for Ozark, an Adjunct Professor at Hope International University in Fullerton, California and Haus Edelweiss, Vienna, Austria. Mark is also the author and co-author of many books mostly on the Life of Christ, book of Acts, and Revelation. His 2019 ECPA bestseller book Core 52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Build Your Bible IQ in a Year, helps readers master the 52 of the most important passages in the Bible.

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter interviews author, leader and former senior pastor of Connexus Church Carey Nieuwhof about how to get time, energy and priorities for every preacher working in their favor. Carey speaks candidly about what he learned from burning out and the wisdom he has acquired along the way that will help every single communicator to get out of the stress spiral and live well in the thrive cycle. Who is Carey Nieuwhof? Carey Nieuwhof is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church. Carey’s passion for helping people thrive in life and leadership is evident in his latest book, At Your Best: How To Get Time, Energy And Priorities Working In Your Favor. Pastor Niewhof is also a gifted speaker and the best-selling author of, Didn’t See It Coming: Overcoming the Seven Greatest Challenges That No One Expects But Everyone Experiences. From Carey: “I met the most amazing woman in my first year of law school. We got married before we graduated. By far...she's the best thing to come out of law school for me! The second thing that happened was I experienced a call to ministry. Honestly, the call confused me as much as it compelled me. I finished law and out of obedience, enrolled in seminary. In 1995, as I was wrapping up seminary, I started ministry as a student pastor among three little mainline churches an hour north of Toronto. When I started, one of the churches had an average attendance of 6 (not making that up). Much to my surprise I had discovered a community I'm still a part of over 20 years later. Our church has changed everything in those two decades...the music, the buildings, our governance, our mission, our vision....everything, really. We even left our denomination and now are a multisite church with three locations reaching over 1500 people each weekend. Along the way, I developed a passion for helping other leaders lead like never before.”

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter talks with Bright City Church Teaching Pastor Sharon Hodde Miller. Sharon is an accomplished author and a thoughtful communicator who has an incredible ability to put her Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School to good use while also making her messages widely accessible. Sharon and Steve unpack her message, “We are heirs,” from Bright City Church, process how she preps for her talks, and how her words compel people towards becoming disciples of Jesus. Who is Sharon Hodde Miller? Sharon leads Bright City Church in Durham, NC with her husband, Ike. She writes, travels around the country speaking at churches and conferences each year, and holds a Ph.D. on women and calling. Sharon is the author of two books: Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It's Not About You, and Nice: Why We Love to Be Liked, And How God Calls Us to More. Sharon lives in North Carolina with her husband and 3 young children. To read more of her writing, you can visit her site, SheWorships.com, and you can connect with her on Instagram at @sharonhmiller.

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character Podcast episode, Steve Carter interviews Pastor Noah Herrin about the seven lessons he learned in his first five years of communicating. Noah is a gifted teacher of God’s word, has a heart of gold, and offers up an honest reflection of the crucial lessons he has learned throughout his ministry. Whether you’re just starting out preaching or have been doing it for years this episode is for you. Who is Noah Herrin? Noah is a 26 year old communicator and pastor based in Atlanta, Georgia. His passion is to reach the next generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 2017, Noah founded The Gathering young adult movement in Cleveland, TN that reached thousands of young adults on a weekly basis. Since that time, he has become a trusted voice to the GEN-Z and Millennial generations. In 2021 Noah founded a non-profit called “Neighborhood Young Adults” that seeks to disciple and raise up communities of Young Adult followers of Jesus in every Neighborhood in the United States. His messages have been received by many around the globe as he encourages people to not just know Jesus but to follow Him. Noah can also be found online through his podcast “All our ways” or on social media (@NoahHerrin). Noah is happily married to his wife Maddy since the Summer of 2019. They enjoy eating Chick-Fil-a, traveling, playing board games and walking their son (A miniature Goldendoodle puppy) named Mogley.

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character podcast, Steve Carter interviews pastor Tyler Burns about his commitment to being a local pastor and how in bearing witness to the pain of his people there comes a newfound power in his sermons. Tyler breaks down his prep for his Q Conference talk and shares a plethora of mentors, pastors and authors who have helped him shape and form a talk. What Tyler shares about his prep process is information you can immediately implement in your own talk creation process. Who is Tyler Burns? Tyler Burns is the President of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective (thewitnessbcc.com), Host of the Pass the Mic Podcast with Jemar Tisby and the Lead Pastor of New Dimensions Christian Center. Tyler is married to Mylena and they have two beautiful kids and live in Pensacola, FL.

About the Episode In the latest Craft & Character episode Steve Carter interviews Spiritual Directors Bill & Kristi Gaultiere about the soul journey every pastor and follower goes on to experience more intimacy with Christ. Bill & Kristi run www.soulshepherding.com and have a heart to help people discover the pathway towards emotional honesty, spiritual maturity and how to handle those dark nights of the soul. Bill & Kristi also work with pastors around taking a sabbath break and how to best structure that so your heart, mind and soul can experience true replenishment. Who are Bill and Kristi Gaultiere? Bill is a psychologist (PhD; PSY12036 in CA) and ordained pastor, specializing in ministry to pastors. He and Kristi are the authors of Journey of the Soul, which was #1 on Amazon in Christian Counseling. He was personally mentored for many years by Dallas Willard and Ray Ortlund Sr. His earlier book Your Best Life in Jesus’ Easy Yoke tells the story of his spiritual renewal from anxious living and burnout and introduces the message and way of Soul Shepherding. As a Spiritual Formation Pastor, he has served in a mega-church and a church plant. He’s also trained over 1,000 lay counselors and taught courses in Christian psychology and spirituality at the graduate school level. He and Kristi train pastors and other men and women in ministry in their Soul Shepherding Institute and Spiritual Direction certificate program. Bill has been speaking in churches and conferences since 1987 and especially enjoys speaking with Kristi. You can listen to their weekly Soul Talks podcast or read their weekly Soul Shepherding blog. Kristi is a psychotherapist (Psy.D.; LPC4 and MFT29887 in CA) and spiritual director for women in ministry and pastors’ wives. She co-leads Soul Shepherding with Bill. She was personally mentored by Jane Willard and Dr. Jan Stoop. As a pastor’s wife, mother, and ministry professional, Kristi offers empathy and wisdom from her experience personally and as a therapist who has spent many thousands of hours caring for people. Kristi enjoys speaking, training, teaching, consulting, counseling, and retreat leading with Bill, as well as recording their weekly Soul Talks podcast.

On the latest Craft & Character podcast episode Steve Carter interviews Westgate Lead Teaching Pastor and Analog Church author Jay Kim about his sermon prep process. Jay is hands down one of the most thoughtful communicators on and off the stage. The process that Jay uses is deeply inspired by his story, his love for music and learning the spiritual gift of lingering. Too often we rush an idea; but Jay will help you see how sitting with an idea and truly lingering on a verse or theme can bring about deep revelation. Jay also talks about his award-winning book Analog Church - a must-read for any church leader. Jay serves as lead pastor of teaching at WestGate Church in the Silicon Valley area of California and teacher-in-residence at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, CA. He is also on the leadership team at The ReGeneration Project, where he co-hosts The ReGeneration Podcast. Some of his written work has been featured in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Relevant, Missio Alliance, Outreach, and Pastor Resources. Jay is the author of Analog Church (InterVarsity Press, 2020). Analog Church discusses the many challenges and opportunities churches face in the digital age, offering a new and hopeful way forward. My next book, tentatively titled Analog Christian, will be released in 2022. I’m also a contributing author to Before You Lose Your Faith (The Gospel Coalition, 2021) and The Upside Down Kingdom Study Bible (Zondervan, 2023). Jay and his wife, along with their two young kids, call the Silicon Valley area of California home.

In the latest Craft & Character Podcast episode, Steve Carter interviews Ben Kirby - author and creator of the PreachersNSneakers Instagram account. Steve and Ben talk openly about the pressure of image management, the power that can come from the pulpit, and what truly motivates what we wear, post on social media, and communicate. Ben opens up about what led him to start the account, the criticism he received, and what he ultimately hopes it will accomplish - especially for pastors. Ben’s love for Christ and the Church is apparent in this episode and it’s a must-listen for any preacher. Ben Kirby is the creator of the viral social media sensation PreachersNSneakers, an Instagram account that caused an uproar across the globe after showing the values of designer clothing preachers were wearing on stage. Along with growing from zero to hundreds of thousands of followers in just a few weeks, his work has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wallstreet Journal, Buzzfeed, Fox News, Complex, and many more. He also hosts a popular podcast with the ultra-creative name, The PreachersNSneakers Podcast.

On the latest Craft & Character Episode, Steve Carter interviews author Winn Collier about the life and legacy of Eugene Peterson. Winn unpacks stories from his latest book, A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson, Translator of The Message. The stories he shares detail how Eugene understood the calling to be a pastor, how his geography shaped his theology, how he fought to have his character lead the way, and what made Eugene such an important pastoral voice. Winn Collier was the founding pastor of All Souls Charlottesville. He now serves at Western Theological Seminary as Director of The Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination & Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Christian Imagination. He is also the director of the Genesis Project. Winn Collier received a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia where his work centered on the intersection of literary fiction and religion, particularly the sacramental landscape of Wendell Berry’s fictional town of Port William. Winn Collier is husband to the beautiful and graceful Miska Tolleson Collier and dad to Wyatt and Seth, who he says have, “pulled strands of love out of me that I didn’t know existed.” “I’m friend to a few misty-eyed men and a few courageous women. I prefer what’s slow over what’s efficient. I’m weary of all the bullhorns. I’m partial to things that are worn and a bit ragged. I think truth is best told slant. I believe in hope.”

In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter interviews therapist and author Aundi Kolber about the importance of language and tone as a counselor or a preacher. Aundi unpacks the heart behind the message of Try Softer and discusses how pastors can return power to the congregation through their lives and sermons. Aundi’s deep, kind, and thoughtful voice provides insight on what to look for in a pastor and church community. Aundi Kolber is an author and licensed professional counselor in Castle Rock, CO. Her work has been featured on Relevant, CT Women, The Huffington Post, The Mudroom, Happy Sonship, and Circling the Story. Aundi is a speaker and consultant for churches, mental health professionals, and organizations on topics including trauma recovery, healthy emotional processing, identity formation, and infertility. In 2020 she authored Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and into a Life of Connection and Joy. Aundi and her husband live in Colorado with their two children. Thanks to our sponsors: CDF Capital and Food For The Hungry.

In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter interviews Cross Point Church lead pastor Kevin Queen about the important role prayer plays in the preparation and delivery of a sermon. One of the keys Kevin brings to everyday life and the stage is his ability to walk in the Spirit, and talk about the Scriptures in practical and accessible ways while keeping an ear tuned to heaven. Kevin shares how living this way helps him in his sermon prep, in loving his family well, and in his role as lead pastor. Kevin Queen is a husband, father, pastor, and communicator. Born and raised in the Atlanta area, he’s a graduate of the University of Georgia, New Orleans Seminary, and Bethel Seminary. Before joining Cross Point’s staff in August 2017, Kevin served for 14 years on staff at 12Stone Church, a large multi-site church with 8 campuses in Metro Atlanta. During his last 10 years at 12Stone, he served as both a campus pastor and teaching pastor.

In the latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter talks with Church of the City lead minister Darren Whitehead about identifying the traps that often take senior leaders down. Of the 14 transformational practices offered by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, 11 of them deal with sex, money, or power. From there, Darren employs years of research to help us begin to identify the potential traps in our own lives. On the local church front, Darren reveals what the Church of the City is planning for Easter and how his team approaches telling the Resurrection story creatively each year. In 2013 when Darren and Brandy Whitehead and their small team founded Church of the City, they had a vision to plant a family of churches that live in the way of Jesus for the renewal of global cities. The team has now planted 6 congregations across Nashville and New York City. Originally from Australia, Darren has lived in the United States for over 20 years. He earned his Master’s in Ministry from Wesley Seminary and his Doctorate from Capital Seminary and Graduate School, with his dissertation focus on millennials and the future of the Western Church. He recently released his second book, Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship, co-authored with worship leader Chris Tomlin. Darren lives with his wife Brandy and their 3 daughters in Nashville, Tennessee.

In the latest Craft & Character podcast, Steve Carter interviews Mars Hill teaching pastor and author Ashlee Eiland about how she writes and rewrites each of her messages, fighting to find the perfect words. Ashlee is a gifted and accomplished author, and she shares her process of journaling, studying, and freewriting to capture the heart and essence of a talk. Ashlee exists to join God in His redemptive work here on earth. Her purpose is to help humanity build bridges back to the truth of who God is and between one another in redemptive, healing relationship. Her passions for Scripture, family, writing, elevating women in the Church, and the holy journey of adoption are core to who she is. Ashlee serves as formation and preaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI, and she is the author of Human(Kind): How Reclaiming Human Worth and Radical Kindness Will Bring Us Back Together. Ashlee and her husband Delwin have three kids, Brooklyn, Myles, and Journey.

The Importance of Preparation with Danielle Strickland

In the latest Craft & Character podcast, Steve Carter talks with Fellowship Church Monrovia senior pastor Albert Tate about how preaching racial reconciliation is an act of spiritual formation. “Racism was discipled into the church,” he says, “and it must now be discipled out of the church.” As church leaders, we cannot avoid this conversation, and Albert offers great wisdom and insight. Who is Albert Tate? Albert Tate is the founding pastor of Fellowship Church Monrovia, a gospel-centered, multiethnic, intergenerational church that has established a solid foothold for life transformation to the glory and honor of Christ. Albert is passionate about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ both to the local church and the global community. Blending the power of storytelling with a good sense of humor, Albert enjoys illustrating God’s amazing grace and love in church, academic, and conference settings. Albert and his wife LaRosa have 4 beautiful children. Albert serves on the Board of Trustees for Azusa Pacific University, the Museum of the Bible, and Stadia Church Planting. He was recently published in Letters to a Birmingham Jail: A Response to the Words and Dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. You can hear the latest from Albert on The Albert Tate Podcast.

For most pastors, there has never been a year filled with more turmoil, tension, criticism, and anxiety than 2020. Our congregations were divided by politics, masks, in-person gatherings, and the appropriate reactions to racism in our country. Pastors struggled with preaching through cameras to invisible congregations while making impossible decisions, where any choice would disrupt half the church. 2020 was filled with leadership anxiety, and many of us were never fully equipped to manage it well. In this episode of Craft & Character, author and pastor Steve Cuss talks with Steve Carter about his book Managing Leadership Anxiety. They review what anxiety actually is and how to best take care of your personal struggles while shepherding your congregation through worry and anxiety. Who is Steve Cuss? Steve Cuss grew up in Perth, Western Australia, and came to the United States to study theology. He and his wife Lisa have two sons and a daughter. Steve holds a Master of Divinity from Emmanuel Christian Seminary and is a spiritual care professional in the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. Since 2005, Steve has served as Lead Pastor of Discovery Christian Church in Broomfield, Colorado. DCC is an innovative and entrepreneurial church that intentionally welcomes spiritual seekers and skeptics and is passionate about partnerships that break the local and global poverty cycle. Steve previously served at a megachurch in Las Vegas, as a chaplain at a level-one trauma hospital, on a ranch for struggling teens, and as a youth minister in the Appalachian region. His passion is to help leaders notice, name, and move through the pressures and anxieties inside them and around them to encounter the grace of God in deeper ways and build healthy team cultures. When Steve is not working, you can find him laughing with his family, knee-deep in a trout stream, or trying a guitar he cannot afford at a local music store.

In the latest Craft & Character podcast, Steve Carter talks with Eastside Christian Church senior pastor Gene Appel about effective leadership through preaching. Gene is an incredible mix of strategic leader and kind pastor, and he leads with integrity. He refers to this mix of strategy as “directional leadership” and explains that his goal of shepherding his congregation influences both his message preparation and his sermon calendar. Gene’s clarity of mission plays a key role in moving the church forward.

In this episode of Craft & Character, Steve Carter interviews Western Theological Seminary pastoral care professor Dr. Chuck DeGroat about narcissism in the local church. Chuck explains the narcissism spectrum and discusses how pastors can demonstrate characteristics that lead to unhealthy and toxic narcissistic actions. This might be the most important Craft & Character podcast to date. If you’re a church or ministry leader, Chuck’s wisdom will help you recognize and combat unhealthy narcissism within yourself, your ministry, and Church culture as a whole.

For over a decade, Carlos Whittaker was one of the leading worship voices in the church, but he began to feel a stirring toward preaching and teaching. A little over 4 years ago, he took that brave step and hasn’t looked back. In this latest Craft & Character episode, Steve Carter asks Carlos about the process of obedience to move into the communicator’s space and the keys that Carlos uses for effective storytelling. His comments are pure gold for anyone desiring to master this craft. Finally, Steve and Carlos discuss the importance of consecrating your day and how doing this regularly prepares Carlos for what God has in store for him.

In this latest Craft & Character podcast, Steve Carter interviews New Testament scholar Scot McKnight and author Laura Barringer about their latest book, A Church Called Tov. Scot and Laura unpack the stories of abuse at Willow Creek, Harvest, and the SBC that led them to write these words. This is a different kind of episode than we have ever done—but we feel it is paramount to talk honestly as pastors, preachers, and teachers about our burden to do whatever we can to create cultures of goodness and not abuse. This episode will teach you about the Hebrew word “tov” and how we can bring “tov” to the pulpit and to our churches. It will also move you to consider what a pastor is truly called to be in this day and age.

In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Pastor Derwin Gray about the importance of personal discipleship, intimacy with Christ, and helping people truly discover what the gospel is all about. Derwin dives into everything from discipleship vs. leadership in the Bible, and how the church has forsaken one for the other, to the most pastoral and compelling way one can experience deep intimacy (or “into-me-you-see”) with Christ.

In this episode Steve Carter talks with AJ Sherrill about his process for crafting messages and six the values that drive each talk he creates to be a transformative preacher. These six (character, identity, cultivation, authenticity, confidence, and teachable) will help your posture be open to all God wants to do within you and through you. One of the highlights of this episode is hearing AJ’s honesty regarding what he must say no to in order to truly live the life God desires for him. We also talk about AJ's latest book, The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation.

In this Craft & Character podcast Steve Carter interviews Tara Beth Leach, Senior Pastor at First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena (“PazNaz”) in Southern California. Tara Beth discusses her prep process, how she invites the pastoral and the prophetic to intersect, the importance of preaching live via video during this COVID season, and the critical spiritual exercises that help her character lead the way.