You help everyone else trust God. But where are you struggling to believe him yourself?

In this episode of Pastors Thriving, Kevin Elworth turns to John 6 to explore the tension between seeing the size of the need and trusting the Savior standing before us.

When the resources look insufficient, the direction feels uncertain, or obedience carries the possibility of disappointment, our struggle can reveal what we are holding tightly.

Through the feeding of the five thousand and Peter’s decision to remain with Jesus, this episode invites pastors to examine their own hearts and consider the next faithful step.

In this episode:

• When an honest assessment of your resources becomes a boundary on your expectations. • The difference between seeking direction and seeking a guarantee. • How fear of disappointment, loss of control, and concern for reputation can affect our trust. • What it means to remain with Jesus when understanding is incomplete.

Scripture: John 6, especially verses 5–13, 30–35, and 60–69.

A question to carry with you: What am I trying to protect while I’m asking God to help me believe?

If this conversation speaks to your season, share it with a pastor who would appreciate the encouragement.

Pastors Thriving with Kevin Elworth || Fully Engaged Church

Fresh off the Church Leaders Summit at Church of Eleven22, Kevin shares 10 observations that challenged, encouraged, and sharpened his thinking about ministry.

This isn’t about copying a megachurch model.

It’s about asking a better question:

What can pastors serving churches of every size learn from what God is doing somewhere else?

In this episode, Kevin unpacks lessons around asking for help, pursuing clarity, putting prayer first, strengthening belief, building a culture of celebration, embracing AI as a ministry tool, generosity, communication, leadership environments, and intentional church culture.

One lesson stood above many of the others: pastors don’t have to make ministry harder by trying to carry everything alone.

Kevin also shares why he walked into the summit tired and worn down—and walked away with renewed belief about what God can still do.

In this episode:

• Why asking for help is a strength, not a weakness
• Why clarity matters more than we often realize
• What happens when prayer becomes foundational again
• The importance of strengthening your own belief
• Building a culture that celebrates what God is doing
• How AI can enhance ministry rather than threaten it
• Making generosity part of discipleship
• Why most churches need a stronger communication strategy
• Creating environments where leaders feel valued
• Why church culture must be developed intentionally

This episode is also the beginning of several conversations Kevin will unpack more deeply in upcoming episodes of Pastors Thriving.

What if the people you're praying for are already sitting in your church?

Pastors spend a lot of time waiting.

Waiting for someone to volunteer. Waiting for someone to step into leadership. Waiting for someone to join a group. Waiting for someone to respond to Sunday's invitation.

But what if we've got part of this backward?

What if some of the people sitting in our churches aren't unwilling to engage—they're simply waiting for someone to personally see them, ask them, and invite them into what God is already doing?

In this episode of Pastors Thriving, Kevin Elworth steps away from the formal teaching outline and shares an idea that has increasingly become central to his work with churches: The Church Was Never Meant to Wait.

Jesus didn't simply broadcast an invitation and wait for disciples to identify themselves. He walked up to Peter and Andrew and said, "Follow me."

There was a personal invitation.

And that raises an important question for today's pastor:

Could greater engagement in your church begin with fewer announcements and more intentional conversations?

In this episode:

• Why churches may be waiting for responses they need to initiate
• The limitation of the "stage-down" invitation
• Why a personal invitation produces a different response
• What Jesus' calling of the first disciples teaches us about engagement
• Why the people you're praying for may already be in your congregation
• The difference between announcing an opportunity and personally asking someone
• Why every church needs a clear pathway when someone actually says yes
• A simple four-week experiment you can begin this Sunday

The Four-Week Challenge

For the next four Sundays, personally approach 3–5 people.

Instead of simply asking, "How was your week?", try asking:

"What's God doing in your life right now?"

"What's your next step in your walk with the Lord?"

"How can I help you get there?"

Then listen.

You may discover that the person you've been praying for has been sitting in front of you all along.

Resources

Healthy Church Blueprint Assess the health of your church, identify potential blind spots, and begin building clearer pathways toward greater engagement.

https://hlapi.espeakers.com/widget/form/2ywgbUC7fk1xinaqSU0D

Sunday Prayer for Pastors Kevin prays specifically for pastors every Sunday morning. Add your name and receive the weekly prayer in your inbox.

https://hlapi.espeakers.com/widget/form/Be1dRBkWzCgetiG8yn70

Keywords

church engagement, church leadership, pastor leadership, church volunteers, discipleship, making disciples, church growth, healthy church, Healthy Church Blueprint, Fully Engaged Church, pastoral ministry, volunteer engagement, church systems, church discipleship, spiritual gifts, Ephesians 4, Matthew 4, Christian leadership, ministry leadership, church participation, pastoral coaching, Kevin Elworth, Pastors Thriving