If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in patterns you can’t explain or hitting a wall in your leadership that won’t budge—there’s a reason. In this episode of the Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast, I explore one of the most overlooked but powerful forces shaping your life and leadership: your family of origin.

The truth is, we all carry a family story. And unless we allow Jesus to meet us there—deep in those places—our leadership, relationships, and even our ability to hear God will be compromised.

I’ll walk you through how your family of origin influences your emotional maturity, your capacity to lead from your true self, and your ability to discern God’s voice. I’ll also share stories from my own journey and those of other leaders to help you recognize where you might be stuck—and how to move forward.

This is part one of a two-part series you don’t want to miss. The work of transformation begins with you.

After 30 years of wrestling with the tension between vision and limitation, I’ve come to see that how we handle limits can make—or break—our leadership. In this episode, I explore the subtle but powerful difference between good and bad limits. Bad limits are driven by fear, faulty thinking, and self-protection. But good limits? They’re gifts from God—meant to ground us, guide us, and grow us.

You’ll hear how ignoring God’s limits nearly cost me everything: my marriage, my leadership, my soul. But when we stop trying to be God and instead embrace the limits He gives us, we begin to see Him in ways we never could have imagined.

I’ll share practical ways you can discern the difference and walk in the freedom of wise, Spirit-led boundaries. This episode is both personal and pastoral—meant to help you lead from a deeper place.

Listen now—and rediscover the God who meets you right in the middle of your limits.

👉 Download the FREE Emotionally Healthy Leader Discussion Guide at emotionallyhealthy.org/leader

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In today’s episode, we dive deep into one of the most misunderstood and undervalued aspects of Christian leadership—leading out of your singleness.

Whether you’re 25 or 75, single by calling or circumstance, you are not a problem to be fixed or a “not-yet-married” Christian waiting in the wings. You are a sign and wonder—a prophetic witness to the kingdom of God.

Drawing from Scripture, early church history, personal stories, and modern discipleship tools, I’ll challenge the prevailing theology that sidelines singleness and offer a fresh, liberating vision rooted in Jesus’ own life. You'll learn why emotionally healthy singleness is not only a gift to the church, but essential for her transformation.

If you’ve ever felt unseen or unsure how to lead from your current season of life, this episode will expand your vision, affirm your worth, and equip you to live—and lead—out of your God-given identity.

Plus, get access to a free study guide at emotionallyhealthy.org/leader to help you and your team take the next steps.

👉 Download the FREE Emotionally Healthy Leader Discussion Guide at emotionallyhealthy.org/leader

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Most Christian leaders are taught to prioritize ministry first—leaving marriage, singleness, and sexuality in the shadows. But what if the loudest gospel we preach isn't from our pulpits, but from how we live out our deepest relationships?

In this powerful episode, Pete Scazzero uncovers a profound, often overlooked truth: your marriage (or singleness) is not a private matter—it’s a sign and wonder, a living revelation of God’s love to the world. Drawing from decades of ministry, his own marriage journey with Geri, and Scripture’s radical vision for union, Pete challenges leaders to flip the script.

This isn’t about managing your relationships. It’s about transforming your leadership from the inside out.

If you're married, make your spouse your first ambition. If you're single, live out your calling with the same intentionality. The church will never be whole until we lead out of healthy, loving, God-centered relationships.

Listen now—and join the revolution.

📝 How Emotionally Healthy Are You? Take this Free Assessment to find out. https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/mature

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There’s no other way to lead with integrity—none—than by confronting the elephants in the room.

In Part 2 of this series, I unpack the spiritual and emotional cost of avoiding the hard conversations that must happen in every church, team, and family system. I begin with a powerful parable—“The Bridge”—a vivid picture of what happens when we carry burdens that don’t belong to us. Many leaders are doing just that—overfunctioning, sidetracked, and drained—because we’ve accepted ropes we were never meant to hold.

We’ll explore why ignoring dysfunctional behaviors is not compassion, it’s compromise—and how, over time, it kills mission, culture, and credibility. You’ll learn why every unresolved conflict or unhealthy pattern is not just a leadership issue, but a discipleship issue.

This episode is an invitation to courage. To maturity. And to the deep peace that only comes on the other side of truth and integrity.

Your leadership matters. Let’s do the hard, holy work together.

📝 Free Church Culture Assessment: How is your church doing in these 6 core areas? https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchhealth

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Leadership is hard. And confronting the elephants in the room—the inappropriate behaviors, unhealthy patterns, and unresolved tensions we all want to ignore—is even harder.

In today’s episode, I’ll share why true leaders must resist the temptation to avoid these challenges, and why doing so is essential for real discipleship and healthy leadership development. You’ll hear stories from my own failures, lessons from decades of ministry, and biblical wisdom that calls us to courageous, loving leadership.

We’ll talk about why confronting elephants is messy, time-consuming, and uncomfortable—but why it’s also the only way to build a spiritually vibrant, emotionally healthy community. You’ll walk away with hope, a greater sense of purpose, and practical first steps you can take right now.

If you want your church culture to reflect Jesus instead of toxic patterns, this episode is for you.

Don’t miss Part 2, where we’ll go even deeper into why this work is critical for your joy, peace, and lasting fruit.

📝 Free Church Culture Assessment: How is your church doing in these 6 core areas? https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/churchhealth

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After decades of leadership, I’ve walked through two major successions—first as Lead Pastor of New Life Fellowship Church, and now, as President of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship. In today’s episode, I pull back the curtain on what I’ve learned about leadership transitions—not from a textbook, but from the trenches.

Healthy transitions are rare. And they don’t happen by accident. They require deep inner work, Spirit-led discernment, and a long view that stretches beyond your lifetime. Whether you’re handing over a pulpit, a nonprofit, or a small group, the principles are the same.

In this conversation, I share seven lessons that make—or break—a leadership transition, why emotional maturity is non-negotiable, and how Jesus models the kind of surrender we’re all invited into. This isn’t just theory. This is about stewarding your life, your leadership, and your legacy—God’s way.

If you care about the future of your ministry, you need this episode.

Dig deeper by going through the book Emotionally Healthy Leader. Get the book and discussion guide here. This book was written to help you lead from a deep, inner life with God.

👉 Take the free EHD Maturity Assessment: emotionallyhealthy.org/mature

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Most pastors and leaders are trained to preach, strategize, and serve—but few are ever taught how to lead from a deeply anchored, differentiated self. And yet, this is the foundation for every healthy team and ministry.

In today’s episode, I unpack one of the most overlooked killers of team health and mission: low differentiation. Drawing from Family Systems Theory, the leadership of David and Jesus, and my own hard-earned lessons over decades, I’ll share four critical reasons why low differentiation sabotages your team—and what you can do about it.

When leaders overfunction, avoid hard conversations, or build their identity on others’ approval, it fractures their soul and destabilizes the team. But when you lead from a solid self—rooted in God, not the demands around you—you raise the maturity level of everyone around you.

This is the crucible of spiritual leadership: becoming yourself in Christ, for the sake of others.

Listen in. It may change how you lead forever.