There’s something profoundly transformative about seeing a young person realize they have a voice that matters, a purpose that’s bigger than themselves, and the tools to start making an impact. Leadership programs for youth aren’t just about shaping the next generation of leaders—they’re about investing in the kind of hope that transforms families, communities, and entire cultures.

In ministry, we often say we’re committed to meeting people where they are—but do we really take the time to understand where that is? This question led me to create a simple yet powerful tool to help me visualize where individuals might be on their faith journey and how motivated they are to take the next step. I call it the Faith-Motivation Chart. Over the past five years, this tool has been a game-changer for me, helping to bridge the gap between where people are and where God might be calling them to go. It’s shaped the way I strategize as a leader, empowering me—and my teams—to better serve our people and align our efforts with what God is already doing in their lives.

Leadership is a wild ride—equal parts challenge and reward. Some days, you feel like you're steering a well-oiled machine; other days, it's more like herding cats. While we often focus on what great leadership looks like, it’s just as important to shine a light on what can derail it. Over the years, two leadership styles have stood out as particularly dangerous: authoritarian leadership and toxic leadership. If left unchecked, these approaches can take even the best organizations off course. Let’s unpack what these styles look like, why they’re harmful, and how to avoid them.

It’s easy to miss at first—quiet quitting happens gradually. Someone stops volunteering for extra tasks, avoids big-picture conversations, or seems a little less excited about their role. And while it might seem like a small problem, the impact can be huge. In ministry, disengagement doesn’t just affect a team’s productivity; it affects the mission, the community, and ultimately, the ability of the church to serve well.

Friends fight. Brothers FIGHT. There's a bit of truth that comes out when brothers really go at it. We know what to say; we know how to hit. We know the soft spots, and we typically don't hold back when true frustration arises. I've been a part of many of these brawls.

I've been playing music for over half of my life now. I've played with Grammy award winners, lyrical geniuses, and I've also played with people just picking up a guitar for the first time. That said, most of my career as a musician, I've been far from the best "player" on the stage. I remember the first time playing guitar for 5000+ people at the age of 23, so nervous because my guitar part was starting the song. We started the song three times, and on the third time, our keys player took the part and played it for me(thank God). Two years after that, I wasn't much better, I had just gotten resigned, and I found myself in a music director role at one of the largest churches in America. I was in way over my head, and I was still the least talented player on most of the platforms I was playing on.

Fast forward to present day, April 29th, 2020. Still one of the least talented players I know... but 100% ok with it. How did I get here?

It’s not easy, I’ll give you that. Being the smartest, best-looking, most creative person in the room is tough when you’re the one taking coffee orders and making copies for the rest of the group. Biting your tongue when someone is talking about something you know nothing about is excruciating. In all seriousness, it can be really tough being a young leader, especially if you’re not surrounded by great leaders. It feels like you’re always on a job interview, even when you’ve got the job. It seems like your work is always under a microscope before you know it; someone has taken a sledgehammer to your shoulder. Well, I hear you, and I’m with you, but push through it, I promise it’s worth it. Here are five tips to help you succeed as a young leader.

My good friend, Andy Cherry, wrote on his instagram last week a really special post. As I read through it, I couldn’t help but be thankful for such a thoughtful, honest, and inspiring friend. Andy and I have a quite unique and special bond and I couldn’t be more thankful for all the things I’ve learned from him and continue to learn from him. With that said, I pray that these words touch you as much as they did me when I first read them in his story. Thanks bro, love you dearly.

So, after a few attempts to get together, we finally just hopped on a phone call, and I was finally able to get this question off my chest, "have I reached my ceiling at MISSION?" A little silence at the other end, nothing to worry about until I received a response. "Paul..." Never a great thing when someone calls you by name after you've already been speaking for a few minutes. "Paul, do you want the answer you want to hear or the answer you need to hear?" I answered "both" because I didn't want to be that guy who says "just tell me what I want to hear."

My wife and I have been going back and forth about having just one more. Rochelle wants this so badly, but I am just not on board. She talks about years down the road, when we're at Disneyland and when one of us has to ride solo because there's an odd number. I gladly raise my hand and volunteer. She talks about big family gatherings in 20 years, and I think about serving bread and milk because of college and two weddings I just had to pay for. She thinks about a house that our kids grow up in and growing old in that same house until I die first... I think about selling our home as soon as the kids are out, buying a shack on the beach and working at a rent-a-scooter shop. She wants a fourth kid so badly, and all I can think about is how divided my time is already.

When I first moved here to Phoenix, I was overwhelmed by the number of theological conversations I found myself in. I don't dare say "deep" because what is "deep."Intellectually stimulating? Thought provoking? Infuriating? Convicting? These conversations were both liberating and confining at the same time. How could I feel so free and yet so limited at the same time?

Today, I was dropping my son Cohen off to school and told him I was leaving for a few days and wouldn't see him when he got home. Like usual, I asked him to be the best helper he could and to listen to his mom. He said he would and also said that he would make sure he asked if his sisters were ok if they started crying(something we went over the other night). Then very enthusiastically he asked, "are you going to find your mom?!" You see, not very long ago, I spent two weeks away from home, walking the streets of Seoul, South Korea, in search of my birth mother and Cohen remembers this time very well. "Are you going to find your mom?!" "No son, not this time. I'm just going to go play my guitar with a bunch of friends." We sat in silence for just a min or two which for him means he's crafting a novel in his head, he's a deep thinker. "Dad, I think you're going to find your mom." I don't really know how to ever respond to that except by saying, "I hope so." Another minute pause in the conversation.

3 years ago, I accepted the role in leading our worship and production team at my church. I wasn't sure if I even wanted the role at the time, we were sort of in shambles. Today, I really believe our team is thriving, and it's due to a few things, one of those being critical feedback. Besides focusing on healthy relationships and culture, one of the very first things we put in place was good, critical feedback. What's good critical feedback? It's feedback that your team needs to hear for the sake of progress. Feedback with the purpose of supporting your team's mission and vision. Our first step towards this was implementing a meaningful review after each weekend. We celebrated the wins of the weekend. What was great? What are we proud of? What things are repeatable? But good critical feedback doesn't stop there. After we celebrated the wins, we spent a good portion of time on what we(and many) call "The Last 10%."

People leaving the church or church hopping is at an alarming rate these days. Whether it's the color of the carpet, the preacher isn't deep enough, or music is better over there, it can be frustrating or even hurtful to the staff and pastors serving at these churches. That being said, what else do we expect from our congregants when the example of church hopping comes straight from the staff and pastors serving at these churches? The average tenure of a senior pastor is around 8 years. The average tenure of a worship pastor is 2 years. Youth pastors make it around 18 months. The example being set is that going from one church to the next is no big deal and can/should be expected. Grab me a Michelob while I let this sink in.