Eagle Brook Church Leadership Podcast
Religion & Spirituality
About
We’re passionate about helping leaders discover who they are and how to lead with wisdom and intentionality. Because when leaders get better, churches get better.
Episodes
- Why Some Conversations Click (and Others Don’t)
Andrew Hermann discusses effective communication strategies with John and Don, introducing the FLOP method which includes Focus, Listen & Link, Own/Others’ Stories, and Preparation to foster clearer communication and deeper connections.
- Inside Prison Ministry: How It Works and Why It Matters
John and Don speak with Steve Johnson about the inner workings of prison ministry, its operations, and its role in reaching incarcerated individuals. Meaningful stories highlight current ministry efforts within prisons.
- A Biblical Model for Sharing Your Faith
This episode discusses the Four Circles of Transformation, a biblical model for sharing faith and engaging in conversations with those exploring spirituality, aiming to guide them toward a relationship with Jesus.
- Leading Future Leaders
In this episode, Don and John discuss with TJ Palme how leaders can develop future leaders by coaching their teams, recognizing individual strengths, providing feedback, and establishing practical leadership frameworks.
- Self-Awareness: The Key to a Healthy Team
The Eagle Brook Church Leadership Podcast episode on Self-Awareness discusses its importance for a healthy team culture. Hosts Don and John explore how to strengthen self-awareness within oneself and the team.
- Viewing Groups: How They Happen & Why They Matter
Don and Jon talk with Madison Gulley, the Online Viewing Groups pastor, and Randon Ruggles, a Viewing Group host, about what viewing groups are, how they work, and why they matter. They go through the challenges, the meaningful moments, an…
- From Vision to Reality: The Plymouth Campus Launch
From 8 years of services in a high school to finally launching a new permanent location—the Plymouth campus is finally here! Don and John sit down with the Plymouth campus pastor, Mike Emmert, and worship pastor Chris Mason to tell t…
- Called to a Career in Ministry?
From the business world to full-time ministry, Michelle Nelson—the Executive Director of Operations at Eagle Brook—sits down with John and Don to talk about what it's like to transition careers...from the positives to the chall…
- The Ordinary Made Extraordinary
Did Don get inducted into the White Castle Hall of Fame?! You know it. He and John discuss how to create extraordinary experiences out of ordinary moments, sharing helpful insights and reminders for leaders. If you believe in something, ma…
- Take Your Thoughts Captive with Kyle Idleman
Ever feel drained or stuck in a mental fog? Don and John take a seat with Kyle Idleman, a bestselling author and senior pastor at Southeast Christian Church. Based on Kyle's book, Every Thought Captive , they discuss how to take cont…
- Creating a Culture of Innovation
Don and John are back with a special episode with Merlin Satrom, Ross Allen, and Linda Goodwin from the Eagle Brook Board. They chat with a live audience of Eagle Brook staff and share thoughts on creating a leadership culture that fosters…
- Understanding Temperaments for Healthy Teams with Jenny Boyett
Don and John sit down with Jenny Boyett, co-founder of The ColorWorks Group. They explore dynamics between four temperament categories linked to colors and discovered through a personality assessment (everyone loves a good personalit…
- Why Different Perspectives Matter
Merlin Satrom, the chairman of the Eagle Brook Board, joins Don and John to talk about the importance of valuing different perspectives. Together, they’ll talk about how the best leaders set themselves up for success, make solid deci…
- Getting the Most Out of the Bible with Mike Holmes
The Bible can be intimidating and confusing—even for those who've spent a lot of time in church. With so many translations, commentaries, and interpretations, how do you know you're reading it for all it's worth? Don and John chat wi…
- Leading Boldly Through Innovation
Listen in as Don and John talk through the complex dynamics of innovation as a leader. Need to cast vision to a supervisor or stakeholder? Discover key insights into problem-solving and self-filtering to support thoughtful proposals. Lead…
- Communicating Faith: Marketing Jesus with Karianne Langfield
There's no “one size fits all” when it comes to marketing. As digital spaces continue to evolve, engaging with an audience has never been easier—and the words we choose have never been more important. So how does a church…
- Goal Setting & Habit Building with Steve Whicker
Don and John chat with Steve Whicker—regional director and Rochester campus pastor—about the value of goal setting and habit building. They get real about self-discipline and consistency, including a look into Steve’s sys…
- Embracing Change with Dawn Wicklund & Bruce Jarman
Don and John sit down with Dawn Wicklund and Bruce Jarman, the campus pastors of Red Wing and Brainerd Lakes, to discuss all things change—from the initial vision behind expansion to navigating transitions, challenges, and everything…
- 8 Leadership Lessons from Don’s Grand Canyon Trip
Leadership: It's a journey. Don recounts his trip to the Grand Canyon in the heat of August and the lessons learned along the way. From preparation, overcoming the nay-sayers, and trying to keep up with his son’s hiking pace, he find…
- Navigating Adversity with Mike Emmert
When we connect to Jesus every day and he remains our source of life, it pushes us deeper into our faith, even (and especially) through tragedy. Listen in as Don and John chat with Mike Emmert, campus pastor at Eagle Brook Church – W…
- More Like Jesus with Megan Fate Marshman
"I am in you, and you’re in me." Listen in as Don and John chat with Megan Fate Marshman, teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. Megan shares how her partnership with the Holy Spirit empowers her to connect deeply with oth…
- Keeping It Simple with Jon Weece
Our world likes to overcomplicate everything—including our relationship with Jesus and the church. Listen in as Don and John chat with Jon Weece, lead pastor of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, about the primary goa…
- Who We Are: Staff Alignment with Gari Pisca
If you're interested in being a part of our staff, thinking of applying for a position, or just curious about who Eagle Brook is at the core, this is the podcast episode for you. Listen in as Don and John chat with Gari Pisca, Eagle Brook'…
- Reaching Young Adults with Daniel Young
It’s a popular opinion: young adults are one of the most elusive groups when it comes to reaching people for Jesus. Listen in as Don and John chat with Daniel Young, Eagle Brook's director of Student Ministries (and leader of Young A…
- The Heart Behind Expansion with Steph Hauber
"As long as there is somebody who does not know who Jesus is...we will continue to grow." In this episode, Don and John chat with Steph Hauber, Eagle Brook's property and logistics director, about the church's heart for expansion and plans…
- The Principles of Healthy Leadership
What does a healthy campus look like? In this episode, John and Don discuss the principles of effective leadership that cultivate a healthy work culture. Discover how to inspire, set the pace, and empower your team. The ripple effect of yo…
- Building Vision Culture & The Eagle Brook Association with Dale Peterson
Dale Peterson is the Executive Director of the EBA and has been on staff at Eagle Brook Church for 24 years. Listen in as he discusses how our vision culture came to be by defining the purpose and mission for Eagle Brook. Since the launch…
- Crucial Conversations with Aaron Damjonavich
Do you ever lose sleep over a crucial conversation you need to have? Aaron Damjanovich is the director of leadership development for the Eagle Brook Association. Listen in as he talks with Don and John about the art of having crucial conve…
- Becoming Burnout-Proof with Dave Holvig
So you're a ministry leader, and you're working a job with incredible, eternal significance. But things get complicated when your spiritual and professional lives blend together. Burnout in the church is common, but a fading passion can ma…
- Called to Change with Steve Duede
Whether you feel God calling you to something new or you're navigating a change in direction in your life or career—this conversation is for you. Steve Duede started on staff at Eagle Brook 20 years ago and has been a worship…
- The Messiness of the Middle
As a leader, have you ever felt caught in the middle? Your leader says one thing, those under you say another...or two team members have the opposite perspective, and you have to hold both. No matter what you decide, you'll disappoint some…
- Building Something New with Jon Taylor
On September 10, 2023, Eagle Brook launched its first downtown Minneapolis campus—a task that proved to be totally different from anything they'd taken on before. In this episode, Don and John chat with Jon Taylor, campus pastor at t…
- Reflections in Retirement with Bob Merritt
Bob Merritt was the senior pastor of Eagle Brook Church for 29 years and entered retirement on March 1, 2020. (Convenient timing, right?) Listen in as Don and John chat with Bob about his reflections on his time in ministry, letting go of…
- Church Hurt: Dealing with Disappointment
Have you ever experienced church hurt? You know, when your expectations of people in the church are high, but reality just disappoints. We are all human, we all fall short. Disappointment is a natural part of the human experience. Is there…
- Turning Down the Noise with Jon Weece
Jon Weece has been the senior pastor at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, KY for 23 years—and in those years, he's learned a thing or two. Listen in as Don and John chat with Jon about the value of humor, the impact of frustra…
- The Value of Gathering as a Staff with Andrew Hermann
Gathering your whole staff regularly...seems like a lot of effort. Does it make a difference? Why does it matter? Listen in as Don and John connect with the Lino Lakes campus pastor, Andrew Hermann—who's also in charge of Eagle Brook…
- Leading Through Challenging Times with Tyler Gregory
The last 3 years have been nothing short of a challenge. No one entered 2020 confident in their pandemic-handling skills or knowing exactly what to do during social unrest. Of course, hindsight is 20/20—or at least it's a little clea…
- Tough Seasons & Loving People with Adam Weber
They start the episode talking about bird watching, as usual. But after that...it gets deep. Whether you're in a really tough season of life that feels never-ending, or your life is pretty sweet right now, Don and John's conversation with…
- Marriage & Parenting with Ted Cunningham
Marriage is beautiful. And also: marriage is tough—enough said. Listen in as Don and John chat with Ted Cunningham—pastor, author, relationship expert, and comedian. They'll discuss God's design for marriage, the ingredients fo…
- Soldiers vs. Civilians
As a Christian in the workplace—on a church staff or otherwise—you'll encounter "spiritual warfare." Sounds dramatic...but, truthfully, we are in a battle. The Enemy does not want you to be a pastor, work in ministry, or have a…
- Leaning in on Leadership with Jason Strand
In March 2020, Jason Strand took on the senior pastor position at Eagle Brook, succeeding the previous pastor of 28 years. What happened next, no one could have anticipated. You guessed it: a global pandemic. Listen in as Don and John chat…
- The Art of Delegation
Delegation—is anyone good at it? A lot of the time, it feels easier to do things yourself than to teach someone else to do the things instead. But delegation empowers the people you lead, and is actually massively important in your o…
- Church Reimagined: Viewing Groups with Jeff Dodge
Hold on to your hats—John claims this is one of the most innovative ways to build a church. No, it's not the Metaverse. Listen in as John and Don chat with our Online campus pastor, Jeff Dodge, and explore the origin of Eagle Brook's…
- Finishing Well with Byron Emmert
Seems like every other day, we hear about a leader who finishes their run poorly. Why is it so hard to finish well? In this episode, Don and John spend time with Byron, who's weeks away from retirement, to gain insight into what it takes t…
- Ever Feel Overwhelmed?
Hey, it's ok to say, "I don't know what to do." In fact, it's sometimes the best move a leader can make when faced with obstacles—throw up your hands and ask God to steer the ship. In this episode, Don + John talk about times in thei…
- Leadership Lessons with Kyle Idleman
Something beautiful happens when you understand that your church isn't actually yours. Being a leader doesn't mean it's all on you. Actually, the less you think you know what you're doing, the more you'll depend on God to grow his church t…
- Four Leadership Mantras
To build a strong culture, a leader needs to know how to utilize the tools in their leadership toolbox. Any work environment has the potential to be handcrafted using these tools to allow the best possible work to come from the organizatio…
- Demystifying the "Megachurch"
The term "megachurch" by definition describes a church with over 2,000 people attending. Not too crazy. But culturally, it can carry a negative connotation. Moral failings of mega-leaders are scattered throughout its history, made even mor…
- The Case for Community
"Every Christian person needs people who hold them accountable, offer them support and encouragement, and help them grow spiritually." It's the case for community, and it’s not a new idea. God introduced it in Genesis, Jesus modeled…
- Church Reimagined: Boo’z Bar
Jeremy Freeland owns Boo'z Bar in Knapp, WI. You're probably wondering—why is a bar owner on a church leadership podcast? We promise, it's worth a listen to find out. But be warned: Jeremy's story is powerful, and what God is doing t…