Canadian Church Leaders Podcast

Canadian Church Leaders Podcast

CCLN

Welcome to the Canadian Church Leaders Podcast, hosted by Jason Ballard. We are committed to serving church leaders and their teams by sharing conversations focused on pastoral leadership. Each episode features honest and thoughtful interviews with key voices from Canada and beyond. We want you to be inspired and encouraged as you hear the stories of hundreds of churches alongside the learnings of those who are leading today.

48 minutes 8 seconds

Rachel Hughes on Church Planting as a Catalyst for Kingdom Values, Thoughtfully Developing Emerging Leaders, and A Vision for Women and Men Leading in Partnership
This week on The Pastorate, Rachel Hughes—Pastor of Gas Street Church in Birmingham, England—joins us on the podcast for a conversation on pastoral ministry.

Rachel shares about:
- The experience of planting Gas Street Church, the ongoing cycle of raising and sending new leaders, and how church planting can disrupt comfort zones, keep churches mission-focused, and foster a kingdom mindset.
- Managing her roles as a church leader and a mother of five, navigating the complexities of parenting, pastoring, and fostering a local church community while also contributing to the broader church.
- Her work with The Orchard and her passion for creating spaces for women to explore their leadership potential, advocating for a church culture where men and women lead side-by-side for the sake of the Kingdom.
We’re thankful you’ve joined us on The Pastorate today, bless you as you listen.

Bio | Rachel is the co-founder and co-lead pastor of Gas Street Church in Birmingham, where she and her husband, Tim, have served their community since 2015. She also co-founded The Orchard, a ministry devoted to seeing women set free, raised up, and released to answer God’s call on their lives. Rachel is passionate about inspiring young women in leadership and helping them be emboldened by the Holy Spirit to stand firm in the truths of God’s Word, unaffected by cultural values that may seek to divert or deplete them. Tim and Rachel have five beautiful children, joyfully balancing their ministry with family life.

We couldn’t do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠give⁠ towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.

Join our Emerging Leaders Lab to connect with fellow pastors in their 20s and 30s, foster resilience and effectiveness in ministry, and learn from some of the brightest minds in the Church today. Our next intake begins soon!

Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bible Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Guest Notes
- Gas Street Church
- The Orchard
Show Notes
4 November 2024, 10:00 am
42 minutes 56 seconds

Adam Browett on Cultivating A Heart for the Neighbourhood as a Downtown Church, Moving from Captivation to Inspiration, and Navigating Change As A Family
This week in the inaugural episode of The Pastorate, Adam Browett – Pastor of Calvary Temple in Winnipeg, Manitoba – joins us on the podcast for a conversation on pastoral ministry.

Adam shares about:
- What Adam’s been learning recently, as a naturally gifted speaker, about continuing to develop his craft of preaching,
- Adam’s journey discerning transition–taking on the role of lead pastor for a historic church and how he’s guided his family in the midst of the move,
- and Leading an inner city church to embrace and celebrate the neighbourhood they find themselves in
We’re praying that today you would be strengthened to live more fully into the work that God has for you in the place and context of your own neighbourhood.

Bio | Adam has been in full-time ministry since 2005, serving churches across Western Canada, including BC, Alberta, and Manitoba. He’s passionate about reaching challenging areas where Christians often hesitate to go and encourages others to do the same. In February 2024, Adam, his wife Shandy, and their four children moved to Winnipeg, following God’s leading. He now serves as the Lead Pastor at Calvary Temple, a historic PAOC church with a diverse community representing different generations, cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

We couldn’t do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠give⁠ towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.

Partners:

Download a free PDF on Improving Your Giving Statements from Generis or get in touch with Jon Wright from their team ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Visit the Coram Deo Foundation website to learn more about the Joseph Chung Scholarship and to apply. Applications are open from October 21st–October 27th.

Show Notes

Guest
- Calvary Temple
The Pastorate
21 October 2024, 9:00 am
37 minutes 13 seconds

Introducing The Pastorate: Jason Ballard on the Future of the Canadian Church Leaders Network
Since its inception over four years ago, the Canadian Church Leaders Network (CCLN) has served thousands of pastors through its podcast, monthly newsletter, cohort-based programs, and pastors retreats and gatherings.

This week, Jason Ballard, host of the Canadian Church Leaders Podcast and Executive Director of CCLN sits down with Chris Price to discuss the future of CCLN and the adoption of a new name for both the organization and the podcast: The Pastorate.

Jason reflects on:
- The rationale behind the naming of The Pastorate and the organization’s renewed focus on serving pastors,
- The current state of Canadian church leadership,
- How The Pastorate is serving to strengthen Canadian pastors through content, cohorts, and gatherings.
As CCLN becomes The Pastorate, we invite you to pray, share, and give towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.

Show Notes
7 October 2024, 9:00 am
27 minutes 8 seconds

Special Episode: Keith Taylor on Church Governance (and a quick note on the future of CCLN)
We've got a special episode for all of you this week. The CCLN Team is working hard on a special project that will be officially announced with the October 7th episode on the podcast, but we didn't want to leave you high and dry this week.

In 2022, we had Keith Taylor speak to a group of Pastors as part of our first cohort based program, The Church Leaders Incubator. Out of the many amazing speakers that the cohort was able to learn from, this was a session that captures our desire for creating opportunities to grow in competency with hearts full of love for Jesus and love for people. Don't let the topic dissuade you, this episode is worth your time.

Jason will also take a moment to share some insight into what is coming up for our team here at CCLN.

Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada.

Get Connected!
23 September 2024, 9:00 am
49 minutes 9 seconds

Father James Mallon on His Return to Local Church Ministry, Embracing the Cost of Renewal, and Turning Our Churches Outwards
The work of renewal in a church is slow, costly, and long-term. It requires pastors who consistently say, “I can’t do this alone,” and who return to the feet of Jesus, the One making all things new.

This week, Father James Mallon, Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in beautiful Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, joins us on the podcast to share his heart for evangelism and his passion for parish renewal.

Father James reflects on:
- His journey back to local church ministry after a season in parachurch and diocesan roles
- Re-experiencing the cost of renewal in a parish setting
- Tending to the inevitable wounds of pastoral ministry
- The Holy Spirit as both the gathering and sending force of the Church
We hope you find joy and comfort in knowing that pastoral ministry is a shared journey, as brothers and sisters across Canada collectively pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.”

Bio | Father James Mallon is pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and founder of the Divine Renovation Ministry.

The message of Divine Renovation has resonated in the hearts of tens of thousands of pastors and lay leaders throughout the world. It has inspired and motivated them to act and seek help in transforming their own faith community. To answer their needs, the Divine Renovation Ministry was created. Fr James continues to serve the Divine Renovation Ministry with a portion of his time.

Born in Scotland, Father James and his family moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1982. After studying at Christ the King Seminary in British Columbia and St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto, Father James was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1997.

He currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In addition to his ministry, Father James loves soccer, movies, photography, dogs, everything Apple and good Single Malt Scotch.

Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada.

Partners:

Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bible Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Guest:
Get Connected!
9 September 2024, 9:00 am
45 minutes 15 seconds

Dan Cochrane on His Call to the Pastorate, Growing and Adapting Alongside The Church, and Preaching the Living Word
As pastors we want to run the race well and finish more in love with Jesus and with His church than when we started. Pastors that have been both fruitful and faithful set a beautiful example for what longevity in ministry can look like.

This week Dan Cochrane, Pastor of CrossRoads Church in Red Deer, Alberta, joins us on the podcast to share insights from over 45 years of experience as a Pastor. With 27 of those years being spent at CrossRoads Church alone.

Dan shares about:
- His story and the path he took to discovering his call to the Pastorate
- His experience inheriting a legacy of faithfulness
- Managing church growth and learning to grow alongside the church he is pastoring
- The gift it is to be able to preach the Living Word of God
Today we're praying that you would hear the invitation to joy and delight in the Holy Spirit as you hear the passion and energy Dan carries for the church in Canada.

Bio | Dan Cochrane has been the Senior Pastor of CrossRoads Church since July 1, 1997. Prior to CrossRoads, he pastored in North Vancouver for 18 years. He has been married to his wife, Ginny since June 1977 and they have three adult children: Rick (Jenn), Christina, and Ryan (Janine). Their lives have also been blessed with six grandchildren. The vision of CrossRoads Church is: "To give everyone in Central Alberta an opportunity to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and by following Him together impact the world with compassion and hope." Dan is passionate about theology and studying scriptures. His focus is to teach the Bible and to lead the church forward in accomplishing the vision God has given. He also delights in developing young leaders and watching them grow.

We couldn’t do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠give⁠ towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.

Partners:

Download a free PDF on Improving Your Giving Statements from Generis or get in touch with Jon Wright from their team ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Show Notes

Guest
- CrossRoads Church
The Pastorate
19 August 2024, 9:00 am
56 minutes 51 seconds

Rich Villodas on The Three Phases of Genuine Relationships, Navigating Expectations Put On Pastors, and The Narrow Path
What does community look like when it’s rooted in love and grounded in the realities of life? How do we grab hold of a vision for biblical unity within our congregations and learn to live in the tensions that come with knowing and loving others well?

This week, Rich Villodas, author of The Deeply Formed Life and Pastor of New Life Fellowship, joins us on the podcast for a second time to share insights from his wealth of experience and out of his heart to care well for other pastors.

Rich shares about:
- The realities of biblical unity, what it looks and feels like in a dynamic congregation
- Dealing with expectations that are placed on Pastors, by others and by themselves
- His new book, The Narrow Path, and how the Sermon on the Mount offers a reframing of what it means to follow Jesus in our time
We hope by listening to this conversation you experience a fresh invitation to the counter-cultural way of Jesus and that His love and grace cover you and keep you today.

Bio | Rich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship, a large multiracial church with more than seventy-five countries represented in Elmhurst, Queens. Rich holds a Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary. He enjoys reading widely, preaching and writing on contemplative spirituality, justice-related matters, and the art of preaching. He's been married to Rosie since 2006 and they have two beautiful children, Karis and Nathan. Rich is the author of three books: The Deeply Formed Life, Good and Beautiful and Kind, and The Narrow Path.

Every dollar given in the month of August will be matched up to $25000. ⁠Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada.

Partners:

Thanks to The Way College for supporting this episode. If you are interested in exploring whether The Way College might be a good fit for you, visit thewaycollege.ca

Applications are still open for the Fall. Apply by August 24th, to have your enrolment fee waived.

Show Notes:
Get Connected!
5 August 2024, 9:00 am
48 minutes 54 seconds

Daniel Im on Pastoring In Times of Deep Loss, Becoming the Pastor of a 100+ Year Old Church, and The Four Types of People In Your Church
The church growth movement of the 20th-century has left a lasting impact on our perception of the Church today. What can we learn from its successes and shortcomings, and how can we move forward in the context of our post-everything society?

This week, Daniel Im from Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton joins us on the podcast for a second time

Daniel shares about:
- His experience pastoring in the midst of deep loss
- Reflections on the transition into the Lead Pastor role of Beulah Alliance Church, a church with a 103 year history
- The value of surrounding yourself with people who can sharpen you and challenge you while you are in leadership
- His new book, The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World
We hope this conversation encourages and equips you as you serve those in your church and in your community.

Bio | Daniel Im is a pastor, Bible teacher, writer, and podcast host with a passion for the local church. He is the Lead Pastor of Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton, Alberta. His latest book is The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World (NavPress 2024). He has also written No Silver Bullets: Five Small Shifts that will Transform Your Ministry (B&H Books 2017), Planting Missional Churches: Your Guide to Starting Churches that Multiply (2nd Ed) (B&H Academic, 2016), and You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love (B&H Books 2020).

He has an M.A. in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary, and has served and pastored in church plants and multisite churches ranging from 100 people to 50,000 people in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Korea, Edmonton, and Nashville.

His podcasts have been downloaded over 3 million times, and he currently co-hosts the IMbetween Podcast with his wife, Christina, where they help you discover the tools to build a marriage and family you love. Together, they serve as speakers for FamilyLife Canada’s Weekend Getaway Marriage Conference. Daniel also serves as a Bible teacher for 100 Huntley Street, Canada’s longest running daily television show.

He has been married to his wife, Christina, since 2006 and they have three children. For more information, visit danielim.com and follow him on social media @danielsangi.

Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada.

Partners:

Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bible Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Show Notes:
Get Connected!
22 July 2024, 9:50 am
52 minutes 12 seconds

Shaila Visser from Alpha on Leading for Longevity and A New Moment for Evangelism in Canada
Every leader faces moments when vision dims and passion wavers. How do we sustain a vision for long term leadership and be able to lead with joy in our hearts and conviction in our steps?

This week, Shaila Visser from Alpha joins us on the podcast for a second time to share insights from her extensive leadership experience.

Shaila shares about:
- Sustaining vision for longevity in ministry
- The importance of asking the Holy Spirit to spark passion for personal evangelism
- New research Alpha has done in partnership with flourishing congregations on the perception and practices of evangelism in Canada today
We hope this conversation fills you with hope and encouragement that you are part of a work that God is doing across our nation in our time.

Bio | Shaila Visser is the National Director of Alpha Canada and the Global Senior Vice-President for Alpha International. She is the Executive Producer of both The Alpha Youth Film Series (2013) and The Alpha Film Series (2016), and currently holds a position on the Board of the Damascus Road Foundation.

Shaila has a heart for people coming to know Jesus and is passionate about helping the local church flourish. She is a gifted communicator who is known for her strategic leadership as well as her ability to bring people together.

Shaila loves hiking, beaches, next generation leaders, her big anglo-Indian family, and achieving new goals- whether that be fitness, books, or learning. Shaila lives in Vancouver BC with her husband, Ryan Visser, a Vancouver Police Officer, and their four-legged family members, Talon and Benny.

View the Reigniting Hope Report.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada.

Partners:

Download a free PDF on Improving Your Giving Statements from Generis or get in touch with Jon Wright from their team ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Show Notes:
Get Connected!
8 July 2024, 9:00 am
53 minutes 11 seconds

Chrishan Jeyaratnam from Hillsong East Coast
What is unique about your church that you bring to the broader body of Christ? And, what from the broader body of Christ can you draw from and be strengthened by?

Chrishan Jeyaratnam joined us this week from Hillsong East Coast where he and his wife Danielle serve as Lead Pastors. Chrishan shared with us about his family’s move from Perth to New York during the pandemic, and what it has been like to serve the church alongside his kids.

Arriving in New York during a time of great cultural tension & loss, there’s a lot of wisdom to be found in the stories Chrishan shares about leading people through grief, reckoning with distrust, and seeking transformation as a community.

It’s a conversation that leads us to reflect on the unique charism of our churches in our cities, and how we are mutually strengthened as we grow in friendship with other church traditions.

Bio | Chrishan and his wife Danielle have served at Hillsong Church for many years, most recently as the Lead Pastors at Hillsong East Coast USA where they have been pastoring for the past 3 years. Before moving to New York with their four daughters, Chrishan and Danielle previously pastored at Hillsong Church Perth in Australia. As a family, they are committed to loving God and people, and to and living the adventure that it is to build His Church.

Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada.

Partners:

Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bible Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Guest:
- Hillsong East Coast
CCLN:
- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Darrell Johnson’s Genesis Course
- Darrell Johnson's Genesis Preaching Notes
Get Connected!
24 June 2024, 9:00 am
1 hour 26 minutes

Pete Hughes & Tyler Staton on Contending for the Renewal of your City and Cultivating Deep Rhythms of Prayer
How can the people of God inhabit our cities - in workplaces, commutes & classrooms in a way that’s coloured by the hope of God’s kingdom breaking in?

This week Tyler Staton and Pete Hughes join us on the podcast in a conversation that was originally a part of one of our Emerging Leaders Lab cohort sessions.

Tyler and Pete share about:
- Finding Rhythms of Personal & Corporate Prayer
- Creating a Culture of Contending Through Storytelling
- Seeing God’s Redemptive Vision for Your City
We were inspired by their ability to see redemption in their local communities and hope you will share their passion for your own city.

Bio | Pete Hughes is the Senior Pastor of KXC, an Anglican church in the heart of London. Pete and his wife Bee planted the church in 2010, establishing a community with the simple vision to recklessly give themselves away to God, each other, and the people of King's Cross and beyond.

Tyler Staton is the Lead Pastor of Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon, and the National Director of 24-7 Prayer USA. He is passionate about pursuing prayer—communion and conversation with God—while living deeply, poetically, wildly, and freely in the honest and gritty realities of day-to-day life. Tyler believes that justice is kinship, stories are a gift, and prayer is an invitation.

Tyler is also the author of Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools and Searching for Enough: The High-Wire Walk Between Doubt and Faith, and the host of the Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools Podcast. He lives in Portland with his wife Kirsten, and their sons Hank, Simon, and Amos.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada.

Partners:

Download a free PDF on Improving Your Giving Statements from Generis or get in touch with Jon Wright from their team ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Show Notes:
Get Connected!
10 June 2024, 9:00 am
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