The Keenly Podcast
The Keenly Podcast is a ministry podcast created to help leaders understand what’s happening in their ministry, define a meaningful path forward, and tell a compelling story along the way.
Hosted by the Keenly team, this podcast serves pastors, faith-based leaders, volunteers, creatives, and anyone with a heart for ministry who wants to do it well. Each episode explores the real questions leaders are facing as ministry continues to shift, change, and grow more complex.
You’ll hear thoughtful conversations, stories, and practical examples from members of the Keenly team, ministry leaders, and others who deeply care about helping leaders lead with clarity, health, and purpose. Together, we explore ministry, faith, leadership, and the heart behind healthy, effective ministry.
This is designed to be a resource you can return to. Episodes are meant to give you perspective, language, and tools you can use in real moments, whether you’re preparing a sermon, leading a staff meeting, shaping a donor initiative, working through a communication challenge, or trying to discern what comes next.
If you find yourself asking, “What do I do next?”, you’re not alone. This podcast exists to help you move forward with understanding and purpose.
We hope you’ll join us on the journey.
To contact Keenly for help with your ministry, visit https://keenly.org.
Episodes
16 episodes
Are people moving from seats to service? (Part 2)
The most dangerous person in your congregation isn't someone who left. It's someone who stayed and stopped growing. They're comfortable, they're invisible, and there are more of them than you think.In this episode, Chad and Ja...
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Are people moving from guests to regulars? (Part 1)
Most churches are better at attracting first-time guests than they are at keeping them. The gap isn't the welcome.... it's everything that happens in the next 30 days.Someone walked through your doors, grabbed a bulletin, foun...
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Am I called?
Every pastor has asked it. Most just never say it out loud.That quiet question “am I actually called to this?” has a way of showing up at the worst moments. When you're exhausted. When there's conflict. When the growt...
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Why are people not giving?
Before you assume it's a money problem, it might be worth asking a different question entirely.Giving isn't just about finances. And the churches that understand that tend to see something shift, not just in generosity, ...
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Why are people leaving the church?
"It's the music". At least, that's what many people say.Pastors have been hearing surface-level exit reasons for years: the worship style, the kids program, the Sunday schedule. And honestly? It's easier to accept those answer...
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Why is it so difficult to ask hard questions?
Something feels off. You can sense it. But saying it out loud to your board, your staff, or even yourself, feels like a risk you can't afford to take.If you've been there, you're not alone. And in this episode, Jason and Chad ...
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Who are we?
We recorded a full season of a podcast about ministry health, leadership, and doing better ministry… and never actually told you who we are or why we're qualified to speak into any of it. That's a perception problem, and it's exactly the kind o...
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What's Next?
Chad and Jason wrap up the first season of the Keenly Podcast by recapping church health, metrics, and issues pastors and ministry leaders face. Thank you to everyone who listened in over the past few months. We are so excited for what’s in sto...
Navigating Generational Ministry
In this episode, Chad and Jason unpack generational ministry, and why the form of church may change, but the function never will. Building on a previous episode about nostalgia, they shift the focus to the future, sharing stories from seasons o...
Burnout
Burnout isn’t just being tired. It’s chronic fatigue, loss of joy, and reduced effectiveness that often arrives slowly and quietly. Join Chad, Jason, Ethan, and Ava as they unpack what burnout really is, how it shows up in ministry and leadersh...
Nostalgia… What’s the big deal?
In this episode, Chad, Jason, and Ava explore how nostalgia shows up in leadership and ministry, not just as memory, but as a force that can quietly shape decisions and direction. They unpack why nostalgia happens, how emotional and spiritual c...
Gossip In Ministry
Rumor has it… this week’s conversation is all about gossip. Chad, Jason, and Ava unpack how rumors often begin not with bad intent, but with curiosity filling the gaps where communication is unclear or siloed. When questions go unanswered, assu...
Clear Communication
Chad and Jason explore what happens when leaders assume clarity that isn’t actually shared. This conversation invites leaders to identify unexamined leadership jargon, recognize how perception shapes reality, and build a culture of feedback whe...
Healthy Growth
In this episode, Chad and Jason wrestle with a question many ministry leaders feel but rarely slow down to define: what does healthy growth actually look like? While churches often default to numbers to measure success, this conversation challe...
