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Next Step Leadership is a podcast dedicated to helping you make your next step your best step. Your next step could very well determine the trajectory or direction of your life. Where we step, how we step, and when we step are all vital considerations for your next step. Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds combine decades of experience in ministry, higher education, writing, music, leading organizations, and developing teams to inspire you to aspire in life one step at a time. We desire to assist you in making your next step your very best step.
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In the final episode, Jon Oliver returns to talk candidly about the inner life of leaders. He joins Chris and Tracy to explore themes of soul care and self-care, especially for those navigating the demands of ministry and leadership. Jon shares wisdom on sustaining spiritual health, listening to God’s voice, and living with intention. He offers a hopeful vision of leadership as a sacred partnership—reminding listeners that each of us has the opportunity to co-author our lives with God, walkin...
In this episode, Chris and Tracy sit down with Jon Oliver for a wide-ranging conversation about calling, leadership, and faithfulness in ministry. Jon shares his personal story and testimony, including the influence of growing up with a father who was a bi-vocational pastor. They explore the importance of mentors, spiritual guidance, and healthy models of leadership for those serving in ministry today. Jon reflects on his years of ministry, leadership with youth gatherings and Accelerant Yout...
In their second episode, Jackie and Cheryl Johns continue the conversation by exploring how Scripture shapes leaders from the inside out. They discuss how leaders can approach Scripture with humility, expectation, and openness to the Spirit’s work. With pastoral warmth and scholarly insight, Jackie and Cheryl remind listeners that the Bible is not only to be studied—but received, as the Holy Spirit forms us through God’s living Word. Chris and Tracy talk with them about Re-enchanting the Text...
In this rich and thoughtful episode, Chris and Tracy welcome Jackie David Johns and Cheryl Bridges Johns for a conversation shaped by years of ministry, scholarship, and spiritual formation. They share their story of serving in both church and academic settings, and why the church needs deeply formed Pentecostal scholars. The conversation centers on their book Encountering the Living Word, exploring inductive Bible study not just as a method, but as a relational encounter with God. Jackie and...
Continuing their conversation on the new book Contentment: What You’re Searching for Is Already Yours, Tracy Reynolds and Chris Maxwell focus on the daily practice of contentment and its role in leadership, relationships, and spiritual growth. Chris offers practical insight into how individuals and groups can cultivate contentment through intentional rhythms, reflection, and community engagement. The episode explores how contentment reshapes leadership posture, reduces comparison, and encoura...
In this episode of Next Step Leadership podcast, Tracy Reynolds guides a thoughtful conversation with Chris Maxwell as Chris steps into the guest seat to discuss his newest book, Contentment: What You’re Searching for Is Already Yours. Chris shares personal reflections on calling, restlessness, and the quiet search many leaders carry beneath their responsibilities. Together, they explore what contentment means in today’s fast-paced culture, why faithful leaders often feel unsettled, and how s...
In her second conversation, Trudy Simmons continues to speak with wisdom and compassion about the deep hurts she sees in today’s leaders and ministries. Chris and Tracy explore the pressures leaders face, the emotional weight many carry in silence, and the spiritual cost of ignoring pain. Trudy offers thoughtful insights from her work in counseling and coaching, pointing listeners toward true hope that is rooted in healing, truth, and God’s presence. This episode is a timely reminder that enc...
In this episode of the Next Step Leadership Podcast, Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds welcome Trudy Simmons for an honest and hope-filled conversation about leadership, healing, and faith. Trudy shares her powerful personal story—working through past speech challenges and learning disabilities to become a counselor, coach, and communicator serving leaders and ministries around the world. Together, they discuss the importance of safe places and safe people, the dangers of identity confusion an...
Continuing the conversation, Jon and Erica Campbell return to share what life and ministry look like now in Los Angeles. Chris and Tracy ask about the realities of serving in a complex city, sustaining hope when progress feels slow, and caring for the soul while meeting constant needs. Jon and Erica speak honestly about lessons learned, spiritual rhythms that sustain them, and their hopes for the future. This episode offers wisdom and encouragement for leaders serving faithfully in demanding ...
What happens when God calls you to leave what’s familiar and step into the unknown? In this inspiring episode, Chris and Tracy talk with Jon and Erica Campbell about their journey of faith, obedience, and courage that led them to Los Angeles. Jon and Erica share their story—the call, the cost, the transition, and the surprises along the way. Together, they reflect on what it means to say “yes” to God even when the path is unclear. This episode will challenge and encourage leaders who sense Go...
Grief, loss, and change touch every life—and leaders are no exception. In this moving episode, April Yamasaki returns to discuss her book Hope Beyond Our Sorrows and what it means to live with sorrow while holding on to hope. Chris and Tracy explore April’s reflections on loss, her pastoral experience walking with those who grieve, and the kind of hope that grows slowly and honestly in the midst of pain. This conversation offers compassion, depth, and encouragement for anyone navigating sorro...
In a world that rarely slows down, this episode invites leaders to rediscover the spiritual power of pause. Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds welcome pastor and author April Yamasaki for a reflective conversation about writing, stillness, and spiritual formation. April shares her journey as a writer, how the practice of pausing has shaped her life and ministry, and why intentional stillness is essential for spiritual growth. This episode offers gentle wisdom and practical guidance for leaders ...
Money can be one of the most difficult topics for leaders to talk about—yet it’s deeply connected to faith and discipleship. In this episode, Travis Lowe returns to explore stewardship, finances, and meaning in ministry. Chris and Tracy talk with Travis about his new role in denominational financial leadership, the common struggles pastors face with money, and how stewardship can be practiced with grace rather than guilt. With honesty and wisdom, Travis offers practical insights for leaders s...
What does faithful pastoring look like in a changing world? In this episode of the Next Step Leadership Podcast, Chris Maxwell and Tracy Reynolds sit down with pastor and writer Travis Lowe for a thoughtful conversation about ministry, leadership, and hope. Travis shares his personal journey into pastoral life, the lessons he’s learned through years of serving people, and how the landscape of ministry continues to shift. He also talks about the heart behind the HopeWords Writers Conference an...
In this deeply moving follow-up episode, Kathleen Norris guides Tracy and Chris into the heart of her newest book, Rebecca Sue: A Sister’s Reflection on Disability, Faith, and Love. Hear the reflections from Kathleen’s latest work, which will be a great story for today’s pastors and leaders to learn from. Kathleen shares stories of her sister—her personality, her struggles, her joy—and the ways her sister’s life reshaped Kathleen’s spirituality and expanded her understanding of love, dignity,...
In this opening conversation with acclaimed writer Kathleen Norris, Chris and Tracy welcome one of Chris Maxwell’s all-time favorite authors into the Next Step Leadership studio. Kathleen shares the story behind her vocation—her upbringing, her journey of faith, and the experiences that shaped her distinctive voice as a poet, memoirist, and spiritual writer. The conversation explores the contemplative rhythms that have guided her life, the monastic influences woven through her work, and the d...
Episode 2 — Todd Korpi / AI Goes to Church: Wisdom for a Digital Age In this insightful and highly practical episode, Tracy Reynolds and Chris Maxwell dive with Todd Korpi into the central ideas of his book, AI Goes to Church: Pastoral Wisdom for Artificial Intelligence. Todd unpacks the opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations facing today’s church leaders as AI becomes part of everyday life and ministry. He offers grounded, pastoral guidance for how pastors can use AI res...
Episode 1 — Todd Korpi / AI Goes to Church: Wisdom for a Digital Age Learn in this episode about a leader’s journey and why the church must talk about artificial intelligence. Chris and Tracy begin their two-part series with Todd Korpi by exploring his story—his spiritual journey, his ministry path, and the moments that drew him into the world of technology, culture, and pastoral leadership. Todd shares why he believes the Church cannot afford to ignore the influence of artificial intel...
Episode 2 — Wisdom for the Next Generation with David Richardson In this second conversation with David Richardson, Tracy and Chris turn toward the lessons learned over a lifetime of faithful ministry. David speaks candidly about endurance, emotional health, humility, and the evolving landscape of pastoral leadership. He offers guidance for young pastors, encouragement for weary leaders, and insights into what truly matters over the long haul. The episode is filled with practical wisdom—simpl...
Episode 1 — The Story Behind the Leader with David Richardson In the first of two episodes with Pastor David Richardson, Chris and Tracy guide listeners through an intimate and heartfelt conversation about David’s life story. David reflects on the people, places, and experiences that shaped his calling; the joys and heartbreaks of ministry; and how God has used seasons of struggle to form depth, compassion, and resilience in his leadership. This episode is warm, personal, and rich with authen...
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