Church Leadership Radar - July 22, 2026

Today on Church Leadership Radar, Ted Rhoades fills in for Todd with three stories shaping church leadership right now: New Moody Bible Institute President — Rick Melson named as 11th president, stepping in August 17th to succeed Mark Jobe. Melson comes from Southwest Baptist University with roots at Bethlehem Baptist Church under John Piper. Who leads Moody matters downstream for thousands of ministry leaders. Texas Court Dismisses Church Governance Lawsuit — A judge cleared Second Baptist Church of Houston to rewrite its bylaws and eliminate voting members, reaffirming that courts don't pick sides in internal church governance disputes. Important precedent for any church navigating governance restructuring or succession. Pastoral Satisfaction at Decade Low — New Barna/Gloo research finds only 52% of pastors say they're satisfied — down from 72% a decade ago. Calling is up; satisfaction is down. The gap between feeling called and feeling fulfilled is a signal every church leader needs to sit with. The Bright Spot: Justin Bieber led spontaneous worship at the FIFA World Cup Final halftime show in front of an estimated 1.8 billion viewers worldwide. This Week's Question: Is there someone on your team who is deeply committed, clearly called, and quietly running on empty? Calling gets people into ministry. Sustainability is what keeps them there. Source Links: Moody Bible Institute - moodybible.org Barna Research - barna.com Gloo - gloo.us 📬 Subscribe to the Church Leadership Radar newsletter 🎙️ Healthy Church Staff Podcast