Church Leadership Radar - Wednesday, May 6, 2026

On today's episode, Ted Rhoades sits in for Todd with three stories worth your attention:Dane Ortlund & Naperville Presbyterian: An Illinois judge rules the church retaliated against a female operations director — and what that means for every church with staff and HR processes.Southern Baptist 2025 Data: Attendance up 4%, baptisms up 5% (5 straight years of gains) — but membership down 3% to 12.3 million. What does the gap between showing up and formally joining tell us about discipleship culture?Pastor Wellbeing Research: New data shows pastors have higher emotional resilience than in years — but job satisfaction has hit a decade low. Called but not satisfied is a different problem than burnout, and it needs a different response.The Bright Spot: Jordan McCullough, 27-year-old worship director at Zeal Church in Murfreesboro, TN, heads into the American Idol Season 24 finale — and all three finalists are openly Christian.Takeaway: Does your church's HR process protect the institution, or the person with less power? Clear processes are a form of care.📧 Subscribe to the newsletter🎙️ Healthy Church Staff Podcast