Stewards vs Owners: What Happens When You Believe You OWN the Ministry... episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 19, 2026 · 9 MIN

Stewards vs Owners: What Happens When You Believe You OWN the Ministry...

from The Healthy Church Staff Podcast

In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades explores the crucial leadership distinction between being a steward and an owner within church ministries. The discussion emphasizes the dangers of leaders transitioning from stewardship, which involves humility and open-handed management, to ownership, characterized by control and entitlement. Todd outlines the subtle shift that can occur when leaders and boards become more focused on possessing and protecting their responsibilities rather than being faithful stewards. He offers practical advice for maintaining a stewardship mindset, such as open-handed leadership, succession planning, and celebrating diverse voices within the church.• Stewards vs. owners in church leadership: the importance of distinguishing between stewardship and ownership.• Stewardship involves recognizing that the ministry is temporary, entrusted, and marked by humility.• Ownership can lead to controlling behaviors and personalization of critiques, hampering accountability.• Leaders should aim to maintain stewardship by practicing open-handed leadership and avoiding entitlement.• Practical steps include sharing decision-making responsibilities and planning for succession.• Two free assessments are available at whenthechurchfalls.com for leaders and board members to identify potential leadership red flags.Have questions or comments?  Send to [email protected] sure to subscribe to The Healthy Church Staff Podcast wherever you regularly listen to podcasts.- - - - - Is Your Church Hiring?If your church is searching for a new staff member, reach out to Todd for a conversation on how he might be able to help.Are You Looking for a New Ministry Role?If you are open to a new church role in the next few months, add your free resume and profile at ChemistryStaffing.com.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 19, 2026

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In this episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, Todd Rhoades explores the crucial leadership distinction between being a steward and an owner within church ministries. The discussion emphasizes the dangers of leaders transitioning from stewardship, which involves humility and open-handed management, to ownership, characterized by control and entitlement. Todd outlines the subtle shift that can occur when leaders and boards become more focused on possessing and protecting their responsibi...

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Stewards vs Owners: What Happens When You Believe You OWN the Ministry...

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