If you're a church leader navigating burnout, team challenges, or the complexities of leading in a divided culture, The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast gives you a seat at the table with people who've been there. With over 37 million downloads and more than 830 numbered episodes, it's one of the most widely listened-to leadership podcasts in the world — and a go-to resource for pastors, nonprofit leaders, and anyone trying to lead well at work and at home.^1
Hosted by Carey Nieuwhof — a former lawyer turned founding pastor of Connexus Church near Toronto — the podcast features backstage conversations with leaders like Seth Godin, Adam Grant, Simon Sinek, Craig Groeschel, Patrick Lencioni, Henry Cloud, John Mark Comer, Tim Keller, Andy Stanley, Annie F. Downs, Nancy Duarte, Cal Newport, Christine Caine, Lysa TerKeurst, and Francis Chan.^2 Episodes blend practical leadership strategy with honest conversations about faith, mental health, church culture, and personal growth. Carey's own story of burning out at 41 and spending years rebuilding gives him a unique credibility when talking about leadership sustainability.^3
The podcast is part of The Art of Leadership Network, a broader collection of shows and resources Carey has built to equip church and organizational leaders.^4
Why Christians Love It"The Carey Nieuwhof podcast is super insightful and helpful. The longer I'm in ministry, the more I need to stay in tune with changing styles and thoughts of the culture around us and the church at large."^5
"Carey is not just a thought leader — he's a practitioner who has been in the trenches. That comes through in every episode."^6
Notable- Ranked #1 on Feedspot's "25 Best Christian Leadership Podcasts" list^7
- Named one of the "30+ Best Christian Podcasts of All Time" by Async^8
- Publishes annual "7 Disruptive Church Trends" report — most recent covering 2026, with a mid-year update tracking how algorithms now disciple congregations an estimated 49 hours a week^9
- Carey is a best-selling author of books including At Your Best, Didn't See It Coming, and Lasting Impact^3
- Book AI and the Future Church, released September 15, 2026 — a pastoral playbook built on three shifts: making Sundays "non-downloadable," building shock absorbers for coming crises, and fortifying integrity before AI exposes what you'll fall for^10 It comes with the AI Hub, an interactive companion to help teams work through the book and assess their readiness^14
- On November 10, 2026, Carey teams up with Barna for a three-hour AI and the Future Church intensive, sharing new research on how pastors and congregations actually use AI and helping leaders draft an AI policy for their church^2
- Fall 2026 episodes have focused heavily on AI and the church — including Seth Godin on going viral in the AI era, Annie F. Downs on AI friendship versus real friends, and Andy Stanley interviewing Carey on whether AI is worse for mental health than social media — with the latest numbered episode, CNLP 837 with Andrew Hopper on church growth, released October 20, 2026^2
- Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and Audible^1
- Launched Church Growth Engine, a free weekly newsletter with research-backed insights for church leaders^12
- Created The Art of Preaching course, which has helped over 3,500 preachers write and deliver messages that land^13
- Over 250,000 leaders engage monthly with Carey's content^6
