The Center for Church Leadership

The Center for Church Leadership The Center for Church Leadership (previously the CCL Network) exists to strengthen churches by strengthening their leaders.

The Center for Church Leadership (formerly CCL Network) is a vault of resources to equip ministry leaders to Lead Strong.

09/03/2026

There are moments in ministry when the calling feels clear.

And then there are moments when you feel completely alone.

While serving in Mecca, Mark reached a breaking point; isolated, facing persecution, and wrestling with the feeling that even God had abandoned him.

Alone, he broke down and cried.

What happened next wasn’t an escape from the difficulty. It was a moment of clarity, a release that changed his context.

Ministry can take people into places they never imagined, both geographically and spiritually. And sometimes the deepest formation happens in the moments no one else sees.

This is why preparing people for ministry is about more than knowledge. It’s about forming leaders who can remain faithful when the calling becomes costly.

Watch his story. ↓
Full story: https://youtu.be/n0UV5G1GS4Y?si=o3382niZQ6jADUm7

09/01/2026

When everything around us is demanding our attention, sometimes the most productive thing we can do is become still.

Notifications. Doom scrolling. Deadlines. Responsibilities. Problems to solve. People who need something from us. Overstimulation can quickly become our normal, and eventually, all that noise can make it difficult to recognize when we've drifted off course.

In this clip from Ministry &, we talk about the importance of intentionally stepping away from the noise and returning to a simple biblical invitation:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Stillness isn't inactivity. It's creating enough space to remember who God is, listen again, and allow Him to realign our priorities.

Sometimes getting back on track doesn't require doing more.

It requires getting quiet enough to remember what matters most.

See the full convo: https://youtu.be/urCwNmOHlrk

08/27/2026

Most of us have something we'd rather do than deal with what's really going on underneath the surface.

We stay busy. We distract ourselves. We overwork. We retreat. We reach for familiar coping mechanisms because facing the deeper issue can be uncomfortable, and figuring it out alone can feel overwhelming.

In this clip from Ministry &, we talk about recognizing those patterns and having the courage to ask:

What am I actually trying to avoid?

But we weren't designed to answer that question alone.

Healthy community gives us people who can listen, ask better questions, challenge us with grace, and walk alongside us as we begin to understand what's happening beneath the surface.

Healing isn't just about having enough self-awareness to figure ourselves out. Sometimes it's about having the humility to invite trusted brothers and sisters into the process.

See the full convo: https://youtu.be/urCwNmOHlrk

08/25/2026

Good leadership requires preparation. But it also requires knowing when to let go of the plan.

In this clip from Ministry &, we talk about the tension between the fundraising strategies we're taught to rely on and learning to trust God's provision when His plan looks nothing like ours.

Training matters. Strategy matters. Stewardship matters.

But sometimes faithfulness requires admitting that the path forward isn't the one we prepared for, and trusting that God can provide through people, circumstances, and opportunities we never could have anticipated.

There's a difference between abandoning good planning and refusing to let our plans become the limits of what we believe God can do.

See the full convo: https://youtu.be/urCwNmOHlrk

08/21/2026

Not every children’s ministry leader has had the opportunity to receive formal ministry education.

But that shouldn’t keep them from growing in their calling.

The Kids Ministry Cohort at the Center for Church Leadership was created to give children’s ministry leaders practical training, meaningful community, and space to grow as leaders, right in the midst of ministry.

We love hearing from leaders who have experienced the cohort and seeing how tit is equipping and encouraging them.

Hear from one of our cohort participants about their experience. ↓

Interested in growing as a children’s ministry leader? Learn more about the Kids Ministry Cohort at https://ccl.network/kidmin

08/20/2026

We don't automatically understand our emotions just because we're growing spiritually.

Learning to recognize what we're feeling, understand where it comes from, and respond to it in healthy ways takes time.

In this clip from Ministry &, we talk about why there's a learning curve to understanding what's actually happening inside of us.

Maturity isn't pretending difficult emotions aren't there. It's learning to recognize them, bring them honestly before God, and allow Him to shape how we respond.

Growth takes time. Grace gives us room to learn.

See the full convo: https://youtu.be/urCwNmOHlrk

08/18/2026

Your integrity is determined before it's ever tested.

Decide your line now. Because if you wait until you're standing at the edge, you'll almost always find a reason to step over it.



Full convo: https://youtu.be/gRtp4XrV2mU

08/13/2026

Success has a way of capturing our attention.

We measure it by growth, influence, recognition, and results. We compare our journey to someone else's highlight reel and wonder if we're doing enough.

But the Kingdom of God measures success differently.

God isn't asking us to build the biggest platform or chase the next milestone. He's calling us to be faithful with what He's placed in our hands, to trust Him, obey Him, and leave the outcomes to Him.

In this conversation, our guest shares how a battle with cancer reshaped his understanding of success while continuing to lead and serve ministries around the world. His story is a powerful reminder that faithfulness isn't a consolation prize—it's the goal.

If you've ever questioned whether your work is making a difference, this conversation will encourage you to keep showing up in obedience, even when the results aren't what you expected.

▶️ How has God changed your definition of success?
Watch the full convo: https://youtu.be/gRtp4XrV2mU

08/11/2026

Success in the Kingdom of God is rarely measured the way the world measures it.

It's not always bigger audiences, larger platforms, or greater influence.

Sometimes success looks like faithfulness.
Sometimes it looks like obedience.
Sometimes it looks like trusting God in the middle of uncertainty.

In this conversation, Jon Ralls shares what it meant to continue leading through a cancer diagnosis while serving ministries around the world through content and communication. His story is a powerful reminder that our calling isn't to build our own kingdoms, it's to faithfully steward what God has entrusted to us.

If you've ever wrestled with questions about purpose, leadership, or success, this conversation is one worth hearing.

▶️ We'd love to know: How has God reshaped your definition of success?

Watch the full convo here: https://youtu.be/gRtp4XrV2mU

08/06/2026

Jon Ralls recalls learning the importance of Faith, Family and Finances while processing through a cancer diagnosis.

Full convo: https://youtu.be/gRtp4XrV2mU

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