Empowered To Lead

Hosted by Jeannette Cochran

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May 2026

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About the show

Empowered to Lead is the go-to podcast for Christian women who are ready to rise into courageous, Spirit-led leadership in the Church and the world. Hosted by Jeannette Cochran, pastor, leadership coach, and champion for women in ministry, this show speaks to women who are leading (or longing to lead) in churches, nonprofits, and faith-based spaces where women leaders have historically been excluded or sidelined. With over 20 years of experience in executive church leadership and a heart for equipping women, Jeannette brings biblical insight, practical wisdom, and unflinching honesty to every conversation. Each episode tackles the real challenges women face in leadership: navigating bias, overcoming self-doubt, leading in male-dominated environments, building influence, and staying spiritually grounded while doing it all. You’ll hear empowering teaching, honest conversations, and soul-deep encouragement that helps you lead with clarity, courage, and conviction. Because when women rise, the Church is renewed, the world is transformed, and everyone flourishes. If you’re ready to reclaim your voice, own your calling, and lead with boldness and purpose, this is your space. You are Empowered to Lead.

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60 recent

May 7, 202632 min

67. Did God Really Put Men in Charge?

What if the Bible never actually said what you were taught about women? Many Christian women have been told that Genesis establishes male authority, that Adam was created first, Eve was made to support him, and God’s design is for women to live under male leadership. But what if those ideas were not drawn out of the text… but read into it? In this episode, Jeannette goes back to the beginning, Genesis 1–3 to examine what Scripture actually says about women, men, authority, calling, and God’s original design. With warmth, clarity, and theological insight, she unpacks three common distortions often used to limit women’s leadership and shows why they do not hold up when we read the text carefully. You’ll learn why creation order does not establish male authority, what the Hebrew phrase ezer kenegdo really means, and why “he will rule over you” is a description of sin’s damage, not God’s design. If you’ve ever struggled to trust your calling, felt pressure to shrink your dreams, or wondered whether your leadership is fully affirmed by God, this conversation will help you return to the beginning and see yourself through the truth of Scripture: not secondary, not subordinate, but essential to God’s good creation. Learn more about Jeannette Connect with Jeannette on Facebook Connect with Jeannette on Instagram

February 20, 202624 min

66. Can You Trust Your Heart? Biblical Discernment for Christian Women Leaders

Can you really trust your heart or is it “deceitful above all things” like you may have been taught? In this episode, Jeannette explores what the Bible actually says about the heart, discernment, and the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding your decisions. If you’re a Christian woman leader who has ever struggled to trust your intuition, second-guessed your calling, or felt pressure to defer to external authority, this conversation will feel both grounding and freeing. Jeannette unpacks the context of Jeremiah 17:9 and examines how that verse has often been misapplied to silence women’s inner knowing and looks at what Scripture really teaches about Spirit-led wisdom. You’ll learn: What biblical discernment actually means Why many women in church leadership have been conditioned to distrust themselves How patriarchal theology can shape decision-making patterns What Jesus says about the Holy Spirit guiding you into all truth How to rebuild trust in your inner discernment without abandoning wise counsel Leadership starts with leading yourself. And self-leadership requires learning how to quiet the noise, invite God into your inner world, and listen for His voice within. If you’re navigating a hard decision, questioning your direction, or longing for clarity about your calling, this episode will help you cultivate Spirit-led discernment with confidence and peace. Find your primary energy drain. Take the Quiz Here. Free Resources and More

January 27, 202627 min

65. Stop Guessing: The Feedback Skill That Makes You a Better Leader Fast

If you’ve ever wondered what your team is really thinking or felt hesitant to ask because you don’t want to hear criticism, this episode is for you. Jeannette talks about why feedback matters, what’s at stake when leaders aren’t getting honest input, and why critical feedback can trigger shame or defensiveness (even for seasoned leaders). If you’ve ever swung between shame (“Maybe I’m not cut out for this”) and blame (“They don’t understand what I’m carrying”), this episode will help you step off that exhausting pendulum. You’ll learn why feedback is a leadership growth accelerator, why getting honest feedback often decreases as your authority increases, and how to create a culture where truth-telling is safe and growth is normal. You’ll walk away with: A simple, step-by-step practice to process feedback without spiraling A powerful question to ask your team this week to surface real, actionable insight A fresh invitation to lead with humility, courage, and clarity, without guessing Learn more about Leadership 360 Feedback Learn more about Jeannette Connect with Jeannette on Instagram Connect with Jeannette on LinkedIn

January 16, 202645 min

64. Surrendered Leadership in a Broken World, with Special Guest Hannah Munn

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and this episode is both eye-opening and hope-giving. In this conversation, Jeannette sits down with Hannah Munn of Love Justice International, a ministry doing something both bold and brilliantly strategic: preventing human trafficking before it happens. While most of us picture rescue after the fact, Love Justice trains local teams to watch transit corridors (bus stations, border crossings, airports) and step in when something doesn’t look right. Hannah shares what an “intercept” actually looks like (including a moment with a young girl standing alone with no phone, no money, and no way home), why prevention is the “rescue that never has to happen,” and the astonishing impact of their work; over 100,000 people protected from exploitation. But this episode isn’t only about the mission. It’s also about surrendered, Christ-centered leadership, the kind that says yes not just to a calling, but to everyday faithfulness. Hannah opens up about the spiritual practices that keep her steady in heavy work, and how you can partner in this life-saving work. Press play if you need a fresh vision of justice, courage, and what’s possible when women lead with obedience and love. Learn More About Love Justice International Learn more about Jeannette Connect with Jeannette on Facebook Connect with Jeannette on Instagram

January 9, 202633 min

63. The One Thing That Derails Most Goals (And What To Do About It)

A new year brings fresh energy, new goals… and that beautiful feeling that this time it’s going to stick. But here’s the truth most people don’t realize until it’s too late: motivation is a great start… and a terrible plan. Because there’s a predictable moment coming when the newness wears off, progress slows down, and your brain starts negotiating for comfort. And if you don’t plan for it now, it can quietly derail the very goals you’re excited about today. In this episode, Jeannette shares a vulnerable story about learning to preach with confidence, how anxiety, slow progress, and self-doubt nearly convinced her to quit… and why staying with the process changed everything. You’ll learn Why the “messy middle” is normal and what it means when it shows up The brain science behind why change feels clumsy and exhausting The 4 stages of competence (and how to know which stage you’re in) How to set a minimum commitment so you don’t quit before breakthrough If you’re pursuing a health goal, building a volunteer team, setting boundaries, using your voice more, or leading organizational change this episode will help you stay steady when it gets hard. Free Masterclass: 5 Myths that Shrink Women's Influence Connect with Jeannette on Facebook Connect with Jeannette on Instagram Book Your Leadership Growth Session.

December 18, 202529 min

62. How Will This Be? Saying Yes to God When You Don’t Know the How.

What happens when God stirs a calling that feels bigger than your capacity, your resources, or your clarity? In this episode, pastor and leadership coach, Jeannette Cochran, returns to the Christmas story, not the sanitized, porcelain-figurine version of Mary, but the real young woman we meet in the gospel of Luke. A teenager. Overlooked. Without power or status. And yet, entrusted with a world-changing calling. Mary’s honest question,“How will this be?” is not a lack of faith. It is the beginning of courageous leadership. This conversation is especially for women who sense God calling them to more; more influence, more leadership, more impact but feel stuck in uncertainty, waiting for clarity or a plan that hasn’t yet appeared. Through Mary’s story, we find three anchors that consistently appear in Scripture when God calls someone into purpose: Why identity is spoken before obedience How God often owns the how when the calling exceeds human capacity What it means to offer a brave yes, even when the cost is real Jeannette shares a personal story of carrying a God-sized vision for years, long before there were resources, clarity, or a path forward, and how God brought it to life in ways that could never have been planned or engineered. This episode invites women leaders to stop disqualifying themselves, stop waiting to feel “ready,” and begin trusting the heart of the One who calls, especially when the way forward is unclear. Get Your FREE Made For More 10-Day Devotional Book Your Leadership Growth Session Connect with Jeannette on Instagram

October 31, 202523 min

61. The One Shift That Changes Every Hard Conversation

Have you ever felt that knot-in-your-stomach moment when staying silent isn’t working, but speaking up feels risky? In this episode, Jeannette gets practical about the conversations that shape our leadership: the ones with opposing opinions, strong emotions, and high stakes. Whether it’s a chronically late volunteer, decisions made without your input, or the quiet bias that sidelines women from opportunities, I’ll show you a better way forward. Jeannette shares the one game-changing shift that improves every difficult conversation. You’ll learn why this shift is not natural for your brain and why it takes intention. You’ll learn: How to spot when a conversation turns “difficult” and what to do in the moment The mindset swap that lowers defensiveness and invites collaboration Phrases to start (or shift) a difficult conversation. The road of leadership is paved with difficult conversations. So if you’re ready to speak up and grow your impact.This episode is for you. Learn more about Jeannette Connect with Jeannette on Facebook Connect with Jeannette on Instagram Book Your Leadership Growth Session.

October 24, 202536 min

60. When Women Step Back: Why the Church Is Losing Its Daughters and How We Can Welcome Them Back

For the first time in decades, men are attending church more than women, and Gen Z women are disengaging the fastest. In this candid, hope-centered episode, Jeannette explores why so many women are stepping back, not from Jesus, but from church cultures that silence their voices, limit their gifts, or feel unsafe and exhausting. Drawing on new Barna data, Scripture, and real conversations with women, she offers four big reasons behind the trend and practical steps any church can take now: listen deeply, elevate women’s leadership, rebuild belonging for singles and single moms, and prioritize discipleship over mere attendance. This is a gentle challenge and an invitation to build communities where women and men lead shoulder to shoulder. Barna 2025 Research on Church Attendance Learn more about Jeannette Connect with Jeannette on Facebook Connect with Jeannette on Instagram Book Your Leadership Growth Session.

October 17, 202539 min

59. Grit, Trust and Holy Ambition: A Conversation With Kellie Kim

Picture this: a ten-year-old girl stepping into a new country, a new language, and a future she can’t yet see. Fast-forward— to corporate boardrooms, profitability, and complex change. And through it all? A steady, quiet confidence in God. “Fear not, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 41:10) That’s Kellie Kim’s story and in this conversation with Jeannette, you’ll hear: How to shift your mindset from “I’m not ready yet” to courageous, intentional action. How to write goals, visualize outcomes, and ask for feedback so growth actually happens. The move from “technician with a title” to trusted people leader—and the communication reset that increases impact. Why women must negotiate with holy confidence—and a practical way to start. Honest reflections on leadership in the church—and what’s possible when women’s gifts are fully welcomed. If you’re longing to lead with resilience, trust, and holy ambition then press play and dive into the inspiring conversation with Kellie Kim, a woman who shows us how to believe in God and our dreams! Learn more about Jeannette Connect with Jeannette on Facebook Connect with Jeannette on Instagram Book Your Leadership Growth Session.

October 10, 202556 min

58. Pink Ribbons, Real Talk: Faith, Leadership & Life After Breast Cancer

In this Breast Cancer Awareness Month conversation, Jeannette and fellow survivor and leader Courtney Malengo open up about the day everything changed, the “conveyor belt” of cancer treatment, and the resilient, ongoing mindset work of survivorship. From sudden biopsies and surreal parking-garage moments to radiation fatigue and endocrine-therapy side effects they name the grief and the gratitude, often felt in the same breath, and the faith that carried them through. Boundaries, stress, and the high-capacity leader’s temptation to overfunction are all topics they address in this honest conversation. You'll also hear practical tips to support those navigating cancer; what not to say; and why early detection and self-advocacy matter. This honest, hope-filled episode invites every woman to schedule the mammogram, speak up for her health, and receive God’s gift of abundant life, today. Learn more about Jeannette Connect with Jeannette on Facebook Connect with Jeannette on Instagram Learn more about Courtney Malengo Breast Cancer Research Foundation