Leaders in Living Rooms

Hosted by Art of Leadership Network

Business Religion Spirituality Christianity EducationInterviews guestsExplicit

Website RSS feed

Episodes

167

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

Sean Morgan invites you into intimate, “living room” conversations with high-caliber leaders that few others have access to. When you gather in a living room, you have the opportunity to hear deeper glimpses into someone’s life. Join Sean and leaders such as Carey Nieuwhof, Andy Stanley, Pat Gelsinger, Dharius Daniels, Derwin Gray, Ken Costa, and Glenn Packiam as they discuss how to aim for health during the various transitions leadership inevitably brings.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 22, 202618 min

LILR 168 | Sabbatical Do's and Don'ts from Sean

Most pastors treat a sabbatical like a finish line: hold on until it arrives, then collapse into it. But what if there is a better way? In this solo episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean shares what he learned from his own sabbatical, including what he'd do again and the one thing he'd change. He talks about why you can't flip a switch on the way out or the way back in, and why he redirected his inbox to a folder he never plans to open. He also explains what it looked like to step away from the need to produce. If a sabbatical is on your horizon, this is a practical, honest look at how to prepare well. Welcome to Episode 168 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

September 8, 20261 hr 5 min

LILR 167 | Andy Crouch Speaks to Leadership Guardrails in the Church

Do you actually have power, and what are you supposed to do with it? On this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with author Andy Crouch, whose landmark book Playing God reframed how a generation of Christian leaders think about power, for a conversation most leadership podcasts won't touch. Andy makes the case that power isn't a necessary evil to be minimized or hidden behind a flat org chart; it's a gift, and the only thing that keeps it from corrupting is sacrificial love. Sean and Andy unpack why isolation (not authority) is the real danger every leader faces, and how the healthiest churches build real accountability without pretending power doesn't exist. If you've ever felt uneasy about your own influence, this one will hand you language and a working model you can use this week. Welcome to Episode 167 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

August 25, 202653 min

LILR 166 | Building an Elite Team and the Hats Pastors Wear with Matthew Brown

In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, host Sean Morgan sits down with Matt Brown, pastor of Sandals Church, to unpack the tension pastoral leaders feel when the roles of friend, pastor, and boss collide in the same relationship. Matt challenges the instinct to soften hard conversations for the sake of the relationship, showing instead that clarity delivered with genuine care is what actually protects trust and long-term health on a team. Together, they explore how effective leaders learn to address problems early rather than let them fester, why staff exits — handled well or poorly — leave a lasting imprint on a leader, and how building a team strong enough to be submitted to is one of the most underrated marks of mature leadership. Welcome to Episode 166 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

August 11, 202651 min

LILR 165 | Dave Ferguson Unpacks 8 Years of Hero Maker

In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, host Sean Morgan sits down with author and leader Dave Ferguson to reflect on the lasting impact and evolving lessons of Hero Maker and kingdom multiplication. Dave challenges the misconception that becoming a "hero maker" means sacrificing leadership influence, showing instead that pouring into others is the key to compounding long-term kingdom impact. Together, they explore how effective ministry leaders change the way they keep score, shifting focus from Sunday attendance to tracking their sent "family tree" of church planters, and explain why adopting fresh leadership language is essential for reshaping organizational culture and future paradigms. Welcome to Episode 165 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

July 28, 202658 min

LILR 164 | Urban Church, Gen Alpha, & the 1-3-1 Rule with Josiah Jobe

How do you step into the lead pastor role of a massive, multi-site urban church at a young age? In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, host Sean Morgan sits down with Josiah Jobe, lead pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Spanning 26 locations, over 40 worship services, and utilizing multiple languages, New Life represents a highly complex and deeply scaled urban ministry. Josiah candidly shares his initially reluctant journey toward pastoral ministry, fighting a distinct call during his youth and navigating the immense pressure and expectations that come with following in the footsteps of his father, Mark Jobe. Together, they explore the profound lessons learned from watching a father's decision-making process, the critical baseline of matching public and private integrity, and how keeping strict structure at home ultimately fuels a leader's health for the ministry. Welcome to Episode 164 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

July 14, 202647 min

LILR 163 | Leaders Go First in Wholeness with Derwin Gray

What happens when the pressure to perform as a ministry leader completely hollows out your internal world? In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with pastor, author, and former NFL player Dr. Derwin L. Gray for an incredibly raw and vital conversation on pastoral wholeness. Too many pastors are fluent in the language of emotional health but completely starving for a theology that transforms their real, everyday pain. Pulling from the insights of his upcoming book, It’s Time to Heal, Dr. Gray unpacks why your accomplishments can never fix your soul, how to navigate habitual patterns that keep you feeling stuck, and what it practically looks like to lead from a place of profound spiritual redemption rather than performance. If you are tired of pretending you are fine while carrying unaddressed wounds, this episode is a compassionate, urgent roadmap back to the heart of Jesus. Welcome to Episode 163 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

June 30, 20261 hr 4 min

LILR 162 | At the Saddleback Helm for 3 1/2 years, Pastor Andy Wood Opens Up

How do you transition a historic, world-changing church into a new season without losing its DNA? In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Andy Wood, Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church, to pull back the curtain on the messy, rewarding reality of leading major institutional change. Andy shares his raw, firsthand experiences transitioning from planting a tight-knit congregation to navigating the vast scale of Saddleback. Together, they break down what it practically looks like to fuse a historic legacy of evangelism with a deeply rooted culture of prayer, providing leaders with a masterclass on navigating the loneliness of senior leadership, building scalable organizational systems, and pacing change at the "speed of trust." Welcome to Episode 162 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

June 16, 202657 min

LILR 161 | Father James Mallon on Maintenance to Momentum

In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Fr. James Mallon to explore what it really takes to move a church from maintenance to mission. Drawing from his experience revitalizing struggling parishes, Fr. James shares the realities of church turnaround, the weight of leadership, and the deep cultural shifts required to reclaim a missional identity. He unpacks the tension between shepherding and evangelism, the danger of inward-focused church culture, and the critical role of the Holy Spirit, leadership development, and intentional systems like Alpha in sparking renewal. This conversation offers both encouragement and practical wisdom for leaders navigating change and longing to see genuine transformation in their churches. Welcome to Episode 161 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

June 2, 202652 min

LILR 160 | Josh Newell on 1,000,000 YouTube Views Per Day, Digital Next Steps, and the Shadow Side of Growth

In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Josh Newell, Executive Director of the Jesus Film Project, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, growth, and global evangelism in the digital age. Josh shares how shifting from a centralized model to a partnership-driven approach has unlocked greater scale and impact, especially through digital platforms that connect people to real discipleship pathways. He opens up about the challenges of leading through growth, including getting ahead of your team, cultivating belief, and learning to wait on God’s timing. The conversation also explores why animation is a critical next step in reaching younger, global audiences and how leaders can build healthy, high-performing teams by balancing vision, patience, and trust. Ultimately, Josh points leaders back to dependence on Jesus as the foundation for lasting impact. Welcome to Episode 160 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

May 19, 20261 hr 7 min

LILR 159 | Jim Burgen on Finding Freedom Under the Mantle of Leadership

In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Jim Burgen to explore how senior leaders can cultivate vision, develop future leaders, and steward seasons of growth with intentionality and humility. Jim shares the story behind Flatirons Church’s “Be Free” faith initiative, a movement focused on establishing outposts of freedom, investing in leadership development, and engaging deeply in anti-trafficking efforts locally and globally. The conversation highlights the importance of resisting manufactured momentum, listening for God’s direction, and building structures that empower others while protecting the leader’s spiritual and emotional health. Jim also challenges pastors to create pathways for calling the next generation into ministry and to embrace both the weight and privilege of the mantle of leadership. Welcome to Episode 159 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.