Learning to Let Go in Ministry: Beyond Church Growth Pressure

Many church leaders feel crushing church growth pressure—the anxiety that if you don’t reverse decline or manage outcomes perfectly, you’ve failed. But what if that pressure is actually destroying the connections you’re trying to create? In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, Dr. Andrew Root of ‪@LutherSeminary‬ and Rev. Kara Root of ‪@lakenokomislutheranchurch1667‬ share what they learned about letting go of control during a 63-mile pilgrimage through Scotland with their two teenagers. They discuss why fear-based leadership strategies are toxic, what it means to create “semi-controlled experiences” in worship, and how a 300-year gap in church leadership at an ancient monastery gave them unexpected hope. If you’re exhausted from trying to manufacture spiritual encounters or feeling the weight of church growth pressure, this conversation offers a different way forward.