Look at the statistics on church decline, clergy burnout, or pandemic fatigue. Talk with leaders who represent minority populations. Learn how most church leaders are juggling a complex set of challenges that often include significant personal issues or family struggles. It doesn’t take much to recall how a challenging call to serve the church has become exponentially more challenging in the past few years. The work of responding to Jesus’ call to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28) has gotten to be pretty heavy lifting – maybe something most of us have put on the back burner or given up altogether. The important day-in day-out work of the church and the immediate demands of the world around us make it almost impossible to give our time and energy to the very things we believe are most vital. Almost. Leadership is an important tool. Understanding the contours of the adaptive environment can help us navigate the challenges before us. But we also have the power and promise of God who raised Jesus from the dead, who loves to step into the work that is impossible for us. We will explore together how we navigate the important and the immediate work of serving the church and remember the promises of God who renews us for the work that seems impossible – at least for us.