EK Strawser: How Shared Leadership Sustains Healthy Ministry

Ministry was never meant to be a solo act.

In this episode of “FrontStage BackStage,” host Jason Daye sits down with E.K. Strawser—co-vocational pastor, community physician, founder of the ’Iwa Collaborative, and author of “You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone.” Together they explore the power of shared leadership in ministry, drawing from Ephesians 4 and the APEST model (apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, teacher).

Eun shares how pastors and ministry leaders can shift from leading alone to leading together, building healthier churches and ministries that last. This conversation is both biblical and practical, helping leaders avoid burnout and embrace the strengths of team-based leadership.

We discuss:

• Why solo leadership is unsustainable in ministry
• Fresh insights on how the APEST model of Ephesians 4 guides shared leadership
• Practical ways to move toward team-based leadership in the local church
• How shared leadership helps both leaders and churches thrive with health and longevity
• Encouragement for pastors weary of carrying the burden alone

The conversation is a reminder that no leader is called to carry ministry alone—when authority is shared as Christ intended, churches grow stronger, leaders grow healthier, and the gospel multiplies with resilience.

Whether you’re leading a church, planting a ministry, or serving on a leadership team, this episode will give you hope, clarity, and practical tools for building healthy, sustainable leadership. Learn how shared leadership rooted in the Spirit allows ministries to flourish with health, longevity, and resilience that no single leader could sustain alone.

FrontStage BackStage Podcast With EK Strawser

View the entire podcast here.

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