Episode Description

What happens when a lifetime of ministry, responsibility, and relentless pace collides with the limits of the human body? In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, HOPE Network president Grady King recounts the life altering health crisis that left him in a medically induced coma, fighting sepsis, kidney failure, and multiple organ shutdowns. Doctors called his remarkable survival a miracle. In this episode Grady reflects on the emotional patterns, spiritual pressures, and family of origin dynamics that shaped his drive to keep pushing long after his body was begging him to stop. He also shares how his recovery reshaped his understanding of identity, rest, and spiritual health. Grady’s story is a powerful reminder that leadership begins not with doing, but with being rooted in God’s love. Whether you’re a minister, elder, nonprofit leader, or simply someone who struggles to slow down, this episode invites you to rethink what healthy leadership looks like — and to rediscover the peace that comes from leading out of abundance rather than exhaustion.

Guest BioGrady serves as President of HOPE Network. His ministry life spans fifty years with forty years in congregational ministry in Churches of Christ in Oklahoma and Texas. While with HOPE Network he served six years as director of church resources at Oklahoma Christian. His formal education includes degrees from Oklahoma Christian University (Bachelor of Science in Education); Abilene Christian University (Master of Science and Doctor of Ministry). His ministry passion is healthy leaders and healthy churches rooted in the gospel and missional life. He and his wife, Karen live in Irving, TX, and are members of the Mansfield Church of Christ. He enjoys reading, writing, sports, playing with grandchildren, and anything helpful for church leaders.

Recommended Books & Articles

For more on this topic, read Grady’s article on the HOPE Network Ministries blog. You can also catch more of Grady’s writings on Substack.

What does strategic leadership look like in a church context? In this episode, Chris Goldman, Lead Pastor for Northwest Church (Lynnwood, WA) shares how vision, collaboration, and long‑term thinking shape healthy congregations. Chris shares how his ministry journey, including his training in business and marketing, have influenced the way he approaches organizational strategy in the church. He unpacks the difference between preaching and leading, why strategy can’t be crafted in isolation, and how ministers can build teams that think and plan beyond Sunday mornings. Chris also walks through the Northwest Church’s bold strategic shift: selling its campus, purchasing a vacant fitness gym, and transforming it into a community‑centered ministry hub. This is a practical and insightful conversation for leaders who want to think more clearly, plan more collaboratively, and guide their churches with purpose.

Jay Jarboe, one of our HOPE Network partners and a gifted encourager, joins us to share his wisdom on what makes a good leader, the importance of team leadership, and the power of coaching for church leaders and leadership teams. In this conversation, from our unpublished archives, Jay reminds us that leadership is not about heroic individuals but about communities shaped by Christ, working together in faith. Whether you’re a minister, elder, or simply seeking to grow in your discipleship, this episode offers encouragement and practical wisdom for the journey.

Books recommended in the episode: The COACH Model for Christian Leaders by Keith Webb, The Making of a Leader by J. Robert Clifton, and two books by Henri Nouwen: In the Name of Jesus and Can You Drink the Cup?

Jay Jarboe is the Director of the Emerging Leadership Initiative at Mission Resource Network (MRN), a global network with the vision to multiply healthy leaders to disciple the unreached and under-served people groups of the world. He is a coach and mentor for global leaders with a focus on equipping them to multiply healthy leaders for future generations. Before joining the ministry of MRN, Jay served with the Sunset Church of Christ and Sunset International Bible Institute (SIBI) in Lubbock, TX holding multiple leadership role with the church and the institute. He is married to Sherry, and they have two adult children and four grandchildren. Jay and Sherry were missionaries in Mexico City and now they work with global workers, leaders, and churches around the world. Jay’s passion is seeking to be transformed into the image of Christ and helping others in that same quest.