LIFE AFTER
MINISTRY
STORIES OF WHAT NOW AND WHAT’S NEXT
Explore Life After Ministry
Find conversations by topic, guest, or season.
Listen to the Life After Ministry podcast on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Episode 65 - Leaving Willow, Finding Wilderness: What Integrity Costs and Why It’s Worth It (featuring Steve Carter)
When crisis hits the church you love, what holds you together? Pastor and author Steve Carter sits down with us to tell the real story behind stepping off a major platform for the sake of integrity - and what it cost.
From the shock of headlines to the quiet of the desert, Steve unpacks a framework for grieving honestly, breathing deeply, and receiving what’s next.
His language of Holy Weekend helps leaders locate themselves in Friday, Saturday, and Sunday without pretending away the scars.
We also talk family. Secondhand wounds, first-person healing, and helping kids make meaning when adults are fighting.
Finally, Steve shares how calling to a place led him back to Chicagoland and into the lead pastor seat at Christ Church of Oak Brook - holding ambition and formation together without shortcuts.
Facing Life After Ministry can feel hopeless, but it doesn’t have to be.
Whether you've stepped away from your position by choice, or circumstances have forced a change, it's a monumental shift that leaves many wondering, "What's next?" If you're at this crossroads, you may feel alone, overwhelmed, and unsure about the road ahead.
We want you to know that you're not alone in this transition. There's not just life after ministry - there's a chance to thrive.
Sharing is caring.
Listen to an episode and help us spread the word by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.
“Just listened to Matt and Marilee unpacked their own story in episode one. So generous, honest, and invitational. Thanks for meeting a "gap" in the ministry world, and by that I mean the shattered heads and hearts wandering the land like Christendom's own take on the Walking Dead. I pray this resurrects many, opens eyes for their families and communities, causing an increase in empathy among God's people.”
- Scott White
David, Former Pastor
"I felt lost after leaving the ministry. This podcast showed me a way forward."
Sarah, Ex-Missionary
"Life After Ministry Podcast was a lifeline during my transition. Now, I'm thriving in my new chapter!"
The Struggles of Transitioning
Stepping away from pastoral service can be a lonely journey filled with uncertainties. What will your new identity be? How do you make sense of the changes? The stakes are high - but you don't have to navigate this alone.
