Episode 150: Shepherd of leaders: the Heart of the Father with Steve Witmer

Are you a pastor or ministry leader who is longing to have someone see you, understand your needs and remind you of who you are and to whom you belong? Sadly, pastors, ministry leaders and their families often find themselves isolated, struggling, and burned out.

 

Everyone wants to be a healthy, wholehearted leader, who lives their life with integrity. Not just for a season, but for the long-haul. Some would say it’s not how you start, but how you finish the race that matters most. Those who serve in pastoral ministries and faith communities seem to have a harder tension at times. It takes work, intentionality, self-awareness, humility…and wise mentorship - something many leaders forsake because of all they have on their plate.

 

We are passionate about helping leaders do their deeper story work to help them run and finish their race well, and avoid (or in many cases, recover from) burnout. And we are passionate about helping leaders take time for their own personhood, humanity, and soul care.

 

Our guest for this episode shares a similar passion for helping leaders. Today, Steve Witmer, dives in and reveals how he knows your kind intimately. Not only does Steve offer insight into the needs and longings of a ministry leader's heart, he also shares a blessing just for you. Listen in. You will not only be inspired and encouraged, but you might even begin some healing today.

 

Steve Witmer is a pastor, coach, and mentor to many. He works with Focus on the Family - Canada, and is a shepherd of shepherds. A lifetime of ministry experience has given Steve, and his wife Becky, a compassionate concern for the emotional and spiritual health of pastors and their families. They have a genuine love for ministry leaders and are known as "Papa" and "Nana" to many. Steve, in partnership with Becky, has served for more than 45 years in a variety of ministry roles. After 5 years with YWAM, they served in roles such as Senior Pastor, Missionary Director in Fiji, and Pastoral Care Coordinator for their associated network of churches. Sensing that they were entering a new season of life after 14 years as Senior Pastors in their current church, Steve and Becky transitioned to the role of Associate Pastors for the same congregation for 2 years. This season enabled them to invest time and energy into missions endeavors, the care of pastors and emerging leaders and serving churches in the roles of Transitional Coach and Interim Pastor. In 2022 they celebrated 47 wonderful years of marriage. They are blessed with two married daughters and five delightful grandchildren.

 

To connect with Steve Witmer, shoot him an email at: switmer@telus.net

 

Are you interested in having a mentor or a coach to walk with you as a leader in ministry. Go to livingwholehearted.com to learn more about our coaching and our cohorts. Jeff and I started Living Wholehearted in 2011 to bring holistic care to leaders who are often alone in holding the complexity of their relationships, their organizational needs, and their stories. We have some new initiatives for women in leadership coming this new year! So excited to begin sharing those with you soon.

 

We help leaders know their stories, their wirings, and how to have healthy relationships so they can live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters and follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted and @terramattson.

And if you know someone who needs to hear the heart of the father and the encouragement we have received from Steve Witmer today, share this podcast or leave a review. We are honored to walk with you each week, helping us all become more wholehearted leaders.

 

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

Facebook

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

Websites

LivingWholehearted.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

TerraMattson.com

 

Resources

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org/

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/living-wholehearted-podcast-with-jeff-and-terra/donations