Episode 50: Can You Lead While Struggling? (featuring Matthew & Joanna Raabsmith)
Telling stories of turning transition into transformation. There is Life After Ministry.
Episode Summary
Matthew had been hiding a secret for years. A secret that was growing, festering, and slowly creating a wedge in his marriage.
He was a pastor. A leader. A man who thought he had it under control - until he didn’t. Until Joanna asked him the one question he had spent years avoiding.
In that moment, everything unraveled. Their marriage. Their ministry. The future they had planned.
What do you do when the thing you're struggling with is the very thing you’re called to help others with? When the shame is suffocating, and the voices in your head tell you you're disqualified?
In this episode, Matthew and Joanna Raabsmith open up about betrayal, confession, and the long road to healing. They reveal how their journey nearly cost them everything - and how, through the wreckage, they found a new calling.
If you’re a pastor, a ministry leader, or just someone feeling like you've lost your way, this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways
Secrets don’t stay buried. What you hide will always rise to the surface - usually when you least expect it.
Your struggle doesn’t disqualify you. But ignoring it might.
Healing is possible - but only if you face the truth. Matthew’s addiction nearly destroyed his marriage, but confession opened the door to redemption.
Ministry should not cost you your soul. Leaders are burning out, hiding struggles, and suffering in silence. It’s time for a better way.
Chapter Markers
[00:10] - Introducing Matthew & Joanna Raabsmith
[01:15] - Falling in Love & Stepping into Ministry
[02:08] - The Secret That Changed Everything
[07:18] - The Moment of Truth: When Joanna Asked the Hard Question
[09:15] - Can You Still Be in Ministry After Failing?
[14:51] - Pastors in Crisis: Why Leaders Feel Stuck
[18:30] - The Weight of Hidden Struggles & The Road to Freedom
[21:27] - Creating a Culture Where Leaders Can Heal
[26:08] - What Churches Get Wrong About Redemption
[29:08] - Finding New Purpose After Ministry
Next Steps
If you or someone you know is struggling in ministry, you are not alone. There is a way forward. There is life after ministry.
Get resources and connect with Matthew & Joanna at https://raabsmithteam.com/free
Connect with us at https://pastoraltransitions.com/
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