Embrace Endings

Most ministry leaders are great at launching new things. But what about ending them? That's where things get messy — and where so much unnecessary pain in churches actually comes from. In this season finale of the Church Staff Book Club, Jonathan Malm and Jason Young wrap up *The Emotionally Healthy Leader* by Peter Scazzero with Chapter 9: **"Endings and Beginnings."** If you're holding onto something that needs to die — a program, a role, a relationship, a season — this conversation is for you. **What We Cover in This Episode:** - Why leaders are wired to add things and terrified to end them - How "keeping the peace" often just delays pain and elongates it - The subtle drain of holding onto something past its season - Why endings feel like failure — and how to reframe them as release, obedience, or completion - Jonathan's exercise for SundaySocial: "What would we build if we started today?" - Why endings are actually a vital part of your spiritual formation - How to love people *through* an ending... before, during, and after - Why messy endings are normal, and what to do when you're in one - Don't bypass the grief... what it means and why it matters **We Finished Reading:** *The Emotionally Healthy Leader* by Peter Scazzero Tune in next week to find out what book we're reading next! **Key Quotes from This Episode:** *"Every new beginning starts from some other beginning's end."* *"Endings feel like loss, even when they're right."* *"It's less about quitting and more about releasing. Less about defeat and more about obedience."* **Connect & Subscribe:** 📱 Follow us on social media and join the conversation 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a chapter 📚 Grab *The Emotionally Healthy Leader* and read along with us