Many pastors faithfully proclaim the gospel—yet quietly wrestle with a growing gap between what they believe about God and what they actually experience with God. In this honest and searching highlight from our longer conversation, Steve Cuss joins host Jason Daye to name a tension many ministry leaders feel but rarely articulate: the disconnect between preaching faith and living it from the inside out.

Steve reflects on a season where he began to wonder whether being a pastor itself had complicated his ability to experience God. He explores two powerful dynamics that often shape pastoral life—confusing our identity as God’s beloved children with our role as God’s employees, and neglecting our own inner lives in the name of mission, vision, and service to others. What can look like selfless devotion, Steve suggests, can sometimes mask anxiety, avoidance, and emotional disconnection.

Together, Steve and Jason unpack how pastors can become highly “others-focused” while remaining unaware of what’s happening within themselves. Steve vulnerably shares how a moment of “blind spot awareness” revealed this gap in his own life—realizing that while his head affirmed core truths of the faith, his body and daily experience did not. Rather than hiding this struggle, he chose to steward it openly, inviting his congregation into a shared conversation about doubt, freedom, and what it means to actually live the promises of the gospel.

This conversation is a must-watch for:

• Pastors and ministry leaders experiencing spiritual or emotional disconnect
  Leaders carrying anxiety, performance pressure, or inner exhaustion
• Those questioning why faith feels true but not transformative
• Churches longing for honest, embodied discipleship

Key Topics Discussed:

• The hidden disconnect between belief and experience in ministry
• Neglecting the self in the name of serving others
• Blind spots, self-awareness, and spiritual awakening
• Why many believers proclaim truths they don’t yet live

👉 Watch the full episode for deeper insight into how pastors and ministry leaders can move from merely preaching the gospel to actually experiencing the peace, freedom, and love it promises: https://youtu.be/EKHZrI39J5w?si=UOk25Z1jl5UWSVia&t=199

Looking to dig more deeply into this topic and conversation? FrontStage BackStage is much more than another church leadership show, it is a complete resource to help you and your ministry leaders grow. Every week we go the extra mile and create a free toolkit so you and your ministry team can dive deeper into the topic that is discussed.

Visit http://PastorServe.org/network to find the Weekly Toolkit, including the Ministry Leaders Growth Guide. Our team pulls key insights and quotes from every conversation with our guests. We also create engaging questions for you and your team to consider and process, providing space for you to reflect on how each episode's topic relates to your unique church context. Use these questions in your staff meetings, or other settings, to guide your conversation as you invest in the growth of your ministry leaders.

Love well, live well, & lead well

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