Glenn Packiam

Most of us never stop. Work, school, church, friendships, family—life seems to be a rush from one responsibility or activity to the next. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s a more abundant way to live. For a dozen years or so, we have been carving out time for an annual retreat at the end of December or the beginning of January. Other wiser couples encouraged us to do this. Over time, we began to value it so much, some years we went away twice a year so that we could revisit our rhythms and adjust our lives every 6 months. Our retreat plan has ebbed and flowed, but over the years we’ve come up with a set of practices in a particular sequence to guide us into a more intentional life. It’s been a fruitful, keystone habit that has shaped our lives individually and as a family. During the past couple years, we finally had the time— and the opportunity, thanks to our amazing publisher—to write all about the practices and pathway for living intentionally, whether you do a retreat or not. We are so excited to share it with you. _____ In “The Intentional Year”, we invite you on a journey to live purposefully into the season ahead. You’ll reflect on your past season, discern God’s call on what’s next, and examine five key spheres of life— Prayer, Rest, Renewal, Relationships, Work— to pursue a life of peace and freedom. Full of stories and examples, insights and ideas, reflection prompts and discussion points, and practices that will engage your mind, body, and spirit, we’re offering a practical and empowering pathway into a more sustainable life. And it’s simple. We promise. Nothing idealistic or out of reach. Here’s what we believe: rooted in the love of God, you can abide in Christ and join the Holy Spirit in cultivating a flourishing and fruitful life that will glorify God and bring good to the world around you. Are you ready to step into 2023 and live more intentionally? Join us on the journey. _____ Releasing December 6, 2022. Pre-order #TheIntentionalYear on Amazon now! [NOTE: There is a companion journal but that won’t release til June, 2023. Get the book first, then get the journal in time for a summer review of your plan.]

The Church today has lost its way. We’ve pursued the wrong priorities, put our hope in personalities, and elevated popularity over spiritual maturity. As culture wars rage and competing voices argue, many are left asking, “What’s a Christian, anyway?” • If you have you ever struggled to connect deeply and honestly with your faith… • If you have experienced a disconnection from Christianity as you’ve seen it get corrupted or co-opted… • If you’ve watched as church leaders have fallen and you’ve felt like walking away… • If you live with a kind of spiritual homelessness, wondering where you belong… This book is for you. Coming March 11, 2025. (That’s in 8 weeks!) _____ Pre-order now for special bonuses and get a free chapter here: WhatsAChristianAnyway.com

Two years ago, this book entered the world. I could not have imagined how the Lord would use it to encourage so many church leaders around the world. I had no idea it would lead to a set of initiatives from a podcast to roundtables to webinars and cohorts in partnership with @barnagroup . I’m so grateful for the journey, and for all the amazing people I’ve met and learned from along the way. The book was written in the chaotic first year of the pandemic, and during several months when I was dealing with a vocal cord injury that required surgery and kept me out of the pulpit for 12 weeks. Yet writing about resilience during personal hardship allowed me to see the faithfulness of God in many ways— not least of which was the unexpected extra time to research, read, and write. For those who haven’t picked up the book, it begins with a snapshot of the massive changes in culture in Western societies in particular. It then outlines eight challenges for church leaders in every age— four for the individual leader, and four for the church they serve. I deliberately chose challenges that are evergreen. It concludes with a chapter that maps out three layers of collaboration and another chapter on the game-changing hope of resurrection. The data is from 2020-2021, and it makes up about 10% of the book. The wisdom to meet each challenge is carefully gleaned from the church in various eras in various regions of the world. It follows a model I employed in my doctoral work @durhamuniversity — pairing situational analysis with theological reflection. Think of it this way: the core content is about pairing insight with wisdom to help us face common challenges of church ministry. There are loads of beautiful charts and graphs, but the real power in these pages— if there is any— is from the stories of the Holy Spirit breathing life into the church in its darkest moments. Grab a copy— it’s often available for less than $10 on Amazon. Write a review. Buy it for a friend. Pass the gift of resilience on. And check out the many resources and opportunities we’ve created to help you cultivate resilience with a community of other leaders at theresilientpastor.com

The life of the worship pastor is something we have all lived out and love. Glenn is the lead pastor and Luke & Anna are worship pastors of Rockharbor Church, Costa Mesa, California. Between us we carry experience of worship leadership in various contexts of the Church. Join us for a 2 hour webinar as we dive into the nuance and issues at play, with particular focus on the worship pastor/lead pastor relationship. This will be a curated conversation full of input and insights, with time for Q&A. It’s a one off, but our hope is to create a space to continue these conversations and collaborative learning for worship pastors. May 29th 10am PST ONLINE Sign up link in bio DM us for questions.

You don’t wait for something that is optional. Waiting on the Lord changes when Jesus goes from being OPTIONAL to being ESSENTIAL. Hear the full message at Rockharbor.org #Waiting #prayer #Jesus #church

If you’re stepping into a new lead role and feeling the mix of excitement and anxiety…you’re not alone. Every leadership transition reshapes culture, sometimes on purpose, often by accident. It helps to identify the elements that require our attention— from grieving the hidden losses to choosing health over hurry, from hiring well to setting culture, These five essentials come from my own ongoing learning about carrying the weight, caring for people, moving at the right pace, building the right team, and tending culture. Walk through them in the slides, then read the full story and reflections on Substack – link in bio.

The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just an inspiriring story... Jesus defeated death in victory so we can be made new! He died to bring us from death to life. He died to make us a new creation so the Spirit can dwell within us and we can love like He loves 🤍🤝 💬 Comment “🔥” and we’ll send you the full Message from this Sunday!

Let’s address one of the most persistent myths in church leadership: the belief that the health, vision, and culture of a church should reside in the mind and heart of a single, brilliant leader. Maybe you’ve felt the pressure to be that person— the one with all the answers, the keeper of the vision, the “genius” who holds it all together. Here’s the hard truth: this myth isn’t just exhausting for leaders— it’s dangerous for the church. When everything depends on one person, teams are disempowered, and the very soul of the church is at risk of vanishing when that leader moves on. Read this post from the Resilient Leadership Archive, unlocked for a few months. Link in stories.

God doesn't rebuke your neediness. We were made to fill our longing with more of Him, and that's exactly what He wants to do for us. When we are weak, God is already there saying, "I have come to comfort you." 🫂 ➡️ If you missed us this morning, you can still join us tonight at 5pm!

Mother’s Day 2026 Here’s to my mum, @karmenpackiam , the woman who gave me a love for the Bible and taught me public speaking (childhood dramatic monologue competitions!). Thank you for always being an encouragement and for all the many ways you continue to serve our family, especially through prayer and intercession. Love you! To my love, @hollypackiam — our kids are maybe just starting to get a faint idea of how blessed they are to have you as their mom. You have poured your whole life out for them, and you continue to be there for them in just the way that each one needs. Nurturing is your superpower! I’ve learned so much about love by watching you. I’m so grateful to walk with you.

Welcome to the many of you who are new around here (somehow, I’ve gained about 700 followers in the past week?!). Here’s a quick bit about me. Swipe 👉🏾

Most leaders focus on mission and vision — but culture is what quietly holds everything together. And unlike mission drift or vision leaks, culture doesn’t gradually decline… it evaporates. Here’s a simple framework to keep it strong. 🧵👉🏾 Link in stories. Find it on the homepage at glennpackiam.substack.com #Leadership #ChurchLeadership #PastoralMinistry #Culture #Discipleship