Why I Created the Momentum Meetup for Church Leaders: And Why You Should Join Us

Leadership doesn’t have to feel this heavy.

I don’t have to tell you how hard it is to lead a church right now.

If you’re a pastor or ministry leader, you already know what it feels like to carry the weight of expectations, the endless needs of people, and the pressure to keep everything moving forward.

But over the last few years, that weight has gotten even heavier.

More leaders are burning out, stepping down, or losing their sense of purpose.
Some mornings, it feels like survival mode is the best you can do.

I know.
I’ve been there.

That’s why I created the Momentum Meetup — a quarterly church leadership workshop designed to help you lead from a place of strength again.

Let me go ahead and unpack this.

The Problem: Why so many leaders feel stuck

When I talk with pastors and ministry leaders in coaching sessions, I hear the same pain points over and over:
– “I’m tired of running on empty.”
– “I feel like I’m just putting out fires and not moving forward.”
– “I don’t have time or space to even think clearly anymore.”

And it’s not just anecdotal.

According to Lifeway Research, 42% of pastors have seriously considered leaving ministry in the past year, citing stress, exhaustion, and discouragement.
And in the same study, pastors said their biggest needs are:
– Developing leaders and volunteers
– Managing time & avoiding burnout
– Staying consistent in prayer & spiritual disciplines

These aren’t minor problems.
These are deep, soul-level challenges that don’t go away on their own.

What I’ve learned in my 20+ years as a senior pastor, executive pastor, and coach to leaders is this:

When you don’t take time to care for your soul and sharpen your strategy, you lose your momentum, and everyone you lead feels it too.

That realization became the seed for the Momentum Meetup.

The Vision: A space to breathe again

A couple of years ago, I was coaching a pastor who finally admitted, “I’m not even sure what I believe about my own calling anymore. I’ve been on autopilot for months.”

It broke my heart, but it didn’t surprise me.
I’ve been in that same place before:
Feeling like ministry is happening to me instead of through me.
Overwhelmed by people’s needs but underwhelmed by my own spiritual health.
So busy working in the church that I stopped working on myself.

I knew we needed more than another meeting.
We needed a moment.

A moment to stop.
To breathe.
To listen.
To get clear.
To move forward.

That’s what the Momentum Meetup is designed to be:
A moment in your quarter where you step away from the chaos, refresh your soul, refocus your strategy, and regain your momentum so you can lead well again.

What You Can Expect at the Momentum Meetup

Here’s what happens when you join us for this church leadership workshop:

1️⃣ Refresh Your Soul

You’ll start by getting what you need most — rest for your soul.
Through prayer, encouragement, and guided reflection, we’ll help you reconnect with the God who called you to this work in the first place.

You don’t have to pretend here.
You don’t have to perform here.
You can come empty, and leave filled.

2️⃣ Refocus Your Strategy

Next, we’ll turn to the leadership side of the equation.

Pastors consistently rank developing leaders and volunteers as one of their top needs, yet it often gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list.
At the Momentum Meetup, I’ll share practical, actionable insights to help you:
– Identify and develop new leaders in your church
– Strengthen your ministry systems
– Navigate the cultural shifts impacting your congregation
– Think clearly about what your next step should be

No fluff.
Just a real-world strategy you can actually use.

3️⃣ Regain Your Momentum

By the end of our time together, my prayer is that you’ll walk away with:
✅ A clearer mind
✅ A lighter heart
✅ A renewed confidence in your calling
✅ And specific next steps to keep moving forward

You don’t have to stay stuck in survival mode.
Momentum is closer than you think.

Why Now?

You may be thinking:
“I don’t have time for something like this right now.”

And I get it because that’s how it feels when you’re already stretched thin.

But here’s the hard truth:
If you don’t make time to care for your soul and strengthen your leadership, it won’t get better on its own.

The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to regain your footing.

What if one morning, you woke up and actually felt clear about where your church was headed?
What if you could feel excited about ministry again, not just responsible for it?
What if you could lead your people without losing yourself in the process?

That’s what I want for you.
That’s why we created this space.

Event Details

Here’s everything you need to know about the next Momentum Meetup:

📅 Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
⌚️ Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Location: 7427 South Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60619
🍽️ Lunch: Included.

🎟️ Registration Options:
✅ Early Bird (before Sept 1): $27
✅ Regular (after Sept 1): $37
✅ Group (up to 4 people): $97

You can register yourself or bring your team, because leadership is better together.

What Makes This Different?

• You’ve probably sat through more leadership seminars and church conferences than you can count.
  You’ve heard the big names, the big ideas, and the big promises.

  Here’s what’s different about the Momentum Meetup:
  – It’s not about hype, it’s about hope.
  – It’s not about one-size-fits-all, it’s about what God is doing in you.
  – It’s not another meeting to drain you, it’s a moment to restore you.

Join Us

If you’re a pastor or church leader who feels tired, stuck, or ready to grow, this is your invitation.

Come empty. Leave ready.

Seats are limited, and the early bird rate ends September 1.

REGISTER NOW

See you next Saturday!

Eric V Hampton