704. Lead To Serve Podcast, Season 7, Episode 4
In this episode of Lead to Serve, Pastor Bob and I took the time to discuss a reality that every leader eventually faces: pressure. The weight of expectations, the pull of insecurities, the noise of comparison, and so much more begin to pile up. It doesn’t always look the same. Some feel it from the outside. Others carry it quietly on the inside. But no matter how it shows up, pressure has a way of shaping the way we lead and serve. The good news is that we don’t have to carry it alone.
We discussed various types of pressure that leaders face. There’s peer pressure, which doesn’t end in high school. It follows us into ministry, where we feel the need to do things the way others are doing them. There’s the pressure of jealousy, where we look at someone else’s fruit and start to believe that we’re missing out. Then there’s FOMO (the fear of missing out), which can easily turn into striving for things God never asked us to pursue. FOMO almost always stirs up some sort of pride in us! Each one has a way of moving us off course if we’re not careful.
The Bible provides clear direction in times like these. Jesus Himself faced intense pressure in the Garden of Gethsemane. He felt the full weight of what was ahead, yet still surrendered to the Father’s will: “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He shows us what it looks like to feel pressure and still walk in obedience.
Pressure isn’t the problem. It’s how we respond.
We also shared how important it is to have a relief valve. Prayer, rest, worship, and godly counsel help us keep our footing. There’s no shame in needing perspective. Many times, a simple conversation with someone who loves the Lord and knows us well can bring clarity we didn’t have on our own. God hasn’t left us to figure this out by ourselves. As we submit our pressure to Him, He meets us with peace and direction.
If you’re feeling pressure in ministry, you’re not alone. It’s part of the call, but it’s not meant to crush you. Bring it to the Lord. Let Him walk with you through it. He has never failed to be faithful. He won’t start now.
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Full Transcript:
Lead to Serve Podcast – Season 7, Episode 4: Pressure
Ed: Welcome to another episode of the Lead to Serve podcast. I’m Ed Taylor, your host, and we’re well underway with Season 7. I appreciate all your responses, feedback, and prayers as God continues to use this podcast across the country and even around the world. We have listeners in many different countries. In recent seasons, I’ve invited Pastor Bob Claycamp into the studio, turning the podcast into more of a conversation, which I really enjoy. Bob brings over 50 years of ministry experience. His journey began in a communal Christian home—believe me, there are some stories there! If you want to understand the essence of Calvary Chapel‘s beginnings, the movie Jesus Revolution offers a glimpse into those early days of revival among the hippies, where Bob was a full-blown hippie musician who came to faith.
Bob has served as the senior pastor at Calvary Chapel in North Phoenix for many years, then as a missionary pastoring a church in Exeter, England. Now, he leads Mission Assist Ministries, with a heart to help churches and pastors grow in health and strength. He’s doing incredible work in the UK and, when he’s here in Aurora, adds so much to our team and pulpit. As you heard in our last episode, if you listen closely, you might catch one of Bob’s famous “Bob-isms.” Bob, welcome!
Bob: It’s good to be here.
Ed: Are you ever going to write down those Bob-isms for us?
Bob: I don’t know.
Ed: You should ask everyone for their favorite Bob-ism. The first one I remember was from your book on marriage. There are so many good ones! Today, we’re diving into a new topic: the pressure of leadership. We planned to cover this last episode, but we got carried away with a great discussion about age and its importance. Today, we’ll explore the different points of pressure in leadership and how to relieve them. Pressure affects us all, and depending on your personality, how you feel or deal with it varies. Bob, you mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I can be wound up. My wife, Marie, says I’m wound pretty tight at times. That’s just my personality—it doesn’t take much for me to feel pressure heavily. Others, like Marie or people I serve with, might feel or respond to pressure differently. For me, even small things can feel high-stakes. I’ve improved over the years and am learning to abide in Christ, taking His yoke upon me rather than my own. But feeling pressure is part of leading and serving. Bob, what are your thoughts as we begin?
Bob: There are different things that can pressure you. Outwardly, I’m a pretty easygoing guy, but internally, I’m still processing things. I can be patient and put up with a lot, but it doesn’t mean I’m that way inside. Sometimes, it hits a boiling point and just explodes. That’s when I have to repent, own it, and realize I’m relying on my natural ability rather than the fruit of the Spirit, like self-control.
Ed: That’s so important—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness—they all fit together. When I think of pressure, I think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. As fully man, He felt the weight of the cross before it happened. He was sweating drops of blood, crying out to the Father, yet said, Not My will, but Yours be done. That’s a powerful example of feeling pressure but handling it by coming to the Father, expressing it, and submitting to His will. In our context, submitting to God’s will is the safest place to be under pressure.
Bob: That’s a choice, not a feeling.
Ed: Absolutely, a conscious choice of obedience. Let’s talk about specific pressure points. You can text us your thoughts at (720) 608-0012—maybe you’re feeling a specific pressure right now. One key pressure is peer pressure. We often think of peer pressure as a high school thing—fitting in, dressing right, being in the right crowd. But it doesn’t end there. Pastors, for example, face peer pressure to do things a certain way because their peers are doing it or because they’re told to. Social media amplifies this, making us feel like we should be doing what others are doing. Bob, what do you think about peer pressure?
Bob: I think insecurity is the foundation. Your identity gets wrapped up in being part of the crowd, not standing out in a way that makes you feel less than. It might start with someone inspiring you, but then you think, I need to do what they’re doing to get the same results. That’s when you lose perspective. God doesn’t need two of them—He made you with unique giftings to be used in His time and way. When I went to England, I wanted to fit in with the pastors there. At a high-level meeting, I dressed up as best I could, but I felt like a wallflower. Then my phone went off, playing The Star-Spangled Banner as my ringtone for U.S. calls. Everyone stopped and stared at me as I fumbled to turn it off. It was humbling, showing how subtle peer pressure can be. It starts with wanting to serve and understand others but can shift due to deeper insecurities.
Ed: Insecurity is a huge topic—we’ve covered it before on Lead to Serve. Insecurities can make rational people do irrational things, which isn’t good for leadership. It diverts you from your calling. Pressure, whether peer pressure or other kinds, pushes you away from God’s will, causing you to second-guess His direction. Peer pressure can also be the fear of man—trying to impress others or fit in to feel secure. You have to crucify that part of your flesh and ask God to strengthen you. If someone won’t include you because you don’t conform, maybe they don’t need to be in your life. We must be led by the Holy Spirit, not pressure. God doesn’t pressure us, so when I feel undue pressure, I know it’s not from Him. Another pressure is jealousy, which also ties to insecurity. You want what someone else has, and it drives you to pursue it. Have you experienced that?
Bob: Oh, sure. In Phoenix, I was trying to grow the church, and the Lord led me to give an opportunity to another pastor. They moved a mile and a half away and flourished. Many people from our church went there because it was exciting. We went from 700 people to 180, and I had to lay off all my staff and even look for a job myself. We were getting their phone calls because people confused us with them. It was a breaking, purifying time. I’m glad I went through it, but I don’t want to go through it again.
Ed: Comparison isn’t wise, as the Bible says. With jealousy, we often think someone else has something better, leading to discouragement and attacks from the enemy. Jealousy is a real feeling, but it doesn’t tell the truth or lead you to follow God. It prevents you from celebrating others’ success and can become a flame of pressure to chase what God may not want for you. Another pressure is a newer phrase I learned: FOMO, or fear of missing out. It’s a fear-driven pressure, unlike the fear of the Lord. It makes you feel like you should be somewhere or doing something else, clouding your decision-making.
Bob: Absolutely. The last commandment, You shall not covet, starts with your neighbor’s house, then their wife, servants, and possessions. Covetousness comes from selfishness. FOMO drives sinful choices—thinking you’ll miss an opportunity if you don’t act. It’s about making the right choice for yourself, seeking God’s blessing instead of His heart.
Ed: Exactly, seeking self-satisfaction over God’s will. I’ve wanted things so badly—not sinful things, but driven by jealousy or comparison. Once, I got a chance to teach at a senior pastors’ conference, not because I wanted to serve but because I wanted prominence. God was dealing with my heart to humble me. I bombed the session—it went over time, and I faced criticism. A prominent pastor even wrote that he shouldn’t have invited me. Looking back, God was teaching me a lesson: You wanted it, Ed, but was it worth it? I wasn’t focused on loving and serving others. Now, my heart is different, but I had to learn through those pressures I put on myself to impress others.
Bob: I remember teaching in front of Pastor Chuck on a cruise during a storm. It was formal night, and I was battling motion sickness. I was so focused on not getting sick while teaching my three points: inward, upward, and outward. Toward the end, I glanced at Pastor Chuck, who was holding up one finger, signaling I had one minute left because the previous speaker went long. I had to wrap up quickly. Pressure will always be there in life. Instead of wishing it away, we need to ask God to use it to shape us and give us the right perspective.
Ed: That’s key—be honest that pressure happens. It could be self-imposed, situational, health-related, or ministry-related. It’s normal to feel pressure; it doesn’t make you a bad person. God allows it, as we see with men and women in Scripture. The first step is to take it to the Lord, abiding in Christ through prayer, worship, and seeking His answer. Relief valves include rest, prayer, worship, and seeking counsel. A phone call can shift your perspective and relieve pressure. Bob, what are your thoughts on relieving pressure as we wrap up?
Bob: In pre-marriage counseling, we talk about cultural expectations and family pressures. Some families have strong cultural norms, and not following them can feel like shaming the family. When you marry someone, you’re marrying their family too. You need to understand their culture and expectations—like holidays or raising children. Every situation is unique, and pressures will always be there, but the Lord has a strategy for each one.
Ed: Family pressure is huge. I’ve felt it with decisions about where to spend holidays or how long to stay. The relief comes through prayer, agreement with your spouse, and making a faith-based decision. People can sense your pressure and manipulate it, but walking in the Spirit protects you. God has been faithful in my life to answer prayers and relieve pressure, often through Marie, who sees things differently and talks me off the ledge. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to trust God’s faithfulness, even in hard times, rather than letting worry or anxiety turn a speck of dust into a mountain. It’s not fatalism but an intentional stance of hope and faith in a faithful God.
With that, we come to the end of another episode of Lead to Serve. We’d love to hear your feedback. Text us at (720) 608- $0012 or email us. Visit Pastor Bob’s website at bobclaycamp.com or mine at edtaylor.org. This is a production of Calvary Church‘s Abounding Grace Media in Aurora, Colorado. We’re grateful to have you as part of our family, talking ministry together. In our next episode, we’ll tackle one of the most requested topics: building a team and raising up people in ministry. It might span multiple episodes because there’s so much to cover. Until next time, God bless you and have a great day in the Lord!
