Welcome back to the unSeminary podcast. Today we’re joined by returning guest and friend of the show, Dave Miller. With a background in worship and creative arts ministry across Las Vegas, Kentucky, and Michigan, Dave now leads Leadership Pathway, an organization focused on helping the next generation of church leaders take their healthiest first steps into ministry through two-year residency programs, training, coaching, and consulting.



How can your church build a sustainable pipeline of future leaders? Tune in as Dave unpacks the critical role churches play in mentoring Gen Z and why the old models of leadership development just aren’t working anymore.




* Sit with Gen Z to lead them better. // Gen Z isn’t just another version of the generations before—it’s an entirely new cultural landscape. Dave challenges church leaders to see this generation as an “unreached people group,” calling us to sit with them, learn their language, respect their customs, and lead with empathy. Rather than forcing them into old systems, we must dignify their contribution and shift from transactional leadership to relational investment.



* Leadership development starts with slowing down. // One of the biggest barriers to Gen Z development is our pace. Middle managers in churches—often overworked and overwhelmed—struggle to prioritize leadership development. But if we truly want to raise up the next generation, we must slow down. It’s about presence, not productivity—FaceTiming between flights won’t cut it.



* Residencies are the future of staffing. // With ministry hiring taking longer and churches often “settling” after months of searching, Dave encourages churches to proactively invest in residencies. His new book, Who’s the Next You? A Call for 1000 More Churches to Invest in Gen Z Through Residency, outlines a practical framework for launching effective residency programs. From onboarding and legal concerns to mentoring rhythms and developmental milestones, the book equips churches with tools to build a leadership pipeline.



* Seven ingredients of leadership development. // Drawing from years of coaching and residency work, Dave outlines seven essential ingredients for leadership development: training (sermons, small groups), spiritual formation, soft skills (emotional intelligence), best practices, ownership (clear responsibilities and expectations), mental wellness (planning and support structures), and developmental conversations (beyond content delivery). Many churches stop at training, but it’s the deeper relational and emotional investments that shape lasting leaders.



* One size fits one. // Through Leadership Pathway, Dave and his team have worked with over 150 churches and more than 160 residents. What works for one young leader may not work for another. Whether it’s moving across the country or mentoring a senior pastor’s child, every residency journey is unique. The key is listening, adapting, and avoiding the “stupid tax”—learning from past mistakes so the next leader doesn’t pay the price.




Learn more and pick up Dave’s book at www.leadershippathway.org.



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