The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast – Episode 788

Are You Marketing Revival? The Problem with Mixed Motives and Social Media in Church Leaders
Date: February 26, 2026
Host: Carey Nieuwhof
Podcast Network: Art of Leadership Network

Episode Overview

This episode offers a deeply introspective look into the motives that drive church leaders during seasons of growth, revival language, and significant momentum. Carey Nieuwhof explores how social media and the pressure to publicly narrate church growth can cause even well-intentioned leaders to blur the line between honest storytelling and marketing hype. He shares personal reflections and frameworks for examining motives, encouraging pastors to steward rather than sell momentum and to cultivate habits of integrity and self-awareness.

1. Key Discussion Points and Insights

A. The Pressures of Church Growth in a Social Media Age ([03:08–08:55])

• Carey frames the central question:
  "Are you selling church growth?"
  He notes the challenge of mixed motives in leadership, especially when growth becomes public and performative.
• There is a surge of spiritual hunger, baptisms, and visible momentum in many churches, but Carey questions:
  "Are we telling a story about what God is doing, or are we marketing momentum?"

Notable Quote

"Marketed momentum isn't fake growth. They're real things described at their most impressive. And sometimes as a leader, you might find yourself rounding up." (Carey, 09:40)

B. The Dynamics of Mixed and Unexamined Motives ([08:56–16:28])

The Problem

• Unexamined motives don't usually lead to outright lying but to exaggeration, blurred language, and the tendency to present hope as reality.
• Social media creates intense pressure for leaders to narrate their wins, often pushing them to optimize their stories for public consumption.

Notable Quote

"When momentum gets shared, it gets shaped. And when it gets shaped, it also gets optimized. And when it gets optimized, it often starts serving the story more than it starts serving the truth." (Carey, 13:00)

• Carey readily admits his own complicity:
  "In seasons, I have told stories that emphasize the momentum and ignored the cracks. Not because I wanted to deceive anyone, but because marketed momentum makes you look good and makes you feel good about yourself." (Carey, 12:15)

Revival Language as a Marketing Tool

• The term "revival" is used increasingly as a label for momentum, but true revival, as experts say, is "unmistakable."
• "Revival is not a marketing term." (Carey, 16:02)

C. A Framework for Examining Motives ([16:29–27:10])

• Carey encourages leaders to ask:
  "Why do I need to tell this story in the way I'm telling it?"
• He lists four core drivers behind the urge to market momentum:
  • Pride: Desire for recognition, proof of God’s faithfulness.
  • Insecurity: Fear of irrelevance or lack of validation.
  • Aspirational Pressure: Projecting hope as if it’s reality.
  • Good Motives: Celebrating genuine moments without external validation.

Notable Quote

"Would I still share this if no other pastor saw this? What if it got zero exposure—would you still post it?" (Carey, 22:00)

Four Filters Before Posting or Sharing ([25:15–27:10])

1. Am I being accurate, or am I overstating?
2. Is this a sustained movement or just a moment?
3. Who gets the credit – God, people, or myself?
4. If I couldn’t share it publicly, would I still celebrate it privately?

D. The Dangers of Overstating Momentum ([27:11–33:25])

• Overhyping growth not only distorts reality but slowly erodes trust—with your congregation, other leaders, and even with God.
• Honest language builds trust; exaggerated marketing erodes it and can lead to cynicism and performance pressure.

Notable Quote

"Calling momentum revival doesn’t create revival, but what it can do is create pressure to perform, distortion, and eventually could even lead to cynicism." (Carey, 30:05)

E. The Heart Work of Leadership ([33:26–36:20])

• Personal stories (e.g., John Crist’s journey of learning not to need applause) illustrate the addiction of affirmation.
• Tim Keller’s wisdom is referenced:
  "Momentum can become idolatry. Anything can become idolatry. Success goes to your head, failure goes to your heart." (Carey paraphrasing Tim Keller, 34:10)
• Bottom line: God is not looking for spin, but for faithfulness and personal transformation in His leaders.

Notable Quote

"God isn’t impressed by how well we narrate what he’s doing. He’s far more concerned with who we’re becoming while he’s doing his work." (Carey, 35:35)

2. Memorable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Unexamined motives don’t announce themselves. They don’t put up their hand and say, ‘Hey, guess what? We dropped a little bit of arsenic in the water.’" — Carey (08:18)
• "If and when revival happens, it’s unmistakable. You don’t have to convince people. You don’t have to market people. You don’t have to defend it. You don’t have to keep explaining it." — Carey (16:37)
• "Ask yourself, would I still share this if no other pastor saw this? What if it got zero exposure—would you still post it?" — Carey (22:00)
• "Honest language builds trust. If you’re marketing your momentum... guess what you’re doing? You’re eroding trust." — Carey (29:15)
• "Calling momentum revival doesn’t create revival, but what it can do is create pressure to perform, distortion, and eventually could even lead to cynicism." — Carey (30:05)
• "God isn’t impressed by how well we narrate what he’s doing. He’s far more concerned with who we’re becoming while he’s doing his work." — Carey (35:35)
• "Momentum doesn’t need marketing. Don’t sell it. Steward it." — Carey (36:10)

3. Practical Takeaways and Reflection Questions

• Before marketing or sharing growth, pause for a motive check: Are you serving the truth, the story, or yourself?
• Honest language and integrity are essential; they are the foundation for trust, both with people and with God.
• Examine whether your public storytelling matches the private reality of your ministry.
• Embrace private celebrations without the need for external validation or applause.

Reflection Prompts:

• Am I exaggerating momentum or using revival language prematurely?
• Would I still celebrate this win if I couldn’t share it publicly?
• Who gets the credit for the good things happening in my ministry?

4. Important Segment Timestamps

• Main Theme & Motive Introduction: [03:08–08:55]
• Dynamics of Unexamined Motives: [08:56–16:28]
• Examining Why We Tell Our Stories: [16:29–22:00]
• Practical Motive Filters & Social Media Practices: [25:15–27:10]
• Cost of Overstating and Eroding Trust: [27:11–33:25]
• Identity, Integrity, and Lasting Faithfulness: [33:26–36:20]

5. Final Thoughts & Next Episode Tease ([36:21–end])

Carey encourages leaders to steward growth with humility, guard their own integrity, and resist the urge to market momentum. He teases an upcoming conversation with Carl Lentz about the personal costs of unchecked momentum and platform pressure, previewing a continuing exploration of this crucial topic.

Summary Table: Filters for Sharing Ministry Wins

| Filter Question | Purpose | |-------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------| | Am I being accurate or overstating? | Ensure honest representation | | Is this moment or sustained movement? | Avoid inflating a single event | | Who gets the credit—God, people, or self? | Check ego vs. celebration of others/faithfulness | | If I couldn’t share it publicly, would I still celebrate it? | Test for intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation |

Listen if you want:

• To reflect on your own motives as a ministry or organizational leader
• Practical strategies to maintain integrity in seasons of visible success
• Language and mental frameworks to protect your soul in a “platform” age