No Elevator to Everest (featuring Will Acuff)

Success in ministry can hide struggles that few people ever see.  While Will Acuff was helping build a nonprofit that would eventually launch thousands of entrepreneurs and transform communities, his family was walking through years of exhaustion, medical challenges, and uncertainty.  The contrast forced him to confront a difficult question: what happens when the strategies that helped you succeed no longer work? In this conversation, Will shares the lessons he learned through leadership succession, personal suffering, and the unexpected journey that led him to write No Elevator to Everest.  For leaders facing transition, burnout, or uncertainty, this episode offers a hopeful vision for finding joy that is not dependent on circumstances. Key Takeaways Succession works best when leadership development starts long before the transition. Healthy transitions require trust, coaching, and ongoing support after the handoff. High-capacity leaders often struggle to acknowledge their own pain and limitations. Joy is cultivated through intentional practices, not favorable circumstances. Faithful leadership requires both knowledge of God and honest knowledge of ourselves. Chapter Markers 00:00 Welcome and Will's ministry background 03:45 Launching Corner to Corner and helping entrepreneurs escape poverty 07:50 Why the Church should lead community transformation 11:10 Succession planning and transitioning leadership as a founder 19:55 Parenting through complex disabilities and chronic hardship 24:00 Creating a "joy lab" in the middle of suffering 29:00 The story behind No Elevator to Everest 31:00 Advice for burned-out ministry leaders 35:00 Finding joy in the middle of hard 35:40 Resources, book, and final encouragement If you're navigating a ministry transition or leadership challenge, start a conversation with a specialist at Ministry Transitions. Learn more about Will's work at Corner to Corner and his book at No Elevator to Everest.