Jeff Brodie
A Move of the Spirit at Connexus
About The Episode
What happens when a leader chooses obedience over comfort and creates space for the Holy Spirit to move? In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with Jeff Brodie to unpack a remarkable season at Connexus Church that began with five years of quiet wrestling in prayer and culminated in a week of corporate repentance, renewal, and deep encounter with God. Without a playbook, branding strategy, or polished program, Jeff led his church into a posture of “shameless persistence” (Luke 11), creating space for confession, freedom, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Welcome to Episode 153 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.
Insights from Jeff
- Revival Often Begins in Private, Not Public
Jeff carried this burden in prayer for nearly five years before anything happened publicly. Renewal didn’t begin with a strategy session—it began in solitude, fasting, and personal surrender. What God does in a leader’s private life often precedes what He does in a church’s public life.
- Obedience Is More Important Than Comfort
Jeff described this as going “somewhere I wasn’t comfortable going.” As leaders, comfort can subtly become our operating system. But meaningful spiritual renewal often requires relinquishing control and stepping into obedience before we feel ready.
- Create Space, Not a Playbook
There was no brand, no program, no master strategy—just intentional space. Services were built around presence over polish, invitation over manipulation. Leaders gathered daily to discern what God might say next.
- Corporate Discernment Matters
Jeff invited the congregation to email what they sensed God was saying. Themes of repentance, freedom, and renewal emerged organically. This wasn’t leader-driven hype—it was communal listening.
- Repentance Precedes Renewal
The first night centered on confession. The response was overwhelming—people audibly confessing sin, receiving forgiveness, and encountering the love of God. Freedom flowed from repentance.
- Shameless Persistence (Luke 11)
Jeff anchored the week in Luke 11—the call to persistent knocking and the promise that the Father gives the Holy Spirit. The invitation was simple: keep showing up expectantly.
Renewal wasn’t about spectacle—it was about sustained posture.
- Don’t Confuse Grieving with Quenching
Jeff reflected on two dangers:
- Grieving the Spirit (through sin)
- Quenching the Spirit (through over-control)
Churches that are strong in theology can sometimes be hesitant to create the kind of space where the Spirit can move freely.
- Culture Change > Event Creation
The goal isn’t to replicate a week-long gathering. The deeper question is:
How does an encounter reshape culture?
Staff meetings. Volunteer huddles. Prayer posture. Hunger in the parking lot before service. Renewal isn’t a program—it’s a shift in atmosphere.
- Mission Didn’t Shrink—It Expanded
One fear Jeff carried was that this would make the church inward-focused. Instead, it deepened outward urgency. One spontaneous prayer from a congregant passionately interceded for the lost in their city—proof that encounter fuels mission.
- Leaders Can’t Manufacture the Real
You can convince people Christianity is true.
You cannot convince them it is real.
Only the Holy Spirit can do that.
Episode Links
Connexus Church: Sacred Homecoming
The Prodigal God by Tim Keller
If you’re a leader approaching a succession or transition, or maybe you’re a few years in and beginning to see how complex transitions leadership is… go to The Art of Pastoral Succession and check out my course in partnership with Carey Nieuwhof.
Are you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/
Who is Jeff Brodie?
Jeff Brodie is the Lead Pastor of Connexus Church, a multi-location church based north of Toronto, Canada, where he provides vision, teaching, and strategic leadership to its campuses and growing network of partner churches. After beginning his career as a high school teacher, Jeff sensed an unexpected call to ministry and joined the Connexus team in 2008. For over two decades, he has served in a variety of leadership roles, including Student Ministry Director and Executive Director, before stepping into the role of Lead Pastor in 2015. Jeff is passionate about helping churches create accessible encounters with Jesus where people can invite their friends to explore faith and engage honest questions together. Jeff and his wife, Leslie, live in Barrie, Ontario, with their two sons. As a family, they enjoy sports, staying active, and cheering each other on in whatever season of life they’re in.
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsor, MOHI: Partnership with MOHI is built on long-term, meaningful relationships. Your church will serve a specific community, its local leaders, and its families. It’s a shared journey marked by prayer, presence, and ongoing connection rather than one-time projects. Many of our partner churches have been walking with the same community for years, even a decade or more, building stability, fostering trust and creating lasting impact.
Learn more at mohiafrica.org/partner
Listen to Recent Episodes
About the Host
Sean Morgan is a coach and speaker with a national reputation as a catalyst of fresh vision. His passion is to help ministries navigate obstacles and turn them into opportunities.
Throughout his career, Sean has pioneered initiatives impacting thousands of leaders across the country. He started out serving as Executive Pastor and CFO at New Life Church in northern California.
As host, Sean gives you access to amazing conversations, hard-won wisdom, and poignant insights from world-class leaders in intimate “living room” settings.
Your Host
Sean Morgan
Leaders in Living Rooms
Craft & Character
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