From Hillsong to Humanitarian: Joel A'Bell on Faith and Leadership
Welcome to Sunburnt Souls, the Christian mental health podcast providing hope and resources to address stigma. Today, host Dave Quak (pastor, mental health advocate, and founder who lives with bipolar disorder) is honored to welcome Joel A'Bell, former Hillsong Global Director and current leader with Convoy of Hope. They dive into the often-overlooked mental and emotional toll of high-capacity Christian leadership, the power of spiritual intimacy, and how to maintain integrity over a long ministry career.
The Emotional Cost of High-Capacity Christian Leadership
Dave Quak: Well, Joel A'Bell, thank you so much for coming on Sunburnt Souls. We are so honored to have you here, brother.
Joel A'Bell: It's great to be here, Dave.
Dave Quak: Dude, what I love about you, Joel, is that you’ve come to the coast and fit in straight away. You’re mates with everyone, sewing into souls and helping us with leadership development from a place of experience. But what’s it like for your mental and emotional well-being, having such a huge responsibility, bro?
Joel A'Bell: Emotionally, responsibility is something we all feel—it’s a human thing before it’s a leadership thing or a role. There’s something innate in us that wants to see wrongs made right... The bigger issue would be if you felt like you had to fix every problem—that would be emotionally draining. But emotionally, you just charge in and connect with the needs around you, wanting to do something about them. It’s about feeling connected to the needs and wanting to act, not being overwhelmed by trying to solve everything.
From Scripture Class to Senior Pastor: The Call to Serve
Dave Quak: Okay. Is that what drew you into people-helping fields, like ministry? What was your first step into this after becoming a Christian?
Joel A'Bell: I got asked. I had no ambitious drive to become a pastor... I went to the pastor’s house to share the news, and he looked sad. I asked, “What’s up?” He said, “I was going to ask you to come on staff as a youth pastor.” I was like, “Oh, absolutely!” It felt like the natural next step... It wasn’t some booming voice or a burning bush moment like Moses. It was just serving in church, helping out, and the next step was doing it more often. Getting paid meant I didn’t have to balance a job and volunteering—it just made sense.
Dave Quak: I love it when God grabs us from anywhere.
Joel A'Bell: Anywhere.
Dave Quak: So, when you were in ministry, did you feel God’s hand on you? You started as a youth pastor—how did you go from there to senior pastor and beyond?
Joel A'Bell: It was just practical next steps... We were clueless, with the Bible in one hand and John Maxwell’s book in the other, practicing on people. I’m so grateful for those who stuck around.
Navigating Ministry Marriage and Shared Leadership
Dave Quak: Did you enjoy being in ministry with your wife?
Joel A'Bell: Julia loved it. We still love it.
Dave Quak: Are you guys still co-pastoring and co-leading together?
Joel A'Bell: We’ve always done it together. We found a real sweet spot... One of our biggest decisions is ensuring what we do next includes each other—we work better together... Julia’s a natural encourager—she sees the gold in people, draws it out, and places them in the right roles. It’s brilliant working together.
Dave Quak: I like that, Joel. It’s doable for the average person. If we give our best to the assignment God’s given us now, we’ll grow little by little...
Joel A'Bell: Exactly. There’s a great passage where Jesus talks about the person given a few things who does well, then gets more... The "many things" are just lots of little things. If we’re faithful with what God gives us now, treating people well, we get more to do. It’s just more small things.
Dave Quak: I love that. Lots of smalls.
Spiritual Practices vs. Ministry Prep: Intimacy with God
Dave Quak: So, what was your spiritual life like during that time to carry such responsibility? Even with my church of 76, I sometimes get overwhelmed. I’d do devotions to prepare for ministry or read Scripture to write a sermon. It wasn’t until recently I realized I need to be a Christian for myself, separate from ministry. Was that hard with so many people under your leadership?
Joel A'Bell: I don’t think it’s a size issue, Dave. I struggled with that before, during, and after. Even last week, writing a blog, I had to ensure it wasn’t my quiet time. Those challenges never go away. It’s about intimacy with God—Daddy God, as you prayed earlier. We need to stay genuine in wanting that spiritual connection, not just go through the motions for a job or role.
Joel A'Bell: ...Intimacy can be in the doing, like Martha, if she chooses Him in the middle of it.
Dave Quak: That’s right. Like you mentioned, out in the surf under your wetsuit—that can be as powerful and intimate as sitting at home reading the Bible.
Need some support managing the emotional load of leadership?
This 4 week course help you flourish in your faith while growing in your mental wellbeing
From Hillsong to Humanitarian: The Mission of Convoy of Hope
Dave Quak: Right now, you’re putting your hands to the plow with Convoy of Hope. Tell us about that—it’s such a cool ministry.
Joel A'Bell: It’s a global, faith-based humanitarian organisation... We focus on feeding children, empowering women, training farmers, and working through 4,500 program centers worldwide... The church is the exit strategy—we get in, help, and get out, leaving the church to shine as a lighthouse in the community.
Dave Quak: As we wrap up, can you share a couple of pointers for staying faithful to the call as people’s capacity grows in any field—ministry, business, or otherwise? You’ve maintained integrity for years—no scandals, no bad press. What’s the key to staying steady over the long haul?
Joel A'Bell: The challenge is staying faithful to Jesus, not the call, gift, or opportunity... If we stay faithful to Him, callings and opportunities can come and go... Keep Jesus at the center, and the rest falls into place.
Dave Quak: I love how your face lights up talking about Jesus—you don’t just know about Him, you know Him.
Joel A'Bell: I want to know Him more. My favorite Scripture is Philippians 3: “All I want is to know Christ, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that I might attain the resurrection.”
Dave Quak: For someone wondering if Jesus is for them, any thoughts?
Joel A'Bell: He’s for everyone. The challenge is wading through the additives—interpretations, hurts from Christians, or misconceptions. Find out who Jesus says He is, not just what others say. Start with Scripture, but focus on Jesus’ life... Fall in love with that person, follow Him, and let the other stuff be secondary.
Connect with Sunburnt Souls
If you are navigating the emotional weight of leadership, ministry burnout, or are struggling to integrate your faith and mental health, Sunburnt Souls provides resources and community for your journey toward biblical mental wellbeing.
Emotional health with our Christian mental health courses and devotionals. Find support for burnout and emotional health with our Christian mental health courses and devotionals.
Listen to the full episode and explore our entire podcast network for raw conversations about Jesus, mental health, and everyday hope.
Book Dave to Speak at your church or event about faith, leadership, and mental health stigma.
👉 Visit sunburntsouls.com to discover more.
