Ken Shigematsu on Seeking to Bless Those We Envy, Practicing Confession as a Pastor & How We Can Survive Shame

The Pastorate Podcast

What if the path to deeper leadership is through emotional honesty and quiet faithfulness?

In this episode, Jason Ballard sits down with Ken Shigematsu—pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver and author of Now I Become Myself—to talk about envy, shame, identity, and the interior life of a leader. Ken shares what he’s learned over decades of ministry in the same church and offers a countercultural vision of spiritual leadership rooted in humility and formation.

Key Takeaways

• Leading the same church faithfully for over 25 years

• Navigating emotions like envy and shame in ministry

• Why emotional and spiritual health must go together

• Becoming your true self in Christ—not your idealized version

Biography

Ken Shigematsu is the Senior Pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, BC, one of the largest and most diverse city-centre churches in Canada. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal awarded to Canadians in recognition for their outstanding contribution to the country. Before entering pastoral ministry, he worked for the Sony Corporation in Tokyo. Ken is the author of the award-winning bestsellers ‘God in My Everything’ and ‘Survival Guide for the Soul.’ Ken lives in Vancouver with his wife, Sakiko, and their son, Joey.

Sponsors

We couldn’t do the work we do at The Pastorate without your generous support. We invite you to pray, share, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠give⁠⁠⁠⁠towards seeding a hope-filled future for the Canadian church.

Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠Bible Course here⁠.

Guest Notes

• Now I Become Myself: How Deep Grace Heals Our Shame and Restores Our True Self
• Tenth Church
• Arrow Leadership

Show Notes

• ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠

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