11-Week Study & Discussion Guide

Leading on Empty

by Wayne Cordeiro·78 discussion questions

Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction and Chapter 1 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Psalm 23; 1 Kings 19:1-18 (Elijah under the juniper tree)

Discussion question your group will work through:

1.Cordeiro opens the book with a striking admission of his own collapse — a moment when he realized he had nothing left to give. Had you ever heard a pastor or ministry leader speak that openly about personal breakdown before reading this book? What was your initial reaction to his vulnerability?

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At a glance: this is a 11-week study and discussion guide for Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro, with 78 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

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Introduction — Recognizing the Warning Signs

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Read the Introduction and Chapter 1 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Psalm 23; 1 Kings 19:1-18 (Elijah under the juniper tree)

Before we can be helped, we have to be willing to be honest — about how tired we really are and how long we have been running on fumes. This week's reading invites that honesty.

1.Cordeiro opens the book with a striking admission of his own collapse — a moment when he realized he had nothing left to give. Had you ever heard a pastor or ministry leader speak that openly about personal breakdown before reading this book? What was your initial reaction to his vulnerability?

2.Cordeiro describes burnout not as a sudden explosion but as a slow leak — a gradual draining of reserves over time. Looking back over the last few years of your own life, can you identify moments when the tank was clearly getting lower? What were the signs you may have ignored or explained away?

3.The author draws a distinction between being tired and being depleted. In your own words, what is the difference? Why does that distinction matter for how we respond?

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11-Week Schedule

  1. Week 1Introduction — Recognizing the Warning Signs7 questions
  2. Week 2Chapter 2 — The Anatomy of Burnout7 questions
  3. Week 3Chapter 3 — A Personal Inventory7 questions
  4. Week 4Chapter 4 — Refilling the Reservoir7 questions
  5. Week 5Chapter 5 — Soul Care and the Inner Life7 questions
  6. Week 6Chapter 6 — Redefining Success7 questions
  7. Week 7Chapter 7 — The Sabbath Principle7 questions
  8. Week 8Chapter 8 — Restoring Relationships7 questions
  9. Week 9Chapter 9 — Navigating the Long Road Back7 questions
  10. Week 10Chapter 10 — Building a Sustainable Life7 questions
  11. Week 11Review & Reflection — Looking Back, Moving Forward8 questions

Chapter 2 — The Anatomy of Burnout

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Read Chapter 2 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30; Galatians 6:9

1.Cordeiro breaks burnout down into emotional, physical, and spiritual dimensions. Which of those three dimensions resonated most with your own experience or observation? Why?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 3 — A Personal Inventory

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Read Chapter 3 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Lamentations 3:19-26; Psalm 139:23-24

1.Cordeiro walks readers through a personal inventory of their emotional reserves. Were there any areas of the inventory where you were surprised by your own answers? What did that surprise reveal?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 4 — Refilling the Reservoir

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Read Chapter 4 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Isaiah 40:28-31; Mark 1:35

1.Cordeiro makes the case that refilling is not selfish — it is what allows us to keep giving. Did that argument land for you, or does part of you still resist the idea that investing in your own renewal is legitimate? Where does that resistance come from?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 5 — Soul Care and the Inner Life

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Read Chapter 5 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Psalm 46:10; John 15:1-5

1.Cordeiro argues that many leaders are so focused on the outer work of ministry that the inner life — prayer, Scripture, silence, solitude — is starved. How would you honestly describe the current condition of your inner life? Is it a source of strength or a source of anxiety?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 6 — Redefining Success

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Read Chapter 6 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 25:14-23

1.Cordeiro argues that ministry leaders often unconsciously adopt the world's metrics for success — attendance, budget, influence, growth — and that these metrics can become idols that drive us into the ground. Which of these metrics (or others) has had the strongest grip on you? Be honest.

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 7 — The Sabbath Principle

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Read Chapter 7 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Mark 2:27

1.Cordeiro argues that Sabbath is not optional for the sustainable leader — it is architectural, woven into creation itself by God's own example. Before reading this chapter, how did you think about Sabbath? Has this chapter shifted your view?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 8 — Restoring Relationships

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Read Chapter 8 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Hebrews 10:24-25

1.Cordeiro describes how burnout tends to push leaders into isolation — they withdraw from honest friendship precisely when they need it most. Have you experienced that pattern? What drove the withdrawal?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 9 — Navigating the Long Road Back

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Read Chapter 9 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Psalm 30; Isaiah 43:18-19

1.Cordeiro is honest that recovery from burnout — especially when it has reached the point of clinical depression — takes much longer than most people expect. Were you surprised by the timeline he described? How does our culture's demand for quick fixes work against genuine recovery?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Chapter 10 — Building a Sustainable Life

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Read Chapter 10 of Leading on Empty. Key Scripture: Proverbs 4:23; Luke 14:28-30

1.Cordeiro describes the difference between a reactive life — always responding to the urgent — and a proactive life that is built on intentional rhythms. Honestly, which word better describes your current life? What would it take to move toward the latter?

+ 6 more questions in the full guide

Review & Reflection — Looking Back, Moving Forward

All 8 questions →

Review your notes, journal entries, and underlined passages from all chapters of Leading on Empty

1.Which single chapter or concept from *Leading on Empty* was most personally impactful for you, and why? Was it what you expected when you began the book?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide
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About the Leading on Empty guide

How many weeks is the Leading on Empty study guide?

This study guide covers Leading on Empty in 11 weeks, with week-by-week discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.

How many discussion questions are included?

The complete guide includes 78 discussion questions across 11 weeks — an average of 7 questions per week, designed for group conversation.

Can I use this guide for a book club?

Yes — the questions are written for group discussion and work well for small groups, book clubs, church studies, and couples reading together.

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