Conversations with Scott Savage

Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Savage.

Hi Scott, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Scott, and I’m a pastor-author-speaker. Born and raised in Las Vegas, I witnessed the impact of choosing a life-giving path in a community of like-minded people. I also saw the danger of living in a transient community surrounded by people who made destructive choices.

I moved to Arizona to go to college and never left. I met my wife after graduating and was drawn to the way she challenged my thinking and encouraged me to grow. We’ve been married for 17 years and have three kids, including a set of twins.

In high school, I had a teacher who told me that he looked forward to reading my essays. He said I was a good writer, and his words are still in my ears today. I published my first article in a magazine while in college, and I’ve been writing ever since. I have partnerships with the largest faith-based radio station in the country, as well as the most popular Bible app globally. Through my work with both, my words are read by over three million people each year.

Whether I’m sitting across a church attender in my office, sharing a drink with a friend at a local coffee shop, or interacting with a reader over email, I seek to use my words to help people make sense of where they are and determine their next step towards a healthy future.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
LOL. My road has been far from smooth.

In my teens, a woman began stalking my dad. She began attending the church where he served for 41 years, developing a crush on my dad. My dad got a bad feeling and only met with her once in his office. Over the next 18 months, she would call our home phone two or three times per day, leaving the creepiest messages in different voices. She sat in her Buick sedan, watching us while we walked to our car on Sunday afternoons. This obsession made our lives miserable and led me to tell a mentor, “It will be a cold day in hell when I’m a pastor.” I never thought I’d end up in this profession.

In my twenties, I experienced an intense period of burnout. Coming on the heels of an intense experience of betrayal and cynicism, as I became a parent for the first time, I hit a wall. Physically, I was drained. In my leadership role, I had limited vision and struggled to complete my tasks each week. Living and leading without boundaries while ignoring the state of my mental and emotional health caught up to me. It took about nine months for me to make a full recovery.

In my early thirties, our family relocated from Phoenix to Prescott. I had three weeks of what I know now to be nightly panic attacks. Unable to sleep and overwhelmed by anxiety, I didn’t know what was happening in the moment. Not long after that, I met a therapist who specialized in working with ministry leaders. Working with him for the past eight years has been a life-changing experience.

The battles that I’ve faced have given me a platform to connect with people. I shared my experiences in sermons, keynotes, and writing, which led to numerous conversations with people. Also, I’ve become much more empathetic, knowing what it’s like to endure anxiety, grief, and adversity.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a pastor-author-speaker.

As a pastor, I lead Cornerstone Church, a community of 500-600 in the Prescott area. Each week, I share sermons, lead our staff, work with our board, and meet with people in need of counsel and encouragement.

As a speaker, I share at retreats, chapels, and conferences. I also ghostwrite messages for other speakers who need help translating their thoughts into a compelling format.

As an author, I partner with YouVersion, the world’s largest Bible app, which has nearly 1 billion installs, to create devotional and video content. I also write weekly for Air1 Radio, the largest faith-based radio station in the United States. I also share a weekly newsletter with 20,000 subscribers that focuses on spiritual, mental, and relational health.

In each of those lines of work, I’m known for sharing vulnerably, encouraging people with a hopeful message, and providing practical next steps to narrow the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
There are massive shifts in my field.

There is a succession crisis among American pastors. In 2024, the average age of pastors was 60. The challenges of pastoring have become more intense post-pandemic, with large numbers of pastors describing mental health issues, feelings of isolation, and many considering leaving the pastorate. Public trust in pastors is at an all-time low following abuse and financial scandals. Healthy pastors and church leaders who are trustworthy and can effectively connect with others will be in high demand.

AI is massively disrupting the work of writers, authors, and speakers. As search leans towards AI and as AI-generated content is now being created and published for free (cutting out freelance writers, content creators, and subject experts), there remains a real need for real people with empathy and insight who can write and share meaningful content in a way that connects. Community and connection are taking priority over content.

As more and more of life occurs in virtual environments, the desire to be known by real people and connect in embodied ways has increased significantly. Despite our digital connections, we long for physical experiences of community and togetherness. The virtual world will only grow larger and pervasive, but the longing for embodied intimacy will grow as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://scottsavagelive.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/scottsavagelive
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/scottsavagelive
• Twitter: https://x.com/scottsavagelive
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/scottesavage

Image Credits
Scott Bideau Photography
Conspyr Media
Toki Photography