From Youth Pastor to Pickleball Entrepreneur
Joe Freudenberg never planned to leave ministry. For seven years, he and his wife Caitlin poured their energy into youth pastoring and leading a fine arts program. It was a season of deep community, purpose, and alignment with their gifts.
But as they started having kids, questions surfaced.
I couldn’t reconcile my job and the paycheck I was receiving with the mission I felt Jesus was asking me to pursue.
Joe began feeling the weight of misalignment—not just financially, but spiritually and vocationally. He wasn’t burned out, but he was confused.
“I felt like I had all my skills, all my personality, really thriving in that environment… and still, I had to remove myself.”
In this episode, we talk about:
👉 Why Joe left ministry without bitterness—but with deep confusion
👉 What wandering seasons can teach us if we give them space
👉 How assembling IV pump parts created mental room for transformation
👉 The story behind Joe’s first court build—and the conversation that made it possible
👉 Why ministry leaders often underestimate their transferable soft skills
👉 The importance of asking for help—and how one person can shift everything
👉 What Joe believes flourishing looks like now as a husband, father, and business owner
👉 Why creating space for your family’s vision might matter more than ever
What the Wilderness Season Looked Like
Joe describes the season that followed as “wandering.” He stepped out of ministry without a clear next step.
I think I knew what God didn’t want… but I didn’t know what He did want.
He took a job photographing resale items for a friend’s eBay business. Then another job assembling plastic parts for IV pumps. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave him something else: margin.
“That job only took about 20% of my brain… So I started going to school—on myself.”
For eight hours a day, with headphones in and his hands busy, Joe started listening to anything he could on the three questions burning inside him:
- How do I become a better dad?
- How do I grow in financial literacy?
- What do I do with my faith now?
Building Key Connections: Mentorship and the Thousand Houses Nonprofit
Through a podcast (Dad Tired), Joe discovered Jeremy Pryor, a Cincinnati-based entrepreneur and founder of Family Teams and A Thousand Houses.
“He talked about all three of those questions in one episode. And he lived 20 minutes from me.”
That connection changed everything. Joe began working with Jeremy at A Thousand Houses, helping families reimagine their homes as hubs of discipleship. Part of the agreement? Jeremy would coach Joe in building a business of his own—something sustainable and mission-aligned.
From Pickleball Lessons to Court Construction
Joe’s first business idea was Pickle Fam—a coaching service offering pickleball lessons. It drew on his background as a tennis player and coach, but had limitations.
“You can’t stack eight hours of pickleball lessons together… it wasn’t going to scale.”
So Jeremy suggested something bold: what if Joe learned how to build the courts themselves?
“My reaction was: no way. I’m not a handy guy. I’m a tennis player. I hang a picture on the wall if it only has one hook.”
Still, with four kids and no better ideas, Joe asked a local court builder for lunch—and surprisingly, the man said yes. That conversation led to a job. Joe spent the summer on his hands and knees learning the trade, almost quitting multiple times. But he kept going.
“At the end of that year, I finished my first residential pickleball court. I got the check, and I thought… maybe this could work.”
Coaching, Business Building, and Helping Other Dads Do the Same
Today, Joe runs a successful court construction business—and coaches 10 other men (many transitioning out of ministry) to do the same.
“Some of them are surpassing me. And we’re all collaborating together. There’s camaraderie, fruit, and alignment.”
He’s not just helping them build courts. He’s helping them build lives—where fatherhood, faith, and provision don’t compete, but integrate.
What we have as pastors is a really strong set of soft skills. That was enough to get me in the room.
For the Pastor (or Former Pastor) Who’s Wondering What’s Next
Joe’s story is a lifeline for anyone navigating transition—especially those stepping away from traditional ministry.
He’s honest about what kept him going:
- The power of community: “One connection can change your whole network.”
- The gift of mentors: “I needed someone to hold my hand through the transition.”
- The faith of his wife: “She believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.”
And the deeper thread?
“We overestimate what we can do in a day. But we severely underestimate what we can do in a year.”
What Does Flourishing Look Like Now?
“It’s the fruit I see in my kids.”
Monday night breakfasts for dinner. His two-year-old saying “please” more than her siblings ever did. Watching his sons eat shirtless summer sandwiches at the table.
“I looked across at my wife and thought… I think we’re on the right path. That’s what flourishing looks like.”
It’s not perfection. It’s not ease. But it’s movement toward the mission God’s given them as a family.
“Are we going at the right pace toward what God’s asked of us? That’s flourishing.”
Want to Connect with Joe?
Curious about pickleball court construction? Joe is actively coaching others through this process and welcomes your questions.
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