Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

This episode explores the critical role awareness plays in avoiding burnout and fostering healthy leadership practices. Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss personal anecdotes and practical strategies to cultivate awareness, so we can better navigate the challenges that come our way. Whether you're leading a team or just trying to lead a more intentional life, this conversation is packed with insights to help you break free from autopilot mode and make mindful adjustments for a more effective and fulfilling leadership journey.

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from Jonathan Hoover in Ep. 254: Endless Expectations and Emotional Exhaustion:

“Awareness is a precursor to adjustment.”

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Awareness aids leaders in recognizing when they approach burnout.
• Well-trained leaders naturally navigate crises using second nature skills.
• Developing awareness prompts leaders to stop, assess shifts, and adjust effectively.
• Noticing emotions or bodily sensations signals leaders to pause and reflect.
• Naming issues in a room empowers leaders to identify and implement adjustments.

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

Is the future of the church something to look forward to, or does it scare you to death. Thriving into the future will require change, and the idea of changing the way we lead, or the way we do church, or the people we reach out to, can feel overwhelming. Even if we want to do it, where do we even start?

In this episode, Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Raymond Chang share insights from their new book, Future Focused Church, where they explore adaptive leadership and offer practical tools to help ministry leaders guide their congregations through meaningful transformation.

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Kara Powell asserts that the best days of the church are ahead despite current challenges.
• Kara Powell credits her optimism for the church’s future to her theology and understanding of God’s goodness.
• Church leaders should focus on the three checkpoints: relationally discipling young people, modeling kingdom diversity, and tangibly loving their neighbors.
• Jake Mulder explains the concept of a journey in church change, emphasizing the importance of checkpoints along the way.
• Jake Mulder lists the four zones of church change as here, there, who, and how.
• Jake Mulder states that a majority of change efforts fail due to outdated approaches and skills.
• Transformation in the church should not be a solo effort and requires a diverse transformation team, as Jake Mulder explains.
• Raymond Chang highlights how experimenting from the edges with small changes can lead to progress without being too disruptive.
• Churches often suffer from a lack of follow-through rather than a dramatic flaw when trying to implement change.
• Raymond Chang highlights the sons of Issachar as an example of understanding the times and discerning God’s direction.
• Maintaining disciplined attention is crucial, as Kara Powell emphasizes, to ensure cultural change efforts do not falter.
• Jake Mulder shares the importance of a diverse transformation team of five to twelve people representing different perspectives for effective guidance in church change.
• Jake Mulder notes that the process of church change is not about where leaders want to go, but where God is leading.
• The journey between a church’s current state and its future should begin with gathering the right team of people.
• Kara Powell shares an example where a church emphasizes youth engagement through consistent, simple actions like attending youth events.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• Future-Focused Church website
• Books mentioned:
  • Future-Focused Church, by Kara Powel, Jake Mulder, and Ray Chang
• Related episodes:
  • 222. Building a Multi-Inclusive Church, with Efrem Smith and Dan Kreiss
  • 242. Life and Leadership in the Fog, with Michaela O’Donnell and Lisa Slayton
  • 256. Digital Disruption

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss insights on the importance of developing leaders who are skilled in curious listening and creating a collaborative environment where ideas are shared and valued. The conversation uncovers how shifting from monologue to dialogue can not only empower communities but also lead to more meaningful adaptive leadership in times of change.

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from Scot McKnight in Ep 250, The Prophetic Challenge of Deconstruction:

“The evangelical world does not have a culture of conversation.”

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Leaders improve their effectiveness by first listening before proclaiming.
• Sharing leadership with a team fosters better decision-making through collaboration.
• Engaging in conversations helps leaders adapt to situations without clear solutions.
• Encouraging conversations empowers groups by promoting shared ownership.
• Feeling heard validates individuals and supports their faith journey.

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

In his newest book, Chuck DeGroat offers a deeply personal account of his journey of being fired from a ministry position and the stress surrounding that experience that ultimately led to a life-changing health crisis. But it was that crisis that showed him the much deeper inner healing he needed.

In this episode, Chuck DeGroat discusses not only his experience of deep inner healing, but also the need for inner healing for all of us who are ministry leaders.

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Chuck DeGroat highlights his experience with the autonomic nervous system and its role in managing past trauma, indicating how unresolved trauma can manifest in physical and emotional symptoms.
• Engaging with our bodies helps reveal unaddressed shame and grief, which many individuals, including pastors, tend to bury.
• Chuck DeGroat shares his story of being fired from a church, leading him to recognize the necessity of inner reflection and healing for effective ministry leadership.
• Neglecting emotional health often leads to physical symptoms, illustrating the body's way of signaling unresolved emotional turmoil.
• Chuck DeGroat describes his journey from placing blame externally to focusing on internal work, which allows for more authentic healing.
• Constant activation of the sympathetic nervous system can have detrimental effects on one's health, indicating the importance of addressing stress and trauma.
• Chuck DeGroat encourages pastors and leaders to engage in regular practices that foster a calm and centered emotional state, aiding in spiritual insight and leadership.
• Successful healing involves consistently attending to emotional and physical cues from our bodies, signaling deeper underlying issues.
• Chuck DeGroat explains practices that help individuals transition from a survival mindset to a state of calm connection, enhancing overall well-being.
• Regular and intentional understanding of our body's signals is crucial for maintaining emotional health and preventing future burnout.
• Addiction often serves as an attempted solution to address deeper inner wounds, which requires a more nuanced understanding in the context of spiritual counseling.
• Chuck DeGroat discusses the value of acknowledging and understanding one's inner child to achieve authenticity and awareness in spiritual leadership.
• Differentiating between various parts of oneself allows for a clearer understanding of internal struggles and promotes healthier decisions.
• Effective spiritual and emotional growth requires addressing core issues beyond behavior, thereby promoting sustainable change and authentic leadership.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• Chuck DeGroat
• Western Theological Seminary
• Books mentioned:
  • Healing What’s Within, by Chuck DeGroat
  • When Narcissism Comes to Church, by Chuck DeGroat
• Related episodes:
  • 82. Narcissism and Spiritual Leadership, with Chuck DeGroat
  • 206. The Healing Power of Pilgrimage, with Jon Huckins
  • 254. Endless Expectations and Emotional Exhaustion, with Jonathan Hoover

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger explore Mandy Smith's powerful words on combating darkness and feelings of futility in leadership. Tod reflects on his own struggles with imposter syndrome and insecurity, highlighting the need for honesty and spiritual practices to overcome these challenges.

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from Mandy Smith in Ep 244, Finding Strength in Desperation:

“Every week I have to stand up there and press against this darkness that wants us to be quiet. And wants to come against us and disrupt our sleep; and disrupt our sense of well-being; and tell us that nothing we do makes any difference.”


THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Spiritual leaders must acknowledge and resist darkness that seeks to undermine their efforts and well-being.
• Tod Bolsinger shares that addressing insecurities and imposter syndrome builds resilience in ministry.
• Church leaders should recognize that leadership is about serving and pointing to Jesus, not about personal validation.
• Adopting a Jewish perspective on the Sabbath, Tod practices trust in God by resting, demonstrating faith in God’s control.
• Addressing self-doubt and learning to trust in divine purpose helps leaders mitigate anxiety and retain their focus on meaningful service.

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

Matt Colwell, Senior Pastor at Knox Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, California, shares his raw, personal journey of losing his home to the Eaton Fire in Altadena and how he has continued to shepherd a congregation facing the same devastating loss. This conversation unpacks the layers of adaptive leadership in the midst of crisis, the importance of building community before the crisis happens, and the powerful ways we can discover God's presence and provision when life goes off the rails.

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Matt Colwell shares his experience of losing his home in the Los Angeles Eaton Fire and navigating the aftermath.
• The fire in Altadena caused widespread destruction, with only one house surviving in Matt Colwell's neighborhood.
• Matt Colwell narrates the sequence of events during the fire evacuation, detailing his family's actions and decisions.
• Matt Colwell explains the mixed emotions of shock and disbelief, and how it unfolded as he processed the loss.
• The unexpected loss of a home can be overwhelming as individuals process the emotional and logistical aspects.
• Matt Colwell expresses the challenges of balancing personal recovery with pastoral responsibilities.
• As a pastor, losing a home can provide unique empathy and understanding when caring for others experiencing loss.
• The power of community and compassion plays a significant role in Matt Colwell's healing process after the fire.
• Preaching shortly after a personal crisis can be both healing and hopeful, as experienced by Matt Colwell.
• Leading adaptively requires recognizing and focusing on core values while responding to rapid changes.
• Matt Colwell emphasizes the ongoing challenge and necessity of long-term rebuilding and recovery efforts.
• The impact of climate change on the frequency and severity of natural disasters is a critical issue to address.
• Adaptive leadership in crisis involves leveraging support networks, personal resilience, and spiritual practices to navigate and recover from challenges.
• Establishing and maintaining community connections proves invaluable when dealing with large-scale crises.
• Matt Colwell discusses the collaboration with his neighborhood to support collective recovery and rebuilding efforts.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• Knox Presbyterian Church
• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
• Creation Justice Ministries
• On Mission Network
• Related episodes:
  • 220. Leading Through Tragedy, Adversity, and Crisis, with Gayle Beebe
  • 242. Life and Leadership in the Fog, with Michaela O’Donnell and Lisa Slayton
  • 244. Finding Strength in Desperation, with Mandy Smith

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson explore how leadership often feels like moving through a dense fog where vision is limited. Tod shares his thoughts on the importance of valuing enduring principles over having a clear vision in times of rapid change. He emphasizes that being anchored in unchangeable values and the mission of our faith can guide us through uncertain landscapes. The conversation also unpacks the role of Jesus and the Spirit in adaptive leadership, highlighting the need to align our actions with what Jesus is doing in the world.

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from David Quel in Ep 242, Life and Leadership in the Fog:

"That's what it means to belong to Jesus, that even in the fog, he can be trusted."

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Leaders face fog by walking in faith, not just relying on vision.Leadership requires clarity on unchanging values amidst a rapidly changing world.
• Clear, essential values guide leaders when vision is uncertain.
• Adaptive leadership involves aligning with Jesus' ongoing work in the world.
• Trusting Jesus in the fog fortifies leaders’ commitment and direction.

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

True ministry leadership isn’t about power; it’s about love in action. It’s about stepping into the self-giving, co-suffering way of Jesus, even when it feels counterintuitive. This kind of leadership doesn’t seek control but embraces humility, sacrifice, and deep connection with those we serve.

In this episode, Marc Schelske, pastor of Bridge City Community Church and author of Walking Otherward, unpacks how embracing this kind of love reshapes our leadership, strengthens our churches, and helps us navigate the challenges of ministry with grace and wisdom.

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Marc Schelske introduces the concept of other-centered, co-suffering love as a key aspect of following Jesus.
• The phrase "other-centered, co-suffering love" encompasses love that is conscious of others and willing to bear their burdens.
• Marc Schelske emphasizes the significance of Philippians 2 and Jesus' journey to Jerusalem as examples of this love.
• Jesus' journey to Jerusalem symbolizes a path that is not self-centered but oriented towards others.
• Self-centered, ego-defending ambition contrasts sharply with the way Jesus modeled leadership.
• Marc Schelske reflects on his own leadership transition, focusing on how he learned to disconnect identity from numerical success.
• Leadership driven by other-centered, co-suffering love requires holding space for others to process change at their own pace.
• Marc Schelske explains the importance of allowing time in decision-making processes to foster consensual and loving leadership.
• The fear of death and discomfort often drives the desire for control and power within leadership.
• Marc Schelske discusses creating communities where multiple perspectives can coexist without division.
• Churches must embrace a posture of vulnerability and humility in their leadership practices.
• Marc Schelske highlights that love acts by consent, meaning decisions should include space for honest dialogue and dissent.
• Co-suffering love challenges traditional notions of leadership by prioritizing presence over power.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• Marc Schelske:
  • Website - https://marcalanschelske.com/
  • Bridge City Community Church
• Books mentioned:
  • Walking Otherward, by Marc Schelske
  • Falling Upward, by Richard Rohr
• Related episodes:
  • 206. The Healing Power of Pilgrimmage, with Jon Huckins
  • 236. Supporting Families with Autism in Your Church, with David Quel
  • 240. Leading with Wisdom from Above, with Uli Chi

Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.