Craig Groeschel – The Future of Leadership Is Trust

As a leader, do you trust me? If you do trust me, why?

For those who don’t trust me? What have I ever done to you? Why not give the benefit of the doubt? 

Why do you trust? Why do you not trust?

If you met Craig 30 years ago, you’d be more likely to trust him now. 

Watching the evening news and believing what you watched. 30 years ago assumed belief. 

Years ago, you would assumed leadership had your best interest at heart. Today we are skeptical. This is a problem for all of us, because all of us are leaders. 

#1 biggest challenge leaders face today is people will not give you the benefit of the doubt. 

According to Edelman Trust Barometer – people don’t trust until they see evidence. 

Distrust is now society’s default. 

The Future of Leadership Is Trust

Your team will not naturally trust you. If they don’t trust you, they won’t follow you. 

Everyone leads when the leader get’s better. So how can we bridge the gap? How do we create a culture of trust? The answer is not a pizza party or playing games with your staff. Building trust today takes more intentionality. 

Transparency + Empathy + Consistency = Trust

Which quality do you need to develop the most. 

Transparency: A truth to share. 

We are selective or protective in what we share. 

People say you need to be guarding the pastors mystique. 

“Once we were ordained, we glow in the dark.” 

We are all weak, yet as leaders we feel this pressure to show something we really are not. 

Share professionally and personally. We have to be transparent. 

Often we feel okay to share when things are going well. When communication decreases, uncertainty increases. The unknown feels unsettling at best and threatening at worse. 

Don’t deceive the team into thinking things are okay. You build trust when you acknowledge things aren’t okay. You lose credibility when you don’t tell the truth. When they discover the truth the don’t feel included. ”Someone who doesn’t feel like they’re a part, will never bring their whole heart.”

Especially when things aren’t going well, acknowledge it. 

Personally have wisdom and strategy when sharing. Share your own insecurities as a leader. Are you leading out of fear or out of faith. If leading defensively you begin losing because you have to be putting points on the board. Transparency builds trust. People may be impressed with your strengths but they connect with your weaknesses. 

When you lead with transparency teams get closer, you solve problems faster, and trust grows stronger. 

Empathy: A heart to care.

Your team will never care about your mission if you don’t care about your team. 

Talk less and listen more. Don’t share your heart but get to know their heart.

Dr. Henry Cloud says you listen your way into 

LifeChurch 63 personal meetings or phone calls to care for them personally. 1:1 not 1:63.

Tell me what you’re most excited about in this season?

What would you love me to know about you?

If I could do one thing to make your life better what would it be?

Put the answers to these into your memory bank and ask them about the things that matter to them. You don’t just care about what they do but about who they are. This sets your team apart. 

I noticed, and you matter. 

Consistency: A culture to trust.

What’s it like to be on the other side of me?

Does your team ever wonder which you is about to walk into the meeting?

#1 reason team members don’t meet expectations because the expectations are rarely clear.

To create a culture of trust you need to be clear and consistent. 

Be clear what you expect, reward it when you see it, and correct it when you don’t.

It’s not what you do occasionally that matters, is what you do consistently. 

Consistency creates emotional safety, organizational clarity, and exponential impact. 

To earn trust you have to give trust. How do you know they are ready? The best way to figure out if you can trust someone is to trust someone. 

You may be disappointed if you trust too much, but you’ll always limit your leadership if you don’t trust enough.

You can trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. 

Everyone wins when the leader get’s better. 

—

David Ashcraft 

Our highest value at the Summit is actually humility. We have so much to learn about this mysterious powerful force we call leadership.

Armed with enough humility, anyone can learn from anyone.

—

Erin Meyer – How to develop an organizational culture. 

Netflix

The biggest risk is no longer making a mistake. It is not being creative and innovative enough and we become irrelevant. One of the biggest challenges facing companies and organisations is whether they will be agile enough and creative enough to survive.

As you are thinking about how to articulate an organizational culture that impacts employee behaviors, avoid absolute positives. 

The word integrity for example. No company says their mission is to deceive everyone. 

A dilemma example, leading a marketing team…team instability. Are you going to share this information with your team now? Think in terms of dilemma’s. 

Three steps to employee freedom:

1. Increase talent density

2. Increase candor

3. Remove controls

Wait for the right people to walk in the door. 

Coach and give feedback. 

Process kills creative innovation. The Netflix experiment. 

A Great Workplace is

Stunning Colleagues

A great workplace is not espresso, lush benefits, sushi lunches, grand parties, or nice offices.

We do some of these things but only if they are efficient at attracting and retaining stunning colleagues.

The Keeper Test: 

An individual performance problem is never an individual problem. It always impacts the entire team. The best predictor of how a team will perform is not the average performer. It’s your lowest performers. Poor performance is especially contagious. 

The best predictor of how a team will perform comes down to what the worst performing team member is like.

The keeper test for managers: which of my people, if they told me they were leaving for a similar job at a peer company, should I fight hard to keep them? Would I feel relieved or devastated?

When you tell your employees you trust them to behave like adults, they’re more likely to behave like adults.

Lead with context not control. 

The decision making pyramid vs the decision making tree. 

A tree has 3 advantages. 

Young top talent today want to work for trees not pyramid. More flexible than a pyramid. A tree grows more quickly if the roots desire. 

As we gave employees more control over their lives and jobs, it began to dawn on me… freedom is not the opposite of accountability, as rd previously considered, Instead, it is a path towards It. If you treat employees like adults, they will act like adults. If you give employees control over big decisions, they will become increasingly responsible and conscientious, Give freedom to get responsibility.

@ErinMeyerINSEAD #GLS23 

—

Secretary Condoleezza Rice Interview 

How do you deal with your past? 

Own your past, it has shaped you, but never become a prisoner of it!

There are no victims. When you consider yourself a victim you give your identity to someone else. 

Don’t let that sense of remorse and mourning overcome what needs to be done in that moment. What is the most important thing for me to remember? Sometimes you have to make it up on the fly. Acknowledge we will make mistakes but the biggest mistake may be not acting. 

GLS is all about leadership and leading where you are. When you don’t anticipate the roles, talk about your view of principle leadership. What does leading where you are mean to you? The sense of this is someone you can trust. Integrity is the bedrock of leadership. If you ever lose trust, that’s the one thing you can’t get it back. People need to be able to trust your word. Gossip and talking behind backs erodes the confidence of the organization. Develop trust and protect it. 

Use narratives in creating a vision and opportunities for people to move forward. People react to stories. 

The United States of America is a country of immigrants…We are a country that believes it doesn’t matter where we came from, it matters where we are going. 

Know what you are trying to achieve. In negotiation, be a good listener first. If you can take yourself out the equation for a moment, listen to what others are saying and find interest overlap. Move towards yes. If you’re just transmitting you won’t hear those important little clues. List first for a better sense of what is possible. 

Great leaders are able to meet people where they are. 

Know where people are before telling them where they have to go. 

Listen to those who you disagree with. 

No human being likes to be told that everything is up in the air and has to change. Begin to give a sense of what values are timeless and what values will continue. What truths can you continue to hold onto. 

Not everything is a nuclear war. Sometimes it’s just paper clips. If you are constantly in a state of crisis, as a leader, others will pick that body language up. You can not drive the people who work for you 24/7/365. 

The first thing to always remember is there have always been harder times. Remember the stories of what our ancestors have overcome. Human beings are resilient. 

We keep making the impossible seem inevitable in retrospect.

Erwin Raphael McManus – It Doesn’t Take a Genius to Think Like One

Some people are structured for failure.

Am I structured for failure? Have I allowed myself to build the architecture? Will I die with my talent unspent and unknown?  

There’s nothing you will ever go through that will create in you internal limitations. All limitations within you are created by you. You have 100% capacity to remove the structures of failure and replace them with structures for success. 

Your greatest challenge will not be overcoming the weight of failure, but the weight of success. It’s not failure that cripples us, it’s not failure that moves us to self descriptive behavior but it’s success. Success becomes a heavy weight to bear. 

Genius has been placed within you. One of the best proofs you were created by God. 

The challenge though is that when you choose to live a life that’s average…you have a much wider span for error. 

The facts always inform the past, not the future.

Genius is given to everyone, but only a few choose to live in that genius. 

Will you settle for the ordinary version of you? 

Pat Gelsinger – From Cow Pies to Computer Chips

Sometimes your greatest challenges in your greatest dreams become your greatest learnings.

Everyone needs a Career Map:

M = Mentors; People who make you better. Find them and listen to them.

A = Audacious Goals; Bigger than you, set and exhaust them.

P = Passions; Purpose; What has God given you to do?

Every great person can point to their mentors. The people who helped shape their life.

Mentoring with ____ is like going to the dentist without getting Novocain. Mentors make you better. Diamonds in the rough. 

5 Leadership L’s

Listen: Listen first before you pollute the room with your opinion.

Learn: Learn one new thing every day.

Link: Connect the silos, see what others don’t see.

Lift: Be the positive influence, lift the countenance, cast vision.

Love: Their company, their people, the mission.

Ask open ended questions with the goal of learning. Be curious. Unrelenting thirst for knowledge. Don’t listen to the signal, listen to the noise, the dissident opinions, those who don’t agree with you. Have humility and be open to change every day. How will I change today? Most of my great ideas have come from communities and those I normally would not have listened to. 

Audacious goals are about things that are so much bigger than you.

If you have no direction, any path will get you there. 

Set a plan for what you want to do with the rest of your life. 

A God sized goal that guides you. 

The most important thing a leader does is making sure the most important thing is the most important thing. 

Sometimes it takes 11 years. Then God says, “The vision that I gave you, now’s the time.”

Is digital becoming more or less important in your life? Everything digital runs on semiconductors. 

Technology is generally neutral, it can be used for good or bad.

Find things you’re passionate about and your days will be short and your career will be successful. Live in those passions. 

You’re going to have crappy days…it’s all about how you respond to those crappy days. It’s called work for a reason. 

If everyone knows they are loved, your people will show up differently tomorrow. 

What is your career map? Do you demonstrate the 5 Leadership L’s everyday? 

@PGelsinger #GLS23

Dallas Jenkins From The Chosen

We want 1+billion people to experience the authentic Jesus through The Chosen. I want it to take hold in people so that they want to know & love Jesus more. Every step of the way, including the logistics & the sets, are all in service of that WHY.

I got to a place for the first time in my life where I was genuinely okay if I didn’t make another movie, and that became a superpower. I think that’s when God said ok, now you’re ready for The Chosen. 

When you have a dream but no resources: It’s a superpower when you’re genuinely ok if you don’t succeed. It’s not your job to feed the 5,000. It’s your job to provide the loaves and fish. 

I’m not motivated by the success The Chosen has had, and I’m not demotivated by the criticism I’ve gotten.

The director is the immune system for the film. This applies to other industries. 

As the immune systems your responsible for culture and environment. 

Practice Preventative Maintenance. Get ahead of things before they escalate. The temptation is to move faster. Sometimes you need to stop for 5 minutes and determine how to be efficient to move forward. Gather together and create a plan to move forward. 

Communicate don’t complain. Complaining isn’t results driven, it’s just a reaction. Communication is saying something now before getting to the stage of complaint. Build a culture where you say something before you’re upset.

While filming The Chosen I realized that Jesus is the God of the intimate and the personal. Each time He called them to follow Him, He did it in a personal setting. The vast majority of the big moments in scripture are personal.

When you can see Jesus through the eyes of those who actually met Him, and you can identify with their questions, struggles, and doubts, maybe you can find the answer to those questions that they found.

Replace the temptation with a bible verse or anything that triggers you to replace the temptation. 

When facing intense criticism: Replace the habit of defending yourself with something that fills you. When I’m doing the work that will result in praise or criticism, I only focus on the work, creating the scene. 

Top 3 things you want a leader to know:

1 Develop your communication skills

2 Understand people. Study psychology so you understand people.

3 Serve people. Instead of, “What am I going to accomplish?” Say, “Who am I going to serve?”

Realize each person is different. This speaks to service as well as empathy. 

Anita Elberse – Establishing a winning culture. 

A winning culture is not something you just get, it requires year after year effort. 

Set a high standard for everyone. 

Winning is about attitude. This starts with your attention to detail.

No job is too small, even for the CEO. Indicate that every job matters. 

Put people at the center. I don’t run cars, I run people who run cars. 

Analyze your mistakes…even when you’re winning. 

Analyze not just why you lost but also why you win. Then you can replicate the win. 

You dont have to do great things … just do small things in a great way. 

Foster an open, no blame, culture.

Stay away from assigning blame to one individual. Have their back. 

Own your own mistakes. Did I not provide the right tools? Did I provide the right training? See it. Say it. Fix it. Everyone bares the brunt of the mistakes that were made. 

Trust superstars but maintain authority. Forced the drivers to face their own selfishness and who they impacted – the engineers, the factory workers, and their families

Relentless battle complacency. Think about your competition and try to be better than them. Leaders can shape a winning culture through their mindset, values, and actions.

Effective leaders understand that different stakeholders require a different approach. You set the culture.

Albert Tate – Lead Where You Are

You can have a hard season and still be a good leader.

Don’t you once thing this disqualifies you from leadership. 

You’re here not because you are a perfect leader but because you are a growing lead. Lead where you are. Start surrendering. Manna for the day. God is not a Costco God. 

Lead from right where you are, trusting God’s portion of manna for the day.

Trust God with the portion He provides for you daily. 

Keep showing up. The world needs your leadership today. Don’t wait for whatever it is you think you need. Never quit. Do not under estimate the power of just showing up.

Just keep leading, just keep leading, just keep leading.

On the other side of sacrifice is resurrection. Now is not the time to give up. You’re just getting started. 

James Clear

The Aggregation of Marginal Gains

1% improvement in nearly everything we do. 

Test a dozen different pillows, find the best and bring this to the hotel from now on. 

Having never won the Tour de France, winning 5 of 6. 

The pathway to unlocking success. 

Not radical changes but small improvements over time. 

Excellence is not about radical changes, but about accruing small improvements over time. 1% better every day, 38% better in a year. Real life is not exactly compounding interests but it still shows the process of behavior change every single day. 10 minutes a day. The person who always goes to be a little smarter…is different over the course of their life. It compounds, transforms, and multiplies. 

Habits are the compound interest of self improvement. 

Time will magnify whatever you feed it. 

Be the architect of your habits. Trajectory over position. 

The problem isn’t you, the problem is your system. 

You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

Creating a goal of selling a million books isn’t hard. There, goal. The hard part is your systems to make the goals happen. 

Your current habits are perfectly designed to reach your current results. 

You want an alignment between your desired outcome, your results, and your daily system. 

How do we change a habit? How do we adjust the system. 

Habits are broken into 4 different stages. 4 different levers you can pull to change habits. 

1 Cue – initiate the habit. Visually see the cookies.

2 Craving – brain makes a prediction. Cookies will be sweet and enjoyable. 

3 Response – walk over and take a bite. 

4 Reward – it is sweet and enjoyable 

If the behavior is not rewarded, it’s hard for your brain to make this into a habit. 

Let’s remember the steps you went through and repeat the process. 

Notice different cues and reward your brain. 

4 Laws of Behavior Change

Law 1 Make it Obvious – a viable and easy to see. 

Law 2 Make it Attractive – the more appealing the more likely to do it

Law 3 Make it Easy – remove friction and barriers

Law 4 Make it Satisfying – the more enjoyable the more likely you return in the future. 

Go through these 4 steps and ask how you will make it more obvious, attractive, easy, and/or satisfying. If you want to break a bad then do the opposite. 

Make it Invisible – block and hide.

Make it Unattractive – find the downside and negative

Make it Difficult – Remove steps and add barriers 

Make it Unsatisfying – remove the reward

Example for Law 1: Make it Obvious. Water over Soda.

Adding the prevalence of water in the environment. Move soda to the back and hidden. Some percentage chose the option just because that option was presented to them. The items on your kitchen counter influence the choices you make. People watch too much TV because the living room is designed for this. What is this space designed to encourage. Adjust to your real desires. The cue needs to be obvious. 

Example of Law 2: Make it Attractive. Go for a run. 

When you text a friend and ask them to meet you for a run. The run itself hasn’t changed but you’ve changed the calculation. Making snooze less attractive. A commitment device. When you make the choice in the present to lock in your future habit. Sticking to a positive habit in a negative environment is hard. Swim upstream for a day but eventually the gravity will pull you back. Get alignment. 

Example of Law 3: Make it Easy. The two minute rule. 

Whatever habit you are trying to do, scale it down to 2 minutes. Read 30 books a year because read one page. Working out means just physically going to the gym. The heaviest weight at the gym is the front door. Master the art of just showing up. A habit must be established before it can be improved. Standardize before you optimize. 

Example of Law 4: Make it Satisfying 

Helpful when you make progress visual. Habit tracker. See that showing up is meaningful for the right path. 

The secret is, is not about the habits it’s believing in yourself. Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. Identity change. It’s about who you are and becoming. The goal isn’t to do a marathon the goal is to become a runner. Or a reader. Or a meditator. I’m the type of person who ___. This gives you reason to stick with the story. The true reason habits matter is every action you take is a vote for the type of person you Wish to become. 

“The true reason habits matter is every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become…How can you get 1% better today?” 

@JamesClear #GLS23

Henry Cloud – 5 Principles on Trust

How many of you have experienced hurt in a relationship? You are wired to trust. You do it naturally, like you breathe. You can’t do anything without trust. Humans get life from outside of themselves because we have a Creator — so we have to trust.

Story: President and CEO conflict. Fixed through a process. What were the ingredients? How did these two people end up there? 5 things! Am I doing these? Am I looking for these? 

1 Understanding: We trust someone when we feel like they understand us. It starts with listening. You don’t hear a word until you feel like they hear you and get you. 

“He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.” Proverbs 18:13

Ask: Do they know, that you know, what it feels like to be them?

2 Motive: We feel people’s motives. We feel when someone is for us. It’s not about what you are driving. You want their good. A betrayal is when one party acts without the interest of the other. 

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.“ Philippians 2:3-4 

Ask: Do your people feel that you actually want them to win, that you’re for them?

3 Ability: The ability to get done what you are asking them to get done. 

Sometimes we trust globally, but we need to trust contextually. Going into business with a friend. Asking a boyfriend for tax returns…I don’t care what the tax records say, I just want to make sure he can find them. 

Ask: Do they have the ability to pull off what you have entrusted to them? 

4 Character: What’s their character and make up. Will they do what you need them to do? Do they need praise when there won’t be any check in’s for a year? 

Ask: Do they have the makeup you need? 

5 Track Record: The best predictor of the future is the past. 

It’s more than just saying you are sorry. Sorry is good but sorry is what sorry does. You need a new track record. Forgiveness is free but trust is earned. People build maps of you based on every interaction. You can overcome mistakes but you have to see the new track record lived out. 

Ask: Does the track record point to trust?

Am I doing these 5 things? 

Look for these things in the people you are wanting to trust.

Liz Bohannon on Loneliness 

2 amazing trends we participate in during 2020. 

Pregnancy. Quarantine kids. 

Purchasing a bidet. Toilet Paper Gate.

There is a specific struggle a lot of people have. Specifically successful people. 

Sargent General issued an 80 page advisory. Single highest health threat. The problem is loneliness. We have all known it and felt it. When you don’t have the support systems. 

20% of people who are lonely feel comfortable talking about loneliness but 58% of Americans feel this way today. 70% of leaders feel lonely. If you happen to be in the 70% know you are not alone in handling loneliness. You are not unlucky or unlovely. You dont’ have to feel ashamed or embarrassed. Your loneliness is not an accusation of your unworthiness. It is a signal that you have an unmet need for connection. We’re building/designing a culture with a primary intent of individualism.

The percentage of time people are spending alone vs the time people are spending with friends. Today it has dropped 59% compared to just a few years ago. Every single demographic is more lonely today over just a few years ago. Healthy servant leadership means you are called to bear the burdens of the people you are leading. 

Before you can go create a healthy community and support for others, you need one yourself. Outside of your work where you can be transparent and open. This enables you to be stronger and healthier so you can make a greater impact in the long run. 

75 year study: Greatest predictor for physical health was retaliationships. 

Your friendships are not taking away from your business. They are making you more successful in business. You have to make time for connection.

The way we are living and the loneliness we are experiencing is not inevitable. 78% of young people in America feel lonely. The globe is not reflecting this as much as America. 

What’s working? 

The Commune Community. 

Showing up and meeting a need.  

Knocking on the door and asking for help. 

How? Today. What step?  

1 Go First. You have to go first. If you are waiting for someone else to invite you into community, it’s not going to happen. Breaking ground. Prioritize time. Invite and treat the time seriously. Go first with vulnerability. Invite to the fire pit. 

2 Pay Your Dues. It takes about 90 hours from stranger to acquaintance to friend. 200 hours to get to the most meaningful side of friendship. The average founder needs 8600 hours to break even. 

3 Develop the skill of reflective listening. In all relationships. 

Summit Resource Library Cheat Sheet

Matthew 26:38 “He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’” Jesus is showing us that we were created to need each other. This isn’t a flaw it’s a feature of being made in the image of God. 

We’re all a bunch of hope dealers. 

We are all asking ourselves, what would you think if I sang out a tune…

Michael Junior 

When I’m talking about giving, I’m not talking about tithing. That’s just called, not stealing.

Conflict is the key to a happy marriage and people turn it the wrong way. Without conflict there’s a small chance to get a relationship. 

Information + Conflict = Revelation

“I have 5 kids, and I love them”…that’s just information. 

Compromise is like a spare tire. It will get you to the next generation but it’s not built for a long haul. Why purposefully live with compromise in marriage? 

Learnings from the pandemic. First, you are not essential. There are rules when you hug. Hugs only last 1.4 seconds. Tap, Tap, Release. Left hand over, right hand under. If you’re 5’2” you’re below the hug zone. 

Everything up to the conflict was just information. 

The revelation is: God was saying, do you trust me, I’ve got you. 

God will use a heckler in your life to get you to where He wants you to be. If you don’t have any hecklers, you’re probably not doing anything.

Jamie Lima

Have you ever set a goal and never went for it? Have you ever sabotaged your goals? 

You can have a vision for it but deep down inside if you don’t believe you are worth of it, you’ll never get it or you will sabotage it along the way. 

God can dream a bigger dream for us than we can for ourselves. 

When it comes to our life, you will only ever achieve the dream He has for you, when you believe you are worthy of it. 

3 of the 24 tools on how to build unshakable self worth.

Tool 1: When you understand the difference between self-confidence and self-worth, it will change your leadership. Self Confidence is how you assess your own skills and abilities. Internal and fluctuates by circumstances. Advertisements try to tell us that if you can just get the things to get more confident then you’ll be happy but it’s not true. Self Worth is the deep internal knowing that you are innately worthy of love and belonging exactly as you are. Not as you achieve or your job title, but innately worthy. 

Employee retention and employee loyalty grows when layering self worth more than self confidence. 

Tool 2: When you change your relationship with rejection, you change your entire life. The fear of rejection and failure has most of us canceling ourselves out of our own calling before we even try. 

What’s the first thought you have when you face rejection or failure? “Proof you are not enough.” This is your current definition of rejection or failure. The assigned meaning is so painful you stay stuck. When you assign a new definition to rejection and failure, replace the old one, that changes everything.

You need to implement new definitions of rejections as they happen to you. Flip the meaning and belief it. Rejection is God’s protection! Imagine God saying to me, “You were not rejected, I just hid your value from them.” 

What would you do if you had no fear of rejection or failure? What would this do in your friendship and relationship? 

Tool 3: If you are one of the brave ones willing to show up in your leadership as who you truly are…you are first. Being first can be scary and not everyone getting you. Braving being first is the only way to live the truest, highest expression of God’s call on your life. 

Ryan Leak 

Success is often determined by the circle we grew up in. What is my definition of success? We can often pick up other people’s definitions of success. When leaders stop growing, organizations stop growing.

Our leadership can be marked by WHAT we want to accomplish or WHO we want to impact. For MY definition of success, sometimes I have to say no to some things. I would hate for the people who barely know me to give me a round of applause and the people who barely know me to think I’m a fraud. 

Even if that means that you think that I’m a little less success. The people who know me best…Every leader has to realize that someone adopts your decision of success. 

What’s it like to be on the other side of you? Are you inspiring or intimidating? Do they enjoy or endure following you? People could enjoy following us…they could endure following us.

Good leaders are consistently trying to be interesting. 

Great leaders are consistently trying to be interested.

What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail. Failure is the tuition you pay for success. If you want to be successful as a leader, the admission price is a little bit of failure. Don’t talk yourself out of being brave. How do you know you are going to fail, unless you actually try? “Just Do It!” 

Chasing failure took me further than chasing success ever did.

There’s something powerful about a leader that puts themselves out there and decides to keep it moving.

You’re a lot further than you used to be because you were willing to fail things. 

You’ll never know if you’re an exception to a rule unless you’re willing to try something exceptional.

Cynt Marshall

Take a Risk

Make a Difference

Do the Right Thing

Love the People

There is a difference between doing things right, managers do that, but leaders are doing the right things. 

Listen to the people.

Learn from the people. 

Love the people. 

Love the people, including the people with baggage. Help them serve their families and meet their needs. 

People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Teddy Roosevelt

All IN:

INtent

INtegrity

INclusion

INsight

INspiration

Values for your organization shouldn’t just be on the walls… they should live in the halls.

Love the people enough so they create a team. 

Leading with intent and integrity – values

CHARACTER

#AlwaysDoTheRightThing

RESPECT

#BeNice2People

AUTHENTICITY

#DoYou

FAIRNESS

#EquityMatters

TEAMWORK

#AintNoMountainHighEnough

SAFETY

#NotAccidentalButintentional

Diversity is about counting the numbers. Inclusion is about making the numbers count. Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance. You can have a person at the table, but you need to teach the the culture and the expectations to truly include them. Inclusion is a choice!

Just because you’re right doesn’t mean I’m wrong.

Patrick Lencioni

The world is changing so much! The world is very different than 20 years ago. 

3 critical virtues any leader must have. 

1 Wisdom. 

Know the right thing to do.

Wisdom is why we are here. To know why you do what you do. Your God given virtues. 

2 Humility. 

Jesus introduced humility into leadership and society. Until Jesus, lowering yourself and making yourself last was preposterous. The chief virtue.  

3 Courage.

Most critical today, compared to 20 years ago. 

Courage, comes from the Latin for heart. 

Esther – The queen stepping into the role where the previous queen was disposed of. A plot to eliminate the Israelites. Perhaps you are here for a time such as this. You don’t have to answer God’s call, but if you don’t, He will choose someone else. You do not have to have courage and choose to answer God’s call, but if you do not, someone else will.

Mary – Going to be looked down on. When everyone else ran, she stood at the cross. With child but not married. Social, political, personal courage to be the mother of Jesus. 

Joan of Arc. 1400 years into the future. Mark Twain wrote a book about Joan of Arc. Based on transcripts of her trial. Age 15, hears the voice of God. England controlled France and she was called to liberate her nation. She was illiterate, poor, and from a remote town yet she told people about it. Completely ridiculed and persisted. Demanded to go to regional leader to request the king. Went back over and over until convincing him she heard the voice of God. Trial for sincerity. Proved to the King she heard the voice of God. At age 17, she was the head of the French army to lead the fight of a war. Think of the courage for a 17 year old girl to believe the call and to lead the army. Her prediction proved true. She was captured in battle. On trial without representation. She wouldn’t renounce her call and she was put to death. 

How do you do that today? What is courage today? 

Note: Always with love and always with joy.  

The evil one likes it when we don’t think he’s there. Know who you are fighting against. Don’t give in. Don’t get bitter. 

Personal Courage: Alone with God. Do I really want to be the person God is calling me to be. Am I courageous enough to see the truth and acknowledge it? 

Public Courage: Stand in front of others and declare I am a follower of Jesus and believe what He taught us. I have the public courage to stand and proclaim this, come what may. All are called to have public courage. 

Interpersonal Courage: When sitting with our colleagues, talking with our neighbors, sitting with family and something comes up. Am I going to lovingly say something? Will you just stay out of this? If you love someone, remember truth with grace is necessary. Truth without grace is obviously not love and grace without truth is not love either. 

Today we as a culture lack interpersonal courage. What are we afraid of? Death and imprisonment. How many of us face this today? Today we fear the loss of our livelihood. Where you work today, if you really let people know what you believed you would not be welcomed there. 5 years ago, this wasn’t as big of a thing. Today it’s exponentially growing. Not rumors. We live in a culture today where being a follower of Jesus and a leader puts us at risk of losing our livelihoods. 

Why should we have courage?

We lose our fear. More likely today the fear is the loss of social isolation. Losing comforts and conveniences. Being worried about not being invited to thanksgiving vs being fearful for not being alive for thanksgiving. 

Fear goes away when we finally say we are a follower of Jesus and having courage. 

Courage serves others. Other people will be called to a greater courage themselves by your example. 

Jesus did this first. 

Peter and John were flogged and they were let go. They rejoiced because they were deemed worthy to suffer for Jesus. Jesus said the world will hate you because it hated me first but don’t worry, I’ve overcome the world. 

Stand and say, “YES, I’m a follower of Jesus.” 

Joan of Arc – a 17 year old going to battle. People ask, “Aren’t you afraid?” She replied, “I am not afraid for God is with me. I was born for this.”

Craig – Everyone wins when the leader get’s better. 

5 closing thoughts. 

1 Sometimes leaders go off script. The moment of authentic is more impactful than the prepared. 

2 Leaders never lead alone. Honored to stand by her while she was leading. 

3 Leaders invest in their own leadership. I didn’t think of myself as a leader until 20. Tell people they are leaders, regardless of their age. 

4 Leaders keep on leading. You don’t have to be on the platform to be a great leader. 

5 Leaders change the world. That’s what you do, that’s who you are. 

You are chosen, you are called, you are set apart, you are equipped.

When you walk in, light walks into the room. 

Your leadership matters.

Who are you, you’re a leader. 

Now go out and do what leaders do. Leader’s change the world. 

Register for #GLS24 by August 11 to receive the lowest rates of the season. Will you join us on August 8-9, 2024? https://tinyurl.com/3b86urr6

Note: I’ll be updating this post over the next 3 days with all my breakout and session notes. Check back in for live updates and follow along on social media with #D62023

—

All About Jesus: How to Keep the Gospel at the Center of Everything We Do – Matt Morgan

“When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ 

Leave the room with a greater awe of Jesus. 

We tell a story and create story lines based on what we see without any context. We create ideas to fit the context we draw from the picture and didn’t realize the pictures is part of a greater picture. Don’t tell disconnected Bible stories without the meta narrative. 

‘When we take the Bible as a series of isolated morality tales, we think about 6 books with hundreds, it not thousands, of stories contained within them. In actuality, there are not thousands of stories. There are not 66 stories. There aren’t even two stories with the Old and New Testament. There is one story and thatis the story of what God is doing – redemotive history.” Ed Stetzer

Keep Jesus the center of every story we tell. 

Why is it important to be Gospel-Centered?

20% of young adults will leave the church and never return. 

50% of young adults will leave the church for extended period of time but eventually return. 

2 in 10 walk away for good. 

We’ve failed to give kids a clear and consistent message of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. 

KidMin is often built on a list of do’s and StuMin built on a list of don’t’s. 

“We’ve been dispensing sood advice instead of good news. our chalenge is to proclaim the good newsolesus so clearly and consistentily that no kids of ous willever place him in a category with typica religious leaders.” Jack Klumpenhower from the book Show Them Jesus. 

We’ve failed to give kids a Gospel-Centered message of who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

Gospel-Centered Teaching

Not just squeezing Jesus into your Bible story but showing that Jesus is the greater hero. 

Teach the whole Bible.  

Every page points to Jesus. 

Does what we currently teach include a balance of Old and New Testament teaching?

How to Teach the Gospel from the New Testament?

Focus on the Person of Jesus Christ. Show who He is. Not for the goal of them being like Jesus but to be amazed by Jesus. Read the passage multiple times to see His character, interactions, and teachings. Older kids can pull this out on their own. 

Focus on the Work of Jesus Christ. See what Jesus did. We are drawn to the miracles of Jesus. This gives confidence in His greatest miracle, the resurrection. 

How to Teach the Gospel from the Old Testament

Focus on what God does. 

Focus on who God is. 

Focus on How Jesus fixes it. 

A Few Other Tips:

Familiarize Yourself with the Bigger Story 

Find Good Resources 

Don’t Disconnect the Old Testament from the New Testament. 

Distill the Gospel but Don’t Dilute it. 

Don’t leave out the Good News. Don’t remove sin and repentance for the kids who can’t fill in the gaps. Remind even preschoolers that Jesus is our Rescuer. Kids learn through progressive understanding. Ie. Legos being built brick my brick. Kids need a foundation truth that can be built upon later. 

Does how we currently teach give kids a clear and powerful message of the gospel?

Preach the Good News Constantly. 

Does how we currently teach kids an opportunity to hear the gospel message every time they show up? 

Various ways of connecting the dots to the Gospel and don’t just have the same lesson flow every week. Preach it every week for many reasons but the greatest reason is just that you need to hear it in your own heart. 

Gospel-Centered Classroom Management 

Give clear expectations. Classroom management needs to even be a picture of God’s grace. 

Focus on the heart. Actions are visible but values and beliefs are invisible. 

Correct with a Balance of Truth and Grace

Truth 

Did I provide an adequate explanation of how the rules were broken and why the consequences must be enforced?

Is this consequence fair?

Have I reminded the child of the promises of the gospel?

Grace

Is my goal to guild the child into better behavior or am I concerned for their heart?

Has my attitude toward this child given them a picture of a God who loves them?

Am I providing hope for this child?

A Word of Caution about Rewards

Creating a culture built on rewards for performance goes against the gospel message we are teaching

Rewards have diminishing returns

Rewards put other things as better than Jesus

Rewards focus on performance instead of the process

Rewards can create selt-righteous Kids

“It wouldn’t do to teach that God’s rewards in salvation come freely by grace, But like rewards in the church come by being good and l memorizing verses. Nor would it work to teach that God values with over superior churchy behavior, and then give prizes to kids who excel in churchy behavior I couldn’t say that Jesus is better than absolutely anything else, but reward what kids learned about him with a slip of paper redeemable for candy.” SHOW THEM JESUS

General Session 1

What portion of you is not all in? 

Lord, I want to give you my whole heart, mind, and body!

Learning and Teaching the Shema – Rabbi Jacob Rosenberg

All of scripture matters to how we teach our children. There’s a core value that makes us different and that’s called holiness. 

““These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy,” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When you were formed in your mothers womb you had a holy anointing and calling. 

“and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God wants to prolong your days and expand your capacity to serve Him. 

““Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Hearing something is different than listening.

Not hear oh teachers but hear everyone. 

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Teaching how to claim God as your own. Help our children wrestle with God and find Him to be their God. Help them to fear and love the Lord. 

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Not submit to the Lord, but to love the Lord. This is priority. 

Love the Lord with all your Heart. The deep stuff. The inner parts. With everything. Your entire personhood. Your thoughts, emotions, and will. Love God with your heart.

Love the Lord with all your soul. The breathe of God. Love God so much that it comes out as an overflow as the air you breathe. Like if you didn’t love Him, you couldn’t even breathe. 

Love the Lord with all your strength. Your Might. Love Him with your more. Also a creation word. In creation His creation was VERY good. Tov. Love the Lord overflowing and then when you can’t give any more, give more. 

“And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬

The Great Shama. The great listening. If we are listening, He will overflow from our lives. This love for God will overflow to our children. Everything you do. Am I loving God with everything? God wants congruence in the way we love Him. Why? Because we used to be slaves and He set us free. We were slaves to sin and he defeated death. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I’m not the same person I used to be. 

A community of believers, unified, all following the Lord and this will change the world. 

A community of people who are all in. A family much bigger than my family. 

The Family That Disciples – Adam Griffin

“So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!” Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.” So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬

Take on the mantle of responsibility. 

What if we apply that same passion and same listening to loving our neighbors? 

Think about the discipling the disciples behind our own front door. A family discipleship Sunday. How mom’s and dad’s can reach the mission within their own home. Take the mantle of responsibility. 

Home is where you give your best energy not the place you put your feet up and are off the clock. How many times has an accountability partner asked you how it’s going discipling your own kids?

Our children’s ministry is not a ministry of crayons and crackers, it’s a ministry to people who are desperately in need of saving.

How are you doing at handling over the mantle of leadership? 

Elisha burned the plow and followed Elijah. He was all in. He did not store the plow and plan to come back to it in the future.

The thing that’s taking the place that only God can fill, it needs to go. Burn the plow! 

Evaluate your life and see if anything good has become an idol. If so, burn that plow. 

A family that disciples, makes Jesus the thing they are all in with. 

Don’t sacrifice ministry for ministry sake. Is anything becoming more important than God? 

I can’t answer that call today. I’ve burned the plow on ministry being an idol. 

“Is anything good becoming an idol? Then burn the plow!” Adam Griffin 

Don’t give up your soul to keep your job. 

Framework: 

Modeling, how do yo live this out with your kids.

Time, how am I spending my time.

Moments, everyday life.

Milestones, big moments. 

Using the R.O.A.R. Method to Chew and Spit through Cultural Lies – Hillary Morgan Ferrer

“We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We are either taking our thoughts captive or philosophies are taking us captive. 

“A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

*We are in a culture war, and unfortunately, a lot of people are talking past each other. Why? Because neither side will recognize the good that their opponent is offering! The ROAR method is intended to identify a message and analyze its ideas with grace and truth. Doing this requires identifying the good intentions, separating them from the bad ideas, synthesizing a healthier approach, and strategically praying through the battle of ideas.” – Mama Bear Apologetics, 54

Part of our job as parents is to help develop our kids’ spiritual immune systems. Help kids think critically and discern for themselves. 

Teaching your kids the Chew and Spit Method. Help them identify right from almost right. 

Would you rather be…

Heard or understood and persuasive? 

Biblical Discernment: 

Philippians 1:9-10 – “It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” 

Hebrews 5:14 – Solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

Offer Objective Discernment – See things accurately, separate the good from the bad, embrace the good, reject the bad. 

Overcoming Spiritual Fatigue – Marianne Howard

The dirtier the Waffle House the better the food.

Scattered, smothered, and covered…sounds like my condition in ministry. 

Are you? Scattered by a schedule that never stops? 

Are you? Smothered by expectations? 

Are you? Covered by shame?

For a long time, I believed the lie, that it was okay to burn out for Jesus. 

New York Times Article: Why Pastors are Burning Out? 

“If you are part of a church, there’s a good chance that your pastor is not all right…”

46% of pastors under the age of 45 say they are considering quitting full-time ministry

90% of pastors report working 55 to 70 hours a week, and 50% of them feel unable to meet the demands of the job.

74% of ministry leaders report being “extremely or highly stressed”

1,700 pastors leave the ministry each month, citing depression, burnout, or being overworked as the primary reasons.

100% of over 1,000 ministry leaders stated that have had a colleague who left the ministry because of burnout, church conflict, or moral failure.

Burnout doesn’t begin with working too hard, it begins with the heart. 

What is happening to us? 

The moment when a leader loses the motivation, hope, energy, joy, and focus required to fulfill their work, and these losses center upon the work itself.

“Don’t stare at me because I am dark— the sun has darkened my skin. My brothers were angry with me; they forced me to care for their vineyards, so I couldn’t care for myself—my own vineyard.” Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A Scripture about negligence. 

Tend to your soul. Fight for intimacy for your King. 

Impact of spiritual fatigue: 

Spiritual Malnourished, distracted, arrogant, discontent, self-sufficient, anxious. 

We are living on happy meals when Jesus has offered us a feast Spiritually. 

One of the greatest tragedies is that we miss God’s Kingdom assignment because we’re too busy building our own personal kingdoms

What does your family see? Rested or stressed. 

A burned-out leader reproduces burned-out people because we reproduce what we are. Learning to rest is one of the best investments a leader can make for generational discipleship.

Have an All In approach to rest.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬

Jesus is the giver of rest. He is the only One who can give you rest.

Rest is not the absence or work. Physical rest leads to spiritual rest and spiritual rest leads to physical rest. Rest declares our dependance on Jesus. 

How do we actually do this? How do we rest? 

First, Slow Down – God wants you to slow down to His pace. 

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ // In context: Slow to to be able to know that He is God.

Examine your Habits: What are your habits? What does your schedule look like? What does your time and money go to? What does your day to day look like? 

When you missed time at the table, God’s posture is not “where were you” but “I missed you.”

Be attentive: Pay attention to what you pay attention to. What you think about you care about and what you care about you will chase. 

Practice Listening: Unplug the noice and plug into the presence of God. Silence the chirps and dings. Scripture needs to occupy more of our lives. What do you reach for first? Your phone or the word of God? 

Be Intentional: Be attentive with God, the giver of rest. You don’t recline into holiness and rest. Choose to get to the giver of rest. 

His rest silences anxiety. His rest diminishes autonomy. 

His rest destroys idolatry. His rest confirms your identity. 

Your job does not define you.

You are a son and daughter first.

New to Ministry: Getting Started – Byron Ragains

The good news is what God is going to do with you is incredible. 

“Learn the skill and the craft of ministry. Continue everyday to learn your craft, to read, and to ask question.” 

Where do I begin? Where do I start? 

Leave the conference with one thing or two max and begin to work on them. 

A team is more than one. What if you were to begin your team meeting or staff meeting declaring and testifying who God is.

Write down some of your pain points right now: 

How do you get unstuck? What do you prioritize right now?

Recruitment – a year from now we will be together again and you will have recruited more volunteers to be in your ministry. Never use the word recruitment or even think that word. From now on sub it with the word Invite. Recruitment is stressful. When was the last time someone recruited you invited you over to their house for a party? Recruitment makes you feel like you are being sold something. Invited people who join a flourishing team feel like they belong. 

Calling – Some are wondering why they said yes. When God calls you, He sees your imperfection and your story. Do you trust He can do something with this? Protect your calling. Remember when God called you. Write it down. Journal your calling. Journal days when you embrace your calling and God’s call on your life. When you have tough days, go to the journal and it will remind you that you are where you are supposed to be. 

People – You are in the people business. We are not in the program business. 

How many people are you really accountable for? How do you get around those people? Be present. Spend time with those who invest in you. Invest in those who invest in you. Buy a wall calendar and put names on it. Spend time with your people. It doesn’t have to be training and coaching. 

Vision – How many of you have a vision statement for you children’s ministry? Do you know it well enough to write it down? There’s something wrong with Jiffy Lube has a mission statement and you don’t have one for your ministry. Ask yourself is your mission statement actually true or just something on the wall. Sit down with your team and ask if you are missing the mark. Note: Whenever Lowe’s and Home Depot move into your neighborhoods be aware that people are coming. 

Gospel Centered – Keep the Gospel at the center of your ministry. Don’t do ministry like Baskin-Robbins where you are just going for the next cool flavor. It might be creative and fun but make sure it is built on the gospel. Change the narrative, the question parents ask is did you have fun today. What does God think when He hears this question. Begin to ask the question, “What did you learn about God today?” What if kids felt bad about missing church because they didn’t learn about God? Look at the curriculum you are using, your team meetings, the music you are singing, your environments, and your entire operation. If your curriculum doesn’t keep the gospel in the center then take it to the dumpster. David C Cook is gospel centered. 

Drink from the well – A rancher visits another country and notices what was missing was fences. Instead of building fences they build a vibrant well and the cattle stay close to the water. Are you close to the water? Are you looking for fences? Are you out all alone in the pasture? When we spend more time building the ministry than drinking from the well, we wander. The enemy distracts and takes us down. Spend time with Jesus drinking His word. What kind of water are you drinking? Is it man’s water or God’s? 

—

What’s On Your Church’s Radar? – Ron Hunter 

What are your priorities and what are your concerns?

What if you could take a sonogram of the church and detect the health of our church towards discipleship? 

Reginald Fessenden – the story of Regi plays out in our churches today. Our priorities in discipleship haven’t always been listened to. Sometimes we are clouded by other priorities and other priorities are on our minds. 

When you come to a conference it’s not about what the speaker says, it’s more important what the Lord says.

God has been warning us from the beginning of Scripture to the end of Scripture about our priorities of discipleship, and we’ve not always listened.

“We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children.” Psalms‬ ‭78‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬

How you speak not only affects you but the children even yet to be born. 

Be intentional with every generation. 

Oral tradition. Tell stories of God’s greatness. 

Leadership:

Trait

Transformational

Adaptive

Servant

Biblical Servant

Fellowship

Autocratic 

Equipping Families for discipleship 

Mentor (one-on-one)

Small-group

*Generator

Global

*Relational

Corporate

The biggest epidemic the world has ever faced is parental complacency. 

Neh 8 – The pivot, the priest says, we can start now. 

A family aligned curriculum. Around the dinner table, the conversations comes more naturally. Everyday intentionality. 

Leaders, we must do what the priest did in Nehemiah chapter 8 and show parents how to disciple their children. 

Your job is not to do more ministry but to equip parents to do more ministry. 

“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Father’s, Correct and Nurture

Father’s, if your kids always feel like they are performing around you then they may feel like they are only performing for their Heavenly Father.  

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬

Most of our armor is defensive. 

What’s on Your kid’s Radar?

What’s on Your Church’s Radar?

Do Your Parents in Your Church Equip Their Kids with Radar?

Our pastors are the most prepared but our parents are the most under-prepared. 

If you want your children to value something, make sure it’s something that you value too. 

EveryDay Foundations

Awaken to the Wilderness War – Brian Haynes

Why do we suffer difficulty, wounds, chaos, and calamity? 

Life is not as it should be. It’s just not. 

Everything between Genesis 3 and Revelation 21, is a desert. It’s a wilderness. 

Minbar – desert you can survive. 

T’siyah – desert you can survive if you have help. 

Yashiymown – desert you can’t survive. 

“Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭106‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There are times in life where we can survive, or we can survive with help, and other times where it will take a miracle for us to survive. 

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬

You may think you are just a parent, or just a pastor but the reality is you are more then that as you are shepherding people in real spiritual warfare that effects them spiritually, mentally, and emotionally while also going through the same thing yourself. 

“Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord— rejoice in his presence!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Our great king is living water. Do you know what you need most in the desert? Water from the rock. 

Jesus is a cup of cold water every day no matter how deep the desert. 

He is the Good Shepherd. Do you know what happens when you find shade in the desert. Refreshment. The Lord is your shade in the desert. He is out wind. He is our light. He is our path. 

Jesus wants us to know there is a way through the wilderness. There is victory through the wilderness. 

God is the same in all the seasons we walk through. The only difference is we are different and cry out different in the wilderness. 

Communicating Vision for Children’s Ministry With Senior Leadership – Michayla White 

Explore common priorities of Senior Leaders

Discuss keys for asking for what you need,

Provide a framework for developing clear presentations.

Identify which groups you need for support and collaboration.

Foundational principle is alignment. Motivated by love. John 13:35. It’s not about getting what you want, but about the mission moving forward. 

Defined: Alignment is – according to the Oxford dictionary – what happens when something is in correct or appropriate relative positions. It is also a position of agreement and alliance.

Working together. Not in conflict. 

The elephant in the room: alignment might feel impossible based on your experience in your church environment. Suspend the voice in your head and be open handed. 

Grab the elephant and say it. Call it out. 

Common priorities of senior leadership (what keeps you up at night). Understand their priorities. 

Preaching and Services. Sunday is always coming. Both the message and the service. Every yes in the week is a no to developing the message. No matter how gifted most leaders crave time to steward their preparation. 

Growth of the Body. The pressure of the phrase healthy things grow. Many think on attendance and maturity. Who is there and who is not there. Reflecting the community. 

Stability of the church. Every church has its own story. Finances and team. Money is everyone’s least favorite thing to talk about and for many it’s an overwhelming priority. The team is the stability force of the church. How long the team will be there. What their next step is. Who will fill their place. The tenure of ministry. Most positions feel like a revolving door. 

Care for the community. They might ask hard questions because wanting to measure impact with limited resources. What does our community need right now.

Framework for communicating vision. 

What is your pastors style? What matters for him as a leader. 

Imagine you got an email Monday and your lead pastor is asking you to come share your vision for the ministry. 

Remember the goal of: Greater alignment for the purpose of momentum. 

Key Question 1 – What do you want your senior leader to feel when the meeting is over? 

Key Question 2 – What do you want your senior leader to know when the meeting is over?

Key Question 3 – What do you want your senior leader to do when the meeting is over?

Key Question 4 – What do you want your senior leader to remember when the meeting is over?

What lingering thought do you want rolling around in your leaders mind? 

Key Framework:

Introduction (Feel) A hook, question, or unexpected. Start with something of value. 

Body (Know) Don’t feel like you need to prove the point more then you actually have to. Sharing too much data leads to overload. Communicate vision through story. Stories are data with a soul. Most leaders want to be moved not just talked at. 

•   What (problem)
•   So What (solution)
•   Now What (benefis)

Conclusion (Do/Remember) 

If there’s no call of action you are looking for, maybe the action is just connection or community. 

How to ask for what you need. 

Resonance. Honor their time. Help your leader hear the things that matter to them. Use phrases like, “As I’ve heard you share about.” Show your alignment. 

Clarity. Focus on what’s possible, not just the process. The greatest piece you can offer is the vision. Don’t expand on the whole process but paint the picture of where you’re going. 

Options and compromise. Be open. Not passive aggressive or absolutes in language. Open hands and open arms. Pay attention to your thinking face. A resting face can misrepresent and unintentionally communicate poorly. Ask friends to help you with this. 

Areas of Support and Collaboration: 

Leaders with influence. Whose voices carry weight in conversation?

Members with expertise. Network within your own church. Collaboration. 

Community partnerships with impact. Build partnerships with local groups.

Remember to pray first. Pray for them, for their vision, for alignment, and for words to say.

Progressive Christianity: A Biblical Response to a Growing Movement – Alisa Childers

The Bible, The Cross, and The Gospel. Our beliefs should mirror Jesus’ beliefs on these subjects. 

Christians say, God’s word, authoritative, inspired by God, breathed out. 

A book about God vs a book God breathed. These are different views. 

Jesus referred to the Bible as the Word of God. 

“Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ ””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭15‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus modeled to us the authority of the Scriptures by using the words…”It is written….” 

Sin – See Isaiah 53

Did Jesus think He’s that guy? If yes then His death is substitutionary. 

“For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’ Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said, “Behold the Lamb of God. 

John 10:18 – He was willing to lay down His life.

The argument for Cosmic Child Abuse doesn’t work if you understand the Trinity. 

“Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Convincing people they are sinners is the hardest part of evangelism. The biggest obstacle to evangelism is telling people they are sinners. 

How? Teach your kids the real thing…because then when the counterfeit comes…they will spot something off.

You Feed Them – Chrystal Evans Hurst

There is no guarantee but our job is to plant seeds and let God worry about how it gets watered.

Do you see problems or solutions in the waiting? 

When we give God problems and He gives us solutions, we start listing all the things we don’t have, as if His solution ever started with what we have.

The solution lies in our obedience. Your one job is to do what God asks you to do. 

At a time when Jesus wanted solitude and rest, He still served. 

If you’re walking with the Lord and you have been watching His Word, when you run into a problem you have to assume you have what it takes or He will provide what it takes. 

Challenges aren’t just there to pray about. It’s an opportunity to see God’s glory in a new way.

What if the place you were wishing away, is exactly the place where God is wanting you to grow?

“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Are you willing to engage in the middle of the problem to see God bring the solution? 

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬

He doesn’t expect you to have all the answers. He knows you are a little undone and need to rely on Him. You are His masterpiece. 

—

Leading in Seasons of Change – Jim Wideman 

The thing about change is you can either fight it or you can learn to be flexible with it. 

Nothing stays the same except the fact that change is always present! 

Change is like Tarzan swinging on the next vine. We are called to swing out on a few vines but God seldom shows up early. We must learn to trust Him. 

1. Change and how we navigate it, is one of the most important keys to following God

• When you follow God you have to be open and willing to change
• Most people maturely fight change. Change builds a platform (Tarzan)

1. I have not always welcomed change in my personal life nor have I in my
   professional life
2. Not all change is improvement. But without change there can be no improvement

• There is no growth without change. 

We have to learn to change in order to reach the next generation. 

Book: The new diversity. 

• Learn to change with change or you will get changed!

C. Change is a part of living. 

Being on staff means we are needing to learn to flow with change. The oldest two generations are not the majority in the workforce. We can change or be left out. 

1. Charles Exley, CEO of NCR (National Cash Register) Corporation said, “I’ve been in business thirty-six years. l’ve learned a lot and most of it doesn’t apply anymore.”

• My goals have changed
• My family has changed
• My role as a leader has changed
• My ministry has changed
• I am constantly changing how I look at life
• As I change so will all the above

2. Choose to be flexible

• Nothing in life goes the way you think
• When you’re not flexible, you miss out on what God has for you
• Leaders resist change as much as followers do

1. The result: Unchanged leaders equals unchanged organizations. 

Sometimes people are waiting on you to model the change before they accept it themselves. 

2. People also need an example of choosing to be flexible and how to accept changes

D. If you want to continue leading, you must continue changing. 

1. I’m not the same style children’s minister I was five years ago, ten years ago, twenty years ago, thirty years ago (yikes!)
2. ”Don’t make the same mistake twice, make a different one every time!” – Jim’s mom. 

LET’S DO A LITTLE EXERCISE

Some people will instantly reject change. 

Unmanaged change instantly reverts back to the original. 

Some people get creative in change. 

As changes become more normalized the team begins to get in a good rhythm. It can even become fun. 

If a change is unreasonable then people give up or fight it. 

3. Why people resist change

• The change isn’t self-initiated (Someone else’s idea
• Routine is disrupted (We are creatures of habit and we are selfish by nature
• Change creates fear of the unknown
  (Many people are more comfortable with old problems than with new solutions)

1. The purpose of the change is unclear (God leads in steps you don’t always know Z) The steps of the righteous are ordered into the Lord. 

• Change creates fear of failure (What if we lose? What if you win?)
• People are too satisfied with the way things are. 

1. Too many people and organizations choose to die rather than choose to change.
2. Same actions bring same results

• Change requires additional commitment (Whatever it takes) 
• All In = whatever it takes. 
• Tradition resists change
• Pride resists change (and goes before the fall). 
• Our want to and excitement can change (It’s your job to keep yourself stirred up and refreshed) – Marianne’s new Rest Book. David was a man after Gods own heart. He knew how to encourage himself in the Lord. 
• When everyone is mad, count the everybody’s because it’s probably the same 3 old ladies who have not been happy in decades. 

4. Creating an atmosphere that encourages change. 

• People don’t just resist change; they resist “being changed”. The best thing you can do is model whatever God wants for your life. 
• Desire whatever God wants for your life, even if it means to change everything about your life! (This is something you have to continually model.) What God wants for me is better than even I want for me! 

10 ways to encourage and flow with change

1. Seek God for His plan and purpose, now. Thus saith the Lord works every time. 
2. Evaluate constantly. Know what a first down is. What is a touchdown. How do you get a two point conversion? 
3. Make personal changes before asking others to change. I’ll never ask you to do anything I’m not willing to do. The bad news is that I’m willing to do just about anything. (Throwing a good party?)
4. Good leaders understand the history of the organization

• It’s important to know what’s happened in the past before making changes for the future
• What has worked? Is it still working?
• Learn the thinking of the house

1. How are others doing what you are doing? (Network) Is there a better way to do what you are doing? Never quit networking. 
2. Brainstorm and seek the opinion and advice of trusted allies. Find people who will let you call them. Ask how would you handle this? 
3. Develop a game plan that will assist change
4. Explain the change to others, why you need it, and communicate the plan. Don’t give your team leadership whiplash. 
5. Talk up the benefits. “The main reason young people let me buy them coffee is because I buy them coffee. The second reason is asking them questions and talking about apps.” 
6. Remember there are people counting on you in the future to make the needed changes. The changes you are making today make your next changes possible.

5. Are you willing to make the changes needed to cause you to go to your next level? 

• Don’t run away from change- start with yourself!
• What are you afraid to change? Be honest. Identify the sacred cows. This is the first step. 
• Get some help, don’t do it alone – every top level athlete has a coach. 
• As people see you make changes to yourself they will come on board with changes in the ministry and embrace the change you model

My 3 things to change. 

1 Learn best practices for throwing a good party with the staff. 

2 David encouraged himself in the Lord. Study this for myself and create a rhythm. 

3 Read the book: The new diversity to determine how I need to change in leading our oldest and youngest staff members. 

—-

Redeeming Rest – A Roadmap Through Burnout with Marianne Howard

Remember we are Moving through the valley. 

What and where has been your favorite spot?

What made it your favorite?

How do you rest physically? 

How do you spend your days off? 

How do you rest spiritually? 

If you could define ministry burnout, what would it be? 

Burning out can be defined as losing the motivation, energy, hope, joy, and focus required to fulfill your work, and these losses center on the work itself.

The feeling of I don’t event want to walk into the office today. In teams and pressure our default is control or escape. Control in the kingdom is a complete myth. Escape is avoidance where you try not to make a decision. 

If you could define spiritual fatigue, what would it be? Spiritual fatigue is a condition of the heart where a person is spiritually dry and emotionally empty.

A place of wandering aimlessly getting nowhere

A place of hunger and thirst – no provisions

A place of isolation – no companionship or support

A place of sorrow and defeat – no joy or victory

A place of pressure – no peace

A place of hopelessness – feel stuck

What are the effects?

The burden of busyness. We think hard work signifies our value. Generationally divided by those 35+. 

The prison of people pleasing. We have difficulty saying no even at the expense of our soul. You have to learn to say no to the good things and yes to the God things. Wait, pray, ask. Your default should not be yes. Sometimes your no moves you out of the way for someone else. Arrogance and pride in people pleasing. 

The impact of identity. We assign to ourselves identity. We get identity vertically or shop for it horizontally. You are not your job. You are a son or daughter of God first. 

The seduction of self-sufficiency. We pay more attention to the outcome rather than the process. 

Roadmap through burnout: A personal heart evaluation. 

My flesh and heart may fail, BUT GOD… 

Time with God needs to be relational not transactional. Slow and savor. Unhurried. 

What stirs your affection for Christ? 

Do you need clean to rest or rest to clean? 

Rested body. Bible. Focus turned on. 

“And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];” Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Disciplines for Intimacy with Christ: 

The discipline of Silence

Abstaining from speaking. Silencing noise. Listening and being quiet. Silence sensitizes us; It helps us focus on what matters.

The discipline of Solitude

To be alone and turn away from human interaction and external distractions with the purpose of refining the soul.

The discipline of Stillness

Stop, cease, and desist, makes room for listening, gives us the freedom to observe, opens us to peace, and invites us to know our limitedness and god’s vastness,

The discipline of Surrender

To cease resistance and submit, let go and trust, releasing control.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When the Lord is your shepherd, you will not want. 

Supply

Rest

Refreshment

Healing

Guidance

Purpose

Confidence

Assurance

Faithfulness

Comfort

Abundance

Security

““Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬ // Nothing, meaning nothing! 

Don’t settle for the happy meal, feast. 

Restore the joy of my salvation!

—

I’d love to see you at next years conference! If you’d like to learn more about Everyday Foundations and be entered to win 2 to D6 2024  including travel expenses, click here: 

https://d6family.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b15afdf4ae3aba4dae5b9838d&id=5feebefd86

Where does vision come from? 

A good idea is more than something that makes people feel good. Vision motivates, inspires, and drives people to action. 

Antoni Gaudi – Basilica de la Sagrada Familia – the longest building project. In 1926 when Antoni died the project was about a quarter finished. 

Gaudi had complete faith that the church would be finished. “I will grow old, but others will come after me,” he said. “What must always be conserved is the spirit of the work, but its life has to depend on the generations it is handed down to and with whom it lives and is incarnated.”

You don’t have to the the one with the original vision to do something great for God. 

Leadership is about the ability to pass on a vision, and the legacy of leadership is having others who will take on the vision at the same level of passion and commitment as the original visionary. 

Generation after generation can catch the vision and make it their own. Carry the baton. 

A vision can start with one but must be caught by many. Each contributes in their own unique way. 

The difference between a legacy leader who accepts the baton. How does one view the vision. A worker of the vision or a steward of the vision? Believe in a God given vision you are now to steward. Be a guardian of the vision. 

“God is able to do much more than we ask or think through His power working in us. May we see His shining-greatness in the church. May all people in all time honor Christ Jesus. Let it be so.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLV)

Serve More Pastors. Provide hope and help. Personally and pastorally. Fire reignited. 

Equip More Churches. The local church is the hope of the world. The love and light of Christ to shine. 

MLK Jr. “Therefore, I conclude that the church, in its present state, is not the hope of the world. I believe that nothing has so persistently and effectively blocked the way of salvation as the church. On the other hand, the church can be the hope of the world, but only when it returns to Christ.”

Bring the church back to the center of the human race by bringing Christ back to the center of the church. 

Inspire More Leaders. Touch and transform hearts. In all places God has called us. 

— 

Paula Faris 

If you have been looking for your people, they’re right here at the Global Leadership Network. 

Tom De Vries 

Leadership requires more than experience; it requires intention and direction.

Leadership is not a title or position…it’s a life long pursuit. 

Grant the gift of respect and humility. If we are humble, we can learn from everyone. 

Craig Groeschel 

Everyone wins when the leader gets better. 

You have good intentions and standards for yourself but embarrassingly inconsistent. 

As James Clear says we have the same goals dreams and hopes but incredibly different outcomes. 

They are not lucky, they are consistently doing the right things. 

Sometimes we’ll look at leaders who are getting it done, have great results, growing in revenue — we think they’re lucky. They’re not lucky, they’re consistent. 

Successful leaders do consistently what other leaders do occasionally.

Reasons we are inconsistency 

Too focused on what you want to do. 

You’ve been trying for too long. 

Stop trying to lead. 

You do what you do because of what you think of you. 

What type of a person am I?

What type of a situation is this?

What does a person like me do in a situation like this? 

The biggest force that shapes your leadership is your identity. Change what you do by changing what you think about you. 

What kind of leader do you want to be? Start with who goals not what goals. Who do I want to become? 

Be a leader who empowers people to reach their potential. Not I want to preach better sermons instead it’s I want to be a spiritual leader who inspires others. 

First response should be, “I’m a leader”

I’m a leader not because of my title but because of my integrity. 

Imposter Syndrome. Who are you? 

Leadership is influence. You are a leader. 

*Create your leadership identity statement. 

I am a compassionate leader who deeply love people. 

I am an empowering leader who brings out the best in others. 

I am a disciplined leader who priorities the day. 

Who are you? 

I am a Spirit empowered leader who boldly leads others to find life in Christ. 

I’m trying…

Stop trying and start training. 

Stop trying to lead and start training to lead. 

Training produces results. 

When you’re trying you give yourself permission to fail. An attempt with minimal commitment.  

Training is whole-hearted commitment to achieve a specific result.

It’s not about your feelings but your commitment. 

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Greek word for training. Agony. Strain every nerve towards the goal. 

You are fighting for something that matters. Trying apart from training is unimaginable. Purpose in every step. Disciple yourself like an athlete. Who before do. 

When you see yourself as a leader you come in with a plan. People should feel the purpose. You are so much of who you are they feel the purpose when you walk in the room. 

2020, the time after difficult got harder. Trying not to fail and leading afraid with a defensive posture. Surrendered leadership identity. 

Who do you want to become as a leader? 

How are you going to train to become that type of leader? 

I am a leader called by God who walks in obedient faith.

Heather R Younger 

How does it feel when someone listens to you? How does it feel to be heard? Heard, valued, seen, cared for…

We all want to be heard. We want our work to matter. We care for our employees because of who they are not just what they do for us. 

Presence is the best present we can give to others.

Create a world where everyone has a voice and everyone can be heard. 

What do people actually need? Not what do they think they need?

The cycle of active listening. 

Seek to Understand – Think about if you are going to give something to them or get something from them. 

Paraphrase don’t just parrot. 

Decoding – you want to act on their behalf but we do a disservice to others when we fail to pause and reflect on what they said. 

Impact a sense of importance with the other person. 

Closing the Loop – Be the person who goes back to them, share what you reflected on, share your action steps and let them know their voice was heard. Share feedback where you let people know the chances. We heard you and made this change. This is where listening is made complete. 

Data isn’t just numbers. Data can be a conversation with one person. 

It’s not about yesterday it’s about today going forward. 

When we think about decoding we make things more magnetic. People leave when they don’t feel heard. 

The power to listen can really change how people feel about their value. Be others focused. When you really listen it will be the best gift you give. 

https://heatheryounger.com/qrcode-cycleoflistening/

Todd Henry 

Man search for Meaning. We are each questioned by life and we must prepare a response. 

Bravery is choosing to do the right thing in the face of pain. 

We must confront uncertainty with bravery. 

Permission vs optimism. 

Agency vs powerlessness. 

Speak agency into the people you lead. 

Be mindful of the precipices. 

The bravery to act. By the time they engaged in the bravery it was just the next logical step. Bravery is in the everyday interactions with people. Have the difficult conversation. Introduce the idea in the meeting. 

Would you walk a ten foot plank? If you can do it on the ground you can do it in the air. 

Are you elevating artificial consequences of failure? 

Bravery to let go. Think monkey bars. You have to let go or else you get stuck. The thing you are afraid of will actually happen if you struggle to let go. Don’t be so comfortable with how things are that you fail to let go. 

Learn a new skill. 

Copying. Try what others do. 

Innovating. New style. Dangerous because you want to hold onto the old thing. 

Crisis. When you realize you’ve stopped growing. Am I willing to start over again? To learn new skills and apply them in my context. 

Do you have people in your life who will speak truth to you before you realize you need people in your life who will speak this truth. 

Bravery to wait. Bravery is not bravado. Plant both your feet even if it feels crazy. Grow deep roots that bear fruit in decades regardless of what everyone else says. 

Dan Owolabi

“You’re gaining weight.” A compliment in one culture taken as a criticism in another. 

With diversity you gain differences. Diversity can be hard. It’s hard work so how do you do it? 

The worst leaders recognize it’s hard and get bitter. The best leaders are cultural intelligent leaders. The ability to understand another culture without losing your convictions. The don’t get weird, they engage. 

Walt Whitman says, “Be curious, not judgmental.” 

We are all learning in real time. You don’t have to be ashamed. In fact you are making progress.  

The reality is cultural intelligent leaders will win the future. They can work with people who are different than themselves. Diversity. It’s not easy but it’s worth it. 

Robert Morris 

Take The Day Off – why is this the hardest Leadership principle for leaders to do? 

Whatever industry you’re in, you’re a leader. 

You trained for something but somehow you got too good. 

Take the day off. From the original top 10 list. The top 10 principles to enjoy your life and for a healthy society. And really they are not too hard to do. 

Flee youthful lust. It really is a youthful desire. It is repulsive to be intimate with anyone other than my wife. 

There is one do. It has nothing to do with church. Ex 20:8 set apart one day a week. You have 6 days for ordinary work. The 7th day is rest. No one may do any work. This includes you. Your employees. Even your dog. 

He got an idea because he allowed his mind to rest one day a week. 

You’re not having a mental breakdown, you’re just tired. Maybe this might be one of the most important things you hear today, take the day off. 

Cynt Marshall 

Going “All In”

Does what is happening in the world wear you down? Yes. Aware of it and run towards it because I’m a leader. 

Intent

Insight

Integrity

Inspiration 

Inclusion 

In order to be effective leader:

Listen to the people. Listen for even what they are not saying. 

Learn from the people. 

Love the people. Not as employees but as people; including their baggage and dreams. 

Tell me your life story. 

Where do you see yourself in five years. 

Provide a vision. 

LEADING WITH INTENT AND INTEGRITY – VALUES

CHARACTER

#AlwaysDoTheRightThing

RESPECT

#BeNice2People

AUTHENTICITY

#DoYou

FAIRNESS

#EquityMatters

TEAMWORK

#AintNoMountainHighEnough

SAFETY

#NotAccidentalButintentional

There is a difference between doing things right and doing the right things. 

Tell the truth. Even when the most authoritative people in your life give permission to lie. As leaders character matters. 

Inclusion is behavior that promotes and sustains a culture that understands, welcomes and caters to our differences. 

Inclusions is the recipe for success.

Inclusion insists on participation. 

Inclusion makes the numbers count. 

Diversity is being invited to the party. 

Inclusion is being asked to dance. 

Help you feel comfortable and invite you to participate. You can’t assume people know what’s going on. 

Just because you are right, does not mean I am wrong. You just haven’t seen life from my side. 

What inspires you? Inspiration is about people. As a leader you not only have to inspire others, you have to be inspired yourself. 

More Notes Coming as we continue today and tomorrow!

And that’s a wrap on Special Edition! What’s next? Join us for #GLS23 in August —> https://t.co/meq6ukiA7v. #SE23 pic.twitter.com/Py4vcYHxPB

— Global Leadership Network (@GLNsummit) February 17, 2023

Social media changes and adapts everyday. On your own, you can’t keep up. Imagine having confidence in your social media strategy as you serve families digitally! Let’s talk about what’s working in kidmin social media. 

Social Media has it’s traps. 

REAL life example. 

Permission to post. (Facebook Closed Groups)

Never finished. Fear of man. Living for approval. 

My goal is not for you to become a social media influencer. I want you to partner with parents and disciple kids. 

Imagine having confidence in your social media strategy as you serve families digitally! 

Cue, Habit/routine, Reward. 

Cue: New Series

Share bible reading plans. Share memory verses for families.

Example: @kidsat12stone – Memory Verse Video 

Cue: You are asked a question. 

Is this a question 99 other people are holding in? 

Example: @bibleappforkids – Not sure how to teach your kids about the Holy Spirit? Visit the link in our bio to discover Bible App for Kids stories that can help!

Note: Shor.by

Cue: “I’m excited about…” “I can’t believe….” “Please pray about. ”

Use social media to enhance relationships. 

Be social on social. So many people use social media as a blog or mini journal. 

Don’t make it all about you.

Example: @lcparents – “How Can We Be Praying for Your Family?”

Cue: Your family loves something. 

Movie, book, game, outing, church take home activity…

Example: @northpointupstreet Sticker for water bottle.

Note: Kids, not just announcements. Telephone vs Megaphone. 

Cue: This is fun.

Share the personal, fun side of ministry and life. 

Example: @tbcokids – Joy Joy Joy

Note: emoji icons. Teaching point. Simple. 

Cue: We have a need.

Vision. Imagine a restaurant posting, “We need more customers.”

Example: @Saddleback_kids – You could change a kid’s life just by by being there! Become a Saddleback Kids Leader! 

Example2: @Highlandskids – There’s no team like the Dream Team! Shout out to the amazing Highlands Kids #DreamTeam! 

Cue: Seasons and Holidays 

Link in bio for recipes, decor, and activities!

Example: @elevationekidz – Fall Family Activities

Cue: Sunday

“What did you learn?” “Did you have fun”

Make this easy for parents. 

Example: @redrockskids – weekly resource

Cue, Routine, Reward. 

@SandalsKids YouTube – Church Services

If you quit for 30 days, would anyone notice? Would anyone actually care? Would your content be missing? If yes, resume with purpose. If no, find a new way to serve families. 

Don’t make social media a quest for self importance. Your job is kids pastor. Which task would define this better. 5 hours a week recording and posting content or 5 hours WITH you kids. 

Social media changes and adapts everyday. 

On your own, you can’t keep up.

So, do what you do best in all areas of ministry, build a team.

Equip the saints for acts of service. 

Huge. YouTube – Statista 2022, over 2.6 billion people worldwide use YouTube once a month.

Podcast: Social Media Marketing Podcast by Michael Stelzner

Book: From Social Media to Social Ministry: A Guide to Digital Discipleship by Nona Jones

Book: MetaChurch: How to Use Digital Ministry to Reach People and Make Disciples Dave Adamson

Collaboration: It Stimulates Brain Health and Increases Youthful Vitality Dr. Wes Beavis, Psy.D. 

Fred Brown running the mile. 

Lap 1 – Scoffing and ridicule 

Lap 2 – Judging and criticism

Lap 3 – Advice giving 

Lap 4 – Encouragement 

Collaboration (def.): the action of working with others to produce or create something.

Principle #1: Talent is often discovered and developed within the context of collaboration

• We flourish in collaboration and flounder in isolation. 

“Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. “Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.” Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh.” Genesis‬ ‭41:9-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬ 

Principle #2: Collaboration is a remedy for Emotional Exhaustion and Burnout

Symptoms of Emotional Exhaustion

* Lack of motivation 

* Trouble sleeping

* Physical fatigue 

*Irritability 

* Absentmindedness

*Apathy 

*Headaches 

*Difficulty concentrating

Root Cause: Accumulated stress from personal life or work, or a combination of both. 

Remedies 

* Take a break 

* Eat healthy and exercise 

* Get enough sleep

* Meet with a counselor/coach

Eliminate the stressor (so much to do)

“When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?” Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God. When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God’s decrees and give them his instructions.” “This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”” Exodus‬ ‭18:14-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Principle #3: Collaboration Increases Brain Size

& Intelligence(Activates Neurogenesis)

“Collective action and the collaborative brain”

Brain health, not brain size. 

• Brain size does correlate with both group size and population density. Neurogenesis by collaboration. Being with people.  

• Collaboration causes growth in areas of the brain associated with communication and learning.

Collaboration requires the most advanced skills of all: > Building Trust

“Creating an environment where people feel psychologically safe is a prerequisite for successful collaboration. Without trust, people won’t share their ideas or feel comfortable taking risks” Allaya Cooks-Campbell

Collaboration – most complex and most powerful form of teamwork. 

Cooperation – more ownership not just taking orders. 

Coordination – most simple. 

“The Umbrella of Mercy” might not take you to the goal but inch you in the right direction to shift towards the goal. 

> Engaging in creativity and innovation. Neuroplasticity.  

Not always a problem to be fixed but simply a tension to be managed. 

> Resolving inevitable conflict that arises from working at complex levels

Scientific research has revealed. 

• As an environment becomes more unstable,  collaboration is a key to navigating and surviving the uncertainty. 

Brain operative at 7% better capacity. 

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed… A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT)

If collaborative abilities remain low, a group is predicted to split, with a small proportion of individuals contributing to public good and the rest free-riding. 

20% doing 80% of the work. 

• Collaboration activates brain regions involved in reward processing independently of material gains. 

Dopaminergic lift comes from collaboration regardless of goal achievement. You don’t actually have to reach the goal. The journey of working together may be the real goal. 

Principle #4: Collaboration, especially during difficult circumstances releases oxytocin (the bonding chemical) that strengthens relationships. 

“The juice is just not worth the squeeze.” 

“I’ll see you right through to the end.”

“Not running, not shuffling, but bonding.”

Ecc 4:10 “for if either falls, his companion can lift him up.”

Who has lifted you up? ___

Who are your people? 

——

Dr. Diana Glyer 

Secrets of Success from C.S. Lewis. 

Clive Staples Lewis, known as Jack. 

Not just who lifted you up while you were running the marathon but the people who modeled life and you thought, “I want more of that.” They showed you a vibrancy of life. 

His words transfer over time and they continue to grow decades after his death. 

Four key traits:

1 Range – He wrote poetry, theology, and Children’s books. He was sensitive to the world around him. Not only what did he say but when did he say it? Different seasons of his life. 

2 Surrender – the depth of his commitment to Christ. What was it like to know him? He held nothing back. “The most thoroughly converted man to Jesus Christ.”

He grew up in a Christian home but experienced the hardships of pain. His faith was shattered by the First World War and death of his mom. But he was not good at being an atheist. “I don’t believe in God and I’m mad at God for not existing.”

He met sincere Christians. He saw embodied faith.

The most reluctant and dejected convert in all of London. Faith in Christ is not a sprinkling of what you want to do anyway. He realized what it meant to be a living sacrifice. A living sacrifice wants to get off the alter but chooses to stay. Hopes, dreams, and aspirations surrendered to Christ. 

3 Mind and Heart. Not enemies but companions. A continual life of learning. He wasn’t just a brain but he cultivated his heart of compassion and curiosity. 

In preaching are we bringing together wonderful stories as well as deep understanding? Realize God at a deeper level than ever before. Do we bring wisdom? Do we give helpful insights even in average conversations? 

Boarding schools were bleak. Worked and lived in Oxford. By age of 19 he published first book. Spirits in Bondage. He sold very few copies but kept writing. 

4 Friendship 

What changed? If Lewis was equipped for success and surrendered daily, and nourished his mind and heart, what transformed him from an obscure college professor to who we remember him today? Friendship. 

JRR Tolkien – when he first met him, he didn’t like him. He needs a good snack. 

Tolkien was the missing piece and was rocket fuel for what God wanted to do through him. 

Difference in rank. Rookie and tenure. 

Temperaments. Lewis was boisterous. Tolkien was introverted and spoke softly. 

Lewis was an atheist at this time and Tolkien was a devote catholic praying for Lewis. 

Age. 

How they dressed. 

They overcame their differences. Stopped thinking of differences as a problem and recognized differences were strengths. 

How can you use their unique perspective? What do they value that perhaps we are undervaluing? 

Energy and press vision because of our differences. 

Tolkien and Lewis became friends through a book club. Iron sharpening iron so continued to meet. Profound through simple decisions. They got together for lunch once a week. Unstructured time meeting together. Lewis called it his favorite hour a week. They didn’t even write a mission statement, they just got together and grew in trust. 

They had the courage to connect and they practiced a variety of ways of supporting each other. They invested time. 

Praise counterbalances the negativity and shame of our culture. Not just impacting those we speak to but our own souls. 

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Encouragement is directed towards the soul. To put courage into the hearts of those who are listening. Focused on an individual. I believe in you. Most people are starved of encouragement and hearing confidence that God is using you. 

“I’ll believe it until you can see it.” We can hold hope for someone else. If words were water, encouragement pushes into the cracks of the soul. 

Practical Help – gathering paper for one another during a paper shortage so everyone had enough. 

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.””

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:12-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We become so busy and stressed when we try to be all the body parts. 

“I got stuck, I needed help.”

It’s amazing what happens when we function as the body. 

Mentoring through example and becoming an apprentice to their way of life. People further down the road so we know what’s coming. Here’s what worked for me. Shadow them for the weekend. Interview them. Why do you do what you do? 

Is there someone you need to be mentoring? Invite them to coffee. Come alongside. 

Resonating – I understand. Tell me more. 

The gift of listening. Slow to give advice. They give feedback to you what you told to them. 

Listen patiently. Ask good questions. Clarify. 

Then restate what you hear. It sounds like…

In the piano you listen to the body of the instrument not the vibration of the string. 

Curiosity. Become more genuinely curious. 

Humility. As you listen get away from the assumption my experience is the same. Believe you. 

Patience. You don’t need to just jump in and solve the problem. Listen. 

Questions: 

What has the past year been like for you?

WhY do you feel you need most in your life going forward? 

Secret to success. Understand that by the grace of God we really are better together. 

——

Kingdom Minded in a Castle World 

Tradanius (Trey) Beard Northwest Church of Christ 

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ 

Everyone has a personal relationship with God but he didn’t mean for it to be private. You are not an island.  

What is Kingdom? (We grew up in a democracy and read with a bias.)

A territory by which a king rules and reigns. He influences the kingdom through His will, power, and law. 

Maybe we’ve done church but not kingdom. Don’t be castle-minded but kingdom-minded. 

You can’t have a kingdom without a King or Lord. 

We are so concerned with Him being the Savior of our lives we miss Him being Lord. We become spiritually vampires wanting His blood to be saved but not king of our lives. 

A Kingdom has a territory. A Kingdom has a constitution. Our constitution is the Bible. 

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Allow the Word of God to be law in the Kingdom. 

Every Kingdom has subjects and we have become those subjects in the kingdom. The citizens don’t dictate the constitution. It’s not what we want, it’s what the King wants. 

“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,” Colossians‬ ‭1:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What does this look like in 2022? Kingdom is not what we do a few hours a week. How do we make sure we remain kingdom minded in a castle world? In a kingdom we are trying to evade territory. Colonization. Culture over another territory. Teaching new language, new law, and new lifestyle. When you invade territory, the more territory you invade it gives the King more glory. “All the the Glory of God.”

Thy Kingdom come on Earth as it is in heaven. Take over territory. Invade Earth with Heaven. 

Invade the hearts of men for God to reign and get more glory. 

How do we become Kingdom Minded?

1 Know Your Limitations. 

You can’t do it alone. God gives the man of God vision to set before His people. 

“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:4-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is no member of the kingdom who is not gifted. The constitution dictates the culture. God says He didn’t give us all the gifts. He made it necessary for us to depend on others. 

2 Always Remain a Student 

We do not graduate from being a disciple. God calls us to go make disciples. It’s hard to go make something you are not. 

“Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.” Luke‬ ‭6:40‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We are not above the King but we are trying to be like the King. 

“Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” Luke‬ ‭2:52‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus increased in wisdom. 

Jesus even grew in every area. 

Wisdom. Psychological. 

Statue. Physical. 

Favor. Spiritual. 

Favor with man. Social. 

3 Recognize we are not in competition with one another. 

“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:6-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul and Peter’s ministry was different but they were on the same team. God causes the growth. 

“John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John‬ ‭3:27-30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In one season you are okay with encouraging one another because things are going well for you but in other season you stop being a cheerleader because your season has changed. This isn’t how it should be. 

See how the seasons change:

“John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”” Matthew‬ ‭11:2-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus didn’t just die for us, He lived for our model example. He is the Lord and ruler of my life. 

—

Breakout

Don’t Be Fooled.… Retirement is Terrible for Your Health by Dr. Wes Beavis, Psy.D.

Myth: Retirement is one long vacation after an eternity at the grindstone. 

Retirement (def.): to remove from view to withdraw from circulation. 

Retirement is Cultural. it is not Biblical. 

Num 8:23-26 When a Levite turned 50 years old their work responsibility did not end, but simply changed.

We are to always bring value to one another. 

Current retirement model- 

Preparation 25 years – learn how to do life. 

Occupation 40 years 

Relaxation 25 years

• In the two years following retirement, participants in a study experienced a cognitive decline equivalent to 1.7% relative to the general population. 

Use it or lose it. 

Cognitive decline at an older age. 

• The study revealed that decreased mental activity results in atrophy of cognitive skills and suggests that retirement plays a significant role in explaining cognitive decline at an older age.

• The largest negative effect was in “delayed recall” which measures a person’s ability to

remember something mentioned several minutes ago. 

3 IQ points drop in average. 

65 years of age IQ = 100 (Average)

76 years of age IQ = 84 (Below Average)

80 years of age IQ = 70 (Low)

90 years of age IQ = 63 (towards half)

• There are now more people over the age of 65 than there are under the age of 5 – a dispersion that has never occurred before

• People who retire early have a higher risk of dementia than those who stay engaged in social

activities and continue using their brains in the same way they did when they were working. 

Do This Instead!

Preparation 25 years

Systems Leadership 40 years – minimum time control (family, profession, financial) 

Free Agency 25+ years – maximum time control because no longer responsible with family, profession, financial. 

Go long and strong. Actually live the last years of your life. 

Consultancy, Coaching, & Mentoring – it’s okay to charge for it. Even if you give the funds away. 

Tourism with a Purpose – collaborate. Could you meet with pastors in the area and encourage them? 

Part-time organizational work 

Whatever challenge gives you that “Friday feeling” (Sun arvo) Sunday afternoon relief. 

Benefits of the shaded zone: Memory & Recall

Thinking “on the go” and solving novel problems (fluid). Adapt. 

Maintaining Independence & physical mobility

Ability to access the stockpile of knowledge (crystalized)

Create income

Expand relationship

Maintain relevancy 

Limit self-worth erosion

How much time do you spend preparing for free agency phase? How much self worth are you attaching to your current position? 

“Senior employees in general are slightly slower to pick up on new technology than their younger colleagues, but once they have picked it up, they tend to apply it more productively and with less error.” David Bogan & Keith Davies: Avoid Retirement and Stay Alive

Healthy life-long contribution, contributes to a longer healthier life (read Psalms 92:12-14)

“But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.” Psalms‬ ‭92:12-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

YouTube. Making life better with Dr Wes Beavis 

Try new things that tax you mentally. 

Vacation but not full time. 

“The trouble with retirement is you never get a day off.” Abe Lemons 

Our brains thrive on consistency and novelty. We must hold both simultaneously. 

Juxtapose with mental effort. 

—

Day 2

Expanding the Kingdom Together 

Doug Crozier

The TSF Model

We are your ministry partner, we are not your lender. 

We want to be in relationship with churches and their leaders. 

It is more than lending money. 

We are here to help with when needed. 

Tuesday #WMLC calls

Dr. Wes – clinical psychologist 

RVPs

TSF Update 

2021 was another record breaking year. 

Total growth $162 million 

Gross deposits were $227 million compared to $192 million in 2020 and $154 million in 2019. 

No delinquent loans. 

Lowered our troubled debt restructures from $48 million to $27 million. 11 loans to 9. 

Lowered our loan loss reserve by 1.2 million. 

2021 Openings!

Opened 31 projects in 2021

15 of the 31 churches who never had a building. 

Over 45 projects in constructions. 

965 million assets. 

Record Cash reserve 145m

Pipeline of 143m

Planned giving initiatives. 

Funded almost 900m in loans in 11 years. 

Many to the fastest growing churches in the restoration movement. 

“RLM and 242 are Solomon customers”

Over 11m granted to churches and para-church  organizations. 

Churches grew by over 125,000 people. 

Over 45,000 baptisms

Next building phases are needed now. 

Current Trends Church

People are coming back to church since Easter. 

Record giving levels. 

Record baptisms. 

New people

Online is here to stay – but we need to get people back in person. Relationship. 

Struggles: burnout, anxiety, and many more. 

Current Trends Economy 

Inflation needs to get under control. 

Building costs are not going down. 

Interest rates are going up. 

Political polarization is here to stay. 

Work force shortages. 

Planned Giving 

100M Initiative

Donor Advised Funds 

Field of interest funds. (Build your own)

Single organization fund.  

CRUTs, CRATs, etc. 

The 20x Factor 

The power of an endowment!

What’s Next? 

Goal to visit every loan church in person in the next 12-18 months. 

Dream about the next phase, new sites. 

Consider a TSF Single Organization Fund with your mission or ministry programs. Build an endowment. 

Get a retirement plan for your staff. 

Get into a mentoring group. 

Hire an executive coach. 

Celebrate the wins together.

Pray for the next season of ministry. 

—

TSF Church Loan Panel 

Stories of Collaboration 

Alain Lopez – multicultural family church

Matt Richardson – New Church

Will Archer – Potomac Valley Church

Tim Moore – X Church

God does miracles when you step out in faith. 

Fight to include voices that are different in leadership. 

Embrace the fact we are all messed up people. 

You will always have fear when you step out in faith. Pursuing the giant, you have fear. The difference is what are you going to listen to? 

Faith is being obedient in the moment. 

If you put together all the Latino population in the US it would be the second largest Latino country. 

There is a need for resources in Spanish. 

–

Don Wilson – founding pastor CCV / Accelerate 

Orpheus Heyward – Renaissance Church of Christ

Jerry Harris – Christian Standard. 

20 year span of independent Christian churches grew 3.5x 

God is moving in our movement. 

Baptisms were also 3.5x 

Leadership pipeline 

Leverage the power of our unity. 

Learning again the principles of our movement. 

In matters of doctrine, unity. In matters of preference, liberty. 

Preference does not have to divide us. 

Be careful unity does not bring about unity. Your mission brings unity. If we are not careful we can allow our preference to become a denomination. 

Don’t compromise a doctoral truth. 

The people in our churches need to encourage young people to go into ministry. Christian parents don’t want their kids going into ministry. More counseling majors than ministry majors. We will have staffing issues. When hiring from within you might not have people called to ministry but just ministry in your church. 

How do you champion the restoration plea in the next generation of leaders? 

An elder based leadership model. 

How do we make decisions has changed over the years. Congregational vote. By the time you finally make a decision the Holy Spirit has gone on to another church. 

The elder lead model where we trust the pastors to lead. Pastor lead, elder protected. 

Protect moral integrity. 

Financial stability. 

Doctrinal truth. 

Pastoral succession. 

Checks and balance model in leadership. 

Lead pastor sets the vision and elders support the vision. 

The Bible governs the church. 

New church planters are being told to wait a long time for elders. When it hits the fan, you better have elders to protect you. A dangerous trend is the first executive team being pastors across the country but the congregation doesn’t know them or trust them. 

Life eldership is hard because you have the guys who were there before you and plan to be there after you. Rotating eldership brings new vision. CCV was one Sunday offering off from closing for 5 years. 

Keep bringing in younger elders so your pipeline is always fresh. 

—

Marriage conference based on the traditional vows. 

Matt & Tina Wilson: For Richer or Poorer

Matthew 19 and Mark 10

“Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ 

Do you play to the crowd or hold fast to essentials? 

Financially poor and spiritually rich. 

Religious leaders in Jesus day thought Jesus didn’t measure up. That he wasn’t religious enough. 

If you’re not happy following Jesus with nothing, you won’t be happy with riches. 

If religious leaders seem helpless, what hope do I have? 

Moses gave you permission for divorce, God didn’t. Work it out. 

• God doesn’t bless ministry dependent on money, but ministry dependent on faith

• God doesn’t bless marriages dependent on money, but marriages dependent on love

• When we think we’ve given up something for others, we need to remember it wasn’t sacrifice but investment

• Marriage and ministry both prosper in season as long as Christ is the focus

Chad & Malisa Goucher

In Sickness and Health. 

Choose your emotions ahead of time whenever possible. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the

knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Don’t allow circumstances to cause you to forget who God is. No matter what the doctor tells you, be gracious to those people and give God glory and honor. 

How:

•Remember what God has done for you in the past. Remember Daniel 3, but even if He does not…

•Submit to Gods story… the results may not be what YOU wanted

•Stop asking “WHY” and start asking “HOW”

•Always consider your spouse

•Always put Joy on the Calendar

Wes & Ellie Beavis

For Better or Worse

Culture’s Current Position on Marriage:

Stay in it as long as you are happy and your needs are being met.

God’s Position on Marriage:

Marriage is the crucible of life-long commitment where a couple learns to become the best version of themselves… and that growth can never happen if you or your spouse wear a parachute, ready to jump out of the marriage when things become turbulent.

“For better or worse” provides a context for us to take appropriate risks and become vulnerable… without being inhibited by the fear that our missteps will result in the termination of the relationship.

Be a Championship Team – a win for you is a win for me. Ecc 4:9

Have a vision for your marriage (a rational one)! 

A commitment to write a very good last chapter. 

A commitment to bring value to those around us. 

Pass the ball to whoever has the best shot at scoring in the moment. 

–

Q&A

5 steps for collaboration in this event. 

Make friends. Connect. 

Know your audience. Send out a survey to guide where you’ll be most helpful. 

Enjoy the credibility. Have other churches speak into what you are doing. 

Reap the ongoing fruit. 

Learn from all the leaders here. 

—

Executive Pastor Collaboration with Jimmy McLoud

Our movement is behind the curve when it comes to churches collaborating with one another. 

No playbook to be an XP but maybe we can help one another succeed. 

Team Culture Statistics 

2020 study 5000 employees. 

On average 2.09 wasted hours per day. 

Program for adults with disabilities. 

“Missional Businesses”

3 types of procrastination 

Classic – put off what you don’t want to do. 

Creative avoidance – busy being busy. Distraction from. The real work. 

Priority delusion. Shift to less important tasks. Tyranny of the urgent. 

1 common response to eliminate lost time: Collaboration. 

Also 75% say job satisfaction in collaboration. 

When project fails, because of a lack of collaboration. 

Our teams are hungry for shared wins. People both need one another and want to be with one another. 

3 enemies of collaboration specifically in churches and non profits.

3rd lack of alignment. 

Thing that worked was having a plan. How to execute the vision. Give a playbook. 

Clear, intentional and vision focused. 

Communicate the plan consistently. 

Once a month, highlights of the plan. Evergreen. Ask what needs to shift. Re-communicate it to the staff every month. 

Hold people accountable to the plan. Quarterly goals set with the team leader. Smart goals. Stretch but not kill you. Make sure the goals align with the plan. 

Nehemiah Principle. 52 days to complete but still paused to remind them. 

Core values are more than a poster on the wall. 

Staff core values that align with the church core values. Core values referred to as “culture statements.”

When issues arise, start with the core values. PIP should align. Core values are our filter. New ideas or programs need to fit. 

2nd Lack of Trust – 5 dysfunctions of a team. 

Absence of trust is the fear of being vulnerable. Solution is relational equity and trust. 

Spend time together. 

Get to know each other. Don’t just rush right into train but give time to hang out. 

Human Bingo. Find someone who has ____. 

Intentionally getting groups together for lunch. 

Invite teams to dinner at your house. 

Foster a culture of healthy debate. Allow disagreements. Trust you can disagree and stay on the same team. Ask for different view points. 

Have fun together. 

Block out an afternoon to go play putt putt, watch a movie, corn hole, chili cook off. 

See what happens when you put different things into a microwave. 

Demonstrate vulnerability first. Risk losing face so the team will be willing too as well. Admit weakness and failure. 

When we have someone do a swot analysis type project and stick it in a drawer, it does more harm. Do something with the precious information they trust us with. 

Don’t just student ministry think. Bring a worship leader in to think with the group. Have outside thinkers. 

In staff meetings, stop doing ministry updates and celebrate wins. Only share wins that are mission/vision focused. 

1st Busy

Be intentional in your minutes. 1,440. 

4/5 say too busy to accomplish everything they want to in a day. 

Culture of people who trying to make up for lost covid time. 

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Set down what you are working on in order to help others. Don’t be too busy for your team. A busy culture needs us to lay down our life for our friends. 

Tips to improve collaboration meetings. 

Never skip planning. Communicate the purpose of the meeting ahead of time. Tell them what we are going to accomplish and how. Have an agenda for the meeting. Help them be at their best and ready to collaborate. 

Refresh the expectations. I know we set out the goal for the meeting but let me remind you the desired outcomes. 

Honor the agenda and honor peoples time. 

Average attention span of adult is 20 minutes. 

Productivity dies when people are tired. 54 minutes. 

Before leaving the room outline clear next steps. 

To improve collaboration get everyone involved in the meeting. 7-8 people in the room helps decision meetings. 

Keep things positive. Don’t allow naysayers and can’t do attitudes. Atmosphere matters. Music before meetings. Food if dreading the meeting. Good lighting. Natural light. Get off campus. Change scenery. 

Encourage open mindedness. Affirm. 

What gets rewarded gets repeated. 

“Successful teams do consistently what other teams to occasionally.” – Craig Groeschel

Don’t allow meetings to be dominated. Ask someone to stop talking or ask someone specifically what they think. 

Schedule time to be interrupted. 

Be the main cheerleader for the team. 

What Matrix should we measure. Get Dashboard Help. 

Thank you TSF for investing in Southern Hills! We truly loved the conference and walked away refreshed and ready to take collaboration seriously!

It’s hard to capture all the notes while sitting through a family ministry conference and I’m here to help. I’ll attach my notes as we go and will do my best to jot down that quote or key takeaway you were hoping to save for later. Come back throughout the conference as I’ll update as we go.

Here are the things that I needed to hear most:

*stop to pray and intercede during counseling. 

*When you pray are you considering you are talking to royalty? 

*What if we shifted our thinking from ‘tactics, methodologies and programs’ to ‘building objectives?’

*Don’t fall for the trap of doing ministry for Jesus when you should be doing ministry with Jesus. 

*Extroverted people like a celebration setting to feel close to God. Introverted people like quiet time for reflection to feel close to God. 

——

War In The Wilderness – Parenting Through Difficulty by Brian Haynes 

Parenting between 2 garden. The Garden of Eden in Genesis 2-3 and Garden of Peace in Revelation 21. Everything in between is desert. This is life. 

Midbar. Wilderness you can survive in. Isaiah 43:19. We forget we live in the desert sometimes. 

T’siyah. Desert you can survive in if you have help. Jer 2:6

Yashiymown. Desert you can’t survive in. Psalm 78:40. 

Reality. 

We are raising our children in a desert called “life.” A very real wilderness war. Eph 6:10-14

War-fighting through difficulty. 

Spiritual battles – lies

2 basic lies. Lies about God and lies about yourself. Overpower lies with the truth. Identify lies and replace them with truth. 

Physical battles – sickness

Often acted out in different ways. Stress related sickness and cutting. 

Mental battles – mental health

It’s all connected. 

Can’t focus on the spiritual because so messed up physically or mentally. You need to help in all ways someone is battling. At first it might appear through one battle but often all 3 are under the surface. 

The freedom cycle. (For spiritual battles)

“I wasn’t worthy of God rescuing.” Lie and it gives birth to other issues. 

The event leads to a lie. The lie gives birth to a cistern (living water vs hole in the ground you dig and capture water that eventually become toxic). A cistern leads to a thirst. The thirst leads to another event. 

Cistern can be any type of thing they go to instead of God to medicate the pain. Leaves you empty eventually. 

Break free from the cycle by pointing to truth and truth leads to freedom. You have to believe truth in order to get out of this cycle spiritually. Often a work of parents and other adults all speaking new truths. A work of the Holy Spirit so we must pray for it. The truth is what sets you free. This is a fight. Abide, hear, and obey. Build a tribe. Learn to pray. How will you know a lie, if you don’t know the truth? 

*stop to pray and intercede in counseling. 

You need a counselor, a doctor, a pastor…You need a tribe. 

Learning to pray is far more than thanking God for food. Recognize demonic assignments being made in your own home. Generational sin. 

Keep drinking living water. 

John 7:37

Hope. 

———-

General Session 1

Hear O Israel means to listen in, to stop and listen.

The world and families change the Word of God remains the same. 

Remember the goodness and kindness of the sovereignty of the Lord.

“Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence.” Ecc 8:3

Dr. Richard Ross

D6 is For THE Kingdom not for their kingdom. 

If we can detect the highest goals of parents we can understand those parents better and move them towards change. 

1. Ones life in Christ, including parenting flows from the heart. 

You shall love the Lord your God with all you HEART. 

First Love, Revelation 2:4 “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

We have got to see the hearts of parents change before anything else about parenting is about to change. 

2. Parents with a first love in Jesus embrace biblical goals for themselves and their children. Can you imagine parents with these goals for their children, higher than any other goal for their kids? 

3. The majority of church parents don’t have a first love in Jesus.

How Concerned Are Christian Parents About Their Children’s Faith Formation?

4. Parents are not doing what you want them to be doing because of lukewarm hearts. 

Until parents’ hearts change, their practices in the home for discipleship will not change. 

We’re you ever closer to Jesus than you are right now? 

5. Guide

Church parents have 3 goals for their children. Success, happiness, and Morality. 

Carefully lead parents to identify their top goals for parents. Then show them their top goals are the same goals as the lost people. Gently but clearly show parents having the same goals as the lost is the same as having cold hearts. 

Parents spend 10% of their income on Club sports…In other words they are tithing. 

6. Parents need genuine discipleship in order to have hearts oriented towards in Christ.

What do you want to see passing from one heart to another? Disciples are transformed when they being to embrace the cross and the thrown. 

Parents move towards a first love in Christ as they fully embrace Jesus. 

When you pray are you considering you are talking to royalty? 

7. Parents restored to a first love in Jesus will embrace biblically sound goals for themselves and their children.

8. Parents who embrace biblically sound goals for their children will be motivate to lead their children spiritually.

@richardaross 

New Maps For guiding Your Ministry Objectives. 

What was the epic childhood toy of your generation? 

Boomers 46-64 – Space

Gen X 65-80 – Cabbage Patch Doll / Rubik’s Cube

Millennials 81-94 – Tickle Me Elmo

Gen Z 95-12 – Angry Birds

NASA had 8 goals. Their systemic problem was a complete lack of focus. 

President JFK said, “Land a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth before this decade is out.”

3 problems that had to be solved. Propulsion, Life Support, and Navigation. 

The whole organization rallied around this to achieve the mission. 

Children’s Ministry and Family Ministry have a similar challenge. 

VBS/Sunday School/Youth Group/Large Group/Small Group/Community Groups…

“What if we shifted our thinking from ‘tactics, methodologies and programs’ to ‘building objectives.’”

Most people see the how of your ministry but the why is what drives your ministry. Your how is informed by your why. 

It’s what happened below the waterline that sunk the Titanic. 

Guiding Objectives

Bible Engagement (daily reading not just church reading)

Sharing One’s Faith (creates growth and accountability)

Volunteering in the Church (they belong they don’t attend)

Involved, Nurturing, Warm Adult 

Insight #1 – Barna Children’s Ministry Leaders fell like they have little impact. 

Insight #2 – The reality is…

39% or 2 out of 5 children in the children’s ministry have a positive, meaningful real action ship with a mentoring adult. 

Achieve the mission. We need one loving and caring adult in the lives of each child. This is what makes the difference in a resilient child.

Bob Ross Principles-

Foundation – Bob Ross always painted the background first. It’s boring and bland, but you have to start there. The background is the why of your ministry. Intentional Ministry.

Layers – know why you are layering. 

Mistakes – happy accidents. 

Time – people wrap their minds around the what because we think it can be solved in 90 days. It takes a generation to see significant results. If we want to redeem our families it takes time. 

What to do this week to implement? Number one thing is having the most robust systemic questions on the under side of the iceberg. Have conversations about our why. 

Church and home have to work together in ministry. 

Discipleship that occurs in the home is transformational. 

@ronhunter @Markins 

—

Pastor Paul Kim from South Korea 

—

Pastor Alex Kennedy 

Define reset as to set something as it was or to set something in a new and fresh way. 

Remember God’s grace in the Shema. 

A cup filled with water, a little bit at a time, that is now overflowing. 

Love God, Love Others…Begins with God’s love for us and overflows. 

There’s a big difference between condemnation and conviction. 

Conviction is from the Spirit and full of hope. 

—

Robby Gallaty 

Performing for an audience of one. Who do you do ministry for? Who are you performing for? Who are you counseling, teaching, or leading for? 

Hebrews 11 Enoch pleased the Lord. 

“It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:5‬ ‭NLT‬

Enoch didn’t please his spouse. He didn’t please the chairman of the board or his boss. He didn’t please his pastor or the deacon. He pleased God. 

You can’t please God and fear man. 

Prov 29:25 “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety. 

What’s more important to you, the approval of God or the applause of man? 

You can not please God and promote self. 

Promoting self is such a gray area because we justify it for the cause of Christ. 

The higher you climb, there’s no graceful way down. 

Some of you are climbing a ladder of success that you’re going to realize is leaning against the wrong wall. The wall of self achievement. 

Charism outpaced character

Godliness was a byproduct of gifted news. 

Fanfare of the world outpaced the Lord. 

Ministry can become a sudductive mistress. 

We can fall in love with the ministry of Jesus but fall out of love with the Jesus of our ministry.

You begin to enjoy the tile, accolades, and forget the person who called you into ministry. 

The Bible became a tool and not a treasure. 

You know you’re sliding in the ministry when 

Don’t fall for the trap of doing ministry for Jesus when you should be doing ministry with Jesus. 

Leading on Empty Book: Pastors get into the trap of burnout. You bypass how the Bible is meant to nourish your soul. Bible, heart, mouth but before burnout it’s Bible, mouth, speak. Are you there? You can’t outsource your devotional time with God. 

Jesus never promised an easy life but He did an easy yoke. 

You can please God by faith. 

Exodus, rule of first use in English. Tool of interpretation. 

When a word is introduce in the Torah it impacts the rest of the Bible. 

“So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill.” “As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭17:10-13‬ ‭NLT

Faith is the word for steady. Continuing. 

Faithfulness. A great translation is allegiance. A rededication. Loyalty to something you re-up over and over again. To have allegiance to God everyday. Jesus is the King to who I give my loyalty. Believing it is so, when it’s not so, because God said so, so it can be so. 

Do I believe that God can send revival to my context? 

If you don’t slow down, you’re going to burn out. 

The law of reciprocity. When you do this, you get that. 

But what about the Spiritual disciple of silence and solitude. 

Silence was God’s first language. He spoke everything out of silence. He spoke to the profits out of the still small voice. Have you sat long enough to bend your ear to the accent of the Holy Spirit? 

Over time, when you let the water sit, the sediment is still and you can see through it. Think of your soul this way. The volume of the culture is so loud. You can’t hear the voice of God. Our prayer life is trying to tell God that He can do better. It’s about getting God’s Kingdom on Earth through me and that takes listening. Started with 20 minutes. Soon it because insatiable…and not to GET something from the Lord but to just sit with Him. 

The problem is not your staff, the problem is you. Gut level honesty with the Lord is painful. If you sit with the Spirit long enough you see where you are prideful. That you really want the credit. That you have jealousy in your heart. Jealous when another pastor baptized more people. If you can’t pray for the church down the street to be blessed then you have an issue. 

Robby heard from the Lord. 2 words. Spontaneous baptism. And for 15 weeks a season of revival with 1000+ baptisms. Do you have a word from God? 

Every great movement of God begins by not moving. You have as much of God in your life as you want. 

You may be the blood clot for revival coming to your church context. The problem might be you. Prayer and repentance. 

@Rgallaty 

General Session 2

Resetting your mindset with the mind of Christ.

Key Point #1: We reset our mindset when we recognize that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts.

Key Point #2: We reset our mindset not by thinking positively but by thinking righteously.

Key Point #3: We reset our mindset by unlocking our thoughts through repentance.

Key Point #4: We reset our mindset by transforming our thoughts with the mind of Christ.

Romans 8:5, ESV “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Are you choosing your thoughts over God’s. 

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Prov 4:23

Who or what influences our thoughts the most? God’s thoughts are not our thoughts.  

Choose today who you will serve. You have to choose your thoughts every single day. 

We have a world where emotions are driving the bus and this has to change. 

How do you want to feel when you wake up tomorrow? What do you need to think to feel that way? 

We need to think righteously. 

Eph 4:22-24, NLT “put away the old person you used to be. Have nothing to do with your old sinful life. It was sinful because of being fooled into following bad desires. Let your minds and hearts be made new. You must become a new person and be God-like. Then you will be made right with God and have a true holy life.”

We have the mind of Christ but a lot of times we don’t operate in that, we shrink back into the flesh. 

Repentance is the key. We need to repent of our negative mindsets.

WWJT: What would Jesus THINK?

Romans 2:4, ESV “ Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

Our thoughts impact our body chemistry. Our minds control our body. How have you been talking to yourself? A lot of kids are mean to themselves. 

Embrace a mindset of “want to” vs “have to.”

What worries do you need to give to God so you can walk in confidence? 

Book: When Sorry Isn’t Enough

The power of “even though” and “with God’s help” tapping. 

Gratitude, give thanks 139x. 

Mindfulness 5-4-3–2-1 (bring yourself into the present)

Distraction – Not addiction. 

Containment (give your worries to God)

Matthew 16:21-23, ESV “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

The Mind of Christ is the goal but not the means. 

Bit.ly/mindset-battle-quiz

What would your life look like today if you lived out each day believing you had the mind of Christ?

SMART Goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely)

What is one takeaway you will implement this week?

Share it with someone

Power of writing it down

@TheDenisePass @MichelleNietert 

——

Game: Easter Bunny: Cute or Creepy – https://www.downloadyouthministry.com/p/easter-bunny%3A-cute-or-creepy/games-3117.html

How do we help the next generation of introverts become who God created them to be at home and at church? 

You were made on purpose, for a purpose. Being an introvert or extrovert is not our identity, nor is it our destiny, they are just descriptions.

Empower the next generation of introverts. People being how God made them to be. 

Being an introvert isn’t a struggle, it’s a super power. See the gifts within you.

Knowing that God intentionally created introverts and extroverts. 

It’s not about how you like small talk or being in groups but about your brain science. 

Dopamine or acetylcholine – 

Extroverted people like a celebration setting to feel close to God. 

Introverted people like quiet time for reflection to feel close to God. 

Brain pathways, extroverts like quick action and quick conversation. Connecting with everyone at the same time. 

Introverts take into account the past, present, and future. Need more time to process but go deeper to add more context to the conversation. Connecting with one person at a time.

Help introverts get solitude and support. Help introverts live connected. Give space.

Love your neighbor as yourself. This is one neighbor. The Good Samaritan is one person. Love in God’s economy is about quality and not quality. How has God equipped you to love one person at a time. 

Help the next generation of introverts by replacing labels and expectations with love and encouragement. 

Shyness is about fear. Being in an environment with less stimulation. These are different labels. Quiet has taken on a negative connotation in our culture but in scripture it’s beautiful. 

Make it your ambition to live a quiet life. 1 Thessalonians 4:11

You are observing, what did you notice? Tell me about that? Give students a place for quiet and a place for reflection. The church can offer a balance of both enthusiastic worship and quiet reflection. 

Extrovert happiness feels like enthusiast and excitement. 

Introvert happiness feels like calm and contentment. 

It just looks different. One is not more valuable in God’s eyes. Be who God created you to be. 

Elijah the profit. The still small voice of God. God is in the whisper. Sometimes He blows are mind in the big expressive way but other times in the gentle whisper. 

The only person God is asking you to be more like is Jesus.

Let me help you see yourself the way God sees you. Here’s why God made you exactly who you are.

@HolleyGerth

—

The Power of Discipling Kids in Worship

Psalm 8:1-2 MSG “God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name. Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you; toddlers shout the songs that drown out enemy talk, and silence atheist babble.”

Every time you press play on a song in your kids’ classrooms you are unleashing God’s power.

Matthew 21:16 NIV “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

I have a dream that every church leader and every pastor would champion worship to happen in the disciples they are making. 

2 Samuel 12:19-20 “David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.

“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

Stop just doing songs and start leading kids, students, and families in worship.

@yancynotnancy

—

How to Measure Success in Youth Ministry 

Rabbit Starvation and Youth Ministry

What I realized, is that change happens over time, by God’s grace in ways I don’t often expect. 

The Relevance Myth

They starved to death eating twice the amount of calories they were recommended daily. 

If we are just their friends, that’s enough. But we don’t realize that friendship is not discipleship. 

The path to relevance makes you feel like you’re accomplishing your mission but the most important thing is not for the students to like you and follow you, it’s for them to follow God. 

Real relevance is not saying to kids what we think they want to hear but speaking to them what their hearts have always longed to hear.

The Pragmatic Myth

If it works do it…if it’s healthy it grows…weeds grow, cancer grows, James 1 says sin grows. Our culture shares this myth. Do it whatever the cost because if you throw everything at it, then it will grow. The problem is they are not here to hear your message. 

Events and programs are not necessarily transformational but a form of rabbit starvation. When our mission is all protein and no fat the church is in trouble. 

The groups that depend on the blubber animals are the most fortunate in the hunting way of life, for they never suffer from fat-hunger. This trouble is worst, so far as North America is concerned, among those forest Indians who depend at times on rabbits, the leanest animal in the North, and who develop the extreme fat-hunger known as rabbit-starvation. Rabbit eaters, if they have no fat from another source—beaver, moose, fish—will develop diarrhea in about a week, with headache, lassitude and vague discomfort. If there are enough rabbits, the people eat till their stomachs are distended; but no matter how much they eat they feel unsatisfied. Some think a man will die sooner if he eats continually of fat-free meat than if he eats nothing, but this is a belief on which sufficient evidence for a decision has not been gathered in the North. Deaths from rabbit-starvation, or from the eating of other skinny meat, are rare; for everyone understands the principle, and any possible preventive steps are naturally taken.

Overconsumption of relevance and pragmatism has left many churches filled with unsatisfied. 

For students a TP Cannon is far more exciting than an adult sharing the Bible but that’s not the goal. 

Not how big but how vibrant is the youth ministry in your church? 

Ask your pastor, what does a well developed disciple of Jesus Christ look like? This is success for you. 

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

How do we build disciples that last. 

Proclaim Christ and Him crucified. 

Gospel Preaching and Disciple Making

Discipleship is inherently personal. 

“Avoid the vocabulary of numbers over names.”

Eugene Peterson

Repent of our idols of programs and relevance. 

Agonize over the right things. Be more passionate about the Christ likeness of your kids. 

We don’t do this alone. Go and make disciples by teaching them. We can not do this on our own but here is the beautify, Jesus is with us always even until the end of the age. 

@samluce

—

Time in a Bottle

The 260 Concept – From the time your teenager is 13 years old until age 18 years, you have 260 Saturdays. How will you spend your 260?

Do you need to redefine how you spend your Saturday’s? 

As the time get’s lower on the clock the intensity changes. If the athlete realizes they might not meet their goal in the allotted time they change the strategy. 

Parents must evaluate where you are, know the time you have with your children is getting lower and lower and change the strategy as the time expires. 

The teen choice coach approach

Create positive family traditions. Frozen Friday. 

What is a tradition you have or want to have and how do you do this consistently. 

Begin with the end in mind. 

@britney_dent

—

Healthy Marriages, the Starting Place of A Great Family Ministry

Finding the source of the Nile. Underwhelming. 

Marriage is a lot like the source of the Nile. It’s not very exciting once you get past the wedding and the cake. The marriage not so much. But that’s the headwaters. That’s the starts. Family Ministry starts at marriage. Not at baby dedication or high school. 

Some of you guys are doing really incredible things but a lot of you are starting halfway down the Nile. Kara Powell shows us that 12% of parents have faith conversations. Maybe we need a tweak and need to go back to the start of the marriage because it just flows downstream. Correcting a polluted stream is hard. 

What would happen if you shut down everything you did to help parents disciple their kids and you just help marriages? Maybe you do both. 

*NextGen ministries must champion ReEngage. 

If you want to have a great marriage, draw a circle around yourself and fix everything inside the circle. You have maximum control of everybody in that circle. 

@JohnMcGee

—

Reset to Produce

GOD’S HEART IS FOR US TO RESET

to Readjust, Realign, Reboot, Recalibrate, Recharge, Reconnect, Reevaluate, Reexamine, Reflect, Refresh, Regroup, Renew, Replenish, Restart, Restore, Retreat, Retune, Revive…Amen!

Jesus said…..I am the True Vine, My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch that does not bear fruit He takes away, but every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may produce more fruit. Abide in Me, and I in you. A branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me…From John 15

Jesus said.I am the True Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, but apart from Me you can do nothing. If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask and it will be done. By this My Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and as you produce fruit you prove to be My true disciples.. From John 15

Jesus is The Vine…We are the branches (+) Half-Time Adjustments (x)

+ Abide bear fruit x

*God’s Heart for Multiplication*

The word prune sounds painful, and guess what, it is!

There is always purpose in pain.

Intimacy 

(+)

Identity

(+)

(x)Intentionality (x)

Rest (+) Adjust (x) Reproduce

+Evangel-Shift x

+Disciple-shift x

+Leader-shift x

To Hear

To Learn

To Obey

To Share

Ask more questions. Offer more prayer. 

*PRAY because Prayer is Ministry and Prayer is something we can ALL Do…

With open hands…

“Prayer is a powerful form of indirect communication. In almost every conversation there is something that we can respond in prayer for/with them.

*May I pray for you…? *How can I pray for you…?

@weaverunited

How a Heart-Based Approach to Parenting Changes Everything

Every family is unique, every family has a story, but we aren’t the heroes in the story. Watch what God does. 

Inside the heart we find:

Desires

Emotions

Beliefs

The problem with a behavior modification approach is it feeds the selfish side of a child. Reward/punishment model in parenting feeds the selfishness in a child and has long-term damage. If you do this, then you will get that. We need to focus on the heart. 

Character: A patter of thinking and acting in response to a challenge. 

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my rock. 

Romans 5:3-4, Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. You can only control one word here; perseverance. 

Common Belief: My job in life is to have fun. As kids are going out the door we say, “Have fun.” Or as they come back from church it’s, “Did you have fun?” Don’t encourage this belief that their mission in life is to have fun. 

A Mission-Oriented View of Life: Love the Lord your God with all your HEART. My mission in life is to love God with all my heart. Integrity, maturity, godliness, responsibility.

When you pursue pleasure the outcome is addition. 

Overemphasis on safety leads to anxiety! Safety is not our goal in life. We go behind enemy lives. Christians are who are on a mission and not bound by safety. 

Two Training Cycles

A break vs time out. A break resembles repentance. 

Jonah, cycle #1 to get things done. 

When a child is off track we move from Cycle #1 to Cycle #2 and we refuse to allow them to engage in what they are doing. Taken into the workshop of the heart. 

The heart is the most sacred place on earth because that’s where God lives. 

What is God doing inside your heart?

D6

Click to access Electronics-Addiction.pdf

@biblicalparent 

To be continued…Consider saving this as a bookmark, sharing on social, or subscribing on the homepage so you don’t miss a thing.

Take the D6 Conference home with you! Get 2022 videos and MP3s at https://store.randallhouse.com/product/d62022-media-vault/