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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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/

How to Use Media in Your Ministry Like a Pro

Can you do one in the Digital Ministry track (like how to use media and games when you teach) We are short in this area. You can also push KidzMatter PRO and the KidzMatter store. You can give everyone a coupon for a free game download at KidzMatter. Thoughts?

Why it matters? 

Did you know that 90 percent of the information processed by the brain is visual?

Retention: Researchers found that people are likely to remember only 10 percent of the information they heard three days after they heard it. However, if an image is paired with that information, people remember 65 percent of the information three days later.

Engagement with kids: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million.

God’s Example:

God chose communication methods or MEDIA to speak with His people.

Face to face with Adam and Eve – Genesis 3:8

In dreams and visions for Joseph – Genesis 37:5

With a burning bush for Moses – Exodus 3:1-9

The sound of a voice and appearance of a dove at Jesus’ baptism – Matthew 3:13-17

Tongues of fire for the Apostles – Acts 2:3-4

*Different media for what the person needed at that time. 

Noah – object lesson – building the ark.

Moses – written document of authority.

Jesus – stories, parables, metaphors 

Jesus – also sermon on the mount with verbal instructions

See the difference:

1. Worship Transitions – see the difference?

“Good job kids. Who wants to sing another song?”

Kids, You can have a seat. 

I love singing about how God’s love is never ending. He Fights ’til your found. 

God is the highest King and he welcomes you? He loves you. 

So now we are going to lift up another sweet sound of worship to our Father, the God who loves you so much. 

2. Games – see the difference? Reverse Charades

**Piece of paper or whisper – pogo stick jumping

Video: Music, a picture, countdown. EASY, brush teeth. Hard, ride horse

3. Teaching – see the difference? 

Choose today who you will serve and as for me and my house we will serve the lord. Jeremiah 24:15

The Right Choice Video with David Laflin

4. City Station Preschool – see the difference?

*Interactive – what stands out.

Boost your brand – 

Signage to help people know where to go. 

New here gifts to help people know they are welcomed. 

Bright colors

Kidmin Logo

Feeling at home. 

Signage

Colors

Logos

How does it feel?

Social Media – 

Printed Media – 

Audio – 

Video – 

Promotional Videos – 

Resources:
KidzMatter

Canva

Your Curriculum

ProPresenter

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

Podcast: Tim Elmore Growing Leaders Habitudes

Thus saith the Lord

God, what might we need to let go of?

Jesus, how can I lead in a new way? 

Holy Spirit, might you have a word for us today? 

How Your Church Can Intentionally Love Your Community

The Story of City Station.

Growth and need to build. 

Let’s not build something that gets used only a handful of the 168 hours in a week. 4100% increase.

Would Your Community Care if Your Church Disappeared?

If your church was at risk of disappearing, would your community rally and fight to keep it alive?

Model: Mobile within our own facility. Everything multi-purpose. 

Baby steps: 

Boy Scouts. 

Boys and Girls Club. 

Another church meeting at a different time. 

Office space 

Software to manage spaces.

Parties and events 

Building design

Cleaning up and leaving stuff out. 

Wheels

Building and communicating to the city. We are building this FOR you. 

Ground Breaking – City officials 

Tours for all the decision makers. School principles, mayor, police chief, city counsel. 

Grand opening was on a Saturday, not church Sunday. 

Opened – 

Story: Basketball open gym. Over 90 people. Hole in the wall. 

1 year in video

Today – Update

400-600 events a month

In August City Station hosted: Birthday parties, Baby showers, Bridal Showers, Banquets, Blood drives, Business meetings, Board meetings, Boy Scouts, Basketball, Body Blast, Brunch, and a Back to School Experience

We hosted Event Rentals for people names: Betsy, Bruce, Butler, Bryant, Brooks, Ballentine, Beam, Briona, Brandi, 

2x Brian, Brenda, Brittney

What’s in your hand?

Nicaragua Church – Edgard example.

Space: Room rentals, open gym, 

Equipment: Musical instruments, inflatable, nerf guns, sporting equipment

Technology: computers, video editing,

Skills: helping to plan gatherings/parties, 

Events don’t all have to be yours. You can lend your space. 

Special needs prom might be more than you can manage but what if you approached the school and said you would love to host and decorate? 

Carrollton Dawn Breakers Rotary – 1,000 boxes of food given away! 

CCF – College Ministry

Blood Drives

Music on the lawn

Rooter float nights

Community Asks:

Santa Pictures 

Halloween at City Station

Divorce Care, Grief Share, 

Equipped to Counsel 

Scripture:
Faithful with the little things, ruler over much. 

Where there is no vision, the people perish. 

To equip the saints for acts of service. (Impossible to do with just your staff)

More Resources:
CityStation.org

Know What You’re FOR: A Growth Strategy for Work, An Even Better Strategy for Life by Jeff Henderson 

Other Video

How can you unsilow your church from the community? 

Who do you need to build relationships with? Reach out to clubs and schools.

Ask: What is in my hand? 

Invite: Would you like to be a part of ____? Prom football team and cheerleaders. 

Share: Offer your space.

Prayer

I hope to see you next year. For more info check out: https://www.megacon2022.com/

Do you care more for your volunteers personally than you do the work they do for your ministry?

In this interview I sit down with my friends at D6 to talk about why a family culture among volunteer teams is important, and why you might be struggle with delegation.

Check out a 5 minute clip and download the full episode:

For the full interview:

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/278-developing-volunteers-corey-jones/id834394359?i=1000535168643