Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!How does your church attendance compare?  Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss an article by Thom Rainer titled "The New Very Large Church."Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!David Swanson is pastor of New Community Covenant Church in Chicago and the author Rediscipling the White Church.In this episode, David Swanson helps us think, first, about the challenges of leading our people toward racial healing and equity, and, second, about the kinds of leadership and practices that can help us form our people to be people of healing and equity.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:David Swanson is pastor of New Community Covenant Church in Chicago and the author Rediscipling the White Church.Churches made up of different races and ethnicities often read the Bible differently, and often in ways that don’t lead us toward one another.According to David Swanson, there are ways in which our churches have conformed to the patterns of our racialized society.David Swanson realized the church needed a different kind of discipleship, the kind that would bring people of different races together.David intentionally planted his church to be an integrated, multi-racial church.A disciple is someone who follows Jesus in order to become like Jesus to do what Jesus does.David Swanson describes the role of community in overcoming racial injustice.We are called to engage in spiritual practices communally (such as Holy Communion) in ways that bring healing and reconciliation.We can disciple our children by having challenging conversations about race and racism.  Churches can provide resources for these conversations.Over time, children’s neutral observations about the color of a person’s skin begin to take on a moral weight.David Swanson encourages white pastors to pray for authentic cross-racial friendships.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Books mentioned:Rediscipling the White Church, by David SwansonDavid SwansonWebsite – www.dwswanson.comChurch Leadership InstituteClick HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from Essentialism, by Greg McKeown:“Many capable people are kept from getting to the next level of contribution because they can’t let go of the belief that everything is important. An Essentialist has learned to tell the difference between what is truly important and everything else.”Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Andrew Root is the Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary and author of The Church After Innovation.In this conversation, Andrew Root, the author of The Church After Innovation, invites us to think critically about innovation.  We live in a world in which innovation is held up as almost an ethical good in and of itself.  Andrew helps us think about where the drive to innovate in our culture comes from and helps us reflect on our own motivations as we work to innovate in our own churches and ministries.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDES:Andrew Root is the Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary and author of The Church After Innovation.“Innovation” has, in recent been years, been held up as an inherently good thing.  Andrew Root started to wonder why.According to Max Weber, capitalism is rooted in a theological belief, sometimes called the Protestant work ethic.Hard work as an ethic in and of itself is fairly new in human history.Andy Root explains what he means by the “contradiction of capitalism.”Our focus on innovation ultimately makes the self the end-all be-all of our work.Mission and innovation often get confused for each other in the church.Unceasing growth is not always good.Andy Root says one of the reasons we want innovation and entrepreneurship is because they feel like strategies for control.  And the church feels out of control.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Books mentioned:The Church After Innovation, by Andrew RootAndrew Root:Website – www.andrewroot.orgRelated Resources:Engaging God's Mission online courseClick HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from Leadership Without Easy Answers, by Ronald Heifetz:"In a crisis we tend to look for the wrong kind of leadership...in short, someone who can make hard problems simple. But problems like (we have been facing) are not simple.... Making progress on these problems demands not just someone who provides answers from on high but changes in our attitudes, behavior, and values. To meet challenges such as these, we need a different idea of leadership...."Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Beth Birmingham and Eeva Sallinen Simard are the authors of Creating Cultures of Belonging: Cultivating Organizations Where Women and Men Thrive. In this episode, we discuss what it means for churches and organizations to develop cultures of belonging.  Not just cultures of inclusion, but cultures in which those who tend to be on margins actually have the opportunity to shape the church or organization when they are in positions of leadership.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Beth Birmingham and Eeva Sallinen Simard are the authors of Creating Cultures of Belonging: Cultivating Organizations Where Women and Men Thrive. Beth Birmingham is the facilitator for the Christian Alliance for Inclusive Development and professor at Eastern University.Eeva Sallinen Simard is project director at World Relief.While missional organizations largely serve women and children and are staffed largely by women, only about 15% of executive leadership are women.Eeva Sallinnen Simard tells us that in the largest NGOs in the U.S., only 5% of executive leadership are women.Beth Birmingham says we have adopted a toxic leadership model in missional spaces that contradicts the teaching of scripture.Missional organizations tend to demand a very masculine form of leadership.Eeva Sallinen Simard explains that a culture of belonging is one that not only welcomes women and minorities, but also allows them to contribute to the development of and even change the organization.To change a systemic problem, you need a systems approach.Beth Birmingham suggests that, rather than spending leadership development funds on experienced senior male leaders, missional organizations should spend those funds on young women still learning and growing in their leadership.Men in leadership tend to get uncomfortable with conversations about inclusion, often asking themselves, “What does this mean for me?”Eeva Sallinen Simard says organizations need to make declarative statements about the imago dei in all people and their calling to lead.Organizations that don’t believe women can be called to roles of leadership should be forthcoming with that information so that women who want to grow in their leadership can serve in a place where their calling will be affirmed.Beth Birmingham believe that when we humble ourselves and surrender our agendas, God will pour out his blessing in other ways.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Books mentioned:Creating Cultures of Belonging, by Beth Birmingham and Eeva Sallinnen SimardBeth Birmingham:LinkedInInstagramEeva Sallinen Simard:LinkedInInstagramThe Christian Alliance for Inclusive DevelopmentChurch Leadership InstituteRelated episodes:Ep 28: Empowering Women in Ministry, with Tara Beth LeachEp 105: CourageousClick HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Tod Bolsinger is the Executive Director of Fuller Seminary’s Church Leadership Institute and the author of five books, including Canoeing the Mountains and Tempered Resilience.In this episode, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson reflect on the reality that many people have not returned to the church in our post-pandemic world.  Is there anything about how we have done church in the past that has failed to form the kind of people who are committed to living a life of discipleship in community with other Jesus-followers?  And if so, what can we do differently now?THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Tod Bolsinger is the Executive Director of Fuller Seminary’s Church Leadership Institute and the author of five books, including Canoeing the Mountains and Tempered Resilience.Tod shares how the pandemic disrupted his work with the Church Leadership Institute and how he had to adapt.The pandemic revealed a crisis of discipleship within the church.Tod Bolsinger argues that many people haven’t returned to church after the pandemic because the church doesn’t feel that different from the world to them.According to Tod Bolsinger, many churches have confused discipleship with training people for church ministry.Tod Bolsinger says we have confused institutional service with spiritual formation.Leaders and pastors need to embrace the humility of not knowing.Transformation in churches starts with the leader, but the leader can’t do it alone.Spiritual Life and Leadership will be adding new short 6-10 minute episodes every other week.  These episodes will be called “Quick Conversations for the Long Haul of Leadership.”Each of these episodes will be a brief conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson focusing on a single quote or question or thought.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Books mentioned:Canoeing the Mountains, by Tod BolsingerTempered Resilience, by Tod BolsingerFuller Seminary Church Leadership InstituteClick HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Karen Gonzalez is an immigration advocate and the author of Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration.  In this episode, Karen Gonzalez, helps us understand both the challenges of immigration and how we, the church, can love and bless those who have immigrated in ways that are healthy and lifegiving for everyone. THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Karen Gonzalez is an immigration advocate and the author of Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration.Karen Gonzalez shares the story of how her understanding of immigration developed over time.Church ministries that focus on immigration don’t generally center on the immigrants; they tend to focus on the church and its people.Think about the words that you use and whether your words are creating an “us and them” or just creating a “we.”The words we use can sometimes be unintentionally dehumanizing.Hospitality should not be one-directional—from the non-immigrant to the immigrant.  Hospitality should be mutual, flowing in both directions.Karen Gonzalez shares the story of a woman who said she appreciates Mother Mary because Mary knows what it feels like to have her son killed by the state—which is how this woman’s son died, too.We all do theology from somewhere.Karen Gonzalez describes the richness that those who are not immigrants can experience when they learn from the experiences of those who are immigrants.Ministry leaders should reflect on where their understanding of immigration comes from.Karen Gonzalez offers some ways that people and churches can help immigrants and refugees.To find out how to best help immigrants visit World Relief, International Rescue Committee, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, and Church World Service.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Karen Gonzalez:TwitterInstagramBooks mentioned:Beyond Welcome, by Karen GonzalezBeyond Thingification, by Markus WatsonImmigration Resources:World ReliefInternational Rescue CommitteeLutheran Immigration and Refugee ServicesChurch World ServiceClick HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!D. Michael Lindsay is the author of Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life’s Transitions and the president of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.In this episode, D. Michael Lindsay unpacks the seven stages of transition and helps us understand how to navigate those stages well--both personally and corporately.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:D. Michael Lindsay is the author of Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life’s Transitions and the president of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.D. Michael Lindsay shares the story of losing his cousin, which is the event that got him thinking about hinge moments.Hinge Moments is about:  How do you pay attention to the ways God is trying to get your attention?  And how can you be preparing for the next hinge moment in your life?We live millions of minutes.  But we only have a handful of minutes in our lives that are true inflection points.According to D. Michael Lindsay, change happens in an instant, while transition takes place over a longer period of time.The pandemic represents a societal hinge moment.The seven stages of navigating transition are:DiscernmentAnticipationIntersectionLandingIntegrationInspirationRealizationD. Michael Lindsay encourages his students that failure is almost never final.Faith plays an important role in navigating transition.Spiritual practices are incredibly helpful when navigating hinge moments.D. Michael Lindsay shares examples of practices that can be helpful during times of transition.D. Michael Lindsay suggests that for churches and ministry leaders, the pandemic has been a little ice age (as opposed to a blizzard or a winter).RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Books mentioned:Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life's Transitions, by D. Michael LindsayResources:Taylor UniversityPraxis LabsChurch Leadership InstituteClick HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Sarah Bereza is the author of Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry and directs a music program at United Methodist Church.It can be really challenging to really be yourself when you're a pastor or ministry leader.  There is a pressure to perform and to present yourself in an ideal sort of way.  But putting on a false front can be exhausting.In this episode, Sarah Bereza unpacks how we can fully be ourselves even as we lead in ministry.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDES:Sarah Bereza is the author of Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry and directs a music program at United Methodist Church.It can be really hard for people in the professional ministry space to be fully themselves.Markus Watson shares the story of the first time anyone ever called him “Pastor.”To be more and more like Christ also becoming more and more fully ourselves.Sarah Bereza helps us understand how we can be our true selves in a worship service—even if we don’t feel like being there that day.When we don’t acknowledge, at least to ourselves, what is going on inside us we can end up performing, even faking, when leading a worship service.Sarah Bereza shares that, depending on the context and relationships, it can be ok for the pastor to be honest with their congregation when he or she isn’t feeling great in a worship service.Sarah Bereza explains the difference between authenticity, sincerity, and being fully yourself.The church seems to be experiencing a crisis of discipleship.  Sarah Bereza helps us understand that the way we help our people become true disciples of Jesus is through community.To find out more about Sarah Bereza, visit www.sarah-bereza.com.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Books mentioned:Professional Christian, by Sarah BerezaSarah Bereza:Website – www.sarah-bereza.comChurch Leadership InstituteAdaptive Church Leadership CohortClick HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.