Leaders in Living Rooms

“God uses so many types of leaders that are way different from each other. So, it makes sense that there’s going to be all kinds of succession stories that God can bless equally.” Today, we’re joined by Dustin Aagaard and John Hampton, both pastors in the midst of a Lead Pastor transition at Journey Christian Church in Orlando. With specific insight into their current transition season, we’re hearing firsthand, from both sides, the nuances and wisdom that play into healthy leadership succession within a church.Welcome to Episode 071 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSAre you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our 2023 cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ The Hero’s Farewell by Jeffrey SonnenfeldSuccession Resource from Journey Christian ChurchWHO ARE DUSTIN AAGAARD AND JOHN HAMPTON?Pastor Dustin is the Associate Lead Pastor at Journey Christian Church in Apopka, Florida. Originally from Orlando, Florida, he started at Journey in December 2017 as the Family Pastor. He became the Associate Lead Pastor in 2020 and will be Journey's Lead Pastor starting in January 2023. Pastor Dustin’s heart and calling is to pray and prepare for revival. Pastor Dustin is married to his wife, TJ, who he met at church in middle school. They are blessed with three kids: Riley, Callie Joy, and Darby. Pastor Dustin loves hanging out with his family, as well as going to the beach, playing golf, and watching anything that’s on ESPN. He loves cheering on the Orlando Magic, the Miami Dolphins, and the Florida Gators.Twitter: @dustinaagaardInstagram: @danish_pastorJohn Hampton is a native of a small town (Germantown) in Northern Kentucky. He is a 1984 graduate of Cincinnati Christian University (CCU) and a 1987 recipient of Kentucky Christian University’s Master of Ministry. He has also completed studies in Asbury Seminary’s Beeson Institute of Advanced Church Leadership in 2002. In March of 2010, John accepted a call to be Lead Pastor at Journey Christian Church in Apopka, FL, located just outside Orlando. He previously served as the Senior Pastor at First Christian Church, Canton, OH from August of 1997 until March of 2010. John has also served as the Senior Minister of Northern Heights Christian Church (now NorthEast Christian) in Lexington, KY (1988-1997); the Preaching Minister of Southwest Christian Church in Jackson, Mississippi (1984-1988); and began his preaching ministry at Claysville Christian Church in Cynthiana, KY while studying at CCU. John is the husband of Melinda to whom he has been married since June 4, 1983. He is the proud father of two daughters, Anna Ashie and Rachel Donaldson and has two sons-in-law, Nii (Anna’s husband) and Caleb (Rachel’s husband) and is “Pappy” to Hampton, Davies and Bryant Ashie.The Giving Journey by John HamptonTwitter: @JohnAlanHamptonSPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“We haven’t just had a change in culture in the last couple of years, we’ve had a cultural shift. We’re in a different playing field.” Many of you know Chris Brown, Senior Pastor and Teaching Pastor at North Coast Church in San Diego, CA. In today’s episode, Sean Morgan leans in with Chris on exactly how North Coast is innovating around online church and why it’s so important. Together, they unpack common misconceptions of online church and encourage leaders that for 2,000 years the Gospel has always found a way to maintain relevancy in a changing culture. Why should now be any different?Welcome to Episode 070 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSHow to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale CarnegieAre you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our 2023 cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS CHRIS BROWN?Chris Brown has served as a Senior Pastor and Teaching Pastor at North Coast Church since 2004. Prior to that, he was the Campus Pastor at Azusa Pacific University, and then a Youth Pastor in the LA area. As a gifted storyteller and Bible teacher he loves to use his sense of humor and motivational style to help people truly experience all of the grace and mercy that they have been given in order to fall more in love with Jesus. His life work and ambition is to use his unique gifts and personality to equip people to follow Jesus while building healthy and highly productive teams that serve the local church. Chris lives in Oceanside with his wife Amy and their three children, and tries to fish as much as his schedule will allow.SPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“Don’t be so busy trying to turn things around that you neglect the people you’re working with. Start tackling the small stuff to build up a resume and track record of success, then you can gradually start tackling bigger and bigger things that ultimately need to get changed as well.” We’re joined in this episode by Dr. Richard Blackaby, President of Blackaby Ministries, co-author of Experiencing God with his father, Henry Blackaby. Sean and Richard take a deep dive into the practical, daily details of what it takes to be successful in transitions leadership. They unpack gaining credibility as the new leader, making changes while still honoring the original purpose and message of the church, and seeing not just the problems, but the possibilities behind them.” This is a true masterclass on leadership! Welcome to Episode 069 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSExperiencing God helped people actually experience and encounter God in your daily life, rather than just knowing God. Now available: The Experiencing God Bible: Knowing and Doing the Work of GodAre you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our 2023 cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS DR. RICHARD BLACKABY?Richard Blackaby earned an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. With his father, Henry Blackaby, he co-authored Experiencing God, Fresh Encounter and numerous other books. Richard has also written Living Out of the Overflow and a forthcoming title, The Ways of God. Richard serves as the president of Blackaby Ministries International (Blackaby.org) and travels internationally speaking on leadership, revival, and God in the marketplace. Website: http://www.blackaby.orgFacebook: @blackabyministriesTwitter: @ExperiencingGodSPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“Love the church you have. Not the church you wish you had.” Meet James Forsyth, Senior Pastor of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN. James grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland where he met his bride and started his family. He came to the US to go to seminary and stayed stateside as God called him and his family through two leadership transitions. James is an expert on the topic of transition. On this episode he leans in with James specifically on the currency of trust and four key transition leadership principles. If you are a young leader entering into a season of transition, this conversation will be a great resource for you. Welcome to Episode 068 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSLearn more about Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church Checkout James’ new podcast: Live DeeplyNo Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention Are you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our 2023 cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS JAMES FORSYTH?James Forsyth is the Senior Pastor of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN. He grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he graduated from the University of Edinburgh before moving to the U.S. for grad school at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS). James co-hosts a podcast called “Live Deeply” and is a Guest Professor of Practical Theology at RTS Washington, D.C. James is married to his high school sweetheart, Rosie, and is dad to Mia, Caleb, Seamus, and Isla. Formative experiences include growing up in a strong, tight-knit family, being a college athlete, becoming a father at the age of 19, wrestling through seasons of anxiety, and being shaped by a handful of key mentors. Throughout, God’s grace has been the theme – a theme that now animates his life and ministry. In his free time, you might find James CrossFitting, supporting Manchester United, laughing too loudly with friends, grilling, playing guitar, or – at his happiest – enjoying his family.Find James on Twitter: @jameswforsythSPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“Humility must be the chief characteristic of the outgoing pastor. Their transition feels like death by a thousand cuts. This is what they’ve dedicated their ministry to, their lives to, and they are having to slowly let it go…” Meet Daniel Im, Lead Pastor of Beulah Alliance Church, a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and multi-campus church in Greater Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Daniel made his transition to the Leader Pastor role just before the pandemic, in January of 2019. He shares his personal transition story with us and gives insight into what he believes are some of the key components of a healthy succession. Daniel’s wisdom will bless you and your church. Welcome to Episode 067 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSGet access to Daniel’s books here: https://www.danielim.com/books/ Daniel graciously shared what being in a cohort has meant to him personally, to his family, and to his church. If you are in a season of transition or have one on the horizon, we encourage you to check out more about our cohort work and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS DANIEL IM?Daniel Im is the Lead Pastor of Beulah Alliance Church, a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and multi-campus church in Greater Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His latest book is You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love. He is also the author of No Silver Bullets and co-author of Planting Missional Churches. He co-hosts the IMbetween Podcast with Christina, his wife. He has an M.A. in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary, and has served and pastored in church plants and multisite churches ranging from 100 people to 50,000 people in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Korea, Edmonton, and Nashville. Because of their love for the local church, after pioneering and leading the church multiplication initiative for Lifeway, Daniel and Christina moved back to Canada with their three children. For more information, visit danielim.com and follow him on social media @danielsangi.SPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“The fear factor of a transition is real. And it will hit you. But you have to remind yourself that that is literally what the devils plan is to do to you. Is to paralyze you. He wants nothing more than to get you on your heels and start to revert back. But the Gospel is going no no, if God is for you who can be against you? I got you. You need to walk forward in faith and be strong and courageous like Joshua.” Meet Kevin Rhineheimer, Lead Executive Pastor of Mission Church in Gilbert, Arizona. Kevin has been on staff at Mission for over a decade and walked through two vastly different seasons of transition. In this episode he compares and contrasts those transitions and talks about his role as the “bridge leader” of the local church. Welcome to Episode 066 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSAre you in Transition or have one on the horizon? We encourage you to check out more about our cohort work and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS KEVIN RHINEHEIMER?I am a Pastor with experience leading through difficult circumstances. My heart beat is staff health and desiring for God to build His church. Relational connection is my gifting which in return helps me understand the heartbeat of the church. I take leadership seriously and see it as a stewardship moment knowing I will answer to it one day. I have an active spiritual life which includes listening to the Holy Spirit guide and direct my life. I hold everything with loose hands and trust that God's promises are true and for me. Out of those promises I lead with confidence. The biggest blessing in my life is being married to my wife, Erin. We've been married for 18 years and have 3 beautiful children together. They keep us on our toes and we love it! Our long term goal is to grow old together while traveling and eating while spending time together as much as possible. We truly are in love!Instagram: @rhineheimerSPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“We tell our staff…  if you are happy or aligned with 70% of what we’re doing as a church, then lay down the other 30% and embrace what God is doing.” On this episode we welcome Mike Bodine from Central Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike is gracious enough to invite us into his living room to discuss the health of Central’s staff, the health of their church, and the health of the relationship between Mike and his Lead Pastor, Jud Wilhite. Mike shares incredible wisdom on fighting for culture in your church and why it matters. As he so concisely summarizes, “Culture is everything.” Welcome to Episode 065 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSWe are thrilled to announce Executive Pastor Cohorts with The Ascent Leader! Learn more about our cohorts for XP’s and sign-up to be mentored by Mike Bodine at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS MIKE BODINE?Mike Bodine serves as the Senior Leader of Central Church. In his over 30 years of full-time ministry, Mike has served in churches in Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and for the past 17 years has loved serving in Las Vegas. Mike’s strategy for church growth not only makes an impact on Central locations but is also helping churches around the world reach their full potential. Mike and his wife, Lisa, reside in the Las Vegas area where they love spending time with their family and being Pops and Lovey to their 12 precious grandkids.IG: mike.bodineEmail: mike@centralonline.tvSPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“Leaders are waiting around for their rooms to fill up, but newcomers to your church are waiting for you to make room for them.” In this episode, Sean leans into a question that so many church leaders and staff are wrestling with on this side of the pandemic… “when is our room full?” If you’ve thought maybe the rules have changed since the pandemic, you’d be right. But actually, maybe the rules we had been following were always wrong? Sean challenges listeners to think about what feels best to the newcomer, not to you or your staff, and equips us with leadership principles to support this shift. Welcome to Episode 064 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSAre you in Transition or have one on the horizon?  We encourage you to check out more about our cohort work and how you can get signed up at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS SEAN MORGAN?Following a successful career in healthcare change management, Sean moved from success to significance and joined the staff of a San Francisco area church that he helped plant, as their Executive Pastor.  New Life Church is known for a dynamic, multiethnic ministry that has grown from hundreds to thousands. After being written about in Thom Rainer’s book Breakout Churches, Sean found himself hosting and coaching leaders from NorCal and around the world. Sean is a nationally known coach who has developed a reputation for connecting ministry leaders and being a catalyst of fresh vision; he founded and curates theascentleader.org. SPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“For most churches, if you take 50% of your givers off the list, you’re only losing 2% of the gifts… Rather than talking about fear and anxiety of the coming recession, what if we talk about the real issue? Being broken-hearted about the spiritual condition of our people when it comes to money and possessions.” Meet Jim Sheppard, CEO & Principal of Generis, a firm passionate about coaching churches and creating contagious generosity. Today’s episode wrestles through some very current economic trends like inflation, recession, while guiding church leaders on how the disruption of the pandemic will require churches to change their playbook and update their scorecards. This is a must listen and one you’ll want to share with your team as you head into fall. Welcome to Episode 063 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSAre you retaining first and second time donors? Get a free copy of the Generis Ebook: First-Time Givers for your team at the Ascent Leader website here. Checkout more about GenerisGet Jim’s book - Contagious GenerosityIntentional Churches - Connect with Doug Parks & Bart Rendell for member engagement beyond attendance. Are you in Transition or have one on the horizon?  We encourage you to check out more about our cohort work and how you can get signed up at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS JIM SHEPPARD?Jim Sheppard is CEO & Principal of Generis, a consulting firm passionate about helping churches inspire and cultivate generosity through giving development, coaching, and strategy. After college, Jim passed the CPA exam and pursued a career as a financial executive. Though he grew up in the church, Jim was not a believer until he was 28. That part of his life intersected with his business life in 1991 when he thought he might be called to the pastorate. This came at a time when he was at a very high level in a major financial services company. After an intense spiritual period in his life, Jim realized that was not where God was calling him. Seven months later through a corporate buyout and a series of providentially inspired events, Jim moved from the corporate world to giving development for churches and ministry organizations. Jim is a student of generosity and is passionate about spreading it throughout the Church. For the last 27+ years, he has devoted his life to coaching pastors especially in navigating the resource limitations that restrict their ministry potential. Jim understands the financial challenges that churches face today; annual giving, debt, capital projects, and planned giving. He is a positive force in bridging these needs with the power of spiritually motivated stewardship. Cumulatively, Jim has partnered with his clients to raise over $1.7 billion for local church ministry. Jim is a frequent writer and speaker on generosity and ministry funding. He is co-author of Contagious Generosity: Creating A Culture Of Giving In Your Church. Jim and his wife, Nancy, live in the Atlanta, GA area and they have two married daughters. He is actively involved in his church where he serves as an elder and provides guidance to the Generosity Ministry Team.Instagram: @jim_sheppard and @generisteamSPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

“The definition of what the Lead Pastor needs to be and do coming out of the pandemic has changed.” In this episode, Sean sits down with Dr. Warren Bird from ECFA to lean into the challenges pastors are facing coming out of the pandemic, and into recession and inflation. With a heavy focus on  Ephesians 4:11-12, Dr. Bird and Sean wrestle with how churches honestly answer the question, “Are we an equipping and empowering church?” and how as a leader, you must be examining your own calling, uniqueness, and gift mix to lead the church God’s way through your leadership. Welcome to Episode 062 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan. EPISODE LINKSThe Simple Church by Thom RainerExperiencing God by Henry Blackaby Large Church Trends Blog by Dr. Warren BirdResearch shows that two determining factors of a church plants success are: 1. Was the planter assessed beforehand?2. Is the planter being coached post plant launch?Check out Church Planter Cohorts with the Ascent LeaderAre you in Transition or have one on the horizon?  We encourage you to check out more about our cohort work and how you can get signed up at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/ WHO IS DR. WARREN BIRD?Warren Bird, Ph.D., is ECFA’s senior vice president of research and equipping. He serves ECFA by increasing the scope, impact and depth of our knowledge base while equipping ECFA’s members to apply what ECFA is learning through research. Warren is widely recognized as among the nation’s leading students, researchers, and writers about large, fast-growing and innovative churches. An ordained minister with a big heart for the local church, Warren has led in various pastoral positions, taught at several seminaries, and served most recently for 13 years at Leadership Network, overseeing their research department where they released several dozen groundbreaking reports on topics like multisite churches, large-church compensation, church planting, and church residencies. An award-winning writer, he has also co-authored 34 books for church leaders on topics like breaking growth barriers, healthy mergers, and effective pastoral succession.Twitter: @warrenbirdSPONSORS & PARTNERSThanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.Combine your church's heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  The Art of Leadership Academy - https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/