The Leader's Journey Podcast

On this episode of The Leader’s Journey Podcast, Trisha talks with Mac McCarthy and Nate Pyle about how the election year has affected their congregations and the ways they are navigating that social landscape within their churches. Listen to this first of several podcasts in 2024 as they discuss the unique ways they have each worked with the leadership in their churches in order to guide their congregations to focus on building bridges and communicating with grace.  Nate Pyle is a pastor, author, and coach. As a pastor, Nate has served as the pastor of Christ’s Community Church in Fishers, Indiana since 2008. During that time, Nate began learning and practicing skills related to adaptive leadership, congregational revitalization, family systems, emotional maturity, and spiritual formation. He has a passion to see the church become a learning community growing its capacity to navigate difference, hard conversations, and congregational change.  Mac McCarthy has been in Christian ministry for over 15 years.  As a pastor, practitioner, and coach, he is passionate about equipping leaders by integrating missional theology, spiritual formation, family systems, and adaptive leadership to navigate congregational change.  Having served in a variety of roles, Mac is currently the Lead Pastor at Crosspoint Community Church in the western suburbs of Milwaukee where has been since 2008.  He received his B.A. from Bethel University, his M.Div from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and is ordained with the Christian & Missionary Alliance.  Mac is also a CrossFit coach and enjoys helping people pursue holistic health.    Conversation Overview Political conversation in a Systems Context Getting Your Hands Dirty Political vs. Partisan Being a Minister of Reconciliation Conflating Religious Doctrine and Political Politics Anxiety and Emotional Maturity Capacity Building and Discipleship It Doesn't Always Work Core Conviction and Guiding Principles   Resources:  Nate Pyle on The Leader's Journey 4 Americas: The Stories and the Gospel - Nate Pyle SermonsMac McCarthy on The Leader's Journey Luke Bretherton on Democracy and Christianity Crosspoint Community Church Christ Community Church

Trisha and Jim discuss boundaries in personal and professional leadership roles, including managing guilt and staying on your side of the line. They emphasize the importance of communication, creating a culture of healthy boundaries, and the value of pain in establishing boundaries. The podcast explores emotional maturity, working within a broken system, and Christ's example of boundaries.

Discussing the complexities of setting boundaries for healthy relationships, exploring the reconciliation of boundaries with Jesus' teachings, dispelling myths about boundaries, and navigating the challenges of saying and hearing 'no'.

Join Jim and Trisha as they discuss how we as the church can embrace the paradigm shift to a new structure in a church without walls. Their insightful conversation with this week’s guest, Terry Walling, offers a unique perspective on how nomadic believers are truly helping grow the church as they act as disciples within the community. Terry Walling is a pastor, professor, and author of Unlikely Nomads: In Search of the New Church. He has also launched a podcast series in which he has conversations with a variety of people who are in search of a deeper journey with Jesus and with following Him in a different kind of church in America. Key Takeaways:  -Moving in an Old, New Direction -The Nomadic Believer -Personal Renewal that Leads to Corporate Change -Apprenticing the life of Jesus -Embracing the Mystery  Resources: http://leaderbreakthru.com/ Unlikely Nomads by Terry Walling Canoeing the Mountains by Todd Bolsinger A Non-Anxious Presence by Mark Sayers The Great Emergence

Join Jim and Trisha as they discuss the concept of being vulnerable as a leader with author and keynote speaker, Jacob Morgan. Listen as they explore how the skill of balancing vulnerability and competency can empower leaders in both personal and professional settings.  Jacob Morgan is a remarkable and successful leader,keynote speaker, trained futurist, and author. His most recent book, Leading With Vulnerability, was published last year. Jacob pulls from his personal and professional experience as well as the results of many leadership polls and studies as he speaks to tens of thousands of leaders each year on how to fine tune their leadership skills.  Conversation Overview Personal vs. Professional Vulnerability Balancing Competence and Connection The Specifics of Vulnerability Naming Your Emotions The Right Place and Time to be Vulnerable When Vulnerability Hurts   Resources The Future Organization Jacob's Substack Leading With Vulnerability and Other Books by Jacob Morgan    

Join Jim and Trisha as they speak with pastors Ted and Jess from Evanston Vineyard Church about intentional change. Discover how their approach to transformation involves coaching, diverse perspectives, and the formation of clear, shared values. Ted Kim, who has been pastoring and ministering in churches for more than 20 years in Washington, California, New York, and areas outside of the US, is the lead pastor at Evanston Vineyard Church. He is passionate about leading people's hearts and minds toward Jesus. Jess, once an intern, is now also a pastor at Evanston Vineyard Church. She has been a big part of the intentional change and value focusing at the church.   Conversation Overview Forming Congregational Values: Ted and Jess share their experience in leading a congregation through the process of forming and embracing core values. Navigating Resistance: The leaders discuss the positive aspects of encountering resistance during the values formation process and how it contributes to a culture of authenticity. Cultivating Team Culture: The importance of team culture values and ongoing learning in maintaining alignment with the overarching church values. Practical Implementation: Simple yet impactful practices, including regular readings of values during meetings, emphasizing the role of coaching in decision-making, and fostering a sense of agency among team members. Real Change in Action: The messy and non-linear nature of change, showcasing the genuine transformation that can occur in a congregation through intentional and collaborative efforts. Resourses Evanston Vineyard Church

Being stuck in problems and situations can be a significant hindrance to your ability to effectively lead and inspire those around you. Rather than move forward, you may find yourself focused on problems that prevent you from reaching your goals. Learn to resolve those situations so that they become a source of growth. Listen in this latest podcast as Trisha, Jim, and multiple other members of The Leader's Journey share their solutions to getting unstuck. Start your new year off with resolving to not allow the muddy moments in life to dictate the way you lead Getting Unstuck Distinguish between technical and adaptive problems.  Talk with trusted individuals to process the ways you are stuck and find a solution.  Shift the mood. Practice breathing in the silence to embrace and examine your emotional responses.  Reject feelings of shame. Create space to pray and listen. Resources Internal Family Systems The Discernment of Spirits by Timothy Gallagher    

adership, shedding light on helpful practices that can guide church leaders through the shift from an attractional growth model to a missional one. Joining them on this insightful exploration is the experienced and dynamic Mac McCarthy, Lead Pastor at Crosspoint Community Church in Milwaukee. Pastor Mac McCarthy is a seasoned leader with over 15 years in ministry. Currently serving as the Lead Pastor at Crosspoint Community Church, Mac brings a wealth of experience and a unique journey, having transitioned into the lead pastor role as the church evolved. Ordained in the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination, Mac holds degrees from Bethel University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Beyond his pastoral role and contributions of expertise as part of the coaching team for The Leader's Journey, he's a CrossFit coach and a passionate advocate for holistic health. Key Takeaways: Unveiling the missional perspective Diving into the importance of cultivating new mental models and practices in alignment with God's mission. Joining God on Mission: Listen, Discern, Experiment, and Review.  Adaptive leadership in a changing cultural landscape.  Resources: Crosspoint Community Church Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future by Dwight Zscheile, Michael Binder, and Tessa Pinkstaff    

What if leadership is mostly about paying attention? In this episode, Trisha and Jim engage in a thought-provoking conversation with their guest, Ann Kansfield. Ann delves into her personal experiences with leadership and how important a role focus and attentiveness plays. A primary task of leadership is to direct attention for ourselves and those we lead. At the same time, in today's world, paying attention is hard and sustaining attention in the face of distractions and anxiety is even harder.  Listen as they discuss the simple but complex leadership principle in this conversation: We lead when we are able to focus our attention on what really matters and then help others to do the same in pursuit of a mission or task. Ann Kansfield, along with her wife Jennifer, serves as a pastor at Greenpoint Reform Church in Brooklyn, New York, and as a staff chaplain for the FDNY. Ann's journey, which you can read about in her book "Be the Brave One", inspires others to embrace their authentic selves and harness their innate potential. Key Takeaways:  Understand the crucial role of attention in effective leadership.  Recognize the importance of reflection and self awareness in managing attention. Explore the significance of building effective teams and fostering trust. Emphasize the value of routine in enhancing focus and productivity.  Links and Resources: Be the Brave One by Ann Kansfield Follow Ann Kansfield on Facebook Greenpoint Reformed Church  

Dr. Michael DeRuyter, an expert in Bowen Family Systems Theory and leadership development, shares his wisdom on balancing individuality and togetherness in leadership. He discusses how power dynamics and anxiety affect group behavior and decision-making. Practical strategies for fostering open communication and trust are highlighted, empowering leaders to create cohesive teams. Additionally, the importance of emotional growth and self-awareness in personal and professional settings is explored, revealing how these concepts can enhance organizational effectiveness.