5 Leadership Questions Podcast on Church Leadership with Todd Adkins and Dan Iten

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Jon Tyson, Lead Pastor of Church of the City in New York and author of the new book The Burden Is Light. During their conversation, they discuss learning from church history, finding your calling in life, and setting aside time for deep thinking and vision planning. BEST QUOTES “If discipleship doesn’t show up in the work place, it doesn’t show up at all.” “To help understand the calling on our life, we need to learn to be able to exegete and make sense of our own lives.” “We must live in the kingdom of God in such a way that it provokes questions for which the gospel is the answer.” - Lesslie Newbigin “I daily try and set aside time just to think and hear from God.” “Today, when every thought is a tweet or a short snippet, deep thinking is greatly needed.” “I have worked very hard to build an immune system in our family that can handle the sickness of our modern, fragmented culture.” “Young leaders have to learn how to deal with criticism.” “There is an importance of timing in leadership. I’ve often known the right thing to do, but I have done it too quickly or too slowly.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES The Burden is Light by Jon Tyson iGen by Jean Twenge 5LQ Episode 74: Discerning Your Calling in Life Thinking for a Change: 11 Ways Highly Successful People Approach Life and Work by John Maxwell 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Steven Covey Ministry Grid

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Danny Franks, Connections Pastor at the Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: Why should churches care about their Guest Service team and the first impression they make? How do you communicate this vision to your people? What are some qualities you should look for in a guest service volunteer? (Job profile) How do should you go about recruiting for and building a guest services team? What are some practical tips to welcome first time guests? BEST QUOTES “People were the mission for Jesus, so they should be our mission today as well.” “I’m surprised at how many churches communicate that they don’t care about their guests.” “Many churches do not have a plan for how they will reach their guests on a Sunday morning.” “Churches need to realize there is a difference between being friendly and being intentional.” “It is going to be hard for someone to connect with a sermon if they first have not connected to you or someone in your congregation.” “You need to have volunteers outside of your building because that is the first thing that your guests are going to see.” “Stage announcements for volunteers often create awareness, but don’t always create action.” “The best person to recruit or develop a volunteer for a ministry is someone already serving in that ministry.” “If we think through the experience before our guests have the experience, we've already won 90% of the battle.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES People are the Mission by Danny Franks Guest Services Training on Ministry Grid

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Eric Geiger are joined by Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of the book iGen. During their conversation, they discuss how social media, smartphones, and the internet are changing the children, teens, and young adults born in the mid-1990s and later. BEST QUOTES “iGen is the first generation to live their entire adolescence with smartphones.” “Teens who spend more time online and on social media are less happy and more likely to be depressed.” “In 2012, the percentage of Americans with a smartphone crossed 50%.” “The average age in America to get a smartphone is now 10 years old.” “There are two worries when it comes to the media your kids view. One is content and the other is access and time.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES iGen by Jean Twenge Ministry Grid

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Quetisons podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Nick Runyon, the Executive Director of CV Outreach. During their conversation, they discuss how to understand your values, leadership lessons learned while washing dishes, and if listening to an audiobook counts as reading a book. BEST QUOTES “We try to put every idea we come up with through a value filter first. “As a leader, you must realize that there is nothing that is below you.” “Leadership in my home never looks good enough.” “We need to do the right things for the right reasons.” “You are going to make mistakes along the way, but whatever God is calling you to, just do it.” “As a leader, a lot of your job is learning in front of others.” “If you are a leader and not a learner, you are going to have a short shelf life.” "There are a lot of books out there that are not worth reading, but they are worth listening to." “It is still true that readers are leaders, but nowadays with podcasts, it is also listeners are learners.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES 5LQ Episode 216: Churches and Google Search Seth Godin’s Alt MBA Program Masters of Scale podcast How I Built This podcast

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Dr. Jeff Iorg of Gateway Seminary, author of Leading Major Change in Your Ministry, and host of the Lead On Podcast. During their conversation, they discuss how to lead through change, how reading biographies can help you become a better leader, and leading a team as they move to a new location. BEST QUOTES “If you are a ministry leader, you know that change is inevitable.” “Leaders often get the idea that if they make a mistake, they can’t continue leading, and that is simply not true.” “We spend so much time on our own plans that we do everything we can to stick with them, even when it is not working.” “The transition is not over just because change has been implemented.” “When I don’t get proper sleep, it shows up in my decision making.” “Directional discipline is vital to leadership.” “I would tell younger leaders to prioritize the leadership of your family and recognize you will have to say no to some things now, that you will be able to say yes to later.” “The price you will pay in the early years of building a healthy marriage is worth it in the latter years when you enjoy what you built.” “I would tell my 20 year old self to be more patient and focus on your own growth and development and not trying to change everyone else around you.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lead On Podcast Leading Major Change in Your Ministry by Jeff Iorg Gateway Seminary Great by Choice by Jim Collins

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Joel Rosenburg, a New York Times bestselling author and founder and chairman of The Joshua Fund. During their conversation they discuss what it is like to serve God in Israel, the importance of prayer, and the necessity of discernment in leadership. BEST QUOTES “Leaders are always learners.” “We have to be patient and battle against the force of the enemy that is trying to plant seeds of division every single day.” “We believe that God can open doors. We just don’t believe He will. So we don’t pray.” “We a serve a prayer hearing, a prayer answering, and wonder working God.” “We need to have a not-to-do list.” “I’m not always the best judge for the opportunities that lay in front of me. I need other people to help me.” “If you do not have the gift of discernment, you need to surround yourself with others who have that gift.” “Leaders must be careful to lead people, not drive them and run them over along the way.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES The Kremlin Conspiracy by Joel Rosenburg The Invested Life by Joel Rosenburg The Joshua Fund

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Jamie Ivey, host of The Happy Hour podcast and author of If You Only Knew. During their conversation, they talk about learning from those a few steps ahead, prioritizing your schedule, and how learn from failure. BEST QUOTES “Our stories matter, and God is in them.” “Find people who are a few steps ahead of you, watch them, ask them questions, and get them involved in your life.” “Watching people online is fine, but watching people in real life is where you actually see what is going on in their world.” “It is so important to be in environments where you are a learner and not always the leader.” “It is important for leaders to stop and not just give to do lists, but ask can I do anything for you on a personal level.” “We try to look at our calendars and ask, what are the things that we have to do, what are the things that we need to do, and then we fill in the wants when we can find a place for them.” “Trust the people that God has put in front of you.” “We are called to lead those who are right in front of us.” “If you crush your now, it will lead to your next.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey Sparrow Conference We'd like to thank our sponsor NRB TV. Their goal is to consistently deliver impactful programs that help you dive deeper into God’s word and provide the practical tools you need to put your faith into practice. Learn more at www.nrbtv.org.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Eric Geiger are joined by not just one guest but two: Kevin Peck, Lead Pastor of The Austin Stone Community Church and Josh Patterson, Lead Pastor over Ministry Leadership at The Village Church. During their conversation, they discuss learning from older leaders, leading well in their homes, and keeping the long journey of leadership in mind. BEST QUOTES “As leaders, we need to be faithful with the stewardship of time that God gives us to impact the world.” “As leaders grow and develop their own voice, you must fight to still lead together.” “The minute we assume something is going to happen, it doesn't happens.” “Everyday I have to ask God to make his will be done and not mine, otherwise, I am going to make a dumpster fire of my life.” “I have a finish line every day where I stop working.” “If we think that our finish line is bed time, than we can view our kids as another job.” “I try to make it a priority not to only be around other leaders and other Christians. I want to connect with people who don’t care about my title.” “We can lead successfully in other places, but if we don’t lead well in our home, the other places we lead will eventually lose credibility.” “As leaders, there comes a time where have to say no to things that are good, but they are not great.” “Our kids are going to love Jesus not by what we tell then, but by what they see us doing.” “Young leaders need to spend a lot more time listening and preparing for the long haul.” “Leadership is a long journey. It is not something you can quick bake. It is not a microwavable skill.” “Leaders navigate and negotiate change.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Strategic Leadership Community hosted by Kevin Peck and Josh Patterson We'd like to thank our sponsor NRB TV. Their goal is to consistently deliver impactful programs that help you dive deeper into God’s word and provide the practical tools you need to put your faith into practice. Learn more at www.nrbtv.org.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Steve Gladen, Pastor of the Small Group Community at Saddleback Church and author of Small Groups with Purpose. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: Why are small groups important? What are some of the basics that a small group leader needs to know? What are some common challenges in the life cycle of a small group? How do you make sure your groups are connected to the church and do not go rogue? How can a small group leader effectively recruit and develop other small group leaders? BEST QUOTES “We want to provide leaders with a map, not a menu of training.” “The first thing Jesus did after his temptations was form a small group.” “The practical application of the Bible can’t happen in isolation or while being hidden in the crowd.” “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer “Small groups leaders need to see and lead their group like a family.” “People don’t know what they don’t know.” “You need two different guardrails: a process guardrail and a people guardrail.” “In order to develop leaders, you have to know what you are trying to produce.” “When you are looking for leaders in your church, it starts long before the need arises.” “The devil likes to pick us off when we are in isolation.” “People don’t do what you expect. They do what you inspect.” “You must always be trying to get people out of the audience and into the army.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES FREE Small Groups Training on Ministry Grid

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Eric Geiger are joined again by Carey Nieuwhof to discuss 5 more lies that leaders believe, just as they did on 5LQ Episode 112. This special episode is being broadcast not only on 5LQ, but also on the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast. So many leaders are susceptible to believe things that are simply not true. The question is why do leaders believe these lies and how can they overcome them? If I’m winning at church, but not at home I’m still winning. If I’m winning in the eyes of my church, then I am winning in the eyes of God. I have paid my dues and I deserve this. Either people aren’t being honest with me or people are being honest with me. My secret sin doesn’t matter. BEST QUOTES “If you can’t lead well at home, you can’t lead well anywhere.” “I thought because we were winning at church, it excused everything that happened at home.” “Ministry is a vortex of theological confusion.” “I’d rather win at home and lose at church.” “Leaders must fight off ministry idolatry, which is caring more about what God is doing through you than what God has done for you.” “If you aren’t right with people, you probably aren’t right with God.” “You can think you crushed a meeting, but instead, you crushed the people.” “In the short term, secret sin will steal your confidence, and in the long term, it will destroy you.” “Not everyone needs to know your secret sin, but someone needs to know.” “Your competency will take you only as far as your character will sustain you.” “If we do not feel the weight of our sin, we’re susceptible.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES 5LQ Episode 112: Lie Leaders Believe Pipeline West