Enduring Churches Podcast with Alan and Trent

Episode 148: The Agenda Driven Pastor

Episode 148: The Agenda Driven Pastor

 

Agenda driven pastors... tend have a plan before they ever go somewhere place relationships in a secondary position to projects move from project to project, place to place...ie climbing the ladder can make themselves obsolete.   Are your accomplishments people-based or project-based?   While churches needs to complete projects, our role is to invest in and equip disciples.   Seek forgiveness - Ex Jacob seeking forgiveness from Esau Prioritize people Value the moment Learn something new

Episode147: The Over-Confident/Ego-Driven Pastor

Episode147: The Over-Confident/Ego-Driven Pastor

 

Luke 14:8. Don’t take the seat of honor or you will be humiliated Matthew 6:5 don’t be like the Pharisees who like to be seen by men   So there is a balance here that we have to strike Security vs insecurity Proud vs humble Ability vs inability   Matt Monge - Ego Driven Leaders Kill Churches     If you sense your ego might be inflated? Humble yourself before the Lord Humble yourself before your people Prepare for your crash, because an unchecked ego always crashes   Ask yourself "who am I trying to make famous?" Isaiah 26:8  Who has the right to speak into my life?     When I only get people to follow me as a pastor - what happens to the church when I leave?   see also  Episode 29 - Invisible Leadership Episode 62 - Is My Need to Be Right Killing the Church

Episode 146: The Insecure Pastor

Insecurity shows up in several ways   lack of confidence that prevents a leader from trying new things   a critical spirit or cynical or stressed out or unteachable   giving up easily when encountering obstacles or when trying to please people   Insecure is not always shy or self-deprecating. Sometimes it comes across as bluster that is trying to overcompensate for insecurity.   How do you overcome insecurity? If it’s in your job - how does that affect your thoughts and actions? If it’s in your ability to speak well? If it’s in your ability to grow your church?   What should your security be based on? If your sense of worth and sense of security comes from anything other than Jesus - you will struggle   From Zach Young:     It’s foundational. If you don’t start with identity then you’ve missed it, and you’ll end up spending the rest of your life “searching for yourself.”   We have to understand who God is and what He created us for. If we don’t operate out of that identity, then we start working out of our own thoughts, abilities, and so on. And that’s how we become anxious, depressed, burnt out, and insecure. Because we are working towards an identity instead of from it. So for me, God had to get me to stop and reevaluate. I had to ask am I in this thing based on what I think or feel, or am I in this because I understand how loved I am. God had to teach me what I am really created for and what my purpose is… which is simply relationship. That’s what the entire Bible is all about. Just knowing God and being known by him. And when we understand that, then all of a sudden, that’s my only concern. And now I don’t have all of this pressure to perform, or create an identity, or any of the other absurd things we put ourselves through. Now all of a sudden, my only job is to enjoy God and tell others that I am enjoying God.   So to encourage another follower of Jesus, I would say slow down. Ask the dumb questions. And most importantly ask God to show you who you are.   And a true test to see if you really believe that you are who God says you are… go look yourself in the mirror for 5 minutes straight and speak nothing but identity. I guarantee God will begin to show you where your heart really is.   I’ll put it this way. I’ve been a young adult pastor for a year now, and literally for the entire year I’ve only taught on one thing… identity in Christ.

Episode 145: Let’s Change the Scorecard

Episode 145: Let's Change the Scorecard

 

Old scoreboard Nickels- giving Noses - attendance to worship or events   Jonathan Edwards - Distinguishing Marks A steady accumulation of decisions - might be - but not if no discipleship follows. Large attendance - maybe. . . emotional experience - maybe. . .   Growing esteem of Jesus Christ A discernable sense of repentance A dogged devotion to the word of God An interest in Theology and doctrine An evident love for God and neighbor   A Fruitful church is empowered by the Holy Spirit and have a heart for those outside the church       New expanded scoreboard Add these Sent out Engaging conversations Impact opportunities in the community Mission opportunities given to new people relationships restored   A church can be fruitful and not huge   Are those being baptized continuing to walk in the faith a year or 2 or 5 later? How many of our people are being trained to disciple others? What percentage of the church are involved in small group? How many of our people can articulate the gospel clearly what percentage of our folks are serving in the community. What is the reputation of the church in the community?   Missional Renaissance by Reggie McNeal

Episode 144: How to be a Better Leader in 2022

Episode 144: How to be  a Better Leader in 2022

1. What is our measurement of Leadership?
   • is it # of followers or something more
     • character of Christ taking root
     • you can identify others you helping grow
2. What are we doing to study leadership?
   • mentors
   • reading and listening
   • placing yourself in circumstances
3. Identify your blind spots.
   • ask others to help you see what you don't see
   • increase your self-awareness
4. Improve your skills in difficult conversations.
   • can't avoid them
   • Crucial Conversations
5. Share more leadership so you have room to grow
   • Jethro and Disciples
   • you can't share it if you're teaching and modeling it
6. Identify areas likely to de-rail your leadership

Episode143: How to be a Better Pastor in 2022

Episode143: How to be a Better Pastor in 2022

 

1. Get to know yourself better
   

   • The Eureka moment is when they began to see their own strengths and weaknesses clearly.
2. Listen more
3. Pray for and with your people more often.
4. Be vulnerable
5. Invest in key individuals
6. Share the burden

Episode142: How to Become a Better Preacher in 2022

Episode142: How toBecome a Better Preacher in 2022

 

 

What keeps us from growing?   Fear of facing our deficiencies Feeling it doesn’t matter Lack of awareness You improve. when you...   Listen to others variety of styles; don just listen to one style.   Listen to yourself Be self-aware   Read books about preaching   Talk with other preachers   Find your own voice Are you imitating? Are you sincere?

Episode 141: Formulating a Vision for 2022

Episode 141: Formulating a Vision for 2022

 

Today, Trent and Alan talk through visioning for the coming year.

You start with the big picture, for Alan it is often a word, for Trent its mostly about a phrase or idea. Everything builds on that foundation.

 

 

 

Episode140:Don‘t Judge Me

Episode140:Don't Judge Me

 

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬ https://2corinthians.bible/2-corinthians-13-5   Should we “judge” others Judgement returns as you give We make judgements, but we are not the final judge   Judgements we must make Inspecting the fruitfulness of the church Recognizing the spiritual condition of the church Protecting the church from divisive or sinful behaviors Determining the direction of the church   No outside of church The lost already stand condemned We hurt evangelism when we judge the lost for acting lost We hurt God's heart when we judge who is receptive and who is not   Speak the truth in love  Eph 4:15   Don't only preach what's wrong, demonstrate what's right

Episode 139: Unforgiveness - the Poison Pill for Your Ministry

Episode 139: Unforgiveness - the Poison Pill for Your Ministry   We as ministers preach about God's great forgiveness and even about how we are to forgive others.  But sometimes we struggle with forgiving those who have wronged us.   "I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one." - Henry Ward Beecher         How unforgiveness affects our ministry Poisons our hearts toward showing grace Poisons our tongues Poisons what we show our church   Steps to forgiving Recognize that you're showing a double standard. Recognize that your  showing forgiveness doesn't lessen how they hurt you. Recognize that your forgiveness isn't dependent on their attitude. Don't bring up your past hurts any more to yourself, your family, and your church.   Don't be held captive by past hurts - release yourself to show a new picture to your church.