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Episodes
Alan and Trent are pastors helping churches and leaders make a difference and last.
Episodes
Monday Feb 24, 2020
Monday Feb 24, 2020
Episode 49: Esxasperated and at the End of My Rope
What does it mean to come to the end of ourselves.
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We have done the right things.
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When we have no easy answers and no way out.
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When all we have to rely fully on the promises and provision of God.
We get to the end of ourselves when...
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Our abilities seem insignificant.
Trust your ability…I have used that line often over the years.
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Our failures seem insurmountable.
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Our circumstances seem impossible.
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Our fears seem impenetrable.
How can we respond?
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We acknowledge our desperation.
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We immerse ourselves in the words of God.
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We practice active rest.
Thursday Feb 20, 2020
Monday Feb 17, 2020
Monday Feb 17, 2020
Episode 48: Building Blues
Considerations for building:
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The makeup of the community.
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The age of the building.
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The costs of upgrades.
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The size of your auditorium and welcome area.
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Bigger is not always better.
How to finance:
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Cash basis - ideal
- time constraints
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Loan options
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Denominational help
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Commercial loan
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Specific church lender
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Personal loans from members - super bad idea
Stewardship Campaigns
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Require long-term leadership
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Have a short shelf-life of interest
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Are best when tied to other initiatives
Construction
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General contractor
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Church help
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Volunteer help
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Combinations of all them
Thursday Feb 13, 2020
Thursday Feb 13, 2020
Check out Paul and VOMO for you volunteer management solutions.
For more about the Half Time Institute and cohort or individual coaching.
Monday Feb 10, 2020
Monday Feb 10, 2020
Episode 47: Adding Staff
Look at this as a major event in your church family
Pray! Pray and pray some more!
Look at it from 2 perspectives
From the Pastor's perspective
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What jobs can only I do?
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What jobs do I need to give away?
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What ministry jobs suck the life out of me?
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What am I doing that is keeping me from accomplishing my calling?
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Am I just trying to take care of a friend?
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Am I as pastor prepared to supervise another person.
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From the Church perspective
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Will a staff position take away from lay ministry?
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Will this make financial sense?
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Are we doing this just to make someone or a group happy?
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Are we hiring someone just to cover up issues that we don't want to deal with?
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After answering questions and praying through this -
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Go through the proper channels in your church
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Get a team on board to promote and plan and develop a job description
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Keep praying
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Don't settle
Once they are on-board
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Communicate the plan for supervision
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Watch for communication landmines
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Have the "team" meet with the new staff member monthly for 6 months just to encourage and answer questions- then again at the end of first year.
Monday Feb 03, 2020
Monday Feb 03, 2020
Episode 46: Leadership Models for Ministry
The 3 most Common Models
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Shepherd - largely churches with one pastor who diligently cares for the congregation.
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Primary task - care for the flock...pastoral care
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Expectation - Meet my needs
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biological growth, growth as families grow
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Danger - easy to have an inward focus
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Rancher
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Primary task - oversee the farmhands in their tasks
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Expectation - Provide for my needs
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moderate growth typically based on programming
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Danger - easy to become busy and distracted
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Business leader sole proprietor; partnership, ceo
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Primary task - build leaders expand the organization
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Expectation - Exceed my needs
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leadership development and upward mobility
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Danger - easy to confuse leadership with spirituality
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The 4th.
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Coach
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Primary task - work together purposefully to win
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Expectation - equip people to fulfill their ministry by putting them in the right place
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Danger - we won’t let others rise up to coach others.
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Ex. A runner asked me to explain what a tempo run is to another…I made him do it… he needs that opportunity.
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Why we think pastor as coach is the best model.
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It’s culturally relevant - agriculture pictures have not aged well
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It’s practically relevant - some teams have one coach, some have a head coach and one or two assistants, others have a whole team of coaches, speaks to all size churches
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It’s a healthier mindset - players aren’t overlooked so much by the strong personalities of the shepherd, ranch owner, CEO.
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It’s more adaptable
Monday Jan 27, 2020
Monday Jan 27, 2020
Episode 45: Sermon Block
Develop a plan
Regular time and place - habit and practice
Get to know your passage;
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pray for insight
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Study it
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Look at outside resources
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Be reading in lots of areas - renaissance man
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keep notes - sermon ideas on evernote
Take the passage with you on a walk or to the gym or do something else that allows you to create.
What does God's Word say about what is happening around you?
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Be careful of Isogesis rather than exegesis
Ask for help from others
Plan some breaks from preaching…
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“Your best 44 are a lot better than your mediocre 50."
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how often do you have a guest speaker in? -
Vary your style in preaching
We found this article online which shares some of the same and additional insights.
See also:
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Episode 44: Dangerous Success
Dangerous success:
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Burnout - mostly because we always have to beat our last success
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Self promotion
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Loss of personal devotion and loss of accountability
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Family neglect
Remember:
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Success comes from God.
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Success never happens in ministry from a solo effort.
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its not really success if your not bringing someone along with you
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Success is quickly forgotten. -
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just like our lives - we are quickly forgotton so play the long game and plant for future generations
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Success can be false God.
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Comparison is a trap
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Resources:
Didn’t See It Coming by Cary Nieuwhof
Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome by Kent Hughes (an old one still relevant)
Monday Jan 13, 2020
Monday Jan 13, 2020
Episode 43: Accountability in 2020
We all feel drawn to the calendar and want to make plans when it comes to the new year.
Accountability is a key factor in improving in your faith walk
Being a disciple of Christ - accountability is vital
You can't be a growing follower of Christ without accountability relationships
accountability to God - seems like a no brainer but we have to be open and honest with God
accountability to others
1. Honesty with our spouse
2. openness with a a close Godly friend
3. accountability to your church -
a. We tend to buck at this - we are the leader - they are accountable to me not me to them. Unhealthy - Jim Jones, David Karresh, etc
Philippians 2:5-11 New Living Translation (NLT)
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b];
he took the humble position of a slave[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,[d]
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Accountability to our church shows:
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We really do love them
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We are a servant leader like Christ
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They can trust us.