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 I talk with Scott Harrison, the founder and CEO of Charity: Water, an effort to provide clean water to the 663 million people worldwide who lack it. They partner with organizations and local workers to fund and drill wells, build filters and otherwise provide clean water to people all over the world. They have funded over 17,000 water projects and provided water to about 5.5 million people thus far and have some incredible stories of lives changed, both those receiving clean water and those donating to the cause. Scott’s story is also one of a life changed, and he shares a bit of that on the podcast. Enjoy our conversation and the insights Scott shares!

Best Quotes

“People raise money in crazy ways. We had a guy who listened to Nickelback for seven days straight. He’s still living.”

“How can people be healthy if they don’t have their most basic need met.”

“Water means health, it means education, it means time back for women and girls.”

“40 billion hours are wasted every year hauling water that’s not even clean.”

“How can I best use my unique gifts to best help the organization.”

“I really love thinking about ten years in the future.”

”Can we drive greater empathy?”

“The only person you can change in your marriage is you.”

“The vision of the group is to live such extraordinary lives that one day our kids and our grand kids will look back and say their daddy was a legend because he 1) loved God, 2) was an amazing husband, 3) was an amazing father, 4) he was an amazing friend, and 5) he crushed it at work.”

“When you look at life and when you look at leadership a lot of it boils down to daily disciplines.”

Recommended Resources

Charity Water

John Maxwell has taught more leaders how to be leaders than just about anyone, and has been doing so for a long time. In this episode of the 5 Leadership questions podcast we asked him about how leadership has changed over the years. Maxwell also shares about his new book, Intentional Living: Choosing a Life that Matters. He calls this his most important book. It is all about how to live a life of significance, something every person yearns for. It is not just for leaders either – it is for young and old, men and women, leaders and followers. Enjoy the podcast and be sure to order a copy of John’s new book!

We asked the following questions.

* What is the biggest difference in church leadership now compared to when you started as a “leadership guy”?

* What was the biggest shortcoming in church leadership when you started and what is the biggest shortcoming now

* Do you think the current, increased emphasis on leadership in the church is working? Is it making a positive difference in the church?

* What do you see as the next big shift or major point of emphasis in church leadership in the coming years?

* You’ve called Intentional Living the most important book you’ve ever written. You have written a lot of books, so what sets this one apart?

BEST QUOTES

“They didn’t call about leadership when I started.”

“I have a Masters and a Doctorate in theology, but they didn’t talk about leadership.”

“They thought leadership was title and position.”

“We haven’t really let lay people know that they have a vital role in leading too.”

“A church isn’t just a community with a gifted pastor; it’s a community of gifted people.”

“Pastors are still having a hard time thinking lay people are qualified.”

“You’ve got high potential business people in the pew and the biggest thing they’re doing is ushering.”

“Some churches weren’t built on the leadership, they were built on the leader.”

“If you have a leadership culture that goes right down to the congregation.”

“Everything worthwhile is uphill.”

“Most people live their lives totally without intention.”

“You don’t want to read your story, you want to write your story.”

“Significance is adding value intentionally to other people.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

StartSevenDay.com

Intentional Living by John Maxwell

John Maxwell has taught more leaders how to be leaders than just about anyone, and has been doing so for a long time. In this episode of the 5 Leadership questions podcast we asked him about how leadership has changed over the years. Maxwell also shares about his new book, Intentional Living: Choosing a Life that Matters. He calls this his most important book. It is all about how to live a life of significance, something every person yearns for. It is not just for leaders either – it is for young and old, men and women, leaders and followers. Enjoy the podcast and be sure to order a copy of John’s new book!

We asked the following questions.

* What is the biggest difference in church leadership now compared to when you started as a “leadership guy”?

* What was the biggest shortcoming in church leadership when you started and what is the biggest shortcoming now

* Do you think the current, increased emphasis on leadership in the church is working? Is it making a positive difference in the church?

* What do you see as the next big shift or major point of emphasis in church leadership in the coming years?

* You’ve called Intentional Living the most important book you’ve ever written. You have written a lot of books, so what sets this one apart?

BEST QUOTES

“They didn’t call about leadership when I started.”

“I have a Masters and a Doctorate in theology, but they didn’t talk about leadership.”

“They thought leadership was title and position.”

“We haven’t really let lay people know that they have a vital role in leading too.”

“A church isn’t just a community with a gifted pastor; it’s a community of gifted people.”

“Pastors are still having a hard time thinking lay people are qualified.”

“You’ve got high potential business people in the pew and the biggest thing they’re doing is ushering.”

“Some churches weren’t built on the leadership, they were built on the leader.”

“If you have a leadership culture that goes right down to the congregation.”

“Everything worthwhile is uphill.”

“Most people live their lives totally without intention.”

“You don’t want to read your story, you want to write your story.”

“Significance is adding value intentionally to other people.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

StartSevenDay.com

Intentional Living by John Maxwell

John Maxwell has taught more leaders how to be leaders than just about anyone, and has been doing so for a long time. In this episode of the 5 Leadership questions podcast we asked him about how leadership has changed over the years. Maxwell also shares about his new book, Intentional Living: Choosing a Life that Matters. He calls this his most important book. It is all about how to live a life of significance, something every person yearns for. It is not just for leaders either – it is for young and old, men and women, leaders and followers. Enjoy the podcast and be sure to order a copy of John’s new book!

We asked the following questions.

* What is the biggest difference in church leadership now compared to when you started as a “leadership guy”?

* What was the biggest shortcoming in church leadership when you started and what is the biggest shortcoming now

* Do you think the current, increased emphasis on leadership in the church is working? Is it making a positive difference in the church?

* What do you see as the next big shift or major point of emphasis in church leadership in the coming years?

* You’ve called Intentional Living the most important book you’ve ever written. You have written a lot of books, so what sets this one apart?

BEST QUOTES

“They didn’t call about leadership when I started.”

“I have a Masters and a Doctorate in theology, but they didn’t talk about leadership.”

“They thought leadership was title and position.”

“We haven’t really let lay people know that they have a vital role in leading too.”

“A church isn’t just a community with a gifted pastor; it’s a community of gifted people.”

“Pastors are still having a hard time thinking lay people are qualified.”

“You’ve got high potential business people in the pew and the biggest thing they’re doing is ushering.”

“Some churches weren’t built on the leadership, they were built on the leader.”

“If you have a leadership culture that goes right down to the congregation.”

“Everything worthwhile is uphill.”

“Most people live their lives totally without intention.”

“You don’t want to read your story, you want to write your story.”

“Significance is adding value intentionally to other people.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

StartSevenDay.com

Intentional Living by John Maxwell

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast I speak with Brian Houston, the founding pastor and current co-pastor of Hillsong Church and author of a new book called Live, Love, Lead: Your Best is Yet to Come. For more than thirty years Brian has led Hillsong which is now in 14 countries and more than 20 cities around the world. They are known especially for their worship music. His insights on leadership transition, creating a culture conducive to young leaders, and keeping one’s character are solid gold. Enjoy!

BEST QUOTES

“Jesus lived a big life on a difficult path.”

“We want to live a big life on a sometimes difficult path through a narrow gate to a glorious future.”

“I try to live my life learning from everything and everyone.”

“When people look at you as having a measure of success it’s easy to begin telling them what they should do or how it should be done.”

“I want to be someone who asks questions, who wants to learn, who wants to grow.”

“I want to be building people.”

“If the kingdom of God is working right and we’re building right the generations should get stronger.”

“Once someone stops dreaming they stop inspiring vision.”

“The focus is Jesus and being about what he is about.”

“Relevance is set by the gap between who you say you are and who you really are. What makes us irrelevant is when our message is not authentic.”

“Life is short; we’ve got to make it count. And life is long; we’ve got a long time to keep our heart right and keep our testimony.”

“It sounds easy, but it’s actually not easy to let go.”

“How many great ministries represent a past generation today, the buildings are just empty shells that are memorials to days gone by. And I’m so committed to not letting my life and Hillsong and our work be like that.”

“I’m committed to making sure we give people shoulders to stand on.”

“Leadership is example and giving people something to follow.”

“We didn’t build a culture; we just set out to be the culture.”

“Organic and intentional go hand in hand.”

“The term ‘organic’ is often an excuse churches use to not do effective leadership development.”

“The biggest thing in leading in your own home is authenticity and consistency. Your kids don’t even expect you to be perfect.”

“I’m a huge believer in keeping the will of God exciting.”

“If young people quit too easily the call wasn’t strong in the first place.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Live, Love, Lead: Your Best is Yet to Come by Brian Houston

Hillsong Church

Hillsong Music

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast I speak with Brian Houston, the founding pastor and current co-pastor of Hillsong Church and author of a new book called Live, Love, Lead: Your Best is Yet to Come. For more than thirty years Brian has led Hillsong which is now in 14 countries and more than 20 cities around the world. They are known especially for their worship music. His insights on leadership transition, creating a culture conducive to young leaders, and keeping one’s character are solid gold. Enjoy!

BEST QUOTES

“Jesus lived a big life on a difficult path.”

“We want to live a big life on a sometimes difficult path through a narrow gate to a glorious future.”

“I try to live my life learning from everything and everyone.”

“When people look at you as having a measure of success it’s easy to begin telling them what they should do or how it should be done.”

“I want to be someone who asks questions, who wants to learn, who wants to grow.”

“I want to be building people.”

“If the kingdom of God is working right and we’re building right the generations should get stronger.”

“Once someone stops dreaming they stop inspiring vision.”

“The focus is Jesus and being about what he is about.”

“Relevance is set by the gap between who you say you are and who you really are. What makes us irrelevant is when our message is not authentic.”

“Life is short; we’ve got to make it count. And life is long; we’ve got a long time to keep our heart right and keep our testimony.”

“It sounds easy, but it’s actually not easy to let go.”

“How many great ministries represent a past generation today, the buildings are just empty shells that are memorials to days gone by. And I’m so committed to not letting my life and Hillsong and our work be like that.”

“I’m committed to making sure we give people shoulders to stand on.”

“Leadership is example and giving people something to follow.”

“We didn’t build a culture; we just set out to be the culture.”

“Organic and intentional go hand in hand.”

“The term ‘organic’ is often an excuse churches use to not do effective leadership development.”

“The biggest thing in leading in your own home is authenticity and consistency. Your kids don’t even expect you to be perfect.”

“I’m a huge believer in keeping the will of God exciting.”

“If young people quit too easily the call wasn’t strong in the first place.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Live, Love, Lead: Your Best is Yet to Come by Brian Houston

Hillsong Church

Hillsong Music

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast I speak with Brian Houston, the founding pastor and current co-pastor of Hillsong Church and author of a new book called Live, Love, Lead: Your Best is Yet to Come. For more than thirty years Brian has led Hillsong which is now in 14 countries and more than 20 cities around the world. They are known especially for their worship music. His insights on leadership transition, creating a culture conducive to young leaders, and keeping one’s character are solid gold. Enjoy!

BEST QUOTES

“Jesus lived a big life on a difficult path.”

“We want to live a big life on a sometimes difficult path through a narrow gate to a glorious future.”

“I try to live my life learning from everything and everyone.”

“When people look at you as having a measure of success it’s easy to begin telling them what they should do or how it should be done.”

“I want to be someone who asks questions, who wants to learn, who wants to grow.”

“I want to be building people.”

“If the kingdom of God is working right and we’re building right the generations should get stronger.”

“Once someone stops dreaming they stop inspiring vision.”

“The focus is Jesus and being about what he is about.”

“Relevance is set by the gap between who you say you are and who you really are. What makes us irrelevant is when our message is not authentic.”

“Life is short; we’ve got to make it count. And life is long; we’ve got a long time to keep our heart right and keep our testimony.”

“It sounds easy, but it’s actually not easy to let go.”

“How many great ministries represent a past generation today, the buildings are just empty shells that are memorials to days gone by. And I’m so committed to not letting my life and Hillsong and our work be like that.”

“I’m committed to making sure we give people shoulders to stand on.”

“Leadership is example and giving people something to follow.”

“We didn’t build a culture; we just set out to be the culture.”

“Organic and intentional go hand in hand.”

“The term ‘organic’ is often an excuse churches use to not do effective leadership development.”

“The biggest thing in leading in your own home is authenticity and consistency. Your kids don’t even expect you to be perfect.”

“I’m a huge believer in keeping the will of God exciting.”

“If young people quit too easily the call wasn’t strong in the first place.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Live, Love, Lead: Your Best is Yet to Come by Brian Houston

Hillsong Church

Hillsong Music

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast Todd Adkins and I talk with Jonathan Howe, the co-host and producer of Rainer on Leadership and The SBC This Week, about what it takes to start and run a successful podcast. Podcasting is booming as a medium and is a fresh way to share content and extend the reach of one’s influence. It is a great tool for leaders and organizations (or anyone with a particular interest). We answer the following questions:

* Why should someone start a podcast?

* What are some of the formats of podcasts for people to consider?

* How can someone choose the content and format that’s right for them?

* How do you host and launch a podcast?

* What are your favorite podcasts?

BEST QUOTES

“If you already have a blog or platform a Podcast is an extension.”

“If writing isn’t your thing podcasting is a great way to get started”

“Podcasts work well for expanding your audience.”

“If something is your heartbeat, what you do, talking about it is really easy.”

“A podcast, like a blog, should not be a place where you can just go on and throw all your unfiltered thoughts about anything or everything to the world.”

“Think of it as a way to inform, educate, or entertain.”

“There needs to be a uniqueness to your voice.”

“Be prepared: it comes every week. It is always there.”

“Don’t start a podcast unless you’re already doing something in that space.”

“Think about the audience and how they can consume the podcast.”

“Most people can’t do monologues.”

“In the interview format the success of the podcast is based on the strength of the guests.”

“Before you start, invest a LOT of time up front. Count the cost.”

“Learn from others before you make your own mistakes.”

“The nice thing about podcasts is that you can change.”

“If you get in the podcast space you begin to see everything through that lens.”

“Podcasting is not expensive, but it’s also not free.”

“You need a web presence. Get a legit website. Get a site that’s self hosted.”

“It’s good for us to do show notes. It’s good to share the best quotes.”

“You need to have equipment, software, and artwork.”

“Lawyer up on your music.”

“You have to have a place on line for people to connect to it and you have to be present in social media.”

“Beg people for ratings and reviews.”

“This is iTunes’s world and we just live in it.”

“Podcasting and blogging is not a place for people to be overly humble.”

“Drop content constantly.”

“Don’t be afraid to share the podcast episode multiple times.”

“One of the best ways to prepare to launch a podcast is to listen to lots of podcasts.”

“Listen to podcasts because it’s one of the best ways to engage all different kinds of content.”

“You have a better chance of succeeding with a podcast than with a blog if you do it well.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Rainer on Leadership with Thom Rainer and Jonathan Howe

SBC This Week with Jonathan Howe and Amy Whitfield

The Happy Rant with Barnabas Piper, Ted Kluck, and Ronnie Martin

Amazon S3 Server

Libsyn

BluBrry

Blue Host