Today Jim is joined by our colleague and fellow coach, Dr. Michael De Ruyter. Mike and Jim are facilitating a learning community for 10 pastors this fall and today's podcast is a conversation between us that we prepared for one of the gatherings of this group of pastors, the topic is systems thinking and how we utilize this way of thinking and highly complex and emotionally charged leadership situations. We invite you to listen. Conversation overview: - The mental model of systems thinking - Cause and effect thinking - What is a system? - Why systems thinking - How systems change - How anxiety shows up in a system - Recognizing anxiety in ourselves

Applying Systems Thinking

In each episode, we are going to work to give you one easy to understand concept and tell you at least one story that illustrates the concept being put into practice. The concept will be easy to understand, but it will require your very best self and a good deal of practice over time if you are going to implement it.

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Jim talks with Mike Whang about how his shift away from the traditional church model opened up avenues of ministry that can be limited for those in Christian leadership. Mike explains how working out the equations of ministry, the balancing of values, the realities of day to day life, and the needs of the Church, has been a challenge and a blessing as he grows in his walk with God and leadership position.   Mike Whang is an ordained elder of the United Methodist Church. He serves Oikon and Wesley as an extension minister of the Texas Annual Conference. He received his M. Div from Duke Divinity School. His favorite foods are rice, kimchi, and eggs. Raised in Los Angeles, he and his wife, Lisa are raising native Texan daughters of Korean descent.  Conversation Overview    A Shift in Approach  Pivoting From a Local Church to a Ministry Organization  Gaining Margin by Stepping away from Sunday Centric Model  Integrating Faith with Life  The Upsides and Downsides of Change  Personal Responsibility as a Follower of Christ  Limitations of Traditional Structures  Different Paths for Spiritual Journeys    Resources   https://www.oikonandwesley.org/   Nomads in the Church: The Leader's Journey Podcast with Terry Walling 

The Equations of Ministry: Imagining Beyond the Traditional Church Model

 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 

Playing Politics: Leading in an Election Year, part 1.

Trisha and Jim continue their insightful discussion on boundaries in this week's podcast. Join them as they discuss your questions about boundaries and the benefits and struggles of implementing them in personal and professional leadership roles.  Conversation Overview  Flourishing Within Boundaries Boundaries and Emotional Maturity Working Within a Broken System The Cost of Boundaries Managing Guilt Christ's Example of Boundaries Staying On Your Side of the Line and Allowing God to Work Communication is Key Creating a Culture of Healthy Boundaries The Value of Pain 

Maintaining Our Boundaries

 Join Trisha and Jim as they discuss the importance of respecting boundaries not just for the benefit of ourselves, but for the benefit of those around us. Together they discuss the complexities of setting and keeping boundaries while maintianing healthy relationships.    "Boundaries are not something we put on others, boundaries are something that we maintain for ourselves. " -Trisha Taylor   Conversation Overview    Reconciling healthy boundaries with Jesus' message.     Articulating Our Limits     What Boundaries Are - and What They Aren't      Playing Tennis with Emotional Boundaries     Myths About Boundaries     Boundaries in Leadership     Saying and Hearing "No"     Resources   Cleaning Up a Mess with Ryan and Marijke   Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend 

Tending Our Boundaries

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

Applying Systems Thinking

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