Transformational leadership is very different than transactional leadership.

Transformational leadership uses ministry to build people RATHER THAN uses people to build ministry.

(It’s easy to get it backwards— and it’s easy to even spiritualize it when we do!)

⚙️

Here, we dialogue about the importance of—

🧭 God-given vision

💙 Meaningful membership that creates an easy on-ramp for people to join that vision

🔥 Passionate spirituality— a vibrancy that exudes as people get enthusiastic (read: en-theos, that is, en-God)

⚙️ Functional strategies that help make that vision come to fruition

🍇 Connected and loving relationships that permeate everything

⏰💰⚡️Sacrificial generosity that taps into people’s time, treasure, and focus

👑 Kingdom orientation, in which people— together— serve something bigger than themselves and even their own church

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Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

🥊 Access the “STRONGER” audiobook (about leadership) free at www.Jenkins.tv/lead

🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

As we round out the “healthy church” series, we END with some of the things most leaders (wrongly, we think) begin with…

We start dialoguing about “what it looks like” when churches thrive.

🌳

Here’s why we don’t start here.

Focusing on fruit (i.e., the mechanics of how we do things) is a temporary measure. Fruit comes and goes— when tended to on its own.

Focusing on the roots, though, and insuring we grow a healthy tree insures the fruit continues coming.

🍒🍇🍏🍊🍋

Now, when we DO NOT see the fruit, it can be an indicator that we need to look at those roots (see Matthew 7:17-20)— in grace— and do some work.

But, the root precedes the fruit— not the other way around.

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Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

Continuing our previous discussion on conflict, we outline a step-by-step process you can use to deal with tough conversations…

By the way, BEFORE we go there…

Many people ask, “Should I go to them, or should I wait for them to come to me?”

Some even suggest, “It’s their fault— I’m not budging. They need to come apologize.”

We get it. However, let’s look at how Jesus framed relational rifts.

He said, “If your brother offends you, go to him” (Matthew 18:15f.).

He also said, “If you’re about to offer your gift at the altar [read: worship] and remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift and first be reconciled to your brother” (see Matthew 5:23-24).

In other words, Jesus encourages us to ALWAYS INITIATE relational healing rather than waiting.

If it’s their fault, you initiate.

If it’s your fault, you initiate.

How do you do it?

What do you say?

In this episode, we walk through it…

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Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

🚌 Get free access to the Advance audio mentioned at the end of this talk by going to https://www.eatsleepadvance.com/4 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

Conflict is inevitable— especially when you have people involved.

When handled properly (instead of avoided) conflict CAN become a fertile soil of growth and maturation for each of us…

💙

However, many of us choose artificial harmony (something that “looks like” unity) rather than TRUE ONENESS.

True unity is important…

Not only does it create sacred space where people feel safe & secure, it ALSO invites the Holy Spirit’s presence & power to supernaturally do things that only God can do (this is why David, in Psalm 133:1-2, compares unity to an anointing of God).

🔥

A few tips we discuss in this episode…

📣 Talk TO people not ABOUT people… that is, take it to them— not to others. Not even under the guise of a “prayer request” or “getting advice.”

📣 Tell them ALL of it instead of leaving parts & pieces out (i.e., omitting some details is what creates artificial, superficial connection).

📣 Affirm the relationship… and that you are “all in” with them— and that your desire to resolve the issue is based on your care and adoration of them….

—————————
Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

🚌 Get free access to the Advance audio mentioned at the end of this talk by going to https://www.eatsleepadvance.com/4 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online    

Asking for the optimal size of a church is a lot like asking for the optimal size of a human being. There’s far more that goes into the equation than just “bulk.”

In fact, you COULD say, the best design for a human includes—

💙 What does God DESIRE for that person to do…?

📐 How did He DESIGN them? What’s in their DNA?

🧭 Where does He want them to invest their time & energy & focus? What’s His DIRECTION for their life?

(In other words, we’re back to “the best question ever” that we explored in episodes 5 & 6 of the “Healthy Church” series.)

So, let’s frame it like this…

The best size for a church is—

⭐️ the size it hits when it grows in spiritual maturity, ministry involvement, missions advancement, and outreach effectiveness (see episodes 7 & 8)

⭐️ the size it hits when if focuses on the 6 functions of a church (i.e., worship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, fellowship, & prayer… see episodes 9 & 10)

⭐️ the size it hits when it resolves conflict well, so it can focus on those functions and experience true unity instead of artificial harmony (see episodes 12 & 13)

🤷‍♂️

In the same way “healthy humans” hit their “right size” almost automatically, so also do churches.

—————————
Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

In this episode we continue dialoguing about 6 things churches SHOULD do…

… and note that rather than getting a vision for what we COULD do, we need to begin here…

⭐️

Each of these work together and FEED each other, creating a dynamic that’s unlike any other organization (remember, the church is an organism— a living entity).

The six are…

1️⃣ Worship

2️⃣ Discipleship

3️⃣ Ministry

4️⃣ Evangelism

5️⃣ Fellowship

6️⃣ Prayer

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Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

⚙️Learn more + access the GEAR UP church resources at https://www.amplifyonline.info/GU 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

Churches organize and do “lots and lots” for things.

However, in the hustle of it all, we need to make sure we’re doing the RIGHT things…

All of the—

⭐️ Programs…

⚙️ Processes (including budgeting our time & money) of how things get done…

📝 Policies & procedures (rules & operating guidelines) of how we “behave”…

… should all flow into the 6 functions we see in Acts 2:42-47.

In this 2-part talk, we begin working through the 6, exploring how they all fit together…

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Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

⚙️Learn more + access the GEAR UP church resources at https://www.amplifyonline.info/GU 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

Paul uses the analogy of a human body when talking about the church (see 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4:11f.). Well, to say it a better way, he doesn’t say the church is LIKE a body, he declares the church ACTUALLY IS a body— the Body of Christ.

So, let’s affirm this about human size AND about church size…

While you DO need a certain “mass” for a human to be viable, there are far more indicators as to how healthy the human is than just mere size.

Think about it—

🤷‍♂️ You can have a healthy 150-pound man OR an unhealthy 150-pound man.

🤷‍♂️ You can have a healthy 300-pound man OR an unhealthy 300-pound man.

A lot depends on the KIND of weight that man has (read: the kind of size, muscle or fat) AND other indicators we don’t see…

❤️ the condition of his heart and his blood

💥 the amount of stress he has— and how he handles it

😴 the rhythm of rest, recovery, and the working hard…

🚽 the capacity he has to eliminate toxins while storing nutrients

See?

The same is true with churches— with the body of Christ…

The numbers DO tell some of the story, but only SOME. The numbers are one of many indicators.

In this talk we walk through FOUR indicators—

🕊️ Spiritual growth = awakening to who God designed us to be and walking in relationship with Him

⚙️ Ministry involvement = discovering the unique part we play and deploying into that area of stewardship

🌎 Missions advancement = taking the energy of the church outside the four walls of the building and inviting others to experience the presence & power of the Kingdom (not the church, the Kingdom)

🔥 Outreach effectiveness = people are impacted and begin the journey of spiritual growth…

(Then, they can start the process.)

Bottom line: churches grow in multiple ways— especially if you want them to be healthy.

—————————
Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC  for more info

⚙️Learn more + access the GEAR UP church resources at https://www.amplifyonline.info/GU 

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

When we talk about healthy churches, we often default to NUMBERS…

… to nickels & noses (how many people showed up on Sunday, and how much money they gave)…

… to bottoms (in the seats) and bucks (in the offering plate).

🙄 💰

Two things we need to note…

First, the New Testament church DID have an idea of how many people were “attending.”

A quick read through the book of Acts shows the church grew from 120 people (Acts 1:15) to 3,000 at Pentecost (Acts 2:47) to 2,000 MORE after Peter & John healed a lame man (Acts 4:4) to “more and more” being added (see Acts 5:14) to growing by MULTIPLICATION instead of fast addition (see Acts 6:7).

But, those were the numbers for an ENTIRE city— not just a locale “place” where people met for church services. That is, they counted DISCIPLES in an entire area as a unit— not just “attenders” at a specific building.

Second, growth isn’t ONLY about numbers…

In fact, the numbers we see in the book of Acts reveal something “more.”

💥 The first burst of numerical growth happened after Peter preached to a crowd which happened after the Holy Spirit moved in and fell on the 120 (see Acts 2).

💥 The second recorded burst of numerical growth occurred after Peter & John— on their way to pray— healed a lame man. In other words, a miracle “jump-started” it (Acts 4).

💥 The intense connection of community and oneness likely led to the other bursts (see Acts 5:14 and the verses preceding it).

In other words, perhaps we should focus on other kinds of growth first…

… and then let God grow the church to the “right size” for that locale.

In this episode we’ll explore what that might look like…

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Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free 

We continue in this talk where we left off in the previous episode, dialoguing about the best question ever…

⁉️ What is God’s desire, God’s design, and God’s direction about _______________ [insert whatever situation you’re facing]⁉️

Here’s the breakdown of what each means…

💙 DESIRE = What does God want for this situation in light of what I know to be true about His character?

Note: this is ALWAYS in line with His character…

📐 DESIGN = What has He ALREADY revealed to me about “how to do this” in the past (i.e., in His Word)?

Note: sometimes when God SEEMS silent, it’s because He’s ALREADY given us clear instruction….

🧭 DIRECTION = What is His Spirit affirming to me— through prayer— specifically (which will always match His Word & again— by confirmed— by trusted advisors)?

Note: this is where we get specifics for our unique circumstance. God may show “me” something different than He shows “you” how to handle a specific issue…

… but, it will ALWAYS be in alignment— for each of us— with His Word (design) and His ways (desire).

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Next steps

💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info

✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online

🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free