At the start of the year, many of us may realise we spent the previous year caught in a cycle of constant activity—just doing, without much reflection or planning, and barely surviving. How can we break free from this endless seven-day grind?

TOOL BOX:

Reach Australia National Conference

Leadership Pipeline ebook

Team Development Program

Covey's Quadrant

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by Virtual Church Assist

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Your calendar is not just the place where you put tasks to do and meetings to be had. It's about aligning your time with your values and integrity.

Scott Sanders and Peter Blanch explore how to do this effectively:

TOOLBOX:

The Reach Australia Framework ebook

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

What's Best Next by Mat Perman

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by the Ministry Training Strategy

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Gary Millar dives into holding tension in the Christian life, embracing differences, and leaning into Christlike living. It’s about being missionally effective and reflecting Jesus in our character. It's challenging, yes, but necessary—because calling each other to godliness is the truest form of leadership.

Gary's new book Both And And is out now — a book that’s part wake-up call, part guide for Christian leaders to walk the talk. Your personality? Important. But it doesn't exempt you from living under God’s rules. Leadership? It's about godliness first, not charisma or loopholes.

TOOLBOX:

Both And Ministry By Gary Millar

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by MTS

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

There are some key phrases that leaders can use that create great gospel culture in your team. While they aren't always easy to say, they are an essential part of leadership.

Why are they important:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:31 The Importance of Team Building

01:05 Personal Team Experiences

02:19 Four Powerful Phrases Overview

05:08 Phrase 1: I Don't Know

09:45 Phrase 2: You're Better at This Than I Am

12:56 Phrase 3: Do You Think?

15:55 Phrase 4: I'm Sorry

18:01 Applying the Four Phrases

21:07 Conclusion and Homework

21:57 Toolbox and Resources

TOOL BOX:

Wisdom in Leadership by Craig Hamilton (Chapter 37)

357 Inheriting and Building Teams (Ray Galea)

316 How do I Create a Culture of Trust in my Team

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by the Leadership Development Program

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Think Charles Dickens, but real life. For Steve McAlpine’s mother, Christmas wasn’t always merry: abandoned in foster care, kidnapped by her birth mother, left by her husband—then reconciled. Over 80 years, her extraordinary journey, shaped by the gospel, turned Christmas into something truly transformative.

Steve has a background in journalism and three decades experience pastoring and planting churches. He has spent most of his life in Western Australia, but is originally from Northern Ireland, emigrating, as so many did, back in the 1970s.



TOOL BOX
Have a Merry Christmas!!



CREDITS

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

We continue our dive into the crucial role of emotional intelligence (EQ) in church leadership, specifically focusing on team dynamics with Pete Stedman from Norwest Anglican Church in Sydney.

TOOL BOX:

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Bradbury and Greaves

I Told Me So by Gregg Elshof

242 What I Have Learnt In Leadership with Pete Stedman

The NorWest Way

380 Why EQ is the Edge Every Leader Needs Part 1 (Pete Stedman)

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by Youthworks

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

While IQ is important, emotional intelligence (EQ) is crucial as pastors navigate the complexities, compromises, and conflicts inherent in church life. 

Pete Stedman from Norwest Anglican Church, Sydney shares how EQ shapes his leadership style, transforms team dynamics, and helps him navigate the challenges of ministry.

TOOL BOX:

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Bradbury and Greaves 

I Told Me So by Gregg Elshof

242 What I Have Learnt In Leadership with Pete Stedman

357 Inheriting and Building Teams with Ray Galea

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by Youthworks

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

January can feel like a weird limbo—Australia practically shuts down, and people are in and out all month. Bur don’t just coast; use this time wisely:

January’s not a throwaway month—it’s a launchpad. Make it count.

TOOL BOX:

332: What do I need to think about on Term 1

315 Organising my Preaching Program

You're Not Crazy with Sam Allberry and Ray Ortlund (Podcast)

Fire Up! with Dave Jensen (Podcast)

Aspire with Paddy Benn and Aaron Smith (Podcast)

Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll (Book)

Growth and Change by Andrew Heard (Book)

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by The Leadership Development Program

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Data is just a tool, but it's an important tool. Its real purpose? Loving and serving your people better. A snapshot of data can give you an idea of your church health. Scott and Derek dive into:

TOOL BOX:

Church Health Consults

Knowing What to Measure and Why Seminar

Measure What Matters Book

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by Church Suite

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

Should we plant new churches or invest in revitalizing struggling ones? If you had to choose, where would you lean?



TOOL BOX:

Church Planting Podcast

Gospel Workers Questionnaire

Church Planters Questionnaire 

376 Why Everyone Needs to Know About the Church Planter Questionnaire 

Church Planting is for Wimps

Church Health Consults



CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by Church Suite

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.