The Shock Absorber

Tim, Stu and Joel take time to look at the Big Mo (not moustaches). They chat about the common factors for momentum - being evangelical, leader longevity and prayer, and also what can jeopardise momentum. The conversation then leads to other momentum makers such as making church more than one hour per week, leader vitality and church planting.

"God loves to act through our dependance..."

01:00 Westerns and iconic moustaches
05:55 Ups and downs in decline and/or growth
10:58 What does momentum look like for a leader?
15:37 Factors influencing momentum: longevity
30:03 Factors influencing momentum: being evangelical
36:37 Factors influencing momentum: prayer
44:19 Increased awareness can negate decline
52:21 Make church culture more than one hour a week
1:04:06 Leader vitality
1:09:30 Church planting to re-create momentum

Watch this episode on YouTube

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Breakout Churches, by Thom Rainier
Tombstone
Open Doors

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Discord
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

Innovation and change is a key part of the church continuing to move forward and grow, just as the Christian life is one of sanctification and growth. From getting congregations on board for change, bringing in change too fast and the impact of facilities and location, the key for churches is to ride the line between resistance and innovation. Ultimately, it must come down to the vision, strategy and practice of the church.

The guys finish up the pod with some encouragement for leaders on how not to get sucked into the innovation trap of trying every new idea and how to develop their ideas for their own particular church context.

"Church isn't sedentary, it's dynamic in it's very nature"

00:00 Intro
01:35 What is innovation?
08:45 Is innovation at church a trap, or a triumph?
13:28 Meat tray presentation
14:47 The innovation spectrum and scenarios
32:00 Innovation in children's ministry
40:31 Innovation in location and architecture
52:29 Discovering God's will amongst change
59:16 Avoiding the innovation trap

Watch this episode on YouTube

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Breakout Churches, by Thom Rainier
Talking Heads
Ramones
BeReal app
Purpose Driven

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Discord
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

Stu, Tim and Joel chat about how a culture of excellence differs from a church context to a business or corporate setting as it is Biblically and theologically driven. Jesus' model of leadership provides a framework to determine the expectations and freedom that ministry staff and lay leaders operate within with. This also helps leadership say yes or no to certain ideas so that the church stays true to its vision.

01:35 CULTURAL ARTEFACT: Admiral Nelson
10:16 Why a culture of excellence is attractive
22:04 What is a culture of excellence at church?
30:05 The gospel is what produces excellence
34:15 Freedom v expectations bingo
1:01:14 The not to-do list
1:12:54 Stand well as a leader

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Admiral Nelson
Battle of Trafalgar
Nelson's last diary entry
The Rest is History podcast
Richard Baxter
Dallas Willard
Eugene Peterson
The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Church
Woodstock '99 documentary
Limp Bizkit
Breakout Churches, by Thom Rainier

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Discord
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

The Third Space Studio is opened up again to discuss the importance of vision in ministry. Through the lens of the Vision Intersection Profile from Breakout Churches, the guys discuss how vision comes from working together with what God has given and what he calls people to, which is then backed by a passionate leadership team committed to the people they want to raise up. The guys also touch some reasons that church leaders may feel a lack of passion in their work.

03:40 Footloose and the voice of the youth
14:47 Vision first requires partnership with Jesus
20:07 Vision discovery
27:11 Deciding on ministries to pursue (or not)
35:22 Leadership passion
46:23 How the congregation and community impacts vision
55:25 When it feels like the passion is lost

Watch this episode on YouTube

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Breakout Churches, by Thom Rainier
The Chicago Cubs
Wrigley Field
Footloose
Winston Churchill

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Discord
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

Stu, Tim and Joel take a look at the structures and the people within the church that can contribute to momentum in ministry. While theological alignment is of utmost importance, another key contributor to momentum is strategy, which is often not discussed and even less articulated amongst churches. When aligned on these values, the leadership and church can be more flexible and ready to change in how they live that out. 

After discussing the other key area or people, they then hit upon a key idea: to build momentum in ministry, look first to build momentum in relationships.

01:25 STORY - Soul Revival Church's recent Planning Day
06:53 "Compatibility is as important as competency in leadership"
15:45 Alignment and Theology, Strategy, Practice
21:21 Strategy is difficult but vital
36:24 Doing ministry as friends and small groups
44:51 Defining leadership roles and inviting people to serve
58:42 Build momentum through relationships

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Breakout Churches, by Thom Rainier
Ministry in the Middle Space, by Tim Keller
Shock Absorber Episode with Ian Hussey
Shock Absorber Episode including Third Place Theory
Oldenburg's Third Place Theory
The Trellis and the Vine, by Col Marshall and Tony Payne

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Discord
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to

Change is hard. And making changes in churches can be hard. Stu, Tim and Joel sit down for another chat around momentum in ministry and look at how static models can lead to crisis moments, upheaval and change. Alternatively, a model that institutionalises change creates an environment for experiments to be had and leads to less of a need for such a crisis moment.

00:52 Cultural Artefact or story: Stu went to a Hoodoo Gurus concert
04:40 Moments of awareness and institutionalising change
21:09 The role of spiritual maturity and growth in change
37:23 Humility it's role in scaling structure
40:21 Building a bridge to a new reality

Watch this episode on YouTube

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Hoodoo Gurus
Miss Freelove '69, by Hoodoo Gurus
Breakout Churches, by Thom Rainier
Good to Great, by Jim Collins
A Bridge Too Far
Operation Market Garden

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Discord
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

In the shadow of the Queen of England's passing, Joel, Tim and Stu discuss her legacy of long term stability as a leader and what we can learn from such a legacy. As Thom Rainier explains in Breakout Churches, legacy leaders among the church are evangelical, long term, passionate and show unconditional love to the people they serve. Stu and Tim's varied experiences of ministry leadership become a great insight into how those gifts and skills develop over time, and the distinct benefits of leading from a position that is long term and relational.

00:00 Intro
01:15 What The Queen's stability teaches us
11:42 Longevity of leadership and stability
16:47 Legacy leaders
21:25 Maintaining longevity in church leadership and developing passion for ministry
32:27 Self-reflection in leadership
36:41 The characteristics of legacy leadership

Watch this episode on YouTube

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

10 Surprising Things the Queen Said About Jesus
Queen Elizabeth II
September 11 attacks
Breakout Churches, by Thom Rainier
Thom Rainier's six levels of leadership
John Piper
Steve Jobs
Tim Hawkins
Craig Bellamy
New England Patriots

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Discord
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here: https://linktr.ee/JesusChangesEverything

Karen and Tim are in the Third Space Studio with Joel to continue discussing Momentum in Ministry. The term growth is inevitably linked to momentum. They look at the different types of growth and the key markers associated with it, including long term leadership and self-reflection.

They also work through the danger of only applying business principles when determining how to grow, which can sometimes lead to the squandering of the talents and gifts God has blessed us with. All in all, it is vital to focus on partnering with Jesus as he builds his church.

01:55 A brief recap of the growth at Soul Revival Church
07:07 Church planting is a great teacher
11:14 Why even talk about momentum and growth? Is it just about numbers?
22:26 What does unhealthy growth look like?
25:35 Breakout Churches by Thom Rainier
32:56 Longevity in leadership but also self-reflection
44:08 The danger of only applying business principles in churches
54:00 Mistaking efficiency for servant-heartedness

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

2021 Census shows changes in Australia’s religious diversity
Pastor Rick Warren's final Saddleback Church sermon is a lot like his first one in 1980
Breakout Churches: Discover How to Make the Leap, by Thom Rainier
Good to Great, by Jim Collins

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Discord: https://discord.gg/jTD5KNAYVE
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here: https://linktr.ee/JesusChangesEverything

Stu, Joel and special guest Ethan are here to kick off the latest season of the Shock Absorber - Momentum in Ministry. They discuss how to identify if a ministry has plateaued or is even in decline, what to we can do to encourage fresh ideas, and ways to look out for institutionalisation. Also is Huckleberry Finn an accurate picture of what church is like these days?

01:29 Cultural Artefact: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
06:10 Are statistics showing Christianity is in decline or just reflecting reality?
11:05 What can ministry plateau look like?
20:03 Examples of institutionalisation and plateauing
33:59 How to prevent institutionalisation and promote fresh ideas
39:40 Kick-starting momentum in ministry

Watch this episode on YouTube

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

2021 Census shows changes in Australia’s religious diversity
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
What is a puncheon floor?
The Coming Revolution in Youth Ministry, by Mark Senter III
Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens
Industrial Revolution
Robert Raikes
First Sunday School in Australia
Max Weber
Discord
Century Egg
The Salvation Army
The Innovator's Dilemma, by Clayton Christensen
Space X

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Discord: https://discord.gg/jTD5KNAYVE
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here