Unseen Leadership

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Dan Iten are joined by Chuck Peters, who serves as the Director of Lifeway Kids and Scott McConnell, who serves as the Executive Director of Lifeway Research. In this episode, they discuss the current trends, challenges, and needs of Generation Z and Generation Alpha in kids’ ministry. The conversation highlights the importance of adapting to the needs of younger generations, creating a culture of belonging, and addressing the need for identity. They also talk about Lifeway's book called “Flip the Script” which is a resource that offers tools for preschool kids and student ministries to effectively reach Gen Z and Alpha. Overall, the episode provides valuable insights for church leaders seeking to connect with and minister to younger generations.

BEST QUOTES

"We can't do what we've always done and expect a different outcome." – Chuck Peters

"The biggest disconnect is assuming that kids think how we do." – Chuck Peters

"The most connected generation in history through technology is simultaneously the loneliest and most isolated generation ever." – Scott McConnell

"We have an epidemic of loneliness, of isolation, of separation. In real life, kids don't have real relationships." – Scott McConnell

"We need to create a culture of belonging and speak to the need for identity among younger generations." – Chuck Peters

"Once they find a place to belong, it heavily influences their identity." – Chuck Peters

"We as the church have to adapt, based on the research, to use different approaches to connect with kids in ways that are actually meaningful." – Scott McConnell

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Flip the Script: Disrupting Tradition for the Sake of the Next Generation by Chuck Peters, Jana Magruder, and Stephanie Salvatore

Hyfi: A Digital Curriculum to Reach the Next Generation of Kids and Students

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins, Chandler Vannoy, and Dan Iten discuss the subject of how to conduct better, more effective meetings in whatever leadership setting you find yourself. Here are some of the questions asked during the episode:

* Why are meetings important for the local church?

* Why is it important to gather volunteers or others who aren’t paid staff?

* What are some best practices or opposing views about getting the most out of your team meetings?

* What are some good filters on how to determine what a meeting is about and whether something should be a meeting at all?

* What are some real-life examples of leading a team meeting well?

* How are meetings conducted in an effective manner in a much smaller context?

* Are there any resources that would be helpful in learning how to conduct more effective meetings?

BEST QUOTES

“You should not have a meeting to decide on what the question or the point of the meeting is.” – Todd Adkins

“If you've got layers of teams, those should be done from a development standpoint to check in and make sure somebody's continuing to grow, or you're able to address any issues.” – Todd Adkins

“I think it's really important to let your participants know in advance what type of meeting that's going to be so they can they you know that you have an agenda and a purpose for it.” – Dan Iten

“Part of the issue with most meetings and why people feel like they're a waste of time is they don't get anywhere; they don't move things forward.” – Todd Adkins

“Nothing frustrates a participant more than leaving a meeting feeling clueless about next steps.” – Dan Iten

“Everything is a coaching moment.” – Todd Adkins

“Coaching is not just critique; it is also encouragement.” – Todd Adkins

“I don't care whether you're in a big church or a small church, everybody has an opinion on the way they make decisions.” – Todd Adkins

“The cardinal sin of the modern day is wasting someone's time.” – Todd Adkins

“Don't try to do a team meeting just because you feel that need to gather everyone together.” – Dan Iten

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable...About Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business by Patrick Lencioni

The Coming Church Revolution: Empowering Leaders for the Future by Carl F. George

90 Second Leadership Starters

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Jamie Ivey who is the host of the Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey podcast. She is also the author of several books, including her most recent children's book God Made You to Be You.

During their conversation, they discuss using our gifts for other people to see His works and give glory to God for them, being comfortable in who God made you to be, and how to learn more about what you are gifted for.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 74:

"If I am struggling and I think my gifts are small today, I still can believe that God has given them to me so that people will see them and give glory to God.""God is bringing you up as a leader and He has prepared things for you to do.""I am not trying to put on a show, I am just trying to be myself and I think God has used that in a lot of people's lives.""I had to go through a lot of laying stuff down with God - insecurities and feeling not enough.""He has equipped those who He has called and I am going to keep walking forward.""You do bring something to the table, not because you are awesome, but because God has gifted you.""Practically, one of the best things for me has been to step in and serve. Sign up to teach a class and see what happens.""Sometimes we get in the wrong mindset of thinking that what someone else is doing equals success.""Success is individualized and so many times is a moving target.""I want to look at people I can learn from, but I don't want to chase their successes. I want to chase faithfulness and what God has called me to do."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

God Made You to Be You by Jamie Ivey

You Be You by Jamie Ivey

Unseen Leadership Episode 2: Jamie Ivey on Dealing With Your Past and Sharing Your Struggles With Others

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Derwin Gray who is the founding and lead pastor of Transformation Church. He is also the author of The Good Life and his new book, God, Do You Hear Me?.

During their conversation, they discuss how prayer is the posture of our hearts, how prayer leads to better ministry, and how your prayer life affects how you preach.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 73:

"Leadership is not telling people what to do. Leadership is embodying what you want others to become.""Prayer is a posture of our hearts to the divine presence of God in everything.""We often live out of our family of origin wounding rather than our new family of origin and our Father.""As a leader The Lord's Prayer not only shows us intimacy, but also The Lord's Prayer is God's will for our lives.""Weak people pray to a strong God. People who think they are strong don't pray to God.""Prayer is a posture of dependence and need.""We should never get good at ministry because we will get bad at prayer.""A prayerless preacher is a powerless preacher.""Don't mistake big crowds for big power.""If the redemptive work of Jesus is not the plumb line to everything, then it is not a Christian message.""Prayer is the heartbeat that pumps the blood out of the message.""Do not look for content to preach. Look for content to live."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

God, Do You Hear Me? by Derwin Gray

The Good Life by Derwin Gray

Unseen Leadership Episode 37: Derwin Gray on Focusing on Discipleship More Than Leadership

Conformed to His Image by Kenneth Boa

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Sandra McCracken who is a prolific songwriter, modern day hymn writer, and record producer. She is also an author of her new book Send Out Your Light.

During their conversation, they discuss how a song can connect people, that leadership can take on different forms based on personality types, and the two sides of ego and that challenge that causes.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 72:

"I was pretty shy as a kid, and I didn't want to be upfront. Songwriting was a way by which I could contribute and put words to something we all shared and then it could become communal.""No matter what field you are in, we are all creative.""There are all these ways we express the creativity of God - for me it is songwriting.""We have a shared human experience because this is God's world and He has made things in a way that He can speak to us through these things in the same way.""Leadership can actually be a quiet thing. You don't have to be some big personality that wants to be upfront all the time.""Leadership that reflects your personality type could take a lot of different forms.""The way we manage our pride and humility is the biggest challenge of working together in groups and a team.""If you are starting something new, you can expect that growth is going to be uncomfortable sometimes."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Send Out Your Light by Sandra McCracken

Hearing the Call by Nicholas Wolterstorff

Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff

Hearing God by Dallas Willard

This Episode's Sponsor:

Our sponsor, BELAY, is offering all our podcast listeners a free download of their resource, ‘5 Ways A Church Bookkeeper Can Transform Your Day,’ which shares the five most positive changes that will come out of hiring a bookkeeper for your church. 

Just text LIFEWAY to 55123 or visit belaysolutions.com/lifeway to download it for free today!

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Dr. Scott James who is a pediatric physician and an elder at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama. He is also the author of two devotions, The Expected One and The Risen One.

During their conversation, they discuss how leadership is letting others flourish, investing in a local church, and making a purposeful shift between work and home.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 71:

"My biggest misconception was that leadership, in and of itself, is defined as an active, out front, action-oriented role.""If you are surrounded with good people, you don't have to drag them from up front. You support them from behind and let them thrive and flourish in what God has already gifted them to do.""Wherever you are, whatever role God has you in, invest your life in a good, local church.""Making that commitment to a local church then puts you in a position to serve other people.""When pivoting between things, I will stop, pray, and do something that is a very concrete shifting of gears.""Stay humble, keep your head down, do the work in front of you.""Most people that step into a leadership position have this expectation that they need to do grandiose things right out of the gate. I think plodding is the better course."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Expected One by Scott James

The Risen One by Scott James

Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

Every Moment Holy

The Wolf Hall Trilogy by Hilary Mantel

This Episode's Sponsor:

Our sponsor, BELAY, is offering all our podcast listeners a free download of their resource, ‘5 Ways A Church Bookkeeper Can Transform Your Day,’ which shares the five most positive changes that will come out of hiring a bookkeeper for your church. 

Just text LIFEWAY to 55123 or visit belaysolutions.com/lifeway to download it for free today!

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Gregg Matte who is the senior pastor of Houston's First Baptist Church and the founder of Breakaway Ministries at Texas A&M University. He is also the author of many books including his upcoming devotional, Capture the Moment.

During their conversation, they discuss leading through your God-given identity, the three-legged stool of calling, and the need for grace in learning.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 70:

"Pray for leadership and wisdom every day.""I really value peace, and that is a tough one for a leader.""If I can be myself and walk with God, number one I am going to honor Him, and number two I am going to be able to lead.""Calling is: Do I want to? Do people respond when I do it? And does God want me to?""My high value of peace negated my need to be clear.""I want to make a good, clear decision, but I'd like to do it and keep the body of Christ unified.""Give your mornings to God, your afternoons to the church, and your evenings to your family.""Do not sell your family on the alter of ministry.""Realize you are continually learning, and, therefore, show yourself grace."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Unstoppable Gospel by Gregg Matte

Difference Makers by Gregg Matte

Capture the Moment by Gregg Matte

Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders

The Seven Money Types by Tommy Brown

This Episode's Sponsor:

Our sponsor, BELAY, is offering all our podcast listeners a free download of their resource, ‘5 Ways A Church Bookkeeper Can Transform Your Day,’ which shares the five most positive changes that will come out of hiring a bookkeeper for your church. 

Just text LIFEWAY to 55123 or visit belaysolutions.com/lifeway to download it for free today!

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Coach Mark Richt who is the former head football coach of the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the University of Miami Hurricanes and a longtime assistant coach for the Florida State University Seminoles. He is currently a football analyst for the ACC network. He is also the author of his new book, Make the Call.

During their conversation, they discuss how to know if you are making good decisions, the importance of being genuine, and being a good steward of the influence that God has given you.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 69:

"It's hard for faith and fear to live in the same mind.""My fear was stronger than my faith and God helped me grow my faith like I asked for.""If you are making a big decision and your goal is to try to please somebody or some group of people that can be dangerous.""My goal was to make a decision that God would be pleased with and my gauge on whether I did that or not was how I felt when I put my head on the pillow at night.""To try to change your personality to be somebody your not, first of all takes too much energy, and maybe more importantly, people under you are going to see you aren't genuine.""If you do something for someone who can't help you back it changes the way you look at life.""You can change any cycle that has been going on in your home.""Within a couple generations you might affect 50 to 100 people's lives because you decided you were going to man up.""One size doesn't fit all when it comes to capturing the heart of a player or a person, a wife or a child. They all feel love different ways.""God said, 'I will certainly be with you.' If you know that, then you can make it. If you make the mistake of thinking it's all you, that is when you get crushed."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Make the Call by Mark Richt

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Kingdom Man by Tony Evans

This Episode's Sponsor:

Our sponsor, BELAY, is offering all our podcast listeners a free download of their resource, ‘5 Ways A Church Bookkeeper Can Transform Your Day,’ which shares the five most positive changes that will come out of hiring a bookkeeper for your church. 

Just text LIFEWAY to 55123 or visit belaysolutions.com/lifeway to download it for free today!

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Mitchel Lee who is the lead pastor of Grace Community Church in Fulton, Maryland. He is also the author of Even If.

During their conversation, they discuss how going through a wilderness period leads to better leadership, leading with courage and humility, and the slow work of building culture.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 68:

"What I learned during that wilderness period was that charismatic people are a dime a dozen. It is people with character that stay and that the Lord uses.""Look at the biblical testimony. What leader do you see that doesn't go through the wilderness?""When we are cultivating that intimacy with the Lord before the valley comes, it makes us able to endure the valley in that transformative way.""There are no wasted years in the kingdom of God.""Do not underestimate the formative power of obscurity.""Lead out of your convictions.""It's so easy to try to think about how to lead so that each person feels placated. There is no win in that situation.""They don't have to be my best friends, but I do have a responsibility to stay relationally connected with my team.""If you want to build something that will outlast you, you have to build culture.""You have to have an urgency for the long haul."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Even If by Mitchel Lee

The Second Mountain by David Brooks

In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen

Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Peter Scazzero

A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman

Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen

This Episode's Sponsor:

Our sponsor, BELAY, is offering all our podcast listeners a free download of their resource, ‘5 Ways A Church Bookkeeper Can Transform Your Day,’ which shares the five most positive changes that will come out of hiring a bookkeeper for your church. 

Just text LIFEWAY to 55123 or visit belaysolutions.com/lifeway to download it for free today!

In this episode of the Unseen Leadership podcast, Chandler Vannoy and Mike Kelsey are joined by Jimmy Scroggins who is the lead pastor at Family Church in West Palm Beach, Fl. He is also the author of Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations and Full Circle Parenting.

During their conversation, they discuss discerning the Lord's call, leading through love or fear, and thinking holistically about balancing family relationships and work.

QUOTES FROM EPISODE 67:

"If you are in leadership, you can't lead without conflict. You are going to be frustrated from time to time wherever you are in leadership.""Learning the power of chemistry and culture in leadership was important.""If you don't have some kind of a plan, your head is going to be on a swivel all of the time.""Consider your life in seasons, and almost time block your commitments so that your head is not on a swivel all of the time.""You are going to be blown around by opportunities and you are never going to be able to give the right amount of energy to what God has in front of you right now today.""You've got to love people for them, not for what they do for you.""There are two levers you pull as a leader: you are either leading through love or you are leading through fear.""I undervalued the power of institutions and I undervalued the wisdom of veteran leaders.""As a Christian thinker, we should think of ourselves holistically all the time.""I hope that I have learned to lead out of a desire to love and serve others more than desire for other people to think I am somebody."

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations by Jimmy Scroggins

Full Circle Parenting by Jimmy Scroggins

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

Excellence Wins by Horst Schulze

Downline Ministries' mission is to encourage a restoration of biblical discipleship in and through the local church by equipping men and women to know God's Word and make disciples. 

The primary way we partner with churches is through the Downline Institute, a 9 month biblical discipleship training program that walks students through the Bible (Genesis-Revelation), biblical manhood/womanhood, and key discipleship lessons. Listeners can receive $100 off tuition cost by using the code LIFEWAY when you apply at www.downlineministries.com.