Spiritual Life and Leadership
Ministry leadership is about more than just growing your church or organization. It’s about participating in God’s mission in the world. But how can leaders know God’s mission or their unique place in it? Faithful ministry leadership is rooted in a life of deep and abiding faithfulness to Jesus. In “Spiritual Life and Leadership,” Markus Watson and his guests explore what it means to be faithful leaders whose ministry flows from their ever-deepening relationship with God.
Episodes
237 episodes
237. Biblical Frameworks for a Polarized World, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger discuss the importance of framing for church leaders, particularly in the context of political polarization. Drawing on a quote from Andrew Hanauer, they explore how providing a Biblical framework to congregants ...
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7:37
236. Supporting Families with Autism in Your Church, with David Quel
How can our churches reach out to families with autistic members in such a way that the Gospel is good news for them? And how might we need to adapt the way we do church in order to be good news for those with autism in their families?
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37:56
235. Exercising Power with Integrity, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger explore the concept of power within the framework of discipleship and adaptive leadership, inspired by a quote from Michael Rhodes. They discuss how power, when used responsibly, can prevent harm and support the ...
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7:01
234. Political Power and American Evangelicalism, with Tim Alberta, author of The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory
Here in the U.S. the impact of the election and the campaigns of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are inescapable.In this episode, Tim Alberta, author of The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: America...
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41:11
233. Aligning with God's Work in the World, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger explore how to discern and join in what God is doing in the world. They discuss the importance of humility, recognizing God's ongoing work beyond the church, and adopting practical spiritual disciplines. Tod shar...
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8:04
232. Learning from Jesus, with Yolanda Solomon, author of Discipleship as Holy Collaboration
How does Jesus go about transforming individual lives and entire societies? And what role do we play in that work of transformation?Yolanda Solomon, author of Discipleship as Holy Col...
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41:50
231. Navigating Grief and Life Transitions, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger unpack a poignant quote from Adam McHugh, discussing the often-overlooked grief experienced during life transitions such as career changes and identity shifts. They reflect on Adam's personal journey from pastora...
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7:05
230. The Power of an 8-word Mission Statement, with Tod Bolsinger
Tod Bolsinger, Executive director of the Church Leadership Institute, discusses how to maintain a commitment to your mission even in the face of resistance. He also unpac...
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36:02
229. The Fear-Driven Church, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss a quote from episode 216 with guests Brad Strawn and Warren Brown. The quote highlights the perception that contemporary Christianity in the United States is more known for what it opposes than for what i...
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7:49
228. Dismantling the Myth of the White God, with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, author of When God Became White
Grace Ji-Sun Kim, theology professor at Earlham School of Religion and the author of When God Became White, discusses how cultural for...
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21:52
227. Effective Team Management, a Quick Conversation withTod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss a quote from Mike Bonem, which underscores the importance of empowering team members to fulfill their roles. They explore the necessity of recruiting the right people and then giving them the freedom to e...
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6:42
226. Tackling Toxic Polarization in Your Church, with Allen Hilton and Andrew Hanauer
Allen Hilton, Executive Director of A House United, and Andrew Hanauer, CEO of One America Movement, bring a wealth of experience and practical ins...
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50:16
225. God's Work in the In-Between, a Quick Conversation withTod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss the importance of transitions in both individual and organizational life, as highlighted by a quote from Terry Walling. They explore the concept of the "in between," likening it to the liminal space where...
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7:16
224. Leadership Through the Lens of Hebrews, with Amy Peeler, author of Hebrews: Commentaries for Christian Formation
Amy Peeler, author of Hebrews: Commentaries for Christian Formation, shares her insights on leadership through the lens of the book of Hebrews, drawing parallels between Jesus’ steadfast p...
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39:11
223. Discovering Where God is Already at Work, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger engage in a discerning conversation about the leadership and mission implications of the idea that God is already pesent in every culture. They consider the respect and humility required when entering new culture...
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7:30
222. Building a Multi-Inclusive Church, with Efrem Smith and Dan Kreiss, authors of Church for Everyone
Efrem Smith and Dan Kreiss, the authors of Church For Everyone: Building a Multi-Inclusive Community, explore the importance of multi-inclusivity in church leadership, the need to empower young peo...
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39:40
221. Miroslav Volf's Take on Moving Forward, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Tod Bolsinger brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this conversation, challenging us to resist nostalgia and the allure of a past era—like the 1960s, when the church thrived in a very different context. Reflecting on a quote from Miro...
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8:24
220. Leading Through Tragedy, Adversity, and Crisis, with Gayle Beebe, author of The Crucibles that Shape Us
In ministry leadership, how we respond to crises significantly impacts not just our journey, but also the communities we serve. Painful experiences like this can be crucibles that mold our character, highlight the importance of emotional presen...
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43:43
219. The Role of Joy in Effective Church Leadership, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
This episode explores the critical role of joy in fostering deep connections within our communities. As Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson consider how an atmosphere of joy can be crafted and communicated through our actions, they discuss how this...
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7:52
218. Trust, Teams, and Transformational Leadership, with Mike Bonem, author of The Art of Leading Change
Strong sermons, pastoral care and counseling, leading Bible studies. These are all really important for effective ministry leadership. But leading a church or organization is more than just that, isn’t it?In this episode, Mi...
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43:54
217. Holding on or Venturing Forth, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger reflect on their passion for exploration as an essential element of leadership, discussing the current crisis where the church often resists change and clings to the past rather than venturing into the unknown. T...
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6:43
216. Overcoming 'Puny' Spirituality, with Warren Brown and Brad Strawn, authors of Enhancing Christian Life
In this episode, Warren Brown and Brad Strawn, authors of Enhancing Christian Life, explain how contemporary Christian practices can often lead to what they call a 'puny' experience of Christianity...
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37:52
215. The Contagion of Anxiety in Spiritual Leadership, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
This episode unpacks the concept of differentiation—how it allows us to recognize when someone else's anxiety affects us and vice versa, and the significance of maintaining our personal identity while staying connected in relationships. With vi...
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8:16
214. Leading with Purpose and Authenticity, with Tommy Nixon, CEO of Urban Youth Workers Initiative
Healthy leadership is about paying attention to what God is up to in the people we’re leading. Our job, then, is not to force people to be something they’re not so they can support our own initiatives. Our job is to take note of how...
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37:50
213. Embracing Limitations as a Ministry Resource, a Quick Conversation with Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson
In this episode, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson explore the powerful reminder that as pastors and leaders, we are not God and that recognizing our human limitations can prevent dysfunction within our ministries. This conversation will shed lig...
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6:06
