5 Leadership Questions Podcast on Church Leadership with Todd Adkins and Dan Iten

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Missy Wallace, executive director of Nashville Institute for Faith and Work. During their conversation, they discuss how a day of silence can positively affect your spiritual life and how to have a personal relationship with Jesus while also holding a faith-based job. BEST QUOTES "I had such a transformative aha! moment when I figured out that I had worked for 20 years with bad theology.""I'm really learning how to separate talking about Jesus as a job and vocation versus a personal relationship with Jesus.""Sometimes things about Jesus, or reading a Bible passage or a theological text, ends up on a to-do list because I need to prepare for a class. That is great knowledge, but it does not penetrate the heart at all.""I was really scared that God would not say anything, or He would say too much. And I was worried about both of those.""I'm trying to work toward at least an hour a day of the phone turned off.""We see leadership in our family as something we embark on together.""What does it look like to see our marriage flourish separate from the children?""Abiding in Christ stabilizes you in the middle, which is where you need to be.""I spent a whole lot of time running really hard on a treadmill, being really good at achieving things, for the affirmation of other people.""Being in Scripture for 8 hours of silence with zero distractions in a moderated quiet day setting is transformative." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network 5LQ Episode 326: Scott Sauls Nashville Institute for Faith and Work Harvard Business Review Dovehouse Ministries The Common Rule by Justin Earley Above All by J.D. Greear This Episode's Sponsor: The Overcomer movie has inspired the creation of several resources. For small groups, there is the Overcomer Bible study. For individuals, there is a book called Defined. Both are based upon powerful insights from the Book of Ephesians. Learn more about all the resources at Lifeway.com/Overcomer

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Luke Dooley, president of OCEAN Programs. During their conversation, they discuss transitioning out of a busy season and considering what new practices can be helpful for the next season and ways to support entrepreneurs. BEST QUOTES "Fear and isolation are real concerns in the life of an entrepreneur.""Our point of emphasis right now is around trying new things.""We are doing three intentional habits as a team this summer.""We are not going to just be focused on what pops up on the screen in front of us.""I try to use my commute time well to reflect on the day and to prepare my heart and mind to leave the office and walk into the house with my wife and kids.""My wife and I are wrestling with what it looks like to grow our kids up and model Christ-likeness for them.""The 20-year-old version of any of us is probably ill-equipped to handle what the current version of us is handling.""As early as possible, choose the things in your life that you value most and how you are going to bring order to the chaos of your life to make sure that those things happen." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network OCEAN Programs "A Start-Up Church Plant" New Churches conversation with Luke Dooley Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand Chasing Francis by Ian Morgan Cron Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram This Episode's Sponsor: The Overcomer movie has inspired the creation of several resources. For small groups, there is the Overcomer Bible study. For individuals, there is a book called Defined. Both are based upon powerful insights from the Book of Ephesians. Learn more about all the resources at Lifeway.com/Overcomer

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Daniel Im is joined by Gary Haugen, CEO and founder of International Justice Mission and author of Good News About Injustice and The Locust Effect. During their conversation, they discuss focusing on God through prayer while working on His mission and the realities of slavery in today's world. BEST QUOTES "If what the common poor person was facing was violence, there wasn't a Christian ministry addressing that.""IJM started as a response to that biblical call to care for the poor and to seek justice and to make sure there was a vehicle by which Christians could be loving their neighbors who were victimized by violent abuse and oppression.""There are more people in slavery today than in any other time in human history.""After the first 7 years, we started to sense that God wanted to pour more of His presence and power out among us, but that we weren't really spiritually prepared to receive it.""If we don't have a work that we are engaged in that has us running to God in prayer, it might suggest that we have found some cozy cul-de-sac of work that is a bit more tame than God would intend.""If this is God's work and ministry, why wouldn't we be talking to Him about it throughout the day?""Protecting the poor from violence is God's weight and we are going to do it Jesus' way.""Most of my challenges and weaknesses in my spiritual life don't come from what I don't know about the Scriptures, it's what I don't act upon.""Don't seek to lead. Seek to serve, and people might ask you to lead if you serve well." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network International Justice Mission Good News About Injustice by Gary Haugen The Locust Effect by Gary Haugen The Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Jana Magruder, director of Lifeway Kids. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: * What is the state of Kids Ministry?* Why is all of this important?* What surprised you most about writing Nothing Less and about the research in general?* What are the 10 greatest influencers of spiritual health for kids?* What should parents and churches do with this? BEST QUOTES "The primary discipleship of a child should be in the home.""We like to encourage Kids Ministry leaders to lead up and lead out.""As a mom, one of the things that surprised me, is that family who ate meals together at least once a week did not make the list.""Standing around the island and grabbing a quick bite counts, but it's not necessarily what moves the dial.""School choice is important, but it's not what moves the dial in spiritual health later in life.""The greatest infleuncer of spiritual health for kids is a child regularly reading their Bible while growing up.""In Lifeway Kids, we like to promote a full-text Bible that was developed for parents to read to kids.""A deeper prayer life can be modeled at home.""Modeling Bible reading, prayer, and serving is something that should be done by parents and church leaders.""Help kids learn how to share their faith and live on mission." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network 5LQ Episode 343: Jana Magruder Nothing Less: Engaging Kids in a Lifetime of Faith by Jana Magruder Settle for Nothing Less: Engaging Kids in a Lifetime of Faith Leader Kit The One Thing Podcast This Episode's Sponsor: The Overcomer movie has inspired the creation of several resources. For small groups, there is the Overcomer Bible study. For individuals, there is a book called Defined. Both are based upon powerful insights from the Book of Ephesians. Learn more about all the resources at Lifeway.com/Overcomer

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Alex and Stephen Kendrick, directors and producers of "Overcomer," "Courageous," "Fireproof," and "War Room." During their conversation, they discuss leading a team in love and unity and moving from Ephesians 2:8-9 to 2:10. BEST QUOTES "The Lord's not done with you until He's done with you.""When I hear about everything you've been through in your life, I realize God has saved you from this and now He has uniquely gifted you to carry out the Great Commission.""God was in the middle of all of it preparing us to take the gospel and speak and communicate it in the terms of this generation through visual media.""The cross is the perfect picture of His mercy, but also His wrath.""We have to set the tone for attitude, work ethic, and unity.""As a leader, better to go down path B in unity to accomplish your goal, than to stay on path A and fight all the time.""In the busyness of the work day, we should never neglect loving on one another in the process.""We are not going to grow unless we sometimes have people step into our lives and tell us the truth.""God wants to bless the work of my hands, but I have to stay right before Him.""I have to set God-honoring parameters for my kids where they know that ultimately in our home we want to please the Lord.""God's call should be the engine, ambition should help you pursue God's call.""The journey has just begun when you give your life to Christ." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network Kendrick Brothers Overcomer Facing the Giants Courageous Fireproof War Room The Love Dare by Alex and Stephen Kendrick Ephesians by Tony Merida Experiencing the Father's Love by Os Hillman Forgotten God by Francis Chan This Episode's Sponsor: The Overcomer movie has inspired the creation of several resources. For small groups, there is the Overcomer Bible study. For individuals, there is a book called Defined. Both are based upon powerful insights from the Book of Ephesians. Learn more about all the resources at Lifeway.com/Overcomer

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Drew Dyck, editor at Moody Publishers and author of Your Future Self Will Thank You. During their conversation, they discuss the importance of spiritual disciplines at the start of your day and the challenges of working from home with small children also at home. BEST QUOTES "I see people in ministry as the ones on the front lines.""Test your ideas out on readers first in a short format and then try to graduate to writing a book-length project.""If I start my day with Scripture and a short time of prayer, that makes such a huge difference in the rest of my day when it comes to how I interact with people and my productivity at work.""There are certain seasons, I believe, you just have to get through with your sanity and your morality intact and consider that a win.""It's so easy to neglect those core spiritual disciplines when you are in a busy season.""The best thing about working from home is you can work anytime you want. The worst thing about working from home is you can work anytime you want.""Being disciplined when it comes to stopping working is hard, but essential.""Pay more attention to your character than to your credentials.""Your character is ultimately what is going to safeguard your ministry and your life from destruction." "All the advice in the book is useless if you don't do one thing: get enough sleep.""Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is get enough sleep." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network CTPastors.com Your Future Self Will Thank You by Drew Dyck Christian Hospitality and Muslim Immigration in an Age of Fear by Matthew Keemingk The Gospel-Driven Church by Jared Wilson Godric by Frederick Beuchner The Holy Post Podcast The Dream Podcast The Dropout Podcast

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Michael Kelley, Lifeway director of Discipleship. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: * What have you learned from producing Bible studies for the last 13 years?* What have you found are the most popular Bible study topics and why?* What are some of the bug shifts happening in the church right now as it relates to discipleship?* What are your thoughts on churches doing Growth Track?* Discuss the 10 years of longitudinal research on discipleship. BEST QUOTES "There is a version of a child that you are progressively becoming like as you move further and further along in your relationship with Jesus.""Clarity is king. When you write there's a temptation to be clever at any cost.""Outlines are a helpful tool if you really want people to grasp and internalize the message.""As a publisher, we don't just have an a la carte approach to the way we publish.""People really do find value in studying the Bible.""Even a non-Christian values common grace kind of wisdom.""Discipleship has become a nebulous term that means different things to different people.""All we are really doing in discipleship is trying to help someone else follow Jesus.""So much Christianity is a learn-by-doing model." "My discipleship is not only the effect of my growth, it is the means of my growth.""If you do just one thing, I guarantee your life will change. Just read the Bible." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network Growing Down by Michael Kelley The Shape of Faith to Come by Brad Waggoner Transformational Discipleship by Eric Geiger, Michael Kelley, and Philip Nation No Silver Bullets by Daniel Im Discipleship Pathway Assessment Daily Discipleship Guide The One Thing Podcast This Episode's Sponsor: Feeling unequipped for marriage ministry? Woo Marriage is here to help. Backed by research and designed with your church in mind, Woo Marriage provides Christ-centered marriage coaching for your entire church. Get your first month free with offer code LEADERSHIP at WooMarriage.com/FreeTrial.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Dave Schroeder, marketing leader for B&H Books and cohost of the Table of (Mal)Contents Podcast. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: * Why are leadership biographies important for church leaders?* Which leadership biographies are your favorites?* Which biographies should leaders stay away from?* What do you say to those who don't read biographies?* What can we learn from history books in general? BEST QUOTES "Most church leaders seem to be reading one category of book.""Pick someone you are interested in. Get recommendations. Do your research.""If the author can't tell a good enough story to keep you captivated to read on, then what's the point?""There is so much value from leaders of the past because they have life lessons that are a gift to the reader.""Even if it's not a history book, you need to be studying people.""Start in a place that brings you joy and entertainment and you will get life lessons out of it.""Wouldn't you rather learn from the mistakes of others than make them all yourself?""There is so much to be learned from reading history books and through the people and the stories that they go through.""The leaders of the past have done the hard work for us, let's learn from that." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network Table of (Mal)Contents Podcast John Adams by Dave McCullough 1776 by David McCullough Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose Grant by Ron Chernow

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Shaunti Feldhahn, author of For Women Only, For Men Only, and The Kindness Challenge. During their conversation, they discuss how finances impact marriage and how traveling for work affects leadership in the home. BEST QUOTES "We've been studying why in our marriages we fight about money.""What we found out is that when we are sideways with each other about money, it's not about the money.""So many of our marriages are really living separate financial lives.""We talked about that we as women don't always understand what's in the heart of our husband.""The average awesome loving husband has no idea that his wife still questions if she is lovable.""If the average man has that self doubt running under the surface and it is a raw nerve, then the average pastor man that nerve is probably that much more acute.""It was a step of obedience, and now I can't imagine how I got throughout things without this.""Because we travel so much we don't have the ability to do what most people think of as a date night.""It's amazing the difference that it makes when I allow Jeff to be the leader that he is, rather than take charge and tell him what to do.""I've really had to learn the difference between bossiness and leadership.""Usually leadership is not a matter of being a director, it's usually a matter of coming alongside someone and helping steer them." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn For Men Only by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn The Kindness Challenge by Shaunti Feldhahn Questions Every Wife is Asking Podcast The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages by Shaunti Feldhahn Group Answers Podcast This Episode's Sponsor: Feeling unequipped for marriage ministry? Woo Marriage is here to help. Backed by research and designed with your church in mind, Woo Marriage provides Christ-centered marriage coaching for your entire church. Get your first month free with offer code LEADERSHIP at WooMarriage.com/FreeTrial.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Karen Swallow Prior, professor of English at Liberty University and author of On Reading Well. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: * Why did you write a book on reading and what have you learned from reading widely?* What does it mean to read well?* What benefit does reading literature have to leading?* You encourage individuals to read slowly, why and how do we do that?* Explain the virtues you discuss in the book. BEST QUOTES “The art and the skill of reading literature suffers with the digitization of the material we take in.""Literature is an art. It's indirect and doesn't tell you what the moral is.""Reading well in the literal way is reading to comprehend the text, but beyond that is interpreting and applying that meaning to our lives.""When we read well we are practicing being human.""By it's very nature, written words require us to think abstractly and in a more linear fashion than images supported by dramatic music in the background.""There is so much research to show how reading literary fiction actually cultivates empathy.""You aren't reading just to get the information, you are reading to engage in the art of language and human experience.""According to Aristotle, every virtue is a mean or moderation between two vices - an excess and a deficiency.""Oftentimes prudence is recognizing all the variables in a situation and doing what is wise in that situation." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me by Karen Swallow Prior Fierce Convictions by Karen Swallow Prior Group Answers Podcast This Episode's Sponsor: Feeling unequipped for marriage ministry? Woo Marriage is here to help. Backed by research and designed with your church in mind, Woo Marriage provides Christ-centered marriage coaching for your entire church. Get your first month free with offer code LEADERSHIP at WooMarriage.com/FreeTrial.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins, Daniel Im, and Earl Roberson breakdown the leadership book Leadership and the One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard. In their conversation they discuss the following questions: * What's the book and why does it matter?* Overview of the book* How applicable is the book to leadership in my church?* What are things churches should ignore from the book?* What can you do this week in light of the book? BEST QUOTES “This book is a reminder that leaders are to adjust their leadership styles to the needs and the uniqueness of the people they give leadership to.""We all have books on our shelves and we treat them like encyclopedias and we go back to them based on the different phases in life we go through, and Leadership and the One Minute Manager is one of those for me.""Leadership style is how you behave when you are trying to influence someone's well-being or their performance.""Sometimes leadership is micro-management.""If you have to be super directional with someone actually that means you are providing them with clarity, and all leaders want clarity.""If you treat everyone the same you are going to get varying results for those that you manage.""Situational leadership is coaching.""The best leaders I've ever been around regardless of their IQ and experience, ask for internal and external voices to speak into their work.""The best leaders are collaborative leaders that don't sit in silos.""Some people confuse competence and ability.""In each situation think about, am I doing this with someone or to someone?" RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network Leadership and the One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Talent Is Overrated by Geoff Colvin 90 Second Leadership: Transitional vs. Developmental Coaching The First 90 Days

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Brad Hambrick, pastor of counseling at Summit Church. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: * How is the church's response to abuse ultimately rooted in the gospel? * Why are both preventative training and response planning necessary for churches when it comes to abuse? * What are some of the best examples of practical ways you've seen churches minister to those who have become victims of abuse? * How do you provide pastoral care to an abuser in your congregation? * How can church leaders develop relationships with local law enforcement and biblical counselors to best serve abuse victims? BEST QUOTES "The gospel is both God's message for sin, and how He ultimately brings comfort for suffering in a broken world." "If we are going to effectively bring a message of hope from Christ for what people in the world around us are going through, we are going to have to be able to talk about the implications of the gospel for suffering." "If we do nothing, then what happens in darkness advances and the most vulnerable are those who pay the price." "We must engage the uncomfortable conversation." "Every church needs to have a clearly designed plan for how they would respond if an instance of abuse were to come up in their church." "Abusing a child is a predatory action. It is something that forethought goes into that the opportunity is sought out." "Background checks are a first step, they are not an adequate step." "The vast majority of abuse is going to happen when there is a transition from being in a public setting to having a degree of private access to the children." "I think the most practical and powerful thing that a church can do is listen." "The most loving thing that can be done toward an abuser is remove any opportunity for future abuse." "Ask questions from a posture of humility." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network ChurchCares.com Text "churchcares" to 888111 for more information EST Podcast This Episode's Sponsor: Feeling unequipped for marriage ministry? Woo Marriage is here to help. Backed by research and designed with your church in mind, Woo Marriage provides Christ-centered marriage coaching for your entire church. Get your first month free with offer code LEADERSHIP at WooMarriage.com/FreeTrial.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Scott McConnell, Executive Director of Lifeway Research. During their conversation, they discuss the following questions: * Why this research? * What are the common beliefs and misconceptions about sexual misconduct in the church? * What surprised you the most about the research? * What's the biggest take away for church leaders? * What can churches do now in light of this? BEST QUOTES "Lifeway funded this study and we surveyed 1800 protestant churchgoers to really understand their perspective on this topic." "9 out of 10 church attendees believe the church would be a place for them to heal from sexual assault." "Three-fourths of church attendees believe that if somebody brought allegations within the church that they had been assaulted that they would be believed in that context." "We talk about the church being a place for healing, but only about 1 out of 6 people say they know someone in the church that has experienced assault." "94% agree that women are valued in the church." "17% say that some hugs at church seem like more than just a greeting." "Almost 1 out of 5 churches rarely talk about sex." "8 out of 10 church attendees don't remember their pastor discussing sexual assault in a sermon." "We need to be looking at everyone as a creation of God and cannot be crossing those lines." "4% of churchgoers knew someone who had crossed the line as an assailant and it had not come to light yet." "32% of churchgoers believe that many more pastors will be found to have abused children or teens than have come to light so far." "It is important for churches to be proactive in trying to protect children and adults from sexual misconduct." "The best thing you can do for newcomers is to help them see the safety that there is in dropping their kids off." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network 5LQ Episode 278: Scott McConnell on VBS Research 5LQ Episode 294: Scott McConnell on Bible Research 5LQ Episode 299: Research on the Unchurched 5LQ Episode 305: The State of Theology Text "research" to 888111 to receive a link to download this research Lifeway Research Study Results Ministry Grid Abuse Prevention and Response Training Church Cares Making Disciples Podcast This Episode's Sponsor: Feeling unequipped for marriage ministry? Woo Marriage is here to help. Backed by research and designed with your church in mind, Woo Marriage provides Christ-centered marriage coaching for your entire church. Get your first month free with offer code LEADERSHIP at WooMarriage.com/FreeTrial.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Michael Kelsey, campus pastor at McLean Bible Church. During their conversation, they discuss taking time alone to be a better decision maker and working under different pastoral leadership styles. BEST QUOTES "God's been good and teaching me to be me and to be humble and realize I'm not David Platt." "I think the thing that has shaped me between the two of them is just an urgency to make sure that the gospel is clear." "He came in wanting to collaborate with the people who had deep roots and a lot of leadership influence in the church." "We have historically been a church that has offered this menu of services tailor-made to every demographic and need, but I think long-term that catches up to you." "I have to have quiet time every day - just stopping and having enough time alone to get clarity for leadership decisions." "Sometimes we short-circuit the process because it's hard." "I'm much sharper, concise, and pointed in my effectiveness if I actually take a moment to think." "Every morning I pray based on Ephesians 5, 'Holy Spirit I give you control today.'" "I've been trying to redirect my discretionary time and energy to blessing my wife." "The most important thing about me is my intimacy with God and my character before Him." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network McLean Bible Church New Churches Essential Campus Pastoring Course Procrastinate on Purpose by Rory Vaden Truth's Table Podcast Just Gospel Conference Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast 5LQ Episode 330: Personality Assessments for Leaders with Steve Cockram Day One Journaling App Making Disciples Podcast This Episode's Sponsor: Feeling unequipped for marriage ministry? Woo Marriage is here to help. Backed by research and designed with your church in mind, Woo Marriage provides Christ-centered marriage coaching for your entire church. Get your first month free with offer code LEADERSHIP at WooMarriage.com/FreeTrial.

In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im are joined by Bonny Andrews, founder of LiveJam. During their conversation, they discuss how LiveJam is reaching youth in India and how to make time for conversations with high level leaders. BEST QUOTES "We want to make sure that they have the gospel in their world in the way that they like to consume it." "We believe that the local church is the hero and we exist to resource the local church." "You have to be open to conversations from all different directions." "One of the things you hear in leadership circles is that it's lonely at the top. That's not the case for me." "I'm constantly pushing our team to take risks. It's OK to make mistakes." "We come from a shame-based culture. We wanted to kill the stigma around depression." "The greatest hope we can tell people is about the love of Jesus." "I'm constantly trying to talk to people. I have at least an hour a day talking to a person who is a high-level leader." "We are talking about our big dreams with our kids on a daily basis." "The hardest thing for me is to pray before I do something." "I would invest more in the people outside of my staff." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network Bonny Andrews LiveJam Transform Cities Ask Me Anything Podcast with J.D. Greeer