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Do you value collaboration? Yes, we're really asking. “The VALUE of…” is a new podcast series exploring what is important to Christ-centered leaders. Values are more than things we profess. Values are the essential elements that guide a leader's decisions and actions. They help teams make decisions and know what is important. Across the next several episodes we’ll dive into questions like: Why are values important?  What does living into our values look like (and why it’s important)?   What are examples of transformational ministries that can result?  And what adaptive leadership challenges emerge when you’re living and leading from your values. This week we start with an exploration of the value of collaboration. As a Christ-centered leader, the ministries you shepherd likely depend on collaboration. A leader’s role is to equip others for the work of ministry. And THAT requires collaboration. Collaboration isn't simply about dividing out tasks. As we explore collaboration you'll hear examples of ministry As a Christian leader, embodying your core values rather than just talking about them is essential to create a culture that reflects these values and guides the work of leaders. Collaboration is a transformative force that moves beyond the walls of the church and seeks to bring about positive change in communities.  But collaboration isn’t just about doing things together. It’s also important for leaders to practice ongoing reflection, relationship-building, and feedback to foster collaboration. Yes, we’re pointing to community. A community is important in enabling effective collaboration. Look for more on that next week. Embrace collaboration as a key value and leverage it to bring about meaningful transformation in your ministry and beyond. Read more and find other episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/280

In episode 279, explore how HOPE comes to life in two very different ways, hear the origin of HOPE, and explore how your strengths - individually and as a congregation - can inform how you go about offering HOPE. If you’re thinking, didn’t they say last week was the final episode about HOPE? You are correct. But, we realized that having separated the four aspects of HOPE would help to bring the conversation together. Listen to this episode, explore CliftonStrengths and discipleship, and connect to the individual episodes about each aspect of this discipleship pathway at https://transformingmission.org/279

The fourth episode of the miniseries, Habits of HOPE, explores how engagement models HOPE and guides people to become more like Jesus.  The “E” in HOPE stands for Engagement. Engaging in acts of justice and service is about embodying the love of God we know in Jesus. Service takes us outside the church walls to be with others in ministry. Whether it’s a compassion ministry, children’s afterschool ministry, ministry with seniors, or something different altogether, serving with others pushes us beyond our routine.  Being the hands and feet of Jesus is an embodiment of grace. Please don’t read into that statement. We’re not talking about doing something to or for others. When we talk about service, we’re specifically talking about relational ministry.  Walk with us as we guide you through serving in the local community. It starts and ends with prayer. In between, you’ll experience how each essential element of the Habits of HOPE come to life. Starting with creating an environment of hospitality, moving to offering Christ, practicing the faith, and yes, engaging in acts of service.  Listen to Episode 278 to hear how an afterschool ministry might look for a small group of people seeking to engage in acts of service. What we discuss will likely surprise you.  If you missed the previous episodes in this series, head to the show notes page where we’ll link to episodes 275-277. You can find the show notes here: https://transformingmission.org/278  

In the third episode of the miniseries, Habits of HOPE, explore the place the spiritual disciplines have in making disciples of Jesus Christ. As Christian leaders, there are at least three things we confuse we disciple-making. Listen in and reflect on how information, busyness, and disconnection are counter to forming and growing as disciples of Jesus. H: Hospitality - reaching out and receiving new people in the name of Jesus. O: Offering Christ - Offering people an opportunity to make a commitment to Christ. P: Practices - practicing the faith through the spiritual disciplines to be transformed into the image of Christ E: Engagement - engaging in acts of justice and service with others in your local community and around the world. We'll explore this in the next episode. This series includes episodes 275-279. Head to the show notes page at https://transformingmission.org/podcast for links to each of the episodes

Explore the second aspect of disciple-making, Offering Christ. We offer Christ when we invite people to make a commitment to Jesus. Sometimes this happens in public professions of faith like baptism. At other times, it's a simple rhythm of life as a follower of Jesus. As you grow and deepen your relationship with Christ, new ways emerge to deepen your commitment. Listen as we share stories about how offering Christ transforms lives - including ours. In this series, we're exploring four essential elements of disciple-making using the acronym, HOPE. This episode looks at different ways we offer Christ within and beyond the local congregation. As you seek to follow Jesus, offering Christ flows out of the love we receive from Jesus. As Christ-centered leaders, how are you offering Christ to the people in your community?  Listen to this episode and find other episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/276. This series runs from episodes 275-279. Watch for another aspect of disciple-making next week as we explore what it means to practice the faith.

Explore the four essential aspects of disciple-making across the next four episodes. Hear stories and illustrations from individual, congregational, and circuit perspectives to help you live into our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. This week, we start with hospitality. Hear how welcoming others in the name of Jesus, creating spaces for people to encounter God's love, and everyday actions guide people to experience God's goodness and grace. Let's get one thing out of the way. Hospitality is NOT what you do, it's who you are. Join us for a conversation about this essential component of disciple-making. Find this episode and the following episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/podcast

When all seems lost, what do you do? When darkness surrounds your life, where do you turn? Look to Mary, Martha, Lazarus, the disciples and Jesus to explore Holy Week Hope. Walk away with practical suggestions for leading through darkness and despair. Explore three aspects of cultivating hope, and be reminded that following Jesus is the way to hope. Wishing you a faithful journey through Holy Week and a blessed Easter.  Show note: we'll be back on April 25, 2023 for the next episode of LeaderCast.

Explore the power of empathy, by looking at John 9, the story of the man born blind. Look to the role shame played in this man's life experience and how as leaders we can create an environment where empathy fuels connection. Listen to other episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/podcast

The woman at the well sets the scene for several questions. The one we raise comes from the cultural context of the day, “What’s wrong with this picture? What’s wrong with the picture? When we fail to view the scripture from God’s perspective and instead read into the scripture debates from our current cultural context. As we’ll come to see, Jesus shows us there is absolutely nothing wrong with the picture of Jesus, at a well, talking to a woman and asking her for a drink. Because what Jesus offers is available to everyone. Jesus reminds us the woman’s gender, social location, culture, and background didn’t matter. He offers living water and that’s all she needs to hear - an offer of new life. Read more at https://transformingmission.org/272

This series, “Leading Through Lent” invites you to breathe in God’s goodness and the realities of life and ministry as we look at the scriptures of the season through the lens of leadership. We begin by exploring what the “spiritual perfectionists” remind us in leadership. Learn more at https://transformingmission.org/podcast    

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." - Matthew 5:10-12 As we conclude this series on the Beatitudes, we end with a tough one. If you're thinking, "How are the persecuted blessed?" Or if you think it's an invitation to find a way to be persecuted, listen in to explore the depth and breadth of this scripture. Christ-centered leaders will walk away with a reminder that your leadership does not depend upon persecution or praise. Your leadership depends upon your trust in Jesus. You'll also explore what the tension between the church and the world might mean. We invite you to consider whenever tension ceases to exist between the church and the world, one of two things has happened. Either the world has been completely converted to Jesus, or the church has watered down and compromised its purpose. What happens then? In compromising the church loses its influence and is ignored.  At the end of the day, here's where persecution comes in: at the end of the day, we are called to live God's message, whatever the cost.  Listen to this episode and previous episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/podcast

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9) Explore what it means to be a peacemaker and how God empowers us at our baptism to be peacemakers. Then, be reminded of several ways the peace of Christ is embodied in the life and leadership of the church.  You are called one of God's beloved. Did you know that also empowers you to be a peacemaker? Learn more and listen to other episodes in this series at transformingmission.org/269

The word “mercy” has its root in the Hebrew word “hesed.” A word used in the Old Testament to express the unique quality of the love and mercy of God. It means to identify with the suffering of others. To go through something with another person. To enter another person’s problems or dilemma with understanding and acceptance. As Jesus followers, we have experienced “hesed” in and through Jesus. To be merciful then is to identify with the suffering of others, to empathize, and to be generous. This is the sixth episode in a series on the Beatitudes. Find these episodes on the podcast page at https://transformingmission.org/podcast

Is it better to be right or righteous? As citizens of the new order God's creating in our midst, are you hungering and thirsting for a life of righteousness or only seeking to be right? Listen to explore the meaning of this beatitude from the Gospel of Matthew. Find all the episodes in this series at https://transformingmission.org/podcast  

In part four of the Beatitudes and Leadership series we explore, "blessed are the meek." Liste to explore the different ways meek appears in scripture, what it means for your life and leadership, as well as misconceptions we have about those who are meek. Learn more at https://transformingmission.org/podcast. This series begins with episode 263. You're listening to episode 266.

In episode three on the beatitudes, explore what "blessed are they who mourn" has to do with life and leadership. You'll hear three ways that people mourn alongside stories to encourage you as a Christ-centered leader. To learn more and access other episodes in this series, head to https://transformingmission.org/podcast. Episode 263 - Blessed are the poor in spirit Episode 264 - Blessed are the pure in heart Episode 265 - Blessed are those who mourn

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 grounds this episode and guides us in an exploration of what it means to be blessed when your heart is pure. In Matthew, the invitation is to live a holy and righteous life. To be pure in heart is to make room in your life for all of Jesus' friends. Learn more about this series and explore the scripture mentioned in Episode 264 at https://transformingmission.org/podcast

The beatitudes are often quoted scriptures. Explore what being blessed means in scripture and how as Christ-centered leaders the beatitudes impact your life and leadership. Each week of this series we look at a different beatitude and explore how it applies to Christ-centered leaders. Learn more at https://transformingmission.org/podcast

Start the year exploring five questions to help you center your prayer life for 2023. Learn more at https://transformingmission.org/262

The hope of God with Us is the message of Christmas. In this episode, explore a familiar passage of scripture often read on Christmas eve and be reminded, God is with you. To find resources for this episode, go to Episode 261 on the podcast page at https://transformingmission.org/podcast