S1.E24 - Spiritual Warfare

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 24 - Spiritual Warfare

It’s the final episode of EE Leaders Season 1! (Don’t worry, Season 2 is coming up.) It’s been a great first season, and as Pastor Daniel says, “It’s all been by God’s grace.” If you haven’t heard all the episodes, they are available now to watch or listen to and share with your friends in ministry (see link below). In this episode, Pastor Daniel talks in depth with his dad, Pastor Joe Williams, Calvary Chapel of Tacoma (Washington) about spiritual warfare, what it is and how it affects the daily life of every Christian on earth. What does the Bible say about demonic activity? Every person who lives for God is going to face opposition. But Satan is a defeated foe. God has given us the tools to fight to defeat him. As Christians, we need to learn to use the weapons of spiritual warfare that God has given us. Knowing the word of God, spending time in prayer with Him, and gathering together with other believers to stand united against the enemy. Pastor Joe gives us a great encouragement to walk in the power of the name of Jesus Christ. You’ll be blessed!

In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Jason Sanchez, Director of House of Blessing Orphanage in Bachiniva, Mexico shares his advice about the importance of humility.

One Piece of Advice | Humility

Jason Sanchez, Director of House of Blessing, Bachiniva, Mexico, shares his advice to stay humble. “Humility is crucial for leaders and pastors because it is our human nature, especially in a position of leadership and power where people look up to you…to naturally, in our flesh, let that puff us up.” We end up thinking we’re something we’re not and somehow we reach a status where we’re not so reliant on the Lord. James 4:10 instructs us: Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. This is the great lesson the Lord taught Jason when he and his wife moved from Washington to Mexico to start an orphanage. The move put him in an unfamiliar position of receiving praise and applause not only from believers but especially from unbelievers in the local communities. “Directing an orphanage, working with orphans, draws the attention and admiration of everyone—the affirmation from unbelievers put me in a scary spot. That’s when the Lord brought it to my attention, to stay humble.” Jason talks about how you can do that.  “Put checks and balances in your life where you can humble yourself. Sweep a floor. Take the trash out. Keep it in the forefront of your mind.” You can follow Jason at thehouseofblessing.org

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Quotes:

“The devil is real…Whatever you do for the kingdom of God, he is going to try to stop you.” -Joe Williams

“Wherever the gospel is preached, there’s always been opposition. You will have opposition.” -Joe Williams

“Spiritual warfare began when you became a Christian.” -Joe Williams

“God has given us the tools to defeat the enemy.” -Joe Williams

“Don’t walk in fear of the devil. Fight spiritual warfare in the power of the Spirit and the word of God.” -Joe Williams

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Links:

Links: Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E23 - The Weapon of Prayer

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 23 - The Weapon of Prayer

In this episode, Pastor Daniel gets excitied, encouraging everyone to pray! Understand this: prayer is a spiritual weapon. “You are in spiritual battle. If you are ignorant or ignore that fact, you probably aren’t winning the battle.” (David Guzik) The Apostle Peter describes this reality in 1 Peter 5:8: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. No amount of studying or skill can overcome a lack of prayer. God’s power is activated through prayer. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15) We all need this reminder of the amazing access to God’s strength and power through prayer.  

In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Julius Sanna, Joy Church, Delray Beach, FL shares from Proverbs 3:5 about trusting in God with all of our heart.

One Piece of Advice - Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

Pastor Julius Sanna, Joy Church, Delray Beach, FL shares his insight into the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5 to trust in the Lord with all of your heart. The limits of our own understanding of situations as leaders forces us to sometimes stop or take a pause to ask God what’s next. “God is always available for us to approach. When you lean on God, God is able to direct your path.” During times of adversity and challenges, we need to remember this. Adding fasting to your prayer life can clarify God’s leading. “When I’m calling on God..and I add fasting…it clears my ears so that I’m not only calling on God, but when He speaks, I can hear Him so clearly.” Make fasting a habit of your prayer life. Like Jesus, we need to separate ourselves from the noise of life and listen to the Father. Prayer gives you the strength to apply what God has instructed you to do. 

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Quotes:

“Many people devote themselves to studying God’s word and preparation but not necessarily prayer.” -Daniel Williams

“If you are strangers to prayer, you are strangers to power.” - Billy Sunday

“We must be aware of the fact that we are in a battle. And we must know how to fight as men and women of God.” -Daniel Williams

“As soon as you pray, God is on the move.” -Daniel Williams

“There is a huge impact on our world when we are men and women of prayer, trusting in God, depending on Him.” -Daniel Williams

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E22 - Preach The Word

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 22 - Preach The Word

This week Pastor Daniel talks with Pastor David Guzik, Calvary Chapel, Santa Barbara, CA author of Enduring Word Bible Commentary, which contains written commentary on the entire Bible. David talks about the benefits of studying the word of God and the impact it has had on his life. This is a refreshingly candid talk about the realities of what it’s like to teach God’s word in season and out of season.  “We’re talking about, through both personal study and the power of the preached Word, Jesus Christ coming to his people and those who will become His people through His word.” What is Biblical preaching? What about topical teaching? What is his process for preparing to teach a Bible message? What study tools does he recommend? This is a workshop on expository teaching from one of the best. Follow David Guzik at enduringword.com, on Facebook and Instagram. 

In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Glenn Shaffer, Claremore, OK, shares his advice on having a passion for prayer.

One Piece of Advice - A Passion for Prayer

Pastor Glenn Shaffer, Claremore, OK offers his advice after 40 years in ministry—have a passion for prayer. Jesus said, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38) “You never reach a place in your  spiritual life where your flesh is not weak.” Prayer is the one thing that is absolutely required for ministry. “It is the foundation of us being Spirit-led leaders. Because without that, we’re just giving information.” Begin to develop time in prayer. “Your people will pray because you pray.” Find out more about Pastor Glenn’s ministry, Apostolic Teams International at apostolicteams.com. 

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QUOTES:

“Personally the greatest benefit [of studying the Bible] has been just wonderful, significant, deep fellowship with God in and through His word. Nothing really replaces that.” -David Guzik

“I meet God in His word.” -David Guzik

“The call we have as ministers—you do it in season and out of season, when it’s evidently bearing fruit and when it’s winter and there’s nothing on the vine.” -David Guzik

“You see the transforming power of God work as Jesus meets people in and through His word.” -David Guzik

“Biblical preaching is preaching that has fundamentally the ideas and themes of the Bible as the ideas and themes of the preaching.” -David Guzik

“Prayer for me is a before, during and after thing…making yourself open to the mind of God.” -David Guzik

“If you’re really called to preach, regard it as your life’s work…If you’re going to fulfill the potential and the giftedness that God’s given you, it’s not going to come on the cheap.” -David Guzik

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LINKS:

Refresh Conference 2018: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E21 - Seeing Jesus in All of Scripture

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 21 - Seeing Jesus in All of Scripture

Dr. Warren Gage, Fort Lauderdale, FL, talks about how we understand and preach Christ in all the scriptures. Jesus spoke about this in John 5:39: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.” What we want to find in all the scripture is the gospel. Using three different passages—the sleep of Adam for his bride (Genesis 2), Daniel in the lion’s den (Daniel 6), and the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19), Dr. Gage points out where and how the gospel is pictured, sometimes simply and other times with elaborate detail. You can read more on this subject in Dr. Gage’s book Milestones to Emmaus. Follow his leadership ministry at alexandrianforum.org

In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor David Guzik shares his advice about what is most important in teaching the Bible.

One Piece of Advice - The Message is in the Text

Pastor David Guzik, Santa Barbara, California, shares his advice which is specifically in the area of biblical preaching and teaching. “Come to the Bible with the mentality that the message is in the biblical text. You don’t have to create a message.” Your job as a preacher and teacher is to unlock and reveal and explain the message. The idea of having to create a message each time is an unnecessary burden to bear. “Reorient your thinking. Say, ‘The message is there—I just need to let it be exposed, to bring the biblical message.’” Then you can apply all your skills in making that message known. It will make you a more effective church leader. You can find David Guzik online at enduringword.com. 

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Quotes:

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:29

“We have to have the resurrection that validates the work of Christ on the cross, that is the Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice on our behalf in a substitutionary sense.” -Warren Gage

“The core of the gospel is substitution. I would urge everybody that is in a preaching or teaching role—that is the point that needs to be clarified most, the idea that somebody has to understand that Christ died in their place.” -Warren Gage

“We can read the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, in such a way as to see the gospel in all the stories. I think it’s the common denominator to every major narrative in the text.” -Warren Gage

“The more of these illustrations that you see, eventually you learn that the gospel really is everywhere.” -Warren Gage

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Links:

Refresh Conference: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E20 - Mentorship

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 20 - Mentorship

This week Pastor Daniel talks with Robby Christmas from Family Church in West Palm Beach, Florida about his ministry with their Church Planting Residency Program. This is a leadership pipeline where guys are trained to be church planters, pastors and ministry leaders and then mobilized in teams and sent out to plant churches. In particular, what role does mentoring have in training leaders and what is the benefit of mentoring others? “A mentor is someone who pours into you what God has poured into them,” often through a mentor of their own. Mentors hold you accountable and speak into your life, seeing things you may not be able to see in yourself. It’s all built on a relationship with that person, on true friendship and trust. It takes time. Engage people and ask people about their own life. Robby shares some great stories of finding a mentor and being a mentor and how it can change your life. Find out more about the Church Planting Residency Program at www.familychurchnetwork.com

In this week’s One Piece of Advice, another local pastor, Pastor Andrew Lundy, shares his perspective on mentoring. 

One Piece of Advice | Have a Mentor

Pastor Andrew Lundy, Boca Raton, Florida shares the value of having a coach or a mentor, someone who has walked what you have walked through and is able to walk with you through the challenges and defeats—and the victories, too. Someone to be be a good friend, to remind you of the good news of Jesus. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:15, “For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” No one can replace the value of a spiritual father. “I can learn the strategies, read the books, and know the methods but still be a lonely leader, alone in the journey.” We are taught in Proverbs 11:25 that “he who waters, himself will be watered.” As pastors we are in desperate need of the same ministry that we’re giving to others. So make sure you find that friend, that mentor, someone to remind you that your truest identity is that you are a son of God. 

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Quotes:

“One of the biggest benefits to having a mentor is to help you see blind spots. No matter what kind of leader you are, you have blind spots. Having a mentor helps you grow in ways you might not know you need to grow.” -Robby Christmas

“Relationship equals influence. If you are not connected at the heart level, you’re not going to influence that person.” -Robby Christmas

“Mentoring someone takes time.” -Robby Christmas

“When we care for others, there is something inside of us that clicks and goes, ‘Wow, that was right, that was the right thing to do.’” -Robby Christmas

“If you want to be mentored by someone, first look for someone that loves like Jesus. Then you go out and engage that person. Get on their calendar.” -Robby Christmas

“Look for people who are faithful, available and teachable.” -Robby Christmas

“The more the leadership skills you’re passing on are reproducible, the more influence they’re going to have because that person can easily pass it on to others.” -Robby Christmas

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E19 - Empowering Others

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 19 - Empowering Others

God has called us to work in teams. The greater the vision, the greater the need for a great team. We need to be learning from mentors and also passing on our influence to others. In this week’s lesson, Pastor Bill Mitchell, Boca Community Church, shares about the importance of empowering others. Pastor Bill started a ministry called BocaLead, hosting a monthly luncheon speaking to over 400 local business leaders, sharing biblical principles with the aim to raise the bar on ethics and integrity in the business community. Here he shares five ways to empower the people who work on your team, distilling the main points of the book The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, “one of the seminal books on leadership.” 1)Model the way. 2)Inspire a Shared Vision. 3)Challenge the process. 4)Enable others to act. 5)Encourage the heart. Those are the points, but you’ve got to hear him share it. It’s empowering. Find out more at BocaLead.com

This week’s One Piece of Advice comes from Pastor Trip Kimball, Jacksonville, FL about leaders passing on to the next generation—empowering others.

One Piece of Advice | Invest in Others

Pastor Trip Kimball, Jacksonville, Florida, talks about the most important thing he has learned through his many years of ministry: invest in the lives of others. There is a football team whose mantra is “Next Man Up.” This is the idea of having someone always ready to step in and do the job. “You need to be raising someone up behind you, because you don’t know what’s going to happen with you. God may call you to another role or move you on.” Do you have someone you’re raising up? It’s basic discipleship. It’s something that seems to have been lacking in the churches in America. It doesn’t just happen. It’s intentional. It is relational. Jesus set the perfect example for us with His disciples. But it isn’t just a pattern or a program—it’s a responsibility. Look for people who are attentive and responsive to the Holy Spirit, who love the Lord. Take the time and invest in the younger generation.

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Quotes:

“You don’t have to be a leader of hundreds or thousands or a movement, you can just be a leader with one other person. Leadership principles work in your home as well.” -Bill Mitchell

“You and I as leaders have to model the way for other people.” -Bill Mitchell

“Help people see the future where you’re heading, but also help them do away with the things that don’t apply today.” -Bill Mitchell

“Challenge the process is really looking to see how it can be done better, quicker, less expensively—whatever is important in your industry—but doing it honestly, doing it with inspiration, doing it with competence.” -Bill Mitchell

“The ability to enable somebody to use their gift allows great things to happen.” -Bill Mitchell

“Ultimately as a leader we’ve got to go deeper than just the top, physical things that we’re doing. If you encourage the heart, you will stand out…Just be kind to people, be compassionate to people, show a little generosity.” -Bill Mitchell

“I would suggest to you that you develop a consistent way in which you lead, so that when people come they will see a true vertical.” -Bill Mitchell

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

Refresh Conference: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

S1.E18 - Recruiting & Retaining Volunteers

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 18 - Recruiting & Retaining Volunteers

In this week’s episode, Pastor Daniel talks about how leaders can encourage people to become actively involved in serving God through serving others. Jesus demonstrated this active service by washing His disciples’ feet. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15) The idea of encouraging others to serve is a natural part of leadership. From Jesus’ example in Mark 3, Daniel shares practical ways to help us in recruiting and retaining people for ministry. Have the right attitude. Ask people personally. Give clear instructions. Lead by example. Explain the why of what we do. Be real. This is hard work. People need encouragement. Give them the word of God. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Show appreciation to your volunteers. Rely on God. “What we’re doing is impossible without the Holy Spirit. It is God working through us.” We have to be able to choose people and then depend on God to do the work. Pray and ask for the Lord to do it, for His kingdom and His glory.

This week’s One Piece of Advice about shepherding your team comes from Dr. Warren Gage, who serves in Fort Lauderdale.

One Piece of Advice - Seek a Pastor’s Heart

Pastor Warren Gage, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, shares the advice he received himself as a young preacher from his own mentor, Dr. W.A. Criswell to seek a pastor’s heart, a shepherd’s heart. “To seek a shepherd’s heart is to share in the heart of Christ himself.” In seeking this heart you will receive insight into the scriptures that very few people have. You will see God’s word through the heart and eyes of Jesus, the Great Shepherd. “Be encouraged. Seek that heart. Study the Savior. Learn His love for His people—the good shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep.”

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Quotes:

“We have to work together to get great things done.” -Daniel Williams

“We want to encourage and persuade people to serve God by serving others.” -Daniel Williams

“Serving is a part of our faith. It’s how we grow. And we should want to recruit people to mature and to grow in the body and to serve one another.” -Daniel Williams

“It is an incredible privilege to serve Jesus. People follow passion. They follow conviction. If you have the right attitude that says it is worth it, people will follow that.” -Daniel Williams

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

Refresh Conference: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

S1.E17 - A Team Approach

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1 Episode 17 - A Team Approach

Peyton Jones, Longbeach, California, is an author, church planter, leadership trainer, podcaster, and writer. In this week’s episode, Peyton talks about the strike team approach to ministry, based on the model of Paul, what a strike team looks like and what it’s made up of.   We know from his epistles that Paul did not go alone and that he moved very quickly in teams. Ephesians 4 describes the roles of team members as they have been gifted by God: He gave gifts to men…And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.(Ephesians 4:8, 11-12). Jesus is the only one who embodied all five of these Himself, but He has given these gifts individually to those He has called to equip the saints. How are these gifts different from each other? What is their purpose in ministry? “If you had all these guys working together, imagine the powerful combination that would be. That’s what Paul imagined. In fact it’s more than what Paul imagined—it’s what he saw. And it’s what he did.” Read more about Peyton Jones and his ministry at peytonjones.ninja

This week’s One Piece of Advice about team leadership comes from Pastor Kevin Day, serving in Pastor Daniel’s home state of Washington. 

One Piece of Advice | Build Trust

Pastor Kevin Day, Kent, Washington shares his advice on the importance of building trust, particularly when it comes to leadership. Over the past five years, Pastor Kevin and his church leadership have developed this idea using the TEAM model: great teams TRUST each other; great teams ENERGIZE each other, great teams APPRECIATE each other, and great teams MAXIMIZE each other. But the idea of trust became the foundational element, based on three steps. 1)Trust must be intentionally developed. 2)Trust must be intentionally nurtured. 3) Trust must be intentionally rebuilt. But how do we do this, how do we build trust? It takes time and transparency. It takes truth and testimony. There is no growth without change. There is no change without loss. There is no loss without pain. “The degree to which we are willing to change is the degree to which we will grow. No change, no growth. No growth, it’s a slow death. And we don’t want to see that. What we want to see is a living, growing church.”

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Quotes: 

“Although Jesus died on the cross, and we know that His work was finished on the cross, for our justification, Christ’s work of kingdom expansion was not finished and He left that to us. He passed on the ministry of spreading the word of what He did on the cross…His ministry continues through us.” -Peyton Jones

“Not all leaders are going to be alike. The body of Christ needs to grow and grow until it fills out that Jesus-shaped hole that was left. And it will only happen as these gifts are working.”  -Peyton Jones

“Apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers…That strike team packs a powerful punch. It’s a team impacting the community around it. It’s what I call the A-Team. They are frontline.”  -Peyton Jones

‘Paul knew he only had a limited amount of time. So he would identify their gifts. He would strategically get them raised up. And then he would deploy them outward. And not just outward from their church, but into their community.”  -Peyton Jones

“If the church will go back to this, we will begin to pack a punch. We will have people who not only know good theology, but they know how to do practically what they’ve been reading about or teaching about.”  -Peyton Jones

Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E16 - Taking Ventures of Faith

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 16 - Taking Ventures of Faith

Pastor Daniel talks with his friend and fellow church planter, Pastor Esteban Valenzuela, Madrid, Spain about taking ventures of faith. In 2010, God called Esteban and his wife Tifiny to plant a church in Madrid, Spain. It would be five years before they would embark on their mission. In 2015, they left for Spain. Esteban talks about the ongoing role of faith as the work in Madrid continues. “God has taught me a lot since then. Each step of this journey has required faith. There may be giants in the land, there may be obstacles, but if God is with us, these obstacles are nothing. We are going to keep moving forward.” A large part of the walk of faith requires stepping into the unknown. Esteban shares what this looks like in daily life and ministry and how God has taught him what it means to lean on Him. Ask God to help you discern the difference between what might be a work of the flesh and waiting on God to move. What do you do with disappointment and unmet expectations in ministry? Are you expecting God to do what He has not said He would do? It’s all about submission and surrender to Him and taking actions of obedience and trust. “God is our inheritance. Jesus is our prize.” Stay connected with Valenzuelas at vtribe4jesus.com. Both Esteban and Tifiny are on Facebook. 

In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Joel Turner, Calgary, Alberta shares his advice on keeping faith, even when you don’t feel like it.

One Piece of Advice - Keeping Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) In other words, faith is the substance of what you know is coming your way, even though it’s not yet seen. It is not wishful thinking. “Whether I see it presently, whether I understand it intellectually or experience it immediately, I know what God says, He’ll do.” In the gospel account of Jesus calming the storm, He told His disciples that they would go to the other side. They didn’t remember it when the storm hit, but Jesus kept His word. We need to trust the one who sits in the boat with us. He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.” (Matthew 8:26) He has promised to get us to the other side. You may not feel it, but you can faith it. 

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Quotes:

“Faith is understanding God’s plan or will, His speaking to you, and then even though you don’t see it, like a door you can put your hand on and open, you begin to move, you begin to act.” -Esteban Valenzuela

“Sometimes faith is in your heart. It’s a position you take. I am going to believe that this is what God has spoken to me and I am going to believe that this is what He has for me.” Esteban Valenzuela

“We find our security in things that we can touch and hold and control. And God calls us to something that is outside of our control. God is operating outside all of those calculations, so He gets all the glory.” -Esteban Valenzuela

“I don’t think that God tells us to do something without our understanding because He’s cruel, I actually think it’s for our own good. It’s for His glory.” - Daniel Williams

“Pray about those steps you take. Be willing to wait on God.” -Esteban Valenzuela

“Praying through scripture has absolutely been a lifeline for me—just taking a chapter of the Bible and praying through it and crying out to God.” -Esteban Valenzuela

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

Refresh Conference 2018: redemptiondb.com/conference

S1.E15 - Spiritual Disciplines

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 15 - Spiritual Disciplines

In this episode, Pastor Daniel talks about ways to cultivate our faith through the practice of  spiritual disciplines and why these disciplines are so vital. In his book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney says, “In my own pastoral and personal Christian experience, I can say that I have never known a man or a woman who came to spiritual maturity except through discipline. Godliness comes through discipline.” In 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul instructs Timothy to undertake this training: Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. Spiritual disciplines do not need to be complicated. It is more about seeking to be in the presence of God and using spiritual disciplines as a way to get to know Him and trust Him. Making the word of God your first priority, worshipping God through singing, fasting and praying, practicing a Sabbath day of rest, giving thanks to God, having fellowship/community with other believers, serving others—these are just some examples of spiritual disciplines that will draw you closer to Jesus. How are you seeking God’s presence through spiritual disciplines? What is the next step for you? “From faith to faith. Step by step. There is profit in godliness. The way that we become godly is by being with God.”

One Piece of Advice | Proverbs & Spiritual Discipline

This week’s One Piece of Advice, is actually taken from a 3-Minute Message series on  Proverbs that Redemption Church did last summer. In this video, Pastor Robby Christmas, from Family Church in West Palm Beach, FL encourages the church to be diligent in practicing spiritual disciplines. 

Link: https://redemptiondb.com/the-book-of-proverbs-3-minute-messages

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QUOTES:

“To have spiritual disciplines cultivates our faith, it takes work, it takes time, it takes effort—but it is definitely worth it.” -Daniel Williams

“So many times in our life, we don’t want to do things that make us uncomfortable, that are hard—even the word discipline, that you practice this effort—but the Bible says if we are going to grow in our faith we need to practice spiritual discipline.” -Daniel Williams

“We want to do things that help our faith grow, to trust in Jesus more. In any good relationship, there’s work.” -Daniel Williams

“We can actually limit God in our lives because we lack faith and trust in Him. We don’t do what He says because we don’t believe what He says.” -Daniel Williams

“The best thing for you as a ministry leader is this—to be in the presence of the Lord. This is how I view spiritual disciplines. We get to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and we get to seek Him. That should be your top priority. And that should be my top priority.” -Daniel Williams

“Knowing the living God—Jesus, the King—changes everything. Out of that intimacy flows ministry.” -Daniel Williams

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

3 Minute Messages by Redemption Church Delray Beach: https://redemptiondb.com/3-minute-messages/

S1.E14 - From Faith to Faith

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 14 - From Faith to Faith

In this week’s episode, Pastor Daniel talks about having faith in different seasons of life and ministry, how important it is for us as church leaders to trust God no matter what is going on at any given time. “It is from faith to faith that we are to live, to walk by faith and not by sight.” This type of faith is cultivated. It grows and changes. What may have taken a huge step of faith in our life three years ago may not be the same today. God grows our faith step by step. What is faith and why is it important for us as ministry leaders? “Faith is trust in someone or something. Our salvation comes by faith. We are saved by grace through faith. We trust that God has the power to do this.” In Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews, we are given great examples of faith and this definition: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) One of the temptations of having the gift of leadership is to begin to trust in our own abilities rather than trusting in God. But we need to constantly remind ourselves, through prayer and intentional reliance upon Him, that God Himself is the source of our plans and any success we may have. Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3) How can you cultivate your faith today? What is God telling you to do that requires faith? Daniel gives four reasons why faith is important in this and every season of life. You don’t want to miss it. You will be encouraged.

In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Ben Courson, founder and director of Hope Generation, shares his advice about how to cultivate our faith by taking risks in ministry.

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One Piece of Advice | Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks

Pastor Ben Courson, Medford, Oregon shares his advice based on Proverbs 14:14—Where no oxen are, the trough is clean. But much increase comes by the strength of an ox. Ben describes this as a farmer who is proud of his pristine barn when, in reality, he has no animals. What is the point in having a clean barn if there is no produce? “I would rather have a messy, pig stye, productive life than a pristine, problem-free, pointless life.” Sometimes we think the purpose of our lives is to to keep our lives clean, to never take any risks. But the truth is, every failure and mess you learn from is a step toward the victory. “God turns massive messes into messages for the masses.” Many famously successful people have a long track record of failures: Reggie Jackson, Walt Disney, Dr. Seuss, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln…they didn’t let their failures keep them from pushing headlong into life. “We might fail, but God’s love never fails—that’s what counts. Don’t be afraid to take risks. You might have a messy barn, but at least you’re going to have some produce! It ain’t about how high you climb, it’s about how high you bounce back when you hit bottom.” You can follow Ben and his ministry, Hope Generation, at bencourson.com

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Quotes:

“Seasons were given to us by God. They’re for a reason. Without change, without seasons, we can become stagnant and just take for granted the season we are in.” -Daniel Williams

“We need to cultivate our faith. We need to exercise our faith to get stronger like a muscle, and we need to continue to put on more weight and to continue to walk by faith, one step after another.” -Daniel Williams

“As Christians our faith is based on God’s word, based on what He is telling us. He asks us to listen to His voice, to understand who He is, and to base our lives off of who He says He is and the promises that He tells us to walk in.” -Daniel Williams

“We will be blessed when we trust in Jesus and His word.” -Daniel Williams

“You are the mission of Jesus…He puts us in situations to build our faith. He is sovereign. He is good.” -Daniel Williams

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Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E13 - Memorizing Scripture

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 13 - Memorizing Scripture

This week Daniel talks with his friend Ben Courson, the hope-full and hope-filled founder and director of Hope Generation, an international ministry including television, radio, podcast, YouTube and Instagram. He also pastors in Medford, Oregon. And he memorizes a LOT of scripture. In this lesson, Ben talks about how he does it and why it’s important. What motivated him to get started memorizing scripture? Growing up as a pastor’s kid and listening to scripture songs started Ben on this lifelong practice of memorizing scripture. “It’s just easier if it’s set to music.” What does the Bible have to say about the power of God’s word in our hearts? Psalm 1 speaks of the blessing that comes with meditating on the law of God day and night. It gives you strength. So what is the key to memorizing scripture? You just have to do the work. The Bible talks a lot about diligence, sticking with something. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men (Colossians 3:23) Ben himself followed the 10,000 hour principle of mastery, devoting that amount of time over a 5-year period to studying, memorizing, writing and teaching about God’s word. But you start where you’re at. If you have an hour a week, memorize one scripture. Sometimes you don’t have anyone around to encourage you. David encouraged himself in the Lord. You can, too. Ben’s favorite verse? Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord and He will also give you the desires of your heart. Follow Ben at www.bencourson.com. Here is the link to his YouTube video: www.bencourson.com/hope-generation-creative-1/1/21/2017/promises  In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Daniel’s dad, Pastor Joe Williams, Tacoma, Washington, shares encouragement through the scriptures. 

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One Piece of Advice | Be Encouraged

Pastor Joe Williams, Tacoma, Washington shares his encouragement to keep moving forward in ministry—stay the course, stay focused, persevere in the calling. After 37 years in the ministry, Pastor Joe knows something about perseverance. You can feel like quitting, but don’t quit. Sometimes a situation can start out very negative, but it can end up very positive. Consider the lives of Joseph and Job, that all things worked together for their good in the end (Romans 8:28). In his own ministry, Pastor Joe’s church has experienced theft, flooding, financial struggles, difficulties like many of you have experienced. God has been faithful through it all, replacing what was lost with even better things. “Any time you preach the word of God, there is always going to be opposition. You have an adversary. You have an enemy.” Remember that David strengthened himself in the Lord, and that is what we must do. Trust God in every situation. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9). You will see the blessings of the Lord come out of your obedience. “God never calls us to be successful, He calls us to be faithful.” Encouraging words from a true servant of the Lord.

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Quotes: 

“The Hebrew idea of meditation, in contrast with the Eastern concept of emptying your mind, is about filling your mind. So the biblical authors are saying you ought to fill your mind with the word of God.” -Ben Courson

“Faith can move mountains but don’t be surprised if God hands you a shovel.” -Ben Courson

“Success only comes before work in the dictionary.” -Ben Courson

“If you’re constantly speaking scripture into your soul, you’re going to be a lot more joyful, you’re going to be a lot more spiritually healthy, you’re going to be more physically healthy because the book of Proverbs says “a merry heart does good like medicine.” -Ben Courson

“Even start with one verse and just repeat it until you know it backwards and forwards for a week and you watch how it will galvanize you for the saying of words and the doing of deeds for the kingdom.” -Ben Courson

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Recommended Book of the Month: Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper

This month’s recommended book by John Piper is the new updated edition of the book originally released in 2003. As one reviewer writes, “I loved this book then and, with several new chapters, I love it even more now.  I hope every pastor reads this book and listens to its sane, practical, biblical advice.” (Kevin DeYoung)

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

Refresh Conference: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

S1.E12 - The Hard Work of Ministry

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 12 - The Hard Work of the Ministry

Pastor Pilgrim Benham, Bradenton, Florida, shares about persevering in the hard work of ministry, challenging us to reset our minds and have a different perspective about work, remembering what it is we are called to do. The great story of Ernest Shackleton’s exploration of the Antarctic and how those who went on that expedition knew what they signed up for is worth hearing. The Apostle Paul writes about what he suffered in the hard work of ministry in 2 Corinthians 11, that he was imprisoned, beaten repeatedly, near death, shipwrecked, tortured, stoned, constantly in danger and suffering from a chronic physical ailment. What kept him going? Jesus did. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (Hebrews 12:9) What is overwhelming you in ministry? Call out to Jesus. Paul also wrote about running this race with endurance—which is very hard work. Endurance is “patience where you sit down and accept the thing that is in front of you. And not just sit down, but master it.” Are you not bearing fruit like you thought you would? Don’t look back. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 Ministry is hard work. But stay focused on Jesus and finish well. He is worth it. In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Joe Harris, Tampa, Florida shares his advice about working hard. 

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One Piece of Advice | The Hard Work of the Ministry

Pastor Joe Harris, Tampa, Florida, talks about the hard work it takes to be in ministry. “It was cleaning sludge out of gas tanks that prepared me for ministry in a way that even working on staff at mega-church did not. Accepting a call to pastor a church is signing up for hard work and self-denial of the norms that many other people get to experience. We are servants who get dirty and wash the feet of people like Judas.” Like Nehemiah and the Jews in Jerusalem, pastors are blazing a trail with a sword in one hand and a block in the other. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:28-29) It’s hard work and it’s labor, but the blessing of it is getting to see the power of God transform the lives of people.

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Quotes:

“The idea is that when I come to serve Jesus in ministry, I’m not here to get anything back. I’m here to give.” -Pilgrim Benham

“Sometimes giving means struggle, it means suffering.” -Pilgrim Benham

“I want to encourage you to run the race that’s marked out for you—with perseverance, with endurance.” -Pilgrim Benham

“That’s what I long for—to know that the ministry that He’s doing in my life is going to result in fruit, which is souls.” -Pilgrim Benham

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E11 - The Importance of Prayer

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 11 - The Importance of Prayer

Pastor Daniel talks about the overarching importance of prayer in leadership. Prayer comes first. Everything we do must be surrendered to God in prayer. A simple definition of prayer is talking and listening to God. “We need to be men and women of prayer who prioritize talking and walking with God, and relying on His strength, His will, His power.” Jesus taught us that when we pray we ought to be asking for God’s will to be done, not our own. Daniel shares his own story of how he grew in this area of prayer through the experience of church planting In Delray Beach, Florida, and being totally dependent upon God. “We really saw God direct us over and over and over again through prayer.” Asking God for opportunities, not knowing anyone in the city, then going out and sharing the gospel with people wherever they went—and people responded to the power of God’s grace. “We got to see God do His greatest miracle—saving a soul.” All of these things happened as a result of God’s response to prayer. When we ask, He moves. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2). Jesus modeled this for us in His ministry and taught His disciples to pray. Not if you pray, but when you pray. We need to see prayer as a great privilege and to grasp that it is God’s desire to know us and for us to know Him. Prayer should be an integral part of every area of ministry. Seeing God work through prayer builds confidence and trust in Him so that we know whether He says yes or no or not yet, He knows what we need and when we need it. Ultimately prayer changes us. We were made to worship and just as Moses was changed by being in the presence of God, so, too, as we worship Him we reflect Him to the people. Daniel discusses practical ways to build the habit of prayer in your life, For more information and great resources on prayer go to redemptiondb.com/30for30prayer. In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Eric Souza talks about having godly character (that part of us that is changed to reflect God through prayer) and why it is essential in ministry.

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One Piece of Advice | Having Godly Character

Pastor Eric Souza, Jacksonville, Florida, talks about the importance of having godly character. Having godly character is crucial, really, for leadership but also for Christian living in general. In      Timothy 3, Paul lists the expectations for bishops and elders and other church leaders. And in 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul says to “imitate me as I imitate Christ.” “This should be our verse as leaders. The people we shepherd need to be able to see Jesus in us. They need to be able to look to us as that positive example.” This is the only way to have an effective and fruitful ministry. “If we expect to lead anybody, we need to show them.” The fact is, godliness needs to be real to you. Christianity needs to be real to you. Godly character is incredibly important because it validates our ministry to people. It makes us authentic because we are living what we are preaching. 

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Quotes:

“As His servants, serving His church, it is important to be in communion with Him, to listen to our Master. And when we pray, we actually align our hearts up with His will.” -Daniel Williams

“I think it is so important that we testify of the importance of prayer and how as leaders we see God work.” -Daniel Williams

“God expects His people to pray.” -Daniel Williams

“Jesus wants you to see the blessing in prayer. God wants to have a relationship with you.” -Daniel Williams

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E10 - The Holy Spirit

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 10 - The Holy Spirit

Pastor Daniel introduces this episode about being filled with the Holy Spirit as we serve Jesus. We can rely on Him, on His Spirit for our strength. This Leadership Lesson is given by Pastor Jim Gallagher, the lead pastor at Calvary Chapel Vero Beach and also one of the regional directors of Calvary Chapel in South Florida. The phrase “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is used six times in the New Testament, including all four of the gospels. In Matthew 3:11, referring to Jesus, John the Baptist said, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. “Everything that happens through the believers in the book of Acts is a byproduct of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” This baptism is something that is promised to all those who believe in Christ. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit being with us, in us, and coming upon us. “Jesus referred to the Spirit in us as being born again. Paul referred to it as the washing of regeneration. The New Testament writers saw the need for the church and the Christian to be continually filled with the Spirit. A few passages with that concept: Romans 15, 2 Corinthians 13; Galatians 3; Ephesians 5; 1 Thessalonians 5. “The work of the Spirit is to lead a person to faith in Christ, to convert that person when they believe on Jesus, to transform a person into the image of Jesus, and to supply continual gifting and empowering as we step out to serve the Lord.” In Luke 11:13 Jesus says that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks Him. He is available to all believers. We are not left on our own. What should a person expect when they are filled with the Spirit? 6 things:1)Sanctification; 2)The presence of God more in daily life, teaching and guiding us; 3)Desire to reach the lost; 4)Fruit of the Spirit; 5)Increased effectiveness in prayer 6)Power of the Spirit (Acts 1:8) We in ministry are completely dependent upon the power of the Spirit to do the work of the heart. “Continually seek God for a fresh work of the Spirit.”  In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor John Panico tells us the importance surrendering to Jesus, the source of all things.

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One Piece of Advice | Throw in the Towel (Surrender)

Pastor John Panico, Delray Beach, Florida, shares his advice to throw in the towel and surrender to God. “The difference between giving up and surrender is that, in the Christian life, the moment you throw in the towel that’s the moment you’re saying, ‘I surrender.’ And that’s the moment God comes in and floods your life with His power.” Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6) God commences the work, He continues the work, and He completes the work. “Surrender to Him. Throw in the towel and watch what He does.”

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Quotes: 

“The work of the Holy Spirit is to baptize believers. The idea is of a person being submerged or filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit.” -Jim Gallagher

“The real mark that a person belongs to Jesus is not something external, it is something internal, and it’s when the Spirit of God enters us.” -Jim Gallagher

“The work of the Spirit is to regenerate us to salvation and then to continually fill and equip us as we seek to follow Christ.” -Jim Gallagher

“A fresh work of the Spirit will show itself in the desire to become more like Jesus.” -Jim Gallagher

“The chief work of the Spirit coming upon someone is a power.” -Jim Gallagher

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E9 - Being Flexible

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 9 - Being Flexible

It’s no surprise to any of us. Things don’t always go as we planned. And so we have to be flexible. In this week’s episode, Pastor Daniel talks with his good friend Jason Sanchez, Director of House of Blessing Orphanage in Bachiniva, Mexico—a man well acquainted with the need to be flexible. Jason and his wife Jackie moved with their daughter Ayantu to Bachiniva in 2012 to start an orphanage, House of Blessing, where they are co-directors, along with a staff of four and interns and volunteers who serve short-term. They currently have 15 children in the orphanage, 5 boys and 10 girls, ranging in age from 3 to 16 years. How has he seen his plans not go according to plan in his ministry there? “My plans never go according to plan, especially in Mexico…Even now, five years later, it is still hard to get used to.” So how did being flexible work with that, how did you deal with it? Jason describes the process of first trying to fix it, to change the way it was and seeing his efforts prove to be futile, then crying out to God for help in getting done what God had clearly called them to do. Most of us know Proverbs 16:9: The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. We can quote it, but then when it actually happens that our plans don’t work out, we don’t like dealing with it. But you have to be flexible. God is the one in control. Where does planning fit in being flexible? Looking to Jesus as our example, we see that He knew where He was going, He was headed in a certain direction, but He stopped for people and gave them His time and attention, even when it was difficult or inconvenient. Jesus dealt with interruptions and distractions as opportunities to fulfill the Father’s plan. We need to know that God has the final say. And work on not stressing out when things don’t go the way you planned. …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6) Some final words of encouragement from Jason: If you really want to grow in this area of flexibility, look for an opportunity for a cross-cultural experience. Go on a missions trip. You can reach Jason at thehouseofblessing.org on FB as Bachiniva Orphanage. This week’s One Piece of Advice fits right in with this idea of learning to handle stress—don’t freak out. God is in control.

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One Piece of Advice | Don’t Freak Out

Pastor Adam Parsons, Orlando, shares his advice on not freaking out when you experience what the Bible calls tribulations. “Things going wrong? That’s like my field; that’s what I can talk about!” Jesus has told us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). And in Romans 5:3, Paul encourages us to actually exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance. We are meant to rejoice in our sufferings. “It is just the reality of life. Suffering is not the result of God being angry with us or God pushing us away. Try to think about suffering in another light. “We think of God working through us in ministry. God wants to work in us through ministry." Pastor Adam gives us 4 Ps to help us remember what to do when we’re tempted to freak out in suffering: Pray: Talk to God about what is going on. Preach to yourself: Remind yourself what God has said in His word about suffering. Press forward: Trust in the sovereignty of God. “Anything that has come into my life or your life, God has a unique purpose for.” And finally, Promise: Remember that God has promised to bless us when we are faithful. We can count on Him.

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Coming up…Refresh Conference | Hosted by Redemption Church

November 9 & 10, 2018 | Veteran’s Day Weekend

Cost: $50 includes lunch on Saturday

Guest Speakers: Pastor David Guzik (enduringword.com) & Jason Sanchez (thehouseofblessing.org)

Register: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

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Quotes: 

“God, if we’re really going to live down here and do this, then you’ve got to change me, personally, in how to adapt to this. Because it was very hard and very, very frustrating.” -Jason Sanchez

“In America, we go, go, go. We do, do, do. Maybe it’s planning your schedule to allow for some flex time.” -Jason Sanchez

“Pray: ‘God, give me the spirit of flexibility.’ Pray for openness. ‘Lord, I literally want my plan to go according to your way.’” -Jason Sanchez

“We think of God working through us in ministry. God wants to work in us through ministry." -Adam Parsons

“Anything that has come into my life or your life, God has a unique purpose for.” -Adam Parsons

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

Refresh Conference: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

S1.E8 - Event Planning

Before we get started in today’s Leadership Lesson, we want to announce the second annual Refresh Conference here in Delray Beach on November 9 & 10, 2018. It’s Friday evening and Saturday of Veteran’s Day weekend. Cost: $50 for the weekend, including lunch on Saturday. We’re planning a time of encouragement for church leaders and their teams which is hosted by Redemption Church. Guest Speakers this year will be Pastor David Guzik, who is a longtime pastor and author. You can find his ministry at enduringword.com. Also speaking will be Jason Sanchez, Director of House of Blessing Orphanage in Bachiniva, Mexico (houseofblessing.org) More information is available on our church website at redemptiondb.com/conference. 

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EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 8 - Event Planning

In this week’s Leadership Lessons, Pastor Daniel shares from his own experiences in event planning. An event is any time we gather together as a group. We want these events to be beneficial. “I’ve had my share of epic failures, but I want to learn from my mistakes, to get better, to improve.” Here are 10 principles for event planning. 1)Pray. Ask God for wisdom and vision. (James 1:5). 2)Have a goal/define success. What is the point of this event? (Proverbs 29:18) 3)Get others involved. Let people help. There are great benefits in working as a team. (1 Corinthians 12:21) 4)Listen. Ask for input. Brainstorm. (Ecclesiastes 4:9) 5)Traditions are great, but be creative. Try new things. (1 Corinthians 12:5-6) 6)Make the event worth the time and money. Communicate the why and how it can bring value to their life. 7)Pray for the people coming to the event, that they will be blessed. It’s easy to get so busy planning that you forget this step. 8)Communicate well. Make sure to communicate the details. Tell people what to expect. (Ecclesiastes 12:9-10) 9)Be flexible/adjust. “We want to act calmly when our plan doesn’t go the way we think it should.” Chuck Smith always said, “Blessed are the flexible, for they will not break.” 10)Follow up/evaluate after the event. Ask questions. What could we change to make it better? Do it while your team’s memory is fresh.God gives the grace to have a great event. “It’s a sweet privilege to be used by God in this way, to plan events and to bless people.” So those are the 10 principles of event planning. Now you take them and apply them in your own way in your own ministry, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s been a blessing to share them with you. In today’s One Piece of Advice, my friend, Robby Christmas, is going to talk about how it’s important to have a reproducible tool that you can share and pass on to other people.

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One Piece of Advice | Reproducible Tool

Pastor Robby Christmas, West Palm Beach, Florida, shares his advice for sharing the gospel: Have a simple, reproducible gospel tool that you can use regularly and that you can train others to use. Why is this so important? As leaders, we can make assumptions about what people are able to do and what people are, in fact, doing. “I came to the point in my journey where I learned this the hard way. People weren’t sharing the gospel like I thought they were.” What was missing was this very thing: a simple, reproducible gospel tool. The tool Pastor Robby uses is called 3Circles. It is being used and reproduced around the world. “If you want people under your leadership to be sharing the gospel, you have to model that.” You may have the gift of evangelism or your own personal way of sharing, but it will only reproduce if other people can be taught to share it themselves. Being prepared for a gospel conversation is no different than preparing for any other important assignment. Jesus has called us to be ready to share the gospel. For more information on 3Circles go to: https://www.namb.net/video/3-circles-life-conversation-guide or lifeonmissionbook.com

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Quotes:

“As leaders we want our gatherings to serve a purpose, to align with our mission and vision, but really to bless people. We want those events to be beneficial.” -Daniel Williams

“Don’t be afraid to use someone else’s ideas.” -Daniel Williams

"From time to time you should change up the format. I love being able to bring in guest speakers. It creates a bit of freshness to be creative.” -Daniel Williams

“We need to make sure we’re bringing value to our gatherings by doing the little things. Little things can bring a lot of value.” -Daniel Williams

“God’s sovereignty is much better than our plans.” -Daniel Williams

“We want to be good planners and plan great events, but God wants us to grow and exercise faith.” -Daniel Williams

“If you want people under your leadership to be sharing the gospel, you have to model that.” -Robby Christmas

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com 

Refresh Conference: www.redemptiondb.com/conference

S1.E7 - Meetings

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 7 - Meetings

This week’s Leadership Lesson on meetings comes from Executive Pastor Steve Wright from Family Church, a multi-campus church and movement in South Florida. “We actually have a philosophy of meetings here at our church that is very robust and strong because we believe that that’s how you move vision forward. Meetings for us are the traction of how vision is set.” All of our meetings have five basic elements to them. 1)Start with prayer. It’s not about us or our skill set, it’s all about the Lord and what He is able to do through us. 2)Tell stories. We want to allow people on our teams to share with grateful hearts the things that God is doing so we can all celebrate those successes. 3)Review action items from the previous week, so there is accountability for our teams. Who is trustworthy to do what they’ve said they would do? 5)Look at our calendar for things coming up this Sunday, next week, next month. We talk things out. “I want to make sure as a leader that I’m setting an environment of collaboration. I want to value the contribution of those that are on my team. I invite all of the people in the meetings to contribute.” 5)Specific people being assigned specific times to get projects done. It’s not nebulous anymore; there’s a very specific action item. That’s the way we run meetings. We are not legalistically bound to these things, but they at least give us a framework, a guide. It’s been helpful for us at Family Church. This week’s One Piece of Advice comes from another pastor sharing his advice on how we can grow in this area of learning from each other.

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One Piece of Advice | Good Leaders are Good Learners

Pastor Razz Vazquez, Miami, Florida, shares his advice from Acts 6:3: Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. The first point is that leaders were chosen from among you. “To lead, you have to be able to follow. To teach, you have to be able to learn." These men were teachable, they were “appointable.” A good quality of leadership is learn to learn. Learn from those with whom God has raised you up.” From among you refers to this family in which God has placed you. As a pastor yourself, have a pastor or a group of pastors who can speak into your life and hold you accountable. Be faithful to your calling. 

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Recommended Book of the Month: H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle. by Brad Lomenick

This is a great book by a guy with a lot of experience. He was the president of Catalyst, one of America’s most influential leadership movements. Here are a couple quotes: “Character is like oxygen; it is something we often don’t think about until it’s depleted." “Done is better than perfect.” More quotes can be found in the blog section of eeleaders.com. If you’d like to add some quotes of your own, please share them.

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Quotes:

“I want to hold lightly the things of God. Obviously I am a steward, not an owner and because these things are not mine to own, they are God’s, I want to hold them lightly.” -Steve Wright

“We want to make Jesus’ name great. The message I want to send to all of my teams is that we are solely, 100% dependent upon the Lord. I want to establish that in all of my meetings. I want to model that as a leader that this is where we want to start.” -Steve Wright

“One of the things that we want to model for our staff as we are in our meeting times is these stories, that we can with grateful hearts assign thanks to the Lord.” -Steve Wright

“We like to say we have 52 big events every year. They happen every Sunday.” -Steve Wright

“To lead, you have to be able to follow. To teach, you have to be able to learn." -Pastor Razz Vazquez

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

Church For the Rest of Us Podcast: https://www.familychurchnetwork.com/church-for-the-rest-of-us-podcast/

S1.E6 - Your Schedule

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Episode 6: Your Schedule

In this jam-packed episode, Daniel talks about the importance of planning your schedule. Good planning is part of good stewardship, of managing your time wisely. But you can’t do that unless you know what you’re supposed to be doing. That starts with understanding the will of God for your life. Ask God to show you that. Seek it out. Hebrews 12:1 talks about the sins that “easily entangle” us. We need to be vigilant; we don’t want to be held back or tripped up by Satan’s schemes. “If God has told you to go left and you’re going right, that is not a very wise thing.” Then, based on what God has called you to do, what He says is valuable for you to do, plan your schedule. Implementing the plan is essential. Daniel shares a helpful tool for prioritizing your schedule by using four categories: 1)Important; 2)Unimportant; 3)Urgent; 4)Non-urgent. You will hear how he does it and how it can help you with your planning. God repeatedly reminds us in His word to make His priorities ours. Have an eternal perspective. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.(Colossians 3:2) Learn to say NO. This keeps you focused and productive. Go to God daily and set your schedule before Him. Then trust Him when things don’t go according to your plan. Be flexible, but schedule it. “What gets scheduled gets done.” (Michael Hyatt) Daniel walks you through his schedule to get an idea of what this looks like for him, including how to block your time and the invaluable practice of taking a sabbath day. And always remember Who your focus is; Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 12:21) In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Lewis Williams reminds us of this very thing.

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One Piece of Advice - Trust in the Lord

Pastor Lewis Williams, Houston, Texas, shares the advice found in Proverbs 3:5-6—Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Everyone prizes having knowledge and being smart, but we always come up short. We think we know, but we don’t. It is the Lord who knows. “Trust means we give Him our full confidence. All our heart means we don’t have room in our heart for anything besides God.” Don’t lean on your own understanding means don’t you do the thinking. Let God tell you. “In everything that we do, God should be somehow recognized—before, during and after, as Christians.” When we go our own way without asking or trusting God, things don’t turn out very well. But when we trust God first, it goes much better. “He knows the direction that you need to go, that is best for your development.”

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Quotes:

“As a leader, as a Christian man, I want to be able to be a good steward and faithful to God and worship God with my time…and so I want to be aware of how I’m spending my time and I want to invest my time wisely." -Daniel Williams

“Just because we’re busy does not mean we’re effective. We need to make sure we understand that. You can be busy but not be fruitful. Are you busy doing the right things and are you busy doing it in God’s strength, through His Spirit? -Daniel Williams

“So we want to schedule our time, we want to plan according to the word of God and what He tells us that we should be valuing, what He tells us is important and unimportant.” -Daniel Williams

“God is a planner. Before the foundations of the earth He planned to come and save us. He is an amazing planner!” -Daniel Williams

“Planning has changed my life dramatically because it’s allowed me to say the simple word: NO.  Because when I know the things God has called me to do, I can say yes to those things and no to other things.” -Daniel Williams

“In everything that we do, God should be somehow recognized—before, during and after, as Christians.” -Lewis Williams

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com

S1.E5 - Alignment

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Episode 5: Alignment

In this episode, Daniel talks about alignment—implementing mission and vision in your church, with Pastor Bruce Zachary, Senior Pastor of Calvary Nexus in Camarillo, California (calvarynexus.org). Bruce is also founder of VELO Church Leaders (velochurchleaders.org) and serves as Co-Director of Calvary Church Planting Network, a global church planting initiative. Why does your church need a mission or vision statement? It is important to understand the difference between a mission statement and vision. A mission statement is the core values of a church that don’t change over the course of time; they are longstanding, maybe 20 years. Vision may change. But a mission statement is “a compass, a true north.” Bruce discusses five characteristics of what a mission statement should be and why each is important. What it shouldn’t be is someone else’s mission statement, no matter how much you like it. “The problem is that you can’t take on somebody’s DNA. In other words, if you’re looking at another church and thinking we’ll just do what they’re doing…if it’s not your DNA, it’s not going to be effective.” What are some practical ways to communication your mission? Repeat it. Get it out there in as many different forms as possible—and be consistent. “The best way to stay on target is not to get distracted by things that are not your vision or your mission.” Evaluate everything in terms of its impact on your mission. Then implement it. Most leaders don’t have all the skills necessary to accomplish every step in implementing the vision. This is why it is important to have a leadership team and work together strategically. Strategic implementation is the subject of this week’s One Piece of Advice with Pastor Mitch Thompson.

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One Piece of Advice | Strategic Framework

Pastor Mitch Thompson, Delray Beach, Florida, shares his advice on what his church has recently implemented through collaboration with other churches in their area. It is the idea of having a strategic framework based on strengthening areas of weakness or what Mitch calls “pain points” in their church’s ministry. “We realized we had failed in a lot of areas of being strategic as a church and a staff.” Through their willingness to collaborate with other churches they started a process of creating this framework. “We put together a ministry action plan so they all know what they’re doing that aligns with what God has uniquely called our church to do to move forward.” Mitch encourages this type of collaboration—“Get together, think through what is best practices and take advice from other churches who may not look like you but have been doing this longer and found some great ways that doing ministry has impacted their church and congregation.”

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Quotes:

“Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process of where God is going and how are we going to get there” -Simple Church, Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger

On knowing your mission—“As you contemplate the things that really stir you, that you’re passionate about, those things should be the core or the essence of your mission.” -Bruce Zachary

“The further out you’re thinking, the more that you have to remain steadfast in terms of that vision in order to see it through.” -Bruce Zachary

“Get together, think through what is best practices and take advice from other churches who may not look like you but have been doing this longer and found some great ways that doing ministry has impacted their church and congregation.” -Mitch Thompson

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

Leadership Lessons/One Piece of Advice/Blog/Recommended Books: eeleaders.com