S1.E4 - Vision From Jesus

EE Leaders | Leadership Podcast Season 1: Episode 4 - Vision From Jesus

In this episode, Pastor Andrew Lundy, Boca Raton, Florida, talks about vision. How does vision even come about? What does it look like? What do ministry leaders mean when they talk about vision? It is this: “Seeing what God sees—a work of God’s grace. To see what I wouldn’t see otherwise.” In this episode, Andrew explains the pathway—the how—of knowing God’s vision. It starts with Jesus, because God sees all things. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch over the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3) Vision starts with seeing things from God’s vantage point. God shares the pain of our suffering; He feels it. Then He does something about it. He searches for people to do His work here on earth. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless[a] toward him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) Then God selects people; He chooses individuals for certain tasks and certain purposes. Jesus chose the 12 disciples. He chooses those who are available for His service. And those He selects, He shows. “He opens our eyes to see what He sees. He gives us a vision of what He sees.” This vision from God planted by God stirs a person’s heart to feel what He feels. He entrusts us with His burdens and develops that stirring into a calling. Then He sends. He takes that burden with a vision and He gives it a mission, a task. This is the thrilling experience of being on that pathway of vision from God through the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit and resulting in praise and glory to God. In this week’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Jim Gallagher reminds us that it always begins with Jesus.

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One Piece of Advice - Seek Jesus

Pastor Jim Gallagher, Vero Beach, Florida, shares his advice on seeking Jesus. “Long before you were called to be a pastor, you were called to be a Christian.” While there are many struggles that are unique to pastoral ministry, regardless of which area of ministry you are in leadership over, your relationship with Jesus needs to be the primary thing. Measure yourself based on your being a child of God, not on the abundance or lack of fruit being produced in your ministry at any particular time. Make sure you keep your devotional life healthy. Don’t search the scriptures for a sermon illustration, search for how God might want to speak to you. Besides that, keep your relationship with your local community fresh, so that you’re always meeting people and having an opportunity to share the Lord. “Keep following Jesus, keep loving Him until He comes.”

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Quotes:

“God is looking for people—not perfect people, not capable people—but available people and willing people that He can use as vessels to accomplish His purposes.” -Andrew Lundy

“We see the grace of God in selecting empty vessels of normal-ness and weakness to display His awesomeness and HIs power.” -Andrew Lundy

“I’ve heard it said that having a vision without a task is a visionary. Having a task without a vision is drudgery. But a vision with a task makes a missionary.” -Andrew Lundy

“Long before you were called to be a pastor, you were called to be a Christian.” -Jim Gallagher

“Keep following Jesus, keep loving Him until He comes.” -Jim Gallagher

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

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

S1.E3 - Pass It On To Others

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 3 - Pass It On To Others

In this episode, Pastor Daniel talks about training leaders with Trip Kimball, Jacksonville, Florida, who is currently on staff with Poimen Ministries, a community of pastors serving pastors. You can find them at poimenministries.com. Trip draws from a lifetime of ministry experience which he shares in mentoring and developing leaders. Why is leadership important? “Just looking at what Jesus did…Jesus invested about three years of His life in the lives of men who became the foundation for the church.” The need for leadership in the church was apparent from the very beginning; you can read it in the epistles. Acts 6 describes a situation where more leaders were needed and how they resolved it: Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. (Acts 6:3) A pastor can’t do it all himself. He needs the help of those gifted and called by God. How do you do it? It starts very simply, working with a group of guys on how to study the Bible, how to put a message together, leadership basics. Then give them opportunities to do the work. Observe those already doing ministry. Who does what well? Pour into them what you know. You have to create opportunities for people to serve, to learn what works and what doesn’t. People learn by doing. Training others teaches you to do ministry better yourself. “I had people in my life who spoke into my life that were mentors. I looked back later at what did they do and then adapted to the situation at hand.” It’s the 2 Timothy 2:2 model, a pattern: …what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. There are times of formal training, but the most valuable times are informal settings where people are free to ask questions. You need to be available. This is the intentional part of discipleship. You have to step up and do it. You need to learn to listen to the person and really hear what they’re saying, so you can respond to them. But you alone can’t possibly know everything. A person needs more than one mentor. This week’s One Piece of Advice is about that. Pastor Pilgrim Benham shares his advice on friendship in ministry and why it’s so important.

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One Piece of Advice | Friendship

Pastor Pilgrim Benham, Bradenton, Florida, shares his advice about the importance of having a true friend in ministry. The friendship of Paul and Barnabas serves as a great example of two men whose relationship endured times of closeness as well as disagreement. It was Barnabas—son of encouragement—who first introduced Paul to the apostles after his conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:27). We need friends in ministry who will pull us, push us and challenge us in discipleship. We need accountability and encouragement. “We need to ‘vent up.’ We need to share our frustration in ministry, but we don’t want to do that with someone who is ministering under our care.” Find someone who is a peer or mentor in ministry, a person with whom you can talk openly and even weather conflict, iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17). This needs to be a priority. “Do you have someone in your life that’s a friend, someone that you can rely one and they can rely on you?”  Find more info on Pilgrim’s ministry at thisisshoreline.com and pilgrimbenham.com.

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Quotes:

“You’re not going to learn all this stuff from a book on leadership. You have to be observant.” -Trip Kimball

“In the process of learning, you also have to be discerning enough to know that’s not something I want to keep doing. But what would work? What would be a better thing to do?” -Trip Kimball

On having more than one mentor: “If they’re only looking at me, they’re only going to get my viewpoint. They’re only going to see things from my life experience. I don’t know everything there is to know." -Trip Kimball

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Links:

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

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

S1.E2 - Know Your Calling

EE Leaders | Leadership Lessons Season 1: Episode 2 - Know Your Calling

In this episode, Pastor Daniel begins with a question to ask yourself: Am I doing the things God has called me to do? and offering practical advice on how we can hear and discern God’s calling for our lives. What does calling mean? In his book Leaders Who Last, David Kraft describes calling as “the God of the universe speaking into your life and circumstances, expressing His will.” Your calling is something specific. Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. We all want to know what God wants us to do. We want to be fruitful. Knowing your calling helps you to stay focused, to endure hardship and pain when it comes. Jesus said to count the cost (Luke 14:28). The call to leadership will cost you. It is a life of sacrificial service. Knowing your calling starts with seeking God and knowing Him through His word and through prayer. You can’t know your calling without knowing God. Pastor Daniel gives four key areas to pursue this question of calling: 1)Character—Does your daily life and choices testify to your being a godly leader? 2)Competency—Do you have the skills and gifts to do the job? Are you currently using your gifts and skills to glorify God?. 3)Community—What does your community say about your calling? Seek the advice and counsel of your spouse and other godly people in your life. Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. (Proverbs 19:20) Is your community confirming your calling or saying you’re not ready yet? 4)Circumstances—What doors has God opened and shut for you in your life? Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. (Revelation 3:8) God knows His plans and purpose for our lives and He will accomplish that in order to expand His kingdom and bring Himself glory. Are your circumstances confirming your calling or telling you no or not yet? Closed doors may disappoint us, but we need to trust God. This is a long process and there are many layers of calling. But remember: You are the mission of Jesus. He loves you. Stay dependent on Him. Abide in Him. Be yourself. Discouragement can come from comparing yourself with others. In this month’s One Piece of Advice, Pastor Bryan Saylor talks about comparing. You’ll appreciate his encouragement.

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One Piece of Advice | Stop Comparing

Pastor Bryan Saylor, Melbourne, Florida, shares his advice, which is really a warning against falling into the trap of comparing yourself to others. In the world we live in today with its frenzy of social media, it can be easy to see yourself falling short in some area of your life since there is always someone somewhere who is doing life or ministry bigger and better than you are. The enemy can use this trap to make you feel embarrassed or ashamed of your own life. A better church, a cooler idea, a bigger audience…a constant barrage of me vs. others. It can be extremely destructive. “Actively eliminate comparison from your life—be vigilant about that.” Jesus talks about this type of self-discipline in Matthew 5:30: “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” It is essential that we get rid of the things in ministry that are holding us back. Stand guard against the enemy of comparison and when you recognize it, destroy it. 

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Recommended Book of the Month: Leaders Who Last by David Kraft

This book had a great influence on Pastor Daniel. Here’s one quote: “Make it your priority and goal to pour your life into future leaders.” 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 believe there is nothing greater than doing what God has called us to do.” -Daniel Williams

“You can go to God’s word and get direction. He will speak to you.” -Daniel Williams

“You will have the good, the bad and the ugly in church leadership. We are imperfect people dealing with imperfect people.” -Daniel Williams

“Actively eliminate comparison from your life—be vigilant about that.” -Bryan Saylor

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

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

S1.E1 - The What & The Why

Leadership Lessons Podcast | Season 1: Episode 1 - The What & The Why

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The What: Pastor Daniel Williams introduces his brand new podcast from EE Leaders with Leadership Lessons, Episode 1: The What & Why. Daniel shares his heart for this new ministry resource, having its origin growing up the son of a pastor. Seeing firsthand the impact of knowing and following God every day shaped this vision at an early age. Their family was raised with this foundation: “Jesus is real. The word of God is true. We’re going to live for Him.” Daniel gave his life to Jesus as a teen and began teaching the Bible at age 17. After seven years in full-time ministry in Olympia, Washington, God called Daniel and his wife, Laura, and their family to Delray Beach, Florida to plant a church in 2011. Redemption Church was born. The years since have only fueled Daniel’s passion for sharing Jesus and his heart for church leaders and for investing in others. “Through this podcast I want to encourage and equip you to serve Jesus, to know what a joy it is to serve Jesus and His bride. These are lessons I’m learning that I want to pass on, things I’m growing in still and learning from other people.” Episode 1 is the first of 24 podcasts in Season 1 that will be posted each Monday. eeleaders.com, the website, will include videos of the podcast for anyone to view, as well as a weekly blog and a monthly Recommended Book, and the newly released episodes of One Piece of Advice (posted on Fridays). These are short segments from pastors and other ministry leaders who will be sharing their one piece of advice for other leaders, featuring leaders from our local area, throughout the state of Florida, across the country and around the world. What a vast resource of wisdom and knowledge God has given us. There is practical wisdom, some doctrine, some theology. 

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One Piece of Advice - Integrity by Pastor Neil Spencer

Pastor Neil Spencer, Destin, Florida shares what he learned from his own father who is also a pastor. “Family matters. Ministry that doesn’t start at home, doesn’t start.” This is the standard, that who you are in private is who you are in public. And who you are in public is who you are in private. God has called you to be one person, to be authentic, to be genuine, sincere. This is life-giving advice: Be the one person God has called you to be, no matter where you are.

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The Why:  2 Timothy 2:2 …what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. This verse has been a guide to Daniel throughout his ministry. “I have always wanted to be a disciple maker, faithful to share what God has taught me with others.” That’s what EE Leaders is all about. A way to pass it on, to give back to others what has been given to you. It’s part of the blessing of having relationships. We learn from each other. Jesus said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17). “I want to challenge you, that if the Holy Spirit teaches you something through this podcast, you would implement it, that you would pass it on to other people.”

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Quotes: 

“I want to create a community here where we can grow together.” -Daniel Williams

“Having a posture of humility and being willing to learn has blessed my life.” -Daniel Williams

“Family matters. Ministry that doesn’t start at home, doesn’t start.” - Neil Spencer

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Links: 

Contact Daniel: daniel@eeleaders.com

A Ministry to encourage and equip church leaders for God’s glory: eeleaders.com