Mindful Leader

Dennis Shaw offers a short reflection on a guiding principle and is the start of a series on more personal observations on church leadership.   The session is a reflective leadership discussion, centered on a core guiding principle: love your congregation where they are. The discussion challenges the notion of “fixing” a congregation, emphasizes the plurality of community, trust-building, and lead...

This is my take on a resolution we will be voting on at our Annual Conference.   I am not sure if it has an extended shelf life.  I might bring it down after it serves its purpose.   This is simply an attempt to explain, in more time than I would have on Thursday, why I find a particular resolution problematic.  The resolution is HERE .  

In this episode of Mindful Leader, host Dennis Shaw explores the human tendency towards self-centeredness through the lens of David Foster Wallace's famous "This is Water" commencement speech. Drawing on Wallace's metaphor of two fish unaware they're swimming in water, Dennis discusses our default human setting: seeing ourselves as the absolute center of the universe. The podcast challenges listen...

Join Dennis Shaw, host of Mindful Leader, as he engages in a compelling conversation with clergy leader Michael Smith of the Greater New Jersey Conference of the United Methodist Church. In this episode, they explore the critical themes of Soul Care and self-care for clergy and lay leaders within the church. Dennis and Michael share their personal experiences and insights into finding harmony betw...

This is a rebroadcast from 2023! In this episode of Mindful Leader, host Dennis Shaw revisits a 2023 conversation with Thomas Risager, a pastor in the Danish United Methodist Church who is a candidate for the Episcopacy in the Nordic and Baltic Central Conference in early April.   They explore the unique religious landscape of Denmark, where a small percentage of the population attends church desp...

Welcome to Mindful Leader. Your host is Dennis Shaw, a retired elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church, as he delves into the topic of leadership within the local church. In this two episode conversation, Dennis talks with Dr. Lucy Hogan, Professor Emerita of Preaching and Worship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Several sites with summaries of Dr. Hog...

  Welcome to Mindful Leader. Your host is Dennis Shaw, a retired elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church, as he delves into the topic of leadership within the local church. In this two episode conversation, Dennis talks with Dr. Lucy Hogan, Professor Emerita of Preaching and Worship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Several sites with summaries of Dr. H...

  Welcome to the Mindful Leader podcast hosted by Dennis Shaw, a retired elder from the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church. This episode, features Dr. George Thompson, and we focus on leadership development in local churches. Dr. Thompson shares insights from his extensive experience and his book Church on the Edge of Somewhere. exploring the dynamics of church identity, leader...

In this episode, we  delve into the theme of improving the capacity of local churches, using the UMC Mountain Sky Conference as a case study. This is a continuation in part of a conversation Zach and I had in September ( HERE ). Please share if this resonates with you! Joined by guests Gayla Jo Slauson (Mountain Sky Co-Lay Leader), Mark Calhoun (Wyoming District Superintendent), and Zach Bechtold...

(Note:  Look in the links below for a bonus episode:  the entire, unedited interview.  Excellent Resource!) Welcome to Mindful Leader, hosted by Dennis Shaw and focused on helping lay and clergy leadership in the local church.   In this episode, we delve into the realm of health and wellness with guests Steve and Tracy Reinhard. Steve, retired United Methodist Clergy, and Tracy, a Certified Health...

This is a Bonus episode.   It is the "unedited" version of Steve, Tracy and my conversation on health, wellness and biblical principles on Mindful Leader. Rich!  A deep and worthwhile dive! Note:Average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® is 12 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks.  OPTAVIA makes no guarantee of financial success. Success with OPTAVIA results...

(Normal release for this Podcast is Mondays.  I generally post it when it is ready, usually a few days before Mondays.  Note:  it can be shared. A reward to subscribers and those looking for the podcast on their service. A transcript is HERE . The Transcript Service provides the recording, so if you desire, you can listen while you read. (I won't get a count of you logging on, but ... )) Join Denn...

Join host Dennis Shaw on the Mindful Leader podcast as he engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Bruce Birch, retired Dean Emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary. Together, they delve into the concept of exile and its impact across generations. Bruce Birch shares profound insights on the challenges faced when familiar foundations of life are questioned. Through this dialogue, listeners...

Welcome to this episode of Mindful Leader, hosted by Dennis Shaw.   The episode features Brandon Harris, the Chief Operating Officer at Generis. Brandon shares his unique journey from studying engineering to embracing a call to ministry, and how his path eventually led him to a leadership role at Generis. Throughout the discussion, Brandon elaborates on Generis' mission to assist churches with ste...

Welcome to the Mindful Leader podcast, hosted by Dennis Shaw. In this episode, Dennis explores the importance of diversifying your leadership toolkit beyond the single 'hammer' approach. Emphasizing adaptability, he shares insights from his military and pastoral leadership experiences, highlighting the value of using personal education and experience to empower both laity and clergy in local churc...

Welcome to Mindful Leader with your host, Dennis Shaw. In this episode, we're delving into leadership from a military perspective, featuring insights from Rob Abbott, a retired Marine and licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg, and two of his students -- pastors, Jeremiah Harris and Bryson Lilly. They share their experiences in leadership development through immersive battlefield staff rides, un...

Join Dennis Shaw on this episode of Mindful Leader as he engages in a compelling conversation with Amanda McDow , pastor at Los Angeles First United Methodist Church . Explore the unique challenges and creative solutions involved in leading a church without a traditional building in urban Los Angeles. Mandy shares her experiences and the progressive vision of LA First, highlighting innovative appr...

Welcome to the latest episode of Mindful Leader, hosted by Dennis Shaw. Join us for an insightful conversation with Al Strauss as we explore the changing landscape of church leadership and the importance of adapting to modern challenges. Al shares his thoughts on the financial pressures facing churches today, including rising insurance costs and the need for strategic property management. Gain a d...

Join host Dennis Shaw on Mindful Leader as he engages in a profound conversation with Ryan Canaday, an elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church. Ryan shares his transformative journey from darkness to recovery, revealing how his personal struggles with addiction led him to create a welcoming space for those seeking healing and hope. Through Free Recovery Community, Ryan...

Welcome to the latest episode of Mindful Leader, hosted by Dennis Shaw, a retired elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church. This episode dives into a profound discussion with Rebecca Simon-Peter, also an elder in the Mountain Sky Conference, about her upcoming book, "Believe Like Jesus," released on November 4th, 2024. Rebecca shares her insights on the concept of apostl...

In this episode of "Mindful Leader," host Dennis Shaw engages in a heartfelt conversation with Bishop Karen Oliveto, reflecting on her transformative journey as the first openly LGBTQ bishop in the United Methodist Church. Bishop Oliveto shares insights into the challenges and triumphs faced during her tenure, highlighting the pivotal moments surrounding marriage equality and the evolving understa...

(Words that are bold and underlined are hyperlinks to something whiz bang.) My conversation this podcast is with Kristi Kinnison, the Executive Director of the Methodists Helping Methodists Foundation .  Kristi has a fourteenth anniversary as the Executive Director this month (October, 2024).  Her earlier Mindful Leader podcast was a joyful ode to Wesleyanism ( HERE .) and, as of October 2, 2024,...

My guest, Zach Bechtold, Pastor at Bozeman UMC and I talk about the potential role of the "Conference" in the UMC.   The Annual Conference is a component part of the structure of the United Methodist Church.  Mountain Sky Conference is vast in geography:  all of Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and one county in Idaho. I posit, that besides it administrative role, it should also be the key develo...

This is a quick biography and theological exposition of the German Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer:  1906 to 1945.  Such a short life with so much good crammed into it.   A movie about his life is coming out in November and the 80th anniversary of his execution by the Nazis will be in April, 2025.   HERE is a 15 minute "play" I performed using DB's words to create how he might have reflected on his...

This Podcast is a little "inside baseball" and focuses on both General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Charlotte this Spring as well as Jurisdictional Conference in Washington State in August.   My guest for this podcast is District Superintendent, Mark Calhoun.  Mark is a thoughtful observer of all things United Methodist.   If you like it, forward it to someone, or more than one!  ...