Spiritual Life and Leadership

Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger discuss a quote from Jeff Crosby. The quote, "The absence of conflict is not always possible nor always good," sparks a conversation about the importance of healthy conflict in leadership and personal growth. They share their experiences as an Enneagram 9 and an Enneagram 8, respectively, and offer insights on staying engaged, asking questions, and navigat...

Jay Kim is lead pastor at Westgate Church in the Silicon Valley, and author of a new study on Colossians titled, One Jesus, One People . Syncretism refers to the blending of two belief systems.  In this episode, Jay Kim and Markus Watson discuss syncretism in terms of  its subtle effects on the church today and how to shed those syncretistic tendencies in our faith and ministry. THIS EPISODE'...

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss a quote from Scot McKnight. The quote challenges the notion that leaders ought to control and asserts, instead, that leaders, particularly pastors, are actually followers of Jesus. Bolsinger emphasizes the importance of biblical leadership, rooted in self-sacrifice, care, and a focus on mission. He highlights the need to move away from dysfunctional patterns...

Angie Ward is director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Denver Seminary and the author of Uncharted Leadership: 20 Case Studies to Help Ministry Leaders Adapt to Uncertainty . What if you’ve got a problem and you cannot for the life of you find a solution.  You also can’t find a book that tells you what to do.  And you can’t find an expert to take care of the problem for you. That's what&...

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson talk about the importance of relationship in ministry leadership. They discuss how leaders can fall into the trap of narcissism when they lack deep relationships, leading to a sense of loneliness that they try to fill with success or power. They also explore how relationship is at the heart of adaptive leadership, as leaders must accompany people through change and...

E.K. Strawser is a co-vocational pastor of Ma Ke Alo o in Honolulu and the author of Centering Discipleship: A Pathway for Multiplying Spectators into Mature Disciples . We've got a lot of discipleship programs in our churches.  But how effective are they?  Are they leading to real transformation in people's lives?  In this episode, E.K. Strawser discuss how churches can cultivate real t...

1In this episode Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger discuss the challenges faced by ministry leaders in times of change. They discuss a quote from Kurt Fredrickson that highlights how churches were previously overprogrammed and under-discipled. Tod Bolsinger emphasizes the need for adaptive thinking and creative approaches to discipleship, moving away from traditional programming and towards a missio...

We live in a world in which it is so easy to demonize and dehumanize people who are not like us.  Or we categorize people and forget their humanity. But that’s the exact opposite of what Jesus did.  Jesus humanized people.  He treated every human being as a beloved child of God.  Jesus treated every individual he encountered as a person . That’s what we're discussing in this conversation with...

In this episode, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss the influence of the Enlightenment and individualism on middle-class white individuals, and how this impacts their understanding of faith and community. They emphasize the importance of engaging with different perspectives and reading the Bible in community with people who are not like us in order to break free from these cultural norms and...

Jennifer Holberg is Professor and Chair of the Department of English at Calvin University and author Nourishing Narratives . The church gives us stories to imagine ourselves into.  Stories shape us.  At the same time, pastors and ministry leaders need to recognize that every person in our church brings their own stories.  And, so, how can we create space to share and hear one another’s stories—as...

In this episode, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss the vital role of relationships in ministry leadership. Tod emphasizes the importance of cultivating partnerships, friendships, and mentorships as essential sources of support and vulnerability. They explore the connection between relationships and self-reflection, particularly in navigating challenging leadership situations. With practical...

Jim Wilder is the author Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, and the Church That Transforms   and the resident neurotheologian at Life Model Works. In this episode, Jim Wilder discusses how we become who we are created to be through the lens of neurotheology.  In other words, what role does your brain play in forming you into the person you were created to be? And how can an understanding of how the b...

In this episode, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss a quote by Nicholas Pierce that highlights the challenge of letting go of the past to embrace the future. They explore the work of the Church Leadership Institute in helping leaders navigate the changing world while remaining faithful to their core values. They delve into the concept of adaptive leadership, the difficulty of embracing the un...

Shannon Kiser is Director of Training and Coaching for Fresh Expressions North America and one of the pastors at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Sterling, Virginia. In this episode, we have a great conversation about how she and the congregation she pastors have experimented with new forms of church, as well as what they've learned in that process.  We also discuss how the Church Leadership...

In this episode, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson delve into the importance of understanding and empathizing with others' beliefs, especially in times of political and cultural polarization. They discuss the role of churches in bridging divisions and striving for unity, highlighting the need to move away from comfortable spaces and embrace discomfort as an opportunity for growth. With insights...

How can we avoid burnout in ministry? Jason Young is a keynote speaker, coach, and consultant who helps churches and businesses thrive, and the co-author of Don’t Burn Out, Burn Bright . In this episode, Jason Young and Markus Watson get real specific about what can lead to burnout in ministry and what we can to do prevent it. THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Jason Young is a keynote speake...

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss the transformative power of acknowledging and addressing our own pain as leaders. If our pain isn't transformed, it will be transmitted to others, potentially leading to harmful behaviors and dynamics within our ministries and organizations. By developing self-awareness, emotional health, and adaptive capacity, leaders can prioritize their mission over...

Justin Bailey is associate professor of theology at Dordt University and the author of Interpreting Your World: Five Lenses for Engaging Theology and Culture . What is culture?  Sometimes people say we need to "resist culture."  But the language of resistance seems to be rooted in fear—and I don’t think we’re meant to react to our culture from a place of fear. Maybe engaging with culture...

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson reflect on a quote from Rich Stearns focusing on courageious leadership, which often means disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb. The conversation highlights the importance of leaders calling people to their better selves and standing up for what is right, even if it means facing challenges from within their own tribe. Tod Bolsinger also shares his...

If you grew up in the church, you may have spent a lot of time thinking about things like the rapture and the mark of the beast.  Or about the Soviet Union’s  role in bringing the anti-Christ into the world. But is that what Revelation is really about?  Does Revelation say anything to us today? Scot McKnight and I discuss his book, Revelation for the Rest of Us-- not only what it means to put Reve...

Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss the idea that listening is often overlooked in leadership, and provide insights on how genuine, deep listening can help leaders become more effective. It's important to listen to different groups of people, including those being served and those within the congregation, and to listen to God through prayer, worship, and scripture. This form of listening...

Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School and the co-author of The Home of God: A Brief Story of Everything . In this episode, Miroslav Volf and I talk about what it means for this world to be God’s home.  And what it means for this world to be our home.  And what this means for the mission of the church.  And, finally, what should the church do...

This episode revolves around Ken Blanchard's words from ep. 86 , which states that "Great leaders are great because people trust and respect them, not because they have power." Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson explore the idea that true greatness is achieved through earning trust and respect, rather than relying on authority or position of power. They also discuss the importance of a...

Claude Alexander is senior pastor of The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina and the author of Becoming the Church: God’s People in Purpose and Power . The church has never been perfect. It has always been filled broken people, sinful people, silly people, selfish people, violent people, manipulative people, mistaken people, intrusive people, rough-around-the edges people. All kinds of people...

On this episode of Spiritual Life and Leadership, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson explore the issue of power and the church's love affair with it, which is exceedingly harmful, especially considering our faith's cornerstone, the Suffering Servant. Tod and Markus emphasize the importance of adopting a leadership model that is reflective of Jesus and prioritizes shared leadership. They als...