Transforming Mission Podcast with Tim Bias & Sara Thomas

Today we're setting the stage for a series on "Hope and the Means of Grace." There is a two-fold purpose for this series. First, to encourage you as Christ-centered leaders to tend to your faith formation. Second, to revisit the means of grace as a source of hope.  In each episode, we'll explore one big idea as well as answer two questions: What's the leadership message? Where is hope? This week,...

Where are you standing right now?  No. I don't mean literally. I'm referring to your leadership.  It's Easter! Christ is Risen! And I trust you experienced the joy, wonder, and power of the resurrection in worship on Sunday.  The question is, where are you standing with your leadership? Are you standing on the Monday side of Easter or the Friday side of Easter? While that may seem like a silly que...

As this episode drops, it's Holy Week. Jesus followers are making the journey from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the table, the cross, and ultimately the empty tomb.  It's a busy week for many.  But love doesn't know the boundaries of busyness. Love doesn't know the confines of a worship service or church building.  The sacrificial love of Jesus we are reminded of this week broke every bou...

Are you like Simon Peter? Specifically, are you like Simon Peter when you are facing the unknown? While Jesus called Peter a rock, when the pivotal moments in Jesus' ministry were unfolding, Simon Peter was less than courageous.    Peter denied Jesus. Peter denied knowing Jesus. Peter denied having been with Jesus.   When you find yourself with your feet to the fire, do you stand in your integrity...

Confession is good for the soul. Explore the practice of confession from two different perspectives as you continue your Lenten journey.  As leaders, there will be moments you mess up. The question is, will you own up to the mess up or seek to cover it up? Your character, specifically your Christian character, is being exposed at this moment. There are moments as humans, we all fall short or miss...

If there is no self-denial there is no following Jesus. While at first glance that may seem like a bold statement, think of it instead as a countercultural statement. After all, Jesus' invitation reminds us, "All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23.  In a world where personal preferences can often take center stage, the topic of...

Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (MSG) Forgive others as Christ has forgiven you. (Eph 4:32) We have all experienced anger, bitterness, and perhaps even vengeance. Forgiveness brings peace, hope, gratitude, and joy. Sometimes these feeli...

Lent is upon us. This week we'll speak and hear the words, "remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" as the sign of the cross is placed on foreheads. The journey of Lent is a time of repentance, fasting, and preparation for the coming of Easter.   We've planned a series of podcasts for Lent that will help you approach lent with hope. As you participate in self-examination and refl...

God has gifted you in a unique way. That means your strengths bring hope to life differently than your spouse, your colleague, and even your friends.  Today we're exploring how leaders create hope in different ways. Specifically, how your strengths show up and create hope for different people in different ways.  In this episode, Tim and Sara use two CliftonStrengths to explore how leading with hop...

A leader's relationship with hope begins with your relationship with Jesus. If we're resurrection people, and we are, our relationship with Jesus will guide all of our relationships. Today, we want to focus on why communicating with hope is a leadership imperative. We'll explore a speech from Martin Luther King Jr that you've likely heard, or at least heard quoted, and how we almost missed experie...

Mikaela Shiffrin. Vincent Zhou. Joe Burrow. Queen Elizabeth. Kyle Mullen. All of the above people were in the news over the weekend. Some are likely more familiar than others.  Their names, whether familiar or not, are a small part of their story. Their relationships, life focus, talents, and heritage add to their story. Some were born into their roles, others trained for their roles, and one was...

As we continue our focus on "Hope Throughout the Year," this month we'll be exploring hope and relationships. At the end of 2021, Gallup International found that global hope and happiness were decreasing around the world compared to 2020. It appears this is mostly fueled by fears of economic instability and the global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly still impacts the world's hopes, fears,...

Reason 3: Discipling You to Lead with Hope You're a Christ-centered leader. You're also a Jesus follower.  As we focus on hope throughout the year, we are creating this to be a resource for leaders in their walk with Jesus. Hope Throughout the Year is a place where we're asking questions about the intersection of faith and daily life, where we're inviting you to live into the beliefs you talk abou...

We're on week 2 of 3, walking through the reasons we're focusing on hope throughout the year. Today, we want to talk about the second reason we're focusing on hope throughout the year. It's simple: we want to help you offer weekly reminders of God's presence and power. As Christ-centered leaders, sometimes the very thing we forget to do is focus on the one who called us, equips us, and walks with...

Encouragement looks different for different people.  Some people respond to a written word or a phone call. Others to a card or a text message.  For some, it's simply your presence. Last week, we introduced the 3 reasons for this year-long focus on hope.   Hope throughout the year is designed to do the following: 1) To provide hope-filled encouragement for Christ-centered leaders 2) To remind you...

Happy New Year!  It's hard to believe we're already in 2022, but here we are. Today, we're introducing the big theme for LeaderCast for 2022 and what's guiding Hope Throughout the Year. Our Mission At the beginning of every podcast episode, you hear us say, "resources for Christ-centered leaders to navigate the challenges and opportunities of courageous, christ-centered leadership." That's the foc...

Merry Christmas! You've likely heard the familiar passage from Luke 2 several times the past couple of weeks. So as we conclude the year with, Love is a Big Deal, here are a few reminders why love is a big deal…especially this time of year. Love enters the world in a messy chaotic manger. Love comes to us as a baby.  Love arrives in an unlikely place. Love comes to us as a baby of traveling parent...

When you think about joy, what comes to mind? Join Tim and Sara for three reasons "Joy is a Big Deal" and experience the wonder of a child alongside moments of learning from everyday life.  When you pause to read again (or listen again) to the scripture's account of the witnesses to the birth of Christ. It was filled with all sorts of emotions.  Can you imagine being in the fields, tending to your...

In a world where violence continues to be normalized, trauma is accelerating at an exponential rate, and wholeness is being co-opted by self-help gurus, we need a little peace! No, we're not talking about "peace and quiet" or calm. While those things are good, the Prince of Peace offers a more robust experience of peace.  Episode 208 explores four reasons "Peace is a Big Deal." 1. Peace is a big d...

Last week as we began our journey of advent, we started exploring why God with us, the incarnation, is a big deal. And, in turn, asking the question, what is the truth and consequence of this season for Christ-centered leaders?    This week, explore why hope is a big deal for Christ-centered leaders.   There are at least three reasons hope is a big deal, especially this time of year.    First, hop...

Advent is upon us. This is a season of preparation. It's a season of anticipation. Throughout December we'll explore the question, "What's the big deal about advent for Christ-centered leaders?"  This episode bridges the gratitude theme from November with our focus for December centering around the incarnation. What's the Big Deal About Advent? Part of the reason Advent is a big deal is it offers...

This week, as you gather around the dining room table, kitchen table, card table, or hospital table with the people you love to celebrate Thanksgiving, know that we're giving God thanks for you.  While this week is hyper-focused on the American holiday of Thanksgiving, we want to remind you of something that occurs more frequently (for most) than annually.  When we come to the table to celebrate H...

We all know we should be grateful for what we've been given, whether it's an experience or a tangible gift. But, hard situations can make gratitude difficult. Today we have three reminders for being grateful in hard, or difficult, situations.    Explore three psalms alongside four reminders (that double as prayers) to guide you through difficult seasons and practice gratitude.    First, explore Ps...

What scripture reminds you to practice gratitude?  Join Tim or Sara this week as they explore five scriptures that lead to five reasons Christ-centered leaders need to teach gratitude. Will the scripture that came to mind be included in this episode? Read more and listen to Episode 203 to find out. From a boy with fish to Jesus and Joshua, you'll hear scripture that reminds us of God's presence, e...