Spiritual Life and Leadership

What does it mean to be God's beloved?How do we measure success as churches?  Generally, we measure success the same way the rest of society does:  How many people show up?  How big is your budget?  How does your facility look?  I’ve heard it refurred to as “bodies, bucks, and buildings.”  But is that how God measures success?The story of the Prodigal Son is a reminder that God doesn’t measure success the way we do.  What matters to God is simply the reality that we belong to him.  God would say to me, “The only thing that matters is that you are my beloved.  On you may favor rests."In this episode, Markus discusses the voice of the “the distant country” that tells us we need to prove ourselves, and the voice of the Father who says simply, “You are God's beloved.”THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:This is based on the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24.Home wasn’t just the place where he lived; it’s the place where he was loved.The voice of the distant country says, “Show us what you’ve got. Prove yourself.”For churches, the voice of the distant country is expressed in what I call self-preservation and self-propagation.To declining churches, the distant country says, “What’s wrong with you?”To growing churches, the distant country says, “Look at you! You’re something!”As individuals, every time I try to show how successful I am, how educated I am, how theologically astute I am, I am responding to the voice of the distant country.What does returning home look like?For churches, it means returning to faithfulness. In other words, making faithfulness the number one measure of success (as opposed to measuring success based on how many people show).Returning home also involves returning to the mission of God, to bring healing and wholeness—shalom—to the world.You don’t have to be a big, well-resourced church to participate in the mission of God.For individuals, what does it mean to return home?It means no longer listening to the voice that says, “Show us what you’ve got.”It means listening to voice of the Father that simply says, “You are my beloved, on you my favor rests. Regardless of what you’ve accomplished.” Yes, you are God's beloved.God doesn’t celebrate because of what we accomplish or because of how successful we are.What God celebrates is when we begin to listen to the voice of the Father, who says, “You are my beloved. On you my favor rests.”The only greatness that matters is the greatness of God’s love for us.You are God's beloved. RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSBooks mentioned The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri NouwenMarkus Watson Website:  https://markuswatson.com/E-mail:  markus@watsonspot.comTwitter:  @markuswatsonInstagram:  @markuswats0nTo leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-life-and-leadership/id1435252632—Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Journaling.  Ugh…  Some people love it.  Some people hate it.  Some people feel like they should be doing it because they’ve been told it will help them grow in their faith.  But writing about their thoughts and feelings in a diary just doesn’t work for them.Well, along comes Tracy Winchell to give all of the non-journalers a way to keep track of their inner life that will probably work much better for them.  So, if you hate journaling—and even if you love it—you might be inspired by Tracy Winchell’s journaling method. And if you give it a shot, you might very well find yourself growing closer to God and closer to your true self.THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Tracy Winchell is the host of the Reboots Podcast, which tells stories of people who have had to start over in life and in business.Because of the change she has had to navigate in her own life, Tracy is passionate about helping others navigate change.The journaling method Tracy uses begins with simply writing down three things each morning for which she is grateful.The next thing Tracy writes down is her answer to the question, “Where was I selfish today?” followed by, “Do I owe someone an apology?”The next question Tracy answers in her journal is, “How did God speak to me today?” This question helps her make sure she is listening to God.It also gives her credit when she actually is listening to God.Finally, it helps her document what God was saying to her and look back to see if she followed through on what she sensed God saying to her.Next, Tracy asks herself, “What good did I do today for myself or for someone else?” Finally, she asks, “How will I get better tomorrow?”In Episode 11, Discipleship and the Twelve Steps, Markus speaks with Kaye Schneider about the Twelve Step recovery process as a means of discipleship.Tracy has created a downloadable document with this format for journaling. You can find it at www.rebootspodcast.com/spirituallifejournaling.Listeners are invited to take a seven-day journaling challenge and let Tracy know how it goes.How legalistic should we be about journaling? Tracy’s answer: Not at all.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSJournaling Resource www.rebootspodcast.com/spirituallifejournalingTracy Winchell E-mail: tracy@rebootspodcast.comReboots Podcast Website: https://rebootspodcast.com/Instagram: @rebootspodcastBooks mentioned The Lies We Believe by Chris ThurmanFinish by Jon AcuffThe Obstacle is the Way by Ryan HolidayTo leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritual-life-and-leadershiSend me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Mandy Smith, Lead Pastor of University Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, has written a wonderful book titled, The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry, in which she shares about the ways our humanity and our weakness are actually a source of strength in our ministries.   Too often, we think we have to fit a particular ministry stereotype in order to experience success in our ministries. Mandy Smith exposes that stereotype for what it is, and gives us permission to be who we are so that God can work through our true selves—not the false selves we want the world to see. THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Mandy Smith is the Lead Pastor of University Christian Church in Cincinnati and the author of The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry.Mandy shares the story of her call to ministry.Mandy felt like she needed to include a lot of her story in her book because the idea of a vulnerable pastor had to be embodied in a real person.The way Mandy Smith uses the word “vulnerability” is not limited to the way Brene Brown uses it. For Mandy, vulnerability is about the experience of being human.Mandy shares about the way she experienced weakness early in her ministry. In the midst of that, she heard God say, “In your weakness, I am strong.”Mandy and Markus reflect on Enneagram types that may have a harder time with vulnerability.We can help people in our ministries live out healthy vulnerability by modeling it for them.Mandy Smith writes for both Missio Alliance and Christianity Today.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSMandy Smith: Twitter: @uccmandyUniversity Christian Church: Website: http://www.universitychristianchurch.net/Books mentioned: The Vulnerable Pastor by Mandy SmithA Little Manual for Knowing by Esther Lightcap MeekInstructions to leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership:Click HERE.Click on the link that says, "Listen on Apple Podcasts."In the window that opens, click the button that says, "Open Link."  This will open iTunes.To the right of the Spiritual Life and Leadership logo, click "Ratings and Reviews."Under the heading, "Customer Reviews," click on the button that says, "Write a Review."Select the number of stars and write your review.Click submit.I'd be so grateful if you did this.  Thank you!— Links to Amazon are affiliate links.  If you make a purchase through any of these links, I’ll receive a small commission–which will help pay for the Spiritual Life and Leadership podcast!Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Nate Landis knows youth ministry is not easy.  Especially in our Post-Christendom context.  But Nate Landis, President and Founder of Urban Youth Collaborative has created an incredibly effective way for churches to reach out to the next generation. Any kind of church. A young, hip, millennial congregation, or an aging Baby Boomer and beyond congregation.  In this episode, Nate Landis shares his passion for kids, for churches, and for helping churches pass their faith on to the next generation. THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Nate Landis is the President and Founder of Urban Youth Collaborative.Nate started his first Bible study in high school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.Nate was mentored early on by Tony Campolo.Nate tells the story of how he was called to start Urban Youth Collaborative.Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC) is designed to partner with churches to reach students through legal on-campus faith clubs.Project 25 is a countywide project in San Diego County that gives students funds to use for ministry and service. Most student groups begin by multiplying the funds through fundraisers.Markus reflects on the fact that UYC is designed to help restore shalom both in terms of students’ relationship with God and with their neighbors.Nate Landis recently published a book titled God Wants His Kids Back: Schools of Thought to Reach a Lost Generation. The purpose of the book is to help people know what’s possible when it comes to helping kids connect with Jesus.Urban Youth Collaborative is working with over sixty churches in San Diego.Nate Landis is currently working on a follow-up book titled The Campus Ministry Playbook. This book is intended to show people how to practically help kids connect with Jesus.Nate Landis' invitation to churches would be, “Come and see.” Come and see what God is doing on high school and middle school campuses.Churches require these qualities to reach out to students well: Self-sacrificeDependence on GodBooks can be purchased in bulk at a discount from www.uyc.org.Urban Youth Collaborative can be reached by e-mail at info@uyc.org and by phone at 619-768-0278.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSUrban Youth Collaborative Website:  https://www.uyc.org/E-mail:  info@uyc.orgPhone:  619-768-0278God Wants His Kids Back: Schools of Thought to Reach a Lost Generation by Nate LandisInstructions to leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership:Click HERE.Click on the link that says, "Listen on Apple Podcasts."In the window that opens, click the button that says, "Open Link."  This will open iTunes.To the right of the Spiritual Life and Leadership logo, click "Ratings and Reviews."Under the heading, "Customer Reviews," click on the button that says, "Write a Review."Select the number of stars and write your review.Click submit.I'd be so grateful iSend me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Cari Augusta is an elder at Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church, a small church in California’s agricultural Imperial Valley.  The town of Westmorland itself struggles with a lot of food insecurity (which happens when a family runs out of food before the next paycheck comes).  Last fall, this little church decided to do something about it.  Specifically, they started a food pantry that now serves over 100 of the 800 households in the town of Westmorland.In this episode, Cari Augusta tells the story of how the Food Pantry got started and the impact it is having both in the community and on the church. THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Cari Augusta shares about her faith journey and what led her to Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church.The church has long known about the challenges of poverty in Westmorland.The first thing they tried was a health fair for the community.The church started thinking beyond the one hour of Sunday morning worship and began thinking about how else God might be calling them to serve their community.The Westmorland Community Food Pantry opened in November 2018, serving about 50 households per week. In May 2019, the Food Pantry serves over 100 households per week.Cari Augusta leads the Westmorland Stakeholders Group, which brings community-minded people in Westmorland together to discuss and imagine ways to help people in the community.The people who come to the Food Pantry for food are becoming friends.The goal of the Food Pantry is not to try to get people to show up to church; it is simply to bless and love our neighbors in Westmorland.The Food Pantry has stirred up a greater sense of family for the members of Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church.The next step is to try to address issues of drug addiction and mental health in Westmorland.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSWestmorland Community Presbyterian Church Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Westmorland-Community-Presbyterian-Church-459506967580608/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/wcpreschurch/To donate to the Westmorland Community Food Pantry, send a check to: Westmorland Community Presbyterian ChurchP.O. Box 668Westmorland, CA  92281Make check out to:  WCPC Designate the check to: Food PantryFlourish San Diego: Website:  https://flourishsandiego.org/Instructions to leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership:Click HERE.Click on the link that says, "Listen on Apple Podcasts."In the window that opens, click the button that says, "Open Link."  This will open iTunes.To the right of the Spiritual Life and Leadership logo, click "Ratings and Reviews."Under the heading, "Customer Reviews," click on the button that says, "Write a Review."Select the number of stars and write your review.Click submit.I'd be so grateful if you did this.  Thank you!— Links to Amazon aSend me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Is experiencing shalom at a James Taylor concert possible? Does God work only through people who are Christians?  Does God only show up when we’re doing explicitly Christian things?  Or can God be experienced anytime there is goodness and beauty and kindness?Personally, I think God can be experienced anytime, anywhere–even at a James Taylor concert!  In this episode, I reflect on the themes of broken shalom and restored shalom–which are reflections of God at work in the world–in the music of James Taylor.THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Markus and his wife went to Las Vegas to see James Taylor in concert--truly a moment of experiencing shalom!Markus had a bit of a spiritual experience during the concert.James Taylor’s songs all revolve around images of shalom and broken shalom.The song, Carolina in My Mind, depicts the broken shalom of homesickness and the restoration of shalom as he goes “to Carolina in my mind.”The invitation of God is, “Come home.”There are people who are longing for a place to call home. This is part of the immigration challenge in the world to today.“Home” is a place of experiencing shalom.How can the church help those without a home find a place that they can call home?The song, Fire and Rain, presents images of both broken and restored shalom, especially in regard to relationships.A broken relationship is broken shalom.The song, You’ve Got a Friend, is a picture of restored shalom, especially in regard to relationships.The song, Shower the People, shows what it looks like when people pour out love—experiencing shalom—on the people they care about.Shower the People is a picture of restored shalom.As Markus looked down on the crowd, he had a profound sense that all of these children are loved by God.The concert gave people an experience of the shalom that God wants for us.God wants to restore shalom in every aspect of our lives.God isn’t limited working only through church people. Experiencing shalom is possible anywhere.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSIf you want to hear James Taylor’s best, this is a good one: James Taylor, Greatest HitsAnd this is the biography of James Taylor that my wife is currently reading: Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines: The Life and Music of James TaylorInstructions to leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership:Click HERE.Click on the link that says, "Listen on Apple Podcasts."In the window that opens, click the button that says, "Open Link."  This will open iTunes.To the right of the Spiritual Life and Leadership logo, click "Ratings and Reviews."Under the heading, "Customer Reviews," click on the button that says, "Write a Review."Select the number of stars and write your review.Click submit.I'd be so grateful if you did this.  Thank you!— Links to Amazon are affiliate links.  If you make a purchase thSend me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Ron Ovitt is the President and founder of Empower Ministry, which helps people grow into healthy Christians empowered for ministry in their lives.  For Ron, becoming a healthy follower of Jesus involves developing what he calls emotional resilience—the ability to bounce back from painful experiences in our lives.  In this episode, Ron explains what emotional resiliance involves and why it is so important for spiritual leadership.THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Empower Ministry’s goal is to empower people to overcome their addictions and emotional challenges so they can fully be who they were meant to be.Ron Ovitt grew up with a fair amount of anxiety and depression.Ron Ovitt studied psychology, which played a part in his emotional healing.He discovered that emotional resilience is a key component of the inner healing people need.The Five Signs of a Healthy Christian:Love JesusLove God’s WordEmotional ResilienceSpirit-ledOutwardly FocusedEmotional resilience refers to the ability to bounce back from painful experiences and return to joy.Emotional resilience can be broken down into three parts:Emotional recognitionEmotional regulationEmotional relearningRon Ovitt likes to say, “If you embrace it you can erase it.”People who struggle emotionally are unable to talk about it at church because of the stigma. The church should be the safest place in the world to talk about emotional struggles.Ron Ovitt’s book, Power Up!, is available as a free PDF at www.empowerministry.org/powerupRELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSPower Up! free PDF: https://www.empowerministry.org/powerup/Ron Ovitt Email:  ron@empowerministry.orgEmpower Ministry: Website:  https://www.empowerministry.org/Twitter:  https://twitter.com/EmpowerForInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/empowerforliving/Books by Ron Ovitt: Moments in the Word: Daily Moments that Feed Your SoulThe Five Signs of a Healthy Christian: How to be a spiritually healthy and vibrant ChristianGifted: Easy to Use Guide that Helps You Assess, Discover, and Use Your Spiritual GiftsWired for Ministry: Assess Your Passions, Spiritual Gifts, Experience, and Abilities for MinistryPower Up!: Powerful Bible Verses Paraphrased to Guide and Inspire You Through Life’s Most Challenging CircumstancesOther books mentioned: Shame and Grace: Healing the Shame We Don’t Deserve by Lewis SmedesTo leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership: https://podcasts.Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Why is ministry harder than it used to be?  Church attendance is declining every year.  Fewer people than ever have even set foot in a church.  The church as an institution has far less influence in our society than it used to.Why is this?  What happened?The fact is we live in a Post-Christendom world.  Christendom is that part of the world and that part of world history in which Christianity was the dominant shaper of culture.  We might even say Christianity was the culture.But we live in a very different world.In this episode, Markus Watson unpacks the origin of Christendom, how it shaped the church, and the reality of our Post-Christendom existence.THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Markus shares a story about feeling frustrated that attendance and giving in his church were both declining. Ministry is harder than it used to be.We live in a Post-Christendom world.Christendom and Christianity are not the same thing.Christendom is that part of the world in which Christianity is in control of the culture.Christendom began with the conversion to Christianity of the Roman Emperor Constantine in 312 A.D.When Constantine legalized Christianity, the church was suddenly thrust into a position of cultural and political power.Before Christendom, becoming a Christian involved an intense 2-year period of catechesis and examination.After Christendom, it was possible to be a Christian without conversion or commitment.Constantine was never catechized and was baptized only shortly before his death.A new distinction emerged. Before Christendom, the primary distinction was between church and world.During Christendom, the primary distinction was between clergy and laity.The clergy’s job in Christendom was to provide spiritual goods and services for the “ordinary” Christians.Ministry is harder today in part because people aren’t interested in the church’s spiritual goods and services.Despite the fact that ministry is harder today than in the past, the decline of Christendom is actually a wonderful opportunity for the church.  The church can recover its identity as a missionary people, participating with God to restore shalom in the world.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSBooks: Missional Church, edited by Darrell GuderCanoeing the Mountains by Tod BolsingerThe Change of Conversion and the Origin of Christendom by Alan KreiderAnother City by Barry A. HarveyThe Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan KreiderInstructions to leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership:Click HERE.Click on the link that says, "Listen on Apple Podcasts."In the window that opens, click the button that says, "Open Link."  This will open iTunes.To the right of the Spiritual Life and Leadership logo, click "Ratings and Reviews."Under the heading, "Customer Reviews," click on the button that says, "Write a Review."Select the number of stars and write your review.Click submit.Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

Scott Schimmel started The You School several years ago to help kids make the transition into adulthood. He and his team help students, families, and others who are in times of transition work through five key questions:What do you believe in?Who are you becoming?What’s your mission?How are you going to contribute?Who do you belong to?This is a process of identity formation, which, when it comes down to it, is also a process of spiritual formation.In this episode, Scott Schimmel shares about how The YouSchool is helping not only kids, but all kinds of people (including veterans) make challenging transitions that ultimately lead to a life of purpose and fulfillment.THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Scott Schimmel is the President and Chief Guide of The YouSchool.Scott initially intended to go into accounting.Scott Schimmel ended up serving with InterVarsity for ten years.YouSchool was founded to help people get clear on their calling in the world, to help them transition well into life.The ability to look at your life as a story is incredibly helpful for getting perspective on one’s life.There are five key questions that The You School helps people answer: What do you believe in?Who are you becoming?What’s your mission?How are you going to contribute?Who do you belong to?The You School’s process for helping people grow into healthy adults is really a process of spiritual formation, though they don’t use that language to describe what they are doing.Scott Schimmel shares about his own spiritual formation leading up to the creation of You School, as well as how he has been shaped since starting You School.You School works with several veterans’ organizations to help veterans transition out of the military.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSThe YouSchool Website:  https://www.theyouschool.com/Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheYouSchoolInstagram:   https://www.instagram.com/theyouschool/Vimeo:  https://vimeo.com/user32651157The YouSchool Podcast https://theyouschool.podbean.com/Books: The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas WillardRenovation of the Heart by Dallas WillardInstructions to leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership:Click HERE.Click on the link that says, "Listen on Apple Podcasts."In the window that opens, click the button that says, "Open Link."  This will open iTunes.To the right of the Spiritual Life and Leadership logo, click "Ratings and Reviews."Under the heading, "Customer Reviews," click on the button that says, "Write a Review."Select the number of stars and write your review.Click submit.I'd be so grateful if you didSend me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.

What do you if you’re leading a local congregation and you find out that a boy in your neighborhood has asthma because the landlord won’t fix the mold problem in his apartment building?  If you’re the pastors of Ebenezer Church in San Diego, you cancel your regular worship service, meet the congregation in front of the apartment building, and stage a protest until the landlord agrees to do the right thing.This is a great part of the story of Ebenezer Church.  But what I especially love is what Pastor Noel Musicha says about this protest. He says he’s not really interested in protesting.  What he’s interested in is restoring shalom.Of course, there’s much more to Ebenezer Church than this.  In this episode, I speak with Pastors Noel Musicha and Jere Lester, a really great church located in the Linda Vista community of San Diego.THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Noel Musicha and Jere Lester are the pastors of Ebenezer Church in San Diego.Noel and Jere feel called to minister to the poor and immigrant community in San Diego’s community of Linda Vista.There is power in the tradition of being a church. It is the environment where inner life transformation takes place, which allows for the outer life of ministry to the community.Ebenezer Church meets in the sanctuary of Linda Vista Presbyterian Church. Noel and Jere highly value the ministry and heritage of their host congregation.They learned early on that the most important thing they were going to take to the community was not good theology, but their own pain.Ebenezer Church exists to meet the immigrant and the poor.Ebenezer Church’s leadership reflects the diversity of the community.Jere learned about a boy who had asthma because his building had mold. When the landlord refused to do anything about it, Ebenezer Church moved their church service to the apartment building and protested until the landlord agreed to fix the problem.Noel isn’t interested in protesting. He is interested in restoring shalom.Ebenezer Church’s website is www.ebenezerchurchsd.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.Worship services are Sunday nights at 5pm (followed by dinner) at Linda Vista Presbyterian Church.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKSEbenezer Church Website:  http://ebenezerchurchsd.com/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/EbenezerChurchSD/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ebenezerchurchsd/Linda Vista Presbyterian Church Website:  http://lvpres.org/Presbytery of San Diego Website:  https://www.presbyterysd.org/1001 New Worshiping Communities Website:  https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/1001-2/To leave a review of Spiritual Life and Leadership: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spiritualSend me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.