Transforming Mission Leadercast With Tim Bias & Sara Thomas

As we continue exploring the theme. “Leadership as Service” this week we’re hearing from Bishop Cal Holloway. Bishop Holloway shares his wisdom and reminders for Christ-centered leaders.  As you listen, you’ll find places to hit the pause button and reflect on what Bishop shares. From exploring what it means to believe and trust Jesus to becoming a part of the fabric of your local community, he reminds us what it means to lead people to follow Jesus. You’ll hear stories and reflections from a ministry that happened yesterday as well as in different seasons of life. Expect to laugh, hit the back button, and be challenged to become who Jesus is inviting you to be.    Write it Down/Talk it Out Who is Jesus to you? What does that mean? What are the key values that guide you? Who has shaped you to be a Jesus follower? How generous are you willing to be as you live out the gospel?

Leadership as service begins with modeling your life after Jesus. This week, Lizzy Ortiz, Pastor of St. Mark’s UMC and Iglesia Hispana, offers encouragement for unity in the body of Christ.    Lizzy’s leadership is modeled after Jesus. She serves first and through that service, she is a leader. As you listen to Episode 195, you’ll hear how relationships set the foundation for leadership.    Often, we focus on relationships with others. Of course relationships with people within and beyond the church are important. But, Lizzy reminds us that our relationship with Jesus guides the way toward building relationships with others.    Sharing Our Stories She encourages us to share our individual stories with others because our unique stories help us to experience Jesus in one another. And, our stories intersect with the life of Jesus at important places. Finally, Lizzy reminds us when we’re unable to understand the experiences of others, all we need to do is focus on Jesus.   Barriers to Unity Lizzy offers a poign

As leaders, sometimes we plant seeds, sometimes we water them, and still others we till the soil to nurture others towards growth. Listen as Tim and Sara explore one question that will help you lead others by serving first. Whatever season of leadership you are in, let’s explore what it means to be a leader who serves. One of the ways leaders serve is by helping others become who God created them to be.  In Episode 194, Tim and Sara have a conversation about one question that can make a difference in your leadership. We’ll explore the question, its intent, and how it’s received by others.  Most of all, as you listen, consider the leaders that have helped you become the person you are today. When a leader invests in you, it starts by developing a relationship and is deepened by the way they support you.  You’re now that leader.  You’re the leader that has the opportunity to invest, nurture and develop others to become the people God has created them to be.  Join us throughout this month for conversations with

As we wrap up this month’s focus on having a growth mindset and being a learning leader, here’s a simple reminder: as leaders, relationships are central to everything we do.  Episode 193 invites you to consider five ways practicing a growth mindset can help you navigate the local and global challenges that continue to emerge. Some of these practices are simple. Others take ongoing practice and persistence. Together, they remind us that as Christ-centered leaders, the love of God we know in Jesus is central to everything we say and do. Leaders who model for others the practices we share in this episode are shaping a culture that is based on love and kindness. If you’re knee-deep in frustration, fatigue, or fighting, perhaps this episode will help you take a step back and consider a different way forward.  Here are the five practices we explore in this episode: Understand your sources and the perspectives of your sources. Practice curiosity. Test what you’re seeing, hearing, and reading. Ask “Does this add up?

Learning leaders get things wrong. And you already know, for many, it is hard to be wrong.  Leaders make mistakes...and it’s hard. And then there’s uncertainty and emotional exposure you feel as a leader...that IS hard, too. Here’s the thing: you can do hard things.  In this episode, you'll be reminded that you can do hard things. You'll hear how leaders who seek to get things right often find themselves in hard conversations. Then, we'll help you understand what you need to participate in the hard conversations. We won't promise you'll avoid moments of awkwardness. Instead, we simply invite you to acknowledge it. Sometimes there are conversations that are uncomfortable. But, you can be courageous and learn the skills you need for hard conversations.  We walk through four reminders for learning leaders to have hard conversations. Here’s the good news: it’s not that hard at all.  Write it Down/Talk it Out What do you need to learn to have hard conversations? What are you learning about yourself as a leader? (

“Growth mindset leaders want to be challenged.” Carol Dweck Growth happens when there is enough challenge and support offered to a leader. When there is too much or too little of either element, growth doesn't happen. Instead, leaders experience stagnation, uncertainty, overwhelm, and coddling. If you’re not growing as a leader, it’s likely there’s an imbalance in the challenge and support around you that’s putting up one of these four barriers.  At the end of the day, learning leaders want to be challenged.  Because they believe in the potential for people to grow, they need opportunities that stretch their talents, skills, and capacity.  What We’re Not Saying Before we go much farther, let’s be clear. We’re not saying, leaders with a growth mindset want to experience challenging people or circumstances. No. Challenging people, personalities, and crises can lead to growth, but, they’re not essential for growth.  Instead, learning leaders want the challenge of a new opportunity, a new skill, or a new experien

Uncertainty has a way of messing with our thinking, feelings, and behavior.  At times the uncertainty looks like doubt. Other times, it looks like the need to learn a new skill. Still other times, it’s wrapped up in decision fatigue or endless options that overwhelm you. You’ve likely found yourself in one of these situations in the past week, if not the past 24 hours.  So what do you do when you don’t know what to do? That’s the topic we’re diving into on Episode 190 of LeaderCast.  As we continue to explore the big idea of what it means for Christ-centered leaders to be learning leaders, this episode takes a deep dive into uncertainty and learning.  When you find yourself in a place of uncertainty, recognize it’s a part of learning. Our skills and consciousness (whether we’re aware of what we don’t know or not) are described in the four stages of learning. Explore how the four stages of learning can help you recognize what you’re experiencing and what to do next. Additionally, uncertainty in leadership can

What would you say about the power of being a learning leader? In this episode, we focus on the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset for Christ-centered leaders.  Join us for Episode 189 to explore how each of these characteristics can show up in Christ-centered leaders and what you may need to consider to continue becoming a learning leader.  Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University, studies achievement and success. What she found was that people who have a fixed mindset believe that their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talent, are fixed traits. You have a certain ability and can’t grow beyond that fixed state. In other words, what you have is what you've got. Change isn’t going to happen - no matter how hard you try.  In a growth mindset, people understand that their talents and their abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. They don't necessarily think everybody's the same or that anyone can be a genius by studying more. But they do

For the past two months, we've explored the importance of rest, relaxation, and play. Today, we want to leave you with 71 ways to add play to your day. You'll see some of the suggestions are silly, some are spontaneous, and some you might think aren't fun at all. And that's ok. Our Invitation Here's our invitation: add to the list and make it your own. When someone says "I'm bored," pull out the list, ask for a number and take five minutes to add play to your day. We don't walk through all 71 ideas on the podcast, that's what this list below is for. Enjoy! https://transformingmission.org/podcast 

In different seasons of life, rest, relaxation, and play look different. What is fun when you’re a parent of small children and serving youth in the church...during a pandemic? Join Sam Heaton as he shares his experience of leading, loving, and living as a follower of Jesus in the midst of seasons filled with change.  If you ever found yourself worn out from a Zoom meeting, Sam offers reminders about our basic needs. Sometimes it is as simple as seeing the possibility for fun and faithfulness. At other moments, fun involves entering the world of his young son. What may have been fun years ago takes on new meaning as a parent. At the center of our conversation is a focus on authenticity. Sam reminds us what authentic community looks like and the needs of people seeking to live life in community. He shares how life can’t be separated into neat quadrants. Instead, he models what an integrated life looks and sounds like as followers of Jesus. Sometimes it’s messy. Other times, it’s quiet moments of solitude. And

Let's Play When was the last time you stopped and played? If you’re thinking, “C’mon, kids, play. Adults don’t play,” stick with us to learn why play is so important.  To begin, let’s define what we’re talking about. Play is time spent without purpose. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, there are reasons why adults need play: Because we’re created to play. We can’t be fully human and competent without play.  And because it happens to be fun With those reasons as the backdrop for this episode, another way to think about play is planting seeds for relationships to develop. Or, what transformation might be possible because we’ve paused to play?  Benefits of Play Here are a few more things to consider.  The benefits of play seem to show up in every aspect of life and work. Here are a few Dr. Brown and the National Institute for Play identify:  Trust Empathy Optimism Flexibility Attunement Problem Solving Joy in Movement Three-dimensional thinking Perseverance, increased mastery Emotional regulation and resiliency

Let’s chat about joy for a second. What brings you joy? When you listen to a group of Christ-centered leaders, share their wisdom on rest, relaxation, and play, it creates an atmosphere of encouragement. This week, in part 2 of “What’s your best wisdom for rest, relaxation, and play?” nine different leaders explore the challenges of rest and the joy of having fun.  And you might be surprised by what some of them call fun!  It’s a great reminder that fun and joy are individual traits. But, often, when we’re doing something that doesn’t necessarily bring us joy, we end up having fun because we are with people we love.  As you listen to Part 2 (you can find Part 1 here), be ready to be surprised, encouraged, and challenged by leaders who are doing their best to embody a rhythm of rest, relaxation, and play in the midst of their ordinary days.  Write it Down or Talk it Out What refreshes you?  What brings you joy?  What do rest, relaxation, and play look like each day, each week, and every year?     In Part 1,

What is fun for you? Yes, we’re really asking.  Here’s why: this week and next, the episodes are filled with fun and joy. You’ll hear from 16 leaders over the next two weeks. Each one shares their insights in joy-filled ways, even when they struggle with rest, relaxation, and play. As we dive into part 1 of this 2-part mini-series, we hope you’ll reflect on their insights and be encouraged to know you’re not alone on this leadership journey.  Whether you need some encouragement to finally get a rhythm of rest, relaxation, and play in your life or you’re celebrating the fun that summer brings, these leaders will offer you nuggets of wisdom. They bring insights and perspectives on our topic that are uplifting and Christ-centered.  From self-awareness to recognize what brings you joy, their candor and storytelling will remind you what it means to find what brings you joy...and do it.  Write it Down/Talk it Out What is fun for you? What helps you destress? In Part 1, we’ll hear from the following leaders: Curn

Rest, relaxation, and play are possible...even with demanding schedules.  Ministry and leadership are demanding. There's no way around that fact. But, ministry and leadership are life-giving when we care for ourselves as leaders.  In today's short episode we offer two ideas to make rest, relaxation, and play possible in your life. And they’re easier than you might think! What we didn’t say in this short episode is rest and relaxation begin with a mindset that it’s possible and you want it. If exhaustion is a status symbol for you, go ahead and skip this episode. There is nothing about being worn out that makes you a better leader. First, assess the urgency of the tasks and responsibilities before you. The tyranny of the urgent is a byproduct of our culture. From fast food to amazon two day delivery, most of us want things as quick as possible, if not yesterday. The reality is most things are not urgent.  Second, it’ll sound silly but plan to rest and relax. Schedule your work so it gets done (see tip 1), know

We have a big question, but a short episode for you this week. It continues our theme of rest, relaxation, and play. Here it is: What are the ingredients for joy and meaning in your life?  “Ingredients for Joy and Meaning,” is all about taking a moment to name what it looks like when things are going really well in your family. Said just a bit differently, “What are the specific conditions that are in place when everything feels good in your life?” To go with our theme for June and July, join us on social media for a little fun this week.  A Little Fun...It’s as Easy as 1, 2, 3.  Join us to have a little fun this week on Social Media. Let us know your ingredients for joy and meaning. We’ve created two images for you. Pick one - or both!  Blank Images - add your “Ingredients for Joy and Meaning” in the space provided This or That Images - choose your “Ingredients for Joy and Meaning” from a provided list. Directions  First, download one of the images below to your cell phone. 1080 X1080  for Instagram and Face

Are you ready for a different angle on rest, relaxation, and play? This week, tune in as we talk to someone whose work it is to facilitate the experiences that most of us participate in for entertainment, relaxation, and fun.   Amy Burgess is a mom, the Rosie Red mascot for the Cincinnati Reds, as well as an Executive Director and Choreographer for CAST, a theater company in the greater Cincinnati area.      You’ll quickly learn the things other people do for rest, relaxation, and play, Amy can be found on the other side, working. Amy shares what makes those experiences meaningful for her and the people she seeks to entertain, empower, and educate. She also explores the challenges of rest, relaxation, and play.    Listen for several important reminders from Amy. One of those reminders is this: being good at everything isn’t the goal. Nor is it fun to do things outside of our skill sets. So, how does she accomplish things that she’s not great at? Listen in to explore how Amy’s self-awareness and other-awarenes

Where do those three things fall on your priority list?   If you’re like many people these are the first things that fall off our priority list when busyness creeps in. Did you know that 35% of Americans don’t get 7-9 hours of sleep a night? Or that  77% of the US workforce does not take all the paid time off they earn in a year?   As we continue exploring characteristics of courageous leaders, during June and July you’re invited to focus on the themes of rest, relaxation, and play.    Today, we acknowledge what gets in the way of rest, relaxation and play. We’ll talk about control, excuses, communication and relationships as we explore three common barriers to rest and relaxation.    Throughout these next two months, the podcasts will take on a variety of forms. Some weeks, we’ll have guests, other weeks, it will be short conversations between Tim and Sara, and still other weeks it will be an invitation to rest, relax or play. Next week, look forward to a fun-filled conversation with Amy Burgess, a teacher,

Holy Moments. You’ve experienced these moments.  Time stands still. You’re overcome with the presence of God. You might even question whether the moment is really happening. You’re standing on holy ground (ok, in this case, we were sitting, recording a podcast).  Holy moments can’t be crafted, predicted, or rehearsed. They simply unfold. And when they do, you experience a connection to a community that you haven’t experienced before. In episode 179 we experienced one of these moments - and we hope you will too. Listen and consider what has changed about church and community in the last 30-47 years (yes, 47 years, not 45 or 50 -lol). Explore the shift from “come to church” to “get out of doors” and how one of us first experienced God beyond the church walls.  Then consider how our aspirational values can confuse us and our inability to accurately assess diversity - if we are in majority, the tendency is to overestimate our diversity.  So where do we begin? Begin with the desire to learn and grow. Perhaps you’l

If you want to build community, or deepen community connections, join us for Episode 178 as we seek to model grace-filled, curious conversation about topics we can sidestep in our communities.  Episode 178 is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with April Casperson. April serves as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the West Ohio Conference. April shares grace-filled wisdom about community, relationships, and yes, diversity. Her role is to help people work better across difference.

If you’ve been a part of a community, you’ve likely experienced conflict within that community. Sometimes our differences are easy to explore together. At other times, the conflict leads to division. The challenges to leaders during these seasons are great.  But, if you’re willing to reimagine who God is inviting you to be, you just might experience the emergence of a new community. Our conversation this week with Chris Wiseman explores how he’s leading a congregation that experienced conflict by reimagining what it means to be a Christ-centered community. Conflict and division are complex topics. Today, you’ll hear Chris share how listening and conversation are essential to decision making.  You’ll also hear stories about different modes of communication facilitated community. No surprise, those modes of communication were NOT determined by the positional leader. Instead, the needs and abilities of the community guided their modes of communication.    Finally, Chris offers reminders for leaders about the imp