by Carey Nieuwhof: You’ve probably thought about quitting recently.

The data David Kinnaman, President of Barna Group shares weekly on our joint podcast, Church Pulse Weekly, shows that pastors are more discouraged than ever,  are worried about much lower effectiveness in their ministry post-COVID, and that 20% of churches might not even survive.

No wonder you’ve thought about quitting.

Speaking personally, I find that even so scrolling through my social media and news feed most days discourages me.

I’m not telling you can’t quit. Of course you can. You can do whatever you’d like.

But I would like to try to persuade you why, for most leaders, this is probably the wrong time to leave. To at least reconsider.

And I’d live to give you a few strategies to help you move through these days with more composure, grace and, well, sanity.

I get it. It’s hard. Really hard.

Here’s why it’s worth hanging in if you can.

1. Quitting on a Bad Day is a Really Bad Idea

I’ve wanted to quit more than a few times, and almost always that’s because I’m having a bad day.

Here’s what I’ve realized: quitting on a bad day is a really bad idea.

On a bad day, your emotions hijack your brain. You can’t think straight, and you almost always end up doing things you regret.

Quitting is pretty permanent.

Quitting on a bad day is a really bad idea. On a bad day, your emotions hijack your brain. You can’t think straight, and you almost always end up doing things you regret. If you’re going to quit, quit on a good day.

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And if quitting on a bad day is a bad idea, 2020 has been a string of bad days, weeks and months. The pressure is cumulative. And it’s probably wisest to resist.

Does this mean you can never quit?

Of course not. If it’s time to go, it’s time to go. I’m actually stepping down from our church staff at the end of 2020, but that was planned for years as part of a carefully developed succession plan.

If you’re going to quit, quit on a good day. After careful prayer, adequate rest, wise counsel and a clear sense this is the best step into the future.

If you’re having a bad day (or a bad year), hang in there. You’ll probably be glad you did.

If you need some further incentive, here’s a pattern I’ve noticed in my life: you’re most tempted to quit moments before a critical breakthrough.

I can’t tell you the number of times I almost gave up, didn’t, and saw a break through right around the corner.

So hang in there.

You’re most tempted to quit moments before a critical breakthrough.

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2. You’re Probably Just About To Innovate

You know the saying: necessity is the mother invention.

So, yep, things are really tough. Which also means you’re probably about to start innovating.

Most of the change that’s happened since March 2020 hasn’t been innovation, it’s been adaptation. You had no choice, so you really didn’t pivot, you adapted. We all did.

Most of the change that’s happened since March 2020 hasn’t been innovation, it’s been adaptation.

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The adaptation is wearing thin. It’s not working as well as it did a few months ago.

And the return ‘back to church’ has been, for the most part, a shadow of what existed pre-COVID. Many leaders stepped back into the past when they stepped back into their buildings, and now they’re now frustrated with the lack of progress they see.

Which is driving you to despair. But sitting on the other side of despair is something much more promising: innovation.

Let your desperation drive you to innovation. That’s where all the promise is.

Let your desperation drive you to innovation. That’s where all the promise is.

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3. The World Has Never Needed the Church More

That these have been hard times for most churches and leaders is absolutely true.

Most churches are seeing significant declines in in-person and even online attendance. I get it. That’s really discouraging.

But the mission of the church has never been more important.

In a divided, tribalized, angry, isolated and fragile culture, the mission of the church has never been more important.

While some church leaders are mimicking the attitude of the culture, supporting partisan candidates and fueling anger online, the future belongs to pastors who don’t.

What the culture needs is an alternative to itself, and the church is just that.

This is a great time to remind yourself that when you’re surrounded by division, the church brings unity.

When you see isolation, the church fuels community.

It’s a good time to affirm once again the answer to hate isn’t more hate, it’s the radically countercultural practice of enemy-love Jesus embodied.

The world does need need the church to mimic it right now, it needs the church to provide an alternative.

Perhaps you were called into leadership for such a time as this.

In a divided, tribalized, angry, isolated and fragile culture, the mission of the church has never been more important.

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4. The Challenge of 2020 Places You Squarely in the Tradition of Biblical Leadership

I don’t know about you, but the biblical stories I’ve read all my life are leaping off the page in fresh ways this year.

As much as you might hate 2020, it places you squarely in the tradition of most Biblical leadership. Leaders in scripture almost always led through crisis.

As much as you might hate 2020, it places you squarely in the tradition of most Biblical leadership. Leaders in scripture almost always led through crisis.

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If you think being Moses was easy, hang out in Exodus or Deuteronomy for a little longer. It was brutal.

People criticize the scripture regularly for being too violent (that often confuses descriptive passages with prescriptive passages). Conflict, war, oppression, invasions, and corrupt political systems characterize biblical times.

But personally, I’m glad the scriptures don’t describe some idyllic life where everyone walks in the woods in perfect harmony with each other, because that’s not the world we live in. Come on, that’s not even your family. You can’t go for a walk without someone arguing about something.

No, the dysfunction we see in biblical characters reflects the dysfunction we see in ourselves.

And strangely, through it all, we see God’s hand still at work. That Christ’s redeeming work is still progressing.

The church in Corinth was a mess. And God used it.

None of this justifies the dysfunction, but it lets us know that God works in it and in spite of it.

Which means there’s hope for you and me.

Which means when you lead through the mess that is today,  you are squarely in the tradition of Biblical leadership, tracing out hope where nobody can find any.

When you lead through the mess that is today, you are squarely in the tradition of Biblical leadership, tracing out hope where nobody can find any.

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Three Ways To Stay Encouraged In Leadership

So, that’s a little motivation as you why you shouldn’t quit.

But how do you find the fuel and motivation to stay in there?

Here are three things that have helped me and I hope will help you.

1. Don’t Look To Time Off To Heal You—Pay Attention To Your Time On

I know a lot of leaders who are holding out for some time off. And time off is wonderful.

But it’s not going to get you through the crisis. You just can’t take enough vacation or days off to get you through a prolonged crisis.

When the way you’re living and leading is broken, all the time in the world off won’t fix it.

When the way you’re living and leading is broken, all the time in the world off won’t fix it.

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The problem with most leaders is not how we spend our time off. It’s how we spend our time on.

So, focus on creating a sustainable rhythm for every day.  The mantra I’ve lived by for the last decade plus is live in a way today that will help you thrive tomorrow.  It helps me figure out everything from how much sleep I need, how many meetings to take, how many decisions I can reasonably make, and how to replenish myself daily so I can lead at home and at work.

Your time off can’t save you if the problem is how you spend your time on.

This might take constant adjustment on your part, but it’s worth it.

Your time off can’t save you if the problem is how you spend your time on.

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2. Create An Encouragement File

For years I’ve kept a file I simply call “encouragement”.

It’s a simple Gmail folder.

The rule is simple. When someone sends me something that encourages me (an email, a blog comment, a DM, a card, a note), I put it in that file.   Often it’s a thank you for something I said or did, a short message of encouragement, and sometimes it’s a life-change story (love those!).

Here’s why I keep it (hang on, my reasoning is complicated): I get discouraged.

The news bothers me. My social media feed can be depressing. Results can be disappointing. And critics can get under my skin.

Sometimes it doesn’t even take a comment from anyone.  I can discourage myself in no time flat.

You probably get a lot of encouragement, but you just forget. Plus it takes about 1000 positive comments to compensate for the one devastating critique someone emailed you.

When you get discouraged, read what you’ve saved in your encouragement file.

God is using you more than you think, and people appreciate you more than you realize.

It takes about 1000 positive comments to compensate for the one devastating critique someone emailed you. So start an encouragement file. God is using you more than you think, and people appreciate you more than you realize.

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3. Don’t Do This Alone: It Can Kill You

Leadership was already lonely enough before the crisis hit. Now it’s even lonelier.

If you want to stay motivated and strong in leadership, you can’t do it alone.

Think loneliness isn’t a big deal?

Think again. Apparently it can kill you.

Loneliness can be more deadly to your health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Leaders, loneliness can be more deadly to your health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

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If you’re feeling lonely, reach out to a friend. I’ve reached out to a handful of friends in the pandemic. One friend and I text every day, just to stay in touch and encourage each other.

And when you can grab lunch and meet face to face, do it.

Solitude is a gift from God. Isolation is a tool of the enemy.

Leaders, you’re only as lonely as you choose to be.

Solitude is a gift from God. Isolation is a tool of the enemy. Leaders, you’re only as lonely as you choose to be.

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Big Announcement Coming. Some Practical Help is On the Way!

If you’re struggling with online church, you’re not alone.

I’ve got a really big announcement coming this week about a new free resource that can help your church engage the people who are watching you online.

Stay tuned!

What Keeps You Hanging In There?

I know this is a tough season and I’m so glad we’re connected through it.

What keeps you hanging in there when you feel like you’re ready to quit?

Scroll down, leave a comment and encourage another leader today.

The post Why You Shouldn’t Quit Ministry Right Now, Even Though You Feel Like It appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: Why You Shouldn’t Quit Ministry Right Now, Even Though You Feel Like It

The post Why You Shouldn’t Quit Ministry Right Now, Even Though You Feel Like It appeared first on Passion for Planting.

By: Stan Rodda

It’s amazing the places you can learn truths about disciple making when you are aware enough to pay attention. I was reminded of a disciple making truth recently when I was watching my 15 year old son workout. He has been wanting to get bigger, faster, stronger. He’s a high school boy and made JV lacrosse at his high school. He wants to grow as an athlete and I’m sure wants to look good for the girls at his school as an ulterior motive. We don’t have a lot of weights at our house and I don’t have a gym membership anywhere, so I encouraged my son to get creative. And creative he got.

He has been making weight plates out of concrete mix and five gallon buckets. He is using zip ties and small dumbbells to tie to a barbell for shoulder and bench press. He’s watching everything on YouTube he can to learn about getting stronger and faster. He implements everything he sees and gives it a try. Over the last year or so of watching him do this, I am beginning to see the signs. He is a little bigger. He’s gotten a lot stronger. He’s definitely faster. The results are starting to show up. But it has taken a year to even begin to see.

That’s where the disciple making truth comes in…

When it comes to disciple making, you must think marathon, not sprint!

Hebrews gives us a glimpse into this truth.

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer an perfecter of our faith. [Hebrews 12:1, 2 CSB]

I get it. You want results…TODAY! You’re direct. You’re hard charging. You have goals and a vision for your church or ministry. You want to take your neighborhood, city, state and globe for God by tomorrow afternoon. I want results too. Results show you that you’re headed in the right direction and that you’re doing right things. I’m with you.

Unfortunately, like many things, disciple making doesn’t work that way. When I want to lose weight and get in shape, I must plan for the long haul. I can’t eat right for one day, do a few pushups, run around the block and expect my body to respond the next morning. I won’t wake up with chiseled pecs, six-pack abs and rippling biceps. I’ll wake up sore and hangry. I must get after it again that day, and then the next day, and the next day, and…you see where this is going.

You won’t have a disciple making movement tomorrow after one day of talking about it. You aren’t necessarily going to win your city to Jesus by this afternoon just because you talk about making disciples one time. As with most things, results simply don’t show up that way. You have to push again today, and then the next day, and then the next day, and…you see where this is going.

After six months, a year or five years of this constant pushing toward movement, you will start seeing results. It might take time, but the effort expended to get to this level of spiritual maturity and depth will make a much healthier disciple making movement in the long run. In order to get there, I must constantly be asking God, “What’s my next step? What step of obedience can I take today?”

Obey Today

When you spend time with God in your secret place, in the quiet, early morning hours (or whenever you spend your time with God), ask the question, “God, what step of obedience would you have me take today?”

What sin do I need to confess?

What attitude do I need to change?

What in my life must I change to walk in better alignment with You?

When God gives you the answer…obey! Confess your sin. Change your attitude. Make amends where needed. Love your spouse differently. Love your kids well. Change how you lead. Whatever it is that God is asking you to do in your own discipleship, take the step of obedience.

You can only lead a disciple making movement as far as you are willing to obey God in your own personal life!

Help Your Disciples Obey Today

Share with your disciples what God is telling you to do. Share your plans for obedience and ask for accountability. Then ask them how God is speaking to them.

What next step is God calling them to reach?

Who is God asking them to share with?

When is God asking them to do it?

Help them hear God’s voice and obey in their own life. As you are moving toward obedience, growing spiritually and reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus in your own life and as God does the same in the life of your disciples, you will see depth and growth. You will see the movement beginning to form and grow. It will take some time, but it will absolutely be worth it.

The journey toward a disciple making movement looks so much more like a marathon than a sprint! May you hear God’s voice today and obey. May you help someone you are leading do the same.

Let’s take Kingdom territory!

Source: Think Marathon, Not Sprint!

The post Think Marathon, Not Sprint! appeared first on Passion for Planting.

by Carey Nieuwhof: The problem with many leaders is that there is a gap between what they want to see happen and the courage it takes to get there.

You dream of a radical new future, but then you answer email all day, go to meetings, inhale caffeine and go home before it’s too late with far too much of whatever-you-did-today (what did I do again today?) leftover for a boring repeat tomorrow.

And if you drill down a little further, you’ll often find that what lurks under the tedium of every day is…fear. It’s just easier to answer email and be in meetings all day instead of making the bold moves you know you need to make to secure a better future.

To put it as eloquently as possible, that pattern stinks.

To accomplish a radically new future, you will have to do radically different things.

This scares the socks off of most of us. After all, risk is for risk-takers, and many of us are not crazy risk-takers.

So the question becomes, when you realize fear is holding your back, how do you act? How do you push past your fear?

Well, start with small steps.

Small victories over fear quickly become larger ones because like any good muscle, the more you practice overcoming your fears, the more fear you overcome.

To accomplish a radically new future, you will have to do radically different things.Click To Tweet

The End of the Road for the Timid is Not Awesome

Another way to get motivated to grow bolder in your leadership is to consider the alternative, which is, well, not good at all.

It’s simple. If you fail to take risks in your leadership:

Your organization will experience few breakthroughs and likely continue down a path  to decline and irrelevance.

You will leave leadership without any sense of fulfillment or accomplishment.

Here’s what’s worse. From a distance, it’s hard to tell the difference between a fearful leader and a lazy leader. Why? Well, while the motivation is different, the outcome is often indistinguishable.

It can be difficult to tell the difference between a fearful leader and a lazy leader.Click To Tweet

I believe risk-taking is both a habit and a mindset. Take a few steps toward tackling small challenges, and soon you’ll be up for the bigger ones.

At the same time, if you’re a natural risk-taker, you may feel an urge the older you get to rest on your laurels. Don’t.

Even taking risks like the ones below will prime the pump for future change and transformation, which, by the way, is always in season.

After all, the next generation doesn’t care what you did yesterday.

The next generation doesn’t care what you did yesterday.Click To Tweet

7 Risks Any Leader Can Take Today

So, if you want to flex your risk-muscle for the first time or the 1000th time, here are 7 things you can do today to get started:

1. Start something you don’t know how to finish

This can be truly awesome. Tackling things you know how to do is a sure path to stagnation and eventual boredom.

What’s that project at work that scares the life out of you? Start it. Today. And see where it goes. You will figure it out. You will.

Most people who make a dent in the universe had no idea what they were doing when they started.

Why would it be any different with you?

People who put a dent in the universe usually had no idea what they were doing when they started. Why would it be any different with you?Click To Tweet

2. Do what you’ve been thinking of doing but haven’t done yet

We all have things we’ve been thinking of doing for years that might be doable. But we haven’t started yet.

Just do it. Seriously.

Make the call. Send the text. Clean out that drawer. Write page one of the book you’re terrified to start.

True leaders have a bias for great action, not just great thinking.

True leaders have a bias for great action, not just great thinking.Click To Tweet

3. Be generous when you don’t feel like it

Yes, generosity is a risk. Being financially generous when you don’t feel like you have the funds to be generous is a risk.

Being generous with praise when you don’t feel like praising someone is a risk.

In a world where there are a thousand reasons to be stingy, generosity is a risk.

But generosity is the key to developing an abundance mentality. And people with an abundance mentality often end up taking more risks.

So start by thanking someone who deserves some thanks even if you don’t feel like giving it. Or give some money away. You may surprise yourself at what you get back.

In a world where there are a thousand reasons to be stingy, generosity is a risk.Click To Tweet

4. Set a goal you think is impossible to reach

The reason you won’t set a daring goal is because you think it’s impossible. Which is exactly why you should set it.

It can be small. When I began seriously and consistently blogging 7 years ago, I set a crazy traffic goal of reaching 100,000 page views a year. I thought it would be impossible. But that goal motivated me to write three times a week, week in and week out.

I had no idea that in my first year full year of dedicated blogging, I would realize 7x that goal…reaching over 700,000 page views. That was in 2013.

Three years later, this blog sees over 6 million page views a year.

If someone had told me that when I started, I would have laughed. The thought still astonishes and humbles me.

But here’s some truth for you: People who set goals accomplish more than people who don’t.

People who set goals accomplish more than people who don’t.Click To Tweet

5. Be vulnerable

Yes, vulnerability is also a risk.

Bring a close friend in on a struggle you haven’t talked to anyone about yet.

Get over your fear of telling your team you don’t know the answer (I promise you they already know).

Being vulnerable sets you up for accepting the failure that inevitably accompanies risk…that failure you’re so scared of.

Being vulnerable today will prepare you for a bit of failure tomorrow on your way to greater accomplishments.

6. Give someone else an opportunity you were going to take for yourself

It’s a risk to trust others with something you care about, isn’t it? Which is why you need to do it.

Pick an opportunity you were personally going to do and invite someone else to do it. This will not only help you be more generous with your leadership but this will also position you to create a stronger team moving forward.

As the saying goes when it comes to accomplishment, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go further, go with a team.

It’s a risk to trust others with something you care about. Which is why you need to do it.Click To Tweet

7. Take quitting off the table

When you’re afraid, you think about quitting, don’t you?

So take it off the table. Just decide you’re in for the long haul and get moving.

It’s riskier to stay and try than it is to quit and leave.

In the same way that couples who take divorce off the table usually find a way to work through their issues, you will find a way to work through your issues if you move quitting off the table.

It’s riskier to stay and try than it is to quit and leave.Click To Tweet

Invest in Yourself

It’s ironic, the better a leader you become, the less coaching you would think you’d need.

Just the opposite is true. The better you become, the more you need. Just ask any professional athlete.

If you want to take your leadership and life to a new leader, I’d love to challenge you to take the High Impact Leader Course. It’s designed to help you get time, energy and priorities working for you, not against you.

I’ve helped over 3000 leaders free up hundreds of hours each year and often 3 hours a day to do what they feel they never have time for and get healthier in the process.

My High Impact Leader course, is my online, on-demand course designed to help you get time, energy and priorities working in your favour.

It’s perfect for leaders who feel like they never have enough time in the day to get the really important things done.

Many leaders who have taken it are recovering 3 productive hours a day.  That’s about 1000 hours of found time each year. That’s a lot of time for what matters most.

Here are what some alumni are saying about The High Impact Leader Course”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for providing the course again. It has absolutely made an impact in my life and family already that I can’t even describe.” – Joel Rowland, Clayton County, North Carolina

“Just wow.  Thank you, thank you.” Dave Campbell,  Sioux Falls South Dakota

“A game-changer.” Pam Perkins,  Colorado Springs, Colorado

Curious? Want to beat overwhelm and have the time to reflect, rest and reinvent yourself?

Click here to learn more or get instant access.

In the meantime

What other risks do you think leaders can take that will set us up for the future?

Scroll down and leave a comment!

The post Afraid to Make A Move? 7 Risks Any Leader Can Take. appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: Afraid to Make A Move? 7 Risks Any Leader Can Take.

The post Afraid to Make A Move? 7 Risks Any Leader Can Take. appeared first on Passion for Planting.

by Carey Nieuwhof: New York Times bestselling author, Max Lucado, talks about how he knew he didn’t have another ten years of senior leadership in him, why his passion has shifted, what causes happiness, and how to be happier.

Plus, Max shares some thoughts on the best and worst decisions he’s made over his decades in leadership.

Welcome to Episode 290 of the podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and listen for free.

Guest Links

Max Lucado |  Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | How Happiness Happens

Episode Links

Need help with your church’s website and digital outreach? Check out Pro WebFire, and get a FREE custom website build for the plan you choose by using the discount code Carey2019. Act now before the offer expires at the end of this month.

Carey will be speaking at the Future Forward Conference this October 1st and 2nd. If you’re a church leader or member who is committed fully to engaging the next generation in a rapidly changing world, join us by signing up here today.

CNLP 221: Max Lucado On How He’s Written Over 120 Books, Why He Never Uses Ghostwriters, How to Stay Fresh in Leadership, And His Favorite Book

Vanderbloemen Resource Center

Ten Signs of a Leadership Crash by Stephen Mansfield

Research on the pursuit of happiness

Unshakable Hope by Max Lucado

3 Insights from Max

1.Your interests and callings might come only for a season

Many leaders hold onto their leadership positions for too long. Max and Carey both have come to the place where they needed to pass on their lead pastor role to the next generation of leaders. How did they know it was time to move on? Max described it as “when he dipped his ladle into his leadership bucket, all he heard was a scraping sound.” He just didn’t have anything left for it.

Max would also want to encourage you that just because you are called to something in one season, doesn’t mean you are called to that thing in all seasons of your life. How much of a tragedy would it be if you received all of your callings and giftings on the day of your conversion? It would make the rest of your life pretty boring. Your calling is for life but your assignment might change.

2. Advantages of staying in the same ministry for 31 years 

Max has been in a place of leadership at his church for 31 years, and he has been able to see a few advantages to staying in the same place for a long time. One of the biggest advantages is that preaching to the same people for so long has caused him to preach on many of the passages and topics that pastors never preach on. This has added value to him and his congregation.

Max also loves the fact that he has a very long-standing and well-respected legacy within his community that is not only paying off for him but is paying off for his wife and kids now, too. His church has invited two of his three daughters to speak, and the community of people in their church are quick to support him and his family.

3. Happiness happens in unexpected ways

The world seems to be getting less and less happy. While researching his next book, Max learned that only one in three people today report that they are happy. So where has our happiness gone? And more importantly, how do we get it back?

One thing Max realized while researching for his book was that we become happy, ourselves, when we are making other people happy. So, when we give away something that brings joy to someone else, we too are becoming more joyful. Another unexpected way that we can become more happy is by listening. If we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he was very intentional about listening to those who were hurting.

Quotes from Episode 290

I knew it was time to pass on my role when what used to energize me about our church started to drain me. @cnieuwhofClick To Tweet

It might actually be disobedient or wrong to hang on in a position to which you’re not called anymore. @cnieuwhofClick To Tweet

Happiness happens when we give it away. @MaxLucadoClick To Tweet

Everywhere I look, somebody’s trying to make me unhappy so that I’ll buy their product. @MaxLucadoClick To Tweet

Saying no to speaking or to travel is really a good yes to my wife. @MaxLucadoClick To Tweet

Read or Download the Transcript for Episode 290

Looking for a key quote? More of a reader?

Read or download a free PDF transcript of this episode here.

Watch Back Episodes of The Podcast on YouTube

Select episodes of this podcast are now on YouTube. Our new YouTube Channel gives you a chance to watch some episodes, not just listen. We’ll add select episodes to YouTube as time goes on.

Help Your Church Grow Without Compromising Biblical Integrity

Ready to start preaching better sermons and reach the unchurched without selling out? Then it’s time to start using the right tips, lessons, and strategies to communicating better.

The Art of Better Preaching Course is a 12 session video training with a comprehensive, interactive workbook that will help you create, write, and deliver better sermons. The course contains the lessons Mark Clark (lead pastor of  Village Church, a growing mega-church in post-Christian Vancouver) and I have learned, taught, and used over decades of being professional communicators.

This is the complete course you need to start preaching better sermons, including:

7 preaching myths it’s time to bust forever
The 5 keys to preaching sermons to unchurched people (that will keep them coming back)
How to discover the power in the text (and use it to drive your sermon)
The specific characteristics of sermons that reach people in today’s world
Why you need to ditch your sermon notes (and how to do it far more easily than you think.)
How to keep your heart and mind fresh over the long run

And far more! Plus you get an interactive workbook and some bonus resources that will help you write amazing messages week after week.

In the Art of Better Preaching, Mark and I share everything we’ve learned about communicating in a way that will help your church grow without compromising biblical integrity. We cover detailed training on everything from interacting with the biblical text to delivering a talk without using notes, to writing killer bottom lines that people will remember for years.

Check it out today and gain instant access.

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Thank you for being so awesome.

Next Episode: David Platt

There are so many deconversion stories away from Christianity these days. David Platt has seen some of the greatest suffering on earth and has again, recently, asked some of the toughest questions: In a universe governed by a good God, is hell really a place? Will so many people born into an earthly hell really end up in eternal hell? David shares how seeing profound suffering and asking those questions hasn’t led him away from faith but deeper into his faith. And, he shares what needs to change in Christianity is really going to impact the world.

Subscribe for free now and you won’t miss Episode 291.

The post CNLP 290: Max Lucado on What Causes Happiness, How to Be Happier, and How to Know When It’s Time to Leave Leadership appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: CNLP 290: Max Lucado on What Causes Happiness, How to Be Happier, and How to Know When It’s Time to Leave Leadership

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by Carey Nieuwhof: Little did Chris Norton know that making a routine football play would change his life forever. Paralyzed from the neck down, doctors told him he had a 3 percent chance of ever regaining sensation in his body.

Last year, Chris walked down the aisle with his bride at his wedding. His story has been covered by The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, FOX & Friends, and PEOPLE Magazine. Chris talks about the journey, what he’s learned and shares leadership lessons and even public speaking tips on how to motivate unmotivated crowds when you speak.

Welcome to Episode 276 of the podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and listen for free.

Guest Links

Chris Norton | The Seven Longest Yards

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Text 7yards or sevenyards to 44222 to receive the first two chapters of The Seven Longest Yards for free.

USA Today – Chris Norton Had The Best Memorial Day Weekend

People Magazine –Groom Paralyzed Playing Football Walks Down The Aisle: ‘The Accident Brought Me To Her’

Chris Norton Foundation Wheelchair Camp

Episode Links

Pro Media Fire has the media solution that’s right for your church at promediafire.com/carey. Podcast listeners receive 10% off for life.

Empower and equip your leaders with church management software from Church Community Builder. Podcast listeners receive 20% off now.

Caring Bridge

3 Insights from Chris

1. Sometimes God has a better plan for you than the plan you had for yourself

Chris’s injury was in no way a part of his plan. His plan was to become an all-star athlete, marry the girl of his dreams, and have a lakehouse. Getting paralyzed from the neck down at the age of 18 put a massive roadblock in the way of his dream life. He had to find a way to move forward in spite of that discouragement.

Today, Chris says that God’s plan for his life after his injury is better than any life he could have dreamed of before the injury. He would encourage you that if you are going through tragedy, God can take the mess you are living and make it his message, and he can take your pain and turn it into a bigger purpose.

2. Your future will take care of itself if you take care of today

After his injury, Chris had a lot of reasons to be worried about his future. For weeks after the accident he was hardly able to sleep. He would sit in bed and just continue to think about all of the “what-ifs” of his life. He had many more questions and concerns about his future than he had answers.

When asked how he got through those times, he said that he continued to focus on whatever he could do that day. He has grown up knowing that if he can take care of the problems of today, the future will take care of itself. If you are facing a hard future, start with whatever little things you can do to help yourself today.

3. When public speaking, you have to work to control all the little factors of communication

One minor tweak that makes a world of a difference for Chris while speaking is telling stories in the present tense. When he makes that shift, it makes the story more immediate and real in the moment. Chris also looks at all of the little factors that influence an audience. Before he goes on stage, he looks at the lighting, the audio-video, the previous speakers and how far into the conference he is speaking and he adapts to overcome those obstacles.

Another thing Chris has learned is that your energy as a speaker shouldn’t be dependent on the energy the audience is bringing. Chris wants to still speak with high-energy and passion even when the audience is half asleep. To do this, he records every talk he gives and closely inspects how his energy was throughout it.

Quotes from Episode 276

Your future will take care of itself when you take care of today. @chrisanorton16Click To Tweet

Sometimes God has a better plan for you than the plan you had for yourself. @chrisanorton16Click To Tweet

It took years and years and lots of hard work to be sitting in a wheelchair and feel that my life is better than what it was before I was hurt. @chrisanorton16Click To Tweet

As we were going through these hard times, the very thing that we should have gone towards is the very thing that we pushed to the side. @chrisanorton16Click To Tweet

Read or Download the Transcript for Episode 276

Looking for a key quote? More of a reader?

Read or download a free PDF transcript of this episode here.

Watch the Podcast on YouTube

Select episodes of this podcast are now on YouTube. Our new YouTube Channel gives you a chance to watch some episodes, not just listen. We’ll add select episodes to YouTube as time goes on.

Get Your Life Back

Do you want to unlock more of your potential in life and leadership without sacrificing time with your family and your health?

Sounds crazy, but it’s not. I know because I’ve lived it. A few years back, I seriously crashed and burned because the demands on my time and life were bigger than the time I had to accomplish them. I promised myself that wouldn’t happen again.

Today, I still have bigger goals than ever before, but I’ve made fundamental changes that have led to a healthier, happier lifestyle without sacrificing my family and vastly increasing my productivity at work. I’ve taken what I’ve learned during this journey and put it into the High Impact Leader course.

You can complete the three-hour course at your own pace. It’s the most comprehensive content I’ve ever created for leaders to help you reclaim HOURS every day so you can become more effective at work and more present at home. When your time, energy, and priorities are all working together for you, it’ll impact everything you do.

You become a better leader, because you’re doing what you do best when you’re at your best
You become a better spouse, because you’re focused at home
You become a better parent, neighbor, and friend, because you actually have time off to relax and engage

These principles will free you to thrive in every area of your life.

You can learn more and gain instant access today.

Subscribed Yet? 

Subscribe for free and never miss out on wisdom from world-class leaders like Brian Houston, Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, Nancy Duarte, Henry Cloud, Patrick Lencioni, Francis Chan, Ann Voskamp, Erwin McManus and many others.

Subscribe using your favorite podcast app via

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google Play

Stitcher

TuneIn

Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review

Hopefully, this episode has helped you lead like never before. That’s my goal. If you appreciated it, could you share the love?

The best way to do that is to rate the podcast on Apple Podcasts and leave us a brief review! You can do the same on Stitcher and on TuneIn as well.

Your ratings and reviews help us place the podcast in front of new leaders and listeners. Your feedback also lets me know how I can better serve you.

Thank you for being so awesome.

Next Episode: Sam Collier

Five years ago, Sam Collier had almost no platform. Today, he’s a well-known podcaster, speaker, host and influencer who speaks on some of today’s largest stages. Sam talks about how he got started, how as an African-American he processed feedback and coaching from many white and minority leaders to learn to speak to a whole new audience, growing his platform to what it is today.

Subscribe for free now and you won’t miss Episode 277.

The post CNLP 276: Chris Norton on Beating the Odds in Life and Leadership, Walking Again after Being Completely Paralyzed and the Lessons That Flow From It appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: CNLP 276: Chris Norton on Beating the Odds in Life and Leadership, Walking Again after Being Completely Paralyzed and the Lessons That Flow From It

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by Carey Nieuwhof: Michael Hyatt is one of the top influencers in the leadership space today. His books consistently reach the New York Times best sellers list and his company helps millions of leaders a year become better.

In this interview, Michael explains how to focus with far greater effectiveness in a world filled with distraction, how to work less and accomplish more, and shares dozens of practical productivity tips. Plus, he talks about succession and where he’s heading next in life.

Welcome to Episode 261 of the podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and listen for free.

Guest Links

Michael Hyatt | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Free to Focus

Episode Links

Join me and May 22-23, 2019 in Dallas, TX at the Pushpay Summit. You’ll hear from some incredible leaders as we help you solve your ministry’s hardest problems. Save almost 50% off by using the coupon code: CAREYN.

Get your life and leadership back with the High Impact Leader. It’s an online course you can do on demand to beat burnout and get things done without giving up the things you love most. Check it out at thehighimpactleader.com.

Getting Things Done by David Allen

BELAYSolutions.com

KOLBE.com

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

3 Insights from Michael

1. Stop total work and find freedom through productivity

People are going crazy with work, some would call it Total Work, and it’s consuming everything in our lives. Productivity should not lead to more work, but, unfortunately, it often does. Different types of freedom should be found through productivity, not more work.

Freedom to focus – which offers margin for problem solving and creativity.

Freedom to be fully present – both at work and at home.

Freedom to be spontaneous – interruptions offer opportunities.

Freedom to do nothing – breakthrough ideas don’t always come with an agenda.

2. Cut the things someone else should be doing and focus on your zone

Michael’s new book, Free to Focus, is all about achieving more by doing less. One way to do that is to make sure to stay in the right zone, the Desire Zone. We achieve the results we’re expected to produce when we apply passion and proficiency.

The Desire Zone: your work produces the most results and leads to more freedom because there’s clear focus.

The Drudgery Zone: your work has no passion or proficiency. Plenty of other people on the team could do what you’re doing, so it’s not the best utilization of your time.

The Disinterest Zone: you’re good what you’re doing, but possess no joy in the work.

The Distraction Zone: you’re not good at the job, but enjoy doing it. It’s a place to get lost in busy work and hide from more important responsibilities – the most dangerous zone.

3. Act with intention in order to be proactive instead of reactive

Imagine your ideal week. If you could design your schedule so that you had 100% control of your time and resources, what would it look like?

While it’s rare to be able to fully consolidate your calendar there are ways to structure it to better suit your work week in order to be more proactive rather than reactive.

Divide your time into 3 categories: Front Stage, Back Stage & Off Stage.

Front Stage: time for you to deliver the results you have been hired to do.

Back Stage: time necessary to prepare in order achieve Front Stage work.

Off Stage: time where work is off the table so that you can rest and rejuvenate in order to get back on the clock.

Quotes from Episode 261

Focus is the superpower in the distraction age. @MichaelHyattClick To Tweet

People can handle no. What they can’t handle is a lack of response. @MichaelHyattClick To Tweet

Productivity should not lead to more work, which it often does…The goal is freedom. @MichaelHyattClick To Tweet

Vision always precedes the resources. You’ve got to get clear on what you want, before you try to figure out how you’re going to make it happen. @MichaelHyattClick To Tweet

It’s easy to leave failure behind, but it’s harder to leave success behind. @cnieuwhofClick To Tweet

Never do anything that someone else can or will do when there is so much of importance to be done which others cannot or will not do. -Dawson TrotmanClick To Tweet

Read or Download the Transcript for Episode 261

Looking for a key quote? More of a reader?

Read or download a free PDF transcript of this episode here.

Get Your Life Back

Do you want to unlock more of your potential in life and leadership without sacrificing time with your family and your health?

Sounds crazy, but it’s not. I know because I’ve lived it. A few years back, I seriously crashed and burned because the demands on my time and life were bigger than the time I had to accomplish them. I promised myself that wouldn’t happen again.

Today, I still have bigger goals than ever before, but I’ve made fundamental changes that have led to a healthier, happier lifestyle without sacrificing my family and vastly increasing my productivity at work. I’ve taken what I’ve learned during this journey and put it into the High Impact Leadercourse.

You can complete the three-hour course at your own pace. It’s the most comprehensive content I’ve ever created for leaders to help you reclaim HOURS every day so you can become more effective at work and more present at home. When your time, energy, and priorities are all working together for you, it’ll impact everything you do.

You become a better leader, because you’re doing what you do best when you’re at your best
You become a better spouse, because you’re focused at home
You become a better parent, neighbor, and friend, because you actually have time off to relax and engage

These principles will free you to thrive in every area of your life.

You can learn more and gain instant access today.

Subscribed Yet? 

Subscribe for free and never miss out on wisdom from world-class leaders like Brian Houston, Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, Nancy Duarte, Henry Cloud, Patrick Lencioni, Francis Chan, Ann Voskamp, Erwin McManus and many others.

Subscribe using your favorite podcast app via

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google Play

Stitcher

TuneIn

Spread the Word. Leave a Rating and Review

Hopefully, this episode has helped you lead like never before. That’s my goal. If you appreciated it, could you share the love?

The best way to do that is to rate the podcast on Apple Podcasts and leave us a brief review! You can do the same on Stitcher and on TuneIn as well.

Your ratings and reviews help us place the podcast in front of new leaders and listeners. Your feedback also lets me know how I can better serve you.

Thank you for being so awesome.

Next Episode: Nona Jones 

Nona Jones works for Facebook and shares about what most leaders are missing when it comes to getting people to engage on social media. Nona is also pioneering a way for churches to go beyond social media and dive deeper into social ministry. Plus she shares a host of tips and insights on best and worst practices on social media and where social is heading in the future.

Subscribe for free now and you won’t miss Episode 262.

The post CNLP 261: Michael Hyatt On How To Focus in a Distracted World, How to Get More Done in Far Fewer Hours, and Why Succession Matters appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: CNLP 261: Michael Hyatt On How To Focus in a Distracted World, How to Get More Done in Far Fewer Hours, and Why Succession Matters

The post CNLP 261: Michael Hyatt On How To Focus in a Distracted World, How to Get More Done in Far Fewer Hours, and Why Succession Matters appeared first on Passion for Planting.

by Carey Nieuwhof: Dear Discouraged  Leader,

Being a leader isn’t the easiest thing in the world. But it isn’t the hardest thing in the world either.

You’re not alone. Leadership is hard at times. In fact, if you’re really leading, there’s rarely a season that isn’t filled with challenges.

Just as you solve one problem, two more pop up. You solve them, and out of the corner of your eye, spot the next one.

I get it.

After seeing leader after leader struggle with discouragement and want to quit long before their calling ran out, I wanted to write this note (HT to Casey Graham).

None of us really feel like the most successful person on earth. I don’t. You don’t.

And even though things are going well at the moment and I have so much to be thankful for, I spend too many days wondering whether I’m missing something or feeling like we should be making more progress than we should.

You know what it’s like… The weight of:

Budget and expenses
People who promise the moon but never even deliver the earth
New people who say they’re in and then walk out
Your leadership feeling like it’s always under a microscope
Not being where you thought you would be at this point in your leadership or life
Uncertainty. Constant uncertainty.
Team members you’re struggling with and just don’t know how to deal with
Knowing your organization isn’t perfect and wishing it would be but knowing it won’t ever be
Lack of gratitude; in others and in you
Feeling let down by others
You letting yourself down
Seeing other people’s organizations & speaking & believing they have it easier than you do

And on and on and on it goes…

This is the side of leadership they never teach you in college.

So I want you to know something.  The discouragement you feel inside is real & coming from somewhere. Think about this and let this sink in for a while today:

The happiest and healthiest people are those whose expectations meet reality.

What do you do with that?

Here are five questions every discouraged leader would do well to ask themselves before they give up or give in.

The happiest & healthiest people are those whose expectations meet reality.Click To Tweet

1. What Do I Expect My Organization to Give Me?

No organization will ever give you ultimate peace, fulfillment, joy, purpose, or anything like that. Not even a church.  If you are expecting that from being a leader, you won’t find it.

If you are constantly discouraged or frustrated about your organization, it might be because you are hoping it will give you something only God can give you.

And when you look to people or things to give you what only God can give you, you’re signing up for misery.

When you look to people or things to give you what only God can give you, you’re signing up for misery.Click To Tweet

2. Who Do I Hope Will Affirm Me?

This is a big one.

We all look for affirmation from people.

Here’s something someone told me a long time ago that I really don’t like because it’s really so true: Never expect the people you lead to affirm you. 

It’s not fair to them. And ultimately it’s not fair to you.

Your job is to lead them, not to get them to try to affirm you.

Hey, if it comes…awesome. Consider that a bonus. But if you keep looking to them for their praise, you’ll end up sliding down the slippery slope under question 3….

Never expect the people you lead to affirm you. (Your job is to lead them, not to get them to try to affirm you.) Click To Tweet

3. Who Am I Trying to Please?

You will never please your employees or the people you serve fully.  It’s impossible because we are imperfect people & they are as well.

If you are trying to please other church leader or get recognized, you will be miserable.  You can never keep up with anyone else’s expectations. And you’ll let yourself, your family and ultimately God down.

If you focused on being liked, you won’t lead. You’re insistence on pleasing everyone will mean you ultimately please no one.

Not to mention yourself.

If you focused on being liked, you won’t lead. You’re insistence on pleasing everyone will mean you ultimately please no one.Click To Tweet

4. How Honest Am I Being With Myself and Others?

If you stuff your leadership failures & missed expectations instead of dealing with them, you will implode or explode one day.  Your discouragement & mine often comes from stuffing things we should just admit and deal with.

If you have a problem with another person, be completely honest with them.  If you are mad at somebody, tell them.

If somebody let you down, let them now.  If you have let yourself down, tell a friend.

Lying and pretending leads to misery.  Just say it. I have done this numerous times and it’s terrible up front but so freeing in the end. And you know what?

Much of the time you end up saving the relationship.

If you won’t be honest with others, you also won’t be able to truly lead them.

If you won’t be honest with others, you also won’t be able to truly lead them.Click To Tweet

5. What Lie Am I Believing?

Gurus make it seem so easy don’t they? Go to their conference or buy their product and all your problems disappear. Did you ever buy into that lie at some point?

Chances are you thought leadership would be easier. Well, that’s just a lie.

Identify the lie you are believing & you will crush some of the discouragement.  The lie that marketers sell you is really killing your spirit. We only need to look at the scripture to discover that leadership was rarely easy.

Your discouragement isn’t just discouragement.  It’s a symptom of something deeper going on.  If you want to create a healthy culture in your organization, you can’t live mad all the time.  You can’t be frustrated 24/7.  Take a step today & answer these questions honestly.

I believe it will help you beat your discouragement & get back on the growth track.

It’s a lie to say leadership is easy. It’s the absolute truth, though, that humble, determined, committed leadership is worth it.

It’s a lie to say leadership is easy. It’s the absolute truth, though, that humble, determined, committed leadership is worth it. Click To Tweet

Let’s Get You Thriving

You know what makes leadership harder than it needs to be?

Overwhelm. And almost every leader I know is overwhelmed.

Let me show you how to beat that.

Want to find far more time at work and at home?  Want to really crack not just getting a day off, but finding more time for what matters most every single day?

It’s very possible…and I’d love to help you get on top of your everything so you can get your life and leadership back.

If you’re trying to find the time for what matters most in life, my High Impact Leader course, is my online, on-demand course designed to help you get time, energy and priorities working in your favour.

Many leaders who have taken it are recovering 3 productive hours a day.  That’s about 1000 hours of found time each year. That’s a lot of time for what matters most.

Here are what some alumni are saying about The High Impact Leader Course”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for providing the course again. It has absolutely made an impact in my life and family already that I can’t even describe.” – First Priority, Clayton County, North Carolina

“Carey’s course was the perfect way for our team to prepare for the new year. Our team, both collectively and individually, took a fresh look at maximizing our time and leadership gifts for the year ahead. I highly recommend this leadership development resource for you and your team.” Jeff Henderson, Gwinnett Church, Atlanta Georgia

“A lot of books and programs make big promises and cannot deliver but this is not one of them. I have read so many books and watched videos on productivity but the way you approach it and teach is helpful and has changed my work week in ministry in amazing ways.” Chris Sloan, Tanglewood Church, Kingston, North Carolina

“Just wow.  Thank you, thank you.” Dave Campbell, Invitation Church, Sioux Falls South Dakota

“A game changer.” Pam Perkins, Red Rock Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Curious? Want to beat overwhelm and have the time to reinvent yourself?

Click here to learn more or get instant access.

What Helps You Beat Discouragement?

We all get discouraged. What helps you beat it?

Scroll down and leave a comment!

The post Dear Discouraged Leader (5 Questions to Ask Before You Implode) appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: Dear Discouraged Leader (5 Questions to Ask Before You Implode)

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by Carey Nieuwhof: Only the crazy people believe in evil and an actual Enemy, right?

Well, that’s kind of what I used to think too.

As a young Christian, I believed that what the scriptures taught about evil was accurate, but accurate in a this happened thousands of years ago kind of way. And most people who talked about evil today were, well, a little off balance or just didn’t understand science well enough.

Then I got into church leadership. And all of us a sudden what I read on the pages of scripture about a battle between Good and Evil started to feel like last Tuesday. Not every day, but some days.

Maybe you’ve felt that too.

You’re not alone.

Talking about the work of the enemy is not an easy task.

The challenge, I think, lies at the extremes. There are some Christian leaders who never talk about Satan and others who talk incessantly about him. You know what I mean. In the case of the latter, every time the toast burns or something doesn’t go their way, Satan is behind it and it’s time for an exorcism. Neither extreme is particularly helpful.

In a similar way, the greatest mistake I believe you can make with evil is to overestimate or underestimate its influence.

It doesn’t have ultimate power, but it also isn’t powerless. Evil is active. And in some way, it’s probably influencing your thought life, ministry, and family right now. At least that’s what the scriptures claim. And Jesus himself acted as though evil was very real.

…

The post 5 Signs The Enemy (Not God) is Winning In Your Life and Leadership appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: 5 Signs The Enemy (Not God) is Winning In Your Life and Leadership

The post 5 Signs The Enemy (Not God) is Winning In Your Life and Leadership appeared first on Passion for Planting.