Lead Stories Podcast

Latest Episodes:

S04: Episode 16 - The Pitfalls of Power: Introduction Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

If we want to be effective and holy leaders we need to be aware of the pitfalls in our way. Beginning a new series, Jo and Steph start by defining some of the words connected with power.

Power: The capacity or ability to direct or influence people, circumstances or events.

a) control and command

b) ability to act or to be able

Influence: The capacity to have an effect on the development, character or behavior of something or someone.

Authority: Permission, right, knowledge or role in which you bring influence.

a) confidence, commanding manner

b) author the story

Control: Regulation, domination, command, direction over others.

Empowerment: Resourcing people so that they become stronger and confident in who they are and who God made them to be, and to live that out.

Ambition: The desire, drive and determination to achieve.

a) self-ambition

b) mission and purpose ambition

Discussion questions:

1) Which of these words do you feel comfortable and uncomfortable with and why?

2) Would you define any of these words differently?

3) How do you engage with each of those words?

Follow Lead Stories Podcast to interact with Steph and Jo:

Twitter: @LeadStoriesVox

Instagram: @LeadStoriesPodcast

Facebook: LeadStoriesPodcast

Connect with Jo at www.josaxton.com @josaxton

Connect with Steph at www.pastorsteph.com @pastorsteph

Subscribe on iTunes to have the podcast automatically download to your device every week or listen at www.leadstoriespodcast.com

www.leadstoriesmedia.com

Don't forget to check out Lead Stories Community at www.leadstoriesmedia.com/community

S04: Episode 15 - Lead Voices with Shawn Moore Apr 09, 2018

Show notes

Shawn Moore, a Church pastor, teacher at Bethel Seminary and ironman competitor chats with Jo and Steph this week about greatness, cultural competency and how to grow in our understanding of others. Shawn desires to see education used to liberate people from bondage so that they can become great and he shares with Jo and Steph about what that looks like for him personally.

GREAT:

Gratitude

Redeemed / reconciliation (removing barriers to authentic relationships)

Excellence - A for effort, not perfection

Action

Teaching / training - either learning or teaching others

Discussion questions:

1) Do you have a morning routine look like? What does it look like or what would you like it to look like?

2) Shawn said: 'if you want to give more grace, you have to receive more grace.' How are you actively filling up on God's grace right now?

3) Shawn shared that rest is about recharging not just switching off. Write a list of the activities you do in your spare time and mark them as either 'recharging my soul' or 'switching off life'.

Mentioned book:

Pedagogy of the Oppressed - Paulo Freire

Find Shawn at:

http://www.thebelovedmn.com/

https://www.facebook.com/shawn.moore.313

S04: Episode 14 - Breaking the Mold On Purpose Apr 02, 2018

Show notes

This episode is for those who set out intentionally to bring change and breakthrough to different areas and spheres and asks the question: what does it look like to be intentional if you are going to break a mold?

Jo and Steph look at four areas to consider when breaking the mold on purpose:

1) Recognizing

2) Reckoning

3) Reconnecting

4) Responding

Discussion questions:

1) Who's on the rollercoaster and who is not?

2) Am I still meant to break this mold and in this way or is there a different mold God is inviting me into in this season?

3) What is the fallout of changes I have / am making and what do I need to attend to?

4) What skills do I need to learn for this season and what do I need to do for this to be sustainable?

Take some time to dwell on Psalm 139

Follow Lead Stories Podcast to interact with Steph and Jo:

Twitter: @LeadStoriesVox

Instagram: @LeadStoriesPodcast

Facebook: LeadStoriesPodcast

Connect with Jo at www.josaxton.com @josaxton

Connect with Steph at www.pastorsteph.com @pastorsteph

Subscribe on iTunes to have the podcast automatically download to your device every week or listen at www.leadstoriespodcast.com

www.leadstoriesmedia.com

Check out the Lead Stories Online Community at www.leadstoriesmedia.com/community

S04: Episode 13 - Breaking the Mold By Accident Mar 26, 2018

Show notes

Have you ever found yourself breaking a mold and you didn't even mean to? Have found yourself having a conversation and thinking that something was a given and realize that it wasn't? Jo and Steph talk about what happens when we find ourselves breaking molds and how we can respond accordingly.

The 4 Rs of handling breaking the mold by accident:

1) Recognizing

2) Reckoning

3) Reconnect

4) Respond to questions

Discussion questions:

1) Discuss a time when you unintentionally broke a mold by something you said or did.

2) Where do you need to make some changes to adjust to breaking a mold? Is there shrapnel that you need to spend some time removing and healing from?

3) Who do you need to reconnect with (people or God) after breaking a mold?

Don't forget to check out the Lead Stories Community at www.leadstoriesmedia.com/community

Follow Lead Stories Podcast to interact with Steph and Jo:

Twitter: @LeadStoriesVox

Instagram: @LeadStoriesPodcast

Facebook: LeadStoriesPodcast

Connect with Jo at www.josaxton.com @josaxton

Connect with Steph at www.pastorsteph.com @pastorsteph

Subscribe on iTunes to have the podcast automatically download to your device every week or listen at www.leadstoriespodcast.com

www.leadstoriesmedia.com

S04: Episode 12 - Breaking the Mold as a Female Pastor with Mandy Smith Mar 19, 2018

Show notes

Mandy Smith, the Lead Pastor of University Christian Church in Cincinnati is chatting with Steph today about what it looks like for her to be the only female Lead Pastor in her denomination. Discussing both the external and internal hurdles to stepping into leadership, Mandy and Steph share from their different perspectives as an introvert and extrovert.

Mandy's latest book is out now: The Vulnerable Pastor: How human limitations empower our ministry.

Check out She Leads for resources on how women and men can partner together: http://www.missioalliance.org/sheleads/

Mandy's church here: http://www.universitychristianchurch.net/

Mandy is also a regular contributor to Missio Alliance: Www.missioalliance.org

Find Mandy on Facebook: Facebook.com/mandy.smith.50999

Discussion questions:

1) Have you spent time personally pouring over scripture to come to your personal convictions about women in leadership?

2) What do you perceive to be the weaknesses of your personality/gender and where could they be inhabited by God's strength?

3) What ways can you identify that male and female leaders speak different languages? How can you better learn the language of the other gender?

Follow Lead Stories Podcast to interact with Steph and Jo:

Twitter: @LeadStoriesVox

Instagram: @LeadStoriesPodcast

Facebook: LeadStoriesPodcast

Connect with Jo at www.josaxton.com @josaxton

Connect with Steph at www.pastorsteph.com @pastorsteph

Subscribe on iTunes to have the podcast automatically download to your device every week or listen at www.leadstoriespodcast.com

www.leadstoriesmedia.com

S04: Episode 11 - Breaking the Mold with Lisa Sharon Harper Mar 12, 2018

Show notes

Lisa Harper is discussing how a failure to understand the context in which the Bible was written - by writers under oppression - has warped our understanding of what the Bible says and what Good News truly is.

Join Jo and Steph as they chat to Lisa about how the Gospel can be good news to all people - not just those who are in positions of power.

Discussion questions:

1) How does knowing that the Bible was written by individuals under oppression change how you see the Good News?

2) Where have you allowed your understanding of the image of God to be limited to just a certain people group?

For more information about the pilgrimages (Deadline April 1st 2018) go to: Freedomroad.us (go to the blog)

Www.facebook.com/lisasharonharper

Twitter/instagram: @lisasharper

Www.freedomroad.us

Www.lisasharonharper.com

Get her latest book out now: The Very Good Gospel

S04: Episode 10 - Lead Voices with Dominique Gilliard "Rethinking Incarceration" Mar 05, 2018

Show notes

Dominique Gilliard the director of racial righteousness and reconciliation shares ways that the church needs to rethink its attitude to the criminal justice system and incarceration. With some horrifying statistics and also some hope-filled testimonies and practical ways churches can make a change, this podcast will change the way you see those who are and have been incarcerated and equip you to be part of the change.

Every church can and should be involved in one of 4 ways:

1) prevention: mentoring, tutoring, supporting underfunded schools, summer feeding programs

2) prison ministry: go behind the walls and see for ourselves.

3) walk alongside those who have lost family members to incarceration.

4) aid the reentry process: disciple, support and walk alongside those who have left prison and use networks to help find employment opportunities.

5) extend our definition of family to include foster care children who need care and love especially over the holiday seasons.

Check out Dominique's new book: "Rethinking Incarceration: advocating for justice which restores"

https://dominiquegilliard.com/

Facebook: /dominique.dg.7

@DDGilliard - twitter

dominiquedgilliard - instagram

Discussion questions:

1) How does your attitude towards those who have been incarcerated change when you consider the number of key biblical characters who spent time behind bars?

2) Of the 5 practical ways mentioned that churches can get involved in change, is your church engaged in any? Which one could be the first step?

3) How has your perspective on the criminal justice system changed through listening to this podcast?

S04:Episode 9 - When Breaking the Mold Breaks You Feb 26, 2018

Show notes

S04: Episode 8 - Breaking the Mold with Brian Sanders from The Underground Network Feb 19, 2018

Show notes

Brian Sanders talks about how the Underground Church in Tampa, Florida has been breaking the mold of what church in America looks like and how it reaches the lost.

Check out Brian's new book 'Underground Church: A Living Example of the Church in Its Most Potent Form'

You may also be interested in the Tampa Underground Open Conference this weekend: 23rd - 24th February.

Discussion questions:

1) If you could be part of a church or group that reaches out to one people group, who would that be?

2) If you are not reaching out to that group now, what are the things stopping you?

3) Where do you need to stop complaining about something and become the solution for it instead?

Tampaunderground.com

The Underground Open conference - 23rd - 24th February.

www.undergroundopen.com

S04: Episode 7 - Lead Voices with Annie Downs Feb 12, 2018

Show notes

Annie Downs chats to Jo on today's Lead Voices episode. Listen in to hear how author and speaker Annie Downs manages her daily life and leadership, how she managed get her book published 6 years and 47 rejections later, and why she doesn't have email on her phone!

Check out Annie's Latest book: 100 days to Brave

www.Anniefdowns.com

@Anniefdowns

Also mentioned:

The Tech-wise Family by Andy Crouch

Follow Lead Stories Podcast to interact with Steph and Jo:

Twitter: @LeadStoriesVox

Instagram: @LeadStoriesPodcast

Facebook: LeadStoriesPodcast

Connect with Jo at www.josaxton.com @josaxton

Connect with Steph at www.pastorsteph.com @pastorsteph

Subscribe on iTunes to have the podcast automatically download to your device every week or listen at www.leadstoriespodcast.com