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Tag: leadership

Are You a Leader Who Keeps Learning?

Kathie Phillips

Leaders keep learning!

When I was a girl, I loved learning and reading.  I loved going to school.  I took pride in my assignments.  As a ministry leader, I still have a passion for learning and taking pride in my work.  While my time for reading is not as much as I’d like (because of family, ministry and life), I love good reading material and sharpening my skills through conferences and connecting with other leaders.  I’d like to think of myself as a leader who keeps learning.  Would you say the same about yourself?

A few weeks ago, I read a quote by John Maxwell that stopped me in my tracks:  “If you continually invest in your leadership development, the inevitable result is growth over time.”

Great leaders not only want to grow; great leaders invest in the growth process.

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This could take many forms but might include:

  • Podcasts
  • Books
  • Conferences/seminars/workshops
  • Blogs/websites
  • Social media groups
  • Classes
  • Mentoring relationships

On the day that read John Maxwell’s above quote, I was having a bit of an anxious moment.  You see, I just started a new yearlong venture and was a little overwhelmed when it started on April 5th.  Ladies and gentlemen:

I’M GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!!

That’s right.  I am enrolled in Kidmin Academy, an intensive twelve-month online program that will award me a diploma in Children’s Ministry upon completion.  I am excited but nervous about what lies ahead.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Kidmin Academy exists to train and equip leaders for life-changing ministry to children and families.

Kidmin Academy uniquely couples theological instruction with practical ministry expertise from a credentialed faculty with a wide-range of backgrounds.  Our curriculum and education philosophy is unique in that it is very practical while academically rigorous.  Kidmin Academy equips pastors, church planters, worldwide missionaries, teachers, and individuals with a life-fulfilling passion for the Gospel and ministry to children and families.

I’ve only been in the academy for just a few weeks but I’ve already learned so much!  But boy – going back to school has been a huge transition for me.  This program is real school, friends.  No fluffy teaching or assignments here!

This is another faith journey for me.  I’m praising God for the opportunity to attend Kidmin Academy free of charge (thanks to the generosity of a very dear friend)!  I’m praising God for the opportunity to learn and improve my craft and use my gained knowledge to better the ministry and team I lead.  I’m trusting God to help me manage my time well to watch the teaching videos, do the required readings and complete my assignments.  I’m trusting that God will enlarge my borders and help me see one of my dreams come true.

Will you pray along with me as I embark on this new journey?  I’d sure appreciate it!

Learn more about Kidmin Academy here.

Keep the conversation going!  Are you a leader who keeps learning?  How do you do that?  Leave a comment below or join the conversation on our Facebook page.

Women of Faith: An Amazing Joyful Journey Movie

Kathie Phillips

As a ministry leader, we spend so much time pouring into the lives of those under our care.  That’s what we do, right? A good shepherd takes care of his or her flock.  Sometimes we can do so much that taking care of ourselves takes a back seat while we tend to the needs of others.

When this is magnified in my own life, I feel a sense of what I refer to as ‘soul malnourishment’.  Maybe you experience the same warning signs of soul malnourishment that I do: fatigue, weariness, irritation, dissatisfaction, feeling overwhelmed.

One of the best ways for me to feed my soul is to position myself in a posture of prayer, praise and worship.  I do this to take the focus off of me and realign myself with Christ. This helps me to get myself back in balance.  Oftentimes I do this on my own but occasionally I do this in a group setting.

One such event that has filled my soul was a Women of Faith weekend event that I attended years ago with the ladies in my family.  It was a great day filled with upbeat praise, reflective worship, heartwarming stories and biblical, relevant teaching for all ages of women of various ethnic backgrounds and denominations.

After 20 years, the event is coming to an end but I was excited to hear about their new movie coming to select theaters in February and March.

About the film: 

Over the last nearly 20 years, Women of Faith – http://www.womenoffaith.com/ – grew to become the largest non-denominational Christian women’s conference, touching over five million lives with personal stories full of laughter and tears.  Stage events have included such inspirational and spiritual luminaries such as Campus Crusade for Christ’s Mary Graham, author & reality TV star Corie Robertson, author & popular speaker Luci Swindoll, author Sheila Walsh, and others.
The cinema event will take viewers on a journey of Women of Faith through the years, on stage and off, on their travels with World Vision, their impact on audiences, in short the way they’ve changed the world.  Partly historical, and frequently hysterical, this unique cinematic experience will be packed with some of the most popular pieces from the beloved speaking team to include Anna Trent, Thelma Wells, Mary Graham, Luci Swindoll, Sheila Walsh, Jen Hatmaker, Sandi Patty, Patsy Clairmont, Nicole Johnson, and Marilyn Meberg as well as music and performances from Christian contemporary artists that appeared on the tour.  Featuring never-before-seen interviews, outtakes, and behind the scenes footage, this event presentation will bring back memories for all those who have attended a Women of Faith weekend as well as create new memories for those experiencing it for the first time.
Limited engagement in select cinemas February 18th & 20th, and March 3rd & 5th

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SOCIAL • CORNER (Find out more by clicking a link below):
 
Official website: http://www.wofincinemas.com
Instagram: @WomenofFaith
I CANNOT wait to see this movie next week!
Have you attended a Women of Faith event?  Will you see the movie?

Rest, Growth, Health: Essentials for Ministry Leaders

Kathie Phillips 1 Comment

 

Rest, Growth, Health

I love being by the water.  Being in such a tranquil place restores my soul like nothing else.  A few weeks ago, our entire church staff retreated to Pennsylvania together to worship, eat, play and reflect upon three specific themes: Rest, Growth, and Health.

In November, each staff member was provided a workbook that would help us reflect on these areas in our personal lives as well as our roles here at church.  Because our church leadership believes that a healthy staff is imperative to a healthy church culture and a healthy church is vital to our effectiveness in our Kingdom work, they provided questions for personal reflection in these five areas of health: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Financial, Vocational.

The exercises and questions were good for me to think through.  As I did my work, I realized two prevalent themes in three of the five areas of health.  The themes were distractions and excuses.  Although I knew I struggle with these areas, it wasn’t until I saw them written on paper several times that I realized they were a common thread running through many of my shortcomings, both personally and professionally.

Another ‘aha’ moment for me was when I asked the question: When do I feel most alive?  My answers:

  • Getting to dream
  • Working on bigger projects (as part of a team and individually)
  • Working on my own projects where I have creative control
  • Creating things

So, in thinking of terms of Rest, Growth, and Health, what does this look like in my life?

REST

I think I do a pretty good job of resting, especially after a busy season.  Sometimes what I struggle with is just resting…not entertaining myself or letting someone or something entertain me.  Sometimes I struggle with simply resting and resisting the urge to be doing something.

Rest for me looks different at different times.  Sometimes I rest alone, catching up on TV shows, reading a good book or magazine, praying and journaling, enjoying a latte from Starbucks, pinning to Pinterest, listening to music or a podcast.  Sometimes I rest with others, spending time with my family, having coffee or lunch with a friend, or shopping.  Sometimes I simply rest by sleeping.

Here are a few resources that speak to the need for rest:

Hidden in Plain Sight by Steve Adams

The Gift of Sabbath by Danielle Bell

GROWTH

In my opinion, we should never stop wanting to grow and expand our knowledge.  It doesn’t matter how old you are – keep growing and learning!

I consider myself a student of kidmin, leadership, and ministry.  I want to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in my field.  I want to lead well.  How do I do that?

  • I read books, magazines, blogs, articles…anything having to do with kidmin and leadership.
  • I connect with other leaders.  I love spending time with people who do what I do.  We have so much to learn from each other.
  • I attend workshops and conferences.  Again, I love connecting with like-minded people but I also need to learn new skills and techniques.
  • I take risks.  Yes, this is scary, but very necessary for growth.  God wants to enlarge your borders!

Here are a few resources that speak to the need for growth:

Great Leaders Grow by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller

Evaluating Yourself for Growth as a Leader by Orange Leaders

10 Steps to Becoming a Better Children’s Ministry Leader in 2015 by Dale Hudson

HEALTH

An article in the Jan/Feb 2015 issue of Kidzmatter Magazine says, “‘Busy’ is the new ‘Fine’.”  I’m sure you’ve experience that when you ask someone how they’re doing.  The truth is that many of us are not fine.  Life is hard.  Many of us are depleted spiritually.  Many of us are not taking care of our bodies by getting enough rest, eating healthy, exercising and having regular doctor’s appointments.  Many of us deal with anxiety and depression.  Many of us are desperately trying to make ends meet each month.  Many of us are at the end of our ministry rope and are ready to throw in the towel.

Here are a few resources that speak to the need for health:

How Bill Hybels Stays Replenished by Carolyn Burge

Leading On Empty by Wayne Cordeiro

I’d encourage you to download this modified self-evaluation and spend some time honestly evaluating your life.

Join the conversation: What God is teaching you in the areas of Rest, Growth and Health?  Let me know by leaving a comment below.

What a Home Improvement Project Reminded Me About Leaders

Kathie Phillips

I pray often that God will equip me to be the best leader I can be.  I take my role as a leader very seriously and want to honor God through my service.  I would say that, as the oldest child in my family, leadership comes fairly natural to me.  I often quote, “Well, somebody has to be in charge!”

Sometimes, however, I like to take a seat on the ‘back row’ and observe.  I don’t always like to be in charge, especially in casual, non-ministry-related environments.

Case in point…last month, we painted my daughter’s bedroom.  My sweet girl waited so patiently for many months’ worth of filled calendars and family obligations for her bedroom makeover.  We set the date; she selected her color scheme; she purchased accessories with her own money; she and my husband prepped the walls and purchased supplies.

One of the finished walls - she loves her teal and purple color scheme!
One of the finished walls – she loves her teal and purple color scheme!

But we were missing something: a project manager.  No one was in charge of the project!  This became frightfully clear after I watched my husband make three additional trips to the home improvement store when we ran out of supplies.

That recent home improvement experience brought to mind 5 reminders about leaders:

1. Someone has to be in charge.  Why?  Because:

  • It minimizes confusion.  Knowing who is in charge helps keep everyone focused and on task.
  • It saves time and money.  Because no one was in charge, we wasted time going back and forth to the store and spent hundreds of dollars more than we planned.  Some lessons you only learn once!
  • A leader will think through a plan – what needs to be done, who needs to do what, what supplies are needed, etc.

2. A leader is responsible for having a vision and keeping that vision in front of the team.  Remind people what you’re working toward and what it will take to get there.

3. A leader does not need to have all of the answers.  It is not a sin to say, “I don’t know.”  Not only does this keep you human and relatable but it also keeps you learning.  Leaders are learners.

4. A leader does not need to have all of the ideas – or the best ideas.  During our home improvement project, all of us had great ideas to make the project more enjoyable – and most of them did not come from me.  Very refreshing!

5. A leader needs to be their team’s biggest advocate.  As the hours went on and our bodies grew tired, I reminded everyone of how good a job they were doing.  I even sang to my family to keep the mood light!  (I know they appreciated that.)

As a kidmin leader:

  • Do you embrace and own your leadership role?  Do you accept your role as a gift from God?
  • Have you asked God for wisdom and discernment for your ministry?  Do you pray and spend time in His Word regularly? Are you in a position to hear what He’s telling you?
  • Do you have a teachable spirit?  What are you learning?
  • Are you humble?  Do you consider the ideas of others?
  • Are you your ministry’s biggest advocate?  Do those under you feel you fight for them?  Do you share all of the great things happening in your ministry?  Do you ask people to pray for your ministry on a regular basis?

Keep the conversation going!  Which of these points resonated with you the most?  What would you add to the list?

 

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