LifeLines

This is part 3 of a special series within the podcast… Our friend Jennifer Davis Rash (editor of The Alabama Baptist AND executive director of the TAB Media Group) recently hosted me on her podcast. I asked her if I could cross-post to our platforms, and she agreed… So, here’s a 1-2-3 punch on Healthy Church,” a new project I helped my Dad reboot and release. 💙 ________________     Churches organize and do “lots and lots” for things. However, in the hustle of it all, we need to make sure we’re doing the RIGHT things…   All of the— ⭐️ Programs… ⚙️ Processes (including budgeting our time & money) of how things get done… 📝 Policies & procedures (rules & operating guidelines) of how we “behave”… … should all flow into the 6 functions we see in Acts 2:42-47.   Each of these work together and FEED each other, creating a dynamic that’s unlike any other organization (remember, the church is an organism— a living entity). The six are… 1️⃣ Worship 2️⃣ Discipleship 3️⃣ Ministry 4️⃣ Evangelism 5️⃣ Fellowship 6️⃣ Prayer   _________________ Relevant links 📻 Access the FREE 2-4-6 framework / audio course = https://www.lifelift.online/246  📺 Purchase the Healthy Church mini course = https://www.lifelift.online/HCMC  ⚙️ Grab the Healthy Systems mini course = https://www.lifelift.online/HSMC  ⭐️ See all resources = https://www.lifelift.online/store  Upcoming events + training opportunities on this resource ✅ Events for church + ministry leaders via LifeLift Ministries = www.LifeLift.online/events  Links to TAB Media Group / The Alabama Baptist ⭐️ Catch-all home page = https://tabmedia.group  📺 YouTube for TAB = https://www.youtube.com/@TABMediaGroup 

A reminder = our friend Jennifer Davis Rash (editor of The Alabama Baptist AND executive director of the TAB Media Group) recently hosted me on her podcast. I asked her if I could cross-post to our platforms, and she agreed… So, here’s a 1-2-3 punch on Healthy Church,” a new project I helped my Dad reboot and release. 💙 ________________    Paul uses the analogy of a human body when talking about the church (see 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4:11f.). Well, to say it a better way, he doesn’t say the church is LIKE a body, he declares the church ACTUALLY IS a body— the Body of Christ. So, let’s affirm this about human size AND about church size…   While you DO need a certain “mass” for a human to be viable, there are far more indicators as to how healthy the human is than just mere size. Think about it— 🤷‍♂️ You can have a healthy 150-pound man OR an unhealthy 150-pound man. 🤷‍♂️ You can have a healthy 300-pound man OR an unhealthy 300-pound man.   A lot depends on the KIND of weight that man has (read: the kind of size, muscle or fat) AND other indicators we don’t see… ❤️ the condition of his heart and his blood 💥 the amount of stress he has— and how he handles it 😴 the rhythm of rest, recovery, and the working hard… 🚽 the capacity he has to eliminate toxins while storing nutrients See?   The same is true with churches— with the body of Christ… The numbers DO tell some of the story, but only SOME. The numbers are one of many indicators. In this talk we walk through FOUR indicators— 🕊️ Spiritual growth = awakening to who God designed us to be and walking in relationship with Him ⚙️ Ministry involvement = discovering the unique part we play and deploying into that area of stewardship 🌎 Missions advancement = taking the energy of the church outside the four walls of the building and inviting others to experience the presence & power of the Kingdom (not the church, the Kingdom) 🔥 Outreach effectiveness = people are impacted and begin the journey of spiritual growth… (Then, they can start the process.) Bottom line: churches grow in multiple ways— especially if you want them to be healthy.   _________________ Relevant links 📻 Access the FREE 2-4-6 framework / audio course = https://www.lifelift.online/246  📺 Purchase the Healthy Church mini course = https://www.lifelift.online/HCMC  ⚙️ Grab the Healthy Systems mini course = https://www.lifelift.online/HSMC  ⭐️ See all resources = https://www.lifelift.online/store  Upcoming events + training opportunities on this resource ✅ Events for church + ministry leaders via LifeLift Ministries = www.LifeLift.online/events  Links to TAB Media Group / The Alabama Baptist  ⭐️ Catch-all home page = https://tabmedia.group  📺 YouTube for TAB = https://www.youtube.com/@TABMediaGroup 

Heads-up = our friend Jennifer Davis Rash (editor of The Alabama Baptist AND executive director of the TAB Media Group) recently hosted me on her podcast. I asked her if I could cross-post to our platforms, and she agreed… So, here’s a 1-2-3 punch on Healthy Church,” a new project I helped my Dad reboot and release. 💙 ________________   Jesus referenced two “greats” during His time on earth… ⭐️ The great commandment = “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” (see Matthew 22:36-40), AND ⭐️ The great commission = “go into all the world and make disciples…” (see Matthew 28:18-20). 🤷‍♂️ It seems odd (to me) that that greatest commandment demands that people “love God”— so let’s reframe it… … it looks like (just my perspective) that one (the commission) flows FROM the other… … as an overflow of our “love connection” with God. 💥 But how do you inspire love? And how do you “create” a feeling? 🤷‍♂️ In this episode we discuss these two “greats” and their relationship to each other, as well as explore how to stoke the fire and fan the flame of both. We also dialogue about looking at the world around us from a new perspective— from a vantage point of long-term love, of working grace through the culture like yeast moving through dough (Matthew 13:33-37), and of viewing everything from the standpoint of redeemed-and-yet-to-be-redeemed as opposed to just sacred or secular (see Acts 3:20-21).   _________________ Relevant links 📻 Access the FREE 2-4-6 framework / audio course = https://www.lifelift.online/246  📺 Purchase the Healthy Church mini course = https://www.lifelift.online/HCMC  ⚙️ Grab the Healthy Systems mini course = https://www.lifelift.online/HSMC  ⭐️ See all resources = https://www.lifelift.online/store  Upcoming events + training opportunities on this resource ✅ Events for church + ministry leaders via LifeLift Ministries = www.LifeLift.online/events  Links to TAB Media Group / The Alabama Baptist ⭐️ Catch-all home page = https://tabmedia.group  📺 YouTube for TAB = https://www.youtube.com/@TABMediaGroup 

People give and receive love in different ways. It's important to understand HOW you receive love AND how your spouse receives love... This way, we can love them in a way they KNOW they're being loved...

What is important to you as an individual is also important to both of you. That is important to the two of you is important to you (single) because of the dynamic of your marriage relationship. If you'l lean INTO it, you'll LEARN from each other AND take each other places you never dreamed of...

Marriage is two individuals-- who remain two unique children of God-- joining together to create something new.  When married, you remain an individual. Yet, you also become a couple.  And there is a call on both YOU as an individual AND on YOU as a couple. God will do something through the two of you that you cannot achieve on your own.

Part of living God's design for your marriage is deciding where you want to go-- where's He's leading you.  But, you must start where you are.  Where you are isn't who you are, nor is it where you must remain. Things can change for the better.  However, where you are is where you must begin. 

Soul freedom is found when we walk into the light rather than hiding the hurts. This is especially true with Moral Injury, as guilt and shame thrive in the dark.    ⭐️ Learn more about the GY6 project at www.GY6.online  📆 Find the next training event at https://www.lifelift.online/events  💰 Invest in the mission at https://www.lifelift.online/invest 

Whereas PTSD triggers a “fight or flight” reaction to external threats, Moral Injury creates a “guilt and/or shame” response to internal threats.   ⭐️ Learn more about the GY6 project at www.GY6.online  📆 Find the next training event at https://www.lifelift.online/events  💰 Invest in the mission at https://www.lifelift.online/invest 

We aren’t required to react when we recognize an emotional feeling. Rather, we can step back and “read” what our heart is saying. Then, we can respond in a healthy manner. That’s the subject of episode 5 of this season...   ⭐️ Learn more about the GY6 project at www.GY6.online  📆 Find the next training event at https://www.lifelift.online/events  💰 Invest in the mission at https://www.lifelift.online/invest 

Let’s talk basic brain science… The brain is a complex organ that stores information and facilitates automatic responses— among its other features. We can “train our brain” to enhance peak performance in each environment we encounter. You've done it before; you can do it again.   ⭐️ Learn more about the GY6 project at www.GY6.online  📆 Find the next training event at https://www.lifelift.online/events  💰 Invest in the mission at https://www.lifelift.online/invest 

It’s easy to read present circumstances in light of past experiences. Our perspective is just our position on something— what we see… … and, it’s normal to NOT have all the data. 🤷‍♂️ But, when it comes to triggers and things like that… Some of our misperceptions in the present might be related to PTSD.     ⭐️ Learn more about the GY6 project at www.GY6.online  📆 Find the next training event at https://www.lifelift.online/events  💰 Invest in the mission at https://www.lifelift.online/invest 

There aren’t good emotions and bad emotions. Only healthy and unhealthy expressions of them. Emotional health is a component of total health… Let’s discuss…   ⭐️ Learn more about the GY6 project at www.GY6.online  📆 Find the next training event at https://www.lifelift.online/events  💰 Invest in the mission at https://www.lifelift.online/invest 

Many of our emotional disruptions are normal responses to abnormal events. Though most of us aren’t diagnosable for a mental or emotional health disorder, we will all benefit from “leveling up” our health in these areas. Episode 1 of the new seasons kicks it off with a new topic about a new project we're rolling out.   ⭐️ Learn more about the GY6 project at www.GY6.online  📆 Find the next training event at https://www.lifelift.online/events  💰 Invest in the mission at https://www.lifelift.online/invest 

Transformational leadership is very different than transactional leadership. Transformational leadership uses ministry to build people RATHER THAN uses people to build ministry. (It’s easy to get it backwards— and it’s easy to even spiritualize it when we do!) ⚙️   Here, we dialogue about the importance of— 🧭 God-given vision 💙 Meaningful membership that creates an easy on-ramp for people to join that vision 🔥 Passionate spirituality— a vibrancy that exudes as people get enthusiastic (read: en-theos, that is, en-God) ⚙️ Functional strategies that help make that vision come to fruition 🍇 Connected and loving relationships that permeate everything ⏰💰⚡️Sacrificial generosity that taps into people’s time, treasure, and focus 👑 Kingdom orientation, in which people— together— serve something bigger than themselves and even their own church   —————————Next steps 💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info 🥊 Access the “STRONGER” audiobook (about leadership) free at www.Jenkins.tv/lead 🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free  ✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

As we round out the “healthy church” series, we END with some of the things most leaders (wrongly, we think) begin with… We start dialoguing about “what it looks like” when churches thrive. 🌳   Here’s why we don’t start here. Focusing on fruit (i.e., the mechanics of how we do things) is a temporary measure. Fruit comes and goes— when tended to on its own. Focusing on the roots, though, and insuring we grow a healthy tree insures the fruit continues coming. 🍒🍇🍏🍊🍋   Now, when we DO NOT see the fruit, it can be an indicator that we need to look at those roots (see Matthew 7:17-20)— in grace— and do some work. But, the root precedes the fruit— not the other way around.   —————————Next steps 💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info 🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free  ✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

Continuing our previous discussion on conflict, we outline a step-by-step process you can use to deal with tough conversations…   By the way, BEFORE we go there… Many people ask, “Should I go to them, or should I wait for them to come to me?” Some even suggest, “It’s their fault— I’m not budging. They need to come apologize.”   We get it. However, let’s look at how Jesus framed relational rifts. He said, “If your brother offends you, go to him” (Matthew 18:15f.). He also said, “If you’re about to offer your gift at the altar [read: worship] and remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift and first be reconciled to your brother” (see Matthew 5:23-24). In other words, Jesus encourages us to ALWAYS INITIATE relational healing rather than waiting. If it’s their fault, you initiate. If it’s your fault, you initiate.   How do you do it? What do you say? In this episode, we walk through it…     —————————Next steps 💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info 🚌 Get free access to the Advance audio mentioned at the end of this talk by going to https://www.eatsleepadvance.com/4  ✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

  Conflict is inevitable— especially when you have people involved. When handled properly (instead of avoided) conflict CAN become a fertile soil of growth and maturation for each of us… 💙 However, many of us choose artificial harmony (something that “looks like” unity) rather than TRUE ONENESS. True unity is important… Not only does it create sacred space where people feel safe & secure, it ALSO invites the Holy Spirit’s presence & power to supernaturally do things that only God can do (this is why David, in Psalm 133:1-2, compares unity to an anointing of God). 🔥 A few tips we discuss in this episode… 📣 Talk TO people not ABOUT people… that is, take it to them— not to others. Not even under the guise of a “prayer request” or “getting advice.” 📣 Tell them ALL of it instead of leaving parts & pieces out (i.e., omitting some details is what creates artificial, superficial connection). 📣 Affirm the relationship… and that you are “all in” with them— and that your desire to resolve the issue is based on your care and adoration of them….     —————————Next steps 💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info 🚌 Get free access to the Advance audio mentioned at the end of this talk by going to https://www.eatsleepadvance.com/4  ✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online    

Asking for the optimal size of a church is a lot like asking for the optimal size of a human being. There’s far more that goes into the equation than just “bulk.” In fact, you COULD say, the best design for a human includes— 💙 What does God DESIRE for that person to do…? 📐 How did He DESIGN them? What’s in their DNA? 🧭 Where does He want them to invest their time & energy & focus? What’s His DIRECTION for their life? (In other words, we’re back to “the best question ever” that we explored in episodes 5 & 6 of the “Healthy Church” series.) So, let’s frame it like this… The best size for a church is— ⭐️ the size it hits when it grows in spiritual maturity, ministry involvement, missions advancement, and outreach effectiveness (see episodes 7 & 8) ⭐️ the size it hits when if focuses on the 6 functions of a church (i.e., worship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism, fellowship, & prayer… see episodes 9 & 10) ⭐️ the size it hits when it resolves conflict well, so it can focus on those functions and experience true unity instead of artificial harmony (see episodes 12 & 13) 🤷‍♂️   In the same way “healthy humans” hit their “right size” almost automatically, so also do churches.     —————————Next steps 💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info 🔥Claim your free copy of LifeLift, the book, at www.Jenkins.tv/free  ✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online 

In this episode we continue dialoguing about 6 things churches SHOULD do… … and note that rather than getting a vision for what we COULD do, we need to begin here… ⭐️ Each of these work together and FEED each other, creating a dynamic that’s unlike any other organization (remember, the church is an organism— a living entity). The six are… 1️⃣ Worship 2️⃣ Discipleship 3️⃣ Ministry 4️⃣ Evangelism 5️⃣ Fellowship 6️⃣ Prayer   —————————Next steps 💛 This talk refers to the “Healthy Church” resources. Go to www.LifeLift.online/HC for more info ⚙️Learn more + access the GEAR UP church resources at https://www.amplifyonline.info/GU  ✅ Learn more about how Edwin can serve you and your team by speaking, hosting seminars, consulting, and more at www.LifeLift.online