Icon Church Leadership Podcast

In this episode, Josh and Justin discuss what is one of the most widely felt experiences in 2020: isolation. All of us have experienced some level of isolation this year, and that may have some serious consequences for us as human beings and for us as leaders. Tune in this week to hear how isolation kills collaboration in our leadership, and how God’s nearness can change that.

In this episode, Justin and Josh discuss shame and leadership. As human beings, we are all storied-creatures, which means we live and thrive off of story. And shame actually is a story, though a deeply destructive one. As destructive as this story is, there is still hope in the grace of God. Tune in this week to hear how shame kills creativity in leadership, and how the grace of God can interrupt the narrative of shame.

In this episode, Justin and Josh pick up our first topic for the series: anxiety. To some degree, everyone experiences anxiety. But leaders have a unique danger when we allow anxiety to take root in our lives: it kills our vision. The ability to have a creative vision for our groups, church, or organization is killed when we “dress-rehearse” the unfaithfulness of God. And so, Josh and Justin discuss how God is faithful, and what that means as we move from anxiety to trust.

In this episode, Justin brings on our Spiritual Formation Director, Josh Sercey, to discuss mental and emotional health. Specifically, this season we want to discuss the ways in which our mental and emotional unhealth affects our leadership, and how God’s character matters for such struggles. For this episode, Justin and Josh discuss the false ideas we have about leadership that would keep us from being honest in this conversation.

In the final episode of the season, Ilona and Justin close by discussing how to get our organizations ready for whatever we’re trying to accomplish this fall. Using a framework of process and product, they discuss how we can evaluate organizational products and processes in light of our goals.

In this episode, Ilona and Justin pivot to discuss our organizations. Reminding us that we should be assessing health regardless of whether the world’s in a global pandemic, they use a classic business school assessment tool as a framework to assess whether your organization, be it a community group, church, or company, is healthy. How can you leverage your organizational “superpower” as you anticipate the future? What hard facts do you need to face? How can you prepare to take advantage of opportunities and protect yourself from organizational threats?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin offer an assessment to determine whether your team is ready to engage what’s waiting for you in the new reality of life, business, and church during a pandemic. We can’t wait around for “normal” – leaders need to determine a strategy for how they will lead their teams. Are your vision, strategy, and tactics appropriate to life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic? Do you have the right people in the right positions? As the leader, what can you do to equip and resource your team for what is to come?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin explore how we can assess whether our teams, groups, and people are healthy. Using Patrick Lencioni’s leadership fable, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, they offer a framework to identify potential relational and team dysfunctions. Does your team have the trust necessary to tackle the obstacles that await you in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic? Are your people willing to engage in hard conversations? What’s a stake if you don’t learn to hold one another accountable?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin discuss how we assess our individual readiness as leaders for what’s coming in the next phase of life in the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, part of our responsibility as leaders is considering what our teams and organizations need, but first we need to do our individual work of preparation. This episode explores three categories of readiness and how those will align with the work waiting for us in the coming season.

In this episode, Ilona and Justin kick off Season 3 talking about reentry in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The reality is, by the time reentry and reopening starts to happen, it’s too late to prepare. So how can we leverage the time we have now to get ourselves ready to lead our people in the midst of social upheaval and organizational transition? How can we assess our individual health and properly address unhealth so we can lead our teams well?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin discuss how we allocate our time, talents, and treasures in a way that loves God and neighbor. While the Minimalism movement asks you to question whether something brings you joy, that’s not what the Gospel would compel us to ask about how we spend our minutes, our skills, and our dollars. What should we consider instead? How do we make space for both simplicity and generosity in our lives?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin discuss the starkly counter-cultural spiritual practice of fasting. This practice, especially and specifically when done with food, holds in tension the reality that God created the world to be “good” and yet the world was also never meant to fully satisfy us. How can fasting expose our limits and challenge us to see ourselves rightly before God?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin wrestle with the good, the hard, and the necessity of community. By nature, humans were designed to need people, yet likely all of us have also experienced the relational hurt that community can cause. How do we endure the messiness of relationships so that we can experience the goodness they offer? What is it uniquely about Christian community that equips us to do that?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin dig into the ancient practice of sabbath. They justify why this can’t be a biblical commandment we conveniently ignore simply because we’ve got a long weekend to-do list, and why a regular day of rest is necessary for our souls to sustain quality work and relationships. They discuss practical ideas for how to sabbath, borrowing from Pete Scazzero’s framework of Stop, Rest, Delight, and Contemplate. How can we integrate this practice, setting realistic expectations, no matter if we’re single or married with kids?

In this episode, Ilona and Justin talk about silence and solitude, breaking down how it shapes our relationship with God, our formation into Christlikeness, and our missional posture towards others in our lives. Ronald Rolheiser once quipped that “we’re distracting ourselves into spiritual oblivion,” so this discussion explores how silence and solitude provide an antidote to that distraction, and offers ways to start practicing silence today. For more information, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.

In this episode, Ilona and Justin talk about the relational practice of prayer and how it reminds us that there’s more to our lives than the physical things we see around us. Whether you’ve never prayed or are looking to grow, Justin and Ilona offer ideas for different approaches to and methods for prayer. They also wrestle with what to do when we don’t feel like God hears our prayers, and how that possibly reflects more on us than anything else. For more information, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.

In this episode, Ilona and Justin dive into the first practice of bible reading. The scriptures are meant to be a guide to help us navigate our lives, but we can often get discouraged by failed reading plans and books that we just don’t understand. This episode offers practical ways to think about and engage in reading scripture, whether you’d call yourself a “bible novice” or “enthusiastic scholar.” Check out the references and pick a method to practice!

In this episode, Ilona and Justin remind us that the path to peace isn’t focused on the self. Rather, they discuss how our lives, and in particular the way we practice spiritual disciplines, need to be focused outwardly. They wrestle with the reality that this “others-orientation” sits starkly opposed to our “live your dream” culture, and yet it’s what reminds us of our truer purpose. Why does this matter so much right now, especially in light of COVID-19 and social distancing? For more information and detailed show notes, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.

In this episode, Ilona and Justin kick off Season 2 by discussing why now, perhaps more than ever in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we should commit ourselves to a Rule of Life. Unpacking this ancient practice and countering our cultural reactions, they explore why a life structured in disciplines is so necessary in our current social moment. How can thinking about these practices in a relational, formational, and missional way help us become the types of people who can be at peace even in anxious times? For more information and detailed show notes, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.

In this episode, Ilona and Justin apply Dallas Willard’s VIM framework (Vision, Intention, Means) to Icon’s philosophy of discipleship, moving from personal applications to leadership applications. What does it look like to encourage, support, and at times properly challenge the people we are leading to reorient around their vision, intention, and means? For more information and detailed show notes, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.

In this episode, Justin and Ilona discuss the third characteristic of discipleship, spiritual practices. The conversation explores how spiritual disciplines are relational practices, and highlights five key practices: bible reading, prayer, solitude, community, and sabbath. How do we practice these in our own relationships with God and communally? For more information and detailed show notes, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.

In this episode, Justin and Ilona continue the conversation about Icon’s philosophy of discipleship, digging into what it means for discipleship to be about following Jesus’ life. Why is it important to us to imitate Jesus’ example? And how do we practice that as a community? For more information and detailed show notes, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.

In this episode, Justin and Ilona start a dialogue about Icon’s philosophy of discipleship, breaking down what it means for it to be proactive. Why is proactivity in our discipleship important? And what does it actually look like for us to practice proactive discipleship as a community of believers? For more information and detailed show notes, visit iconchurch.org/leadershippodcast.