Ministry Startup

What is it really like to start a ministry from scratch? Most of us have only seen the end result, after the foundation has been laid and the initial battles have been fought and won. But what if you could experience what it was really like to be there at the beginning? This podcast is a behind the scenes look at the launch of my online teaching ministry "Unlock Your Gifts." So far, there have been stories of God moving in unexpected ways, periods of doubt where I question everything I’m doing, discouragement in the face of stern opposition from an unlikely enemy, and some tough decisions regarding when to be faithful and when to use common sense. The journey has just begun, and the ending has yet to be written. Only God knows how this will turn out in the end… Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623

How are you supposed to handle a mid-life crisis (at 26 no less)? Some people go out and buy a sports car, others take an exotic vacation to an island in the Caribbean. I decided to launch an online ministry. In this episode I take you through my journey from restless to purposeful, from confused to laser-focused. I examine what it means to wake up every day inspired by what you're about to do and I uncover an alternative way of doing ministry that has HUGE implications. It's not every day you get a second chance in life, I wasn't about to waste mine. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax

What separates ineffective ministries from life-changing ones? What are the common ingredients you need to make sure your idea has the impact you want it to have? (Hint: It's probably not what you would think) In this episode, I meet with my web development team to hammer out the details of what my new ministry will be about and ask my wife Andrea how she feels about spending $4,000 on a website. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax

What separates my online ministry from the televangelists that prey on the desperate for their own financial gain? Why would church leaders oppose a volunteer minister asking for financial compensation for their work? How can I move forward when the very people I'm trying to help are opposing me? Answering these questions is critical to the survival of my new ministry. Scripture references: Leviticus 23:22 - Leave the edges of your field unharvested Proverbs 11:1 - Use balanced scales in your business transactions 1 Corinthians 9:1-14 - Those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax Televangelist sound clip provided by (ironically) www.youtube.com/muslimsince2003

Is it possible to be TOO committed to God? History is littered with ministers whose marriages disintegrated because they were too focused on pursuing ministry excellence and didn't properly prioritize the relationships in their life. As my online ministry starts to take form, I too find myself slipping into this "tunnel vision." Will I realize my mistake in time to save my marriage or will I achieve my dreams only to realize I gave up too much to get there? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax

As I continued to put myself out there and promote my new ministry I was faced with an unanticipated obstacle: lack of confidence in myself. Would I become an expert in helping Christians discover God's calling for their life or would I go down as an imposter? A fraud? This internal battle came to a head as I prepared for the most important speech of my life, played out on the biggest stage I could imagine. Find out if I crash and burn or pass with flying colors as I deliver the closing keynote speech at the 2017 UNBOXED Conference. Learn more about the UNBOXED Conference at www.unboxedconference.com Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax

After 10 months of hard work, my online teaching ministry is finally ready. On June 16, 2017, UnlockYourGifts.org went live to the world. Will it become the wild success I'm hoping it will be? Will I keep the momentum I gained from Unboxed and have a successful launch week? Or will it sputter along on life support with no direction and no future? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax

After the unsuccessful initial launch of Unlock Your Gifts I was left searching for answers. But just as I was starting to pick up the pieces and chart a path forward, God introduced a new variable into the equation. There was a new opportunity to work for my church, but it wasn't as straightforward a decision as I initially thought. With it came a deeper question, one I would need to wrestle with for a while: is it better to be faithful or wise? The answer was much harder to discover than I ever could have anticipated. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax

I found myself stuck without a clear path to grow my online teaching ministry. I needed a mentor, a guide, a Yoda. Someone who had already gone down the path and could show me what to do next. This conversation with Steve Staten and the things I learned from him would give me that clarity and shape the next phase of Unlock Your Gifts. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by: Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax Harry Love: www.soundcloud.com/harrylove

I decided to create a new online course that would help church small group leaders lead thriving small groups, which was exciting. But pushing into this new endeavor revealed something in my character that I needed to address. Mainly, how do I respond to failure? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by: Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax Harry Love: www.soundcloud.com/harrylove Learn more about having a Fixed or Growth Mindset in Carol Dweck's book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success"

A year and a half of work has led to this moment. Will I be able to go into the full-time ministry and fulfill my dream or will this opportunity pass my by? Wanna say hi? Shoot me a message over at www.facebook.com/unlockyourgifts Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Stitcher. Learn more at www.ministrystartup.com "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there." Theme song was written and performed by Flow Up: www.facebook.com/flowup623 Other music was written and performed by: Michael Parallax: www.soundcloud.com/michael-parallax

On April 2 I'm launching my new daily podcast "The Practical Christian Podcast" Make sure to subscribe to the new podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or TuneIn (Amazon Echo). "I believe that the church's best days are yet to come. And I believe it's ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things that will get us there."