One Another: for Group Leaders

New: Flood COVID Audio Prayer Guide w/ Samson JeyakumarWith the holidays approaching on an already stressful and overwhelming year, we at Flood church want to provide you with a 5 minute intro to your prayer time. This audio guide includes scripture and words of encouragement as we pray for those struggling with substance abuse and suicidal thoughts during the pandemic. 

26. Cultivating Abundant Life Part 3: Work as Worship w/ Joe & Allison PriolaEveryone has a rhythm, or rule of life—patterns of living and being. The question is, do our rhythms support the life that Jesus invited us into, or are we being guided by a "thief" that destroys it (John 10).This episode is the third part of a mini-series on recalibrating our rhythm of life. We discuss the second prong of the trellis, Work. Joining Scott are friends Joe and Allison Priola. We discuss how our work is our God-given purpose (both paid and unpaid) and a way to reflect God in worship. We also talk about the practical questions: What skills and resources has God give me and my group? How can these gifts be a blessing to the community God has placed us in?Joe and Allison Priola are on national staff with Cru City, after many years of being area directors for Cru’s college campus ministry on the Central Coast and then San Diego.If you want to practice what is talked about on this episode, visit: http://www.EmotionallyHealthy.org/Team. There you can sign up and download a helpful worksheet to begin reflecting on your own Trellis (Rule of Life). Also, ArtofNeighboring.com has great practical resources to grow in loving your (actual) neighbors.This mini-series will also serve as a companion for Flood church's current message series: A World of Trouble: Life in the Midst of Anxiety. If you miss any of the messages, you can rewatch them at YouTube.com/FloodSanDiego.Resources Mentioned:Life and Work:Let Your Life Speak, by Parker PalmerThe Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loeher and Tony SchwartzKingdom Calling, by Amy ShermanEvery Good Endeavor, by Tim KellerGarden City, by John Mark ComerWorked Up, by Paige Wiley and Luke BoboRule of Life:EmotionallyHealthy.orgTheCommonRule.orgSacred Rhythms, by Ruth Haley BartonSpirituality for Everyday Living, by Brian C. Taylor

25. Cultivating Abundant Life Part 2: Relationships w/ God and Neighbor ft. Abby Dyer & Joe PriolaEveryone has a rhythm, or rule of life—patterns of living and being. The question is, do our rhythms support the life that Jesus invited us into, or are we being guided by a "thief" that destroys it (John 10).This episode is the second part of a mini-series on recalibrating your rhythm of life. We discuss the first prong of the trellis, Relationships. Joining Scott are friends Abby Dyer and Joe Priola. We discuss how to be: prayerful, practical, personal, political, and private, in our relationships with God and neighbor.Abby Dyer is Flood Church's Community Engagement pastor, whom you have heard a few times on this podcast before.Joe Priola is on national staff with Cru City, after many years of being an area director for Cru’s college campus ministry on the Central Coast and back here in San Diego.If you want to practice what is talked about on this episode, visit: http://www.EmotionallyHealthy.org/Team. There you can sign up and download a helpful worksheet to begin reflecting on your own Trellis (Rule of Life). Also, ArtofNeighboring.com has great practical resources to grow in loving your (actual) neighbors.This mini-series will also serve as a companion for Flood church's current message series: A World of Trouble: Life in the Midst of Anxiety. If you miss any of the messages, you can rewatch them at YouTube.com/FloodSanDiego.Resources Mentioned:ArtofNeighboring.comTheodyssey.orgEmotionallyHealthy.orgTheCommonRule.orgSacred Rhythms, by Ruth Haley BartonPraying with the Church, by Scot McKnightSpirituality for Everyday Living, by Brian C. Taylor

24. Impairment and Invitation: A Story of Resurrected LeadershipOn this episode, Scott reads and discusses Luke's account of two disciples walking home in crisis after their Messiah was crucified—also known as The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).This ancient eyewitness account of the risen Jesus with two dejected leaders invites us into the story, and asks us: Where is our vision impaired? What invitations are their for us even, if not especially, in a crisis?Resources:Luke for Everyone, by N.T. WrightBeing Food for the World, by Henri NouwenReaching Out, by Henri NouwenJesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, by Brant Pitre

23. Cultivating Abundant Life Part 1: The Trellis That Supports GrowthEveryone has a rhythm, or rule of life—patterns of living and being. The question is, do our rhythms support the life that Jesus invited us into, or are we being guided by a "thief" that destroys it (John 10).This episode will be the first of a mini-series on recalibrating your rhythm of life. This first episode will be an overview, then we will double click on four essentials: Relationships, Prayer, Work, and Rest. On the next several episodes, Scott will have a discussion with four special guests that are wonderful conversation partners: Linsey Wildey, Abby Dyer, and Joe & Allison Priola.If you want to practice what is talked about on this episode, visit: http://www.EmotionallyHealthy.org/Team. There you can sign up and download a helpful worksheet to begin reflecting on your own Trellis (Rule of Life).This mini-series will also serve as a companion for Flood church's current message series: A World of Trouble: Life in the Midst of Anxiety. If you miss any of the messages, you can rewatch them at YouTube.com/FloodSanDiego.Resources Mentioned:Theodyssey.orgEmotionallyHealthy.orgTheCommonRule.orgSacred Rhythms, by Ruth Haley BartonPraying with the Church, by Scot McKnightSpirituality for Everyday Living, by Brian C. TaylorNew Time Religion, with Andrew Root

22. Does the Cross Matter? It's Meaning and Importance for Christian LeadershipThe season of Lent culminating in Holy Week is a time that we emphasize the death of Jesus, which came before the resurrection. And, we tend to interchange the words death and cross when talking about God's sacrifice. But, are they the same thing?In this episode, Scott takes a detailed look at Jesus' death on a Roman cross, and examen that it's not just that Jesus died, but that Jesus was executed via crucifixion—and why this detail makes all the difference.Scott also summarizes and unpacks six meanings of the cross, which taken as a whole, rather than isolated, opens us up to a more robust understanding of who God is and how God loves. The last portion of the podcast is dedicated to what this practically means for Christian leadership.Next Steps:EasterAtFlood.comStations of the Cross (online), Fasting Prompts, Easter Sunday DetailsResources Referenced:A Community Called Atonement, by Scot McKnightThe Crucifixion, by Fleming RutledgeThe Cross and the Lynching Tree, by James ConeThe Crucified God, by Jürgen MoltmannFaith in a Secular Age, by Andrew RootThe Pastor in a Secular Age, by Andrew RootThe Day the Revolution Began, by N.T. WrightThe Future of An Illusion, by Sigmund Freud

21. The Alchemy of Anxiety through Self-Care Part 2 w/ Wanda BrothersOn this second part episode, Scott Wildey and Wanda Brothers continue the conversation about why self-care is crucial for care-givers (leaders) during such a time as this, diving into practical tools of how to alchemize anxiety.Wands Brothers is a body focused therapist. She helps people heal from trauma, reach their goals, and assists them to learn how to evict anxiety and live life with joy and vitality. Wanda has been an adjunct professor of psychology and give lectures and presentations on Anxiety, Trauma and the Body, to name a few. Her website is wandabrothers.com. Part of Wanda’s mission is to befriend their body, because “A world with less stress, anger, and anxiety is a world where love and peace can flourish.”Wanda recently led an online Workshop with pastor Adam Klekowski, and in case you missed it, you can watch it at YouTube.com/FloodSanDiego.Recommended Resources:WandaBrothers.comSDTraumaTherapy.comBooks Mentioned:The Pastor in a Secular Age, by Andrew RootThe Magnificent Story, by James Bryan SmithA Failure of Nerve, by Edwin FriedmanAtomic Habits, by James Clear

20. The Alchemy of Anxiety through Self-Care Part 1 w/ Wanda BrothersDuring these uneasy times, anxiety effects us all. On this episode, Scott Wildey and Wanda Brothers start the conversation about why self-care is crucial for care-givers (leaders) during such a time as this. And, during this uncertain time, being grounded with God and in one's own body can make all the difference.Wands Brothers is a body focused therapist. She helps people heal from trauma, reach their goals, and assists them to learn how to evict anxiety and live life with joy and vitality. Wanda has been an adjunct professor of psychology and give lectures and presentations on Anxiety, Trauma and the Body, to name a few. Her website is wandabrothers.com. Part of Wanda’s mission is to befriend their body, because “A world with less stress, anger, and anxiety is a world where love and peace can flourish.”Wanda recently led an online Workshop with pastor Adam Klekowski, and in case you missed it, you can watch it at YouTube.com/FloodSanDiego.Recommended Resources:WandaBrothers.comSDTraumaTherapy.comBooks Mentioned:The Pastor in a Secular Age, by Andrew RootThe Magnificent Story, by James Bryan SmithA Failure of Nerve, by Edwin FriedmanAtomic Habits, by James Clear

19. Recognizing and Responding to God During the Coronavirus Crisis w/ Rich VillodasOn this episode Matt Hammett (lead pastor of Flood Church San Diego) and Rich Villodas (lead pastor of New Life Fellowship in Queens, NYC) have a conversation about the Church's response during the coronavirus crisis. Pastor Rich shares a letter to his church that include seven invitations to both recognize and respond to God during this unprecedented time.During a time of crisis, what does it mean to:1. Be prayerful2. Be self-aware3. Be Adaptable4. Be Generous5. Be Pastoral6. Be Wise7. Be HopefulRich Villodas has been the Lead Pastor at New Life Fellowship Church since 2013, when succeeded founding pastor Pete Scazzero. Born and raised in the New York borough of Brooklyn, Rich graduated from Nyack College and went on to obtain a Masters of Divinity degree at Alliance Theological Seminary. He is also currently part of the writing team for Missio Alliance, exploring such issues as contemplative spirituality, race, emotional health, preaching, and other major cultural issues that impact the universal Church. When Rich isn't reading, he's cheering on his beloved Mets, Knicks, NY Rangers, and Jets teams. Rich is married to Rosie and they have two children. Rich's forthcoming book The Deeply Formed Life is due for release in Fall of 2020.Resources:New Life Fellowship, home of Pastor Rich VillodasDIVEintoFLOOD.com/LiveLetters and Papers from Prison, by Deitrich BonhoefferCDC.gov

Special Episode: Week of Prayer w/ Samson JeyakumarWe want to be a praying people! Prayer is spiritual breathing; it’s how we communicate with and seek to hear from the God of the universe. We see throughout Scripture how a healthy prayer life is essential for our relationship with God. Jesus modeled what this looks like with his regular rhythms of getting away to seek his Father in prayer (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:15-16, Matthew 14:23, etc.) We are called to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and “pray in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18) but what does that really mean? The Week of Prayer is an opportunity to commit just one hour (or more!) to open ourselves to God through guided prayer prompts. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a veteran “prayer warrior” or you haven’t spent more than 5 minutes in prayer, this week is for you! We believe that prayer has the power to transform both our individual relationships with God and the very fabric of our church family. This 20 minute audio prayer guide is a chance to start out your time of prayer with the Flood church community. We’re so excited to see how God shows up as we intentionally seek Him together. So, let’s bring our needs, hopes, and desires before God so that we can witness Him do amazing things and, more importantly, so that we may “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).

18. Leadership Hot Tips Part 2 w/ Kate JacksonOn this part 2 of 2 episodes on Leadership Hot Tips, Scott and Kate continue to talk about the importance of self-awareness that fuels authentic leadership. Tips 3, 2, and 1 include talk of fruit baskets, how nothing leads to being loved, and how we can't be everything to everyone and still be our true selves (thanks Netflix and The Crown!). If you haven't listened to part 1 yet, please push pause, and checkout episode 17 first.Kate Jackson has worked at one of the largest churches in the country, gaining invaluable leadership experience and wisdom, and is currently on the executive team at Flood Church San Diego. Kate and her husband Michael have three kids—that is, three future leaders.Recommended Resources:Pray-as-you-go (APP)Lent Summary, by Jon Jorgenson (YouTube)The Gift of Being Yourself, by David BennerIn the Name of Jesus, by Henri J.M. Nouwen

17. Leadership Hot Tips Part 1 w/ Kate JacksonOn this episode, Scott has a conversation with Kate Jackson about the most important aspects of leadership. These "Leadership Hot Tips" are both practical and essential for any leader regardless of vocation. On this part one, we talk about the responsibility of leadership and the necessity of leading one's self. I.e., your true self is your best self and the self that others need.Kate Jackson has worked at one of the largest churches in the country, gaining invaluable leadership experience and wisdom, and is currently on the executive team at Flood Church San Diego. Kate and her husband Michael have three kids—that is, three future leaders.Recommended Resources:Lent Summary, by Jon Jorgenson (YouTube)On The Road with St. Augustine, by James K.A. SmithThe Gift of Being Yourself, by David BennerIn the Name of Jesus, by Henri J.M. NouwenYour Ego Is Not Your Amigo T-shirt (Amazon)

15. How to Read the Bible and Lead Better Part 1 w/ Dr. Mark StraussOn this episode, I have the honor of talking with renowned New Testament Scholar, Dr. Mark Strauss. Mark earned his Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen in 1992 and has been teaching New Testament ever since. He has authored approx. 20 books and many more articles. I’ve listed a link to his author page and books in the show notes below.Part One of this conversation with Dr. Strauss begins with the a priori leadership principle of love. Or, as Mark calls it, "The Heart of God Hermeneutic". As he says, "Before we can lead others, we have to love them. Before we cast vision, we need to shepherd people."Want to learn more from Dr. Mark Strauss?  Zondervan Academic has a 12-session online course for a fraction of the price of normal seminary class. Visit Dr. Strauss' class page, Four Portraits, One Jesus.Recommended Resources:Dr. Mark Strauss Amazon Author Page, and Bethel Seminary Page.  Notable works:  Four Portraits, One Jesus,  Introducing Jesus,  Jesus Behaving Badly,  Leadership in Christian Perspective,  The Essential Bible Companion,  How to Read the Bible in Changing Times.

16. How to Read the Bible and Lead Better Part 2 w/ Dr. Mark StraussWelcome back to this second part of my conversation with renowned New Testament scholar Dr. Mark Strauss. If you missed the first part of our conversation: How to Read the Bible and Lead Better, please listen to part 1 first, as this episode is a continuation.Part Two of this conversation with Dr. Strauss focuses on how to read the Bible better, touching on the nature of translation, knowledge, and practical principles for anyone to read the Bible better.Want to learn more from Dr. Mark Strauss?  Zondervan Academic has a 12-session online course for a fraction of the price of normal seminary class. Visit Dr. Strauss' class page, Four Portraits, One Jesus.Recommended Resources:Dr. Mark Strauss Amazon Author Page, and Bethel Seminary Page.  Notable works:  Four Portraits, One Jesus,  Introducing Jesus,  Jesus Behaving Badly,  Leadership in Christian Perspective,  The Essential Bible Companion,  How to Read the Bible in Changing Times.

14. Emotionally Healthy Leadership Part 2 w/ Matt HammettOn this episode Scott Wildey and Matt Hammett continue the conversation about emotionally Healthy Discipleship. As Peter Scazzero writes in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, "There is no spiritual maturity without emotional maturity."Matt shares more about two core groups we now offer based on Scazzero's work, intended to develop our lives of loving God and loving others. Experiencing this training in community is integral to our lives with one another. As the saying goes, "If we want to go fast, go alone, if we want to go far, go together."The Emotionally Healthy Spirituality group focuses on slowing down and growing in our relationship with God. The Emotionally Healthy Relationships group cultivates our capacity to love others. Each group helps to develop a vocabulary of emotions, enhancing our ability to be response-able vs. reactionary. The more we learn to pay attention to our inner lives, the more awareness we attain for those around us.Recommended ResourcesEmotionallyHealthy.org, Emotionally Healthy (YouTube), Emotionally Healthy Leader (Podcast0

13. Emotionally Healthy Leadership Part 1 w/ Matt HammettOn this episode Scott Wildey and Matt Hammett continue the conversation about discernment through the lens of emotional health and its impact on leadership. The word “emotional” may have baggage for some. But make no mistake, as Peter Scazzero writes in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, "There is no spiritual maturity without emotional maturity." Recognizing the activity of God happens at the deepest level of our being, beyond our surface level thoughts and emotions. In other words, if we lack awareness of our inner life, we will be driven by our hidden emotional wounds and unhealthy relational patterns. As Dr. Henri Cloud describes in his book, Integrity, like a boat traveling through life, we all leave a wake—we all impact people—either positively or negatively. The good news is that God wants us whole and will use our health as a means of grace to bring about hope and healing to others, which is the purpose of ministry, and the purpose that Matt and his wife Roxanne have given their lives to.Recommended ResourcesEmotionallyHealthy.org, Emotionally Healthy (YouTube)

12. Recognizing and Responding to God Part 2 w/ Grace WilkinsonOn this episode, Scott and Grace continue the conversation about Discernment. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, please pause and listen first as this discussion builds off of the last one.If you have listened, here’s a quick recap: Discernment is a word that is used a lot, but equally misunderstood. In fact, we typically use the term deciding or decision-making as a synonym for discernment. It’s the class square-rectangle scenario—A square is a rect-angle, but a rectangle is not a square—in the same way that discernment involves decisions, but decisions are not the same thing as discernment.So, what is discernment? Great question! We borrowed a working-definition from a shared mentor of ours, Ruth Haley Barton. In her book, Pursing God’s Will together, she describes discernment as:"An increasing capacity to both recognize and respond to God in the ordinary moments and the major decisions. I.e., it’s a way of being attentive in life that develops over time into the ability to sense God’s heart and purpose in any given moment."Recommended Resources:Ruth Haley Barton's, Pursuing God's Will TogetherSpiritual Practices to seek God together: http://www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/RestRev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mural (San Diego)Seeing Church History: The Color of Compromise, by Jemar Tisby

11. Recognizing and Responding to God Part 1 w/ Grace WilkinsonIn this new season of One Another, Scott and Grace discuss the all important, yet often confused topic of discernment. Most of us think of discernment as solely decision making. However, the biblical discernment is both recognizing and responding to God in ordinary, everyday life—not just in big decisions. Or, as St. Ignatius writes, "Finding God in all things in order that we might love and serve God in all." This means that the heart of discernment is relationship. That is, regardless of the outcome, the key question in recognizing and responding to God is, "Am I closer to God, myself, others, etc.?" And closeness to God is equivalent to life itself.Recommended Resources:Ruth Haley BartonPursuing God's Will Together: A Discernment Practice for Leadership Groups, by Ruth Haley Barton;   Discernment, God's Will & Living Jesus: Christian Discernment as a Way of Life, by Larry Warner; Desiring God's Will, by David Benner; Hearing God, by Dallas Willard

10. Delving Difficult People Part 3: The King's Speech Befriends the (False) Self Via Welcoming PrayerOn this part 3 of 3 of Delving Difficult People, Scott wraps up Emotional Programs for Happiness by moving towards practice, specifically Welcoming Prayer, what Fr. Thomas Keating calls "divine therapy". Though our instincts may tell us to self-protect (false self), avoid, or attempt to get rid of afflictive emotions, such as anger, fear, sadness, etc., our truer self invites us in with hospitality and compassion. That is, it's vital that we befriend our false self this way. Why? Because that which we ignore tyrannizes us. A great example of this is the Oscar Award winning film, The King's Speech.There are at least two types of Welcoming Prayer: A preparatory kind that involves praying to be rooted and established in God's love (Ephesians 3:14-21); and one that is in the moment, at ground zero. Supported by Psalm 139, this Welcoming Prayer has three stages of: Focusing and Feeling, Welcoming & Befriending, and Releasing—surrendering to God in trust.As a reminder, this is the last episode of Season 1 of the One Another podcast. We will have all new episodes in January 2020, with some great guests, offering insight, wisdom, and much love to our leaders!Recommended Resources:The King's Speech

9. Delving Difficult People Part 2: Shakespeare and Negative Sentiment OverrideOn this second part of delving difficult people we continue to unpack the implications of what Thomas Keating describes as our emotional programs for happiness. Specifically, what happens inside our heart and mind when we are triggered, including the internal dialogue that ensues.Using Shakespeare's Othello as an example of "Negative Sentiment Override," Scott unpacks the dangers of giving into the "stories we tell ourselves" uncritically with the help of Scott Gornto's book of the same name. The good news, as Dr. John Gottman prescribes, is that just as we are not blind to the flaws and failures of difficult people, we can also see their gifts, and re-engage a virtuous and sustainable cycle of relationship.Recommended Resources:The Gottman Institute Blog (The Four Horsemen); The Human Condition, by Thomas Keating; The Stories We Tell Ourselves, by Scott Gornto.

8. Delving Difficult People Part 1: Gremlins Meet Thomas KeatingWe typically think of "difficult people" as people out there that cause our consternation. However, one cannot spell "difficult" without an "I"—two I's to be exact. Those two “i”s represent two core aspects of our experience as human beings: Most often referred to as our true self (the self God created to be in loving, free relationship and enjoy God and others forever), and the false self, which is the self we began to construct in childhood to protect ourselves. It’s the self we unconsciously believe others want us to be, or the self we think we should be in order to attain love.So, it is not that difficult people are not "out there", because they are. But, we must begin with lovingly welcoming the difficulty that resides inside.On this episode one of a multi-part series delving difficult people, we acknowledge the source of the often hidden motivations that drive our experiences in community by beginning a conversation (so-to-speak) with the late, great Trappist monk, Thomas Keating. After establishing the source of our afflicting emotions about others, we'll move towards spiritual practice in the next few episodes designed to heal and make whole—what Keating calls, Divine Therapy.Recommended Resources:For more on Thomas Keating, check out his works: The Human Condition, On Divine Therapy.Also for more on the 80s smash hit Gremlins: 20 Facts About Gremlins, Gremlins Trailer

7. I Was in Prison and You Visited Me, w/ Aaron ButteryOn this episode, Abby talks with chaplain Aaron Buttery about how he went from visiting prison, to severing prisoners. As you'll hear, Aaron takes the words of Matthew 25 seriously, where Jesus equates caring for the poor, the destitute, and the prisoners with serving himself.Aaron also serves as a Flood Church Caused-Based Group Leader for prison ministry at Donovan Prison. There are more than 5,000 men incarcerated in San Diego, so the need is great for volunteers to share God’s love. Flood’s Prison Group seeks to be the physical representation of God’s love in a dark place. In this ministry of presence, we bring encouragement and hope to inmates at Donovan Prison simply by showing up. We provide Sunday services, Bible studies, prayer nights, and 12-Step groups for the inmates. No skills required, just a heart for the Lord and for service. Training is provided. To find out more about this ministry, email Aaron at: Prison@DIVEintoFLOOD.com.

6. Ingroup and Outgroup Bias, w/ Abby DyerJoin Abby and Scott as they discuss "innies" and "outies", or rather, ingroups and outgroups. The phrase, "Birds of a feather flock together" is a cliché for a reason. People tend to congregate and group up with people with similar preferences and prejudices. Ingroup bias (or ingroup favoritism) refers to the tendency to favor one’s own group, its members, its characteristics, and its preferences. Outgroup bias includes negative categorizations, feelings, or ideas about people who are not part of our ingroup.Though bias is common in our world, it's actually unnatural in the Kingdom of God as Jesus embodies. Even a cursory reading of the New Testament displays a radical trajectory that goes against the grain of the ingroup/outgroup dualism. And yet, as we consider our relationships and spheres of influence, they are most likely predominantly ingroup. Which means our groups most likely reflect this bias in some ways. This isn’t a guilt trip, but it is a Gospel trip. I.e., this is an area we need to follow Jesus in as he builds his Church.Recommended Resources: Preferences Quiz: Scot McKnight's "Images of Jesus" quiz from his book on interpreting the Bible, "The Blue Parakeet". This quiz is meant to highlight our own preferences and prejudices that we project onto Jesus.Message: Persistent Poverty, by Matt Soerens of World ReliefBooks: The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation, by Miles McPherson; The Color of Compromise, by Jemar Tisby; Divided by Faith, by Christian Smith

5. Loving Via Listening Part 2 w/ Mindi O'HaraOn this episode, we continue our discussion on the art of listening and it's importance of leading healthy groups. Mindi shares some practical tips on how to listen well, the difference between coffee and counseling, and the dangers of cell phones (especially on dates). Scott and Mindi tag team the Extraversion-Introversion dynamic and conclude with a listening assessment from Peter Scazzero's book and website: EmotionallyHealthy.orgRecommended Resources:Google: “Speaker-Listener Technique”Book: "How to Ask Great Questions," by Karen Lee-ThorpAssessment: https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/great-leaders-great-listeners/?v=7516fd43adaaWebsite: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/listening-quiz.htm

4. Loving Via Listening Part 1 w/ Mindi O'HaraGroups co-pastor Mindi O'Hara joins this episode to discuss the art of listening, which is essential to one-another-ness. As David Augsburger wrote, “Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.” And yet, few people experience being truly listened to. If listening is so vital to our humanity, then why is it so difficult?One myth of small groups is that a leader's role is to dispense information and have the right answers. But Jesus rarely gave direct answers, and frequently asked incisive questions. When he did speak truth, the primary response called for was listening marked by engagement: "whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." Indeed, listening and loving are almost indistinguishable, but in many ways, so are listening and leadership.Recommended Resources: How to Ask Great Questions, by Karen Lee-Thorp; Google “Speaker-Listener Technique”

3. The Courage to Retreat w/ Linsey WildeyThis week, spiritual director Linsey Wildey joins the podcast to discuss what she has learned about group life in her two plus decades of ministry. We also talk about the spiritual practice of retreat—what it is, why it's integral, and what keeps us from retreating. You can find out more about spiritual direction and Linsey's ministry at: http://www.LinseyWildey.comAnd, sign up for the October 12th Leaders Day Retreat—a day designed to refresh and refill you as you lead our Groups and Teams! http://www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/LeadersRetreatRecommended Resource: "Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God," by Ruth Haley Barton.

2. Why Can't We Be Friends w/ Andy KellyOn this episode pastor Andy Kelly discusses how community has formed him, and the heart behind the series, "Why Can't We Be Friends."Difficult people are all around us. We work with them, live with them, and are related to them. Oftentimes, others would say we are them. We want to love well, but sometimes that can feel nearly impossible. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus encountering and engaging with all kinds of difficult people, and loving each of them perfectly. This series will look at the pivotal relationships in Jesus’ life, and what we can learn from Jesus about how to love one another, even if (or when) it is difficult.