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23 episodes with Efrem Smith
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8 episodes with Efrem Smith
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Send me a text! I'd love to know what you're thinking!Is the future of the church something to look forward to, or does it scare you to death. Thriving into the future will require change, and the idea of changing the way we lead, or the way we do church, or the people we reach out to, can feel overwhelming. Even if we want to do it, where do we even start?In this episode, Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Raymond Chang share insights from their new book, Future Focused Church, where they explore adaptive leadership and offer practical tools to help ministry leaders guide their congregations through meaningful transformation.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Kara Powell asserts that the best days of the church are ahead despite current challenges.Kara Powell credits her optimism for the church's future to her theology and understanding of God's goodness.Church leaders should focus on the three checkpoints: relationally discipling young people, modeling kingdom diversity, and tangibly loving their neighbors.Jake Mulder explains the concept of a journey in church change, emphasizing the importance of checkpoints along the way.Jake Mulder lists the four zones of church change as here, there, who, and how.Jake Mulder states that a majority of change efforts fail due to outdated approaches and skills.Transformation in the church should not be a solo effort and requires a diverse transformation team, as Jake Mulder explains.Raymond Chang highlights how experimenting from the edges with small changes can lead to progress without being too disruptive.Churches often suffer from a lack of follow-through rather than a dramatic flaw when trying to implement change.Raymond Chang highlights the sons of Issachar as an example of understanding the times and discerning God's direction.Maintaining disciplined attention is crucial, as Kara Powell emphasizes, to ensure cultural change efforts do not falter.Jake Mulder shares the importance of a diverse transformation team of five to twelve people representing different perspectives for effective guidance in church change.Jake Mulder notes that the process of church change is not about where leaders want to go, but where God is leading.The journey between a church's current state and its future should begin with gathering the right team of people.Kara Powell shares an example where a church emphasizes youth engagement through consistent, simple actions like attending youth events.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Future-Focused Church websiteBooks mentioned:Future-Focused Church, by Kara Powel, Jake Mulder, and Ray ChangRelated episodes:222. Building a Multi-Inclusive Church, with Efrem Smith and Dan Kreiss242. Life and Leadership in the Fog, with Michaela O'Donnell and Lisa Slayton256. Digital Disruption Click HERE to get my FREE online course, BECOMING LEADERS OF SHALOM.
Send me a text! I'd love to know what you're thinking!Markus Watson and Tod Bolsinger engage in an enlightening conversation exploring a profound quote by Efrem Smith on the evolving narrative of church communities. They discuss the critical role of the emerging generation in not just being part of the church's story, but actively shaping its future. The episode explores the importance of diverse perspectives, adaptive leadership, and the humility required to foster a truly inclusive and vibrant faith community.Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson discuss this quote from Efrem Smith in Ep 222, Building a Multi-Inlusive Church:“As the story of your church unfolds, is it obvious that the emerging generation is not only part of the story, but part of shaping the story that will be told?”THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Ministry leaders engage future generations by including their voices at the decision-making table.Tod Bolsinger emphasizes the necessity for leaders to adopt a humble approach and be open to learning.Markus Watson stresses the importance of diverse perspectives for a fuller understanding of God's calling.Churches increase vitality by valuing spiritual maturity over age when selecting leaders.Tod Bolsinger encourages leaders to focus on creating processes that foster deeper understanding and growth.Did you know Spiritual Life and Leadership has been named the #1 Spiritual Leadership Podcast by the Feedspot Podcasters Database? Check it out HERE!
Send me a text! I'd love to know what you're thinking!How does Jesus go about transforming individual lives and entire societies? And what role do we play in that work of transformation?Yolanda Solomon, author of Discipleship as Holy Collaboration, helps us get clarity on these questions as she shares her insights on how to build a nurturing community in the Church, the challenges of modern discipleship, and the importance of addressing marginalized groups through a radically inclusive kingdom perspective.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Yolanda Solomon discusses the importance of collaboration and companionship in the Christian faith.Hebrews 10 underlines the importance of being known and spurring one another on to good works in discipleship.Markus Watson and Yolanda Solomon discuss the challenges of leadership today and how Jesus' teachings can guide leaders to serve and esteem those most margnalized.Discipleship is about followers of Jesus following in his footsteps, learning from him, and being invited into a new community of divine love to live and love like Jesus and continue his mission on earth.Discipleship is a holy collaboration with Jesus and involves empowering individuals through the Holy Spirit to imitate Jesus.Yolanda Solomon believes there is a discipleship problem in the church due to church hurt, the hierarchical church structure, and the misconception that discipleship is about behavior modification.She admits her past attempts at discipleship focused on modifying people's behavior, but she has since shifted to a discipleship strategy grounded in Jesus' educational approach.Yolanda Solomon highlights different ways of teaching and learning, mentioning how Jesus involves his disciples in the miracles he performs.Disciple-focused education should include practical involvement, such as Jesus' example of telling the disciples to feed the five thousand.Markus Watson and Yolanda Solomon emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit in heart transformation.Both Yolanda and Markus express the importance of addressing systemic oppression and social injustice.Yolanda Solomon shares a story about Jesus' forgiveness and its impact on systemic oppression, emphasizing that societal injustice affects both the oppressed and the oppressor.Yolanda Solomon highlights Jesus' rejection of worldly power and his call for sacrificial, inclusive love, underscoring the need for both heart and structural change in society.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Yolanda Solomon:www.yolandasolomon.siteInstagram - @yolanda.solomon.bkBooks mentioned:Discipleship as Holy Collaboration, by Yolanda SolomonKingdom, Church, and World, by Hoqard A. SnyderRelated episodes:Building a Multi-inclusive Church, with Efrem Smith and Dan KreissUnlearning Old Paradigms for Kingdom Leadership, with Terry WallingFrom Sunday Services to Real Transformation, with E.K. StrawserThe Muppets, “She Drives Me Crazy”Did you know Spiritual Life and Leadership has been named the #1 Spiritual Leadership Podcast by the Feedspot Podcasters Database? Check it out HERE!
Send me a text! I'd love to know what you're thinking!Grace Ji-Sun Kim, theology professor at Earlham School of Religion and the author of When God Became White, discusses how cultural forces throughout history have shaped the portrayal of both God and Jesus as white males, and how that portrayal has hurt our ability to be the leaders we need to be.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Grace Ji-Sun Kim discusses the historical influence of the Roman Empire in shaping the perception of a white male God in Christianity.Cultural and societal forces led to the dominant image of a white male deity.Grace Ji-Sun Kim suggests reimagining God within different cultural contexts to challenge this prevailing narrative.Artists portraying Jesus in various ethnicities counteract the dominant white male imagery.Portraying God in diverse ways can be valuable and necessary.Markus Watson shares an example of a teacher's experiment to illustrate that race is a social construct, not a biological one.The conversation touches on the harmful implications of using race as a biological concept to assert superiority.According to Grace Ji-Sun Kim the feminine naming of Hagia Sophia as holy wisdom holds significant importance in church history.Diverse voices are crucial for leading change within churches.Grace Ji-Sun Kim suggests that white people should diversify their reading, podcast listening, and sermon choices for a deeper understanding.Markus Watson recounts his childhood exposure to a white Jesus, reflecting on its impact.Grace Ji-Sun Kim emphasizes the need to challenge and critique the prevailing image of a white male God.Practical steps for churches include critically analyzing liturgy, deeply engaging with scripture, and welcoming diverse perspectives for a fuller understanding of God.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Grace Ji-Sun Kim:Earlham School of ReligionMadang PodcastLoving Life SubstackBooks mentioned:When God Became White, by Grace Ji-Sun KimRelated episodes:Building a Multi-Inclusive Church, with Efrem Smith and Dan KreissCultivating Cultural Competence, with Daniel LeeCalled to Each Other, with Claude AlexanderMinistry Leadership in a Racialized Society, with David SwansonDid you know Spiritual Life and Leadership has been named the #1 Spiritual Leadership Podcast by the Feedspot Podcasters Database? Check it out HERE!
Send me a text! I'd love to know what you're thinking!Efrem Smith and Dan Kreiss, the authors of Church For Everyone: Building a Multi-Inclusive Community, explore the importance of multi-inclusivity in church leadership, the need to empower young people in decision-making, and the steps required to break down socio-economic and cultural barriers within our faith communities.THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:Creating spaces and processes for the emerging generation to have voice and participate in decision-making within multi-inclusive churches is crucial.In the Evangelical Covenant Church, the 6-fold test for multi-ethnic ministry includes population, participation, and power as key aspects to consider.Efforts to create spaces for feedback and participation are a key step in promoting inclusion and diversity in churches.Efrem Smith emphasizes the need to intentionally hire diverse staff and involve the emerging generation in shaping the church's narrative.Dan Kreiss points out that long-standing churches with deep traditions face greater challenges and need intentional discomfort and leadership formation to create a multi-inclusive community.According to Efrem Smith and Dan Kreiss, the diverse and multi-ethnic nature of the younger generation is not reflected in many church contexts on Sunday mornings.Dan Kreiss points out that building relationships with those outside his predominantly Caucasian church is essential to foster inclusion and understanding.Efrem Smith underscores the need to eliminate excuses for young people to dismiss the church and to create a multi-inclusive community that reflects the diversity found in other aspects of their lives.God can use individuals of different generations to advance his kingdom, as demonstrated by the biblical stories of David, Esther, Abraham, and Josiah.The letters of Paul emphasize the importance of a multi-inclusive, Christ-centered community, reflecting the multicultural and intergenerational nature of the church.According to Dan Kreiss, starting the journey towards a multi-inclusive church involves intentional efforts to build relationships with diverse communities.Dan Kreiss encourages pastors to surround themselves with others in the community for support and accountability.Efrem Smith says the move from stigmatizing the younger generation to becoming friends and missionaries to them is essential.Navigating the tensions between different generations is part of maintaining an intergenerational and diverse church environment.RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:Efrem Smith:Mid-town ChurchInfluential Global MinistriesInstagram - @efrem.smithDan Kreiss:Roswell Presbyterian ChurchInstagram - @dan_kreissBooks mentioned:Church for Everyone, by Efrem Smith and Dan KreissRelated episodes:Called to Each Other, with Claude AlexanderMinistry Leadership in a Racialized Society, with David SwansonIdentity, Belonging, and Purpose, with Kara PowellDid you know Spiritual Life and Leadership has been named the #1 Spiritual Leadership Podcast by the Feedspot Podcasters Database? Check it out HERE!
In this episode, Dr. Eric Bryant interviews Dr. Efrem Smith, a church planter, co-lead pastor of Midtown Church which describes itself as "a multiethnic, multiplying, reconciling, and disciple-making church." Efrem consults on issues of multi-ethnicity, leadership, and community development. He is the former president and CEO of World Impact, an urban mission, church planting and leadership-development organization. He is the author of The Post-Black and Post-White Church, Killing Us Softly: Reborn in the Upside-Down Image of God, along with other books and articles. We spent time discussing his newest book co-written by Daniel Kreiss called Church for Everyone: Building a Multi-Inclusive Community for Emerging Generations. THE POST-CHRISTIAN PODCAST AND GIVEAWAYS: Our goal with The Post-Christian Podcast is to reframe, simplify, and focus on our mission to make disciples in a post Christian culture. We discuss reaching new people and raising up leaders while removing the barriers of churchianity. Be sure to sign up for Eric's email newsletter at www.ericbryant.org for a chance to win future book giveaways and assessments! Subscribe, Rate, and Review The Post-Christian Podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.com/@ericbryant777. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eric-bryant1/support
In this episode, Dan Kreiss and I have a conversation about how churches can better engage emerging generations and become more just and inclusive faith communities. Dan discusses his experience ministering in New Zealand and the US. He emphasizes the importance of understanding one's community, being intentional in serving others, and working together across denominations. We also get into insights from Dan's research on what young people value in churches, such as authenticity, action on justice issues, and community. Join us as we figure out how to engage emerging generations and become justice oriented multi-inclusive communities of faith. Dan Kreiss has given his career to Christian ministry with emerging generations in international and domestic contexts. He served in ministry in New Zealand for 15 years with Youth for Christ, Knox Presbyterian Church, and Hutt International Boys' School. When they returned to the US, Dan, his wife Cindy, and their four children settled in Bristol, Tennessee where he served as professor of Youth Ministry and Dean of the School of Missions at King University. Dan completed his Master of Divinity at Emmanuel Christian Seminary and his Doctorate in Leadership and Global Perspectives at George Fox University in 2020. A revamped and updated version of his research along is set to be released in collaboration with co-author Efrem Smith, by InterVarsity Press in February.Dan and Efrem are passionate about the church and want to ensure that emerging generations find the church to be the example to the world of genuine community and context for spiritual nurture that God desires it to be.Dan's Book:Church For EveryoneConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Support the show
In this episode I chat with Dan Kreiss and Efrem Smith about their (bound to be impactful) new book, Church For Everyone: Building Multi-Inclusive Community For Emerging Generations. Among other things, Kreiss and Smith unpack for me what multi-inclusiveness truly is, how rooted it is in Scripture, why it can be so difficult and how it is ultimately fostered. As you listen I hope you are both encouraged and challenged. And after you are done I hope you do yourself a favour and go get a copy of this one! Dan Kreiss (DMin, George Fox University) is the associate minister for mission and community outreach at Roswell Presbyterian Church in the greater Atlanta area. He was previously professor of youth ministry and dean of the School of Missions at King University in Bristol, Tennessee. Efrem Smith (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a pastor, consultant, speaker, and author. He is passionate about life transformation, multiethnic development, faithful and fruitful churches, and community development. He is the author of Raising Up Young Heroes, The Hip Hop Church, Jump, The Post-Black and Post-White Church, and Killing Us Softly.
FrontStage BackStage with Jason Daye - Healthy Leadership for Life and Ministry
How can our local churches engage or reengage younger generations, not with gimmicks, compromising the truth, or selling out, but by embracing the very heart of Christ's gospel? In this week's conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Efrem Smith. Efrem is the Co-lead pastor of Midtown Church in Sacramento, California. Efrem has been an encouragement to so many pastors and ministry leaders. He's written a number of books, including his latest, which is entitled Church for Everyone. Together, Efrem and Jason explore the kingdom opportunities arising among young people, even in the midst of declining church engagement. Efrem shares from his personal ministry experiences how to connect with emerging generations at the heart level and invite them to immerse themselves in a cause that truly matters.Dig deeper into this conversation: Find the free Weekly Toolkit, including the Ministry Leaders Growth Guide, all resource links, and more, at http://PastorServe.org/networkSome key takeaways from this conversation:Efrem Smith on the importance of both words and deeds in conveying our message of faith: "Jesus both declared and demonstrated the good news, he both proclaimed and practiced it."Efrem Smith on the significance of engaging and involving young people in understanding and embodying the principles of justice as exemplified by Jesus: "Invite the emerging generation into what the justice of Jesus looks like."Efrem Smith on the shift of young people away from specific church denominations as opposed to completely forsaking their faith altogether: "In some cases, emerging generations might be leaving a type of church, but they're not leaving the church altogether."----------------Looking to dig more deeply into this topic and conversation? FrontStage BackStage is much more than another church leadership show, it is a complete resource to help you and your ministry leaders grow. Every week we go the extra mile and create a free toolkit so you and your ministry team can dive deeper into the topic that is discussed.Visit http://PastorServe.org/network to find the Weekly Toolkit, including the Ministry Leaders Growth Guide. Our team pulls key insights and quotes from every conversation with our guests. We also create engaging questions for you and your team to consider and process, providing space for you to reflect on how each episode's topic relates to your unique church context. Use these questions in your staff meetings, or other settings, to guide your conversation as you invest in the growth of your ministry leaders. Love well, live well, & lead well Complimentary Coaching Session for Pastors http://PastorServe.org/freesession Follow PastorServe LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookConnect with Jason Daye LinkedIn | Instagram...
Pastor Efrem Smith is an internationally recognized leader who uses motivational speaking and preaching to equip people for a life of transformation. He consults on issues of multi-ethnicity, leadership, and community development. Efrem is the former president and CEO of World Impact: an urban mission, church planting and leadership-development organization. He's the author of several books, including his latest, “Killing Us Softly.” Efrem is a graduate of Saint John's University and Luther Theological Seminary, and received an honorary doctor of ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary, and most recently earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in Church Leadership and Reconciliation Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Efrem's latest book is The Post-Black and Post-White Church: Becoming the Beloved Community in a Multi-Ethnic World. In this podcast conversation, we talk about how 2020 opened up many important race conversations and how the church dealt with--and continues to deal with (or not deal with)--those important conversations.
[00:00:00] Alvin Sanders: The hardest decision I had to make concerning my own personal level of leadership was the decision that I made in 2007 to leave the pastorate and to work for the denomination. And the thing that got me was the President who unfortunately has passed away, Bill Hamill, he asked me the question, he said, Alvin, do you want to influence one church or do you want to influence 1500 churches? And honestly, I had to ask to myself, and I said I want to influence 1500 churches. +++++++++++++++++++++++ [00:00:34] Tommy Thomas: Our guest today is Dr. Alvin Sanders. On his LinkedIn Profile it says, President and CEO of World Impact, Adjunct Seminary Professor, Advocate for Redemptive Poverty Work, Husband, Father, Author, Mentor, and Loves Sports. I imagine we could do a podcast episode on all those titles, particularly the one about sports. But today I want to focus on Alvin's role as the President and CEO of World Impact, and in particular their work as an advocate for redemptive poverty. Alvin, give us your elevator speech on World Impact. [00:01:17] Alvin Sanders: World Impact started about 52 years ago and we're trying to solve the problem that 95% of the world's pastors have no formal ministry training. We believe that we provide effective ministry training that's affordable and accessible as part of the solution to that problem. And our theory of change is that trained urban pastors lead to healthier churches, which leads to them impacting their community toward flourishing. [00:01:45] Tommy Thomas: Good. You got that one down. [00:01:46] Alvin Sanders: That's good. I don't know if that was 30 seconds or not. I got it. [00:01:50] Tommy Thomas: To our listeners, Alvin and I met, at least for me, in an unusual way. I was conducting the CEO search for the City Gospel Mission in Cincinnati, and I did my LinkedIn research and I liked Alvin's background. I thought he might be a good candidate. So, I called him, and he said, no, he was pretty committed to World Impact, but then he turned the tables on me. He says we need a couple of additional cabinet members. Would you be interested in helping us? And next thing I knew Alvin had recruited me to help him with two searches. I didn't have to submit a proposal or anything. So, Alvin, I guess I owe you a big thank you for trusting us with that work. [00:02:26] Alvin Sanders: You did an excellent job. I have two awesome team members, and we're a better organization because of your work. [00:02:34] Tommy Thomas: Thank you. Take me into a little bit of your background. I'm always curious how people got their start. What do you remember about your childhood that maybe has contributed to the man you are today? [00:02:44] Alvin Sanders: Yeah, so I'm a military brat. My father was in the Air Force for 30 years and we lived globally. For instance, I spent four years in Okinawa, Japan during my formative language years, and I don't remember this, but I've been told that I used to be able to speak fluent Japanese, so I wish that I could conjure that up again, but I can't. But that had a big effect on me. Because I grew up what's called a third culture kid. And you can look that term up, but it's essentially a person who could see into different cultures while not being in them, I would say you grow up organically, culturally flexible. That's probably the easiest way to describe it. And so that led me to ministry. I've been in ministry for 32 years. I started in ministry at 21. Worked at a variety of places but they always had a connection to the urban context of making disciples there. And I worked with the Evangelical Free Church of America planting an inner-city church in the city of Cincinnati. I worked for the aforementioned City Gospel Mission before that under their president who's no longer with them, Roger Howell. And then I also worked for the Evangelical Free Church of America denomination, running their All-People initiative. And then I came the World Impact as a Senior Vice President in 2015 and then became president in 2017. And this is where I hang my hat. [00:04:06] Tommy Thomas: So, growing up all over the world, what was high school like for you? [00:04:10] Alvin Sanders: My dad ended up retiring in Columbus, Ohio, so that's where I spent most of my time. And that's where I went to high school. [00:04:17] Tommy Thomas: And when you got to college, how'd you pick a major? [00:04:21] Alvin Sanders: The first major that I picked was Physical Therapy, and the first college that I went to was Bowling Green State University near Toledo, Ohio. And while on campus I got very involved with a campus ministry. None of the major ones, but just a small one that was started by a fellow student. And it was during that time I said, man, I think God's calling me to do this full time. So, I ended up transferring to Cincinnati Christian University and as they say, the rest is history. [00:04:52] Tommy Thomas: What's something that people might be surprised to know about you that maybe is not on your LinkedIn profile or not in any writing anywhere? [00:05:01] Alvin Sanders: Oh, let's see. That I'm a homebody. Much to my wife's chagrin. A perfect day for me is doing nothing. It is sitting in my recliner downstairs with food and drink and watching good sports or good news stories or whatever, but I love to do nothing. [00:05:27] Tommy Thomas: Now that would come as a surprise just from my working with you because in our relationship, you've been out and about and upfront and returning from a speaking engagement or headed to one. [00:05:38] Alvin Sanders: Yes, and I'm sure that's probably what plays into those times when I don't have anything to do. I cherish them. [00:05:43] Tommy Thomas: Take me back to your first management job when you actually had somebody that you were responsible for. What do you remember about that? [00:05:51] Alvin Sanders: The crazy thing, it was both a blessing and a curse, was the first ministry position I've ever held. I had pretty significant responsibilities. And I learned I can be an intense person. God bless the first people that I had to supervise and the first volunteers I had to direct because with a military and athletic background and an intense personality – I'm sure those people got fried. I was probably a marine minister; I would say so to speak. And what I remember is God's providence and blessing the success of the things that I did. And I also had a lot of learning lessons about what it means to really invest and treat people with respect and dignity. [00:06:44] Tommy Thomas: You've had a long career in ministry and I'm sure you've had times that have “tested your mettle”. Maybe can you take us into one of those and what you learned or maybe didn't learn from it? [00:06:55] Alvin Sanders: The biggest, one of those things, Tommy, that tested my mettle was when me and my wife planted at a church in inner-city Cincinnati. About six months into the church planting experience, there was a police shooting of a young black teenager by a white police officer. This was spring of 2001 and the neighborhood in which we planted a church where the shooting took place exploded in civil disobedience. And you want to talk about the crucible of ministry and trying to figure out what to do. We were young church planters. Six months in just trying to get a church together and draw people, and then all of a sudden, this thing happens. And we learned to depend upon God and that Proverbs, I think it's Proverbs 3:5-6, trust in Lord and all that you do and lean not on your own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths because there's no strategic plan for planting a church in the middle of a race riot. There just isn't. So, we really learned what it means to trust the Lord and invest in people deeply, invest in a neighborhood deeply so that we can both improve the lives and hearts of the people as well as the neighborhood and pursue the common good. And so, that changed the trajectory of my life. [00:08:15] Tommy Thomas: So yeah, pursuing the common good. What did that look like, could you take us into how you executed that? [00:08:22] Alvin Sanders: Yes. It starts with the philosophical bent of you have to be deeply committed to the people of the neighborhood and the place that it's in. There are no walls to the church. The people who are typically in communities of poverty, folk come in there and they don't have a deep commitment to them. They come and go as they please. They don't have a long-term commitment to them. And so, in terms of the people, it's just a biblical process of, evangelism, discipleship, helping them become better people in Christ. But in terms of commitment to place we utilized very heavily a concept called asset-based community development, or ABCD, where you map out the assets of a community. Because when it comes to communities of poverty, in a lot of places, people always look at what's wrong with the community. Asset-based community development says every community has things that are wrong. What's right with the community? And look at what's right with the community and see how you can be. How you can fill the glass up, so to speak. If the glass is half full or half empty is the negative stuff half full? Is the water in the glass? So how do you raise the level of water, so to speak? And so, when we did our asset-based mapping, we saw that what the community did not have was many services for the working poor. Yeah, because most of the people who are in poverty are working. They're not the folks standing on the corner saying, please, brother, can you spare a dime? They're not those people. Not that those people aren't in poverty, but that's not what the face of poverty looks like. The face of poverty in the United States looks like a single mother with kids who's working a service industry job. And so, we really began a ministry towards that group. Working with my wife to establish a food pantry and health check center in the back part of the church. So, we established a food pantry that people could utilize once a month because that's really all they needed once we did our surveying. And that helped them stretch their check. They could come in, they could get the groceries, and they maybe had money for three weeks, but then this would be the fourth week. And then also while they were there, we partnered with Xavier University with their nursing student program, and nursing students would be in the back and they could get they can get diabetes check and things of that nature. And then if they had any health issues, we would refer them down the street to a local health clinic. And then we also had a person, one of our staff members who would sit in the back and say, hey - anybody have any spiritual concerns or any spiritual or anything, you want us to pray for this, that or the other, or just see general life advice from the Word then they could go stop there. So, we had a three-stop shop where people could come get their food, they could get their health checked, and then they can be ministered to spiritually as well. [00:11:28] Tommy Thomas: Obviously most of my experience with you has been in the hiring mode. And I probably know a little bit of the answer to this next question. But for people who wonder what a CEO looks for in senior leadership, take us into some of the qualities that you're looking for in leaders. [00:11:43] Alvin Sanders: Yes. Basically, and I don't remember which guru I got this from, or what book I read it from, so it's not original to me. But there are two main characteristics that I always look for in my team. Can they do the job right and can they do the job well? Can they do the job right has to do with their moral character and whether or not they fit into our core values at World Impact. So we screened for that, and then we hired you all to screen for can they do the job well. That has to do with skillsets and the abilities that people may have in order to do the job description that we have designed for that particular job. Can they do the job right? Can they do the job well? Those are the two big things that I look for in my team to contribute to the leading of World Impact. [00:12:35] Tommy Thomas: I remember, and yours was the first, and I guess so far the only client I've had that used this thing, I think you called it a circle of voices. And I thought that was cool. And every listener may use it in their work. I don't know. But take us into that. [00:12:49] Alvin Sanders: When we're making major decisions, we don't do it for every decision. We do it only for major decisions. We do a circle of voices and again, I don't remember where I picked this up from, but what we do is whatever the decision that we have to make, we give to everybody around the table, you have to speak for at least two minutes, but no more than five minutes and give your perspective on what decision we need to make and why, and it's like you're in court, you're a lawyer, make your case for why, what do we, what do you think we need to do and why? And nobody else can speak while that person is speaking. And then I'm literally the timekeeper. So you only get five minutes. You must speak for at least two minutes, but you only get five. And then after each person has spoken, then we open the floor up for dialogue and debate and come to a collaborative decision. [00:13:52] Tommy Thomas: On the flip side of that, and I hadn't been with you on this, but what goes into how you finally decide somebody's got to go and what have you seen the best way to do it? [00:14:02] Alvin Sanders: We try to err on the side of grace. And we believe in weekly feedback. So, our supervisors theoretically are coaches. So theoretically, if we say you're to supervise someone, it's because we believe that you can coach that person to be a better person who contributes to the mission of our organization. So, if someone is constantly not living up to what we desire for them to do within our organization, then we utilize the tool that everybody else utilizes a Performance Improvement Plan or PIP. And some people think, once I've been PIPPED that's just the time period that you have for me to work until I have to find another job. But that's not what we utilize it for. Hopefully, we really want to say, hey, we want you to improve. And there have been people that we have put on Performance Improvement Plans that they actually emerged out of that, and they kept going. And then after a PIP, if you still aren't doing what you need to do, then we just have a brutally honest conversation with the person. Just say, hey, it's not working out here for you. It's time for you to transition out. We always work hard to get people to self-select out. And 90 - 95% of the time, that's what happens. We are long-suffering. We practice the spiritual discipline of patience. It's no surprises. The only people who get fired from our organization are people who do egregious violations of our core values. If you do an egregious violation of our core values, then you must go, because we've communicated our core values to you. Core values to us are not just some booklet that sits on a shelf. We actually live them. We do things to catalyze them. So, most people that get fired, they've egregiously violated, but the overwhelming majority of people who are World Impact transition out. If they're not, we help them figure out how to transition out and self-select. [00:16:15] Tommy Thomas: You mentioned you were in senior leadership fairly early on. Who were some of the mentors in your life and how did that play out? [00:16:23] Alvin Sanders: Yeah, I've had several mentors the aforementioned City Gospel Mission and Roger Howell. He was my first boss who really helped shape and mold me into the person I am today. When I worked in Chicago for two years and I worked at a place called Circle Urban Ministry, Glen Kayron was someone who invested in me deeply. When I did my PhD studies Dr. Michael Dantley, who's a prominent African American pastor in the city of Cincinnati, as well as he was a professor at Miami University, and I studied under him. He played a key role in my development as well. [00:16:59] Tommy Thomas: Did these people see something in you, and of course I guess your bosses, they can understand that. But did mentors see something in you and seek you out, or did you see something in them and figured you'd be better if you could sit under their tutelage? [00:17:16] Alvin Sanders: Well, it's a combination of both. And I actually left one out that he's probably the person who saw the most in me at the beginning, and that's a gentleman ny name of Dr. Jonathan Burnham, who his church, Hope Evangelical Free Church, was the parent church of my church, River of Life church. And he saw me as a tremendous leader. Way more than I did. I had leadership characteristics, but I was extremely raw and rough around the edges, and Jonathan Burnham really invested in me and my family and helped us when we planted River of Life Church. And those seven, eight years I spent under his tutelage were tremendous. [00:17:56] Tommy Thomas: I never phrased this question exactly right, but I guess I'm looking for when you recognized, and maybe you acknowledged that you did have leadership potential and some of those rough edges began to smooth and you felt more comfortable moving. Do you remember that? [00:18:11] Alvin Sanders: I'm arrogant enough to have never thought I wasn't a leader. It was never about that for me. What it was about for me was getting more polished. If I was in the room, I was going to lead, that's just the way it was going to go because that's the way my personality type I'm told, so the old Myers Briggs, I am an ENTJ, and I'm told that's a characteristic of that personality type that we either lead or we influence. The head leaders, we take our ball, and we go home. That's basically our personality type. Okay. So, for me, it was a matter of how to be a good godly leader. How to get polished to be able to do that instead of just leading rough shot and wild. [00:18:56] Tommy Thomas: Thinking about your team do y'all have any team-building exercises that you use that you found effective as you try to bring this group together? [00:19:05] Alvin Sanders: We have a meeting rhythm as a team. We get together for 90 minutes every four or five weeks, and then once a quarter we do a two-and-a-half day offsite. And the offsite is a combination of relationship building as well as business items. During our 90-minute time together, we always start our meetings off by sharing one good thing. What's one good thing professionally or personally that's happened to us since our last time together? We also always have prayer time together. And during our offsites, we have extended sharing, and extended prayer because I have a saying that I care much more about who you are as a person than what you do. And we live that. And we live that out. And that's the biggest thing that we do as an executive team in order to, for us to be glued to one another. [00:20:03] Tommy Thomas: So y'all have operated as a virtual organization from a long time ago. And obviously, it's worked, or you wouldn't be doing it. Tell us a little bit about that. [00:20:13] Alvin Sanders: Yes. We were virtual before it was cool to be virtual. And the prior president to me, Efrem Smith, he's the one who implemented that. And then when I came in being virtual can be done, but you have to be very intentional about relationship building, like the things that I just talked about. Operating a virtual ministry can be done but you must be VERY intentional about relationship building. We have monthly prayer times where we have all staff get on Zoom for an hour, and half that hour we spend in prayer, both large group and small group. And in the other half, we highlight two staff members where we just do some lighthearted questions and answers and let everybody get to know one another. Once a year we gather all staff together for one day of team meetings, and then two and a half days of really just fun. And investing in one another and encouraging one another around one of our core values. Because we have five core values. So, we do a theme each year. So, we do a lot of intentional relationship-building. And we just experimented with something that we're probably going to keep and that it's in the spring. We've had regional gatherings, so we have staff spread off all across the country and we gather staff for a day in Cincinnati, a day in Wichita, Kansas, and a day in Long Beach. And based on where you lived, you went to one of those locations and we had some training and team-building time. So really to sum it all up, it's intentional relationship building. [00:21:45] Tommy Thomas: What was the biggest lesson on the positive front that your team took out of Covid relative to management and leadership? [00:21:54] Alvin Sanders: Wow. The biggest lesson. [00:22:00] Tommy Thomas: Something that you might take forward. You might think COVID is gone, but we're still going to probably do that. [00:22:04] Alvin Sanders: Actually, you know what? It's what we just talked about because we weren't doing all that before covid. We were virtual, but we weren't gathering, we were not utilizing the tool of technology like we do now, and we were not gathering like we do now. [00:22:21] Tommy Thomas: I thought early on that Covid was bound to have some kind of silver lining and usually everybody that I talked to, there's some kind of silver lining for it. [00:22:32] Alvin Sanders: And that's what it was because we weren't we started praying online together because this is a serious time. We want to pray for our country and pray for each other. Let's get online once a month and all pray together. And it was like, you know what? This is pretty awesome. Let's keep doing it. [00:22:47] Tommy Thomas: What's the most dangerous behavior or trait that you've seen derail a leader's career? [00:22:53] Alvin Sanders: The number one thing I think that either makes or derails a leader's career is emotional intelligence. Having self-awareness of your strengths and your weaknesses and adjusting accordingly. Being able to look at others and not see them as an object in your way or just, not as human beings and people actually caring about them and their work and their contribution. The number one thing I think that either makes or derails a leader's career is emotional intelligence. Having self-awareness of your strengths and your weaknesses and adjusting accordingly. As well as them as people, individually, people who do not have good emotional intelligence. Eventually, the house burns down. That's what I've seen. [00:23:39] Tommy Thomas: It's been said that we learn the most from our failures or our mistakes. If that's true, why is it that most of us are so afraid to fail? [00:23:48] Alvin Sanders: I don't think you can learn, Tommy, unless you do fail. I have a weird goal and that's to fail every day. Because if I'm not making mistakes, that means I'm not pushing myself to be the best person I could be. Because no one knows everything. The way you get to learn things is you have to fail at it first. It's impossible to know something until you have some failures. It's impossible to know something until you have some failures, and then in those failures, you say, okay, what can I pick up and learn from this? And then you move forward. [00:24:19] Tommy Thomas: I was talking to Alec Hill, the President Emeritus of InterVarsity, or maybe it was Rich Stearns. I forget which one. But anyway, they said, “Never trust a leader who doesn't have a limp”. [00:24:31] Alvin Sanders: Yeah - Amen on that. [00:24:33] Tommy Thomas: I know you're a busy man and yet you've talked about how you like to rest and enjoy. How do you and your wife handle work-life balance in your leadership role? You know what, I'm contrarian on that. I think it's impossible to have work-life balance. [00:24:45] Alvin Sanders: You know what, I'm contrarian on that. I think it's impossible to have work-life balance. I don't like to look at it that way. I like to look at it as seasons. There are seasons of busyness and then there are seasons of Sabbath and rest. And that's how I view my life and that's how my wife and I do that now. We're empty nesters now. Yeah, we're much less busy than we used to be. We're still busy. But I think like I said I'm a contrarian and I believe that it's impossible to have a work-life balance or I just never figured out how to do it. It's just, look, I live my life in 90 days sprints, right? And I go, okay, honey, this is what my 90 days is going to look like. The month of July, not going to see you much. But look here, in mid-August, I'm taking 10 days off. We'll be together. So it's quarter-like to me, it's seasons. And it's seasons of super busyness and then seasons where you're not so busy and when you're not so busy, you make sure to take time to connect relationally with the people who are most important to you. [00:25:52] Tommy Thomas: What's the hardest decision you've had to make in leadership? [00:26:03] Alvin Sanders: There's been a ton. The hardest decision I had to make concerning my own personal level of leadership was the decision that I made in 2007 to leave the pastorate and work for the denomination. And the thing that got me was the President who unfortunately has passed away, Bill Hamill, he asked me the question, he said, Alvin, do you want to influence one church or do you want to influence 1500 churches? And honestly, I had to ask myself and I said, “I want to influence 1500 churches”. And that was a super tough decision because our church, the Church River of Life. We still go there, by the way, even though we don't pastor there. Me and my wife says that's our third child. We have two wonderful daughters and River of Life. We basically feel like that's our third child. So, it was literally like leaving your child to someone else's care when we left that. [00:27:03] Tommy Thomas: You worked for a great guy in Bill Hamill. I had the privilege of knowing him over the years and it was always good. I always loved my time with Bill. [00:27:11] Alvin Sanders: Great man. A great man of God. [00:27:14] Tommy Thomas: Changing up maybe on a little bit lighter note, if you were a judge on a nonprofit version of Shark Tank and you had deep pockets, what questions would you have to have solid answers for before you would back one of these startups? [00:27:33] Alvin Sanders: I don't know about specific questions, but I know the things that I would screen for. I would screen for the person - do they know who they are and what they want to do? Essentially, that's where my big questions would be about. Do they know who are they solidly? Can they solidly define who they are as a person and as an individual? And can they solidly describe where they think they want to go? And take then, therefore, take the organization that they're leading. [00:28:06] Tommy Thomas: On the same line of thought, if you were developing a dashboard for a nonprofit to get a look at their health, what are some of your dials going to be? [00:28:19] Alvin Sanders: I would want to look at how they do with staff development and stability. What kind of people are they hiring? What kind of things are these people doing? Are they organized correctly? The org chart, things of that nature. I would also want to look at their systems and how they do things and what are their processes and how do they get things done. What are the tools that they use? Are they correctly dialed into technology and things of that nature to help them achieve their mission? And as well as the obvious one is financially, how are they doing financially? What's their revenue generation look like? Are they built? Really, if you take those things together, then you can make a determination. Are they built for sustainability for the long haul? [00:29:07] Tommy Thomas: If you could go back to a time and tell your younger self one thing, what would that be? [00:29:12] Alvin Sanders: Relax. Relax. Not that serious. Slow down. Why are you running so hard? Where are you trying to go? Stop and smell the roses. [00:29:26] Tommy Thomas: If you had a do-over in your career, what would it be? [00:29:30] Alvin Sanders: I would say in the generality, there were probably opportunities. Here let me give a little bit of context. Okay. God is very merciful to me in that there are opportunities that I turned down, which for whatever reason, circle back to me. And then the second or third time, I recognized it for the opportunity that it was, and I took it. So, the one do over, I would say just speaking in generalities, is being able to recognize opportunities for what they are right off the bat. And not having God have to circle back for me. [00:30:24] Tommy Thomas: I'm thankful to Alvin for taking time from his schedule to join us today. After we stopped recording. I told him that we could have talked for another hour. I really enjoyed the time with him. I'll post links to Alvin's work with world impact in the show notes. As well as links to some of the books that he has written. [00:30:24] Tommy Thomas: Thank you for joining us today. If you are a first-time listener, I hope you will subscribe and become a regular. You can find links to all the episodes at our website –https://jobfitmatters.com/podcast/. If there are topics you'd like for me to explore my email address is tthomas@jobfitmatters.com. Word of mouth has been identified as the most valuable form of marketing. Surveys tell us that consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all other forms of advertising. If you've heard something today that's worth passing on, please share it with others. You're already helping me make something special for the next generation of nonprofit leaders. I'll be back next week with a new episode until then stay the course on our journey to help make the nonprofit sector more effective and sustainable. Links and Resources JobfitMatters Website Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas Alvin Sanders - World Impact Uncommon Church: Community Transformation for the Common Good by Alvin Sanders Redemptive Poverty Work by Alvin Sanders Bridging the Diversity Gap: Leading Toward God's Multi-Ethnic Kingdom by Alvin Sanders Connect Tommy Thomas - tthomas@jobfitmatters.com Tommy's LinkedIn Profile Alvin's LinkedIn Profile
Speaker:Efrem SmithDate:April 2nd, 2023
Dr. Jackson speaks with Dr. Efrem Smith, co-pastor of the multi-racial Midtown Church. Dr. Smith has long been a leading voice in helping the Kingdom of God here on earth look like heaven. John and Efrem have a long friendship and their conversation touches upon sensitive and key topics including racial tension and disparities, politics, church, and economic forces affecting faith communities
When we break something precious to us, we try to put it back together. But what do we do about the brokenness in our lives, families, communities, and nation?How does God respond to brokenness in the world?Join us today as we continue our Flawed series with a message from special guest speaker Efrem Smith, Co-Lead Pastor of Midtown Church.Together, we'll unpack how God is with us in powerful ways - even when we lose our sense of faithfulness and intimate connection with Him. Check-in to let us know how we can be praying for you. If you're new here, you'll also get a FREE digital gift card! https://echo.church/checkin→ Follow along with the message notes: http://bible.com/events/48881226→ Decided to follow Jesus? We'd love to guide you in the next steps in your faith journey! https://echo.church/yes→ If this message encourages you, SHARE IT with a friend!
Dr. Efrem Smith, co-pastor of Midtown Church in Sacramento, joins the Micah Mobilizers for discussion around the burdens of discipleship and leadership, particularly in this extraordinarily burdened season of pandemic, racial injustice, and war.
In this episode, Pete Watts talks with Dr. Efrem Smith talk about the unique history of Church planting in the African American context. They discuss the difference in church planting models that are eurocentric in nature versus how people of African descent historically went about planting churches. They also lament the role that the Black church has played historically versus the reality of today's church and the desire to plant new churches in North America. These two experienced leaders and church planters and pastors delve into the hopes and dreams as well as the challenges around historic Black denominations that are not thikning in a multiplicative sense on this topic.
Want a marriage that's built to last? One that's maturing and rooted in God's transformative and empowering love found in Christ? Efrem takes you through 1 John 4 where you will see the overflow of intimacy with God, your identity in Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are the key to building that kind of marriage. Explore how this is applied to the areas of communication, conflict/resolution and servanthood within marriage.
God desires for men to raise up as Ambassadors of Reconciliation, in today's ever-increasingly diverse, yet deeply divided mission field. Explore 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:1 with Efrem and see the opportunity to deeply discover the call on Christ followers to carry this message and live out the ministry of reconciliation in a broken world.
Tim Keller casts a vision for a Christian community marked by the early church's ethical commitments, which don't easily fit into modern categories of “liberal” or “conservative”. Guest Sam Allberry explores how even though Christianity's sexual ethic seems like a challenge to both the church and broader culture, it holds fundamental good for our benefit and affirms our self-worth. Then, Efrem Smith discusses the obstacles to creating multi-ethnic ministry, the importance of different cultures of Christians interacting with each other, and how the church can attain a biblical view of justice rather than views given to us by cultural rhetoric.
Efrem is the Sr Pastor at Midtown church in Sacramento. He has a front row seat when it comes to ministry to men in the local church. Imagine for a minute what it would look like for every man to be involved in a disciple making ministry right where God has them, in their space and place? What does it look like for every man to be mobilized to serve and how can the church lead the way in the area of reconciliation. LINKS: https://www.menwithnoregrets.org/ https://www.amazon.com/Efrem-Smith/e/B001KIE3TA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 — With Efrem Smith 2:30 — Mentorship to men 6:00 — What is effective ministry to men? 11:00 — Practical steps 20:00 — What does reconciliation look like? 26:45 — Outro
https://mediacenter.tyndale.com/authors/angie-ward/3931 (Dr. Angie Ward) brings over 30 years of ministry experience to her roles as leader, writer, and teacher. She currently serves as Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Denver Seminary. Angie is the author of I Am a Leader: When Women Discover the Joy of Their Calling (NavPress, March 2020) and the general editor of the upcoming book https://www.navpress.com/p/when-the-universe-cracks/9781641584098 (When the Universe Cracks: Living as God's People in Times of Crisis) (NavPress, October 2021). Angie loves running, basketball, humor, and movies. She and her husband Dave have two young adult sons and one very spoiled beagle.She speaks to us about our current crises from Afghanistan to Covid to racial reconciliation around the globe. She gives us a preview of upcoming book she edited with authors and thought leaders Jo Anne Lyon, Efrem Smith, Christine Jeske, D. A. Horton, Kyuboem Lee, Marshall Shelley, Matt Mikalatos, Sean Gladding, Catherine McNiel, and Lee Eclov. https://www.angieward.net/ (Angie's Website)https://www.facebook.com/drangieward (Facebook)https://twitter.com/indyaward (Twitter)https://www.instagram.com/indyaward/ (Instagram) The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with https://www.missioalliance.org/ (Missio Alliance). Stay In Touch: Connect on Facebook and Instagram with thoughts, questions, and feedback. Rate, review and share this podcast with anyone that would love to listen. On Clubhouse https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@loriadbr (@loriadbr). Find Us Online: https://www.instagram.com/aworldof.difference/ (@aworldof.difference) on Instagram and https://www.facebook.com/A-World-of-Difference-613933132591673/ (A World of Difference) on Facebook on Twitter at https://twitter.com/loriadbr (@loriadbr) https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference (https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference) or http://loriadamsbrown.com/ (loriadamsbrown.com)Interested in life coaching? Check out: https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coaching (https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coaching) If you are facing some big decisions, here is a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9eRJXjZrsM (pro tip that helps). Mentioned in this episode: Patreon Support us for as little as $5/month at Patreon.com/aworldofdifference and receive exclusive audio content and free merch. Coaching Sept 22 Want to get unstuck and make a difference? Go to loriadamsbrown.com/coachnig for a free exploratory session. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Dr. Angie Ward brings over 30 years of ministry experience to her roles as leader, writer, and teacher. She currently serves as Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Denver Seminary. Angie is the author of I Am a Leader: When Women Discover the Joy of Their Calling (NavPress, March 2020) and the general editor of the upcoming book When the Universe Cracks: Living as God's People in Times of Crisis (NavPress, October 2021). Angie loves running, basketball, humor, and movies. She and her husband Dave have two young adult sons and one very spoiled beagle.She speaks to us about our current crises from Afghanistan to Covid to racial reconciliation around the globe. She gives us a preview of upcoming book she edited with authors and thought leaders Jo Anne Lyon, Efrem Smith, Christine Jeske, D. A. Horton, Kyuboem Lee, Marshall Shelley, Matt Mikalatos, Sean Gladding, Catherine McNiel, and Lee Eclov. Angie's WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Missio Alliance.Stay In Touch: Connect on Facebook and Instagram with thoughts, questions, and feedback. Rate, review and share this podcast with anyone that would love to listen. On Clubhouse @loriadbr. Find Us Online: @aworldof.difference on Instagram and A World of Difference on Facebook on Twitter at @loriadbr https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference or loriadamsbrown.comInterested in life coaching? Check out: https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coachingIf you are facing some big decisions, here is a pro tip that helps.Mentioned in this episode:Join Difference MakersJoin us in our membership community for exclusive content for only $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference. We go deeper with each guest, and it makes such a difference.PatreonDo you want to go deeper?Join us in Difference Makers, a community where we watch and discuss exclusive content that truly makes a difference. Give us $5 a month (the price of a latte), and join in on the conversation with our host Lori and others who want to make a difference. We'd love to have you join us!PatreonThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacyPodtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Dr. Angie Ward brings over 30 years of ministry experience to her roles as leader, writer, and teacher. She currently serves as Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Denver Seminary. Angie is the author of I Am a Leader: When Women Discover the Joy of Their Calling (NavPress, March 2020) and the general editor of the upcoming book When the Universe Cracks: Living as God's People in Times of Crisis (NavPress, October 2021). Angie loves running, basketball, humor, and movies. She and her husband Dave have two young adult sons and one very spoiled beagle.She speaks to us about our current crises from Afghanistan to Covid to racial reconciliation around the globe. She gives us a preview of upcoming book she edited with authors and thought leaders Jo Anne Lyon, Efrem Smith, Christine Jeske, D. A. Horton, Kyuboem Lee, Marshall Shelley, Matt Mikalatos, Sean Gladding, Catherine McNiel, and Lee Eclov. Angie's WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Missio Alliance.Stay In Touch: Connect on Facebook and Instagram with thoughts, questions, and feedback. Rate, review and share this podcast with anyone that would love to listen. On Clubhouse @loriadbr. Find Us Online: @aworldof.difference on Instagram and A World of Difference on Facebook on Twitter at @loriadbr https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference or loriadamsbrown.comInterested in life coaching? Check out: https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coachingIf you are facing some big decisions, here is a pro tip that helps.Mentioned in this episode:Join Difference MakersJoin us in our membership community for exclusive content for only $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference. We go deeper with each guest, and it makes such a difference.PatreonDo you want to go deeper?Join us in Difference Makers, a community where we watch and discuss exclusive content that truly makes a difference. Give us $5 a month (the price of a latte), and join in on the conversation with our host Lori and others who want to make a difference. We'd love to have you join us!PatreonThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacyPodtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
https://mediacenter.tyndale.com/authors/angie-ward/3931 (Dr. Angie Ward) brings over 30 years of ministry experience to her roles as leader, writer, and teacher. She currently serves as Assistant Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Denver Seminary. Angie is the author of I Am a Leader: When Women Discover the Joy of Their Calling (NavPress, March 2020) and the general editor of the upcoming book https://www.navpress.com/p/when-the-universe-cracks/9781641584098 (When the Universe Cracks: Living as God's People in Times of Crisis) (NavPress, October 2021). Angie loves running, basketball, humor, and movies. She and her husband Dave have two young adult sons and one very spoiled beagle.She speaks to us about our current crises from Afghanistan to Covid to racial reconciliation around the globe. She gives us a preview of upcoming book she edited with authors and thought leaders Jo Anne Lyon, Efrem Smith, Christine Jeske, D. A. Horton, Kyuboem Lee, Marshall Shelley, Matt Mikalatos, Sean Gladding, Catherine McNiel, and Lee Eclov. https://www.angieward.net/ (Angie's Website)https://www.facebook.com/drangieward (Facebook)https://twitter.com/indyaward (Twitter)https://www.instagram.com/indyaward/ (Instagram) The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with https://www.missioalliance.org/ (Missio Alliance). Stay In Touch: Connect on Facebook and Instagram with thoughts, questions, and feedback. Rate, review and share this podcast with anyone that would love to listen. On Clubhouse https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@loriadbr (@loriadbr). Find Us Online: https://www.instagram.com/aworldof.difference/ (@aworldof.difference) on Instagram and https://www.facebook.com/A-World-of-Difference-613933132591673/ (A World of Difference) on Facebook on Twitter at https://twitter.com/loriadbr (@loriadbr) https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference (https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference) or http://loriadamsbrown.com/ (loriadamsbrown.com)Interested in life coaching? Check out: https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coaching (https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coaching) If you are facing some big decisions, here is a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9eRJXjZrsM (pro tip that helps). Mentioned in this episode: Patreon Support us for as little as $5/month at Patreon.com/aworldofdifference and receive exclusive audio content and free merch. Coaching Sept 22 Want to get unstuck and make a difference? Go to loriadamsbrown.com/coachnig for a free exploratory session. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Mount Hermon's 2021 Week 9 Family Camp. For more information visit https://www.mounthermon.org The post Efrem Smith: Who Are We (3 of 3) 08-11-2021 appeared first on Mount Hermon Christian Camps and Conference Center.
Mount Hermon's 2021 Week 9 Family Camp. For more information visit https://www.mounthermon.org The post Efrem Smith: Who Are We (2 of 3) 08-10-2021 appeared first on Mount Hermon Christian Camps and Conference Center.
Mount Hermon's 2021 Week 9 Family Camp. For more information visit https://www.mounthermon.org The post Efrem Smith: Who Are We (1 of 3) 08-09-2021 appeared first on Mount Hermon Christian Camps and Conference Center.
City Beats with Efrem Smith is about the engaging of urban subcultures, issues, and challenges for the purpose of life and community transformation. We are living in the age of urbanization, diversity, and unfortunate division. Host Efrem Smith will explore reconciliation, justice, and bridge building as the way forward
City Beats with Efrem Smith is about the engaging of urban subcultures, issues, and challenges for the purpose of life and community transformation. We are living in the age of urbanization, diversity, and unfortunate division. Host Efrem Smith will explore reconciliation, justice, and bridge building as the way forward.
Dr. Armando Gonzalez sits down with Dr. Efrem Smith, renowned pastor at Midtown Church in Sacramento, for an in-depth conversation on the backlash he faced after calling for justice in George Floyd's murder, growing up on the same block where that murder took place and the future of mental health in the church.Host: Dr. Armando GonzalezGuest: Dr. Efrem SmithVoice your thoughts on this episode by downloading the Vover app here!
Episode 168 - The Identity and Pressures of Pastoring with Pastor Brandon Cox Episode sponsored by DiverseChurchJobs.com Some discussions require paper and pen. This is another one of them. For the last two weeks our Host, Christopher J Harris, welcomed Dr Efrem Smith to unleash his brilliance and passion around the local church, the black church, the multi-ethnic church and what all of this looks like in the future. He plainly challenged the church to reconsider what happens when we dream again. This week's conversation is just as rich. We welcome Pastor Brandon Cox to our podcast to engage in a robust conversation around Pastoring. His unique experience criss-crossing the country in various ministry settings will shed light and wisdom for today's Pastor, in any context. Pastor Brandon Cox has been a pastor and church planter, a writer, blogger, and author. He has also built a digital marketing business. Currently, he's diving into the world of real estate. He's written a book entitled Rewired, published by Passio (Charisma House), and it's all about how to use social media to spread the good news of Jesus further – a passion of his. His writings about life, leadership, and digital marketing have been featured in various publications including Leadership Journal, Ministry Today, Outreach, and The Church Executive. Pastor Brandon is married to Angie (a therapist), high school sweethearts, and they have three kids. You can connect with Brandon here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn If you need further assistance or have questions, feel free to email us at info@thewiseideapodcast.com ================== For Coaching, Questions, or Additional Information: You can contact us at info@thewiseideapodcast.com - Subscribe via: iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, RSS Feed, and Spotify Enjoy what you're hearing & seeing? Do you mind Rating & Reviewing This Podcast? Your ratings and reviews help us place the podcast in front of new leaders and listeners. Your feedback also lets me know how I can better serve you. If you have the desire to donate financially to The Wise Idea Podcast, you can do so here. A donation of any amount will be helpful in allowing us to creating the movement to INSPIRE WISDOM. DONATE HERE! About Our Host: Christopher J. Harris, a native of Palatka, Fla., is currently Executive Pastor of Crossover Church of Tampa, Fla. He is also the Director of Administration & Vision Implementation working collaboratively with the Presiding Bishop's Office and Administration for Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. He's served at ministries in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Chicago,IL. He's an author and blogger with two books, Temporary Assignments and Church Strategies and Ministry Systems. He's an alumnus of Florida State University, University of South Carolina, special studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and doctoral work at Nova Southeastern University. He is the Founder / CEO of DiverseChurchJobs.com, a platform helping people of color in ministry to find ministry opportunities. Harris currently resides in Florida with his wife Dr Carmen J Harris and their children. You can check him out here: www.ChristopherJHarris.com You can see his Social media here on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Periscope, and LinkedIn ALL at @CJHarrisOne Here are Christopher's Theological Beliefs: http://christopherjharris.com/what-i-believe/ He is affiliated with the following organizations (among others): www.CrossoverChurch.org , https://www.fullgospelbaptist.org/, and https://www.biblicalleadership.com/ Thank You's: My family for their commitment to the vision to inspire wisdom in others and release me to endeavors like this. To my Producer, Kevin Scullion, our Guests, our Wise Idea Family and our many, many listeners from around the world.
City Beats with Efrem Smith is about the engaging of urban subcultures, issues, and challenges for the purpose of life and community transformation. We are living in the age of urbanization, diversity, and unfortunate division. Host Efrem Smith will explore reconciliation, justice, and bridge building as the way forward.
Episode 167 - When The Church Dreams Again With Dr Efrem Smith, Part 2 Episode sponsored by DiverseChurchJobs.com Some discussions require paper and pen. This is one of them. Our Host, Christopher J Harris, welcomed Dr Efrem Smith to unleash his brilliance and passion around the local church, the black church, the multi-ethnic church and what all of this looks like in the future. He plainly challenged the church to reconsider what happens when we dream again. You can listen to Part 1 of the Conversation here. Efrem Smith is a pastor, consultant, motivational speaker, and author. He is passionate about life transformation, racial righteousness, thriving churches, and community development. Efrem Smith was the founding pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multi-ethnic church in Minneapolis, MN, He also co-founded and was President of The Sanctuary Community Development Corporation. Efrem served as the Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, providing leadership to 160 churches within California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Utah. He also served as the President and CEO of World Impact, an urban missions organization committed to empowering urban leaders and planting churches in under-resourced communities. Currently, he is the Co-lead Pastor of Bayside Church Midtown, a thriving and multi-ethnic community in Sacramento, California. As an internationally recognized preacher, he has spoken for organizations and events such as Athletes in Action, Campus Crusade for Christ, Youth Specialties, Compassion International, the Urban Youth Workers Institute, and Thrive. He is the author of Raising Up Young Heroes, The Hip Hop Church, Jump, The Post-Black and Post-White Church, and Killing Us Softly. Efrem is a graduate of Saint John's University and Luther Theological Seminary. He received an honorary doctor of ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary. He is currently working to complete a doctor of ministry degree from Fuller Seminary. Efrem is married to Donecia and has two daughters, Jaeda and Mireya. Efrem has received many awards such as the Role Model Award from the Hennepin County Community Coalition and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Saint John's University. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. You can connect with Dr Smith here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | If you need further assistance or have questions, feel free to email us at info@thewiseideapodcast.com ================== For Coaching, Questions, or Additional Information: You can contact us at info@thewiseideapodcast.com - Subscribe via: iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, RSS Feed, and Spotify Enjoy what you're hearing & seeing? Do you mind Rating & Reviewing This Podcast? Your ratings and reviews help us place the podcast in front of new leaders and listeners. Your feedback also lets me know how I can better serve you. If you have the desire to donate financially to The Wise Idea Podcast, you can do so here. A donation of any amount will be helpful in allowing us to creating the movement to INSPIRE WISDOM. DONATE HERE! About Our Host: Christopher J. Harris, a native of Palatka, Fla., is currently Executive Pastor of Crossover Church of Tampa, Fla. He is also the Director of Administration & Vision Implementation working collaboratively with the Presiding Bishop's Office and Administration for Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. He's served at ministries in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Chicago,IL. He's an author and blogger with two books, Temporary Assignments and Church Strategies and Ministry Systems. He's an alumnus of Florida State University, University of South Carolina, special studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and doctoral work at Nova Southeastern University.
City Beats with Efrem Smith is about the engaging of urban subcultures, issues, and challenges for the purpose of life and community transformation. We are living in the age of urbanization, diversity, and unfortunate division. Host Efrem Smith will explore reconciliation, justice, and bridge building as the way forward.
Episode 166 - When The Church Dreams Again With Dr Efrem Smith, Part 1 Episode sponsored by DiverseChurchJobs.com Some discussions require paper and pen. This is one of them. Our Host, Christopher J Harris, welcomed Dr Efrem Smith to unleash his brilliance and passion around the local church, the black church, the multi-ethnic church and what all of this looks like in the future. He plainly challenged the church to reconsider what happens when we dream again. Efrem Smith is a pastor, consultant, motivational speaker, and author. He is passionate about life transformation, racial righteousness, thriving churches, and community development. Efrem Smith was the founding pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multi-ethnic church in Minneapolis, MN, He also co-founded and was President of The Sanctuary Community Development Corporation. Efrem served as the Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, providing leadership to 160 churches within California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Utah. He also served as the President and CEO of World Impact, an urban missions organization committed to empowering urban leaders and planting churches in under-resourced communities. Currently, he is the Co-lead Pastor of Bayside Church Midtown, a thriving and multi-ethnic community in Sacramento, California. As an internationally recognized preacher, he has spoken for organizations and events such as Athletes in Action, Campus Crusade for Christ, Youth Specialties, Compassion International, the Urban Youth Workers Institute, and Thrive. He is the author of Raising Up Young Heroes, The Hip Hop Church, Jump, The Post-Black and Post-White Church, and Killing Us Softly. Efrem is a graduate of Saint John's University and Luther Theological Seminary. He received an honorary doctor of ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary. He is currently working to complete a doctor of ministry degree from Fuller Seminary. Efrem is married to Donecia and has two daughters, Jaeda and Mireya. Efrem has received many awards such as the Role Model Award from the Hennepin County Community Coalition and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Saint John's University. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. You can connect with Dr Smith here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | If you need further assistance or have questions, feel free to email us at info@thewiseideapodcast.com ================== For Coaching, Questions, or Additional Information: You can contact us at info@thewiseideapodcast.com - Subscribe via: iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, RSS Feed, and Spotify Enjoy what you're hearing & seeing? Do you mind Rating & Reviewing This Podcast? Your ratings and reviews help us place the podcast in front of new leaders and listeners. Your feedback also lets me know how I can better serve you. If you have the desire to donate financially to The Wise Idea Podcast, you can do so here. A donation of any amount will be helpful in allowing us to creating the movement to INSPIRE WISDOM. DONATE HERE! About Our Host: Christopher J. Harris, a native of Palatka, Fla., is currently Executive Pastor of Crossover Church of Tampa, Fla. He is also the Director of Administration & Vision Implementation working collaboratively with the Presiding Bishop's Office and Administration for Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. He's served at ministries in Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Chicago,IL. He's an author and blogger with two books, Temporary Assignments and Church Strategies and Ministry Systems. He's an alumnus of Florida State University, University of South Carolina, special studies at Princeton Theological Seminary and doctoral work at Nova Southeastern University. He is the Founder / CEO of DiverseChurchJobs.com,
God cares deeply about injustice. Banning, Phil, and Nate sit down with Efrem Smith, who pastors one of the largest multi-ethnic churches in Sacramento, to discuss the difference between God's justice, and our idea of justice.
Growing up, Smith lived not far from Cup Foods, the shop near where George Floyd died, and he has fond memories of visiting the drug store that used to occupy the same space that Cup Foods now stands. He later became a church planter and served as founding pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multiethnic congregation in North Minneapolis. Author of https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088NC6TWV/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0 (The Post-Black and Post-White Church: Becoming the Beloved Community in a Multi-Ethnic World), he is now co-pastor of https://midtown.baysideonline.com/meet-the-leadership/ (Bayside Church Midtown), an intentionally diverse congregation of 3,500 in Sacramento.
As followers of Christ, we are unified in Jesus and who he is. We are part of the multiethnic family of God. What does it look like as multiethnic family to live out what Dr King and the Fellowship of Reconciliation called the Beloved Community? Join us for a time of learning and discussion on the multiethnic family of God and Beloved Community. Pastor Efrem Smith is an internationally recognized leader who uses motivational speaking and preaching to equip people for a life of transformation. He consults on issues of multi-ethnicity, leadership, and community development. He is the current co-lead Pastor of Bayside Church, Midtown and is the author of several books, including his latest, “Killing Us Softly.” Rev. Kimberly Deckel is a pastor and church planter at All Souls Phoenix. She is on the Surge leadership team and helps with operations along with regional gatherings, faith and work, church planting, and women in leadership.
This webinar will feature special guest Dhati Lewis, excerpted from an interview with the Biblical Recorder, followed by a conversation with Efrem Smith and Todd…
This podcast features a special message from George Yancey, Professor of Sociology at the Baylor University, followed by a discussion between Efrem Smith and Peyton…
God's Kingdom calls on us to grow our awareness and compassion for issues of social justice and anti-racism. In this conversation, John Ortberg converses with Efrem Smith (Co-Pastor at Bayside Church Midtown and Co-owner of Influential LLC) to help address racial injustice and the current state of our nation. For resources and next steps, go to http://menlo.church/racialjustice
In this episode, our guest Dr. Efrem Smith breaks down how the Evangelical Church has orphaned reconciliation away from repentance and restorative justice. Everything changes when we understand that there's no reconciliation, unity, nor right relationship with God and others without repentance and restorative justice. It's a great cost to be a reconciler, to truly repent and say yes to the work of restorative justice. Though it is part of the gospel, people may call you a Marxist, a Socialist, and exile you from Christian orthodoxy just for doing what is biblical! But God calls us into this great work. Now more than ever, we need individuals to lead in this manner. It's time to build a new church with the theology of repentance, reconciliation & justice at its core.Support the show (https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E12333&id=12)
Efrem Smith has a rich history of ministry in diverse contexts. Now, as a teaching pastor in an urban, multi-ethnic church, Efrem shares his experience dying to self in order to reach across racial lines with the reconciliation of Christ.
Acts 10 Strange Visitors, Stranger Visions and Very Big Breakthroughs
We’re excited to continue “Major Lessons. Minor Prophets.” with another Bayside favorite, Efrem Smith! He’ll be speaking on the book of Micah and next weekend we’ll have Chris Brown speaking on Nahum. You absolutely won’t want to miss either of these two weekends! See you there.
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