In this episode, dive into why hope is a fundamental driver of life's most desired behaviors and outcomes. You'll learn how hope influences simple actions and outcomes like showing up, boosting productivity, enhancing well-being, and even improving health.

Explore the fascinating correlation between hope and mortality, and envision how the church can be a beacon of hope in the community. Discover the power of setting goals and participating in communal activities like Holy Communion as ways to foster hope. Join this journey of understanding the significant impact of hope on our lives and leadership.

Listen to Episode 333: Why Hope Matters at https://transformingmission.org/333

Episode 333 - Why Hope Matters Time Stamp

00:12 The Power of Hope in Daily Life

00:32 Behavior 1: The Importance of Showing Up

02:48 Behavior 2: Boosting Productivity Through Hope

04:01 Behavior 3: Enhancing Well-being with Hope

04:48 Behavior 4: Hope and Good Health

05:38 Behavior 5: Hope and Longevity

06:46 Hope in the Church and Community

07:39 The Role of Goals in Cultivating Hope

09:18 Hope and the Resurrection

13:28 Conclusion: Living a Life of Hope

What is nexting? No that’s not a typo. The concept of 'nexting' is a practice of hope that involves anticipating and planning for the future. Explore how hopeful vision and emotional intelligence can guide church leaders in navigating their leadership.

Whether you’re working on a new sermon series, seeking to engage your community, and/or creating supportive environments for discipleship, we have the ability to cultivate hope. Hope is a characteristic unique to us as humans.

Quite literally, we are hardwired for hope. How can this mental faculty unify and energize communities? Listen to explore the practical applications of hope, its impact on overcoming challenges, and how thoughtful leadership and strategic pathways can cultivate an optimistic and proactive church culture.

Listen to Episode 332: Nexting - The Practice of Hope at https://transformingmission.org/332

Time Stamp for Episode 332: Nexting - The Practice of Hope

00:57 The Concept of 'Nexting'

02:44 Hope and the Human Brain

04:17 Hope in Leadership and Community

09:06 The Contagious Nature of Hope

10:23 Practical Applications of Hope

13:26 Hope in Challenging Times

18:10 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Welcome to a new series focused on hope. Join us as we discus how our beliefs shape our hope and introduce the traits of hopeful people. We’ll look at the difference between hope and wishful thinking, emphasizing hope as a confluence of reason, passion, and resilience.

We’ll introduce you to the hope cycle (or remind you if you’ve been around a while). The Hope Cycle is made up of goals, agency, and pathways—a feedback loop for nurturing hope. Listen to examples from personal and church leadership experiences illustrating the cycle's application.

Aimed at Jesus-centered leaders, the episode provides insights into fostering and sustaining hope while navigating obstacles.

Listen to Episode 331 at https://transformingmission.org/331

Time Stamp for Episode 331 Cultivating Resilience Through Hope

00:34 The Nature of Hope

00:43 True and False Beliefs Quiz

01:14 Characteristics of Hope vs. Wishful Thinking

02:34 Starting a New Series on Hope

02:40 Defining Hope for Leaders

04:00 Vision for the Future

07:49 The Hope Cycle Explained

10:58 Applying the Hope Cycle

15:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Living Our Mission: The Role and Impact of the Church Today

Gain insights into the unique aspects of the church, the importance of staying connected to the mission, and how to function as the body of Christ in today's world. Learn about essential church functions, the impact of church size on living into the mission, and practical ways to engage and transform your community through personal faith growth.

This episode empowers you to understand and live out your spiritual calling, both within church walls and beyond.

Listen to Living our Mission: The Role and Impact of the Church Today at https://transformingmission.org/330

Timestamp for Episode 330 Living Our Mission: The Role and Impact of the Church Today

00:19 Personal Journey to the Methodist Church

02:59 Understanding the Church as the Body of Christ

03:45 Living the Mission: We Are the Church

07:00 Impact of Church Size on Mission

13:56 HOPE: A Pathway for Disciple-Making

16:19 Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Church

19:49 Connecting with the Community

26:47 Final Reminders about the Church

Other Episodes in this Series

Episode 329: Preaching – Practical Insights for Today

Episode 328: Worship – Cultivating Authentic Experiences

Episode 327: Cultivating Christ-Centered Leadership

Episode 326: Discipleship – A Ministry Masterclass

Episode 325: God’s Mission – Exploring the Heart of Ministry

In episode 329, the conversation continues from episode 328, transitioning from discussing worship to the art and significance of preaching. Tim shares about the use of the lectionary in preaching, the importance of cultivating relationships with Jesus and people, and effective sermon preparation techniques.

He includes his thoughts on various aspects like incorporating stories, different types of scripture writing, and the context and form in sermons. You’ll hear reminders from Tim emphasizing the essence of a preacher's relationship with God and the congregation, and how it shapes their message and delivery.

The episode concludes with broader reflections on worship and preaching, alongside practical advice for preachers as well as congregants.

Listen to Episode 329 at https://transformingmission.org/329

Time Stamp for Episode 329

00:33 Transition from Worship to Preaching

00:46 The Role of the Lectionary in Preaching

03:08 Advice for New Preachers

04:31 Listening to a Sermon

07:27 Major Themes in the Gospels

14:01 Context and Form in Preaching

22:32 The Use of Stories and Illustrations

26:00 Preparation to Delivery

32:22 Final Thoughts and Benediction

This week our discussion centers around worship, exploring the purpose of worship, key elements of worship planning, and the impact of preferences on worship services. As a reminder, worship is centered on connecting with God and living out God's love in everyday situations. Important aspects like music, liturgy, and the need for a collaborative approach to worship planning are discussed, along with tips for avoiding common pitfalls like disruptive announcements. Special Sundays and the importance of following the liturgical calendar to tell the story of God's love are also addressed.

Listen to Episode 328 at https://transformingmission.org/328

TimeStamp for Worship: Crafting Authentic Experiences

00:31 Understanding the Purpose of Worship

03:14 Planning Worship Services

05:24 Addressing Worship Wars and Preferences

07:51 Elements of Worship: Music and Liturgy

10:17 Team-Based Worship Planning

14:57 Special Sundays and Liturgical Calendar

21:57 Avoiding Distractions in Worship

27:01 Conclusion and Sending Forth

As we continue the Ministry Masterclass series, this week we’re focusing on leadership. We’ll look at an exploration of leadership influences and how their teachings have shaped our leadership. We’ll look at the habits and experiences that fuel effective leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, generosity, and daily reflection.

Then we turn our attention to identifying and developing emerging leaders, highlighting qualities like humility, lifelong learning, and genuine care for others. Leadership is based in relationships. Explore the four needs of followers (trust, stability, compassion, and hope) and how leaders can meet these needs to lead effectively.

The episode concludes with wisdom on maintaining spiritual and mental health for leaders and a benediction encouraging listeners to share the love and encouragement they've received.

Listen to Episode 327 at https://transformingmission.org/327

TimeStamp for Cultivating Christ-Centered Leaders

00:27 Influences on Leadership

02:37 Habits and Experiences Shaping Leadership

05:36 Identifying and Cultivating Emerging Leaders

10:05 Developing Leaders: Key Considerations

14:16 The Needs of Followers: Trust, Stability, Compassion, and Hope

37:57 The Importance of Spiritual and Mental Grounding for Leaders

43:09 Final Thoughts and Benediction

Creating and Implementing a Discipleship Pathway: Insights and Practical Tips

In Episode 326, we dive deep into the crucial subject of discipleship. This week's episode focused on faith formation. You might call it discipleship or disciple-making. Whatever language you use, we’re focusing on what it means to help people become and deepen their relationship with Jesus by being a followers of Jesus.

If you’ve been with us for any length of time, you know we’ll highlight the congregational disciple-making pathway called HOPE, which stands for Hospitality, Offering Christ, Practicing the Faith, and Engagement. Tim and Sara discuss the importance of having a defined pathway for making disciples, addressing both the necessity of the pathway and how it can be embodied within a church setting. They emphasize the significance of relational and faith-oriented approaches to disciple-making over mere programmatic efforts.

Through several questions and examples, we’ll share how reflection and storytelling play pivotal roles in faith formation and disciple-making. By the end of this episode, listeners will have a thorough understanding of how to initiate and sustain a discipleship pathway within their congregations.

Listen at https://transformingmission.org/326

Episode 326 - Discipleship: A Ministry Masterclass

00:24 Understanding the HOPE Pathway

01:11 The Importance of Having a Discipleship Pathway

03:00 Defining a Disciple

08:16 Sharing God Stories

16:44 Inviting People into a Relationship with Jesus & the Church

23:12 Modeling Discipleship

32:58 Reflection and Transformation

35:01 Final Thoughts on Discipleship