Leadership Matters Podcast

This message was a keynote given to next gen leaders at our annual Initiate Leadership Conference. This recording was from General Session 3 where our theme was "Focused Leadership". In this session, Brandon Richardson ( Lead Pastor, Base Church) speaks to the necessity of having courage as ministry leaders. Brandon unpacked the idea that regardless of what those around us think we must remain obedient and faithful to God alone. Brandon unpacked the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the book of Daniel. To find out more, have a listen to this timely message from Initiate 2025.

This message was a keynote given to next gen leaders at our annual Initiate Leadership Conference. This recording was from General Session 1 where our theme was "Focused Leadership". In this session, Jeremy Albrecht speaks to the importance for all ministry leaders to remain focused on their Calling. Jeremy looks at the life of Nehemiah and how he remained focused on the following: Who called him, What he was called to and Where his calling was sustained. To find out more, have a listen to this timely message from Initiate 2025.

We're beginning a brand new mini-series entitled, "Habits of a Great Leader" and I'm so excited for our listeners to lean into the content that we're diving into for the next few episodes. In this very first one, we discuss the power that comes from having the CLARITY that great leaders possess. We get super practical in this episode and walk through some practical exercises to help you begin the journey towards clarity in your own leadership.

You are in for an absolute treat today on the podcast as I had the privilege and honour of sitting down with Doctor, Author and Psychologist, Don Lichi. Dr. Lichi has literally helped and walked alongside thousands of Pastors/Church Leaders over the past 40 yrs as they have navigated the aftermath and pain of a moral failure. This conversation went all sorts of places as Dr. Lichi kept dropping absolute gold nuggets of truth from his 40+ years of experience and clinically insights. This episode felt like a trip to the therapist...but without the bill....so grab something to take notes with, because you're definitely going to want to write some of this down. If you'd like to reach out to Dr. Lichi, you can do so by e-mailing him at: dlichi@aol.com You can purchase his book, "Broken Windows of the Soul" here on Amazon.

This is a recording of live message given in General Session 2 of Initiate Leadership Conference 2024. In this session, you will hear a message given by one of our keynote speakers, Ben Narayanan who currently serves as Lead Pastor of Avant Life Church (Vancouver, BC).

This message was recorded live at our annual Initiate Leadership Conference (WEST) event in Scarborough where our keynote speaker, Tim Woodcock shared this message in General Session #2 on Saturday.  Tim currently serves as the Lead Pastor of Glad Tidings Church in Burlington, ON.  Why don't you listen in as Tim talks about Jesus' leadership and how he was and still is, "Worth The Follow"!

This episode is a recording from our recent YP Online Connexus session with special guest, Laura Bronson.  Laura currently serves on the National Team of Youth For Christ workers across Canada.  Laura is also director and founder of Keep It Real Ministries (ikeepitreal.ca) which is a GROUP OF SKATERS, ARTISTS AND GRAFFITI WRITERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT ENCOURAGING YOUTH TO BE REAL.  You can easily find Laura, just look for a skate park full of students, showcasing their talents and Laura will most likely be in the very centre of it all.  Laura is passionate about Jesus and sharing the message of hope and love to this generation through art, graffiti, skateboarding or whatever you're into.  In this episode Laura speaks to our Youth Pastors from EOND about reaching students despite the social distancing restrictions we find ourselves under during this pandemic.

So, we have just had an opportunity to hear from an incredibly gifted leader and communicator, Chris Estrada.  Chris recently joined us for one of our YP Online Connexus sessions through zoom with about 30 youth pastors/leaders.  This session was incredibly rich for all who participated and so we thought it would be very meaningful to upload this session to the podcast.  Chris spent the first 15 min. sharing a word of encouragement/challenge to us as leaders and then spent the rest of the time answering some really great questions.  This episode will be sure to encourage you as well as equip you to lead as it is very timely and Covid-19 specific.  So what are you waiting for...?

We are leading in some of the most interesting days that many of us have ever experienced in our life.  Every day seems to bring with it some new developments in the global effects of Covid-19.  That being said, there is a need like never before for solid, consistent leaders to lead and navigate people through these uncertain times.  One couple that is doing that so well are Mike and Nancy Miller who lead a fairly new church plant in Halifax, N.S. that goes by the name, "Nova Church".  This couple is no stranger to challenge and adversity, but as you will hear in our conversation has managed to stay true to the call that is on their lives.  In our conversation we cover all kinds of topics like church planting, family dynamics, leadership, physical health challenges, mental health struggles, covid-19 and even Tik Tok.  Why don't you listen in for yourself to my conversation with Mike Miller.

With the rise of social media platforms and their use by leaders, it has become easier than ever to succumb to the pressure of comparing.  The problem is that most leaders are not posting the multiple failures that preceded that infamous moment of success.  The result is that we often end up comparing our worst to another person's best.  This is when we as leaders can tend to feel horrible about ourselves and become trapped in constant comparison to those around us.  Why don't you listen in as we unpack this a little further and what the real underlying issue is when it comes to comparison. 

I am so thankful to these two leaders who gave me just over an hour of their time to sit and chat very openly and honestly about their leadership journey over the years.  As you listen in, you'll find out very quickly that their journey has been anything but easy, yet they have continued to persevere.  Whether it was struggling to be heard as a female leader, coming face to face with the need to be liked, healthy or a very lengthy unforeseen adoption process...this couple has continued to hold on to faith.  I've already said enough, why don't you just take my word for it and listen to one of the most "real" conversations we have had to this point on the podcast.

Initiate Leadership Conference is a conference we hold annually each November where Children's/Youth Pastors along with their leadership teams gather together for 2 days of equipping.  This episode was recorded on Saturday morning (Gen. Session #2), where we heard from our Keynote speaker, Kevin Shepherd.  Kevin is currently the Lead Pastor at Glad Tidings Church in Burlington, ON. as well as the Assistant Superintendent in the Western Ontario District of the PAOC.  In this session Kevin unpacks the idea of what it means and looks like for discipled leaders to "MAKE" discipled leaders.  But, don't take my word for it, why don't you have a listen.