Brief Overview: In this final episode in our month-long series on prayer, Matt and Tal answer five of questions they are most frequently asked questions church leaders have about prayer: Your Questions About Prayer: When is the best time to pray? What resources on prayer do you recommend the most? How do I fit everything in that I need to pray for? Any recommendations on corporate prayer meetings? What do we think of [approach to prayer that you don’t like]? We Made This For You: In the Five Factors Coaching program, we created a course on how to pray for your church that includes ..read more

Brief Overview In this third episode in our month-long series on prayer, Matt and Tal walk through four critical questions every pastor needs to ask as they create a plan to pray for their church: Questions For Your Prayer Plan: Who am I praying for? When and where am I going to pray for them? What am I going to pray for them? Who else can I develop to pray with me? How Can We Help? Our next episode is a mailbag episode so we’d love to answer your questions about prayer. Let us know how we can help and we’ll answer your question on the podcast or directly via email. Resources EPISO ..read more

Brief Overview In this second episode focused on prayer, Matt and Tal talk about people’s desire for intimacy, what sex teaches pastors about prayer, and answer questions about counseling and praying for people where sexual attraction is felt or possible. Big Ideas From This Episode Everyone craves intimacy - to know and be known Intimacy and sex are not the same thing Misused sex is a form of false intimacy One vital way to recover true intimacy is through prayer When pastors don’t pray for their people, we leave them more vulnerable to pursuing false forms of intimacy What’s Your Biggest C ..read more

Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Brief Overview Our work as pastors is profoundly spiritual yet when it comes to prayer, most pastors aren’t putting in the work. What’s going on? Here’s what we’ve seen and heard in our personal experience and in our coaching program with other pastors: Why Don’t Pastors Pray? We don’t believe prayerlessness is a sin. We think we’re smarter than pastors from previous generations. We skip over parts of the New Testament where prayer is the priority. We think we have the power to change people. We don’t know how to pray. Wh ..read more

Brief Overview All month long, we’ve been talking about the benefits of hiring a coach. This week, we’re answering your questions to help you make fully informed decisions:  Questions Answered In This Episode Why has coaching for pastors become so popular? Is there research to back the benefits of coaching? What’s the difference between counseling and coaching? What’s the best question to ask a prospective coach? Why doesn’t coaching work for some people? How does Five Factors Coaching work? What’s unique about Five Factors Coaching? Who is Five Factors Coaching designed to help? What ki ..read more

Brief Overview When ministry leaders hire a coach, what should they be looking for? Certification helps but in the same way that seminary degrees can’t guarantee the effectiveness of a pastor, coaching certification doesn’t tell you what you really need to know. If you want to hire a great coach, look for these three priorities in their coaching: Priorities of Great Coaches: Clarity - Great coaches help you focus and establish goals where it matters most. Momentum - Great coaches have a clear path of success that leads you where you want to go. Results - Great coaches help you reach your goal ..read more

Brief Overview “Is that coaching?” “No, that’s not coaching.” “Here’s what coaching looks like.” This is the conversation among church leaders when it comes to coaching, and it’s largely unhelpful. The truth is there are three primary ways to coach leaders and you should choose the approach that is most helpful to you right now. Types of Coaches: Mentor - Coaches who have been successful where you are struggling. Priority is on information that shows you how they achieved success. Pastor - Coaches who care for you as you lead. Priority is on confirmation of God’s love for you and his calling ..read more

Brief Overview Call them mentors, trainers, coaches - we all have people who have helped us grow into the best versions of ourselves in different parts of life. But far too many leaders don’t have coaches, leaving them operating at less than full capacity. So in this episode, Matt and Tal talk about the life-changing benefits of coaching and why the smart move for you is to hire a coach.  Benefits of Coaching: Great coaches slow you down. Your life is moving fast. Your coach should create space for you to take the time to look around and see what’s happening in your life and leadership ..read more

  Brief Overview Matt sits down with Vic Doss from Watkinsville First Baptist Church to talk about leading college students, what’s missing in evangelical politics and the holistic transformation that took place in Vic’s life over the past 12 months. Listen To Learn: How Vic lost 50 pounds in a year The moment Vic decided to stop using his phone for a month How a church of 200 people has become a spiritual home for more than 2,500 college students since 2006. The one question church leaders should be asking about politics Resources FREE RESOURCE: The Healthy Practices of Leaders, Volu ..read more

Brief Overview In the last of four episodes on how healthy leaders use their smartphones, Matt and Tal answer listener questions about the challenges and benefits of smartphone use. Here are the questions Matt and Tal answer: Is smartphone addiction a real thing? What’s available to protect me from porn on my smartphone? Should I ask people in our church not to use their phone when I preach? Any tips on social media fasts? Are they helpful or just a placebo? What are the spiritual benefits of healthy smartphone use? Should I ditch my smartphone?.  Resources PODCAST - “Your Relationship ..read more