CEP 15: The Best Bits From The Last Six Months
By Dave Mckeown and Nathan Benger
Welcome to Episode: 15 of the Church Explained Podcast. A conversation to help grow your leadership, develop your team and build your church. Your hosts will be Dave Mckeown and Nathan Benger. We will talk about all things leadership with key team players from IKON Church and other guests during each show.
Join us for this quick-fire episode as we explore our best bits in the last six months.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
David Mckeown 0:00
Welcome to the Church explained podcast, a conversation to grow your leadership and build your Church. Today we're doing things a little bit different. We're gonna do a quick fire session on that. Yeah. And we'll look at some, some of the highlights, really from the podcast that we've been running for the last number of months. We're going to pick out some of the things in there, but we can't do all of it today. So we're gonna pick out a few.
David Mckeown 0:30
But let's first of all introduce yourselves for those who have forgotten who we are.
Nathan Benger 0:34
Yeah, so I'm Nathan. And yeah, it's been a journey. Yeah. It's Church explained podcast. It's been great. Yeah. And so it's great to be together again. And yeah, just highlighting some of our highlights. Yeah, that we couldn't pick them all.
David Mckeown 0:51
No, so so if you have been a guest on the podcast, and we don't pick yours, please don't fall out with this. Yeah, we love you really love we'd love Yeah. And maybe if you'd paid us more. Oh, man.
Nathan Benger 1:04
Well expect those gifts in the Senate.
David Mckeown 1:08
Yeah, so hey, what? Let's pick up on a couple of your favourites. Yeah, what's what's been your highlight? And we'll just discuss around those and then slowly go Well, before
Nathan Benger 1:17
we start, I was just thinking about this, as I was thinking about, like, we were planning this, this podcast episode. And I was thinking, What have been some of my highlights, and I know a lot of people like myself will listen to the podcast, maybe when they're in the car, maybe when they're out running at the gym, you know, doing things. And it's great to do that. But the ones that I've picked out of being some of the ones that I've listened back to, and I've heard something, and I've gone, Oh, I didn't I didn't hear that when we was recorded. And and so like my encouragement to people would be if something speaks to you listen back to it. Maybe you're listening in the gym, or the car or on a run or wherever. And, you know, something speaks to you listen back and pick that thing up, because I think it would be beneficial. And that's one of the things that has been for me. So the first one I want to pick is the one we did with a good friend of ours, Steve Marston. Yeah. Why a senior Pastor or a leader needs a coach. And we're just just really that whole idea of having a coach and it wasn't, it was when Steve talked about having a coach in multiple areas. Yeah. So it wasn't that there's the one person that kind of becomes the coach for your whole life, or you just have a coach for a certain part of your life. It was when he talked about how he got a coach, someone who he was talking to around his finances, around Church, around ministry around leadership. He's got many different coaches and even different coaches in different seasons of his life. Yeah, that really spoke to me and was something that I've begun to pick up on, begun to do begin to, you know, lean into wisdom from others, that I have to go back and listen back over and go. Okay, so how did he frame that? And I think that was just a real key insight for myself.
David Mckeown 3:11
And I like some of the stuff he said in there, Ryan, about the fact of how do you get a coach? Yeah, because a lot of people don't know how to find a coach or who should be the coach. So there's lots of different ways you can approach that is really an earlier episode. I think we had someone else talking about coaching didn't were a coaching as a discipleship model. So there's lots of stuff around Yeah, Heidi get a coach. In one sense coaching. We I think we discussed in that episode was a little bit different than mentoring. They do overlap a little bit. Yeah. And I definition I've heard about coaching, is that coaching is drawing ICT. Yeah. And mentoring is adding in like they do overlap a bit. Yeah. But actually, just to have that distinction in your mind. So if you're looking for a coach, I mean, obviously, then contact us. Yeah, but not a problem. Something we do here. Yeah. But I think it's the thing that really stuck out with me on that coaching was the fact that lots and lots of leaders don't actually have a coach. Yeah,
Nathan Benger 4:06
that was that was a case a big thing. Yeah. And when I was talking about having a coach over multiple areas, it was it was kind of like, something just dropped in me that I don't even have, you know, maybe I don't even have one coach. Nevermind is Steve saying I've got multiple coaches in multiple areas, you know, talks about finances and leadership, preaching, yeah. All of this and even willing to just send out messages. Yeah, I think you mentioned in that podcast, he sent a message to Jeff Lucas,
David Mckeown 4:34
we Szilard obviously
Nathan Benger 4:36
will make contact with Steve, did you hear back from Jeff?
David Mckeown 4:39
Yeah, well find out on the show. No, yeah, if he's heard back, he needs to try a bit. On Steve, we're looking out here.
Nathan Benger 4:47
But it was just the willingness to like say, hey, like I love your style of region. Will you just take a listen and you know what, you know, share some thoughts and
David Mckeown 4:56
of course Steve is like he's a well experienced leader. All right, yeah. And I mean, he could he could sit back and say, Well, I don't really need a coach or I'm okay. I've learned a lot. I can read a book. But there's something about the input. Yes. Somebody beside you, or somebody asks you the right question. you're drawing the right stuff from you and helping you to think differently. Yeah, that makes a difference. So yeah, it's a great, great episode. That one yeah, it was it was amazing. And he talked about the near rind this idea of the worthy the original idea of the coach came from it was to do with, you know, the the wasn't at the tree, and he was talking about Yeah, so you'd be you know, coach would be getting from A to B. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Getting you somewhere, right. That's true. Yeah, definitely. So that was a good one for you. Yeah. Anything else on that episode? No, I
Nathan Benger 5:44
just, I, I've listened to that a couple of times back again. Just to remind myself refresh myself again.
David Mckeown 5:51
Yeah. So the takeaway is get a cold. Yeah, that's the big. That was the big takeaway. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm going to come back to Steve in a moment because I was one of my highlights, as well. Steve, you've paid us a lot of money, man. You know, but before we get on one of the other ones that really, I think is very, very powerful, and especially in this season, is one that your dad did. The lead Pastor here at IKON Church, Paul Benger. Yeah, we talked about this idea that every leader has their leavers. Yeah, and for me that was powerful in the sense as a reminder the Nazi people will leave Yeah. And he talked around this idea like don't be surprised me the left Jesus. Yeah, the left Jesus. Well, there's nice crowd about a people will leave you administrator, sometimes other people who we feel are the closest to us. Yeah. People we've done journey with like, you think of Jesus and the example there are people like Judas was with him for three years and eating at the table doing all the stuff. But in the end, he was he was nowhere to be seen. So there's something powerful in there. But what I liked about that, Nathan, and maybe you can chip in as well as his idea of it was this idea of the fact of how we want to respond. Yeah. And how we should respond. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So how do we want to respond? We want to get angry. Yeah. We, we want to maybe get that person by the scruff of the neck. You know, that's really we can be honest, there will be consensus as your podcast will. Do, you may feel like that sometimes, your main conversation on Sunday, somebody said You haven't even done it, right? They're just leaving, like a quick, quick one liner. You're going around town with people on a Sunday, that's telling you they're leaving, no contacts, no information. And before they know it, they've called the whole Church that have gone Yeah. Or they put it on social media. And it's how you want to respond, but actually a high ratio of risk.
Nathan Benger 7:56
I think that was so powerful. In the fact of that we have a, we have a choice and how we respond to the situations and like you said, you know, they can come out of the blue. Yeah, they can come from nowhere. Yeah. Someone could even say, Oh, we've been thinking about this for months. And you're like, so why did you not talk to me? Exactly, you know, that kind of aspect. But that whole area of, I think is so powerful for us as leaders in choosing how we respond. Yeah. Because there are some things that we can't control. You can't you know, I think this was powerful. We can't control what others do, or, you know, the way others think, or what they're going to do, but we can control our response. Yeah. And I I just think that we, you know, that whole episode, just, you know, reiterated again for for myself, but also for leaders that there are some people who are going to leave. Yeah, and that's gonna happen. Yeah. And to not be so shocked by that. Yeah. But also to know, actually, I can respond in the right way.
David Mckeown 9:04
And, and Paul had pointed out some key things. I'm just gonna read it straight from the show notes array. So if you've never looked on the website, the show notes there for every podcast we do, yes. We pointed out some of these things. First of all, he says, This is how we should respond. Trust and the promises of God. Yeah. In other words, Jesus is going to build this Church. Yep, whatever happens, Jesus is still going to build his Church. He said this, measure your ministry, on those who are with you and not on those who have gone. That helps. It's comforting, I think for leaders Yeah. He said this this, we must let people go with grace. Because sometimes we want to fight them don't my every day. I don't mean like, go into the carpark although you may feel but please don't do that later. But actually where I'm from in Belfast, I had lots of stories of churches and Church leaders who would go into the carpark after some big bang anyway It's a different culture. They're glad people go with grace. Yeah, that's important, isn't it? Really, the leader must forgive as well. Because if we're not careful, yeah, we can let stuff build up in our spirits. And and then we treat other people in a wrong way.
Nathan Benger 10:16
And the Bible talks about unforgiveness, a whole load and being a barrier for us as leaders, but also as people who follow Jesus. And so I think that's a big one.
David Mckeown 10:25
And think, thinking of this one I really like because it helps us to focus on the future, not just the fact they've gone it, Paul, it said this, we must look for the next for the new, and for the upgrade. In other words, I think when someone goes, God knows they're gonna be Yeah, and there's always somebody new is gonna come in through the door. And those are the people we shake it off, not just those who avoid the coming through the door, but those who are with us. Because I think that makes a big difference. So it was a great podcast.
Nathan Benger 10:53
It was it was done. Something Paul's been talking about recently has been, there are many people in this city, I think it's reliable First, there are many people in this city, and God has many people in our cities or towns wherever we are created for us. And so that whole next new upgrade is a part of that conversation.
David Mckeown 11:13
So come on, what else what Well, I'm
Nathan Benger 11:15
gonna I'm gonna be then I'm gonna Chuck three into one. Oh, wow. Just because I think they're very similar. Okay, so I'm going to big up myself in the whole youth ministry that builds the Church. We had Jane on kids ministry that builds the Church. And then we also had Nathan blood on a whole creative department that builds the Church. And the big takeaway for me is that sometimes we can create silos in the Church. So the youth minister is off doing their thing, the kids are off doing their thing. And sometimes in some churches, the worship team or the creative team are off doing their thing. And it was just the whole era, the idea of unity, and getting around one vision as a Church. Yeah. So that actually the kids ministry, bought into building the Church, youth ministry is bought into building the Church and building the Church that were called to build. The creative department is called to build a Church. And it was just this idea that I think came out in all of these three podcasts that there's not three separate vision. Yeah, yeah, that's what I remember. It's one vision. Yeah. And so we're all working towards that one vision in our own departments in our own ministries. Yeah. You know, like in youth that has to, you know, fit a youth context in kids that has to fit a kid's context, in a creative department, we're going to do that through worship and creative and how that happens. But it's this one vision that we're united around, and I don't know, but I think for some churches, and for some leaders, we may have silos going off different departments. And the big thing and the big takeaway for me was start to rally those people around the one vision and here's what we're about as a Church
David Mckeown 13:05
and I guess like just thinking of those three areas they're all crucial aren't they rarely for for growing the Church some Yeah, in other words, sometimes leaders will say well, we'll put all our efforts into youth or we'll put our all our efforts in the kids you know, we're going to be the Church who does everything about kids, but actually it's about having that more holistic approach that we need kids we need creator we need you Yeah, those are the three of the big components that help build Church especially on a Sunday Yeah, now we know Church is bigger than that. We get up on it from a Sunday point of view. Like we want to make sure that we're we're we're investing in three areas definitely Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so that was a good one. I like it. And you guys do a great job with the youth. The teams here are done an amazing job. I'll give a big shout out to the guys at IKON Church and all the youth stuff I bring my boy here he's 12 years of age and I drive an hour to get them here every Friday up you know what I mean? Yeah, and I do that why because actually it's what common to gentlemen and so there's something about that you know, if you're willing to put in that effort to drive to get your kid here at send something about the youth ministry is so fantastic.
Nathan Benger 14:14
Craig props to you, Dave as well driving an hour.
David Mckeown 14:18
Thank you, man. You have yet to claim all my expenses for the last five years. Down governor or our Treasurer is panicking in the background.
Nathan Benger 14:28
listening to this going, No, no, no. It's your personal
David Mckeown 14:31
thing. Anyway, so listen, we're we're we're going to quickly round up the last one. Yeah. And again, we're back to Steve Marston. Yep. So Steve, a big shout out to you. One of the things I really like was when we done we've done the podcast a rind. How do we respond to new people coming into the Church and I guess like you know, in this season, we want to say this season because we want to be realistic, who I probably very, very soon. We want to say a lot It is it is a different season we're in right across the world, as people new are coming into the Church, and some people have not returned yet. And he had pointed out three things that he said is really important as we think about new year and they can you remember those? Now you're going to remind right, the first one and he says, as we think of those new people coming in, celebration, yep, assimilation and activation. Yep. They're great words. So he talked about this idea, you know, we need to celebrate New Year ball. Like, put that in the fabric of everything we do for the car park. You know what people are coming in at the car park? How are we treating them? You know, how did they feel? celebrate them as they come through the doors, celebrate them from the front as well. You know what I mean? Yeah. And I think that's crucial. So it's that idea of celebration, assimilation and activation?
Nathan Benger 15:55
Yeah. I mean, the whole celebration thing. We just had a leaders day, actually, with our leaders here at IKON Church. And one of the one of the things that was said, we had like a roundtable discussion on one of the things that was said, on our roundtable discussion was I love the way we celebrate new people. Yeah, and that we don't just do it once in a service, but it happens multiple times. Yeah, that we welcome them. And we don't use language. I think this is a biggie of awesome them. No, but it's very much it's great to be together today. Yeah. And if you're new here, we want to celebrate you and we get the whole Church to clap Yeah, to celebrate those people who are with us, you know, in our services for the first time on that weekend, and, you know, be like, you know, in our world today, I think that's a big win for us, because not lots of people get celebrated now. And I think what a great starting point that we can communicate as a Church and help people rethink Church as well. In the fight. Actually, these people are for me, yeah, they want the best for me. They're not judging me. They're not judging my lifestyle. They're not judging what's going on. No, they're celebrating me. And for me, and I think I just think that's a great starting point. Yeah. That Steve highlighted for
David Mckeown 17:12
us. Yeah, it was a great one. And so just to pick out a little bit, though, because we have heard that leaders day, just last week, and we were focused on on this idea of principles over practices. And I think we'll do a podcast now very similar, Paul and I will talk around our principles over practices. But the reason I say that is because I do remember really pushing Steve on this idea of you know, having a system and I remember clearly said look, you know, you can have the best system in the world. Yeah. But if you don't love people, it's just a waste of space. Yeah. And I think that's true in a lot of churches, I think pre lockdown or pre COVID they were focused on system how do we create the best system and you need systems don't Yeah, but like a system without a heart or without an engine? Definitely. It's just a no Gore. And I that was a big thing that really spoke to me out of all the stuff he said applied, you know, the things we can do, you know, why do we welcome them, you know, be sure we connect with them. It was that personal heart expression to the leaders really love those people coming through the door.
Nathan Benger 18:16
And that's what we'll probably talk about on the principles, our practices, because I think the practices can shift and change and throw flexible, but the principle the Why is why we do this. Because when you have people why we really celebrate people, because we want them to know they're loved, they're cared for. They're welcome here. This is home for them. You know, it's reminding ourselves of the why. And I think even you know, just for myself, we've been talking about that principles over practices, but even the leaders day that we had where we taught around this whole idea of welcome mpds Church. It was just a reminder again, here's why we do it. Yeah. It's not to, you know, fill a spreadsheet with numbers and people's names. Now this is all about loving people and helping them to find Jesus. Yes. As IKON Church.
David Mckeown 19:08
Yeah, no, absolutely. That they were some of our highlights, I suppose. Yes, they were. There's lots of other loads, loads. And hey, we would just encourage people to go and check out different podcasts that we've done this as a quick fire when we've saved the day. I think we've been
Nathan Benger 19:22
pretty quick. Yeah, pretty quick for us. Yes, definitely.
David Mckeown 19:26
What people don't realise is they're normally three hours long. And we couldn't know we don't really know really. Come on Nathan, Rob for us today.
Nathan Benger 19:33
So it's been great to be together again, and you can access all the podcasts, the ones that we've talked about today, but even more incredible podcasts that we've had with some incredible guests wherever you consume your podcasts and we'd love to have your feedback so please rate review subscribe to wherever you get your podcasts you can find show notes at IKON dot Church for slash open And you'll be able to get those show notes. Plus also if you sign up there, then we've got some free resources that will help you as a Church. But it's been great to be together Dave, and we look forward to seeing you next time on the Church explained podcast.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
