The Called to Flourish Podcast

If you were a new leader in an organization, what would be an important first step to create a healthier culture? Today's guest started with creating core values to take his church's culture to the next level. Join us for a conversation with Doug Sauder, the Lead Pastor of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. Doug found himself in this role after a surprise transition and was faced with multiple challenges all at once, including a staff culture that was in a critical moment. Listen in to see how one key initiative became the difference-maker that really improved Calvary's staff culture. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e19-doug-sauder-calvary-chapel-fort-lauderdale.

Transforming the workplace culture of a Christian ministry is a challenging proposition. Our guest today knows this for a fact, because he's been a key part of transforming the employee culture of one of the largest, best known churches in the world. Listen in on this conversation with Colby Burke, the director of human resources at Willow Creek Community Church. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e18-colby-burke-willow-creek-cc.

Why does having a healthy staff culture matter? Is it really worth the effort? Does it ultimately impact your organization's performance? Today's guest has a fascinating response to this question. Today we have the pleasure of visiting with Gary Schwammlein, who is President and CEO of the Willow Creek Association – known for helping Christians grow their leadership to maximize Kingdom impact through the popular annual Global Leadership Summit. Last fall, Gary spoke at the Church Culture Conference in front of 200 ministry and human resources leaders. In his talk, "Why Culture Matters," he outlined the direct connection between staff health and ministry outcomes. He's going to tell us about that direct connection in today's episode. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e17-gary-schwammlein-willow-creek-association.

How can you make sure your entire team is aligned around the same goals and working toward your mission and vision? And why is this important for your workplace culture? Today we're talking with Roland Warren, the President and CEO of Care Net, based in Lansdowne, Virginia, which provides services for more than 1,100 affiliated pregnancy centers across the country. In the past 4 years, Roland has found that clarifying goals, along with transparency, honesty and a little humor, goes a long way to create a flourishing culture. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e16-roland-warren-care-net.

How does a church that has a very healthy staff culture go about making it even better? There is nothing normal about Eastview Christian Church other than it's in . . . Normal, Illinois! As a growing church with nearly 90 staff, Eastview reached a tipping point where they realized their human resources efforts needed to move from a committee to a strategic department within their staff. Here to tell us how they did it is Tyler Hari, Eastview's Executive Pastor of Ministry Operations. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e15-tyler-hari-eastview-christian-church.

How can clearly defining your church's distinct culture both transform your team and increase your ministry impact? That's exactly what happened with the 120-employee staff at Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona. With us today is the best person who can tell this amazing story: Kelly O'Donnell has a dual role as Executive Director of the Connect Ministry and Human Resources. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e14-kelly-odonnell-central-christian-church. BONUS: Visit the show notes page to download Central Christian's Cultural Distinctives document Kelly mentions in the interview.

What can leaders learn from "the greatest leadership role model of all time"? Our guest today not only coined that phrase, but is also best known as one of the most influential leadership experts in the world. Today we have the pleasure of talking with Ken Blanchard. Ken's writing career includes over 60 books, including The One Minute Manager, which has sold over 13 million copies. Many of us also know Ken as a passionate conference speaker and co-creator of the Lead Like Jesus movement. Ken's official title is the Chief Spiritual Officer of the Ken Blanchard Companies, a global firm that allows organizations to create results-oriented, people-focused leaders. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e7-ken-blanchard.

What are the secrets of leaders who continue to have significant influence over long periods of time, where age doesn't seem to slow them down or see their influence diminish? Today, we're talking to just such a leader: Jerry White, president emeritus of The Navigators. He doesn't disappoint in offering sage advice for Christian leaders at any stage. With his Ph.D. in astronautics, Jerry served as an Air Force mission controller at Cape Canaveral, working on the beginnings of America's space program. He is the co-author of the current textbook on astrodynamics at the Air Force Academy, and he retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Major General. In 1986, he was elected as the third president of The Navigators and served as International President until 2005, nearly 19 years. He is also the co-author of a dozen Christian books with his wife and ministry partner, Mary. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/encore-jerry-white-navigators.

One of the most remarkable cultural transformations we've seen comes from one of the oldest and most revered Chrisitan ministries. In the past 6 years, Craig Warner, Executive Director of The Gideons International, has moved their workplace culture from toxic to one that's very healthy. Today, we're going to learn about a few of the steps they took to accomplish this remarkable feat. Starting in 1908 as an association of Christian businessmen placing Bibles in hotel rooms,The Gideons International has expanded dramatically, placing more than two billion Bibles and Scripture portions in more than 95 languages around the globe. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e12-craig-warner-gideons.

How can leaders build a culture of trust and open communication? Today, it's our pleasure to welcome Bob Lonac, President and Chief Executive Officer of CRISTA. The number one strength CRISTA scored on the BCWI Employee Engagement Survey is trust. And right there with trust, CRISTA is also very strong when it comes to healthy communication. CRISTA is a large group of seven thriving and distinctive ministries, whose mission is "to love God by serving people." Located in the Seattle area, CRISTA has over 1,000 employees serving people worldwide. Their ministries include Christian schools, international development, senior living and broadcast media. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e11-bob-lonac-crista-ministries.

Imagine, for a moment, if you could significantly improve the health of your workplace culture over this coming year and see the growing satisfaction, camaraderie and productivity of your people. Today, you're going to meet a leader who's has done just that – significantly improve the health of his workplace culture over the course of one year. Today we have the pleasure of visiting with Scott Evans, the founder and CEO of Outreach, Inc. Outreach was started in 1996 with the vision of helping church planters with their branding and marketing. This vision expanded to reaching every person in America with a personal invitation to a Bible-believing church. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e10-scott-evans-outreach-inc.

Have you ever wondered if there's a strategic planning process that's effective, yet doesn't take months to develop? Today, we're talking with an innovator behind a proven strategic planning process that's immediately functional and operational—and that works for both organizations and churches. Here to tell us all about it is Greg Hawkins, Minister of Ministry Development at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, which is home to two pastors and authors, Max Lucado and Randy Frazee. A native Texan, Greg is also well-known for serving alongside Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Community Church. Prior to Willow, Greg worked as a management consultant with McKinsey and Company after receiving an MBA at Stanford. He's also the co-author of the breakthrough Reveal Study and several other books, including his most recent, More: How to Move from Activity for God to Intimacy with God. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e9-greg-hawkins-oak-hills-church.

Changing your workplace culture can be a daunting task. Leaders often wonder where to start. Which areas or initiatives should you focus on to have the greatest impact? On today's podcast, we're going look into our research to highlight the top four culture drivers that have the power to accelerate the health of your culture and effectiveness of your organization. We'll look at why these four key factors are so vitally important to determining the health of your culture and HOW we know this for a fact. Joining us are today's host, Rachel Large, and researcher Amy Nagley. Rachel produces our podcast and along with much of our online content. And Amy conducts extensive research on our data here at BCWI. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e8-al-lopus-bcwi. We want to hear your thoughts on the content we provide each week. Would you please take our 5-minute Podcast Listener & Blog Reader Survey? https://www.research.net/r/BCWI2016ReaderSurvey

What is the primary driver that differentiates a flourishing Christian workplace from others? In our research, we have found that Inspirational Leadership is the most important factor in creating a healthy culture. Inspirational Leadership is nothing less than the presence of Christ, living in and directing a leader to influence an organization, including its culture, to bring about a part of God's kingdom, here on earth. It has the capacity to transform and even accelerate the health of your culture and the effectiveness of your organization. Let's dive into this important topic and discuss how it can be put to work in your ministry. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2e6-al-lopus-bcwi.

As a leader, what's the best way to handle a mistake you or your team has made? As an individual, how do you reconcile damaged relationships that result from a mistake? Today, we will look at what makes a meaningful, effective apology when – as the book title says – "sorry isn't enough." Joining us is Dr. Jennifer Thomas, who along with New York Times best-selling author Gary Chapman, has co-authored the book, When Sorry Isn't Enough: Making Things Right with Those You Love. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e5-dr-jennifer-thomas.

Is your Human Resource department providing you the strategic value it could or should? We are seeing a sea shift in the role Human Resources plays in the church and Christian organizations. As we have worked with hundreds of Christian organizations, we are seeing the HR role shift from being an administrative, back-office function to a strategic C-Suite or senior leadership role. Today we have the pleasure of talking with Giselle Jenkins, our very own Director of Human Resource Consulting. Giselle is a Christian nonprofit HR veteran with more than 20 years with the well-known ministry Prison Fellowship, and we know you will benefit from what she has to share. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/S2E3-giselle-jenkins-bcwi.

Thanks for joining us today as we kick off Season 2! In our listener survey last fall, the number one topic you were interested in hearing about is how to build a trust-based culture. Today, our Communications Coordinator, Rachel Large, is putting Al in the hot seat to teach us how to create trust in the workplace. He'll share practical tactics you can implement today t0 create a more efficient team and greater ministry impact. Plus, get a peek behind the curtain and hear from a BCWI employee about what it's really like to work at the Best Christian Workplaces Institute. And hear a recap of our last fiscal year – these are exciting times at BCWI! Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/s2-e1-al-lopus-bcwi.

Our research indicates that one of the top four drivers of employee engagement is what we call Sustainable Strategy. So the question we're going to explore today is: How does a Christian faith-based organization develop and execute an effective, even sustainable, strategy? Of the more than 700 organizations we've surveyed, Joni and Friends has consistently scored on the high end of this dimension. Today, we have the pleasure of visiting with their President and Chief Operating Officer, Doug Mazza. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/59-doug-mazza-joni-friends.

Willow Creek Community Church and their senior pastor Bill Hybels have been an inspirational model for building a healthy, flourishing culture. Bill has been very public about the transformation of Willow's staff culture from nearly toxic to highly flourishing. Bill is the first to say, "The culture in any organization will only be as good as the top leader wants it to be." He also knows that it takes effective "blocking and tackling on the front lines" to make it real throughout the organization. Today, we've invited Sue Hood, human resources manager of staff engagement, to help us look behind the curtain to see how Willow Creek has created such a flourishing culture. Please enjoy this listener favorite from our archives while we prepare for the launch of Season 2 in September! Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/encore-sue-hood-willow-creek.

Our podcast is on hiatus for a few weeks as we prepare to launch Season 2 in September. Today, we have one of the most popular episodes from our archives to share with you. Enjoy this listener favorite! As Christian leaders, how can we most effectively achieve our organizations' calling and purpose in these rapidly changing times? Today, Al is talking with Tami Heim, the President and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance. Prior to CLA, Tami held key executive positions in Christian publishing after nearly 20 years as a Retail Industry executive, including a stint as the President of Borders. Listen in as Al and Tami cover a wide range of topics facing Christian leaders today. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/encore-tami-heim-christian-leadership-alliance.

What leadership practices in Christian organizations are having a positive, dramatic impact to effectively address a huge global problem? And how does an organization's staff culture impact its ability to change our world? Our guest today has an answer. He leads an organization that's addressing one of our world's greatest problems: poverty. We're talking with Peter Greer, President and CEO of HOPE International, a global nonprofit focused on Christ-centered job creation, savings mobilization and microenterprise development. HOPE International takes a holistic approach to help families in poverty by investing in them. And what's more, we are convinced that their genuine care and compassion for their own staff is a huge part of the solution to poverty overall. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/58-peter-greer-hope-international.

Seven years ago, you probably wouldn't have wanted Tom Bennett's job as Interim Director at Santa Fe Christian Schools in Solana Beach, California. Sizable debt and red ink had delayed accreditation. They had no leadership team in place, no effective organizational structure and virtually no reporting lines in effect. Plus, two weeks before the school year began, the previous Head of School resigned. When Tom stepped in, his first response was to create a new strategic plan that could turn the school around. They began by finding an objective measure of their workplace culture. The strategic plan took two years to create – a process that was both hard, yet necessary. Today, Santa Fe Christian's Employee Engagement Scores— indicators of overall employee satisfaction and organizational effectiveness—have increased to be in the top 20% of Christian schools. Executive leadership is solid, finances are sound and enrollment remains strong. The commitment to involve everyone and make the needed, time-consuming course corrections were worth it. Tune in to today's interview to hear the whole story and learn how Santa Fe Christian's sustainable strategy helped create a flourishing workplace. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/57-tom-bennett-santa-fe-christian-schools.

I'm often asked two questions: What do we need to do to improve our culture? And how long should it take to improve our organization's culture? While there's no cut and dry answer for every organization, our guest today can attest that it takes two things: surveying your employees consistently over time, and then taking action on the results. Today we have the privilege of talking with David Pickering, the Director of Business and Human Resources at Olivet Nazarene University, who has personally seen the improvement of his organization's culture. For the last 12 years, he has surveyed the faculty and staff each year and helped to facilitate one of the best cultures among Christian higher education institutions. Olivet has been an innovator in the application of our engagement survey, and the results speak for themselves as engagement scores have improved significantly. Tune into our conversation today to hear Olivet's step-by-step action planning process, which takes their survey results off the page and into action in their workplace. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/55-david-pickering-olivet-nazarene-university.

Several studies indicate the use of 360-degree feedback helps improve performance because it provides not just one perspective of a supervisor, but rather multiple perspectives needed to identify a leader's strengths and areas to improve. No wonder there is universal agreement that 360-degree feedback is far more credible and valid than a single-rater system. At BCWI, we have developed a competency-based 360 Review for Christian leaders. Why? Because our engagement research proves that the Christian character of leaders is a key element of employee engagement and productivity in faith-based organizations. Our guest today knows how true this can be for leaders and their organizations alike. As a leader of one of the best-known Christian colleges in the United States, he has leveraged the benefits of the 360 for his leadership team. Here to talk with us about 360 degree feedback is Todd Hubers, the Vice President of People, Strategy & Technology, and a member of the president's cabinet at Calvin College. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/54-todd-hubers-calvin-college.

Are you experiencing a siloed culture where fruitful communication between departments is minimal at best? In his 17 years as president of Lancaster Bible College, Dr. Peter Teague has worked to overcome this very challenge. Today, their culture is marked by transparency, openness, honesty and collaboration. Join us as Peter shares the unique DNA at the heart of their flourishing culture. Lancaster Bible College exists to educate Christian students to think and live in a biblical worldview and to proclaim Christ by serving Him in the church and society. Peter is one of the most influential leaders among Bible colleges and has played a key role in Lancaster Bible College's growth. He has also played a broader role on the board of the Association of Biblical Higher Education and in mentoring other leaders. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/53-peter-teague-lancaster-bible-college.

Leading a Christian university has got to be one of the most challenging jobs in our changing society. Innovative and inspirational leadership is certainly critical for these Christian higher education institutions to not only survive, but thrive and develop the next generation of Christian leaders. So what are some of the breakthrough strategies that are working? Today, we have the pleasure of talking with Dr. Roger Parrott, who is in his 20th year as president of Belhaven University, located in Jackson, Mississippi. Being a university president was like joining the family business for Roger. He is a third-generation college president, and was one of America's youngest college presidents at age 34. Belhaven has received some of the top scores of any Christian higher education institution to take the BCWI Employee Engagement Survey. Tune into today's interview to discover the secrets to fostering an engaged faculty. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/51-roger-parrott-belhaven-university.

Cross-cultural mission workers are some of the hardest-working people in the world, facing challenges such as living overseas in a very different culture, often with a family and responsible for raising their own support. And that's just the start. All of this raises the question, how can we provide the organizational support necessary to help these Kingdom workers and their ministries thrive? Now, with new research from GMI and BCWI, Ken Harder and James Nelson join us today to discuss simple but powerful leadership practices to overcome these challenges. James has an extensive background in statistics and analytics, dedicating himself to provide ministries with actionable research. He has also served overseas as a missionary. Ken is the co-author of the book Help Your Missionaries Thrive: Leadership Practices That Make a Difference. Ken serves as a consultant to leaders in missionary-sending organizations, and he has been the project leader as we customized the BCWI staff survey for cross cultural missionaries. He has served all over the world and lived in Kenya and East Africa for a time. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/50-ken-harder-james-nelson-gmi.

What is the role of the Board of Directors when it comes to stewarding the health of a Christian non-profit's employee culture? To help us with this question, our guest today is board governance expert Bob Andringa. A respected leader in Christian higher education, Bob was president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities for 12 years and had a significant impact on governance in Christian higher ed. CCCU is the association of 175 distinctly Christian colleges and universities in 24 nations. Some would say he retired 10 years ago, but Bob says he has "refired" as he coaches nonprofit CEOs and their boards. Adding to his "refired" life, he has also founded a new organization called Network Life, which is fueled by his passion that Christian students in secular universities to live and learn together as Christ-followers. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/49-bob-andringa.

How do we develop the kind of Christian character that builds a healthy, even flourishing, organizational culture? This is the question we are often asked by executives in Christian organizations who want to build their ministry's inspirational leadership. Today, we're going to talk with a leader who looks to answer that question every day. Doug Nuenke is the U.S. President of The Navigators, a large ministry known for establishing life-on-life discipling relationships and equipping people to make an impact on those around them for God's glory. He's also the author of the books Making Waves: Being an influence for Jesus in Everyday Life and Five Traits of a Christ-Follower. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/48-doug-nuenke-navigators.

John Maxwell says the true measure of leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. Have you ever wondered how leaders generate influence – the kind of influence that goes into a healthy, thriving culture and drives an organization to fulfill its mission? Today, we are not only going to talk with a leadership author, but an experienced and successful leadership practitioner with a Ph.D. on quality student outcomes among today's Bible colleges. Join us as we talk with the President of the Association of Biblical Higher Education, Dr. Ralph Enlow. Ralph is also the author of the book, The Leader's Palette: Seven Primary Colors. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/45-ralph-enlow-abhe.

At more than 78 million strong, the Millennials – those born between 1980 and 2000 – have surpassed the Boomers as the larger and more influential generation in America. Millennials are no longer the future of Christian ministries; they are actively engaged in leadership today. They have many wonderful characteristics that make them a great asset to the kingdom – and therefore to your Christian workplace. Today, we're diving into this topic with Thom Rainer, President and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Thom and his son Jess (a Millennial born in 1985) present the first major investigative work on Millennials from a Christian worldview perspective in their book The Millennials: Connecting to America's Largest Generation. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/44-thom-rainer-lifeway-christian-resources.

We all know that a good workplace culture is defined by a set of guiding core values. But how do we take those values off the page and into the actions of every leader and employee? When an organization clearly defines its core values and then lives them out, it creates a ripple effect throughout all corners of the organization, and the results are revolutionary. Our guest today is Vince Burens, President and CEO of Coalition for Christian Outreach. From its inception in 1971, CCO has been transforming college students to transform the world. Today, CCO is serving on 115 college campuses in 12 eastern states and the District of Columbia. When this interview was recorded, Vince served as vice president of staff services. Listen as Vince walks us through CCO's intensive process of creating core values, successful strategies for helping these values come alive in the organization, and the positive effects they have seen as a result. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/43-vince-burens-coalition-for-christian-outreach.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, "Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly, and they will show themselves great." We couldn't agree more with this principle, and today's guest is a living example of it. Time and again, we've seen that building a culture of trust not only improves employees' daily workplace experience, but even leads to increased productivity and thus ministry impact. Today, we're talking with Barry Slauenwhite, president of Compassion Canada, who has served there since 1983. Over the past several years, Compassion Canada has experienced 20% annual growth, while giving new promise and purpose to 1.4 million children around the world. Barry has very intentionally created a culture of trust and integrity by casting a vision for the company's culture and then enforcing it relentlessly. He demonstrates trustworthiness and demands it in his employees, and today's discussion is jam-packed with wisdom from a humble leader. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/42-barry-slauenwhite-compassion-canada.

When the staff of Gateway Church in Dallas grew 25% in one year, there was good reason for excitement—and well-founded concern. As its ministry grew, something changed. Gateway realized if they kept adding staff without protecting their DNA, the culture they loved would be diluted. Today we have the pleasure of talking with associate senior pastor Allan Kelsey, who shares how Gateway put rubber to the road to maintain their cultural DNA in the face of tremendous growth. Tune in to our talk today to learn a couple of the key practices that have helped Gateway create a healthy culture and become a Certified Best Christian Workplace: Making a commitment to continuing education Intentionally investing in and empowering staff relationships Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/41-allan-kelsey-gateway-church.

Welcome to The Flourishing Culture Podcast! Recently, we asked ministry CEOs and senior pastors what topics they would enjoy and value most on our podcast. You know what they told us? The top leaders in Christian organizations said they wanted to learn more about developing their own spiritual life and how it impacts their leadership. And that’s why we think you’re going to enjoy today’s guest. Today, it’s our pleasure to talk with Elisa Morgan. We first met Elisa when she was the president of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International, a role she served in for 20 years. MOPS was certified as a Best Christian Workplace, and Elisa was one of our “Outstanding Leaders” as she led MOPS in its growth from 350 to more than 4,000 groups around the world. After ‘retiring’ from MOPS, Elisa has continued to influence and mentor leaders in ministry. She has served on the Boards of ECFA and Denver Seminary. She’s a sought-after speaker, radio show co-host, on-line magazine publisher, and author of over twenty-five books on spiritual formation, evangelism and mothering. Listen in as Elisa shares about her own personal journey of spiritual growth, and how she learned to lead authentically – deficit-to-deficit – allowing God to use her brokenness. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/40-elisa-morgan-mops-international.

When Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church, was tasked with leading the charge on her denomination's restructuring, she knew she needed to start with listening to her staff at a grassroots level. She then used that feedback to reshape the culture and bring about unity during a time of extreme change. As we'll see in today's interview, that unity and clarity around vision, mission and goals can lead to some truly divine outcomes. In the 8 years since The Wesleyan Church distilled their efforts into three clear goals (to increase attendance, conversions and baptisms), the number of worship attendees, new followers of Christ and baptisms has increased 30 percent in North America. Prior to being elected as the General Superintendent in 2008, Jo Anne founded World Hope International, an organization to alleviate suffering and injustice through education, enterprise and community health. As she travels the world, Jo Anne serves her denomination and several boards. Plus, she is sought-after as an advisor to world leaders including visits to the White House. Tune into today's episode to hear Jo Anne's strategy for successfully navigating a restructuring. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/38-dr-jo-anne-lyon-wesleyan-church/.

How can learning to model Jesus' leadership serve to develop your own personal leadership? And can it help build an operating framework for your staff culture? Today we have the pleasure of talking with Phyllis Hendry, the President and CEO of Lead Like Jesus, who has helped hundreds of organizations and churches live out their ministry vision by re-sharpening their leadership focus. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/36-phyllis-hendry-lead-like-jesus.

How does a privately-owned architecture and construction firm, focused solely on serving churches, build a healthy employee culture? Brad Eisenmann, President of Aspen Group, can speak to this question as well as anyone. Aspen specializes in designing and building innovative church spaces, but it's more than just a business. With a mission to create space for ministry impact, it really is a ministry to churches and the people they serve. Their team rallies around this laser-sharp mission statement, which has become the basis for both their flourishing culture and thriving business. The lessons Brad has learned about building a healthy culture can benefit your organization today and for years to come. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/episode-34-brad-eisenmann-aspen-group.

Welcome to The Flourishing Culture Podcast! Over the last 20 years, the publishing world has radically changed. Amazon, self-publishing, publishing software and other influences have dramatically impacted the Christian publishing world. In fact, the consolidation in the number of independent Christian publishers has been staggering. These changes lead to the question, “How has InterVarsity Press not only survived, but thrived in the face of tremendous innovation and change?" One person knows the answer better than anyone: Bob Fryling, the publisher of InterVarsity Press, and the author of several books, including The Leadership Ellipse: Shaping How We Lead by Who We Are. The insights he has to share about creating a healthy, flourishing workplace culture can speak to you and your organization in any industry. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/episode-33-bob-fryling-intervarsity-press.

How does a rapidly growing church who says they are "all about people” focus on developing their own leadership? And how does staff development help them keep up with their growth while maintaining a flourishing culture? Today, Al is having an interesting conversation with Rick Mauderer, the Associate Pastor responsible for staff development at Gateway Church near Dallas, Texas—the nation’s fourth-largest church. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/episode-29-rick-mauderer-gateway-church.

Today, we're exploring a foundational theme for building and maintaining a flourishing culture: TRUST. BCWI President Al Lopus is speaking with Dan Busby, president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). In his new book, Trust: The Firm Foundation of Kingdom Fruitfulness, Busby explores the role trust plays in Christian organizations. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/episode-28-dan-busby-ecfa.

In today's episode, BCWI President Al Lopus is speaking with Brad Meuli, executive director of the Denver Rescue Mission, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless. Listen in to find out how the Mission is as much a ministry to its employees as it is to those they serve. By investing in their workplace culture, the Mission's people find truly inspiring, life-giving work as they bind together for their cause. Find the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/episode-27-brad-meuli-denver-rescue-mission.

How does a ministry build a flourishing staff culture in the midst of rapid growth? In today's episode, BCWI President Al Lopus is speaking with Jesse Casler and David Wasik of HOPE International, a microfinance institution focused on serving the poorest areas in the world. In this episode, you'll learn about: How growth is an outcome of Christ-centeredness, excellence and quality Maintaining a sense of mission as your organization grows How the BCWI Employee Engagement Survey acts as a guide to "speak truth in love" Translating both positive and negative feedback into an action plan Developing top talent, succession planning and promoting from within Rewarding top performers with more authority and decision-making How admitting and engaging mistakes can pay dividends with your team and donors Resolving challenges and improving communication between the field and central office

When a new leader comes into an organization and finds that the culture is not so healthy, what do they do? In today's episode, BCWI President Al Lopus is speaking with Dace Starkweather from Glen Eyrie, a Tudor-style castle that houses a renowned retreat and conference center as part of The Navigators in Colorado Springs. In this episode, you'll learn about: Restoring a sense of missional purpose to what team members are doing at every level Using the BCWI Employee Engagement Survey as a thermometer of your culture Making intentional strides using both positive and negative feedback Inspiring character and competence in your leadership Developing your people spiritually and professionally Living out your core values as an organization Creating meaningful employment for your team View the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/episode-25-dace-starkweather-glen-eyrie.

We are excited to announce the relaunch of The Flourishing Culture Podcast! In today's episode, BCWI President Al Lopus is speaking with Nathan Salsbery from CapinCrouse, a national full-service CPA and consulting firm devoted to serving mission-focused not-for-profit organizations, churches, and higher education institutions. From 2007 to 2015, CapinCrouse doubled its staff from 80 to 160 and tripled its number of offices from 5 to 15, coast-to-coast. What was driving their rapid growth? In part, it was their investment in developing their staff and leadership. Listen in as Nathan shares actionable strategies that made a measurable difference in their culture. In this episode, Nathan shares about: Mentorship: Every employee has a mentor-like champion and development coach in the firm Accountability: Quarterly check-ins offer the opportunity for affirmation and needed course correction. Leadership: “What’s the tone of leadership at the top of our firm?” Enrichment: Every other year, CapinCrouse underwrites the cost of a mission trip, marriage retreat or other event designed to personally enrich the heart, mind and soul of an employee. View the full show notes at http://blog.bcwinstitute.org/episode-24-leadership-development-fuels-growth-nathan-salsbery-capincrouse.

Welcome to this new audio podcast with Jason Moorhead, Central Development Pastor at NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. In this episode we discuss how NewSpring created a culture of trust and transparency. We also discuss their goal of having 100,000 weekend attenders by 2020. Listen how NewSpring has achieved a 93% staff engagement level!

Al Lopus interviews Dr. Bill Blocker, President of the College of Biblical Studies in Houston. Challenge: When Bill Blocker became president of College of Biblical Studies in Houston, two goals rose to the top: Articulate the mission And get everyone’s buy in Blocker realized, however, that neither outcome would matter without achieving a third goal—seeing every staff and faculty engaged with passion and energy. Strategy: Blocker saw personal and professional excellence, across the board, among faculty and staff. “Where we really needed to grow and improve was executing, fulfilling our promise to provide a biblically based education to African-American and other ethnic minority groups,” recalls Blocker. Toward that end, Blocker has coined the phrase “Can do, will do.” Can do speaks to a person’s ability demonstrated in their distinctive strengths, experience and practices. Will do speaks to passion. You can have all the education in the world, but without the desire to excel and willingness to serve, you’re bound to fall short. Results: As Blocker and his teams have “put the right people on the bus,” workplace engagement, and performance have steadily increased as measured by their Best Christian Workplace survey scores. And something more has emerged. “We tell people that our aim and commitment is to pour everything you need to become the person God wants you to be,” says Blocker. “Every faculty and staff knows he or she participates in truth, training and transformation. Each person knows he or she is a gatekeeper for truth and for training of students. Each one is aware that he or she is responsible for students’ transformation.

Next Level Church in Ft. Myers, Florida has some positive explaining to do about how effective leadership works. How, for instance, did its staff, which recently took the Best Christian Workplaces survey for the first time, score in the 95th percentile as a “flourishing workplace?” And, how do they explain that 96% of their staff are "engaged?" Executive Pastor Mike Ash tells the story about what it took to get there.

In this episode of The Flourishing Culture Podcast, BCWI President Al Lopus interviews Brian McGowan of Faith Bridge Church.

In this episode of The Flourishing Culture Podcast, BCWI President Al Lopus interviews Priscilla Moore of Upward Sports.