Christian Leadership Radio

Listen as Greg Atkinson  and Dr. Miller discuss topics of leadership based on the book Strange Leadership. The plan is to discuss 1 chapter per week, so feel free to pick up your copy and ask questions in advance of each broadcast. About Greg Atkinson Author and international speaker Greg Atkinson has been in ministry for two decades and has been writing, speaking and training thousands of Church leaders since 2000.  Greg is a coach and consultant – specializing in areas such as first impressions, multisite, church planting, leadership, social media/technology, innovation, worship, and strategy. Greg has a special passion for church plants and has served as a coach, consultant and assessor of potential and existing church planters. Greg has worked with churches of all stages and sizes including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the US, as well as organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries.

Listen as Greg Atkinson  and Dr. Miller discuss topics of leadership based on the book Strange Leadership. The plan is to discuss 1 chapter per week, so feel free to pick up your copy and ask questions in advance of each broadcast. About Greg Atkinson Author and international speaker Greg Atkinson has been in ministry for two decades and has been writing, speaking and training thousands of Church leaders since 2000.  Greg is a coach and consultant – specializing in areas such as first impressions, multisite, church planting, leadership, social media/technology, innovation, worship, and strategy. Greg has a special passion for church plants and has served as a coach, consultant and assessor of potential and existing church planters. Greg has worked with churches of all stages and sizes including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the US, as well as organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries.

Listen as Greg Atkinson  and Dr. Miller discuss topics of leadership based on the book Strange Leadership. The plan is to discuss 1 chapter per week, so feel free to pick up your copy and ask questions in advance of each broadcast. About Greg Atkinson Author and international speaker Greg Atkinson has been in ministry for two decades and has been writing, speaking and training thousands of Church leaders since 2000.  Greg is a coach and consultant – specializing in areas such as first impressions, multisite, church planting, leadership, social media/technology, innovation, worship, and strategy. Greg has a special passion for church plants and has served as a coach, consultant and assessor of potential and existing church planters. Greg has worked with churches of all stages and sizes including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the US, as well as organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries.

Listen as Greg Atkinson  and Dr. Miller discuss topics of leadership based on the book Strange Leadership. The plan is to discuss 1 chapter per week, so feel free to pick up your copy and ask questions in advance of each broadcast. About Greg Atkinson Author and international speaker Greg Atkinson has been in ministry for two decades and has been writing, speaking and training thousands of Church leaders since 2000.  Greg is a coach and consultant – specializing in areas such as first impressions, multisite, church planting, leadership, social media/technology, innovation, worship, and strategy. Greg has a special passion for church plants and has served as a coach, consultant and assessor of potential and existing church planters. Greg has worked with churches of all stages and sizes including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the US, as well as organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries.

Listen as Greg Atkinson  and Dr. Miller discuss topics of leadership based on the book Strange Leadership. The plan is to discuss 1 chapter per week, so feel free to pick up your copy and ask questions in advance of each broadcast. About Greg Atkinson Author and international speaker Greg Atkinson has been in ministry for two decades and has been writing, speaking and training thousands of Church leaders since 2000.  Greg is a coach and consultant – specializing in areas such as first impressions, multisite, church planting, leadership, social media/technology, innovation, worship, and strategy. Greg has a special passion for church plants and has served as a coach, consultant and assessor of potential and existing church planters. Greg has worked with churches of all stages and sizes including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the US, as well as organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries.

Listen as Greg Atkinson  and Dr. Miller discuss topics of leadership based on the book Strange Leadership. The plan is to discuss 1 chapter per week, so feel free to pick up your copy and ask questions in advance of each broadcast. About Greg Atkinson Author and international speaker Greg Atkinson has been in ministry for two decades and has been writing, speaking and training thousands of Church leaders since 2000.  Greg is a coach and consultant – specializing in areas such as first impressions, multisite, church planting, leadership, social media/technology, innovation, worship, and strategy. Greg has a special passion for church plants and has served as a coach, consultant and assessor of potential and existing church planters. Greg has worked with churches of all stages and sizes including some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the US, as well as organizations such as Josh McDowell Ministries.

Liner Notes Recent new of plagiarism by Mega-church pastor Mark Driscoll has led to a flurry of blog posts, but it all began when Syndicated Christian radio host Janet Mefferd confronted Driscoll with examples of the plagiarized content on her Nov. 21 radio broadcast. Driscoll quickly attacked Medford as “grumpy” and denied her allegations. Supporters of Driscoll rushed to his defense, detractors pounced, but more importantly thoughtful people began to discuss the lack of integrity in “Christian” publishing. Did Mark Driscoll plagiarize? Warren Throckmorton has a series of articles on his Patheos blog that digs into the details surrounding 4 books by Driscoll that contain questionable passages. My assessment, as a professor, is that Driscoll did plagiarize, but most likely it was due to sloppy practice and a push to publish more materials than he could possibly manage. Similar thoughts are shared by many writers including the folks like Kate Tracy at Christianity Today. But more important than Driscoll and discussion of plagiarism, are the deeper issues of pride that have brought us to this place where men and women who cant write, hire people who can and then stamp their name on the work. Much like the fiction of the Victoria Secret model, “famous” writers create a fiction about their intelligence to impress the world with a false image of who they really are.  John Piper has weighed in on this issue and Throckmorton chronicled his various Tweets on the topic. Just in case you want to hear my emotion about this ghost writing thing, here's groaning last July. http://t.co/nzmh57jTCW — John Piper (@JohnPiper) December 11, 2013 This applies to you too, presidents, ministry leaders, fund raisers. If someone writes a letter for you, put the name on it. — John Piper (@JohnPiper) December 11, 2013 If lying is the "industry standard" reject it. Come on, famous guys, if someone writes for you, put the plebe's name on it. — John Piper (@JohnPiper) December 11, 2013 Andy Crouch also has a thoughtful article in CT challenging Christians to a higher ethic in our publishing practices. All this is to set the stage for today’s conversation on the deeper issue of Ghostwriting. In this LIVE discussion Jim Belcher, author of “Deep Church” and I take these issues head-on and answer the question, “Is Ghostwriting a form of Christian Idolatry?” About Dr. Jim Belcher Jim Belcher was recently appointed as the 3rd president of Providence Christian College in California. Jim is a graduate of Gordon College with a B.A. in political science.  He went on to complete an M.A. at Fuller Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in political philosophy at Georgetown University. Belcher is best known as the author of Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional, which wonChristianity Today’s Best Book Award and Leadership Journal’s2010 Golden Canon Award.  Deep Church engages one of the most pressing ecclesiastical issues facing the evangelical world today, doing so without compromising the Reformed faith. His most recent book, In Search of Deep Faith: A Pilgrimage into the Beauty, Goodness, and Heart of Christianity, received top recognition as Christianity Today’s “Best of the Best” book for its 2013Leadership Journal awards.

Linter Notes In this episode of CLR, Dr. Miller discusses two of the four key components for leaders building teams. In today’s part 2, he shares ideas on Opening Up Your Team and Renewing Your Team.  In Part 1, he he covered  Structuring Your Team and Inspiring Your Team. 1. Opening-Up Your Team a. To open your team to the greatest possible success, you need Ordinary Greatness. ( See Pamela Bilbray and Brian Jones’ book “Ordinary Greatness”) Ordinary Greatness defines the success of a team. Ordinary Greatness is discovering people’s hidden strengths in the midst of unusual circumstances The obstacles to seeing ordinary greatness are:compartmentalization preconceived notions personal bias external focus business. b. Leaders must create an “Open” environment for ordinary greatness to shine. Achievement is defined by both Team Achievement & Team Cohesion. There are 4 kinds of team leaders. Unknown Blind Hidden Open c. How then can leaders develop Ordinary Greatness in their teams? Creating the Context for Ordinary Greatness Keep a servant-leader mindset Ensure your visibility, accessibility, approachability Lead by example Create lines of communication that connect Calibrating the Potential for Ordinary Greatness Identify the sources of motivation Understand the strengths and opportunities for greatness Listen for aspirational conversations Promoting Ordinary Greatness Select someone based on their engagement level Select someone who gives recognition Select someone who are engaged with the team Select someone who respects accountability. 2. Renewing Your Team a. The Success of a Team is determined by its ability to create a cycle of Generational Leadership. “Any team that wants to excel must have good substitutes as well as starters. That’s true in any field, not just sports.  You may be able to do some wonderful things with a handful of top people, but if you want your team to do well over the long haul, you’ve got to build your bench.  A great team with no bench eventually collapses.” – John Maxwell in his book, “The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork” b. Building the Leadership Pipeline (see the book, “The Leadership Pipeline : How to Build the Leadership-Powered Compan”) Focus On Performance: Create a Continuous Flow The Pipeline Turns Must be Fully Understood Short-Term and Long-Term Must be Considered Simultaneously c. Teams make Leaders and Leaders make teams.

Linter Notes In this episode of CLR, Dr. Miller discusses two of the four key components for leaders building teams. In today’s part 1, he shares ideas on Structuring Your Team and Inspiring Your Team.  In Part 2, he will explore Opening-Up Your Team and Renewing Your Team. 1. Structuring Your Team a. Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni an absence of trust fear of conflict, lack of commitment avoidance of accountability inattentive to results. b. Objectives of a Team Ruth Wageman builds on Lencioni’s foundation of trust and offers several additional insights in her book, “Senior Leadership Teams.” Wagemen then offers three objectives for every Senior Leadership Team (SLTs). Interdependent: Teams share responsibility for achieving the collective goal. Bounded: Teams set clear boundaries that establish their identity to everyone both inside and outside the team. Stable: Teams stay together long enough to establish identity, relationship, and complete the mission. c. Skills of a Team To build an SLT, both Team Design and Hands-on Leadership are important for diagnosing team structure and in the execution of their mission.   Effective teams value a diversity of skill-sets that encompass both team design and interpersonal relationships. d. Purpose of a Team Informational Teams: Exchange information about various ministries/departments/teams and act as a place of central intelligence agency to keep people informed. Consultative Teams: Gather for periodic meetings to provide advice and consent on major decisions. Coordinating Teams: Gather to plan, strategize, and execute key initiatives. Decision-Making Teams: make the small number of critical decisions that are most consequential to the enterprise. 2. Inspiring Your Team a. The Manipulative Leader Artie Davis @ artiedavis.com defines some keys to discerning the good leader from the manipulator.  You are manipulating and not leading if.. You get defensive with those who disagrees. You minimize others to maximize your position. You “triangulate” your power by secretly bringing others in to your side. You “strong arm” dissenters by forcing your agenda. You listen to placate instead of understand. You play the “listen! I’m the leader!” card, to get your way! You avoid the person that doesn’t follow “the right way.” You pray about your idea in a group with, in a way that would make dissenters feel small. You take credit and share blame. b. The Inspirational Leader i. The Pyramid of Success In creating the Pyramid, Wooden chose for his two cornerstones industriousness and enthusiasm, and the capstone of the Pyramid is competitive greatness. ii. Wooden’s 12 Lessons in Leadership. Lesson #2. Love is the most powerful four-letter word. Lesson #3. Call yourself a teacher. Lesson #4. Emotion is your enemy. Lesson #5. It takes 10 hands to make a basket. Lesson #6. Little things make big things happen. Lesson #7. Make each day your masterpiece. Lesson #8. The carrot is mightier than the stick. Lesson #9. Make greatness attainable by all. Lesson #10. Seek significant change. Lesson #11. Don’t look at the scoreboard. Lesson #12. Adversity is your asset.  “As our skill grows and our team spirit depends, we gain both the knowledge and inspiration required to let our confidence fully blossom.  We reach the apex of the Leadership Triangle when we feel supreme confidence in ourselves, in our team, and in what we accomplish together.” – John Wooden c. Four Keys to Team Centered Success John Baldoni, Lead by Example : 50 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Results(New York: American Management Association, 2009), xv. Set The Right Example: A leader will demonstrate a capability and competence to do the job well. Act The Part: A leader will demonstrate a genuine passion for what they do and show they are in charge of things. Handle The Tough Stuff: Everyone gets knocked down on the path to success, but leaders get up and demonstrate an ability to handle the obstacles which, in turn, inspires the team to follow. Put The Team First: Leadership is not a solo-act. Leaders point the way, share the work, share the spotlight, and take responsibility when things go wrong.

Liner Notes In today’s show, Dr. Miller discusses what it takes to lead individuals together and makes clear why not all groups of workers constitute a healthy team. 1. The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader a. Manage your relationships b. Manage your network c. Manage your teams 2. Who is a Leader? “In the church Family, every follower of Jesus is a member, every member is a minister and every minister is a leader.” 3. What is a team?  “A Team is a small community of people dividing and sharing in the workload to achieve a common purpose.” a. Teams in the Bible b. Teams in the ministry of Jesus c. Teams in the ministry of Paul 4. Leading Individuals as Teams a. The confusion about  “Leading Through Teams” b. Every group is not a team c. Teams are defined by mutual commitment d. Teams need clarity e  Not every leader can lead through teams   Suggested Reading Throughout today’s broadcast, Dr. Miller referenced the book “Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader” by Linda A. Hill, Kent Lineback. Pick up your own copy and see how it helps you learn the skills necessary to lead through teams.  

Liner Notes Dr. Miller begins today’s show with a quick recap of what it means to Lead From Strength, and leads into a discussion of leading with personality. The  tool Joe discusses is The Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory and how it can be used to make yourself a better leader and to build teams. 1. The MBTI® tool is based on 50 years of research, and it’s constantly being improved using new data and the latest assessment techniques. It can help you find your strengths Discover blind spots Understand how others perceive, or misperceive, you Get your ideas across more effectively to friends, family, a spouse, co-workers, and your boss. 2. Overview of MBTI® Self-Report Instrument Nonjudgmental Instrument Preference Indicator Well Researched Instrument Based on Jung’s Theory Built for the “normal” population 3. Four Dimensions of Personality How we interact with the world and where we direct our energy The kind of information we naturally notice How we make decisions Whether we prefer to live in a more structured way or a more spontaneous way 4.  A Quick Self-Assessment… What do you want your peers to know about you that would help in group work or discussion? What is a great strength that you have to offer your peers when working in group projects or in discussions? 5. What does it mean to lead with personality. Leading With Personality means you take the time to listen before you act. Leading with Personality means you take the time to motivate. 6. Two types of people Prevention Focus Promotion Focus. 7. Tips for motivating the team Find out which mindset dominates Match your communication style to the team’s needs Match their job to their motivation

Liner Notes In today’s podcast, Dr. Miller discusses 2 tools to help leaders learn how to lead form their strengths.  The first tool is The Strength Finders Assessment and the Second is the Myers Briggs Personality Assessment. Why Focus on Strengths Success – You’re more likely to experience success when working from your strengths The most effective leaders are always investing in strengths, their own and the strengths of their employees. Performance – You’ll be able to move from acceptable performance to near perfect performance Efficiency – When you concentrate on areas of natural strength, you can make greater improvement than you can when you concentrate on “fixing” weaknesses Satisfaction – Succeeding in an area of strength brings deeper fulfillment than shoring up a weakness Engagement levels are 73% when leadership focuses on strengths. Engagement levels drop to 9% when they fail to focus on strengths. 4 Components that make up your Strengths Knowledge How much you know about your job—the “What do I know?” EXAMPLE: A history teacher who has a deep understanding of the subject matter and can recall the relevant information when it is needed. Skill The ability to perform the fundamental tasks of a job—the “What I can do?” EXAMPLE:  A teacher, who has practiced his the presentation of his knowledge so that others can easily grasp that same knowledge. Talent A naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied to a job—the “What sets me apart from others?” EXAMPLE:  A teacher incorporates creative and stimulating methods into their presentation that captivate students. Spirit-Gifting Empowerment by the Holy Spirit of God with a unique gifting for the building up of the Body of Christ—the “What has God equipped me to be?” Strengths The ability to provide unique and invaluable performance in a job. STRENGTH = (KNOWLEDGE + SKILL + TALENT) x GIFTING Strength Finders 34 Themes Download All 34_Themes_Full_Descriptions HERE You can see the list of Dr. Miller’s top 5 Strengths HERE 4 Leadership Domains Relating Themes: Working with others Communication Empathy Harmony Includer Individualization Relator Responsibility Striving Themes: Working harder Achiever Activator Adaptability Belief Discipline Focus Restorative Self-assurance Significance Thinking Themes: Working Smarter Analytical Arranger Connectedness Consistency Context Deliberative Futuristic Ideation Input Intellection Learner Strategic Impacting Themes: Influencing Others Command Competition Developer Maximizer Positivity Woo Using Strengths to Build Teams Teams must have a representation of strengths in each of these four domains. Instead of one dominant leader who tries to do everything or individuals who all have similar strengths, contributions from all four domains lead to a strong and cohesive team. Individuals don’t need to be well-rounded, but teams do. Watch your language Strengths are all to often overlooked & treated as negatives… “She is so impulsive.” “He is so anal about all the details.” “He is just a dreamer and can’t focus on the task.” “Why does he always question everything?” Which do you practice? Strengths Building? Weakness fixing? The show was packed full of so much information on Leading From Strength, that Dr. Miller was not able to get to the materials on MBTI.  He plans to cover this material next week.

Liner Notes In today’s podcast, Dr Miller interviews Catalyst President Brad Lomenick, about his new book “The Catalyst Leader: 8 Essentials for Becoming a Change Maker” and what it takes to build leaders for the next generation. The original air-date for this show was June 27, 2013.  Some of the questions they discuss are… As a parent, your book’s dedication inspires me to be a better dad, so can you tell me how your parents modeled leadership? What does it mean to desire greatness as a leader? Is it better to help leaders avoid mistakes, or help them overcome mistakes? We have more books and conferences on leadership than ever, yet 82% of Christians think there is a leadership gap? What are we missing? As a Christian leader, is there such a thing as a “bad” collaborative partner? If so, how do you make that determination? About Brad Lomenick In a nutshell, Brad is an Oklahoma boy now residing in the South. He is a passionate follower of Christ and leader of a movement of young leaders called Catalyst. Their primary role is equipping, inspiring, and releasing the next generation of young Christian leaders through events, resources, consulting, content and connecting a community of like-minded Catalysts all over the world.. You can connect with brad on his facebook page or follow him on Twitter. About Catalyst Catalyst was conceived as a Next Generation Leaders Conference in 1999 by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, John Maxwell, Lanny Donoho and several young leaders. Catalyst was created to meet the felt need that existed within the church leader space for a leadership event that was focused on a new generation of church leaders. Everything within this space seemed built around a forty to sixty year old mindset and medium. This team was convinced that this needed to change. Since inception, over 100,000 leaders have made the annual trek to Atlanta to participate in the Catalyst Conference experience, and this October, once again over 12,000 young leaders will gather to experience Catalyst up close. In addition, over 3,000 leaders will gather for the Catalyst West Coast experience in Orange County, CA and 3,000 more will gather for the first ever Catalyst in Dallas.

Liner Notes In today’s show, Dr. Miller talks with Tami Heim, current Tami president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance.  Some of the questions they discuss are below. 1. Many leaders have created a false dichotomy between how they run their business and how they live their Christian faith. a. Can you share an example of why this approach is so harmful to christians business owners? b. Is there a crisis of ethics in the Christian business world? c. Can you give a definition or an example of what a healthy Christian business owner looks like? How do they properly integrate faith and business? 2. You are doing a lot of exciting things with Christian Leadership Alliance. In looking at your website I picked out a few things that looked interesting. a. Can you tell me about the CLA conferences? Who are they for and what do you hope to accomplish?  How are your conferences different from what the folks at Catalyst are doing? b. Tell me a bit about the online education you have put together? Who is that for and what is your ultimate goal? About Tami Heim Tami Heim has been the president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance, headquartered in San Clemente, CA, since January 2012. Her professional career includes executive leadership experience in the technology, marketing, publishing and retail industries. She has served as a partner in The A Group – Brand Development, executive vice president and chief publishing officer for Thomas Nelson Publishers, and as the president of Borders, Inc. After graduating from Purdue University in 1980, she entered the management training program at Federated Department Stores and continued to serve in various leadership roles until she left in 1996. At the time of her departure, she was responsible for the operations of both the LAZARUS and Goldsmith’s chains. Actively involved on the boards of EQUIP, Lead Like Jesus, Christian Alliance for Orphans, and Growing Leaders, she has a passion for Christian leadership development. About Christian Leadership Alliance We are an alliance of mission focused Christians who lead in today’s high-impact Christian nonprofit ministries, churches, educational institutions, and businesses. Christian Leadership Alliance (CLA) unites, trains, and equips Christian leaders to think higher for greater kingdom gain. We move beyond good Christian management to empower Christian leadership that’s catalytic in its transformation of people, their organizations, and ultimately the world. We recognize every organization holds a vision; however for that vision to be achieved, every Christian leader needs to be equipped and empowered for success. And for this reason we take it higher, offering lifelong learning that is taught by best of industry faculty across all spheres of ministry and business. And all of CLA’s lifelong learning experiences feature a solid biblical worldview. We create platforms to leverage and exchange expertise, knowledge, and innovative thinking. We maximize multiple distribution channels, formats, and learning experiences so leaders get what they need, when they need it. Extensive collaboration and a shared vision for God’s plan enable us to deliver higher thinking and the best practices for organizational effectiveness in eight core categories: Executive Leadership Resource Development Financial Management Tax & Legal Board Governance People Management and Care Internet and Technology Communications and Marketing We serve over 4,500 nonprofit ministries, but the measurement of CLA’s impact is not based upon the size of our membership or the number of those who engage in our learning resources. It is ultimately gauged by the effectiveness of our members’ personal leadership, how they empower their ministries, and all those whose lives are eternally changed because of what they do. We collectively take it higher for radical transformation, Kingdom gain, and God’s glory.

Liner Notes In today’s show, we discuss Leading the House Church with Ken Eastburn. Some of the questions we discussed are… How do you define the terms “Legacy Church”, “Organic”, & “House Church”? Tell me about your journey from a pastor in a traditional, or Legacy Church, into the organic House Church movement? How has your definition of Leadership changed over the years? How does the role of Elder fit into the House Church leadership? Do you believe there are some people in the church uniquely given the gift of “Teaching”?  If so, what does that mean on a practical level in how the church is lead? Does Jesus’ model of servant leadership work better in Organic Church than in a Legacy Church? About Ken Eastburn After years of ministry in churches God took Ken on an amazing ride down the rabbit hole and landed him right in the middle of the organic church movement. In 2005 Ken helped to lead a small traditional church out of their building and into a network of small organic churches. That church network, called The Well planted many small organic churches in Southern California and eventually in Ghana, West Africa. In 2012 Ken became the Director of House2House, a ministry that resources simple/organic/house churches all over the world. House2House began as a printed magazine, then started an annual House Church Conference. Now through House2House.com and SimpleChurch.com the organic church community has a place to connect, share insights, and gain knowledge. Ken now spends his days resourcing, coaching and connecting those who are interested in a more simple/organic way of gathering as the body of Christ. Ali Eastburn, Ken’s wife, is the director of a dynamic non-profit Christian ministry called With This Ring. Ken and Ali Eastburn live in Yorba Linda, California with their 3 boys, various exchange students from around the globe and their dog Oscar. Their house is never boring. You can always reach Ken via Twitter @Keneastburn  or on his website, KenEastburn.com

Liner Notes In today’s show, Dr Miller interviews long-time Hollywood actress Marta Dubois about her leadership role at Holy Wood Acting Studios. Some of the questions discussed are: • Is Hollywood a curse or a blessing on America? • Is an actor really a leader? If so, then what does leadership look like in Hollywood? • How does fame help or hinder Christians from becoming leaders? • How does the biblical call to pursue holiness mesh with the life of an actor? • How does Holy Wood acting studio help Christian actors become leaders? • What do you think are the keys to helping other Christians lead Hollywood? About Marta Dubois Marta is a professional actor and acting coach. She has been teaching in depth Scene Study for a number of years to many aspiring actors in Los Angeles. She is now the Acting Supervisor of Holy Wood Acting Studio. Marta starred in her first feature film “Boulevard Nights” in 1978 and has since been performing on stage, film and television including her most recent run in the series McBride on Hallmark. Marta has dozens of guest starring roles and series including; MAGNUM P.I., TALES OF THE GOLD MONKEY, STAR TREK: TNG, KING OF QUEENS, LAW AND ORDER and many more. Marta studied intensely with mentor Sal Dano for 3 years before auditioning, after which she started working steadily, but never stopped studying because as she says: “learning is limitless….” Boards and Organizations: Marta is a long standing member of SAG, AFTRA, and Equity Unions. About Holy Wood Acting Studios Holy Wood Acting Studio educates and prepares persons of all ages in order to develop their acting talent so that they can produce powerful works, including those that bring joy, hope, truth and beauty to the world and make a difference in people’s lives. We believe that actors are called to be notable role models and powerful leaders, so they must have a solid mental, physical, emotional and spiritual foundation. Aware of these vital needs in the future actor Holy Wood Acting Studio has developed what we call the four pillars of formation to prepare, train and educate the mind, soul and heart of the budding actors. In this full-out study program. they will be led on the path to becoming the best people God has planned for them to be, so they may use the talents He has given them to accomplish their mission as artists and people of integrity with resounding success. Holy Wood Acting Studio employs state-of-the-art equipment and utilizes unique teaching methods to accomplish this goal.

Linter Notes To discern the DNA of a leader; look to the life of his disciples.  A leader is only as good as the next generation of leaders they produce. 4 Barriers to Incarnational Leadership While Jesus is our model of incarnation, people don’t really want incarnational leadership. Impersonal Methods Consumer Mentality Self-Centered Mission Churchless Migration 5 Aspects to the DNA of Incarnation The DNA of Incarnational leadership is allowing the world to see, touch, hear, smell and taste the physical presence of Christ in us. #1: Incarnational Leaders Smell Like Jesus “The leader of the future church must move  from corporate executive to spiritual artisan who is painting the portrait of God on Men’s souls.” – Erwin McManus (2 Corinthians 2:14–17, ESV)  “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. ” #2: Incarnational Leaders Engage the Culture How do you engage a culture that has heard the Gospel, been saturated in Church, and ultimately rejected Jesus? (Acts 17:23, ESV)  “For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” #3: Incarnational Leaders Know “their” Story A Leader knows what is happening in the life of the congregation and can use those stories to inspire others. (Philippians 4:8–9, ESV)  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”  (2 Corinthians 8:18–19, ESV)  “With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.” #4: Incarnational Leaders Connect The Body “Leaders must give their people room to fail. People need encouragement rather than scorn when they struggle.” – John McAurther (1 Corinthians 14:26, ESV)  “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” #5: Incarnational Leaders Breathe Life Into the Next Generation (2 Timothy 2:1–2, ESV)  “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Liner Notes To discern the DNA of a leader; look to the life of his disciples.  A leader is only as good as the next generation of leaders they produce. Accountability is all about friction and conflict… but that is not to say all conflict is healthy. 4 Barriers to Creating a Culture of Accountability The Fear of Failure Lack of commitment from leaders and followers. A lack of clear expectations which is made worse by our fear of pain. The loss of shame 5 Aspects to the DNA of Accountability As Christian leaders, in the church or even in business, we need accountability. Accountable to God The DNA of Accountability is submitting to the Father’s will so we can experience the total pleasure in His holiness. Accountable to Men The DNA of Accountability grows relationships of forgiveness and cleansing, which reorient our beliefs, customs and practices, both public and private. #1: God’s Leader Is Accountable First To God “Spiritual leaders must not shun public accountability.” – Henry Blackaby (Acts 24:14–16, ESV)  “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. ” #2: God’s Leader Is Accountable To Other Leaders (Acts 15:1–2, ESV)  “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. ” #3: God’s Leader Is Accountable To The People (1 Corinthians 8:9–13, ESV) “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. ” (2 Corinthians 1:12–14, ESV) “For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and acknowledge and I hope you will fully acknowledge— just as you did partially acknowledge us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you. ” #4: God’s Leader Is Accountable To The Law (Romans 13:1–7, ESV)  “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. ” #5: God’s Leader Holds Other To Account (2 Peter 3:1–2, ESV) “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,” No one man or woman stands at the head of the body. We are fitted together as a family and committed to serving our one God and Father; YHWH. What are some of the systems that keep our local church Bodies healthy? The Organizational System:  Every church, from House Church to Mega-Church, has some kind of organizational structure. An Organizational System is like the Skeletal System.  The Pastors, Elders, Paid Staff, Deacons, Apostles, Overseers, etc.; all work to give the Body shape and offer both spiritual and physical protection (Acts 6:1-7is one good example). The Leadership System: The Leadership System determines how leaders connect with the rest of God’s people.  A Leadership System is like the Circulatory System. A healthy Leadership System filters out the waste, responds to the heartbeat of YHWH, and enables the individual parts of the Body to imbibe the life giving “nutrients” of Jesus Christ. And just like the veins in our human bodies, the more servant-leaders in a church, the healthier the Body will be. The Assimilation System: The Assimilation System moves people from outside the church into fully committed participants of the local church.  A system for assimilation is like the Digestive System.  A healthy Assimilation System ensures that every person involved in the church is using their Spirit-giftings, and talents, to nourish the Body. The Evangelism System: The Evangelism System enables the Body to fulfill the great calling of Christ to make disciples. A system for Evangelism is  like the human Reproductive system.  The Evangelism System connects all the members of the Body and uses their energy to create new life in Jesus Christ. These are just 4 of the organic Body-systems that come to mind, but there are many more. A clear understanding and healthy use of systems is biblical, and it enables the natural growth of the Church. Anyone who is planting and/or leading a church or business without the necessary systems is not building a viable church.

Linter Notes To discern the DNA of a leader; look to the life of his disciples. A leader is only as good as the next generation of leaders they produce. The opposite of commitment is Metrospirituality. The Christian-Metrospiritual has“Self” as the object of pleasure The Christian Metrospiritual has a desire for the Beautiful Leader. What then is commitment? COMMITMENT TO GOD: The DNA of Commitment is our love for God expressed in an ongoing decision to count the cost and follow after Jesus. COMMITMENT TO MAN: The DNA of Commitment is our love for people expressed in our willingness to faithfully share in both our joy and sorrow. 5 Aspects to the DNA of Commitment #1: The Committed Leader Does Not Fear The Dark Places “If those who prepare for leadership are looking for safe places, who will lead the church into the dangerous places” – Erwin McManus A Leader who does not fear… remains committed to the Gospel and, without fear, goes into the dark and shadowy places. A Leader who does not fear.. refuses to remove the risk of personal pain. A Leader who does not fear.. allows others to risk everything for the sake of Jesus Christ, BUT commits to help them experience hope in the midst of it. Psalms 23: YHWH is my Shepherd, I shall not diminish. He makes me repose in lush pastures; he leads me beside refreshing waters. He restores my whole being; He guides me along right paths for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they bring me comfort. You prepare a table before me in the full view of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and covenant-love will pursue me all the days of my life, and forever I will dwell in the house of YHWH. (original translation) #2: The Committed Leader Increases Momentum Newton’s First Law: “An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” #3: The Committed Leader Survives Conflict “Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.“ — Winston Churchill 2 Kinds of Conflict Internal (James 3:12–4:1, ESV) “Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? ” External (Philippians 1:27–2:2, ESV)  “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ” #4: The Committed Leader Works For God Your Theology of Leadership will determine how you ?practice leadership in the church. “When the Greeks got the gospel, they turned it into a philosophy; When the Romans got it, they turned it into a government; When the Europeans got it, they turned it into a culture; and When the Americans got it, they turned it into a business.” – Richard Halverson The only thought I will add to Halverson’s summary is that, “When the post-modern generation got the Gospel, they turned it into a cause for social justice.” #5: The Committed Leader Stands Firm Until The End Commitment to one another and to our God ?is the only way we can survive. Christians in America, and around the world, have a mistaken impression of the Gospel. Through both false teachers, and well intended leaders, we have come to believe that faith in Jesus Christ guarantees a pain free life. In a culture that has a medication for everything that ails, we have come to see Jesus as the Divine-Aspirin that relieves all suffering. In a society of affluence, we have come to see Jesus as the Heavenly-Piggy-Bank who promises material prosperity. As a result, people who suffer question the purpose of their life and the veracity of their faith. People in financial turmoil doubt their own worth to God. (Matthew 24:9–14, ESV) “[Jesus says to his disciples]“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Difficulties then should not cause us to doubt the love of Christ. Rather, we should embrace suffering and let it work to produce a deeper contentment in Jesus. (James 1:2–4, ESV) “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ”

Liner Notes Integrity means..  Inspired by God’s forgiveness, we live open and honest lives toward God and each other. The DNA of Integrity inspires us to live in honesty with a Father who, without reserve or measure, loves and forgives us. The DNA of Integrity removes the masks of “I am perfect” and “I have it all together” so we can live in humility with our Family. 5 Aspects to the DNA of Integrity #1: The Integrous Leader Builds God’s Kingdom Not A Personal Following “There is a big difference between drawing a crowd and building a church; marketers can draw a crowed, cults can draw a crowd, but only God’s people can build the Kingdom.” – Henry Blackaby (2 Kings 4:42–44, ESV)  “[During a great time of famine,] a man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord. ” This story is a model of movement; meeting a man where he was (the city of Baal’s provision) and taking him where he needed to be.  If we are gong to be integrous leaders who build Churches; not personal followings, then here is the approach.  The integrous leader has a Kingdom approach. First, Leaders must recognize that people will come because of some need. In preceding story, the man left behind his city god, “Baal-Shalishah:” not because he had a deep inner need for “God”, but because his life was messed up and he needed help. Second, Leaders must help people move forward past their need. Elisha did this by introducing this man to his God (Elohim) and letting the man know that Elisha’s God could meet his need. Third, Leaders must move forward and recognize that people need role-models. This man did not take a step of faith because he loved God, he moved forward because he saw in Elisha something to be trusted and admired.  There is nothing wrong with being a charismatic leader who draws people to the church.  There is nothing wrong with designing programs that will connect people to the church.  But… Fourth, Leaders must move forward and connect people to their Creator. The man in our story trusted Elisha and experienced a blessing.  Elisha then taught this man not to follow him, but to follow “God” (YHWH). Fifth, Leaders must move forward allow people to enter into God’s Dream. It is great to have a well thought-out Philosophy of Ministry and statement of purpose, but ultimately God’s dream is bigger. (Hosea 2:13–16, ESV)  “And I [YHWH] will punish [Israel] for the feast days of the Baals when she burned offerings to them and adorned herself with her ring and jewelry, and went after her lovers and forgot me, declares the Lord. “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. “And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ ” #2: The Integrous Leader Knows The Way “The key to dealing with a rapidly changing world, to dealing with this culture addicted to speed, is not to catch up, but to give up on keeping up.” – Erwin McManus Observations on Culture and Living a Kingdom Worldview Culture is neither our friend, nor is culture our enemy; it is simply the tool we can freely use to spread the Gospel. Methods can change without changing the message. Traditions can go in and out of fashion, and we should not elevate tradition above the person of Christ. Methods/Culture/Tradition are not the Way and effective leaders know how to distinguish each one from both our identity and our mission. (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ” #3: The Integrous Leader Is Marked By Humility “Blessed are the meek, blessed are the failures, blessed are the stupid, for they, unknown to themselves, have a grace which is denied to the haughty, the successful, and the wise” – Arnold Benet from his book “Anna of The Five Towns” (Proverbs 22:4, ESV)  “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” Our mission is not to provide an alternative to the world, but to demonstrate the Way of Christ. Risk #1: The first external risk of humble leadership comes from other leaders who love the pleasure of applause. Risk #2: The second external risk of humble leadership comes not from other leaders, but from the people whom we serve. Blessing: When you don’t care who gets the credit, you will accomplish a lot more for the Kingdom. “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. ” (Proverbs 15:33, ESV) #4: The Integrous Leader Is Worthy Of Being Followed I saw this sign from a company called “Legal Sea Foods” and it featured their slogan, “Not Just Selling Fish” “At Legal Sea Foods, we are not just a restaurant selling fish. Rather we are a fish company in the restaurant business. This philosophy drives everything that we do…” So what does it mean to be a leader worthy of being followed? First, the integrous leader is developed through brokenness. The story of David is just one example. [see King David] Second, the integrous leader is intentional about developing the inner Man (1 Timothy 4:12-16). Third, the integrous leader will face and embrace current reality regardless of how discouraging or embarrassing it might be (1 Corinthians 1 cf..). (Proverbs 11:2–3, ESV)  “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. ” #5: The Integrous Leader Is Rooted In The Gospel (Ephesians 4:11–16, ESV) “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Why is a leader rooted in the Gospel so important? First, because a leader rooted in the Gospel knows the doctrine of God, inspired by the Spirit and given through the Apostles, and makes sure these truths are faithfully passed on to the next generation of disciples.  These truths of our faith are crucial to preserving people from deceiving and/or self-deluded leaders. Second, because a leader rooted in the Gospel lives out his or her doctrine so that others can see the Gospel of Jesus demonstrated in love. Third, because a leader rooted in the integrity of the Gospel has established Christ as the only head.  A leader who builds his own authority and establishes his own following is not a practicing the Gospel. Fourth, a leader rooted in the Gospel ensures that every member of the church is given the opportunity to grow together.  Every person is given the opportunity to reach their Spirit-given potential because this is the only way that the Body will fulfill the Gospel of Jesus Christ.