Markus Watson - Spiritual Life and Leadership

Markus Watson - Spiritual Life and Leadership The Spiritual Life and Leadership podcast helps leaders discover healthy ways to integrate their inn

"Do you want to impress Christians or do you want to actually live like Jesus?"What if the best leadership isn’t about h...
10/30/2025

"Do you want to impress Christians or do you want to actually live like Jesus?"

What if the best leadership isn’t about having the answers, but about asking the questions that draw out wisdom, connection, and creativity from those around us? What if the most transformational moments in ministry happen not when we speak—but when we invite others to share, reflect, and dream with us?

In this episode, J.R. Briggs, author of The Art of Asking Better Questions discusses how asking great questions can open new possibilities for ministry leaders and lead to healthier, more effective leadership—for ourselves and our churches.

Listen to Episode 292, "Why do Effective Leaders Prioritize Asking Over Answering? With J.R. Briggs" at www.markuswatson.com/292

10/30/2025

"Neuroscientists call this that when someone is asked a question, their brain is hijacked." --J.R. Briggs

When someone asks a question, your brain goes wild. Neuroscientists say it's like a hijack! Questions draw us in, forcing us to participate. It opens doors and possibilities.

10/26/2025

"The way you get your values is by telling stories." --Tod Bolsinger

Values are best understood through storytelling. An exercise involving sharing stories of heroes or moments of pride can reveal a church's true values. This method helps connect with core beliefs on a deeper level.

10/25/2025

"If you listen to enough people, pretty quickly you would realize there are a lot of things that could be done. And every now and then, you go, 'Oh, that's ours to do.'" --Tod Bolsinger

To improve the community, ask people what they love about it and what makes it difficult. If good people unite, they can identify things to be done and see what's theirs to do.

10/25/2025

"It worked because of the relationships that they had. They knew that it was the pain point in their community, right? Food insecurity was the pain point." --Markus Watson

A health fair was okay, but a food pantry? That clicked. It wasn't just food; it was the relationships, the understanding of the community's pain point. Every Sunday lunch after church showed their deep connection. It was like, 'This is who we are.'

10/25/2025

"Education. Education's really important." --Tod Bolsinger

mumbling grace at family dinners? One person realized they misheard a very speedy blessing! Education and family values were paramount. Some old-fashioned beliefs mixed with progressive achievements. A funny reflection on family and learning.

10/23/2025

"We embrace imperfections, and we are intentional about love." --Tod Bolsinger

A group recounted stories of a church member—tough, quirky, and lovable. The shared values emerged: embracing imperfections and loving intentionally. It's not about being perfect; it's about being intentional.

10/22/2025

"Leadership is energizing a community of people toward their own transformation, so they can accomplish a shared mission." --Tod Bolsinger

Leadership is about energizing people toward transformation to accomplish a shared mission. But transformation stops if trust is broken. A leader's first job? To become someone worthy of trust.

10/22/2025

"There's this old rabbinic tale that says, 'When you get to heaven and God judges you, he's not gonna ask you why you weren't Moses.' He already had a Moses. He's gonna ask you why you weren't you. And I think that's true for churches, too." --Tod Bolsinger

That old rabbinic tale reminds us that we're not meant to be copies of others. God doesn't need another Moses; He needs you to be uniquely you. When we embrace our true selves, we're better equipped to serve our community's specific needs.

What pain point is your charism calling you to address?

10/21/2025

"A church in Irving, Texas said, 'Our deepest value has always been a church that really cares about sharing the Gospel with our neighbors.'" --Tod Bolsinger

Discover how a church in Irving, Texas, became one of the most diverse congregations. Originally focused on its own community, the church realized the neighborhood's changing demographics meant many newcomers felt excluded. This led to a transformation, making it a place of belonging for all.

10/20/2025

"A whole bunch of people in Austin, Texas got a letter that said, 'Your medical debt is gone,' and it has been paid for by this church." --Tod Bolsinger

Imagine receiving a letter saying your medical debt is gone, paid for by a church. The pastor explained they realized the church loves doing acts of kindness. They created the Love Letter Fund to send love to their community with no strings attached.

Have you felt this?

"God captured my imagination and turned my life fully around to my identity and my ambition, being set on being a discip...
10/20/2025

"God captured my imagination and turned my life fully around to my identity and my ambition, being set on being a disciple and making disciples for my whole life."

Why is it that so many ministry leaders—people called to reflect Christ’s love—so often end up burned out, disillusioned, or driven by power and platform instead of humility and service? It’s heartbreaking when church leadership doesn’t “smell like the gospel,” and instead resembles the very systems of profit and self-promotion it should prophetically resist.

In this episode, Jason Jensen, Vice President of Spiritual Foundations for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and author of “Formed to Lead,” unpacks what true spiritual formation for leaders looks like, how to hold humility and faith in tension, and how suffering and the wilderness can become gifts in our ministry.

Listen to Episode 288, "Leadership That Smells Like the Gospel, with Jason Jensen" at www.markuswatson.com/288

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