Mars Hill planted a location in Phoenix, Arizona. Six months later the church collapsed. Instead of shutting down the church and returning home, Tim Birdwell launched a new church the very next Sunday. Not only did Tim transition from preaching occasionally to every week, he was following in the footsteps of a leader who built a large movement on the back of his communication skills.
Several years after Phoenix Bible Church established itself as its own unique congregation, the church was then faced with the possibility of merging with an older, historic church in decline.
In this episode we explore the initial challenges of founding a new congregation amidst controversy, developing your own authentic preaching voice when taking over for a dynamic communicator, and establishing a unique church identity.
Whether leading through crisis or leading through opportunity, transparent leadership, acknowledging and addressing congregational concerns, and maintaining a clear vision throughout it all are all critical components the ministry leader must navigate. And while doing all the heavy lifting, the leader is also faced with the challenge of nurturing relationships and cultivating community.
If you're interested in hearing one way to navigate crisis in your church and capitalize on the opportunities that arise, you'll love this episode with guest speaker, Pastor Tim Birdwell. Connect with Tim on X, https://x.com/timbirdwell.
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