Defining Moments

Productive Paranoia and Unexpected Blessings
Bill Hybels, Jim Mellado, with Jim Collins, Part 2

About this Episode
In Great by Choice, best-selling business author Jim Collins explores key behaviors of great organizations. In this second part of Defining Moments, Bill and Jim explore Jim's concepts of "productive paranoia" and "return on luck." Bill shares some really deep convictions about how church leaders should handle risk-especially when it comes to resources. When a church experiences an incredible blessing-or even a miracle-how church leaders steward that opportunity can make a big difference. Are you managing risk appropriately for your church and prepared if a great blessing were to come your way?

Building a Great Church through Fanatic Discipline
Bill Hybels, Jim Mellado, with Jim Collins, Part 1

About this Episode
In Great by Choice, best-selling business author Jim Collins explores the role of discipline in the strategy of great organizations. Bill and Jim explore how the concepts of a "20-mile march" and "fire bullets, then cannonballs" apply within the context of local church leadership-creating fantastic church services week in and week out and building a high-performing staff team over time. Using the concept of empirical creativity, Bill explains how Willow tested and launched a new strategy for connecting people into community by breaking the auditorium into sections, led by gifted section leaders. What are your church's 20-mile marches and bullets?

Coaching Influential Leaders in their Spiritual Journey
Bill Hybels, Jim Mellado, with Testimony by Carly Fiorina

About this Episode
In this edition, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado go behind the scenes to explore Bill's ongoing relationships with Summit faculty, and more broadly how he coaches influential leaders towards Christ. As a senior leader with a very full calendar, Jim asks Bill how he makes space and keeps personal evangelism alive in his life.

Helping People Move from Here to There
Henry Cloud and Jim Mellado with Bill Hybels

About this Episode
The essence of leadership is change-moving people towards a more preferred future. As we look toward the new year, Henry Cloud joins Jim Mellado for a special episode in which he expounds on Bill's popular Summit talk, "From Here to There." Henry helps us understand how we can lead people past their current obstacles into a preferred future built on hope-not just wishful thinking. He also describes the mindset needed for leaders to both live in the current reality and also cast vision for a much better future.

Negotiating through Conflict
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Dr. William Ury

About this Episode
According to recent reports, one of the top reasons that pastors leave the ministry every year is contention within their church. This month's session focuses on the skills of conflict and negotiation. Based on a Summit session with Dr. William Ury, best-selling author of Getting to Yes, Bill and Jim bring these lessons to bear on real-life conflicts that pastors face.

Defining Categories and Strategies for Managing People
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Henry Cloud

About this Episode
Most leaders face the challenge of managing a diversity of people and situations. Depending on the situation, the right approach can be the difference between mission achievement or calamity. Based on Henry Cloud's framework of dealing with wise, evil, and foolish people, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado talk about strategies for encouraging wise people, navigating the foolish, and guarding against evil.

Ministry Entrepreneurship
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Len Schlesinger

About this Episode
What new ministry ideas are you launching? In this episode, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado reexamine Len Schlesinger's session on entrepreneurship, challenging churches to continually experiment with new approaches to help people find and follow Christ.

Spiritual Practices that Bring Life to Your Leadership
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Mama Maggie Gobran

About this Episode
Mama Maggie Gobran serves in one of the toughest areas of Cairo, Egypt. At The Global Leadership Summit 2011, she shared her story of perseverance while maintaining a connected heart to Jesus. In the few moments that Mama Maggie spoke, thousands were touched. Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado unpack this touching moment describing the impact of her countenance, presence, and spiritual intent and challenging all of us.

Entering the Danger
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Patrick Lencioni

About this Episode
How vulnerable is your team? When a hard truth needs to get shared, are you willing to enter the danger and awkwardness of disagreement? In this episode of Defining Moments, we revisit Patrick Lencioni's comments about vulnerability within a team.

The Pace of Change
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Michelle Rhee

About this Episode
Leaders often face a tension as to how much change they push for in any given season. Too much change and the team can burn out, too little and atrophy sets in and momentum is lost. In this episode of Defining Moments, Bill and Jim revisit Jim's interview with Michelle Rhee at The Global Leadership Summit. "Not an incremental girl," Michelle was a bold, courageous leader within the Washington DC school district, yet faced strong opposition to the amount of changes she introduced within a small time period. Within a church environment, monitoring the pace of change can make a huge difference.

Leading with Greater Boldness
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Rich DeVos

About this Episode
Rich DeVos, co-founder of Amway Global and owner of the Orlando Magic, was one of the first business leaders to speak at the Global Leadership Summit in 2002. He brought valuable lessons to that event that are still very relevant today. Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado discuss Mr. DeVos' four stages of leadership: Building, Managing, Justifying Non-Performance and Blaming and their application to the church setting. As one of the wealthiest individuals in the United States, Mr. DeVos also gives insight into how to relate to people in your church who have been blessed with great affluence. This leads to a great discussion on relating to high-capacity donors and communicating to your congregation about the church's financial reality. Watch and then go "Hit 'em up!"

The Practical Side of Humility
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with John Dickson

About this Episode
One of the most impactful sessions of the 2011 Global Leadership Summit was an apologetic of Humility shared by Dr. John Dickson. This month, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado apply this message to the church by discussing ways leaders can guard their culture and themselves from being too self-focused. Plus insight into keeping pride from getting a foot-hold in your ministry.

Cultivating Your Church's Heart for the Under-Resourced
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Richard Curtis

About this Episode
During 2007, the Summit team traveled to Notting Hill, a neighborhood in London, England to film a discussion between British screenwriter, producer, director, Richard Curtis and Bill Hybels. Richard has a heart to take what he does best, and use it for good. He's founded charities, created initiatives and pressured the government, all to make strides to end world poverty. Their conversation made an impact on all who witnessed this original session from The Global Leadership Summit and reinforced the need for the Church to be more intentional in growing more compassionate hearts for the under-resourced and taking action to serve them.

The Language of Leadership
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Dr. Richard Allen Farmer

About this Episode
A leader's words really matter. In this episode, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado revisit a talk by Dr. Richard Allen Farmer in which he encourages leaders to pay more attention to the words they choose. Primarily addressing the unique challenges of communicators, this session also has relevance to those who lead in other settings, where their words still carry disproportionate weight.

Leading Change Together
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Carly Fiorina

About this Episode
How do you lead a healthy team dynamic? In this episode, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado revisit a classic interview with Carly Fiorina at The Global Leadership Summit. During the interview, Bill asked her about the dynamics within her board. Bill and Jim then identify the dynamics involved in healthy teams.

Casting a Vision that Sticks
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Andy Stanley

About this Episode
How are you casting vision? Revisiting a classic Summit talk by Andy Stanley, "Making Vision Stick," this month's episode helps leaders cast vision through both their services and conversations. Bill and Jim offer their own insights building on Andy's suggestions that we cast vision by defining the problem, offering the solution, and presenting a reason why the vision must be pursued.

The Leader's Inner World
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with Wayne Cordeiro

> Individual and Team Questions

About this Episode
How is your inner world? This month's Defining Moments was strategically selected to help you prepare for the busy ministry season ahead. Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado revisit Wayne Cordiero's classic Summit talk "Dead Leader Running" (which we posted in its entirety earlier this week). Following a brief excerpt from the talk, Bill and Jim go deeper on the topic, identifying the sources of burnout and the questions that leaders must address in creating a replenishment strategy.

Hiring Stars vs Developing Stars
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with clips from Professor Ashish Nanda

About this Episode
Can you hire your way out of your church's biggest problems? According to Ashish Nanda, it's risky business. During this edition of Defining Moments, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado revisit a classic Summit segment to talk about hiring versus developing leaders from within an organization.

Leading Differently As Your Congregation Grows
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado revisit Bishop T.D. Jakes' 2004 Summit Talk

About this Episode
Are limiting your church's potential by ignoring necessary transitional changes. In this episode, Bill talks about Bishop T.D. Jakes' classic Summit talk "Exceptional Leadership at Every Level." Jakes, the pastor of The Potter's House church in Dallas, introduces the weaning process churches must face in order to maintain growth.

Thinking Gray and Thinking Free
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with clips from Steven Sample

About this Episode
Should a leader make quick decisive decisions or approach decisions slowly? How can considering completely outrageous, unworkable solutions help you find the right answer to a problem? Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado tackle these questions in this episode Defining Moments where they look back at part of Bill's interview with Steven Sample, former President of the University of Southern California and author of the book The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership and discuss how "gray thinking" and "thinking freely" have impacted Bill and the church staff.

Candor and Differentiation
Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado with clips from Jack Welch

About this Episode
What role do candor and differentiation play in your church team? Is it okay to call certain staff members "A" players or to speak frankly? In this edition of Defining Moments, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado revisit a segment of Bill's interview with Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric. Bill further discusses these two ideas and how he has applied them within a church environment.

Creating a Strategy for Spiritual Growth: Willow's Story
Bill Hybels with Jim Mellado

About this Episode
Does your church have a strategy for how growing people into Christ-centered disciples? This Defining Moments features an interview with Bill Hybels by Jim Mellado at WCA's recent Transformation Intensive. They talk about Willow's changes since taking Reveal and the ministry challenges ahead.

Does God Whisper?
Bill Hybels with Jim Mellado

About this Episode
Christ-following leaders have can have an ongoing conversation with God that directs their leadership. During this edition of Defining Moments, Bill Hybels and Jim Mellado help leaders understand the impact of listening for, discerning and obeying God's promptings.

The Power of Agreement
Jim Mellado and Harvey Carey with host Mindy Caliguire

About this Episode
Can you identify with the very real danger of sometimes relying more on your own strength and talent, rather than on the power of God to move in our ministries. This month, Pastor Harvey Carey from Citadel of Faith in Detroit, Jim Mellado, President of the Willow Creek Association and Host Mindy Caliguire, the WCA's Transformation Ministry Director look very closely at the topic of prayer. God's power, released through agreement in prayer is amazing, and yet there are barriers to prayer. Hear practical thoughts on how we might recover a vibrant and authentic dependence on prayer in our personal lives and in our ministries.

The State of Evangelism in the Church
Bill Hybels and Bob Merritt with host Nancy Beach

About this Episode
Bob Merritt, Senior Pastor of Eagle Brook Community Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota and a pastor passionate about mentoring other church leaders through the WCA and Eagle Brook Association sits with Bill Hybels to discuss the current evangelistic temperature in the Church. These pastors, who are obsessed with reaching the lost and helping them grow into full devotion, have a lot to say about what they see in their own churches, those they mentor and even in themselves. Be prepared to take a look at yourself and the temperature in your own church.

Navigating the Land Between
Bill Hybels and Jeff Manion with host Nancy Beach

About this Episode
One of the most talked about sessions from the 2010 Summit was given by Jeff Manion, Senior Pastor of Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This month, Jeff joins Bill and Nancy to share his story of The Land Between. Hear some of the challenges of ministry deserts that they have experience and be encourage to persevere.

Spiritual Direction In Worship Services
Bill Hybels, Matt Lundgren & Aaron Niequist with host Nancy Beach

About this Episode
Weekend services…the gathering of the entire church body, is your opportunity to create space for your congregation to meet with God. For years, Willow has been very intentional to make room for these transcendent moments. Hear some of the latest thinking from Willow's Executive Producer and Worship Leader Matt Lundgren and Worship Leader Aaron Niequist as they talk with Bill and Nancy about ways they've done that this past year. Learn some practical examples that will help you create these spiritual direction moments in your own gatherings.

What Intimacy Requires, Part 2
Henry Cloud with introduction by Bill Hybels

About this Episode
This month's Defining Moments is the second of our two-part series on a topic that you rarely hear discussed in church: Sex and Intimacy with clinical psychologist Dr. Henry Cloud. This is a topic that bears frank discussion. It is a call to action for us as leaders, as we seek to answer the question, "How can I help those in my span of care grow—not only in their leadership skills or spiritual lives, but holistically—in their emotional and relational lives as well? How can I as a leader grow in these areas as well?"

What Intimacy Requires, Part 1
Henry Cloud with introduction by Bill Hybels

About this Episode
This month's Defining Moments addresses a topic that you rarely hear discussed in church: Sex and Intimacy. Clinical psychologist Dr. Henry Cloud discusses the 6 essential ingredients of healthy, intimate relationships. Henry is both disarming and in-your-face challenging. As you listen, be thinking not only of your own intimacy or sexual issues, but of the very real, very painful struggles with intimacy and sex that are facing the majority of the people you rub shoulders with every day. This is a topic that bears frank discussion. It is a call to action for us as leaders, as we seek to answer the question, "How can I help those in my span of care grow—not only in their leadership skills or spiritual lives, but holistically—in their emotional and relational lives as well?" How can I as a leader grow in these areas as well?"

Uncommon Friends – 35 Years Together in Ministry
Bill Hybels, Joel Jager, Scott Pederson & Tim VandenBos

About this Episode
As Willow Creek Community Church celebrates its 35th anniversary, in this month's defining moments, Bill Hybels is joined by three friends who helped start Willow Creek with him back in 1975 and who have remained involved in leading the church since that time! You too will be encouraged to stay the course of friendship—growing together—in the midst of church leadership.

Creating a Leadership Development Engine
Wayne Cordeiro and Jim Mellado

About this Episode
Leadership development isn't a program you do—it's a culture you live out. In this episode of Defining Moments, Jim Mellado is joined by Wayne Cordeiro. Wayne is the Senior Pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu, Hawaii, and President of New Hope Christian College. They share practical ways that you can infuse leadership development in your culture by offering multiple platforms for emerging leaders, staff training, and everyday mentoring.

Managing with Discernment
Henry Cloud and Jim Mellado with host Nancy Beach

About this Episode
Leadership requires your ability to understand and work with people. Yet not all people are the same. In this edition of Defining Moments, Psychologist and Best-Selling Author Henry Cloud talks about three kinds of people that leaders encounter: wise people, foolish people, and evil people. In this practical session, Henry then helps us discern who falls into each group and gives us advice for leading each.

Spiritual Formation for the Next Generation
Bill Hybels and Shane Farmer

About this Episode
When were some of the most spiritually formative experiences in your life? For many leaders, our student years were the time when we found Christ or made significant commitments that have shaped our ministry. In this episode of Defining Moments, Bill Hybels and Shane Farmer share their insights about what is working in Willow's high school ministry, Student Impact and explore the vital relationship between the Senior Pastor and the Student Ministry Pastor.

Emotionally Healthy Leadership
Bill Hybels and Peter Scazzero

About this Episode
Your leadership is affected more than you may imagine by the your emotional health. Listen to Bill Hybels and Pete Scazzero, Senior Pastor of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, NY and author of The Emotionally Healthy Church and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality discuss ways to assess your own emotional health, the affects of your emotional health on the teams you lead, and steps you can take to improve.

Embedding Compassion Into the DNA of Your Church
Bill Hybels and Rich Stearns with Host Nancy Beach

About this Episode
How is your church engaging with the poor? Some churches thrive in serving the underresourced, while others are insulated. In this month's episode, Bill Hybels and Rich Stearns share their own experiences with global poverty and how it has impacted their leadership. They address the questions of what God expects of us, how we should combat "stupid poverty," and lead our churches towards biblical, effective solutions.

Welcoming the Stranger
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About this Episode
You hear about this issue on the news, but do you know it may very well be an issue in your own church? This episode of Defining Moments addresses a topic every church leader either is or will be dealing with: the undocumented immigrant individuals and families in our communities. We have an opportunity to live out Jesus commands to love our neighbors and offer hospitality, community, and tangible help. Hear how one church stumbled upon this issue and the steps they are taking to address it.

Living a Better Story
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About this Episode
As a leader, what story are you living? If your life was made into a movie, would it be worth watching? In this episode of Defining Moments, Willow Creek teaching pastor Darren Whitehead interviews Donald Miller, best-selling author and speaker about how a leader's story impacts their leadership. They provide church leaders with practical ideas for how they can leverage their story in their leadership.

Building a Culture for Authentic Spiritual Growth
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About this Episode
What kind of culture are you creating in your church? In this edition of Defining Moments, author and psychologist Henry Cloud joins Jim Mellado, president of the Willow Creek Association and host Nancy Beach for a hands-on leadership conversation about:

• The definition of culture
• Symptoms of healthy vs. unhealthy culture
• Practical leadership steps for shaping and changing culture

Growing As a Leader
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About this Episode
How do you learn and grow in front of your congregation? Many leaders wrestle with what, how much, and when to share what God is impressing on their heart—trying to be authentic and appropriate.

In this session of Defining Moments, Bill Hybels and host Nancy Beach are joined by Cal Rychener, Senior Pastor of Northwoods Community Church located in Peoria, IL. Cal shares his story of experiencing God stirring some things in his own heart that he knew would have major implications for his church. He describes how he acted on those stirrings and how Northwoods is changing as a result. He and Bill also share some principles they've adopted over the years of stewarding their personal learnings when leading and teaching their congregation.

Self-Leadership: Replenishment Disciplines
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About this Episode
This past season has been a difficult one for many. Leading…whether it's in ministry, business or our homes…has stretched us, challenging our capacities and drawing down our reserves until at some point we realize that we are tired and functioning at less than our best…at the very time that God needs us to be at our best. It's our job to figure out a personal routine of replenishment disciplines that keeps our heart filled up and our body and soul healthy. How do we do that? And what kinds of adjustments do we need to make when our circumstances change and the demands get higher? In this session of Defining Moments, Bill and host Nancy Beach will answering those questions and more.

Staying on Budget When the Game Changes
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About this Episode
For most churches, setting up their annual budget is a process that is difficult, but necessary. Based on projected revenue, leaders determine what funds they will have in the coming year for staff salaries, building maintenance, debt reduction and then how much will be invested in various ministries. But what happens when the game changes, as it has this past year, and the projected revenue numbers aren't close to reality? Expenses need to come down to match revenue. But where do you begin making adjustments? And how do you make those adjustments quickly but in a way that honors God and allows the ministry of the church to continue at a critical time in our history? In this session of Defining Moments, Brian McAuliffe the CFO of Willow Creek Church will be joining Bill and host Nancy Beach. He and Bill will be sharing what they've learned about staying on budget when the game changes, as well as some very practical steps to adjusting to the current economic realities in your church. In addition, Bill and Brian will talk about how to set up long-term cash reserves, how to allocate resources and other things that will set your church up well to weather future financial crisis.

Handling Staff Reductions Well
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About this Episode
The economic downturn and subsequent budget shortfalls have forced church leadership into the position of having to reduce their staffs. Many are experiencing this for the first time and realizing there's more to doing it well than what they had first thought. How do you decide who stays and who goes and who's involved in that decision? How do you deliver the news in a way that honors the person being let go? What kind of compensation packages do you put together? And how do you lead the staff that's staying on in a way that acknowledges the loss of a colleague and yet moves them forward? In this session of Defining Moments, Bill Hybels and host Nancy Beach will be joined by Greg Hawkins, Executive Pastor at Willow, and Colby Burke, Willow's Director of Human Resources. They'll be exploring these questions and more as they discuss the staff reductions that Willow experienced earlier this year.

Volunteerism
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About this Episode
With fewer paid staff, how do churches continue to do the work of the ministry? The obvious answer is volunteers. But volunteerism is not about filling slots. As you'll hear in this edition of Defining Moments, it is about equipping believers…developing people. In this session of Defining Moments, Bill Hybels and host Nancy Beach will be joined by Vernon and Charlene Armitage. Their church, Pleasant Valley, is known for how they develop volunteers and every year they mentor and train other churches how to do the same. They will be sharing their expertise and answering the most commonly asked questions.

Group Life at Willow: Where We've Been, What We've Learned and Where We're Going
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About this Episode
Over the course of the past 20 years, group life at Willow has gone through several different eras, each one responding to the needs of the congregation and the changing demands of society. Each era had its strengths and weaknesses and Willow has worked hard to learn from both, carrying the strengths into the next era and leaving behind mistakes made and what wasn't working anymore. In this session of Defining Moments , Bill Hybels and host Nancy Beach will be joined by Bill Donahue. Bill Donahue has been on the frontlines of group life for the past 17 years at Willow Creek Church and has served as the champion of group life for the Willow Creek Association. He is recognized worldwide as one of the experts on the subject of biblical community. Bill Hybels and Bill Donahue will be walking through the various eras that group life has gone through at WIllow and will candidly explore the learnings from each. They'll also talk a bit about where Willow is today.

Managing Change
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About this Episode
About a year ago, Willow Creek Community Church made a major transition as the leaders decided to change the format of the midweek service, called New Community. In this edition of Defining Moments, senior pastor Bill Hybels, executive pastor Greg Hawkins, the leader of this transition, Leanne Mellado, and host Nancy Beach talk about the change process they went through and identify transferable principles to help church leaders navigate significant changes.

Ask Bill
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About this Episode
For this session of Defining Moments, our host, Nancy Beach poses questions to Bill that have been submitted by other WCA senior pastors. The questions are not necessarily connected in any way, but most of the ones we received could be separated into several different buckets: the economy, self-leadership, multi-site, evangelism and social activism and church growth.

Caring for Our Communities
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About this Episode
I think most of us would agree that being a Christ follower is about more than securing our place in heaven when we die. We have been charged to live out the values of Christ…to reflect his heart…to engage with our neighbors and our communities in such a way that they can be transformed by the love and power of God: not for the future, but for now. All too often in our churches, the job of "community care" is passed off to the senior pastor or a select few with a mercy gift. Clearly that's not the model that Jesus laid out for us. How can we envision our people to own this value of compassionate care and what kinds of things can we be doing to care for our communities? In this edition of Defining Moments, Bill and host Nancy Beach will be joined by Tom Jensen, Executive Director of the Community Care ministry here at Willow and Josie Guth, Director of Willow's Care Center. They will be sharing with us some of their current learnings and latest thinking around caring for our communities.