Kenton Beshore
What It Takes to Lead in Various Church Roles
About The Episode
Today, Kenton Beshore, former Senior Pastor of Mariners Church, pinpoints the challenges and essential skills required for effective ministry, especially during difficult times. He emphasizes the importance of character in “severe” moments and gives us a gauge on ministry skill sets from church planters, transitions leaders, to executive pastors!
Welcome to Episode 113 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.
Insights from Kenton
MINISTRY IN THE “SEVERE” MOMENTS
- It’s when you lose momentum that you see what actually matters and what actually works.
- Character: In the severe moments, you get to see character.
BOUNDARIES
- Free time is dangerous, and alone time is dangerous. How can you keep boundaries in your leadership? How are managing your time?
- You need mentors, friends, and family who will keep you accountable.
- Accountable for: money, thought life, dealing with brokenness. Be aware of it all.
WHAT PASTORS NEED
- Relationships: peers who are thinking the way you think, living in the world you live
- The ability to manage the power you have
- Be FOR each other, not competing
POST-COVID PASTORAL BENEFITS
- Pastors have learned such valuable lessons, even after paying heavy prices during the pandemic.
WHY PASTORS NEED COMMUNITY
- There’s one per church. It’s easy to feel like your world is unique, and no one understands it. (But isolating leads you to sin.)
- By ourselves, we’re going to make really bad decisions.
- It’s nonsensical to preach that you need community without taking your own advice.
SKILL SETS FOR CHURCH PLANTING VS TRANSITION
- Pastoral, missional, time management, leadership…you need it all!
- Church planters need those skills, PLUS they are alone. Even more of a need for a cohort.
EXECUTIVE TEAM DEVELOPMENT
- Senior pastor has to become someone ready to partner with an Exec. Pastor.
- Problem: A leader can keep creating and connecting, but they might be bad at organizing it. This will eventually hurt your staff.
- It’s time for an Exec who is business-minded and can organize the right amount of structure and systems.
- Hiring someone from your church allows you to hire someone who is already in ministry at your church and already honoring you as a pastor role. Don’t say “no” for other people.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
- Be a learner.
- “I wish I would have been more courageous to ask more questions.”
Episode Links
No Rules Rules, by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer
If you’re a leader approaching a succession or transition. Or maybe you’re a few years in and beginning to see how complex transitions leadership is… go to The Art of Pastoral Succession and check out my brand new course in partnership with Carey Nieuwhof.
Are you in Transition or have one on the horizon? Check out our 2023 cohorts and get connected with us at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/
Who is Kenton Beshore?
Kenton Beshore served as Senior Pastor of Mariners Church in Orange County, CA for 35 years, during which the church experienced God’s incredible blessing and growth. In 2018 Kenton transitioned to the role of Pastor Emeritus, making way for Mariners’ new senior pastor, Eric Geiger, to take the reins. Today, Kenton is a part of the Mariners teaching team and takes the teaching ministry of Mariners to other Southern California churches. Kenton and his wife Laurie are passionate about investing in the next generation of pastors, igniting them to become all God has called them to be through mentoring and coaching. They spend the remainder of their time investing in their 11 grandchildren.
Sponsors
Thanks to our sponsor: OneHope: OneHope’s mission is to reach every child and youth in the world with God’s Word through the global church. In 35 years of ministry OneHope has reached more than 2 billion young people with the Gospel. Learn how you and your church can get involved by visiting onehope.net/learnmore/.
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About the Host
Sean Morgan is a coach and speaker with a national reputation as a catalyst of fresh vision. His passion is to help ministries navigate obstacles and turn them into opportunities.
Throughout his career, Sean has pioneered initiatives impacting thousands of leaders across the country. He started out serving as Executive Pastor and CFO at New Life Church in northern California.
As host, Sean gives you access to amazing conversations, hard-won wisdom, and poignant insights from world-class leaders in intimate “living room” settings.
Your Host
Sean Morgan
Leaders in Living Rooms
Craft & Character
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