Mike Bodine

Post Pandemic Staff Health

About The Episode

 

“We tell our staff…  if you are happy or aligned with 70% of what we’re doing as a church, then lay down the other 30% and embrace what God is doing.” On this episode we welcome Mike Bodine from Central Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike is gracious enough to invite us into his living room to discuss the health of Central’s staff, the health of their church, and the health of the relationship between Mike and his Lead Pastor, Jud Wilhite. Mike shares incredible wisdom on fighting for culture in your church and why it matters. As he so concisely summarizes, “Culture is everything.” 

Welcome to Episode 065 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.

Insights From Mike Bodine

Look for Opportunities Where Needs Can Be Met

  • Transitions – most people find God when they are in a transition. 
    • There are good and bad transitions throughout life. Some examples of transition are: the birth of a baby, a new job, a promotion at work. Death in the family, divorce, sickness, etc. 
    • How can we meet the needs of people who are experiencing transition? 
    • We wire up ministries to step into their world, identify the need in their life, to invite them into God’s world. 

Fighting for Culture

  • “Culture is like a garden. There are seeds and weeds. You have to plant good seeds in and pull bad weeds out. But first you have to be able to identify them…”
    • Pay close attention to attitudes of the heart. Root them out, weed them out, address them. Don’t just let them go, or else they will grow. 
  • What are the seeds?
    • Vision. Vision must be in the DNA of the culture. 
    • Beliefs. Beliefs are highly important – everyone knows them, believes them, and has a heart alignment to them. 
    • Values. Values are super important. That you know your staff values. Do the behaviors of your team match what you are putting down on paper?
  • How do you address the weeds?
    • Education first – make sure each staff member is educated on what the culture is. 
    • Conversation. Matthew 18. 
    • Confrontation. We own it with the staff member at this point. What can we do to work this out together? Because to not work it out is not an option.
    • Cessation. An exit doesn’t necessarily make them wrong, it just makes them not a part of our culture.

Celebrating Impact

  • “If you are happy or aligned with 70% of what we’re doing as a church, then lay down the other 30% and embrace what God is doing.” 
  • We do team as a team. Because we truly believe we are better together. 
  • Celebrating Impact
    • “Constantly celebrate the impact your team is making.”
    • Look for God things. 
    • Share God stories.
    • Celebrate God’s impact.

Keeping Staff Aligned & Engaged

  • One of the lowest %’s of full time staff to budget ratio
  • Heavily volunteer driven – interns and ministry partners
  • Most of our staff titles have an “and” in their role
  • Every staff member, every team mate all have a role on the weekends. Even in the accounting department. They get a day off during the week so they can be present on the weekend. Everyone is engaged in ministry. 
  • “We keep staff from “drifting” because that’s the one thing we all have in common.”

Leading Alongside Jud

  • As goes the senior leadership team, so goes the church. 
  • Genesis 39:6 – “So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” This God-like man removed all of the burden as much as he could from his boss. That’s how I see my role… how can I take the burden from him? 
  • We have a David and Jonathan type of covenant to one another.
  • As leaders, it’s our job to minimize the weaknesses of others around us. “I cover Jud’s weaknesses, and I accentuate his strengths.” 
  • A great relationship starts with prayer.

Episode Links

We are thrilled to announce Executive Pastor Cohorts with The Ascent Leader! Learn more about our cohorts for XP’s and sign-up to be mentored by Mike Bodine at: https://theascentleader.org/cohorts/

Who Is Mike Bodine?

Mike Bodine serves as the Senior Leader of Central Church. In his over 30 years of full-time ministry, Mike has served in churches in Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and for the past 17 years has loved serving in Las Vegas. Mike’s strategy for church growth not only makes an impact on Central locations but is also helping churches around the world reach their full potential. Mike and his wife, Lisa, reside in the Las Vegas area where they love spending time with their family and being Pops and Lovey to their 12 precious grandkids.

IG: mike.bodine

Email: mike@centralonline.tv

Sponsors

Thanks to our sponsor: Food For The Hungry.

Combine your church’s heart for the poor and Food for the Hungry’s global experience at fh.org/churches.  

The Art of Leadership Academy – https://careynieuwhof.com/the-art-of-leadership-academy/

Quotes From Episode

“For the first time in history, there are more people online than not. There’s a real opportunity to be available digitally for people to find God.”

“We wire up ministries to step into their world, identify the need in their life, to invite them into God’s world.”  

“Culture is everything.” 

“If you are happy or aligned with 70% of what we’re doing as a church, then lay down the other 30% and embrace what God is doing.” 

“Constantly celebrate the impact your team is making.”

“We let go of the 2019 metrics… all we’re measuring ourselves against are our metrics today versus the pandemic.”

Listen to Recent Episodes

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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