Bible Leadership Podcast

#63 The People Factor, Pt 1 | When Teams Click

You were never meant to lead alone—God builds healthy teams through chemistry, character, and the courage to surround yourself with the right people. In this episode of the Bible Leadership Podcast, Mark and Erica unpack what “chemistry” on a team really is and why it matters so much for an effective team. They talk about attraction (actually liking the people you serve with), responsiveness (people who take initiative), and complementary gifts that make the whole team stronger. Along the way, they pull in examples from Scripture—David and Jonathan, Paul and Barnabas, Moses and Aaron, Samson, Rehoboam, and more—to show what happens when leaders choose their people well… and when they don’t. You’ll also hear real stories from Mark and Erica’s 20+ years of serving together, including mistakes, hard seasons, and the gift of teammates who tell you the truth. 📋 Key Takeaways Not every good person is your person. You can love someone as a brother or sister in Christ and still admit, “We’re not the right mix for this team or this season,” without shaming them or yourself. Filling roles out of desperation creates long-term pain. Hiring or promoting someone because you’re in a rush—or because you’re overly optimistic and ignore red flags—often leads to messy “unplugging” later that hurts people and stalls ministry. You need three circles around you: Your core team (the people you lead with) Peers outside your org who get your world and can say anything to you Coaches who are farther down the road and can tell you when an idea is brilliant… or dumb 💬 Quotes & Soundbites “You can love someone deeply and still admit, ‘We’re not the right mix on this team.’ Not every good person is your person.” “If you fill a role out of desperation, you rarely get a miracle—you usually get a mess you’ll have to undo later.” “If you really want the full counsel of God, you need teammates, peers, and coaches. God doesn’t give everything to one person—He speaks through the body.” “The leader is obligated to get God what God wants. Have a great team if you can—but if you can’t and you still have to obey, obey anyway.”  📖 Scripture Tie-Ins 1 Corinthians 12:18 – “God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” Proverbs 13:20 – “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 – “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” Narrative references: David & Jonathan – 1 Samuel 18–20 Abigail & David – 1 Samuel 25 Samson – Judges 13–16 Rehoboam & his advisors – 1 Kings 12 Moses, Aaron, and Hur – Exodus 17   🔗 Links & References Pastor Fury, AKA Arman Sheffey:  https://pastorfury.com/ The people around you will shape your ministry more than your talent ever will. Surround yourself with those who share your spirit, strengthen your family, and remind you of Jesus. Don’t rush into chemistry that doesn’t fit—wait for the people God provides. Family first, inner circle strong, team aligned, and Christ at the center.

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#62 Breakneck Pace, Pt 3 | Overloaded to Ordered

Nov 1900:23:00Tap to summarize

You can’t lead like Jesus at a breakneck pace—so chunk your time, guard your calendar, and build Sabbath rhythms that protect your family and your soul. In this episode, Mark and Erica get super practical about how to slow your life down without dropping your calling. They unpack “chunking” your day into focused blocks, protecting a daily family chunk, and refusing to let every open slot on your calendar be fair game. They also talk about disappointing people well, renegotiating deadlines, and how Sabbath rhythms, mini-getaways, and solitude keep you from burning out. If you’ve ever felt like ministry, leadership, or life is going way faster than your soul can handle, this one’s for you. https://bibleleadership.com/quick-links/ 📋 Key Takeaways Chunk your life, not just your work.  Break your day into 5–7 “chunks” (time blocks) by category: preaching/creative work, leadership, delegating/communication, family, rest, etc. Stay in one chunk at a time so your brain, body, and spirit can slow down and actually hear God about that one area. Open slots don’t mean you’re available.  Just because your calendar is open doesn’t mean people get to own it. Put appointments with yourself and Jesus on your calendar, be firm about boundaries, and only have meetings with a clear win. Reduce unnecessary recurring meetings and push appropriate ones to email, audio, or other staff. Sabbath and “mini-Sabbaths” keep you from breaking.  Rhythms like scheduled time off before you’re totally fried, post-holiday getaways, intentional spouse-only trips, and weekly Sabbath space all slow you down enough to remember God is sovereign and productivity is not your identity (Matthew 11:28–30; Exodus 20:8–11). 💬 Quotes & Soundbites “Open slots does not mean you’re available. If God gave you certain things to do, you’re going to have to say ‘no’ in order to do them excellently.” “I do have an appointment then—it’s just with me and Jesus, and you can’t come into our meeting.” “We’re trying to crush goals while saying we believe in the sovereignty of God. Sometimes He stalls things on purpose so they go better later.” “Ministry is something we do, but you are more important than ministry.” (speaking about his kids) 🕐 Rough Timestamps 0:00 – 0:32 – Intro: What is a “breakneck pace” and why it kills Bible-centered leadership 0:32 – 3:30 – What “chunking” actually means and how Mark organizes his preaching, leadership, and delegation chunks 3:30 – 6:30 – Family as a non-negotiable daily chunk; how the Carter family handled evenings and changing life stages 6:30 – 9:00 – Threat: Neglecting your family for ministry; resentment, tension, and the “branch you’re sitting on” 9:00 – 12:30 – Calendar hacks: appointments with yourself, saying “my calendar doesn’t allow that,” and cutting meetings with no clear win 12:30 – 14:30 – Using tools like Calendly, leveraging your team, and accepting that you will disappoint people 14:30 – 17:10 – Not everything fits in today’s chunk: renegotiating deadlines, trusting your future chunks, and leading your team with clarity about due dates 17:10 – 18:50 – Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity and resisting the addiction to “more and faster” 18:50 – 21:30 – Accepting that some things won’t get done, letting God be sovereign over your to-do list, and confronting your productivity idols 21:30 – 24:30 – Sabbath and slow rhythms: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, planning breaks before burnout, and post-holiday getaways 24:30 – 27:00 – Marriage getaways, clearing off the “sludge” of ministry, and building slowness into the calendar 27:00 – 29:00 – Henry Nouwen, Matthew 11, and Jesus’ unhurried yoke: learning His pace, not just His work 📖 Scripture Tie-Ins Matthew 11:28–30 – “Come to me… and you will find rest for your souls.” 1 Timothy 3:4–5 – Leaders must manage their own household well. 🛠️ Next Steps for Listeners Design Your Daily Chunks. Write down your current responsibilities and group them into 5–7 categories (e.g., Deep Work/Preaching, Leadership, Communication, Family, Admin, Rest). Block them into your calendar as actual appointments. Name them clearly: “Deep Work – Sermon Prep,” “Family Chunk,” “Leadership Decisions,” etc. Protect One Family Chunk Every Day. Decide when your daily family chunk will be (e.g., 6–9 p.m.). Tell your spouse/kids: “This block is for you. Ministry is something I do, but you’re more important than ministry.” Guard it like you would a meeting with your board. Audit Your Meetings This Week. For every recurring meeting, ask: “What is the win? Does this person really need me? Can this move to email, audio, or another leader?” Cancel or downgrade at least one recurring meeting and redirect that time to your highest calling chunk. Renegotiate One Unrealistic Deadline. Identify a task or project that’s stressing you out. Have one honest conversation: “Given what we now know, this timeline isn’t realistic. Can we reset the plan so the work is excellent, not rushed?” 📚 Suggested Resources: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

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#61 Breakneck Pace, Part 2 | Too Fast to Hear

Nov 1200:32:44Tap to summarize

Lasting ministry isn’t built by going faster—it’s built by abiding deeper.    Mark and Erica get practical about the dangers of leading at a breakneck pace—hero-complex, thin defenses against sin, and drifting into “man’s wisdom” over God’s. They unpack how prayer, Scripture, and Sabbath keep leaders grounded, how to disciple a team into healthy rhythms, and why slowing down actually increases trust in God. Expect honest stories, biblical guardrails, and simple, repeatable practices for a rest-first leadership culture.    📋 Key Takeaways    Impress vs. Impact: You can impress from a distance, but you impact up close—healthy leaders model rest and dependence, not nonstop hustle (cf. John 15:5).    Hero-Mode is Hazardous: When pace rises, defenses thin and temptation spikes; accountability and humility are non-negotiables (1 Cor. 10:12; 1 Cor. 1:19).   Man’s Wisdom Autopilot: Competence and knowledge are good, but dependence is better; without abiding, our “wins” don’t last (2 Pet. 1:4–7; 1 Cor. 13:1).   Rested = Smart & Strong: Sabbath, time off after big pushes, and “camp time” seasons form a culture where creativity, discernment, and holiness thrive (Gen. 2:2–3; Mark 2:27).   Only Do What Only You Can Do: Early leaders should explore broadly, then narrow to the two or three God-assignments—and build a home team that frees you to do them (Acts 6:2–4; 1 Cor. 12).    💬 Quotes & Soundbites  "You can impress people from a distance, but you can only impact them up close." (01:11) - Dr. Carter quoted Rick Warren while explaining that if leaders truly wanted to impact people, they needed to model a healthy, sustainable pace rather than just appearing tireless.  "The moment that I think that I am sufficient with my wisdom, I've already jacked it up." (04:59) - This was his direct response when asked about the difference between man's wisdom and God's wisdom, emphasizing that self-sufficiency was an immediate failure.  "You can't bear more fruit than you have roots." [11:35]  "Relying on God to do it teaches you that he does it." [31:24]    🕐 Timestamps  0:00 – Intro + why Part 2 matters  1:11 – The hero temptation & why pace thins your defenses  3:10 – Humble leadership: play the long game  5:00 – “Man’s wisdom” vs. God’s wisdom; posture of dependence  9:30 – What hurry does to prayer & Scripture (lean, perfunctory)  11:25 – Abide in Christ for fruit that lasts (John 15)  13:20 – Long-term fallout: sin, lack of accountability, church hurt  16:20 – Early warning signs: stress, mis-ordered loves (politics/hobbies)  18:05 – Leadership wins when you name busyness and slow down  19:30 – Discipling your team into rest rhythms; staff “camp time”  22:10 – “The rested are smart and strong” culture  23:10 – “Only do what only you can do” (young leaders → narrowing focus)  24:58 – Build your home team & align family around God’s call  31:05 – Slowing down increases trust: God really does the work  31:55 – Close: God gives the growth (1 Cor. 3:6–7)    📖 Scripture Tie-Ins  John 15:5 – “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”  2 Peter 1:4–7 – Add to your faith… knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness.  1 Corinthians 1:19 – God frustrates the wisdom of the wise.  1 Corinthians 13:1 – Without love, noise not impact.  1 Kings 19:11–13 – God’s voice in the gentle whisper, not the frenzy.  Matthew 6:33; Philippians 1:6 – Seek first; He completes the work.  1 Corinthians 3:6–7 – We plant and water; God gives the growth.    🛠️ Next Steps for Listeners  Do / Reflect / Pray   Sabbath this week. Pick a 24-hour window to stop, delight, and worship. Guard it like a meeting with Jesus.   Audit your pace. Circle the top two things only you can do; delegate or delay the rest for 30 days.   Dependence rhythm. Pray daily: “Jesus, I renounce self-sufficiency. I choose to abide and receive Your wisdom today.”   Early warning check -  Where am I stressed and not offloading to Jesus?  What “good things” (politics, hobbies, projects) are crowding first love?  Who are my five smooth stones (people God’s given me for the long game)?   Team practice. If you lead others, schedule a post-push slow week (“camp time”) and publicly celebrate Sabbath stories.    Suggested follow-ups & resources  Part 1: Breakneck Pace (previous episode) for the backstory and warnings.  Rule of Life template (create your daily/weekly rhythms).  Books: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (Comer), Leading on Empty (Cordeiro).  Bible Reading Plan: John 14–17 (abiding & the Spirit).

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#60 Breakneck Pace, Part 1 | From Panic to Presence

Nov 500:28:12Tap to summarize

God doesn’t ask you to do everything you could do—He invites you to slow down, listen, and do the right things with Him. https://courses.bibleleadership.com/blp-link-in-bio Mark shares a vulnerable story from the COVID season when running at a breakneck pace led to a physical and spiritual crash—and how an emergency sabbatical became a rescue. He unpacks a simple practice he calls “chunking” to create focused blocks for what matters most (quiet time, message prep, leadership, family, rest) and explains why going slower actually leads to wiser, Spirit-led leadership. Erica tees up reflective questions about stress signals in our bodies, compassion fatigue, and treating God like a friend—not just a coworker. 📋 Key Takeaways • One handful beats two fists: “Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.” (Eccl. 4:6) Slow, Spirit-led pace beats frantic productivity.• Limits are holy: If there isn’t time to do everything on your list, it may mean God isn’t asking you to do all of it—and He won’t anoint what He didn’t assign.• Chunk your day with Jesus: Most people have 5–7 meaningful “chunks” of focus per day (quiet time, message prep, leadership work, workouts, family time). Live inside the chunk you’re in; stop trying to be in two at once.• Watch your warning lights: Racing thoughts, middle-of-the-night wakeups, heavy fatigue, irritability, and diminished compassion are body-and-soul alerts—your body is a major prophet.• Friend, not coworker: Don’t only talk to God about projects and problems; ask Him to work on your character and pace. Jesus walks unhurried. 🕐 Rough Timestamps• 00:06–01:18 – Welcome & why pace is one of leadership’s hardest battles• 01:19–03:41 – Panic, breakdown, and an emergency sabbatical• 03:42–06:26 – Ecclesiastes 4:6 and untangling the “be the vine” mindset• 06:27–08:26 – God won’t anoint what He didn’t assign; ruthless inventory• 08:27–11:41 – The “chunking” framework (5–7 chunks/day) and single-task focus• 11:42–12:50 – Margin, prayer, and accepting that you’ll get less done—but the right things• 13:04–17:41 – Body signals, compassion drain, and treating people like interruptions• 17:42–21:15 – Push seasons vs. unhurried love; shepherding people, not just solving problems• 21:16–25:27 – Quiet time drift: coworker vs. friend; pride and needfulness• 25:28–27:37 – Humility to admit “this could happen to me”; plan your rest on purpose 📖 Scripture Tie-Ins• Ecclesiastes 4:6 — One handful of quietness is greater than two handfuls of striving and chasing after the wind.• John 15:4–5 — Abide in Me… apart from Me you can do nothing. (We’re branches, not the vine.)• Psalm 23:1–3 — He makes me lie down; He restores my soul.• Matthew 11:28–30 — Jesus’ easy yoke and light burden; learn His unhurried rhythm.• Mark 6:31 — “Come away… and rest a while.” Ministry includes recovery.• Luke 5:16 — Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.• 1 Corinthians 10:23 — “All things are permissible… but not all things are beneficial.” https://courses.bibleleadership.com/blp-link-in-bio

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#59 Church Hurt, Part 2 | Don't Miss the Miracle

Oct 2900:46:14Tap to summarize

What if your church pain is the very tool God is using to heal you? In this episode, Mark and Erica show how humility turns offense into breakthrough—Naaman-style. Mark and Erica explore how pride can make us “miss the miracle,” using Naaman’s story (2 Kings 5) as a lens for modern church hurt. They unpack how offense, unrealistic expectations, and unprocessed wounds trap leaders and disciples alike—and how humility, honest friendships, and prayer break the cycle. From modeling the “lower seat” (Luke 14) to resisting online outrage, the episode offers practical ways to lead people through offense toward healing. You’ll hear actionable counsel on team culture, spiritual warfare against offense, and staying rooted in heaven-minded hope.   📋 Key Takeaways (3–5) Humility unlocks healing. Like Naaman, we can nearly forfeit our breakthrough because we don’t like God’s method. Humility is the road God travels to exalt us (2 Kings 5; 1 Pet. 5:6). Offense is a trap, not a personality type. Treat offense as spiritual warfare against your progress. Pray proactively against it in your church and teams (Heb. 12:11; James 4:6–7). Expectations need discipleship. Unreasonable, immature, or uncommunicated expectations often masquerade as “hurt.” Clarify, communicate, and submit them to Jesus. You can’t heal alone. Naaman needed friends; so do we. Invite truth-tellers who can “wound” you faithfully and help you see your blind spots (Prov. 27:6). Leaders model the lower place. Walk, speak, and staff in ways that reject celebrity culture. Give credit, tell on yourself, and cultivate a team ethic that prizes humility (Luke 14:7–11; Prov. 10:19). 💬 Quotes & Soundbites “Pride is like bad breath—you’re the last one to know you have it.” — Mark “Offense is almost always a threat; humility is almost always the way through.” — Mark “Naaman needed his friends. Ask the Lord for people who will tell you the truth—and receive it.” — Erica “It’s sin to be suspicious of others; it’s wisdom to be suspicious of my own self-applause.” — Mark 🕐 Timestamps  00:06 — Welcome & framing: “What if we’re the problem?” 01:16 — Naaman’s story (2 Kings 5): missing the miracle through pride 03:12 — Pride, offense, and the enemy’s strategy 04:24 — Expectations: unreasonable, immature, and uncommunicated 06:37 — Unprocessed pain leaking into leadership 11:55 — Leading others through offense; cultivating truth-telling friendships 19:59 — Modeling the lower seat; team culture and platforming humility 26:01 — Rejecting celebrityism; “no red carpets here” 33:54 — Tips & hacks: slow down, skip online fights, invite feedback 38:13 — Training friends to give (and receive) honest feedback 38:13–44:32 — Heaven-minded leadership: perspective and perseverance 44:32–45:39 — Discipline that produces peace; a healthy suspicion of self 📖 Scripture Tie-Ins 2 Kings 5:1–14 — Naaman’s humbling & healing Luke 14:7–11 — Take the lower place Proverbs 27:6 — “Wounds from a friend can be trusted” Proverbs 10:19 — Few words, prudent tongue Hebrews 12:11 — Discipline yields righteousness and peace Isaiah 60:1 — “Arise, shine…” kingdom witness James 4:6–7 — God resists the proud, gives grace to the humble 1 Peter 5:6 — Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand 🛠️ Next Steps for Listeners   Act / Pray / Reflect:  Ask for the mirror. Text two trusted friends: “Tell me one way pride or offense might be blinding me right now.” Receive it without defending. Pray daily (7 days): “Jesus, where am I not seeing this rightly? Renew my mind. Teach me the lower place.” Expectations audit: List 3 expectations you hold (of church, leaders, or teammates). Mark each Unreasonable / Immature / Uncommunicated, then take one step to clarify or surrender it to the Lord. Community move: If you feel isolated, join a group or serving team this week. Don’t wait—Naaman needed friends. Digital wisdom: Fast one week from online debates; post one measured encouragement instead.   Journaling Prompts:  Where did offense recently knock on my door? What would humility have done? Which “lower seat” can I intentionally take this month? Who are my three truth-telling friends? How can I make it safe for them to speak?   Suggested Resources:  The Bait of Satan — John Bevere (on offense) Humility — Andrew Murray Spiritual Authority — Watchman Nee (read discerningly) Imagine Heaven — John Burke Church Hurt Sermon Series — Pastor Carter, Fierce Church  

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#58 Church Hurt, Part 1 | Try Not to Run

Oct 2200:44:15Tap to summarize

Could this hurt be your refining? God often uses the pain we experience in the church to shape us into more humble, compassionate, and Christlike leaders. In this honest conversation, Pastor Mark Carter and co-host Erica Adkins dive into one of the most sensitive topics in church life—church hurt. Whether you’ve been wounded by leaders, overlooked, or misunderstood, this episode reframes your pain as part of God’s refining process. They unpack Hebrews 12, exploring how endurance through hardship develops Christlike character and how leaders can walk through hurt without running from God’s discipline. 📋 Key Takeaways Endure hardship as discipline. (Hebrews 12:7) God isn’t punishing you—He’s parenting you into maturity. Church hurt and God’s refining discipline often overlap. Even when others wrong you, God can use that pain to form Christlike endurance. Don’t waste the trial. Running from discomfort may forfeit the growth and healing God wants to bring. Think humbly, not just act humbly. Learn to see yourself and others through a humble, grace-filled lens. Leaders model endurance. How you respond to pain teaches your team and congregation how to follow Jesus through difficulty. Healing is your responsibility. Others may have hurt you, but you’re responsible to draw near to Jesus and let Him heal you. Stay near to Christ. True healing and transformation happen only in His presence and through His Word. 💬 Quotes & Soundbites “Endure hardship as discipline. God’s not punishing you—He’s forming you into someone who can help others heal.” – Mark Carter “Running from discipline keeps us from growth, but endurance forms Christlike character.” – Erica Adkins “If you want to be more helpful to people, you have to embrace the hard things that make you more like Jesus.” – Mark Carter “You never know what future version of you depends on getting healed right now.” – Mark Carter 🕐 Timestamps 00:00–03:00 – Introduction: What is “church hurt”? 03:00–07:00 – Understanding discipline from Hebrews 12 07:00–10:30 – The danger of running from pain 10:30–15:00 – Endurance and humility as leadership formation 15:00–20:00 – Why we’re surprised when pain shows up in church 20:00–25:00 – God’s sovereignty in suffering 25:00–35:00 – How to walk with others through church hurt 35:00–43:00 – Healing, responsibility, and future fruitfulness 📖 Scripture Tie-Ins Hebrews 12:7 – “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.” John 12:24 – “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Romans 8:28–29 – “God works all things together for good… to conform us to the image of His Son.” Genesis 50:20 – “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” 🛠️ Next Steps Reflect: Where have you experienced “church hurt”? What might God be refining in you through that pain? Are you running from something He wants to use to grow you? Journal Prompts: “What does endurance look like for me right now?” “Where is God inviting me to think humbly instead of defensively?” “Who might need to see my faithfulness under pressure?” Pray: Ask God to help you interpret hardship as His loving discipline, not rejection. Invite Him to heal the wounds that still shape how you lead and love others. Resources Mentioned: Hebrews 12 Study Planted, Not Buried by Pastor Mike Todd of Transformation Church Try Not to Run, Sermon Series by Pastor Carter of Fierce Church  

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#57 Wilderness, Part 3 | People Over Performance

Oct 1500:42:37Tap to summarize

Feeling stuck in your calling? The wilderness is where God purifies our ambition, teaches us wisdom, and reminds us that people—not performance—are the real legacy. In this episode of the Bible Leadership Podcast, Pastor Mark Carter and co-host Erica Adkins unpack how God uses seasons of wilderness to shape a leader’s heart. From learning wisdom to pruning unhealthy relationships, this episode explores the tension between ambition and people, waiting and working, ministry and identity. Through real-life stories and biblical insight, Mark shares how leaders can stay faithful, humble, and people-centered when God presses “pause” on their plans. Sign up for our email so you never miss a podcast or other helpful content: https://courses.bibleleadership.com/blp-link-in-bio 📋 Key Takeaways Wisdom grows in the wilderness. God uses waiting seasons to train leaders in discernment, humility, and patience. Don’t confuse surrender with passivity. You can’t rush God’s timeline, but you can grow while you wait—read, learn, and prepare. “Sow where you want to grow.” Be intentional about planting into the areas where you hope to see long-term fruit—your marriage, friendships, or leadership skills. People matter more than performance. Ambition can drive good work, but if it eclipses people, it’s become an idol. Ministry is a stewardship, not an identity. Your worth isn’t tied to what you build—it’s anchored in being a son or daughter of God. Affirmation from God outweighs applause from people. Maturity means caring more about heaven’s “well done” than earthly approval. 💬 Quotes & Soundbites “God can move a parked car, but He probably won’t—get behind the wheel and start being faithful where you are.” — Erica Adkins “True greatness isn’t building monuments to ourselves; it’s becoming the kind of leader God can trust.” — Erica Adkins “Ministry is a stewardship, not an identity.” — Mark Carter “Dude, ministry is just too doggone hard and too long to not be with people that you like to be around. Let's just like each other.” – Mark Carter 🕐 Timestamps (Approximate) 00:00 — What the wilderness really is 01:40 — Wisdom vs. waiting: how to discern the difference 05:10 — “Sow where you want to grow”: learning in the wilderness 08:00 — Pruning relationships and planned neglect 13:00 — Ambition vs. people: what really matters in leadership 19:30 — When ambition hurts people (Mark’s personal story) 23:00 — Learning to crave Jesus’ affirmation more than man’s praise 28:00 — When ministry becomes an idol 33:00 — Investing in teachable, responsive people 39:00 — Final encouragement: trading comfort for closeness with Christ 📖 Scripture Tie-Ins James 1:2–4 – “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete.” Philippians 2:3–4 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit… value others above yourselves.” Psalm 16:6 – “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good.” Matthew 4:1–11 – Jesus’ own wilderness preparation. 🛠️ Next Steps for Listeners Reflect: Where might God be inviting you to grow in wisdom instead of rushing ahead? Journal Prompt: “What part of my ambition needs to be surrendered so that people, not projects, remain my priority?” Pray: Ask God to give you discernment in relationships—to prune what hinders growth and strengthen what builds your character. Practice: Choose one area this week to “sow where you want to grow.” Take a small, intentional step toward health in that space. Resource: Revisit Episode 55 (“Wilderness Part 1”) for more context on how God works under the surface during waiting seasons.

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#56 Wilderness, Part 2 | Leading in the In-Between

Oct 800:23:46Tap to summarize

The wilderness is the workshop of the soul—where God reshapes your heart for what’s next. In Part 2 of our Wilderness series, Dr. Mark Carter and Erica Adkins dive deeper into how to lead yourself and others through those confusing, in-between seasons when God’s promise hasn’t yet become reality. From church transitions and burnout to personal loss and leadership wounds, they explore what it means to stay faithful, grounded, and hopeful when everything feels disoriented. This conversation helps leaders recognize what’s “normal” in the wilderness—and how to find God’s hand when you can’t see the way forward.   📋 Key Takeaways ✅ The wilderness is not punishment—it’s preparation. God is forming your faith and character in the in-between. ✅ Great leaders name what’s happening: “This might just be a wilderness.” Awareness helps your people stay calm and grounded. ✅ High communication and clarity protect your people when everything feels unstable. ✅ Every wilderness reveals the limits of your own strength and deepens your dependence on Jesus. ✅ Before you can lead others well, you must first let God lead you through your own disillusionment, fear, and false securities.   💬 Quotes & Soundbites “Sometimes leadership in the wilderness just means saying, ‘What you’re feeling is normal—God’s still faithful.’” “Jesus is the only one who will never leave you. Everything else can be taken, but He remains.” "Is it possible that some of what you've lost, it's not because you're so bad, and it's not because you're just a person nobody wants to be around? Instead, it's because, in his mercy, God is teaching you to cling to only Jesus, because that's really the only rock. That's the anchor, dude."   🛠️ Next Steps for Listeners Action Step: Name your wilderness. Ask, “What might God be forming in me right now?” Then communicate clearly and calmly with those you lead—faith always flourishes in clarity. Reflection Prompt: Where have you been tempted to panic, retreat, or doubt God’s timing? What would it look like to trust that He’s still leading—even when you can’t see the map?   Recommended Resource: 📝 Read: Emotionally Healthy Relationships by Peter Scazzero — for practical tools on staying grounded and connected through conflict and change. 📺 Watch: Bible Leadership Podcast – Wilderness Part 1

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#55 Wilderness, Part 1 | Preparation for the Promise

Oct 100:22:56Tap to summarize

The wilderness isn’t punishment—it’s preparation for the promise. In this episode, Mark Carter and co-host Erica Adkins dive into what it means to walk through the “wilderness” seasons of life and leadership. These are the in-between spaces—after a promise is given, but before it’s fulfilled. Drawing from Scripture and personal stories, they explore why God leads us through wildernesses and how leaders can develop spiritual resilience during these confusing and refining times. 📋 Key Takeaways Wilderness is a biblical pattern, not a personal failure. From Moses to Paul to Jesus, God often leads His people through a wilderness before a breakthrough. God uses the wilderness to shape dependence, obedience, and worship. It’s about valuing His presence more than the promise itself. Self-leadership is critical. Leaders must recognize they’re in a wilderness season and choose to stay grounded in God’s Word, worship, and truth—even when it feels like nothing is changing. Not knowing the full lesson is part of the process. Don’t assume you know what God is teaching right away; the deeper work often takes time to surface. Beware of grumbling and misplaced expectations. Complaining in the wilderness can short-circuit what God is doing—and so can trying to control the outcome. 💬 Quotes & Soundbites “The wilderness is usually the exact opposite of what we’ve been promised—and it’s where God forms the kind of people who can actually carry the promise.” “You may not know what God is correcting in your soul right away. That’s part of self-leadership—trusting Him even in the dark.” “If you’re not going to eat the manna, you’re going to die in that wilderness.” “Worship God with the suckiness. Jesus is worth the sucky.” 📖 Scripture Tie-Ins Romans 15:4 – “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us…” Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Joshua – Israel’s wilderness journey Matthew 4:1 – Jesus led into the wilderness Numbers 16 – Korah’s rebellion and submission to God’s order Isaiah 55:8–9 – God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours Job 1:21 – “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” 🛠️ Next Steps for Listeners   Reflect:  What “promise” are you waiting on God to fulfill? In what ways might your current “wilderness” be shaping your character or your calling?   Journaling Prompts:  “Where am I tempted to grumble instead of worship?” “How have I been trying to control the ending of my story?” “What does obedience look like for me in this season?”   Spiritual Practices:  Meditate on Romans 15:4 and journal how God has used past seasons to encourage you. Take a 24-hour media fast and spend that time in worship and Scripture (especially Exodus 16 or Matthew 4).   Linked Resources:  Visit bibleleadership.com for more episodes and resources. Watch the episode on YouTube and share with a friend. Want to know more about Fierce Church? Check it out here.  

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FLP 54. My Toughest Leadership Lessons: Interview with Pastor Fury

Nov 22, 202100:21:30Tap to summarize

In this episode of the Fierce Leadership Podcast, Pastor Mark Carter shares what he considers to be some of the toughest stuff in ministry in an interview with Pastor Arman Sheffey on the Fury and Friends podcast. Support the show

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#62 Breakneck Pace, Pt 3 | Overloaded to Ordered

#61 Breakneck Pace, Part 2 | Too Fast to Hear

#60 Breakneck Pace, Part 1 | From Panic to Presence

#59 Church Hurt, Part 2 | Don't Miss the Miracle

#58 Church Hurt, Part 1 | Try Not to Run

#57 Wilderness, Part 3 | People Over Performance

#56 Wilderness, Part 2 | Leading in the In-Between

#55 Wilderness, Part 1 | Preparation for the Promise

FLP 54. My Toughest Leadership Lessons: Interview with Pastor Fury