Focused XP-Days on Mentoring
April 7-8, 2005
Tulsa Oklahoma
About XP-Days
Focused XP-Days are open to any XP or person with XP function. The one or two day events center on just one of the Five Functions. These events are extremely limited as they are times of in-depth mentoring and growth on one of the Five Functions of Administrator, Catalyst, Mentor, Minister or Overseer.
Read the Evaluations: the attendees speak their mind
Focus on Mentoring
Focused XP-Days on Mentoring is led by Nathan Baxter, XP of Liberty Church, Tulsa. Nathan has taken XP mentoring to new heights by deciding to spend the lion's share of his weekly schedule in guiding, coaching, and praying with his team members. During the hour he spends with each ofhis leaders, they review together the leader's personal life, leadership skills, ministry advancement and spiritual life. In addition to one-on-one time, he works with two leadership teams, guiding them to further the ministry of the church while experiencing God and one another. He has taken 15 individuals and helped them to become a group of friends who together advance the mission of the church.
Focused XP-Days on Mentoring have several distinctive features:
- Learn a mentoring philosophy. See an in-depth system for mentoring paid and volunteer staff.
- Experience a team meeting, "practicing the presence of God and each other" and questions/answers with a mentored team. No holds barred, see how have they changed, failures, what has it meant. Interview for yourself a leader that has been mentored. Watch the team wrestle with a sticky issue.
- Learn how to create and develop your mentoring plan. Receive templates and guides on mentoring. Go home with your own plan.
- Learn and exchange development tools and techniques. Meet with Dave Jewitt, of Your One Degree, "you cannot mentor people without knowing who you are" Investigate various tools to assist in this process to understand your own unique design.
- Return to your place of ministry with a mentoring tool that will guide you in developingyour leaders.
Nathan Baxter
Executive Pastor
Liberty Church, Tulsa
Liberty Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma has several distinctives. Liberty shifted from a flat ministry management model to a community of teams that work together to oversee ministry. Liberty has effectively created a culture that fosters mentoring and leadership. Liberty is a mature church where the majority of adults volunteer in ministry.Taking volunteerism to an extreme, some volunteers oversee paid staff.
- Limit 5 people. Open to any XP or person who mentors church staff
- Location: Liberty Church, Tulsa Oklahoma
- Times: Thursday, April 7 8:30 am through Friday April 8
- Cost is $500 and includes books and materials
- Required Preparation: Read assigned texts, take two different evaluations of your leadership and mentoring effectiveness. Be interviewed by XP Nathan Baxter
April 7-8, 2005 Focused XP-Days on Mentoring Tulsa
Limited to five attendees with Nathan and David
- Kristin Anderson, McPherson Free Methodist Church, McPherson Kansas
- Nathan Baxter, Liberty Church, Tulsa Oklahoma
- Stacey Campbell, Christ Community Church, Greeley Colorado
- Duane Cilke, River of Life Church, Kansas City Missouri
- Mike Culbreath, Rejoice Church, Owasso Oklahoma
- David Fletcher, Northwest Bible Church, Dallas Texas
- Steven Vinson, Canyon Hills Church, Bakersfield California
Responses to Nathan's Mentoring
Kris Samons, Associate Pastor of Singles, Glenview Baptist Church, Fort Worth Texas
- Nathan has been a friend and mentor for about ten years. When we met in 1994, I was just an eager young college kid who had very little direction as to what or who I'd someday become. I remember several times when Nathan and I began to meet that he challenged me to look beyond the scope of what I always thought I knew. He continued to have this effect on me and my wife as we courted, got engaged, and married. Things that I have learned from Nathan have been the most memorable and formidable lessons I have ever learned from anyone.
- Some of the mantra-like statements that I have become known for in my circle of influence have come from lessons assisted by Nathan. Those major lessons have revolved around the ideas of ministering out of character, kingdom living, spiritual formation and relevant church work. We have seldom lived in the same city at any time during the last ten years. Yet, Nathan and I have maintained a long-distance, long-term Paul/Timothy relationship. I attribute much of the success I've had in my short career to Nathan's commitment to guide, teach, and befriend me.
John Neudorf,House Church Pastor, Kansas City Missouri
- I have known NathanBaxter for 5 years - most of that time working under him as Youth Pastor while he was the Senior Pastor. In that time, I have come to know and appreciate Nathan very much - specifically because of how God has used him in my life. One of the primary skills he possesses that has impacted me is his ability to listen to people without trying to change them.
- He has done a wonderful job of helping me think through things in my life and ministry from a different perspective without the pressure of being "right" or "wrong". He has an ability to let others discover things for themselves - with him serving as a catalyst and encourager in the discovery. I've been deeply impacted by his willingness to come alongside and serve - doing whatever he can to enable others to be successful. He has always been willing to share his own life experiences, both good and bad, with great humility.
Stacy Sweeten, Executive Vice President, Performance Physical Therapy Group, Fort Smith/Fayetteville Arkansas
- It is a pleasure for me to take a moment and discuss Nathan Baxter. Originally, I began working with Nathan as a leadership mentor but now I consider him a friend. Much of my time with Nathan has been incredibly beneficial for that reason - Nathan creates an atmosphere thatallows you towork throughany challenges you may be experiencing with a lifelong, trusted friend.
- Nathan's business is people. It sounds simple, but I have never met anyone who is better with people than Nathan. Whether the issue is managing people, developing people or rewarding people Nathan is there - ready to unleash unlimited wisdom and indispensable resources. In the business world, we often hear "people are our greatest asset" and that sounds great on a slick marketing piece. However, that has been the cornerstone of my work with Nathan. We know and Nathan has helped us to implement a fundamentalbelief that if we grow our people, our people will, in turn, grow our business. I have witnessed this philosophy at work and yes, it works!
- Our company has enjoyed great success in our first year of business and certainly Nathan deserves a great deal of credit for helping us find our way. I am extremely confident that you will feel the same.
Randy Osborn, Pastor of New Roads Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Louisiana
- I have known Nathan Baxter since 1980. I feel like Nathan was a mentor early in my life as I was part of his youth group. He continued to be a mentor as a senior in college reaching out to a freshman. This relationship continued as I entered ministry and would seek counsel and friendship. The greatest impact has been when I became his associate pastor. For three years I was blessed to weekly and even daily be challenged and encouraged as a person and minister in Christ. Now that I pastor a church I still benefit from our friendship and encouragement when we get to visit.
- Nathan listens. As I have walked with Nathan through many different seasons I have found a man whose only agenda for my life is for me to realize all that I should be in Christ. Every challenge and encouragement given pointed me toward an authentic relationship with the Lord and a genuine approach to the life He has called me to live.
- I have always enjoyed his teaching. Nathan brings a fresh and dynamic passion for authenticity in life and ministry. I encourage anyone to be part of an event where God can use him to enrich their lives.
Ryan Pannell, Student Ministries Team Leader, Liberty Church
- Nathan Baxter has been a faithful encourager to me. From helping me become a strategic planner to giving me the necessary skills to become a leader, Nathan has improved my ability to fulfill the commission God has given me. Perhaps the most impressive quality about Nathan Baxter is that he is a continuous learner. He doesn't pretend to have all the answers but strives to improve his ability to equip leaders. Finally, Nathan models what he preaches. I have seen the very things he encourages me to do exemplified in his own life.
Melody Lenox, Worship Arts Team Leader, Liberty Church
- Nathan Baxter is a visionary leader. He has moved our church into strategic planning in order to accomplish our 5 year envisioned future. The way that he supports our Senior Pastor and enables him to be successful is incredible. On a personal level, he saw some leadership qualities in me that I didn't even see, and through encouragement and coaching he has helped me identify and develop those qualities. With his guidance I have been able toembrace mycalling, andarticulate my passions and my vision. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today if it weren't for Nathan. He has been a great team leader, encourager, and friend. He is a gift to me and to our church.
Chuck Allison, Children's Ministry Team Leader, Liberty Church
- As theChildren's Pastor at Liberty Church, I have worked with and reported to Nathan Baxter for almost a year now. Our relationship has been providential for me because of my need to be morefocused about what I do. As many leaders with a shepherds heart, I am drawn towards people and their needs. Almost anything that I am involved in will be pushed aside if someone asks for time with me - face to face, on the phone, or otherwise; it is my nature and my heart to respond to them.My challengeis this: Iam learning to look at not only the people in front of me, but those that can and should be influenced by those in front of me, layer after layer, generation after generation - beyond my direct contact. Multiplying my influence requires much more focus and intentionality than responding "in the moment"to people around me.
- One of Nathan's strengths is to think exactly that way:what needs to happen today to impact bothindividual people,and the influence thatthey mighthave tomorrow - and the next day, and the next day, and beyond.Even more importantlyNathan'sdesire is to do more thancommunicate to me the need or game-plan to develop a new perspective or"tool-set." His ability to understand and accept thepersonality, skills, gifts, and experience of others is essential to his ability to help them expand their effectiveness. There are some things I will always be, and there are others I will never be. Some of these are essential, productive, and unique - others are just the opposite: distracting, ineffective, and more.What sets Nathan apartis his unusual ability to combine long term compassionate understanding and true concern about a personwith his desire that they learn to do their job more effectively.
- Many leaders who see compelling the need for task completion as the driving priority of their relationships with otherscan and willtell you what to do and remind you when you are not doing it, but fewwill see those around them asindividuals, and will correspondinglymake it theirpriority to partner in a long-term effort to both recognize unique qualitiesof effectiveness and usefulness that already exist,and to target and build others that don't.
Mark Hackler, Strategic Leadership Team Member/Outreach, Liberty Church
- I have known Nathan Baxter for the past 25 years. Over these years I have witnessed a true transformation in character and leadership. Nathan has transformed into a person who truly cares about people and their own issues. Nathan is also very gifted in developing the leadership gift in others. Specifically, Nathan has assisted me in my own leadership by modeling skills and values that align with the vision of our own team that we serve together on. I am always encouraged by Nathan not so much by his words of encouragement but by the life that he leads.
- Nathan is very skilled in communicating vision, recruiting others to join him and aligning activities to successfully deliver the vision. One of Nathan's strongest suites is engaging people into meaningful relationships. People from all walks of life tend to gravitate to Nathan because of his intentional efforts to care for them. Because of the longevity of the relationship between Nathan and me, I feel that I have a great perspective on Nathan's spiritual transformation. I do consider it an honor to call Nathan my friend and I full confidence in his skill and abilities.
Bryan Rezen, Program Director, Church of the Resurrection, Kansas City, Missouri
- My relationship with Nathan has benefited both my walk with God and my work as a youth minister. In my relationship with God Nathan has challenged me to live as Jesus lived and lovemy neighbor. I had alwayswondered, what does it mean to love my neighbor? Iwondered who exactly is my neighbor? Nathan challenged me to look across the street. This opened my eyes to my immediate neighbors and how I could build a relationship with them throughacts of kindness. I now mow my elderly neighbors yardto show her the love of Christ. These relationships that I'm buildingarenotmotivated by the gospel but are motivated by showing the love of Christ; I'm not trying to become a contagious Christian.The motive is purely connectional. Who knows what God can do through a connection like this?
- The other benefit of my relationship with Nathan is coaching/mentoring. The part I like best about Nathan's mentoring is that he doesn't try to answer the questions that I'm asking. You know the old adage, "If you fish for someone you can feed them for a day, but if you teach them to fish you feed them for a lifetime." Nathanis teaching me how to fish. Heresponds to my questions with questions ofhisown that challenge me to think for myself. He has guided me to many books that have helpedme as a Christian and as a leader.
