# Mindful Leader Dennis Shaw is a musician, marathoner (Boston!), retired military officer, math modeler, muse, and United Methodist Pastor. A keen observer of the human condition, he has degrees in music, quantitative methods (don’t ask!), theology and leadership. He will discuss with other leaders how to become engaged and present in our current leadership opportunities. Critical to leadership is strong self-awareness. Becoming authentic, empathetic, and aware will form the framework of all discussions. You… Page: Feed: --- ## [First, Love Your Congregation Where They Are](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/first-love-your-congregation-where-they-are/) _2025-08-25_ Dennis Shaw offers a short reflection on a guiding principle and is the start of a series on more personal observations on church leadership. The session is a reflective leadership discussion, centered on a core guiding principle: love your congregation where they are. The discussion challenges the notion of “fixing” a congregation, emphasizes the plurality of community, trust-building, and… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/cnms52s4w3n3en3b/S2Ep21.mp3) ## [Dennis Shaw: A Prayerful Look at a Mountain Sky Conference Resolution](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/dennis-shaw-a-prayerful-look-at-a-mountain-sky-conference-resolution/) _2025-06-10_ This is my take on a resolution we will be voting on at our Annual Conference. I am not sure if it has an extended shelf life. I might bring it down after it serves its purpose. This is simply an attempt to explain, in more time than I would have on Thursday, why I find a particular resolution problematic. The resolution is HERE . [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/t42rnhp34jc8mf88/S2Ep20.mp3) ## ["This is Water" and our Default Settings](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/this-is-water-and-our-default-settings/) _2025-04-14_ In this episode of Mindful Leader, host Dennis Shaw explores the human tendency towards self-centeredness through the lens of David Foster Wallace's famous "This is Water" commencement speech. Drawing on Wallace's metaphor of two fish unaware they're swimming in water, Dennis discusses our default human setting: seeing ourselves as the absolute center of the universe. The podcast challenges… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/tchbtpvnbg7ybjj3/S2Ep18.mp3) ## [Michael Smith: Finding Balance in Ministry](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/finding-balance-in-ministry-a-journey-to-soul-care/) _2025-03-17_ Join Dennis Shaw, host of Mindful Leader, as he engages in a compelling conversation with clergy leader Michael Smith of the Greater New Jersey Conference of the United Methodist Church. In this episode, they explore the critical themes of Soul Care and self-care for clergy and lay leaders within the church. Dennis and Michael share their personal experiences and insights into finding harmony… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/4qrk3qhcum55adn6/S2Ep17-shvysh-Optimized.mp3) ## [Thomas Risager: Episcopal Candidate for Nordic and Baltic Central Conference](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/reviving-faith-church-life-in-modern-denmark/) _2025-03-10_ This is a rebroadcast from 2023! In this episode of Mindful Leader, host Dennis Shaw revisits a 2023 conversation with Thomas Risager, a pastor in the Danish United Methodist Church who is a candidate for the Episcopacy in the Nordic and Baltic Central Conference in early April. They explore the unique religious landscape of Denmark, where a small percentage of the population attends church… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/ay43urvw5w369wy9/SEp16New-ba7akm-Optimized.mp3) ## [Dr. Lucy Lind Hogan: Episode 2 -- Leading Prophetically](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/leading-prophetically-embracing-gods-vision/) _2025-03-03_ Welcome to Mindful Leader. Your host is Dennis Shaw, a retired elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church, as he delves into the topic of leadership within the local church. In this two episode conversation, Dennis talks with Dr. Lucy Hogan, Professor Emerita of Preaching and Worship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Several sites with summaries of Dr.… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kbhfpj77erhsmuxa/S2Ep15Ver2-kc8cxp-Optimized.mp3) ## [Dr. Lucy Hogan: Prophetic Leadership in the Church Today -- Episode 1](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/prophetic-leadership-in-the-church-today/) _2025-02-24_ Welcome to Mindful Leader. Your host is Dennis Shaw, a retired elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church, as he delves into the topic of leadership within the local church. In this two episode conversation, Dennis talks with Dr. Lucy Hogan, Professor Emerita of Preaching and Worship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Several sites with summaries of Dr.… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/y5mtpxg3ypkrfabs/S2Ep14Ver3-4467yt-Optimized.mp3) ## [Dr. George Thompson Explores Church Leadership at the Edge of Somewhere!](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/exploring-church-leadership-with-dr-george-thompson/) _2025-02-17_ Welcome to the Mindful Leader podcast hosted by Dennis Shaw, a retired elder from the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church. This episode, features Dr. George Thompson, and we focus on leadership development in local churches. Dr. Thompson shares insights from his extensive experience and his book Church on the Edge of Somewhere. exploring the dynamics of church identity,… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/sx3agr74q9h7icft/S2Ep13-92iine-Optimized.mp3) ## [Empowering Local Churches: Leadership Development 101](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/empowering-local-churches-a-new-approach-to-leadership/) _2025-02-10_ In this episode, we delve into the theme of improving the capacity of local churches, using the UMC Mountain Sky Conference as a case study. This is a continuation in part of a conversation Zach and I had in September ( HERE ). Please share if this resonates with you! Joined by guests Gayla Jo Slauson (Mountain Sky Co-Lay Leader), Mark Calhoun (Wyoming District Superintendent), and Zach Bechtold… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/649qeh6x2atbh9gc/S2Ep12-mdqy6z-Optimized.mp3) ## [Zuverlässiges Hosting, Domains, Server (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/zQlFSl1VzMij) _2025-02-10 · **Sponsored**_ Zuverlässige Infrastruktur, niedrige Preise und skalierbare Server für deinen Webauftritt. ## [The Reinhards: Faith, Fitness, and A Holistic Approach to Wellness](https://mantuan.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-faith-and-fitness-a-holistic-approach-to-wellness/) _2025-02-03_ (Note: Look in the links below for a bonus episode: the entire, unedited interview. Excellent Resource!) Welcome to Mindful Leader, hosted by Dennis Shaw and focused on helping lay and clergy leadership in the local church. In this episode, we delve into the realm of health and wellness with guests Steve and Tracy Reinhard. Steve, retired United Methodist Clergy, and Tracy, a Certified Health… [Listen](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/exvhner9qqz2pbgi/S2Ep11V2-fzsw4z-Optimized.mp3)