Daniel Im

Pastor + Author

Articles

Spiritual Formation + Relational Neuroscience

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Spiritual formation, relational neuroscience, and how they intersect and interact with one another is going to be the focus of my doctoral studies for the next three years.

That’s right—12 years after graduating with my M.A. in Global Leadership—I’m starting my doctorate! I just got accepted into the Doctor of Ministry program at Western Theological Seminary. So, beginning this summer, I’ll be layering schoolwork on top of my existing and ongoing role and responsibilities as the Lead Pastor of Beulah Alliance Church. And what’s awesome is that I don’t need to relocate to Michigan to do the program. I can do it right from Edmonton.

This interdisciplinary program combining spiritual formation and brain science is the first of its kind, and I’m thrilled to dive deep into how the two areas integrate and learn from the cohort mentors, Dr. Geoff Holsclaw and Cyd Holsclaw.

But this isn’t purely an academic pursuit. Rather, the primary questions that are driving the pursuit of this doctorate for me are the following:

In this post-pandemic, post-truth, post-modern, post-Christian, and post-everything world, how can we lead our churches to effectively disciple people toward Christ-likeness? To lead our people to know Christ, be known by Christ, and to make him known?

Yes, our responsibility is primarily to sow and water seeds, while God is ultimately responsible for making them grow (1 Corinthians 3). And yes, when we sow seeds, they will all fall on different types of ground (Matthew 13), but how can we do our part even more effectively, faithfully, and fruitfully in light of the science behind attachment theory? In light of contemporary research in relational neuroscience? And in light of ancient Christian spiritual practices?

So for the next three years, I’ll be diving deep into:

  1. Attachment Theory and Theological Anthropology
  2. Ancient Spiritual Formation and Contemporary Relational Neuroscience
  3. The Connections between Theology, Therapeutic Culture, and Trauma toward the end of creating communities of care and transformation

So that’s it! That’s the announcement.

And I’m thrilled to see how everything I learn will not only integrate into our vision at Beulah to awaken Greater Edmonton to King Jesus, but to also see the people of Alberta, Canada, and the world experience genuine, lasting transformation in and through Jesus Christ.

How does the size of your gathering affect your culture of discipleship?

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“What are some practical ways to shift the church culture from a monthly men’s Bible study to an accountable discipleship group? Do you start with a handful of guys and just abandon the others who only come to the monthly study, or what?”

By ordering my new book, The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World, Paul was able to submit this question.

So in the following video, I answer his question by unpacking how the size of your gatherings will affect your culture of discipleship.

If you would like to submit your question on discipleship, evangelism, or preaching that I’ll answer via video, check out my order offer here.

Expanding + Expounding on No Silver Bullets

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Is there a 2.0 version of No Silver Bullets?

I am deeply grateful that the message of No Silver Bullets: Five Small Shifts that will Transform Your Ministry is still helping churches around the world figure out how to create a discipleship pathway, and make micro-shifts that lead to macro-changes.

But it’s been 8 years since the book released, and since then—my goodness how our world has changed!

Today, our world is arguably more divisive, more political, more indifferent, and more impatient than it’s ever been. We are living in a post-truth, post-Christian, post-pandemic, and pretty much post-everything world.

So to my question above—yes there is a 2.0 version of No Silver Bullets! It’s called The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World where I expand and expound on No Silver Bullets:

  • In it, I revisit the structure of a discipleship pathway that I unpacked in No Silver Bullets, and then expand and expound on how to create one in the world that we’re living in today. 
  • On top of that, I unpack the biggest shift that’s taken place over the last 70+ years of church strategy and structures in North America, and how we must adapt today. 

So if you thought No Silver Bullets was helpful, then I want to encourage you to pick up a copy of my newest book, The Discipleship Opportunity.

Top Quotes on Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today by John Stott

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Of all the books on preaching out there, this is my favourite one.

Published in 1982 by John Stott (1921-2011) who was a pastor to pastors, theologian, integral to the Lausanne Movement, and the author of more than 50 books, this book is an oldie, but definitely a goodie.

At Beulah, I bring all of our preacher’s together (current and aspiring) four times a year for our Preacher’s Learning Community. Between Two Worlds by John Stott is required reading as it’s comprehensive in the theology, art, craft, and calling of preaching.

In my opinion, here are the top quotes from this classic. Enjoy!

[Read more…] about Top Quotes on Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today by John Stott

Ideas to Develop Your Staff and Ministry Team in 2025

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If we don’t live with intentionality—both in life and leadership—then time has a way of stealing the years away from us.

A year passes by and we’re still facing the same ‘ol problems. New year, new you? Not necessarily. It’s more like new year, same you. It’s a year later and while it might seem like you’re dealing with seemingly new problems, they’re really just the old ones with a different face.

So for 2025, instead of coming up with a fancy New Year’s resolution, why not just resolve to read more? After all, I find that reading sparks new ideas, and reading can help us get out of ruts. I love how Margaret Fuller once put it, “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” Or the words of Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

So to kick off this new year, I want to recommend five books that will help you step into this new year with intentionality. Five books that will help you grow yourself and your staff and ministry team with rigorous intentionality.

1. LEADING SELF

In order to lead others well, we need to be committed to constantly growing and leading ourselves. So the first book that I want to recommend is Chuck DeGroat’s new one, Healing What’s Within. Christina and I interviewed him on Episode 186 of our IMbetween Podcast where we unpacked the importance of self-awareness, loneliness, disconnection, and healing. This book will help you discover how to heal the hidden hurt in your life that might be keeping you back from moving forward.

Healing What’s Within: Coming Home to Yourself—and to God—When You’re Wounded, Weary, and Wandering, by Chuck DeGroat

2. LEADING OTHERS

This next book is a classic. It reads like the book of Proverbs from the Bible. And when it comes to leading others, this book has gems of wisdom throughout. No wonder it’s sold over 1 million copies! Topics include the cost of leadership, the responsibility of leadership, the qualities and criteria of leadership, and how to reproduce leaders.

Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer, by J. Oswald Sanders.

3. LEADING LEADERS

I’ve coached over 1000 people through the StrengthsFinder assessment (now called the CliftonStrengths Assessment), as it’s one of the best scientifically researched tools to help you lead yourself, lead others, and lead leaders. If you haven’t taken it, definitely do so, and here’s a great complimentary book that will help you understand and implement the results from your assessment. 

Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow, by Tom Roth and Barry Conchie

4. LEADING DEPARTMENTS

If you’re a departmental or divisional leader, then you need a quick and sure way to recognize and remember the differences between your teammates, and a way to help you integrate their work with one another. And that’s why Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius assessment is my recommendation for this category. Here’s an article I wrote describing the differences between the Working Genius and StrengthsFinder.

The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team, by Patrick M. Lencioni.

5. LEADING ORGANIZATIONS (or your church)

Jesus never said to “go and make country club members, social justice advocates, or religious institutions.” He said to “go and make disciples.” Disciples! Disciples who make disciples who make disciples. Do you have a way to do that in your church? A deliberate and intentional pathway to make disciples in our post-pandemic, post-Christian, and post-everything world? This is precisely why I wrote The Discipleship Opportunity, and why my hope is that you will take the vision setters and decision makers in your church through it.

The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World, by Daniel Im.