These suggestions come from Herbert Cooper......and are directed to pastors, but they truly apply to the entire leadership team as we encourage the teams we work with:
1. Reinforce the vision with your staff by doing regular teachings about the vision.
2. Reinforce the vision by publicly and privately rewarding those who are advancing the vision.
3. Reinforce the vision by quickly correcting and/or redirecting those who get off focus.
4. Reinforce the vision by having your entire staff gather together once a month (admin. included) to share testimonies of how they are advancing the vision.
5. Reinforce the vision by celebrating with your team when the organization makes huge strides in accomplishing the vision.
6. Reinforce the vision by dropping by a staff member’s office and just talk to them about life, vision and the direction of the organization.
7. Reinforce the vision by encouraging and equipping your top leaders to keep the rest of the team focused on the vision.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
7 Things Running Taught Me
7 Things Running Taught Me About Ministry
by Kent Shaffer
The Apostle Paul begins Second Timothy 2 by telling Timothy that he should be like a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. I have never been a soldier or a farmer, but I have been an athlete. I used to run hurdles in track and field, and I have always enjoyed Paul’s comparison of ministry to running a race.
So what can we learn from a runner? How can the principles of running a race help us create more effective ministries?
Here are 7 things that running taught me about ministry:
#1 :: Get a Good Coach
Find quality mentors. Finding the right coach was the best thing that ever happened to me in track and field. Look for people who can tell you the right things to do and how to do them well.
Proverbs 11:14 (NLT)Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.
#2 :: Train Hard, Train Constantly
Runners constantly train hard to improve their strength and technique. Effective ministry requires that you consistently invest into training your spiritual life. You also need to regularly work on improving your ministry methods and techniques.
1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.
#3 :: Eat Right, Drink Plenty
The wrong diet will make a runner vomit. Guard your heart like a runner guards his stomach. Keep your actions pure and be careful what you give your attention to. A poor diet sits heavy like a weight in a runner’s stomach, but a good diet brings strength to a runner.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Runners also need to stay hydrated. You need personal time with God like a runner needs water. It keeps you refreshed and is essential if you plan to run your race well.
Psalm 23:3 (The Message)You find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.
#4 :: Go Fast!
The most obvious part about running a race is that you must go as fast as you can. Being fast is more sophisticated than simply running as hard as you can. You must know your race and be able to pace yourself to maximize your efforts without burning out. Successfully sprinting a 100 meter race requires a different distribution of energy than running a marathon.
Philippians 3:14 (NLT)I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
The word press is derived from the Greek word dioko, which means to run swiftly and to run after. I feel an urgency to spread the gospel and fulfill my calling. Every moment matters when people’s eternity is on the line.
Unfortunately, the ability to be quick, agile, and nimble is difficult for some ministries. Perhaps it is needless policies bogging them down. Perhaps a lack of organization holds them back. Whatever it is, some ministries seem to be running their spiritual race in slow motion.
Are you doing everything you can to make the biggest impact? Are you moving as fast as you can?
#5 :: Keep It Light
When running, the ounces you carry multiply with every step. Serious runners wear the lightest shoes possible. Likewise, prune your ministry. Make it lightweight and nimble by cutting away unnecessary and unfruitful tasks, programs, and anything else slowing you down. Everything you do should have a purpose and bring you one step closer to finishing your race.
1 Corinthians 9:26 (NLT)So I run with purpose in every step.
#6 :: Stay in Your Lane
If you don’t stay in your lane, you will be disqualified from the race. Likewise, if you do not follow God’s guidance, you will suffer consequences.
2 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.
#7 :: Finish Your Race
It does not matter if you are slow. It does not matter if you fall down. You must finish your race.
Acts 20:24 (CEV)But I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God’s great kindness.
The word work is translated race in the NIV and NKJV translations and translated course in the KJV translation. It is derived from the Greek word dromos, which means a race, a career, or a course of life. It is the same word that Paul uses when he says:
2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Staying focused on and dedicated to finishing the calling that God has given you is the most important thing you can do in your ministry. Run your race well so that in the end, you too can be like Paul in Philippians 2:16 (KJV) and say, “I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”
by Kent Shaffer
The Apostle Paul begins Second Timothy 2 by telling Timothy that he should be like a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. I have never been a soldier or a farmer, but I have been an athlete. I used to run hurdles in track and field, and I have always enjoyed Paul’s comparison of ministry to running a race.
So what can we learn from a runner? How can the principles of running a race help us create more effective ministries?
Here are 7 things that running taught me about ministry:
#1 :: Get a Good Coach
Find quality mentors. Finding the right coach was the best thing that ever happened to me in track and field. Look for people who can tell you the right things to do and how to do them well.
Proverbs 11:14 (NLT)Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.
#2 :: Train Hard, Train Constantly
Runners constantly train hard to improve their strength and technique. Effective ministry requires that you consistently invest into training your spiritual life. You also need to regularly work on improving your ministry methods and techniques.
1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.
#3 :: Eat Right, Drink Plenty
The wrong diet will make a runner vomit. Guard your heart like a runner guards his stomach. Keep your actions pure and be careful what you give your attention to. A poor diet sits heavy like a weight in a runner’s stomach, but a good diet brings strength to a runner.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Runners also need to stay hydrated. You need personal time with God like a runner needs water. It keeps you refreshed and is essential if you plan to run your race well.
Psalm 23:3 (The Message)You find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.
#4 :: Go Fast!
The most obvious part about running a race is that you must go as fast as you can. Being fast is more sophisticated than simply running as hard as you can. You must know your race and be able to pace yourself to maximize your efforts without burning out. Successfully sprinting a 100 meter race requires a different distribution of energy than running a marathon.
Philippians 3:14 (NLT)I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
The word press is derived from the Greek word dioko, which means to run swiftly and to run after. I feel an urgency to spread the gospel and fulfill my calling. Every moment matters when people’s eternity is on the line.
Unfortunately, the ability to be quick, agile, and nimble is difficult for some ministries. Perhaps it is needless policies bogging them down. Perhaps a lack of organization holds them back. Whatever it is, some ministries seem to be running their spiritual race in slow motion.
Are you doing everything you can to make the biggest impact? Are you moving as fast as you can?
#5 :: Keep It Light
When running, the ounces you carry multiply with every step. Serious runners wear the lightest shoes possible. Likewise, prune your ministry. Make it lightweight and nimble by cutting away unnecessary and unfruitful tasks, programs, and anything else slowing you down. Everything you do should have a purpose and bring you one step closer to finishing your race.
1 Corinthians 9:26 (NLT)So I run with purpose in every step.
#6 :: Stay in Your Lane
If you don’t stay in your lane, you will be disqualified from the race. Likewise, if you do not follow God’s guidance, you will suffer consequences.
2 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.
#7 :: Finish Your Race
It does not matter if you are slow. It does not matter if you fall down. You must finish your race.
Acts 20:24 (CEV)But I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God’s great kindness.
The word work is translated race in the NIV and NKJV translations and translated course in the KJV translation. It is derived from the Greek word dromos, which means a race, a career, or a course of life. It is the same word that Paul uses when he says:
2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Staying focused on and dedicated to finishing the calling that God has given you is the most important thing you can do in your ministry. Run your race well so that in the end, you too can be like Paul in Philippians 2:16 (KJV) and say, “I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Why Churches Don't Grow
In a province of northern Mexico, the peasants lived in poverty. Corn was their main crop, but between the ravages of disease that attacked the corn and the depleted soil, the average yield was only 10 bushels an acre. Then American experts decided to see what they could do to help the situation. They analyzed the soil to determine what was lacking. They developed a strain of disease-resisting corn particularly suited to that area. As a result the corn harvest increased 11 times — to 110 bushels per acre.
Perhaps a church that finds itself in a low production cycle should engage in an analysis of the soil to see how the situation might be improved. Here are some areas of difficulty that deserve watching:
A church fails to grow when its leaders become victims of defeatism.
When a fatalistic attitude of unbelief prevails, faith for revival and growth dies, and in discouragement pastor and people say, “It can’t be done!” Some find support for this attitude in their interpretation of Scripture : “There shall be a falling away”; “The love of many shall wax cold.” To them church growth is impossible because the times are against it.
Some say America has had her chance and now can only expect judgment. But what about the whole new generation of young Americans, many of whom have never seen revival? They need a chance.
While some prophecies foretell the great apostasy, others proclaim a last-day outpouring of Gods Spirit. Both events are going to take place. Perhaps they will occur side-by-side. While we are in the earth, God is glorified in our producing much fruit. A positive stand of faith is essential for church growth.
Some churches fail to grow because they have lost their mobility and have become prisoners of their buildings.
These churches have reduced their activities to those things they do within the four walls of the sanctuary. Many churches have withdrawn from areas where they can have contact with the unchurched; they no longer have any kind of outreach ministries and have become isolated from the world they should be reaching. In some instances the only effort to reach the outside world is in the evangelistic campaign with a guest speaker. If the people come, fine. But if not, what more can they do?
The Early Church carried on without any particular emphasis on church buildings. The early disciples preached in the temple, on the streets, in the houses, in schools, and wherever opportunity afforded. This was also the scene in the early days of the Pentecostal outpouring. Services were held in homes, in storefront buildings, in vacant church buildings, in schools — anywhere an opening could be obtained. We have sometimes allowed our church buildings to seal us off from the world we must reach! For the church to grow, it must regain its mobility.
A third situation that hinders church growth might be called a family-clan mentality.
This was illustrated in one Central American church made up entirely of Indian people. The society in that area was built around the family-clan principle. The church grew rapidly for a while, then growth leveled off and there were no new converts. All the converts were members of one family clan.
When membership reached the limits of the clan, growth stopped. In fact, it is possible that the members would not have welcomed additions from other families because it would have disturbed the security of those in control. The same thing has happened to a lesser degree in other places where the church membership is made up of three or four families. These families may become sealed off from the rest of the community. Then there are no more “bridges of God,” as Dr. Donald McGavran says.
A church needs new material. Revival, like a fire, burns low if it has no new material to feed on. God expects us to find ways to move out of our isolation and into contact with the world. We are the salt of the earth. God is not calling US to isolation but to contagion. We must expose the world to the gospel.
A fourth hindrance to church growth is the pastor-do-it-all mentality.
Pastors sometimes make the common mistake of thinking the all important aspect of the ministry is the sermon. But one of the pastor’s most important tasks is to put his church to work. Ephesians 4: 11,12 bears this out. We are told God has placed in the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
Some have mistakenly believed this referred to three parallel purposes. But this verse should be read without commas. There is only one thing in focus: the edifying of the body of Christ. To this end pastors, evangelists, and teachers are to prepare the saints for the work of their ministry — for this is not just a pastor’s ministry but the ministry of the entire body of Christ. As the pastor understands that an important part of his ministry is to help the members fulfill their own divine calling as members of the body of Christ, he will surely have a growing church.
The church fails to grow when it is self-centered.
A certain tension has always existed between evangelism, which is reaching the world for Christ, and the perfecting of the saints in Christian graces. Spiritually inclined people face a very real temptation to withdraw from the rugged task of winning the world and retreat into the enjoyment of spiritual gifts and graces for their own sakes. Some are so concerned about deepening their own spiritual lives and enjoying the exercise of spiritual gifts that they have lost their practical usefulness to the kingdom of God.
God wants the two poles of evangelism and Christian perfection to be kept in proper tension. We must never lose sight of the fact the ministry of the Holy Spirit is not only in us, but also through us, as witnesses to a lost world.
Some churches fail to grow because of a weak spiritual incentive
The spiritual dynamics of prayer, intercession, and waiting on God have been lost. The tendency then is to substitute the natural for the spiritual and to carry on the work of God on a natural plane. Some engage in a round of activities throughout the year with one program after another until there is no time left, and perhaps no real desire, to seek God for a move of His Holy Spirit. We cannot have true church growth if we settle for second best.
A church may be in bondage to traditions and religious habits.
Somewhere along the line we may lose our sense of expectancy that God will break in upon us in a fresh way and reveal himself to us. We begin to follow a routine of spiritual exercises. Our worship and spiritual activity lose their freshness. Where is the old-fashioned burden for the lost? Where is the weeping and wrestling with God in fervent prayer? Does the desire for God’s work to prosper take priority over our own interests and comfort?
God can break through in any church again. Faith can be revived and the church loosed from its indifference and formality. God intends for the church to grow. Ask Him to renew your faith so you can approach your task with courage.
Perhaps a church that finds itself in a low production cycle should engage in an analysis of the soil to see how the situation might be improved. Here are some areas of difficulty that deserve watching:
A church fails to grow when its leaders become victims of defeatism.
When a fatalistic attitude of unbelief prevails, faith for revival and growth dies, and in discouragement pastor and people say, “It can’t be done!” Some find support for this attitude in their interpretation of Scripture : “There shall be a falling away”; “The love of many shall wax cold.” To them church growth is impossible because the times are against it.
Some say America has had her chance and now can only expect judgment. But what about the whole new generation of young Americans, many of whom have never seen revival? They need a chance.
While some prophecies foretell the great apostasy, others proclaim a last-day outpouring of Gods Spirit. Both events are going to take place. Perhaps they will occur side-by-side. While we are in the earth, God is glorified in our producing much fruit. A positive stand of faith is essential for church growth.
Some churches fail to grow because they have lost their mobility and have become prisoners of their buildings.
These churches have reduced their activities to those things they do within the four walls of the sanctuary. Many churches have withdrawn from areas where they can have contact with the unchurched; they no longer have any kind of outreach ministries and have become isolated from the world they should be reaching. In some instances the only effort to reach the outside world is in the evangelistic campaign with a guest speaker. If the people come, fine. But if not, what more can they do?
The Early Church carried on without any particular emphasis on church buildings. The early disciples preached in the temple, on the streets, in the houses, in schools, and wherever opportunity afforded. This was also the scene in the early days of the Pentecostal outpouring. Services were held in homes, in storefront buildings, in vacant church buildings, in schools — anywhere an opening could be obtained. We have sometimes allowed our church buildings to seal us off from the world we must reach! For the church to grow, it must regain its mobility.
A third situation that hinders church growth might be called a family-clan mentality.
This was illustrated in one Central American church made up entirely of Indian people. The society in that area was built around the family-clan principle. The church grew rapidly for a while, then growth leveled off and there were no new converts. All the converts were members of one family clan.
When membership reached the limits of the clan, growth stopped. In fact, it is possible that the members would not have welcomed additions from other families because it would have disturbed the security of those in control. The same thing has happened to a lesser degree in other places where the church membership is made up of three or four families. These families may become sealed off from the rest of the community. Then there are no more “bridges of God,” as Dr. Donald McGavran says.
A church needs new material. Revival, like a fire, burns low if it has no new material to feed on. God expects us to find ways to move out of our isolation and into contact with the world. We are the salt of the earth. God is not calling US to isolation but to contagion. We must expose the world to the gospel.
A fourth hindrance to church growth is the pastor-do-it-all mentality.
Pastors sometimes make the common mistake of thinking the all important aspect of the ministry is the sermon. But one of the pastor’s most important tasks is to put his church to work. Ephesians 4: 11,12 bears this out. We are told God has placed in the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
Some have mistakenly believed this referred to three parallel purposes. But this verse should be read without commas. There is only one thing in focus: the edifying of the body of Christ. To this end pastors, evangelists, and teachers are to prepare the saints for the work of their ministry — for this is not just a pastor’s ministry but the ministry of the entire body of Christ. As the pastor understands that an important part of his ministry is to help the members fulfill their own divine calling as members of the body of Christ, he will surely have a growing church.
The church fails to grow when it is self-centered.
A certain tension has always existed between evangelism, which is reaching the world for Christ, and the perfecting of the saints in Christian graces. Spiritually inclined people face a very real temptation to withdraw from the rugged task of winning the world and retreat into the enjoyment of spiritual gifts and graces for their own sakes. Some are so concerned about deepening their own spiritual lives and enjoying the exercise of spiritual gifts that they have lost their practical usefulness to the kingdom of God.
God wants the two poles of evangelism and Christian perfection to be kept in proper tension. We must never lose sight of the fact the ministry of the Holy Spirit is not only in us, but also through us, as witnesses to a lost world.
Some churches fail to grow because of a weak spiritual incentive
The spiritual dynamics of prayer, intercession, and waiting on God have been lost. The tendency then is to substitute the natural for the spiritual and to carry on the work of God on a natural plane. Some engage in a round of activities throughout the year with one program after another until there is no time left, and perhaps no real desire, to seek God for a move of His Holy Spirit. We cannot have true church growth if we settle for second best.
A church may be in bondage to traditions and religious habits.
Somewhere along the line we may lose our sense of expectancy that God will break in upon us in a fresh way and reveal himself to us. We begin to follow a routine of spiritual exercises. Our worship and spiritual activity lose their freshness. Where is the old-fashioned burden for the lost? Where is the weeping and wrestling with God in fervent prayer? Does the desire for God’s work to prosper take priority over our own interests and comfort?
God can break through in any church again. Faith can be revived and the church loosed from its indifference and formality. God intends for the church to grow. Ask Him to renew your faith so you can approach your task with courage.
Core Values
Mark Batterson from NCC (Author of "In a Pit.....") shares some thoughts on the core values of NCC:
Honestly, we didn't have core values when we were getting started. The driving motivation was simple: try to create a church where unchurched people can find Christ. I know church planters are taught to identify their core values before launching and there is nothing wrong with that. It's a good exercise. But let me say something that might sound heretical at first earshot: I think your values should change! It's counter-intuitive so let me explain.
Its one thing to write down values and hang them on the wall. It's another thing to discover your values in the trenches of ministry! It is discovery by doing! You won't really know what you value until you do what you're doing for a while! So I have always viewed our core values as a rough draft. They are amendable. Our basic DNA or churchprint won't change dramatically, but I would like to think that we'll discover new values in five or ten years as we mature as a church.
Here are a dozen core values that guide us at NCC:
1. Expect the unexpected
2. Irrelevance is irreverence
3. Love people when they least expect it and least deserve it
4. Playing it safe is risky
5. Pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you
6. Everyone is invaluable and irreplaceable
7. Everything is an experiment
8. You cannot out give God
9. Maturity does not equal conformity
10. Go the extra mile
11. It's never too late to be who you might have been
12. Do it right and do it big
QUESTION: What do you see as the core values of OAG?
Honestly, we didn't have core values when we were getting started. The driving motivation was simple: try to create a church where unchurched people can find Christ. I know church planters are taught to identify their core values before launching and there is nothing wrong with that. It's a good exercise. But let me say something that might sound heretical at first earshot: I think your values should change! It's counter-intuitive so let me explain.
Its one thing to write down values and hang them on the wall. It's another thing to discover your values in the trenches of ministry! It is discovery by doing! You won't really know what you value until you do what you're doing for a while! So I have always viewed our core values as a rough draft. They are amendable. Our basic DNA or churchprint won't change dramatically, but I would like to think that we'll discover new values in five or ten years as we mature as a church.
Here are a dozen core values that guide us at NCC:
1. Expect the unexpected
2. Irrelevance is irreverence
3. Love people when they least expect it and least deserve it
4. Playing it safe is risky
5. Pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you
6. Everyone is invaluable and irreplaceable
7. Everything is an experiment
8. You cannot out give God
9. Maturity does not equal conformity
10. Go the extra mile
11. It's never too late to be who you might have been
12. Do it right and do it big
QUESTION: What do you see as the core values of OAG?
Tough Leadership Decisions
Herbert Cooper gives 6 areas where leadership is tough:
1. Having to let go of a bad employee.
2. It's even tougher to let go of a nice employee who's not a fit with the organization.
3. Dealing with criticism. The more your ministry grows, the bigger the target you are.
4. Being misunderstood but not having the opportunity to explain your heart and motives.
5. Being hurt by people you thought you could trust.
6. Keeping your DNA and core values throughout the entire organization as it rapidly grows.
1. Having to let go of a bad employee.
2. It's even tougher to let go of a nice employee who's not a fit with the organization.
3. Dealing with criticism. The more your ministry grows, the bigger the target you are.
4. Being misunderstood but not having the opportunity to explain your heart and motives.
5. Being hurt by people you thought you could trust.
6. Keeping your DNA and core values throughout the entire organization as it rapidly grows.
Reaching the Unreached
Rick Warren shares three church essentials in a recent Christian Post article. Here is a summary:
1. Think like a lost person. If you’re going to be good at fishing, you’ve got to learn to think like a fish. If you’re going to be an effective fisher of men, you’ve got to think like a lost person. To catch fish, you’ve got to know their habits, their preferences, and their feeding patterns. You’ve got to know what the fish you’re trying to reach like to do. If you’re going to understand and reach non-Christians, you’ve got to begin with their mindset.
2. Be strategic. Jesus says in Matthew 10:16, “I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Jesus is saying we need to be strategic. Think about who you are trying to reach before you try to do evangelism.
3. Speak the language. You have to learn the language of the unbeliever. They don’t talk in religious terms. I often hear about how resistant people are to the Gospel. But I don’t think that’s true. They’re not resistant. They’re just on a different wavelength. In other words, the better you understand the people whom you are called to reach, the more effective you will be in reaching them.
1. Think like a lost person. If you’re going to be good at fishing, you’ve got to learn to think like a fish. If you’re going to be an effective fisher of men, you’ve got to think like a lost person. To catch fish, you’ve got to know their habits, their preferences, and their feeding patterns. You’ve got to know what the fish you’re trying to reach like to do. If you’re going to understand and reach non-Christians, you’ve got to begin with their mindset.
2. Be strategic. Jesus says in Matthew 10:16, “I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Jesus is saying we need to be strategic. Think about who you are trying to reach before you try to do evangelism.
3. Speak the language. You have to learn the language of the unbeliever. They don’t talk in religious terms. I often hear about how resistant people are to the Gospel. But I don’t think that’s true. They’re not resistant. They’re just on a different wavelength. In other words, the better you understand the people whom you are called to reach, the more effective you will be in reaching them.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Keys to Greatness
1. Realize you can't be great at everything.
2. Refuse to be a jack of all trades. People don't pay for average.
3. Identify your dominate gift.
4. Develop and work on your dominate gift.
5. Learn to delegate areas where you are weak, so you can give most of your attention to your dominate gift.
6. Become great at what you are great at.
2. Refuse to be a jack of all trades. People don't pay for average.
3. Identify your dominate gift.
4. Develop and work on your dominate gift.
5. Learn to delegate areas where you are weak, so you can give most of your attention to your dominate gift.
6. Become great at what you are great at.
If I'd Only Known
A list from Herbert Cooper.....one that I should have written myself:
Before I Started Pastoring, I Wish I Would Have Understood
1. That sticking to the vision God has called you to is key.
2. Be slow to give away power and leadership.
3. You need to lovingly ask some people to leave.
4. Everybody won't make the entire journey with you.
5. Your church government/bylaws can make you or break you.
6. Casting the vision before the people is a CONSTANT job.
7. Hire slow and fire fast.
8. Not everybody is going to like you or the direction of the church no matter what you do. Get over it AND LEAD.
9. The team you put around you will determine your success.
10. Planting a church would reveal all of my insecurities and weaknesses.
11. Being a pastor is a marathon not a sprint. I pushed myself and my team way too hard in the early days.
12. Only 1 percent of the people complain about the church, and those same people complain all the time (at least once a quarter). Don't get distracted by the 1 percent. Focus on the 99 percent that are with you.
13. I have to continually grow and change. If I don't grow and change, the church won't either. I am the lid to the church. In the church, if I don't like what I see, I don't need to look any further than me.
14. Getting new Christians connected into community (small groups or whatever you call them) is ALWAYS tough work. IT JUST IS! Sometimes getting established Christians into community is even harder!
15. Enjoy the journey. In the early days, I didn't enjoy the journey like I am today. I'm going to enjoy God, my family, my friends and life. Life is too short not to have fun. I AM GOING TO HAVE A BLAST LIVING LIFE AND BEING A PASTOR!
Before I Started Pastoring, I Wish I Would Have Understood
1. That sticking to the vision God has called you to is key.
2. Be slow to give away power and leadership.
3. You need to lovingly ask some people to leave.
4. Everybody won't make the entire journey with you.
5. Your church government/bylaws can make you or break you.
6. Casting the vision before the people is a CONSTANT job.
7. Hire slow and fire fast.
8. Not everybody is going to like you or the direction of the church no matter what you do. Get over it AND LEAD.
9. The team you put around you will determine your success.
10. Planting a church would reveal all of my insecurities and weaknesses.
11. Being a pastor is a marathon not a sprint. I pushed myself and my team way too hard in the early days.
12. Only 1 percent of the people complain about the church, and those same people complain all the time (at least once a quarter). Don't get distracted by the 1 percent. Focus on the 99 percent that are with you.
13. I have to continually grow and change. If I don't grow and change, the church won't either. I am the lid to the church. In the church, if I don't like what I see, I don't need to look any further than me.
14. Getting new Christians connected into community (small groups or whatever you call them) is ALWAYS tough work. IT JUST IS! Sometimes getting established Christians into community is even harder!
15. Enjoy the journey. In the early days, I didn't enjoy the journey like I am today. I'm going to enjoy God, my family, my friends and life. Life is too short not to have fun. I AM GOING TO HAVE A BLAST LIVING LIFE AND BEING A PASTOR!
Guitar Hero & God
From Monday Morning Insight:
If you have a teenager (or a Playstation), then you’ve no doubt heard about ‘Guitar Hero’. Guitar Hero is a music video that uses a guitar-shaped peripheral (resembling a miniature Gibson SG) to simulate the playing of rock music. It’s all the rage. The player must play scrolling notes to complete a song. The more notes you play correctly, the harder it gets, and the higher your score. Pretty neat idea, right? I’ve played Guitar Hero, and it is a lot of fun. But according to David Riley, a video game analyst (how would you like that job?) in this month’s Fast Company magazine: “I’m tired of repeating myself.” In other words, once you’ve played Guitar Hero for 100 hours, it gets old...
The innovators at Guitar Hero’s parent company, Activision, understand this reality as well. That’s why they’re set to release version three of the Guitar Hero series. New songs, new skill levels, and a whole new level of play and challenge for Guitar Hero fans is just around the corner. Rather than see their product sales slide, they know they need to constantly improve the product for their customer.
Meanwhile, Activision’s rivals over at Electronic Arts are getting ready to release “Rock Band” for Playstation. Rock Band includes not only a guitar simulator, but also a drum kit and a microphone. EA has seen the success of Guitar Hero and improved (or at least expanded) on the idea. They are advertising it as a “band in a box”, and it will for sure interest a whole new set of young gamers.
What does all this have to do with the church? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Church innovators also have the job of looking at what they are currently doing and tweaking or improving it to reach a whole new audience. The true leaders and innovators in today’s church are looking for ways to do things better, to be more efficient, and to utilize their time, finances, people, and resources to best leverage their return for the Kingdom.
The true innovators find ways to do this without compromising the message of the gospel. How do we attract more people to hear the gospel? What do we need to change with our discipleship program to help people understand the gospel and grow faster? How can we make it easier (that what it is now) for people to take their next step toward Christ? What can we do better? What can we learn from other churches? What do we need to stop doing? These are all questions asked by true church innovators.
As these questions are being asked and answered, in individual churches, by individual leaders, all over the country, change is happening; and I am encouraged.
Are you an innovator? What small decision can you make in your ministry this week to leverage your resources, people, time, and money to be most effective for the Kingdom? Maybe you need to add a ‘version three’. Maybe you need to introduce the ‘drum and the microphone’.
Have fun with it this week… and give the glory to God for what he will do through your leadership!
If you have a teenager (or a Playstation), then you’ve no doubt heard about ‘Guitar Hero’. Guitar Hero is a music video that uses a guitar-shaped peripheral (resembling a miniature Gibson SG) to simulate the playing of rock music. It’s all the rage. The player must play scrolling notes to complete a song. The more notes you play correctly, the harder it gets, and the higher your score. Pretty neat idea, right? I’ve played Guitar Hero, and it is a lot of fun. But according to David Riley, a video game analyst (how would you like that job?) in this month’s Fast Company magazine: “I’m tired of repeating myself.” In other words, once you’ve played Guitar Hero for 100 hours, it gets old...
The innovators at Guitar Hero’s parent company, Activision, understand this reality as well. That’s why they’re set to release version three of the Guitar Hero series. New songs, new skill levels, and a whole new level of play and challenge for Guitar Hero fans is just around the corner. Rather than see their product sales slide, they know they need to constantly improve the product for their customer.
Meanwhile, Activision’s rivals over at Electronic Arts are getting ready to release “Rock Band” for Playstation. Rock Band includes not only a guitar simulator, but also a drum kit and a microphone. EA has seen the success of Guitar Hero and improved (or at least expanded) on the idea. They are advertising it as a “band in a box”, and it will for sure interest a whole new set of young gamers.
What does all this have to do with the church? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Church innovators also have the job of looking at what they are currently doing and tweaking or improving it to reach a whole new audience. The true leaders and innovators in today’s church are looking for ways to do things better, to be more efficient, and to utilize their time, finances, people, and resources to best leverage their return for the Kingdom.
The true innovators find ways to do this without compromising the message of the gospel. How do we attract more people to hear the gospel? What do we need to change with our discipleship program to help people understand the gospel and grow faster? How can we make it easier (that what it is now) for people to take their next step toward Christ? What can we do better? What can we learn from other churches? What do we need to stop doing? These are all questions asked by true church innovators.
As these questions are being asked and answered, in individual churches, by individual leaders, all over the country, change is happening; and I am encouraged.
Are you an innovator? What small decision can you make in your ministry this week to leverage your resources, people, time, and money to be most effective for the Kingdom? Maybe you need to add a ‘version three’. Maybe you need to introduce the ‘drum and the microphone’.
Have fun with it this week… and give the glory to God for what he will do through your leadership!
Making a Visitor a Guest
I was recently reading a series of articles by David Zimmerman on how first-time visitors view church. One line struck me as having a lot of truth to it. David writes, “First-time visitors care most about not embarrassing themselves.” As I think about that statement, I immediately realized that if I were looking for a church, this would be my first priority: not looking foolish.
It’s the reason I hate going to an auto mechanic. I know nothing about cars, engines, and maintenance. I feel totally out of my comfort zone when the mechanic shares that my differential is going out or my tie rods have a problem. I just want to tell them to fix it and get out of there fast.
I have the same feeling whenever I travel to a new airport, visit a new restaurant, or do anything out of my general routine. My general feeling is, ‘let’s get this over with’. I’m uncomfortable when my surroundings aren’t familiar.
If I’m not extremely peculiar (some would argue that), then this is the same way that many first-time visitors feel when they walk in your church’s door for the first time. They are probably feeling very self-conscience. Maybe they dressed up or dressed down more than others. Their children might embarrass them. David notes, that they may even worry about when to sit and when to stand in the service.
Ever been in a service where the church asks visitors to stand? Please don’t do that! For most people, it just causes embarrassment to the person you’re trying to make feel welcome.
What’s the answer? Well, it could lie in genuinely making your visitors feel welcome and at-ease. Take away things that could make people feel uncomfortable or that could be embarrassing. One way is to greet them as you would a friend. Make sure they know where to go. Walk them to the classrooms where their children will attend. Introduce them to the teachers. I know of one church that tells their greeters never to point, but always to lead. Rather than saying, ‘down that hallway and to the right’, show a little interest and lead them there.
You see, many people, when they come to church for the first time really want nothing more than to get through the experience without embarrassing themselves. You can help diffuse this fear and help them feel more at ease. When (and only when) this happens, will they be able to experience your church the way you’d like them to.
It’s the reason I hate going to an auto mechanic. I know nothing about cars, engines, and maintenance. I feel totally out of my comfort zone when the mechanic shares that my differential is going out or my tie rods have a problem. I just want to tell them to fix it and get out of there fast.
I have the same feeling whenever I travel to a new airport, visit a new restaurant, or do anything out of my general routine. My general feeling is, ‘let’s get this over with’. I’m uncomfortable when my surroundings aren’t familiar.
If I’m not extremely peculiar (some would argue that), then this is the same way that many first-time visitors feel when they walk in your church’s door for the first time. They are probably feeling very self-conscience. Maybe they dressed up or dressed down more than others. Their children might embarrass them. David notes, that they may even worry about when to sit and when to stand in the service.
Ever been in a service where the church asks visitors to stand? Please don’t do that! For most people, it just causes embarrassment to the person you’re trying to make feel welcome.
What’s the answer? Well, it could lie in genuinely making your visitors feel welcome and at-ease. Take away things that could make people feel uncomfortable or that could be embarrassing. One way is to greet them as you would a friend. Make sure they know where to go. Walk them to the classrooms where their children will attend. Introduce them to the teachers. I know of one church that tells their greeters never to point, but always to lead. Rather than saying, ‘down that hallway and to the right’, show a little interest and lead them there.
You see, many people, when they come to church for the first time really want nothing more than to get through the experience without embarrassing themselves. You can help diffuse this fear and help them feel more at ease. When (and only when) this happens, will they be able to experience your church the way you’d like them to.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Random Leadership Thoughts
John Maxwell just received the lifetime achievement award and they asked him to share one piece of advice with leaders. Here it is: intentionally add value to other people's lives everyday!
WOW! Is that powerful? It's exactly what Jesus did......and what He wants us to do in the lives of others.
There are several leadership conferences that take place through the year. One is called Catalyst and it just took place 2 weeks ago. Mark Batterson (author of In a Pit.....) shared a few thoughts from Catalyst that I thought would benefit us.
He wrotes:
I love the two prayers I've heard the last two days. Both of them are two word prayers. Rick Warren shared what he said was the most dangerous prayer. And Craig Groschel shared the other. I love both of them.
1) Use Me
2) Disturb Me
So simple. So powerful.
Here are the three thoughts Craig shared. He talked about practical atheism. That is when we believe in God but we do life as if God doesn't exist. Here is what happens when we become practical athiests:
1) We believe our effort is more important than God's power!
2) We believe our private life doesn't effect our public ministry.
3) We believe we must please people more than we must please God.
What do you do when you realize you are the most powerful person in the room? That is the question Andy Stanley asked in the first session at Catalyst. The answer is: wrap a towel around your waist and wash feet. And I love the response of his disciples: they were stunned by his humility! What a great reminder: the more power you have the more humble you need to be!
One of lessons I've been learning is that nothing is more dangerous than praise from people. You have two options when people praise you: the praise can turn into pride or you can take the praise from people and praise God. And how you handle the praise will make you or break you.
If we are following the example of Jesus, we need to leverage our power for others not ourselves! And that isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. Insecure leaders leverage their power for themselves!
So here is the question leaders need to ask themselves: how can I leverage my power for the other people in this room?
Some powerful thoughts, eh? I'm still sorthing through them in my heart and mind.......and trusting God to continue to work in me to be the leader He wants me to be.
Blessings to all of you!!!
WOW! Is that powerful? It's exactly what Jesus did......and what He wants us to do in the lives of others.
There are several leadership conferences that take place through the year. One is called Catalyst and it just took place 2 weeks ago. Mark Batterson (author of In a Pit.....) shared a few thoughts from Catalyst that I thought would benefit us.
He wrotes:
I love the two prayers I've heard the last two days. Both of them are two word prayers. Rick Warren shared what he said was the most dangerous prayer. And Craig Groschel shared the other. I love both of them.
1) Use Me
2) Disturb Me
So simple. So powerful.
Here are the three thoughts Craig shared. He talked about practical atheism. That is when we believe in God but we do life as if God doesn't exist. Here is what happens when we become practical athiests:
1) We believe our effort is more important than God's power!
2) We believe our private life doesn't effect our public ministry.
3) We believe we must please people more than we must please God.
What do you do when you realize you are the most powerful person in the room? That is the question Andy Stanley asked in the first session at Catalyst. The answer is: wrap a towel around your waist and wash feet. And I love the response of his disciples: they were stunned by his humility! What a great reminder: the more power you have the more humble you need to be!
One of lessons I've been learning is that nothing is more dangerous than praise from people. You have two options when people praise you: the praise can turn into pride or you can take the praise from people and praise God. And how you handle the praise will make you or break you.
If we are following the example of Jesus, we need to leverage our power for others not ourselves! And that isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. Insecure leaders leverage their power for themselves!
So here is the question leaders need to ask themselves: how can I leverage my power for the other people in this room?
Some powerful thoughts, eh? I'm still sorthing through them in my heart and mind.......and trusting God to continue to work in me to be the leader He wants me to be.
Blessings to all of you!!!
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