breaking barriers

Craig Groeschel from LifeChurch.tv is posting a series of blogs on breaking barriers over at Swerve. So far he has dealt with the willingness to change and changing your mindset for leading change.

I think there is a lot of truth in the statement below.

"Generally speaking, the longer your church has been beneath a barrier, the more dramatic step it will take to break through the barrier. If some small change would make the difference, you would have made that a long time ago." [my highlights]

Luckily, for most church planters, it's still early enough on in the game to keep advancing.

Hop on over and check it out.

Leadership Training in Church Plants

In the 80's and 90's there was this buzz word - leadership. I'm not hearing about that much anymore.

Why?

What are you doing to train leaders or volunteers outside of your Sunday morning service?

Let me define what I mean by "train." I'm not talking about training them to fill a position, but to have the mindset to think like a leader. A leader is someone in my book who influences people to become more like Jesus.

Do you have another term or word for leadership? What do you call these people we have called leaders? Maybe that's a dumb question, because there really is no other word.. but I thought I would throw it out there to see if anybody is thinking about this differently. Are the times changing in other words that we are using different terms for leadership?

Questions:
1. Are we hearing just as much about leadership and if no, why?
2. What are you doing to train leaders or volunteers outside of your Sunday morning service?
3. Do you have another term or word for leadership?

volunteer resource

I know volunteers are vital to any church operation, but many questions surround recruitment, assessment, keeping them involved, preventing burnout, etc.

In fact, it was even a recent post on this blog.
I think it is pretty much safe to say we all have questions concerning this area.

Church Volunteer Central could be a resource that is worth checking out for materials, information, and help. Maybe they can answer some of our questions.

this beautiful mess

Thanks to this book for the post title, but ministry really can be this sorta beautiful mess.

People are not always fun to deal with. Sometimes they seem to cause more frustration and problems than anything else.

We have this internal pressure and perceived (yet sometimes true) peer pressure to make progress and look really good with numbers, stats, marketing schemes, and sweet new events.

And just to pile more on top of all of that, we really just don’t always have the time, money, or overall resources to make so many of our ideas happen. [Sidebar-lack of resources is no excuse for not fulfilling God’s vision]

I think most of us have been in this place before, and especially applies in the arena of church planting. We just don't have a lot, but we have a big vision and know God wants to use us. I wanted to share a few thoughts from my experience in no particular order that I have learned about how to get big results with little resources. They aren't necessarily fool-proof, just thoughts I've learned.

1. Operate where you want to be, not where you currently are.

If you don’t first go there in how you operate, nothing and no one will ever follow. I love how Steven Furtick puts it, “Dress for the wedding.” It may look funny now, but it won’t when you get there. Don’t get embarrassed or impatient-go for it.

2. Don’t compare.

It only creates pride or jealousy. Plus, we should celebrate others success and assist others along. We are all on the same team.

3. Develop leaders and delegate authority.

They not only increase your ability to handle more people, but also allow you to perform ministry at a much higher level and focus on things that as the leader you alone can do.

4. Raise funds to increase ministry capability.

Ministry isn’t cheap. It takes money. Sometimes you just got to work to raise it. But money follows vision first, then it follows life changing stories of individuals. Share the vision and what God is doing through you to make their investment worthwhile.

5. Invest money into missional opportunities.

God is extremely honored by our sacrificial giving. We have a responsibility to invest in others around the world, even if it is a sacrificial gift. When you invest, you are partnering together to build the Kingdom and fulfill the mission of the church. And why would God bless us if we are greedy and selfish?

6. Dream big, and strategically cast the vision.

God gives the point leader the dreams and visions. You've got to dream it, discover it, and provide tangible direction at optimal times, so others can follow. Sir Francis Drake says it best, so why try anymore. "Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little. When we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord."

7. Build a relational culture.

All people (unchurched, dechurched, believers, poor, rich, middle class, African-American, Hispanic, Caucasian, Asian, Arab, etc) want relationships. As a church leader, we get to offer them two of the greatest relationships in the world-a relationship with God and a relationship with God’s family.

8. Celebrate moments of success.

The principle is true: what gets celebrated is often repeated. Commit to make consistent progress every week. Celebrate that progress publicly and privately. After one year that means you are at least 52% better.

9. Pray God-sized prayers.

If you don’t pray them, they will rarely happen. Plus, God loves the supernatural.

10. Stay focused on the vision and never quit.

It’s easy to be distracted, frustrated, or discouraged. God will always be faithful to finish what He has spoken though. Fight for the vision, work it, and trust God to be faithful. Don’t give up on God’s promises.

What are some things you have learned about getting results with little resources?

Originally posted at Dream the Journey.

Accountability

I'm doing some research to develop an accountability system for myself and pastoral team. I've begun interviewing ministry peers and leaders regarding their accountability system as well as what's out their on the topic.

Can you help? I realize accountability is born out of relationships. However, that can also be code for not having any accountability in a pastor's life. And since we're all aware that most pastors don't fail for a lack of leadership skills, etc BUT due to some type of ethical, moral, or spiritual decline, I'd like to know what you're doing to be held and hold others accountable:

• What do you do to safe guard your personal and ministry life?
• What measures of accountability do you have in place? What tools
  
• Who do you meet with regularly and what do they ask you?
• How have you created a checks and balances, to make sure there is real honestly in these interviews?
• How did you choose an accountability partner/ partners?
• What resources do you know of on this topic?

Thanks for all your help.

people are messy

I originally posted this on my blog last week.

Hurting people could care less about the things we as leaders often fall into the trap of worrying about... methods, the coolness of our environments, styles, philosophies, etc. These all play a role into the culture of our church, but they're not the main issue. Hurting people want a place to feel connected and loved. They just want a place they can be themselves, yet escape themselves at the same time.

I know all the junk I've had to deal with from working with students over the past 4 years... much less entire families. Depression, suicide attempts and successes, students getting kicked out of their own house because they are living for God, cutting, sex, teenage pregnancy, fights in church, throwing away pills. It breaks my heart, but there's nothing like seeing a life being transformed by God.

Even when the rough edges still remain, it's an incredible reminder of where someone has been brought from and where they are going.

A truly powerful post by Gary Lamb really worth your time.

About the only thing to say is "wow."

It begs us to answer the question: Do our churches truly embrace those who have yet to connect with God, despite their struggles?

Does your compassion ever get fatigued?

Luke 9:54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?

I read this verse and that’s how I feel sometimes in ministry. Experiences have drained me emotionally. There are times when I have been in the heat of things too long, taken too many hits, and have been ministering too frequently without a break.

What do you do when you are emotionally depleted? I often feel spiritually strong, but emotionally I feel weak. Is that the same as what Jesus said? “My spirit, is willing but my flesh is weak.” You feel numb, you react slowly, and you can easily loose perspective.

I can think of three things:
1. Replenishing relationships
2. Recognition of boundaries
3. Renewal encounters

What do you do to get emotionally and spiritually charged up?

Great Quote

This a quote that I heard at a recent Minister's Retreat. It really meant a lot to me.

"You can grow a church to the degree you can endure pain."
Randy Valmont
Pastor, First A/G
Griffin, GA

How do you lead for the long haul?

I love to watch Marian Barber run for the Dallas Cowboys. He has heart and that boy doesn't stop moving forward. The thing I’m concerned about is that he runs straight up and loves to get hit. It looks good, but the question is: can he last for the long haul running “crazy” like that?

Can we can last for the long haul? How do we do that? I was thinking of some points that I want to share with you. I’m at the beginning of the “haul”, so these are just some goals that I have in order to finish strong.

1. I’m not going to let failure stop me from leading.
Failure can be painful, but I’ve decided to keep leading and learn from the failure. We all know that failure really isn’t failure if you get up off the ground, learn from it, and keep leading. That’s what “the leadership guru” calls “failing forward.”

2. I’ve decided to learn from others.
I can learn from people who are younger, who are my peers and definitely from people who are further along than me. Leadership is caught, not just taught. It’s more than a set of principles that we learn, it is a heart which can only be learned up close and personal. Hopefully you learn from a coach and not just by experience. It’s always easier to learn from other people’s experiences than your own experience. In other words, learn from others so you don’t have to go through everything yourself.

3. I’ve decided to be faithful.
How many times do you feel like quitting? It just takes so long to create influence. Influence creates credibility and believability; and that takes time. Time requires patience and who wants that? Influence comes after people have seen your character, consistency, commitment and care. Influence results from the example you set, the experiences that people see you face, and the effort you give to God’s calling.

4. I’ve decided to stay focused.
Last Sunday, a man in our church who used to be pastor began to talk to me about what he thought I “really needed to get into.” What he was saying wasn’t bad, it was just a different direction than what God has lead us to do when it comes to our ministry philosophy. (By the way, people don’t want you to do everything, they just want you to do their thing.)

I’ve decided to find out what God wants us to do and stick to it. My mentor always says, “Discover your non-negotiable values.” What do you value that you are unwilling to change on because God has given you that direction? We aren’t going to try to do every thing; we are just going to do a few things really well.

5. I’ve decided to be under authority.
Spiritual authority always flows from top to bottom. You only have authority because you have submitted yourself to authority. I don’t believe it’s enough just to submit yourself to God. Who are you following? You can’t expect form others what you will not do yourself. You can’t take them where you haven’t gone yourself. The unpardonable sin of leadership is thinking you’re exempt from responsibilities that others are subject to.

6. I’ve decided to fight to keep my passion.
Wow, you can loose it before you know it. I use the word fight because it seems that you can take a “hit” from people and circumstances that knock the passion right out of you (or “something” right out of you). The three passions I must keep is the passion for God, the passion for my family, and the passion for people.

7. I’ve decided to respond to mistakes positively.
. Adjust - Is there anything I can do?
. Learn - What should I remember?
. Grow - What changes will I make?
. Teach - What can I share with others so they can avoid this mistake?

8. I’ve decided to help other leaders lead.
I want to help other leaders succeed. I know that if I’m there to help others, then somebody will be there to help me when I need it.

9. I’ve decided to do what’s right.
I had a church split at the end of our first year of church planting. It was an extremely painful experience. The reason why we had the church split was because I decided to do the right thing. After much prayer and a lot wisdom from coaches, I made the decision to confront the situaion. It was a lonely decision. My wife stood with me, but it was pretty much God, my wife and I. It hurt, but it was worth it. God healed us, and our church grew from it spiritually.

I don’t have a point ten; maybe you can help me with one.

Can you give me your written or unwritten list of things that you’ve decided to do to finish strong in ministry?

Meeting with George Wood

Yesterday, I met with Dr. George Wood for about an hour. I had requested the meeting to record his thoughts on church planting for an upcoming Evangel article. I came away extremely encouraged. God has blessed us with a strong, articulate leader who is passionately committed to church planting as a core activity of this fellowship. Here are some of the main points that came out in our conversation.
1. Dr. Wood is convinced that scripture provides a strategic model which demonstrates that starting new churches is a constant and normal activity for healthy churches.
2. Dr. Wood is emphatic that new churches must be diverse in form, but consistent in function. He believes we must protect good hearted experiments if their intended outcome is to reach lost people.
3. Dr. Wood believes that a foundation of prayer focused on raising up laborers (church planters and church planting team members) for the harvest must be a core priority for this fellowship.
4. Dr. Wood is committed to do whatever it takes to help us collectively plant more churches than ever before. He believes in the power of collaborative effort and plans to use his position as Superintendent to encourage cooperation from every partner in this fellowship.
5. He is excited about the strategic value of the MX9 goal and believes it will serve as a wonderful catalyst to help us move forward in reaching lost Americans.

More to come...look for the full article in an upcoming December edition of the Evangel. Bottom-line...if you believe church planting should be a priority activity of a family of churches...you are in the right family!!