Category: Church (page 22 of 28)

Creating a culture vs shaping one

January 26, 2011 / / 7 Comments

Some people like to start from scratch, and create their own culture.

Others like to change an existing culture.

Church world

photo by Ales Cerin

Some people like to launch church plants.

Some people like to work within existing churches and change the culture.

Blog world

image by Scott Foster

Some people like to create a culture based on their unique wirings and giftings.

Others do research prior to launch, determine trends, and shape their writings around that.

Business world

photo by Augusto Avila Jr

Some people like to forge their own path and start a new business.

Others would rather work to improve and expand an existing one.

I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here.  What you prefer is based on how God has gifted and wired you.  We need both.

And I’m thankful that we serve a God who does both…and neither at the same time, because He’s making all things new.

So what do you prefer?

Do you like to create a new culture or shape an existing one?

Would you rather save a sinking ship…or let it sink and build a new one?

 

The Old is Gone, 11s on the 1s

January 21, 2011 / / 5 Comments

Graphic by Matt Gruber

In a concerted effort to use fewer words and drive home a more powerful point, I’m writing 11-word posts.  You can see other posts in this series HERE.

They don’t attempt to answer every question you may have.  They aren’t going to change your life.  But, hopefully they’ll make you think.  And since they’re so short, you don’t have an excuse not to read them.

The Old is Gone

God’s love is much bigger than your past failures. Believe it.


 

The know-it-all

January 20, 2011 / / 16 Comments

A word to young leaders* everywhere:

You don’t have it all figured out.

If a 19 year old, single college student comes up to me and starts telling me how I, a husband and a father, need to care for my 2 year old son, it’s going to feel weird.  Why?

Not because he’s young.  Or because I don’t respect him.  Or even because he doesn’t know who I am.

It’s because he’s not a husband or a father.

We young leaders need to make sure we don’t have all of the answers to every question and scenario that’s thrown our way.  It’s wise to sometimes say, “I don’t know…because I’ve never done it like that.”

John Maxwell says that there are two great teachers in life: pain and experience.

And since we’ve had less experience than so many other leaders, let’s back off on knowing it all.

I’m not saying that we don’t have innovative, company and ministry-altering ideas.  But we’ve got to respect the years of life and ministry that older leaders have on us.  Writing them off, speaking down to them, treating them with little respect, and acting like we, the younger leader, know it all

  • is damaging to their reputation.
  • is damaging to their organization.
  • is damaging to our reputation if we are gaining at the expense of someone else.
  • completely discredits the value of experience.
  • cripples you by chaining you to your limited ideas and insights.

Maybe those in leadership above us, or who outrank us based on experience, are stuck in the we-can’t-do-it-that-way-because-we’ve-never-done-it-that-way mindset.  But somehow, someway, we’ve got to find a way to learn from their years of experience.

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”

(1 Peter 5:5)

* I include myself in the young leaders category, so this post is as much written to me as it is by me.

 

Culture creation

January 19, 2011 / / 10 Comments

We’re working to create a different kind of leadership culture at Grace Community Church.

Our staff doesn’t function like many other staffs, even though we are one of the most understaffed church staffs that I know.  And though we’re busier than ever preparing to launch a new campus (details HERE), it feels like the right kind of busy.  Here’s what our pastors do, that other pastors and leaders may not do.

Our pastors

  • Answer phones. We don’t have a receptionist.  If you call 931-647-6800, you’re going to immediately hear from one of our pastors.  But please don’t try it just for fun…I’m busy today.  And if you leave a message, our system emails us immediately so we can follow back up with you quickly.  Because we value resources, and don’t want to spend money on someone whose primary responsibility is something less than shepherding.
  • Are highly accessible. You can reach our staff members by Facebook, Twitter, Email, or cell phone.  Because we care about building relationships with those we’re seeking to minister among.
  • Set up on Sunday mornings. Our pastors are there as early as any volunteers, setting up tables, speakers, coffee, and banners.  Because we don’t want to ask our volunteers to do something that we aren’t willing to do.
  • Answer our emails quickly. Because we value promptness, and strive for excellence in our communication.
  • Book our own schedules. If we’re traveling to a conference, or scheduling a lunch meeting, we do that ourselves.  Because we hire pastors on our staff, not just administrative assistants.

Is this the right way to assemble a staff of leaders?  Is it biblical?  Is it the only way?  I don’t know.  But I do know that this is what we do, and it’s working well for us.

Difficulties and Rewards

Because we’re so accessible, more people feel the freedom to email and call us about random events in life at random parts of the day.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

Because we hire capable shepherd leaders, our staff is stretched pretty thin doing the work of ministry.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

Because we setup on Sunday mornings, we’re physically and spiritually drained by Sunday afternoon.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

Because we value promptness in communication, people have begun to communicate more, and more often.  Which I think is pretty awesome.

You can assemble your leadership staff differently if you want.  And I won’t fault you for it.  But I’m thrilled to serve here at Grace.

What things should a pastor be busy doing?

Does the way you spend your day show that you value relationships?

 

New York City

January 17, 2011 / / 1 Comment

A good friend of mine, Freddy T Wyatt, is a church planter in New York City.  He’s doing great work at The Gallery Church.

And this year, he’s asking that you send your VBS offerings to The Gallery Church to help propel the Gospel forward in NYC.

Check out this video, and consider partnering with The Gallery Church this summer, helping them to do what God’s called them to do in NYC.

VBS Missions Offering from Freddy T. Wyatt on Vimeo.

 

Mostly Forgotten

January 12, 2011 / / 10 Comments

I go to your church, but you don’t know my name.

I sit in the back.

I slip out early.

I’m there every week…almost.

I try to follow God, but I’m not perfect.

You give me a smile and a handshake, but you don’t know my story.

You don’t know what I do for a living.

You don’t know my passions.

My struggles.

My plans or goals.

My past failures.

You’re happy I’m at church…you tell me every time I come.

But you never follow up throughout the week.

With an email or a phone call.

I’m not in a small group.

I’m haven’t been on a mission trip.

I’m not serving others.

I’m not on your radar.

Or your potential leaders lists.

But God’s gifted me.

And those gifts were meant to bless others.

Including you.

Our church needs my gifts.

And I need to use them.

But I need you.

I need your encouragement.

I need you to believe in me.

To breathe hope into my life.

Show me that I matter.

That God cares.

That I have a part to play.

That my story matters.

But until then…

I’m mostly forgotten.

 

What we can learn from Christmas music

January 10, 2011 / / 1 Comment

I love Christmas music.  It gets me in the mood to celebrate Christmas.

On Thanksgiving Day this year, we drove to my in-law’s house, about an hour away.  The whole way there and back, we listened to Christmas music.  Singing…smiling…talking about the upcoming holiday season.  I even set up a station on Pandora so I could listen to Christmas music when I was working in the house.  Wherever I turned, it was Christmas music.  I couldn’t get enough of it.

But the day after Christmas, I was done with that stuff.  It was almost repulsive.  I deleted the station off of Pandora.  Took the music off of my iPod.

And in the process, I learned a few things that we can apply to our churches and organizations.

What we can learn from Christmas music

1. Sometimes less is more. The fact that Christmas music only comes around once/year, and only for a month at that, makes it that much more exciting and meaningful.  People can get tired of a good thing.  Case-in-point: Christmas music.  Good ideas have short shelf lives.  Christmas music is a great idea around the holidays…but don’t think that that same idea will work in May.  Move on to another genre.

2. Change for change sake is good. I was so ready for a change on December 26th.  The music that had, the weeks prior, gotten me in the mood to celebrate Christmas now felt old.  Those Christmas carols needed to go.

3. Sometimes any change is a good change. Feel stuck?  Change something.  It’ll feel good, and keep the ball rolling forward.  Change feels like progress (whether it actually is or not).  Putting away the Christmas decorations and turning off the Christmas music feels good.  Like I’m taking a step forward.

4. When you do the same thing the same way, people will get bored. Christmas music works because, in January, you’re going to stop hearing it.  We’d all get bored if we heard the same music all year.  And when we get bored, we tune out…and stuff loses its meaning and significance.

5. Be willing to do away with your model. Andy Stanley says, “Marry your values, but date your model.”  As organizational leaders, we must know what our core values are.  Those are un-compromisable.  But our model should be constantly changing as it, over time, begins to shift us away from our core values.

Christmas music sounds awful right now. Because I’ve worn out the holiday stuff. Put up the tree. Boxed up the ornaments. Unplugged the lights.  And moved on.

And it feels so good.

Do you need to shake some things up in your church?

What things need to change?

Does “change for change sake” need to happen?

 

A second chance

January 5, 2011 / / 1 Comment

Have you seen this video of a homeless man, panhandling for money in Columbus, OH?

He’s got a fantastic voice for radio!  He just needed a second chance. (and he got it…read about his new job HERE)

There’s somebody you know that needs a second chance.  They need you to take a risk on them.

God’s gifted them, and for years, they’ve been told they’re not worthy to use those gifts.  They’ve been pushed to the back because of their past.  Ostracized because their story is messy.  And incomplete.  And there are more loose ends than tied ones.

They need somebody to believe in them.  Tell them that there’s still hope.  Encourage them.  Give them a shot.  Trust that God does change hearts and make things new.

Is there somebody you know that you could give a second chance?

Have you ever been given a second chance?


 

When the service is poor

December 29, 2010 / / 3 Comments

When the service is poor, I ________


a. Tip the full amount anyway. Hopefully, that’ll turn things around for them and they’ll serve better for the rest of their customers that day.
b. Tip less. They need to understand that they didn’t earn the full amount.
c. Don’t tip. Tipping is based on performance, and since they didn’t perform, they don’t get the tip.
d. Consult with the manager on duty. Poor service is unacceptable.
e. Let the sever know that you are the reason they have a job.
f. …have got a different kind of tip for this server…
f. Never go back to that restaurant again.
Do you think we, as followers of Christ, have a responsibility to offer grace, even to servers?

Do you think we, as followers of Christ, have a responsibility to offer love and mercy, even to servers?
 

You’ve got a smell…

December 28, 2010 / / 2 Comments

…and you probably don’t even know it.

Your house smells a certain way.  So do your clothes.  Your car.  Your dog.  And your shoes.

But you’ve gotten used to it.

And you have no idea whether that smell is sweet or sour.

Over time, our sense of smell dulls when we enter our own home because it becomes “normal.”  Routine.  Habitual.

Which can be incredibly dangerous.

Whether it’s a good smell or a bad smell is irrelevant.  It’s our smell, so we don’t notice it.

And it’s the same way in our spiritual lives.

We get into routines, we find our niche, and we get comfortable.  And growing comfort lends itself to a lack of introspection.  And a growing sense that “normal” is good, whether it is or not.

Why not invite someone you trust to help you see (and smell) where things aren’t lining up?  Because other people see things you don’t.

Is there someone you can ask to come alongside you in 2011?

 
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