Leadership Archives - Page 20 of 30 -

Category: Leadership (page 20 of 30)

Procrastination

Why is it easier to clean when you have a big project you should be working on?

Why is it easier to do stuff rather than create art?

Because it’s easier to procrastinate than create. It’s easier to watch TV than write a novel. It’s easier to listen to the enemy and do nothing than it is to forge a new path.

Steven Pressfield calls this the war of art.

And below, though it’s a slick video, is a great example of someone who, I would surmise, set out to organize their books. When that became difficult/not so much fun, they decided to make this video.

What project do you need to press through and finish?

What’s stopping you?

Evangelism #Fail

February 24, 2011 / Ben Reed / 13 Comments

The way I was brought up to share my faith doesn’t work.

I was told that, in order to rightly share your faith, all you needed to do was walk someone down the “Romans Road.” Ever heard of it?

The progression goes from Romans 3:23 to 6:23 to 5:8 to 10:13, and finally to 10:9-10.

I’m so thankful the book of Romans was written so that we would have a “road” to walk. Aren’t you? (*insert sarcastic smile*)

I mean, the road is “right” theologically. It’s an airtight, albeit brief, presentation of the Gospel. Methodologically, though, it is based on a superficial understanding of the Gospel, that the Gospel is really just about having the right knowledge. And that if you can clearly and succinctly communicate those points to a nonbeliever (without looking at your notes…because apparently nonbelievers hate notes. Unless, of course, you’re sharing the Truth via the EvangeCube, which gives you a slick prop to use), you’ve done your job. Check that off your spiritual to-do list for the day.

Frankly, I don’t think that could be further from the Truth.

We are often looking for a simplified, step-by-step plan to sharing our faith. But utilizing a plan that encourages you to parrot the “right” answer to random passersby doesn’t give you much hope of a positive response.

I think that you spell evangelism r-e-l-a-t-i-o-n-s-h-i-p-s.

To rip the relational side of evangelism out of sharing your faith makes the Truth that you share hollow and empty.

But to build your evangelism on the foundation of relationships that you’re forming with your family, friends, coworkers, barista, small group member, mechanic, waitress, barber, tour guide, workout buddy, and neighbor…that’s where evangelism moves from mere cold, hollow words to a message of hope. From a message of judgment and condemnation to a pronouncement of freedom. From shallow platitudes to The Good News.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:2

Have you ever led someone to Christ?

Was a relationship involved?

Don’t get shot-blocked

February 23, 2011 / Ben Reed / 4 Comments

Don’t let “I’m not sure how” shot-block you.

Figure out how to get it done. Read. Study. Listen. Interview people who are already knocking it out of the park.

Imitate a hero.

Or innovate, create, and forge a new path.

But if you know what you’re supposed to do, don’t let “I’m not sure how” get in your way. There’s a way to get that thing done.

Raise the money. Recruit the volunteers. Cast the vision until you’re blue in the face.

But don’t get shot-blocked. “I’m not sure how” is a lame excuse.

Good ideas need your brilliance

February 22, 2011 / Ben Reed / 11 Comments

Have you seen Toy Story?

Did you know that they have authentic replicas of the movie characters that are built to scale…looking exactly like that you saw on the movie, even down the smallest detail? They’re a replica of the exact size of the characters you saw on the movie!

But with no imagination, they’re just a plain, lifeless doll.

With the imagination of a child, they become Woody…or Buzz Lightyear…or Jessie.

Good ideas

And the same is true with good ideas. We go to conferences, read books, interact with broad audiences, dialog on social media, and get tons of ideas. But until we put life to them, until we contextualize them, until we bring them into our systems, they’re lifeless.

A great idea looks cool…especially marketed in a slick package. But it’s a different game altogether once you get it out of that package. Because it takes your creativity, your insight, and your wisdom to put that idea into action.

That’s why copying another ministry doesn’t work. Because it takes your effort to change, tweak, and contextualize the idea to make it function in your ministry. If you try copying someone else, even though it may have sounded awesome when you heard it the first time, all you’ve really got is a dead, lifeless child’s toy that’ll sit on your desk.

But with your brilliance, the idea can come to life.

Where do you get your good ideas? Books? Conferences? Conversations?

When was the last time you put one of those ideas to life?

An open letter to older leaders

February 14, 2011 / Ben Reed / 4 Comments

I’m a young leader. I’ve not been at this game very long.

I’m still trying to figure out the ropes. Understand how my giftings fit on a team. Making mistakes. Growing. Changing. Stumbling. And figuring out how to do it all better the next time around.

Working with leaders who are older, more established, and wiser can be incredibly difficult. Thankfully, the leaders who are older than me on staff at Grace Community Church make things incredibly easy.* And it’s from their leadership of me that I’ve seen some principles emerge that could be helpful to other older leaders who have young folks on their staff.

Older leaders,

Thanks for paving the way for us. You’ve worked incredibly hard. You’ve poured your heart into this organization, and you’ve helped to establish a healthy, vibrant, growing system. And thanks for hiring us, the younger leaders! But if you want to lead us well, you’ve got to work on a few things:

Believe in us. You did hire us, right? Then continue to believe that we can do our job well! Believe that God is going to continue to mold us and grow us and, some day, make us into better leaders. Believe that we have something valuable to contribute. Believe that we really are a vital part of the organization…and not just a hired, expendable hand.
Encourage us. We may seem completely self-confident…but we need encouragement from someone like you. We don’t just need you to blow smoke at us. If we do a poor job, tell us! But when we do something right, when our gut-decision is the right one, when our project takes off, when we speak up in staff meeting with a new idea and it’s right on point, when you feel like we’re moving in the right direction…encourage us! We trust you, because you’ve been doing for many, many years (or even decades) what we’ve been doing for much less time. And if you tell us that we’re pointing in the right direction, it carries a lot of weight.
Give us ample freedom within your structure. We understand that we can’t just come in and wreck everything. But if you want us to grow and develop, you’ve got to give us freedom to experiment, dream, do things differently, and be discontent with the status quo. We’re more than willing to do exceptional work…but we’ve got to have the freedom to think outside of your box. And giving us freedom may mean you’ve got to release some of your control on the system. If that scares you, then maybe you have too tight a grip.

With much respect,

Younger leaders

Younger leaders, did I leave anything out that I should’ve included?

Older leaders, how does this sit with you?

* These principles are not a reaction to poor leadership at Grace Community Church, but are drawn from the amazing ways that Ron, Chad, and the rest of the team have shepherded me and the other younger leaders.

An Open Letter to Church Visitors

February 9, 2011 / Ben Reed / 4 Comments

Church visitor,

We’re so glad you’re here! We’re absolutely honored you’d worship with us. You need to know that we love Jesus. We’re not perfect, but we’re taking steps of faith regularly. So it’s okay that you’re not perfect either. You’re welcomed just as you are, and we want to serve you in any way that we can.

But instead of just waiting for us to make the move to get you more involved, find you a small group, ask you to serve, and tell you about who we are…I give you permission to approach us. Don’t hang back and expect that we have to make the first move.

Maybe we didn’t see you. Maybe you just slipped out too quickly. Maybe we were working to serve someone else. Maybe we thought someone else had already connected with you. Maybe we wanted to give you space we thought you needed.

Trust me when I say that we want to serve you. We want to connect you. We want you to feel warm and welcomed. We want to help introduce you to Grace. And Hope. And Mercy. And Forgiveness.

But nowhere else in life do you expect someone to make a friend for you. You expect that you’ve got a role to play in building a relationship and reach out. There’s got to be a give-and-take in every relationship. Right?

We won’t bite. We’ll actually be happy. We’re delighted to plug you in. You make the move. Don’t wait on us. Move.

Sincerely,

–Church leaders everywhere

to view the flip side of this, the Church’s response to visitors, see my thoughts HERE.

Theological laziness

February 2, 2011 / Ben Reed / 7 Comments

Image by Redeemer Fellowship

We tend to take the easy road. The one that’s quicker, easier, and microwaved. And that’s not all so bad with a lot of things. Emails are much faster than letters. Cell phones are much faster and more efficient than landlines. Buying a book on Kindle is faster and cheaper than buying a physical copy and paying for shipping.

But when it comes to theology, don’t do it. Becoming a parrot is much easier than becoming a theologian. But it’s not helpful for the Church. And in the long run, it will leave you intellectually and theologically paralyzed.

At points in my life, I’ve felt pigeonholed into giving the right answer, quoting the right author, and listening to the right preachers. Learn to think, talk, and write like the good guys. Sure, I was encouraged to read the other writers/pastors, but just so I would know their side of the argument.

But we need to think for ourselves. Read. Study. Listen. And arrive at our own conclusions…not just haphazardly arrive at the same conclusions as the popular conservative, conference-speaking, book-writing pastors of our day. Because we can read the Bible for ourselves. And we can think for ourselves. And we can develop theology ourselves.* We don’t have to consult other men and women when we are articulating our theology. And when we consult them in place of thinking for ourselves, we miss out on a great benefit of study: discovery.

God still speaks

Call me crazy, but I still think that God speaks today, and He’s not just speaking to the popular pastors. He’s speaking to me. And you. And all other believers.

Standing on the shoulders of giants is different than standing behind them yelling, “Yeah…what he said!” Standing on the shoulders of giants means that we learn and grow from those who have gone before us. Standing on their shoulders means we don’t simply lay hold of their conclusions…the ones it took them years to arrive at. That borders on intellectual thievery.

Most people tend to take the easy way out. When it comes to theology, don’t short-circuit the work on God in your heart.

Have you ever been lulled into taking the easy way out when it comes to understanding the things of God?

Disagree with me? Leave a comment below and let’s discuss it!

*Hear me correctly: I’m not trying to divorce myself from our church fathers. There’s a depth and richness to their writing that’s difficult to find today. And there’s great wisdom in learning from those who have gone before us, and who are continuing to presently pave the way. I’m just not linking myself so tightly with them that I can’t use the brain that God has given me to actually do what it was intended to do. Think!

Time to cut bait

February 1, 2011 / Ben Reed / 4 Comments

I’m not a fisherman, but I’ve been fishing. Which makes me an expert, right?

Sometimes there are times when you just need to cut bait and move on. Maybe you’ve snagged some driftwood. Maybe the fish isn’t worth it. Maybe your hook is stuck in the mud. And you could fight and fight and fight…but you’re not going to drag in the bottom of the lake. If you’re stuck, cut bait and move on.

Let it go

We often need to do this with our ideas, too…even the good ones. We get so personally invested in them that we hold on as if our lives are at stake. We need to know what’s worth fighting for, what ideas are so valuable that we will reel them in at all costs. And what ideas can be released.

There comes a time when holding on to that idea, that project, that program…that it begins to drag you into the water with it. Your idea has lost traction, the program isn’t accomplishing what you wanted it to, and the project is sapping all of your effort with very little result to show for it.

We need to remember that it’s okay to cut bait sometimes. Cutting bait means you’re done with that line. With that area of the pond. With that fish.

But it doesn’t mean that you’re done fishing.

What ‘good idea’ have you held on to for too long?

Is there one you can let go of today?

Is there a program that you can let sink?

Unity, 11s on the 1s

February 1, 2011 / Ben Reed / 0 Comments

If you’d like to catch up on this series, click HERE.

Unity

Let’s not divide and condemn concerning secondary matters. God loves unity.

Say less, listen more, 11s on the 1s

January 30, 2011 / Ben Reed / 1 Comment

If you’d like to catch up on this series of 11-word posts, click HERE.

Say less, listen more

Saying more is much easier than saying less. Start by listening.