Leadership Learning

25 02 2009

Took the Lead Team down to Crossroads Church in Loveland, CO yesterday.  They were doing a live webcast from Willow Creek Church and interviewing Bill Hybels about their upcoming Leadership Summit.  Grant has connected with their Connections Pastor there, and is being mentored by him.  Their staff is SUPER open and serving.  Very cool.

You never know how God is going to inspire new ideas or challenge you in new ways.  I think it’s funny cause I got one HUGE sermon series idea while sitting and listening to Bill and other leaders talk about leadership.  It was awesome.  Here are some things I put in my journal that really stuck out to me and was challenged by.

Speaking about how we “do” church:  “Excellence honors God and inspires people.  Excellence attracts leaders.”

Right before we started I wrote down this question “Who challenges Bill Hybels in leadership?”  I asked the team that while we were de-briefing.  Our answer was “Everyone!”  Bill is challenged by people with MUCH smaller ministries than his.  Challenge doesn’t always come from those above us or ahead of us, but many times beside or even behind.  He SOAKS UP as much as he can from WHOMEVER he can. That is leadership!

“In times like these, what we need is TOTAL leadership unity and CRYSTAL CLEAR vision.”  He didn’t say total leadership CONSENSUS but UNITY.  SO huge!

“We shouldn’t try to BE our heroes but be INSPIRED by them.”

Seriously, you need to check out www.kiva.com Rocked my world!  People come up with the COOLEST ideas to meet needs!  Super cool program.  I signed up today and our family is going to select someone to help.  LOVE IT!

We need to use this phrase more often “God wrecked me afresh.”  Kind of like “I am scared to God”

“The biggest threat to our organizations is not in-effeciency but irrelevancy.”

“Continue to do good, just do good in a very excellent and efficient way.”

“When the stakes get higher, leaders either step it up or avoid.”  Love that!

We had some AWESOME discussions as the Lead Team.  LOVE dreaming together.  These things just bring up more and more dreams and passions.

Learning,

Jeff


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Categories : Element Church, Leadership

PUMPED!

25 02 2009

Just finished my sermon for Sunday.  Been excited for this one since I formulated the outline two weeks ago.  This cage we’re taking on is SUCH a HUGE barrier for people.  If people get this, this week it can be LIFECHANGING for them.  If you know someone who is NOT walking with Christ PLEASE try to ge them to church on Sunday.  We are going to experience communion together in a new way AND the band is busting out a special song that just fits PERFECTLY to the message.  I’m stoked.  Can’t wait to experience Christ together on Sunday.  Alright, gonna work ahead on some sermons!

Excited,

Jeff


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Categories : Element Church, Personal, Updates

Stages of the church…Part 2 of 4

25 02 2009

This is something that was stirring in my heart and I’ve scribbled it down in my journal.  Since it isn’t all processed it’s a bit random.  Shared with the Lead Team a few weeks ago.  You can read part 1 HERE if you’d like.

The first stage of the church is Establish.  Established in my book means “We can stay this size, do this stuff, stay in this place and keep the doors open.  Staff will be paid.  Ministries will run and we can “remain” established”. You can be what you already are forever…OR

Stage #2 is Enhance: After the church reaches an established stage it has a choice.  Do we remain the same, or do we enhance?  HOPEFULLY it makes the choice to enhance.  To enhance the established church you need to re-think your systems and structures.  What can we do that will help us BE the church, and DO church BETTER?  More efficient?  More excellent?  What upgrades can we make to equipment, programs or ministries?  What conferences, seminars or education can we send our team to so we can be better ministers?  Enhancing is a tough choice because it threatens the establishment.  People who want to “remain” won’t like it.  But if we’re to advance God’s Kingdom it MUST happen.  It sets up the church to maximize impact.  If a church refuses to enhance, it will remain established and never reach its full potential.  SADLY, it is where MANY churches are.

The biggest saying is “Whatever makes it better!”:  What can we do to make EVERYTHING better!  Not for better sake, but so that we can better fulfill our mission and vision.

The biggest question is “Ok, now what?”:  What’s next?  That question should ALWAYS be in our vocabulary.  Wha’st next?  We enhanced that…what next?  We reached that goal…what next?  God fulfilled that…what next?  It leads us to the NEXT stage of church life.

The biggest danger is “Let’s not blow it!”: It is the “We’ve made it” mentality and it’s really just human nature.  A human nature to be avoided.  When you’re trying to reach establish,  you’re in survival mode.  “Will we make it?  Will we make it?”  Then BOOM you’ve made it and…”Ahhhhh, we’ve made it so lets not blow it!” And you relax.  Relaxing in the church leads to atrophy in its ministry.  The church with the “We’ve made it” mentality wants to save money for “A rainy day” or “The emergency”.  “We worked hard to get here, we don’t want to blow it.”  The established church has a fear of spending money on making things better cause that money helps KEEP them established.  They aren’t willing to continue to do “whatever it takes” which is what got them to where they are, at and it will get them to where they are going.

Processing,

Jeff


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Categories : Church Planting, Element Church


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