Don’t be afraid to say…

16 10 2008

I had a great conversation with Curtis the other day and it lead me to this post today.  A while back we made a pretty big transition of starting a college ministry called The Shift and “shifting” Curtis from our Varsity pastor to The Shift pastor.  The goal of Shift is to reach those students who are graduates through 20something, helping them make the shift from home to adulthood.  They have been meeting for a few weeks now.  Last week they had 19 and Curtis is expecting more this Friday.  His question to me after Lead Team meeting was “Do you have any advice for me if we grow really fast?”  Curtis is a volunteer pastor, meaning he works full time for the USAF and pastors a ministry here at Element Church voluntarily.  His question is a great one.  I didn’t have a definitive answer until the following day and I feel it’s actually some things that I need to remember as well.  I had him come to my office the next day and this is what I felt God was leading me to tell him (and ultimately me and any leader):

Don’t be afraid to say…

#1  “I need help”: So often in ministry I think we get the attitude that “I’ll just work harder, give more, put in more time and everything will be ok”.  When in reality, I think we’d be better off sometimes just saying “I need help!”  Help has become a bad four letter word to pastors.  ESPECIALLY men!  We see it as a sign of weakness if I can’t get done what needs to be done.  MEN/PASTORS sometimes WE NEED HELP!  Don’t be afraid to ask for it.  Church members, DON’T tell your pastors “Isn’t that what you get paid to do!”  Sure there are some lazy pastors who may ask for help cause they don’t WANT to do it, but in most cases, pastors I know are giving WAY more than what they are paid to do.  Sometimes they can’t do it all and might need some help.  Don’t be afraid to ask for it guys!

#2    “You do it!”: “Hey pastor I have this great idea, I think you should…”  “I think our church should reach out to the…”  “I think this ministry would really work…”  “I wish we could do…”  Most of the time when people say that, they are wanting the pastor to do it.  I told Curtis, people will come to you with great ideas of what to do in The Shift, don’t be afraid to say “You do it!”  When God reveals a need to me, He wants ME to do it NOT the church.  When God reveals a need to you, He probably wants YOU to do it NOT the church.  I said a few weeks ago in a sermon “When God reveals someone to you who is in need, it is not your responsibility to take it to the church first, but for you to do what you can to help them”.  We need to learn to say “You do it!”  Especially in the case of a volunteer pastor.

#3 “NO!”: Why is it so hard to say no?  Our desire for people to like us?  To avoid conflict?  To please people?  Sometimes we just need to say “NO!”  It is tough, people will get mad, but we must.  WE CAN’T BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE!  “Hey I think we should do…”  NO.  Not always, but sometimes we need to say no.  “But what if they leave?”  Then they obviously aren’t committed to your vision.  They are committed to their vision, and will go somewhere where they can put it on someone else.  Too many pastors are controlled by vision stealers cause they won’t say “NO!”

#4 “I need a night off!”: Ministry is a tough gig, especially when doing it volunteer.  I told Curtis, I would rather you cancel The Shift on a Friday night and your family is healthy, than have a HUGE ministry every week and your family suffers.  We need to cheat the ministry before we cheat our families.  I told him he has permission to say he needs a night off.  He earned it and he deserves it.  Ministry is a 24-7 job sometimes.  It’s not necessarily a clock in and clock out thing.  I think pastors need to learn to take time off, and churches need to learn to give it to them.  Both parties are at fault too many times.

Learning these myself,

Jeff


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Who made hot lunch cool?

16 10 2008

Two of our four kids are both in elementary school this year.  One of the things they were SO excited about was eating lunch at school.  Before school started they didn’t care if they had hot or cold lunch as long as they were eating it at school they were excited.  Not long after school started the cry for hot lunch from our kids became a daily routine.  They didn’t want to take their lunch box with a PB&J, chips, desert and a Capri Sun juice.  They wanted hot lunch.  Why?  Because it’s “cool”.  COOL?  You’re in stinkin’ kindergarten who determined already that hot lunch is cool? It’s food.  What first grader in the US has enough clout that they can say something is cool and it is?

The 2 arm backpack carry or the one arm.  Who makes that cool?  When I was in school if you carried your backpack with 2 arms through it you were a definite nerd.  Now, if you carry your backpack the old cool way of slingin’ it over one shoulder you’re…not cool.

Trapper Keepers anyone?  Who had a Trapper Keeper and you decorated your own?  Trapper Keepers were da bomb (even that phrase was made cool) when I was in school.  Any high schooler willing to carry one around class now?

I realized that even at 5 and 7 years old my kids are already learning to “chase cool”.  It’s innate.  We want to belong.  We want to fit in.  We want other people to like us.

While I could go the direction of saying “This means that we as the church need to be welcoming people, loving them, giving them a place to belong”, I’m not.  Why?  Because I want to say this.  The church is a lot like my kids.  Something becomes cool, and we want to do it.  I think most churches, at some point or another have fallen prey to this.  A trend develops in the church world and all the sudden everyone wants to do it cause it’s “hot lunch”…”two armed backpack”…”Trapper Keeper”.  YES, I understand our methods change, we try new things, we do church in such a way as to try and connect the un-churched.  BUT, at what point are we just “chasing cool” and at what point are we connecting people with LIFE?

I’ve fallen for this before.  Have you?  Do I want our church to be fun, exciting, energetic, “cool”.  Sure.  I’d be a moron to try and do church in a way that I wouldn’t like or people wouldn’t like.  Even traditional churches are doing church in a way that certain people will like.  Traditional people!  Every church does that to some degree regardless of how “traditional” or “modern” they may be.  We’re all trying to do church in a way that connects with people.  What I want to be careful of is following the latest “cool”.

What does God want US to do, and lets do it!  That’s IT!  REGARDLESS of what the church world says is “cool”.  Regardless of what the biggest churches are doing.  Be who God asks YOU to be!

Toting My Trapper Keeper,

Jeff


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How should Christians vote?

16 09 2008

So many directions I could go with that title.  Which one will I choose?  This has been on my blog list for a while since we are in the middle of an election year and what appears to be a great battle between Barack Obama and John McCain.  One of the things I’ve decided as a pastor is I will not say from the pulpit or on this blog who I think anyone should vote for.  If you want to ask me my opinion, I’ll tell you but I’m not going to use our church or my position as a political platform.   I am admittedly NOT a political junky, (My brother on the other hand…) but I do enjoy the whole political debate and occasional political show on tv.

Two Sundays ago I made some comments about politics, and as usually happens in church, I think people didn’t hear it quite the right way.  So, I thought it was time to bust out this blog that’s been sitting around for a while.  Here is my take on the church and politics as I attempt to answer the question “How should Christians vote?”

#1  Do it — Actually vote.  I think it is not only our American duty, but our Christian duty to vote in elections.  I think we should vote in our local, state and country elections.  I’m amazed at how many people (including Christians) don’t use their freedom to vote.  WE have the opportunity to put into office people we believe will take our government in the right direction.

“Does my one vote really matter?”  First, that’s not the point, and YES it does if 500,000 people use that as their excuse.  AND, I don’t want to hear you complain about any elected official if you aren’t going to vote.

#2  Vote Informed —  I’ve not always been the greatest at this but I’m getting better.  We need to be informed voters.  Know WHO we are voting for and WHY.  ESPECIALLY as Christians.  I know we may not be able to recite a political candidates platform on EVERYTHING, but we should know more than we typically do.  There are several online places where you can compare the candidates (presidential) and where they stand for on issues.  Typically states and local governments provide those as well.

#3  Vote AFTER Prayer —  Take voting seriously enough that you ask God who you should vote for. Pray about it.  Pray over the candidates. And remember, regardless of who is elected GOD IS IN STILL IN CONTROL!  NEITHER John McCain NOR Barack Obama is the answer for America, JESUS IS.  AND, if history plays out as I think it will, eventually we’ll most likely have a president who will agree with and/or take America into and through worldwide persecution of Christians. Remember, Jesus wins and the Gospel will not be stopped.

#4  Don’t vote just because… — This is what was said at church that I think some people heard different.  I said, and I quote (at least closely) “Do not vote for someone JUST BECAUSE they are a Christian.  JUST BECAUSE they are a Christian does NOT mean they will make a good president.”  I think many times, the church has supported candidates SOLELY on the fact that they were “good Christians” and nothing to do with whether or not they could lead a country.

Would I love a “good Christian” president?  ABSOLUTELY!  (And by the way, doesn’t nearly every candidate say they are a Christian?)  But I ALSO want him/her to  have some ability to lead, govern, negotiate, be fiscally sound, know foreign policy, AND THE LIST GOES ON!  Being a Christian does NOT automatically qualify someone to be our president.  If I have to go see a specialist for Cancer, would I LOVE, even PREFER for them to be a Christian.  ABSOLUTELY!  But I much more need them to be a doctor who can deal with cancer.  If I need counseling on an issue do I want a Christian counselor?  YES!  But just because they are a Christian does not make them a good counselor.  If I need financial advice do I want a Christian?  YES!  But just because they are Christian doesn’t make them a good financial adviser.  (I know some Christians who would be HORRIBLE financial advisers)  It’s kind of like the Holiday Inn Express commercials “Are you a doctor?”  “No, but I am a good Christian!”  Do I need to go on?

Should we vote according to our values?  YES!  Should we pray for godly men and women to lead our great country?  ABSOLUTELY!  Should we pray for our leaders even if they AREN’T Christian?  DUH! Every election, I pray that truly godly and Christian candidates will rise to the top, AND that they also have the gifts, skill and knowledge to lead us politically.

#5  Trust Jesus  — Presidents don’t change morality Jesus does.  Presidents don’t fix marriages Jesus does. Presidents can’t mend broken hearts Jesus does.  Presidents cannot advance OR stop the Gospel, JESUS DOES!

Voting,

Jeff


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Leaving, Sending, or Both?

15 09 2008

I was mowing the lawn tonight and this post came to me.  So here ya go:

There is one given in the church world and EVERY church deals with it.  PEOPLE LEAVE!  Whether you are a new or an established church.  Traditional or modern.  Portable or permanent.  There is a constant that remains.  People leave!

I know one of the big complaints of church plants is that people leave other churches to go to the new one.  That is true.  Some people do leave other churches to go to new churches.  There are probably some, but I don’t know of any church planter whose goal is to go into a community and reach people who were already attending church.  What I think is funny is most pastors who complain about new churches receiving other church attenders are the same ones who, when they receive someone from another church, says “Well, they weren’t being fed at their previous church and we want them to be fed.”

We’ve had people leave Element Church.  People have left who were part of our launch team.  People have left who were serving.  People have left who were giving.  People have left who seemed to be committed.  Even new churches aren’t free from people leaving and going to other churches.  IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN!  It’s NOT desired but it will happen.  It’s human nature.  What I’ve found is, people leaving becomes so much easier if you send them with a blessing!

Someone will take this wrong but they’ll have to deal with it.  I don’t want ANYONE to ever leave our church, HOWEVER, if someone wants to leave I’m not going to beg them to stay.  If I’ve done something wrong, made a mistake or dropped the ball I’ll definitely apologize and ask for forgiveness.  (Already had to do that)  I REFUSE to hold on to members/attenders who don’t stand behind our vision, strategy, methods or beliefs if they are wanting to move on.  If someone believes in what another church is doing more than Element Church, WHY WOULDN’T I WANT THEM TO GO THERE?  If they fit better at another church, feel more at home, serve in a ministry….I mean we are FOR other churches aren’t we?

Believe it or not, there are other churches in our communities, besides the ones we attend, who are doing things in different ways, with different visions and maybe even some different views on non-essential doctrines YET THEY ARE STILL SERVING THE SAME JESUS!  They are GOOD churches.  They are EFFECTIVE churches.  Element Church does NOT have the market on the only way to do church.

We FULLY understand at Element Church that we are NOT the church for everyone.  There are some people that we will NEVER reach and we need other Bible believing churches to reach them.  We are going to reach some people that other churches will NEVER reach.  Some people will stand beside our vision and strategy, others will not.  Some people will be with us for the long haul, and others will not.

There is a responsibility when an attender leaves a church to leave well.  And there is a responsibility on the church/pastor to SEND WELL!  Like I said, we want EVERYONE who attends to stay.  But, when a person decides that Element is not for them, our goal is for them to leave well and us to send well.  Why should we have this attitude?  Because it WILL happen.  If people are going to leave, we may as well send them.

Are there people who leave poorly?  Sure!  Are there churches who send poorly!  Definitely.  I just want to be the pastor and church that  just doesn’t receive people, we’re willing to send them too!

Sending,

Jeff


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Leading without knowing

10 09 2008

I got an email this week that BLEW me away.  There are a couple of churches and pastors who, without their leadership in blogging and the technology of the internet, we wouldn’t have learned MANY of the things we did about church and specifically church planting.  Through the blog world we learned a TON of mistakes that other church planters made.  We learned a TON of successes and possible ways of doing things.  We’ve got ideas, inspirations, organization, and great leadership principles through the blog world.  I started my blog in hopes that friends and family could track along with what is happening at Element and in our lives.  I remember telling my wife “Who is going to learn anything from me?” when I started the blog.  Well the lead pastor from a church in Montana sent me this email this week.  River City Church and Pastor Brian Moser said this:

“Jeff,

I just wanted you to know that I’ve been following your blog (and church)
for the last year as our team has been planning a church launch in
Missoula, Montana. We launched today with 158 people and it was absolutely
amazing! I just wanted to let you know that you guys have been a great
influence, and you didn’t even know we existed until now. Keep up the
great work! I love what you’re doing.”

I am STILL blown away that anyone can learn from what I/we’ve done at Element.  Brian, Congratulations on your awesome launch!  Enjoy the ride!  Thanks for letting us be an influence.  We’re trying to hang on for the ride!  It’s cool to be a part of a larger team.  Hope we can influence other people for the good through all this.

Hangin’ on,

Jeff


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Comparisons

9 09 2008

Monday Night Football started last night on ESPN with a double header.  I don’t really follow any one NFL team.  If I had to pick one it would be the St. Louis Rams (which means there isn’t much to follow).  I am a college football crazy, and during this time of year I live and breathe OU football.  I DO however just LOVE watching football in general.  So naturally I was excited last night to get the chance to watch 2 NFL games.  I didn’t watch either in their entireity.  The Bronco game was a joke.  Broncos looked good but against the Raiders?  Newcastle would look good against the Raiders though.  But I digress.

Adrian Peterson (former Oklahoma running back) plays for the Vikings so wanted to watch him.  And I was very curious about Aaron Rogers start as the Packer quarterback.  Of course EVERYONE has been talking about him replacing the GREAT BRET FAVRE.

Like I said, I didn’t watch the whole game but for the short time I was able to watch I was driven crazy by how many times things like this were said.  (after an Aaron Rogers play)  “Well, who did that remind you of?”  “Do you think Aaron will do (fill in) like Bret did?”  “Wow, Bret would have done…”  Graphics were up all the time comparing Aaron to Bret.

IT’S HIS FIRST EVER STINKIN’ NFL START!  That’s what I wanted to yell at the TV.  Aaron Rogers will NEVER be Bret Favre.  NEVER!  He is Aaron Rogers.  He’ll play football like Aaron Rogers.  He’ll react like Aaron Rogers.

On the drive to work today listening to ESPN radio talk about this more I thought.  “We are the exact same way.”  We think there are model Christians that people should be like.  We compare ourselves and other people to…well, other people.  The thing is.  We aren’t suppose to be like other people.  WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE LIKE JESUS!  Even if we could label the BEST Christian ever, they would need to be more like Jesus too!

Maybe we need to stop trying to be like other Christians.  Maybe we need to stop comparing people to where we are at, or whee someone else is at.  Maybe…just maybe, we ALL (me included) need to start comparing ourselves to Jesus.  Be who God created US to be, not anyone else.  If I’ll compare myself to Jesus, I’ll ALWAYS want more AND need more.  That’s where I want to be.  Do you?

Needing more of Jesus,

Jeff


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To Build Or Not To Build…#5

11 08 2008

Hey Element Church! This is my last installment of these posts that have been brewing in my mind. You can read them HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. I’m sick and tired of Christians thinking you’re not a “real” church until you have a building. I’m equally tired of people thinking you MUST have a building in order to be effective. I think you can make a case for being able to do more in a portable setting. When portable you’re not pouring resources into a facility. You typically will have more money. When portable you don’t as easily fall into the trap of trying to be all things to all people therefore you more effectively use your time and volunteers. I really think you can do more by being portable. But I know that you also have times where you must move into a permanent location. We’ve looked at some questions to ask when doing that. Here is my last one.

5. Where will you be going? If you really find that it’s time to go to a permanent location you’ve GOT to ask this question. I think it is absolutely vital. Where are you building? Will you still be in the city? Will you be too far of a drive from the people you’re currently reaching? What kind of exposure will you get? Does the facility allow you to be the church you’re called to be? And MANY MANY others! This question was HUGE for us in our decision making process. The WHERE to me was just as important as the WHAT. I felt SO STRONGLY that we were to still be in the city that buying land was out of the question. I felt so strongly in the type of experience we do that the building had to allow us to do that. Where we’ll go has got to be asked.

We’re already talking about our next location. This move for Element Church is not “our building”, it is our next location. I don’t plan on us being here forever. If we are, so be it. BUT, we MUST be ready to move if we need to move and these questions MUST be asked. We’re already talking about what is next if God so chooses to bless Element Church with filling it up again. To be honest, I think the next logical step is to buy land and build.

I think there comes a time when there are no more options but to purchase land and build a building that will serve as a permanent campus for the ministry. Church planting I think is definitely in our future, but being the rural setting we are, I’m not sure that alleviates space issues very much. Having a building isn’t bad, it just needs to be at the right time. A church eventually reaches a size where having a building outside of it’s city limits won’t necessarily be a hindrance. The church, it’s staff and leaders however MUST STAY INTENTIONAL about serving in their community in practical ways. Being about what got them to the church they are today. If we build a building and fail to be the church that got us to that building WHAT IS THE STINKIN’ POINT?

To build or not to build…that is the question. WHEW, got that off my mind now.

Jeff


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To build or not to build…#4

8 08 2008

Hey Element Church! My post streak on building continues with #4. I think I have one more in me. Like I said. My head’s been filled with this question, and I’ve been processing it for quite some time “To build or not to build?” You can read my other three posts HERE HERE and HERE.

#4 How are your volunteers? First off. I know I came straight at Element full force about volunteering on Sunday, but it had NOTHING to do with the quality of our volunteers and EVERYTHING to do with our rapid growth and need for more of our regular attenders to step it up.

Portable church is VERY tough. It is tough on equipment, staff and volunteers. We could totally do church very bland and vanilla, but I wouldn’t feel like we’re giving it our all. We do church big because that’s how we feel God called us to do it, and with that comes some major set up. I think we do a bang up job on set design, e:kidz areas, lobby, etc. Set up starts at 5:45 for some guys and most show up at 6 or 6:30. Yes, that is AM.

The band shows up at 6:30 to start set up. They lead worship for two services and then tear everything down. We average getting out of the theater by 12:30. That is 6 hours they are there serving God and Element Church. We have a team that shows up at 6:30 to set up all the e:kidz stuff.  Volunteers set up a theater we affectionately call “The Locker Room” where we provide child care for early arriving volunteers and a hot breakfast is served with coffee and drinks for all volunteers.  We have a hospitality team picking up donuts early and making coffee for us to enjoy.  Our e:team is ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!  I don’t think most people knows how many people and how much work one Sunday takes.

Out of all the Sundays and the countless hours we’ve been doing portable church I have heard few if any complaints.  And I hate to even say complaints.  It’s more just the expression of the normal wear and tear of how much work it is.  I think most if not all of our volunteers would continue doing this if they had to, but as I see it, it is beginning to wear on everyone.  Doesn’t mean we wouldn’t do it, just think we need to be sensitive to that.  If the band were not on set up and tear down I think that makes a big difference.  If there were multiple set up/tear down teams that does as well.  Most of our set up people are there every week rain or shine.  That is a HUGE commitment and we praise God for servants like that.

Every church is going to be unique in this.  I’ve seen churches be portable for 10 years and be successful.  I know of some churches who plan on always being portable.  I think one thing we all need to realize is that being portable is not for every church and it’s not for every pastor.  I LOVE being portable.  I think as a new church there is something very attractive about that, but I think that volunteer burn out is a HUGE risk factor that you must be completely aware of.  As a staff at Element we try to show our volunteers how much they are appreciated in practical ways regularly through the year.  We always want them to know how much they mean.

Question #4 in looking to build or not to build.  How are your volunteers?

Asking,

Jeff


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To build or not to build…#3

7 08 2008

Hey Element Church! You can read posts #1 and 2 HERE and HERE. Like I’ve said, this has been sitting in my brain, welling up within. Thought it was about time to post. When should a church move to a permanent location? When is it right to build or not to? I’ve been honest with my struggle of whether we get a building or not. I have many fears about it but these questions I’m posing here have, over the past months, help me answer “YES!” for Element that at this time we need a building.

3. Do you need more room? To be honest, if we didn’t need more space, I’m not sure we’d consider moving to a new location. I LOVE the feel of the theater. YES, the theater has brought headaches but lets be real, we couldn’t have done church the way we have, without it. A portable location is TOTALLY non threatening. “You meet in a theater? COOL!” Heard that a lot. Mainly from UN-churched people. Seats are already there. You can’t beat stadium seating. The acoustics are amazing. But we ran out of space.

We launched in October with 200 people. By November we made the pain staking choice of going to two services. By the end of January we were closing in on 400 and needing to look for options. We crested 500 3 or 4 times this Spring and tried the staggered third service and probably averaged 20 people in there. It just didn’t open up enough seats. Our last 10 weeks we averaged 458 people. When we first met in the theater we swore we couldn’t do over 400.

The space issue had to be resolved. Will having more space MAKE us grow? NO! BUT it gives us the ABILITY to grow! I know some people are going to take this the wrong way but I’m going to say it. I don’t think God wants His church to NOT grow. I TOTALLY understand that there are all types of churches and church sizes. It doesn’t mean that if a church isn’t growing it is not in God’s will. It DOES mean that if a church isn’t willing to do what it takes to grow they might. It sure seems obvious to me that God MIGHT want to bring more people to Element Church. HOPEFULLY it is people who do NOT know Jesus or are disconnected from church and looking to find their way back home. Whatever the case, we have reached our ceiling and I think it behooves us to enable ourselves the ability to reach more people.

Is it possible we’ll move into the new building and not grow? SURE! But I tend to believe that greater things are yet to come. I just want to be faithful. This was one of the biggest factors in our decision. It was just too full. When first time guests get shoved into the front row, it’s not a good thing. We want the experience to be welcoming, inviting and comfortable for all who attend.

Following Christ,

Jeff


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To build or not to build…#2

6 08 2008

Hey Element Church! You can read post #1 about this HERE. I’ve been wanting to blog about this for some time now and thought that now was a good time. The #1 question we received when we started Element Church from other Christians was “Do you have a building yet?” That bothered me. Are we not REALLY a church until we have a building? Why was that the most asked question? Why is it every churches goal to have a building? To be honest, it was my goal when we started NOT to move to a permanant location this quickly, but due to post #1 and some other things I think it plays into answering the question “To build or not to build…” Here is #2

2. Have you exhausted all options? I’ll be honest, I’m stinkin’ jealous of church plants that get to use movie theaters that seat 800 people with 60 foot screens, and church plants that meet in high school fine arts auditoriums that are state of the art and seat 1200 people. We are in a unique church plant situation. While we are one of the largest communities in Wyoming, we are VERY small compared to other metropolitan areas around the country where many church plants take place. With a smaller area comes less meeting options.

Once we started filling up two services the search was on for a new meeting facility. The idea of a permanent place was our LAST option. We looked at going back to the Holiday Inn. We looked at doing a video venue in the theater. We tried a third service. We tried and tried and tried to get into the school system, with no avail. We considered the civic center. Some things that were available just wouldn’t have worked for what we felt we needed to be as a church. The fact that we needed new space but NOTHING was available to remain portable and true to who Element was, opened the door for us to look into permanent locations.

I’ve heard of so many churches that USED to do outreach, USED to be in the community, USED to (fill in blank) UNTIL they got a building. I DON’T WANT THAT! I’ve said from the very first Unplugged “We WILL NOT be about a building!” And I stand by that. Having a building MUST ENABLE us to do more outside the church, not keep us more in it. If it doesn’t it is a waste of every stinkin’ cent. I LOVE the fact that we are still in town. There is nothing wrong with having a building outside of town, but I felt strongly that was not for us. We needed to be in the city. Down the road that may change (coming in another post) but for now we need to be.

When asking the question of whether to build I think we ask “Have we exhausted all options?”

Following Christ,

Jeff


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