Experiences In Church Transformation

Quit talking!!!

One of the very important aspects of being a Christian leader, or actually any Christian, is regular communication with the Lord.  However, that can also be very scary.  Just like conversations with other humans, you have no control over what the Lord may say back.  There may also be times that the Lord wakes you up in the middle of the night to have a convesation. 

Recently I was sharing with one of the leaders of the church that I was uncomfortable by a comment that he made.  He indicated to me that he mentioned what he did because the Lord had decided to have a conversation with him in the middle of the night.  After the two of us dialogued about what he had shared with a group, it became clear to us that the Lord was creating some tension for us to help us determine if we are still on the course that the Lord had set or if we needed a course adjustment.

I jokingly said to the leader, "Quit talking with the Lord, it can be unsettling!"  While I said the comment in a joking manner and we both laugh, there is some reality to it.  Maybe that is why individuals choose not to be in conversation with the Lord regularly.  The reality is that some of those conversations can be unsettling and make us uncomfortable.  However, if we come to realize that the Lord only seeks to benefit us, we quickly can see how being unsettled will lead us to even greater things.

So don't sto talking.  Just realize you may not always be comfortable with the course of the conversation!

Three Questions of Ministry

Recently I led a retreat for the leaders of my congregation.  As part of the retreat I had three different discussion and study times.  Each of these times was based on a question.  The questions were derived from concepts put forth by Jim Collins in his book Good to Great. The book is written for the business community and discusses what has caused companies to move from being good to being great.  It is also the basis for the book that Thom Rainer wrote entitled Breakout Churches (see listing in my "Helpful Books I have Read" section).  In Collins' book he makes reference to the "hedgehog concept" which is the idea that for a company to become great, it must focus on the place where three circles of influence connect.  I took Collins' hedgehog concept and adapted it to ministry.

Here are the three questions that I arrived at:

1)  What is your passion?

2)  What spiritual gifts, talents, and skills do you possess?

3)  What is your purpose?

I feel that where the responses to these three questions connect, that is where an individual will find his or her ministry.  We also discussed as a group the importance of continually asking these questions so that as our responses to the three questions change, we continue to adjust our ministires. This concept applies not only to the individual but also the congregation as a whole.

This also provides a basis for us to filter the various ministries, programs, and use of resources that come our way.  If these do not fit in our area of connecting circles, then this is not the time to venture down the path of opportunity.  Collins points out that the "good" companies sometimes get caught up in chasing opportunites or good ideas, and the expend time, energy, and resources in too many places which causes them to reamin in the "good" category but never achieve "great".  I feel churches and individuals do the same thing. 

My hope that this may provide my leaders, my congregation, and you who read this blog, another tool for improving the effectiveness and focus of your ministry. 

Two steps forward, Three steps back

Have you ever had a time in your leadership when you feel that for each step forward you are making with the group, you take multiple steps backward.  That has been my month of October.  Throughout the month various events and conversations have occurred which has led to a level of frustration.  Where I thought progress and valuable dialog was taking place, I encounter pockets of resistance, lack of commitment, and a return to prior thinking.

I am sure that I am far from unique with this frustration.  I am also confident that if I and other leaders in the church continue to be faithful to what the Lord is doing in us and through us, we will overcome even this.

I share all of this just to make a point that I have to make to myself on a regular basis - everything is not going to be smooth sailing all the time.  The most important thing to remember is that we are called to discern the voice of the Lord and follow that voice even in the midst of frustration and resistance.  I am sure glad that the Lord is in charge because I wouldn't want the level of frustration that must come with that job!!

Having a Touchstone

There have been two very important actions that the leadership of our congregation has taken in the last couple of years.  The first is that the group adopted a vision for the ministry they felt the Lord calling them to be faithful to.  The second is that they adopted a mission statement.  These are leadership approaches that are not new in any fashion.  They are also concepts that seem to have as many meanings and definitions as there are leaves blowing in the autumn wind.  So let me share briefly with you how our leadership has utilized these concepts.

The vision statement, or more accurately rubix, was adopted to provide a challenge and a broad overview of the ministry that the Lord seemed to be leading us toward.  It is relatively broad in nature and has a strong Scriptural basis.  For a couple of years we have used the vision to generate questions about what the Lord might be doing in us and through us at this time.  The leadership has challenged themselves in identifying how we are responding in the different ministry areas that are contained in the vision and making adjustments where and when needed.

The mission statement flowed out of our vision statement.  We came to the point of saying we needed a concise response to how we were going to fulfill the vision.  We also determined that we wanted a statement that could be remembered easily and by a large number of individuals.  A statement that we could place on all communications that flowed in and out of our church.  A statement that would give some insight for the community at large into what this congregation was called by the Lord to do. 

The exciting reality of these two activies is that it helped the leadership to discern what the Lord was telling us.  It also helped the leaders to get on the same page with each other.  The other vital reality is that we now have a touchstone from which we can determine activities and expenditures that will strengthen our ministry versus distract from the ministry.  I have seen a couple of recent examples when the leadership asked the question of "how does this fit within the vision and mission that the Lord has called us to?"  As they responded to this question, it became very obvious what decision needed to be made.

So I encourage you to set up touchstones that will provide guidance as you transform and respond to the Lord's call.   

Audience of One

In their book, "Lead Like Jesus", Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges point out that as Christian leaders (and I believe Christians in general) we need to remember that we have an audience of One - the Lord.  This is an important concept for us to grasp and to live by.  There is probably not one of us that feels at times we are pulled in multiple directions with multiple demands and priorities upon our lives.  It seems that there are more than enough people who are willing to tell us what we should be doing and how we are to be doing it.  Blanchard and Hodges remind us that we only have one who should be directing our lives - GOD. 

When we start to live with this concept as our guide, it can make dramatic impact upon our lives.  Anyone who has tried to provide leadership knows that when you work with a multitude of people, there is absolutely no way, no matter what you do or don't do, to please every person.  Someone always can point out a better way you could have done something or a better decision you could have made or a better way you could have used your time.  A person could go insane if we tried to follow everyone's directions.  However, if you adopt an audience of one approach to what you do, then you are no longer running around in circles but instead are striving to listen for the Lord's voice and direction and honor that.

Another benefit to this philosophy is that you are being faithful to Scripture.  Jesus shows over and over again that our primary objective (or primary directive for you Star Trek fans) is to follow the Lord's direction and call for our lives. 

The potential difficulty with adopting this philosophy for our lives is that some times people will be upset with us.  The reason is that we are no longer catering to their opinions and whims but instead listening to the Lord of our lives.  On occasion the Lord will direct us to say and/or do things that will not be popular.  But if we are striving to place the Lord as our audience of one then Jesus points out that our reward will be greater than anything that may be offered to us during our time in this life.

So I encourage all of us to be faithful to our audience of one and share this concept with others!!!!

Support Community

A few months ago the Winterset Ministerial Association adopted a new mission statement.  We made a definitive move from being an organization that was about "doing" programs and toward a support group for those who are in ministry in the area.  I was concerned that there would be a limited level of trust among the members of the association so that the level of support would be weak at best.  What I found was surprisingly different.  This is now one of my greatest support groups and I am excited about the opportunity to share and to listen to my colleagues.  We are finding how much we truly have in common and who each person truly is.

This has led me to once again ponder the importance of support networks for all Christians.  God designed the church to be exactly that --- a support network for believers.  Unfortunately, human sin has even tainted this perfect design of the Lord.  Many people have come to find the church anything but a safe haven.  Because of this reality, we have lost a very important tool that all believers truly need.  Following the Lord is far from easy, without a group of individuals to help us and to celebrate with us, we feel alone and often find ourselves turning away from the very things Christ calls us to be and do.

I want to urge all of you to be diligent about finding a group of individuals that you can openly, and safely, share your joys and struggles with.  If you are in leadership in the church and/or actively serving as a change agent in a congregation, this is a survival tool that is vital.  We need to have people that we can bounce ideas off of, and to share the realities of our lives with.

Planning For Success

Why is it that many Christian leaders seem programmed to expect failure?  If it were just Presbyterians that I have noticed this trend in, I would attribute it to our Calvin upbringing.  However, I do not feel that it is only limited to a denomination.  I believe that this trend can be seen any many Christian leaders.  Maybe this is a defense mechanism that has been ingrained because so many times we see our hopes and dreams dashed or falling short way too often.

Maybe the reason that we have experienced failure as Christian leaders is that we forget a primary reality of what it means to be a CHRISTIAN leader --- We follow the Lord's lead.  Maybe if we examined where we have found shortcomings, the key thread is that we have pursued our own dreams and plans rather than striving to follow the Lord's dream and plan.  This reminds us of the importance of spending the time to discern the Lord's will.  We must ask the question, "Lord, what would you have me (us) do?"  If we truly are listening for the Lord's voice, I believe that we would find ourselves achieving much more than we often do.

A good friend of mine, Phil Barrett, has on occasion reminded me and others that we need to plan for success within the church.  To me the starting point for this planning must be discerning the Lord's will.  It is great for us to have ideas, dreams, and hopes but if these are not in alignment with the timing and plan of the Lord, we will experience marginal success, or even failure.

Let's plan for success in the church..... always beginning with a dialog with the Lord!

K.I.S.S.

When I was a recent college graduate, I had someone tell me that the most important thing to remember was K.I.S.S.  Of course, I tended to jump in my mind to something having to do with a romantic interlude.  Apparently that showed on my face because the person went on to explain that what was being shared was an acronym for Keep It Simple Stupid.  I have often thought of that acronym in the various situations and sometimes I am even smart enough to follow it.

In the church, I believe that we sometimes struggle to share information, and more importantly the Gospel, in anything less than a very complexed way.  Then we often wonder why our message seems to fall dead on people's ears.  We get so caught up in using theological terms or lofty words that we forget our main purpose of communicating information so that it can be a transforming benefit for people. 

This past Sunday I received a lesson in the K.I.S.S. principle once again.  The youth were in charge of our worship service and did an excellent job of leading worship.  One of seniors was given the task of sharing the message.  He shared very appropriate Scripture passages and then spoke for about 3 minutes on the reality of all of us worshiping the same Lord and how we should not get hung up on the exact manner of worship.  His message was clear, concise, and simple.  I believe he probably touched a great many hearts that day.

So the next time that you are preparing to communicate something, remember the K.I.S.S. acronym!!!!

Is There Anybody Out There

Sometimes when you are a leader, you hit those points when you truly wonder if anyone is paying attention.  Many times this issue surfaces when things are starting to get busy in your life and/or the lives of those whom you are trying to lead.  I think that this is one of the reasons that Jesus used so many illustrations regarding sheep.  He also probably felt like he was trying to lead a group that was totally unmanageable and often would not listen to his direction.

But take heart.  Many times when this feeling arises within me, God motivates individuals to make comments or to take action which tells me that my leadership is being noticed and taken seriously.  These are the moments of leaderdship that can be energizing. 

So I guess my thought for you today is - be persistent.  Continue to lead as the Lord is directing you to.  And know that you are being heard and followed.

Sabbath

Taking time to rest.  For people like myself who are fairly driven in their lives, taking a break does not often seem possible.  There always seems to be so many opportunities and so many tasks that there is often some level of guilt associated with taking a break.  Yet often it is in "taking a break" that we can find the key to increasing our productivity, attitude, and personal well-being. 

As I sit today typing this blog posting, I realize that my body is telling me that I need to take a break.  I have been fighting a cold for the last couple of days and even the medication that I am taking does not seem to be winning the battle.  I have been chilled most of the day so far and I must confess the thought of changing into a pair of sweats, curling up in a blanket, and reading a book until I fall asleep sounds fantastic.  The only problem is that I just received my new laptop computer and I want to get it set up.  So I am going to strike a deal with myself.  I am going to do the initial setup, finish this post, and then go home for the rest of the day.  Maybe after a nap, I will fill rejuvenated enough to work on my new laptop some more and maybe even interact with some others. 

Besides sharing aspects of my personal feelings today, there is a point to this.  I think that as leaders, we must model wisdom of self-care.  In order to have the energy, the correct attitudes, and the clearness of mind to lead, we must strive to provide ourselves with periods of rest.  This concept was introduced by our Lord at the start of creation and has many merits when you really think about it. 

Not only is this important for our personal lives but it is also important for the groups of individuals that we are leading.  As we are actively engaged in transformation, we know that it requires a lot of energy and a lot of wisdom.  We must allow individuals to take breaks as we progress through the various changes that transformation require.  The period of "rest" that we allow will vary depending on the many dynamics involved.  This is not an attempt to advocate for "resting on our laurels" but instead acknowledges that there is a natural flow of items in God's creation and we must be mindful of that flow.

So my encouragement for you this day is to be sure to take a time of rest for yourselves as leaders.  This will provide an example for those that you are leading and set up healthy dynamics within the group.  Also, make sure you are mindful of those points when the whole group needs a little rest and do not be afraid of taking a break from your transformative activities.