Experiences In Church Transformation

The Driver's Seat

I was involved in a recent discussion that reminded me of the importance of reviewing some of the church's principles from time to time.  The specific one that was invovled in the conversation has to do with making decisions.  We profess in many documents and settings within the church that Jesus Christ is the head of the church.  But how often do we take Christ out of the driver's seat?  How many times do we fail to recall that it is not OUR church, it is not OUR vision, it is not OUR priorities that matter?  If Jesus is truly the head of the Church, then that means Jesus generates the vision and sets the priorities.

So as we continue to go about our work.  We must be mindful that it is important to listen for the voice of Christ and to keep Jesus in the driver's seat!

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!!

More Than Window Dressing

As I have been in conversation with individuals that claim to be intentionally engaged in transformation, I have come to realize that for some of them there is a lack of true understanding.  They mistakenly believe that if they adjust a thing or two in their worship, maybe add a few more colors in their buildings, and change some titles, they are actively involved in positive transformation.  This has reminded me how important it is to continually work with people to help them understand that transformation is more than tweaking a little around the edges.  Transformation is at the root of our very being if it is going to be effective.  Let me expand on what I mean.

The Spirit desires to bring about that transformation in us that reconnects us to the relationship that the Lord originally designed us to be a part of.  A relationship in which the Lord is our God and we are God's people.  A relationship where we actively engage in the work of the Lord as the Spirit leads us.  This is a transformation in the core of who we live our lives to be.  When this type of transformation occurs within us, then we are able to assist others in discovering how the Spirit wishes to transform them and assisting them in that on-going process just as we continue in the process.

All of this translates in the church as a need to transform some of our approaches, attitudes, and patterns of living out our faith.  It means being open to the movement of the Spirit instead of the latest opinion poll.  It means taking risks and exploring new understandings even when they make us uncomfortable.  It means letting go when the program, tradition, or activity no longer compliments or strengthens the ministry that the Lord calls us to be and do at this place and time.  It means more work and less laziness.

What I am proposing is that intentional transformation in the church (and the individual) is more than just changing the window dressings to a different color.  It means changing who we are and how we behave in order to be more faithful to the minsitry to which we have been called!

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.   

Called to Lead

I recently was engaged in a series of conversations focused on the changing church.  In the midst of these conversations, I was reminded of a very important concept that deserves serious consideration by those in the church today - Are our pastors called to lead?

Let me start out by saying that I feel that in the original sense of the office of "pastor", the answer would have to be an emphatic YES.  If we attempt to trace the role of "pastor" to its Scriptural origins, I feel we are lead to see this role develop out of the Apostles.  There is very little question that the Apostles were called to be leaders.  They were to be leaders in a spiritual sense and in an organizational sense.  They were to be leaders in discipline and doctrine. 

The problem that I feel we face today is that the term "pastor" has become one that has represented a variety of offices which all require some varied degrees of skill.  It has become intertwined with the word "minister" which adds to the confusion.  Because there has been such a large variety of expectations and perceptions that are associated with the word "pastor", there has been a large degree of frustration and confusion within the church and within the lives of those that have been given that title. 

I strongly believe that it is time for the church to return to the original understanding of the role of "pastor".  I believe that we need to reclaim the Scriptural understanding of the office and that we need to clarify to the congregations and to those that carry the title, what the expectations of that call really are.  I believe that in the Lord's call to those that are "pastors" that there is a strong expectation on the Lord's part that we will be leaders.  This reclamation may cause some anxiety and angst because it would require us to look at the wonderful gifts that those who have the title possess and determine if we should be giving a different title for those who are not gifted in leadership.

As I conclude this post, let me be very clear - I do not believe that an individual that is not gifted in leadership should be precluded from serving the Lord using the gifts and passions that they possess.  I am not advocating removing individuals from their roles in the church.  I am advocating clarifying titles and expectations.  I am advocating that in my understanding, those who carry the title of "pastor" are expected to be leaders with their own style and strengths of leadership. 

Beyond Our Scope

One of the valuable aspects that I have found as I engage in transformational ministry is the insights that I can gain from non-church resources.  While the church has often looked to the business community to provide insights and resources in administration and financial approaches, I think that we often overlook the resources that can be found in regards to understanding inviduals and communicating a message.

As I have read books and articles from sources that are not in the scope of church writers, I have found that there always are valuable tidbits that I can apply to the ministry I am currenlty engaged in.  It has helped me to look at individuals and situations from a different perspective.

I feel it is vital for church leaders to explore outside our usual realm of information.  Not only can we gain different insights and perspectives, but we can also gain understanding in what is being discussed and/or debated in the world at large.  This provides us a richness that helps us to minister more effectively to those outside and inside our church walls.

So my challenge to you would be, read something that you normally would not read.  You never know what message the Lord may have for you in a different voice!

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!