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Away I Go

May 9, 2012 in Links, Ministry with 0 Comments

This morning I’m getting on a plane so I can go wait at another airport for 3 hours to then get on another plane and then eventually find myself at “The Gathering.”  The Gathering is a special collection of family ministry leaders from around the country.  David C. Cook explains it this way:

The Gathering exists for the purpose of inspiring, equipping, and supporting the faith community in order that they may become awakened to their role as ambassadors of God, His kingdom movement, and spiritual formation through family ministry within the local church.

I’m excited about being there for a bunch of reasons, but I’ve been narrowed it down to really just ONE thing.  I don’t know anyone teaching, speaking, or leading there. When I was invited to participate, and was having to decide (along with my family) if this was something worthy of me being away; the really big draw was the opportunity to hear some voices I’m not familiar with.

It’s important to note that I do NOT work for a curriculum provider.  I’m NOT in the “business” of church ministry, and I’m NOT selling anything.  Sure, I have my favorites and I have the resources I use at my church.  But at heart, I’m a man that has a burden for the Next Generations in my local church.  The Gathering is about tapping into that passion I have, and helping me lead better from where I am.  I’m looking forward to a week that helps me increase my leadership to families in a new way.

I’ll be blogging a bunch here over the next few days, so stay tuned for some new fresh voices for you as well.  Maybe you’ll hear something you’ve never heard before, and most likely it comes from somebody you’ve never heard of.

6 Simple Ways to Avoid Burnout

May 8, 2012 in Links with 1 Comment

I’d like to dedicate this to all my tired, overweight friends working from home tonight.  You know who you are.  To all those skinny, gaunt, tired, up at midnight skinny friends.  I’m talking to you too.

Source: TheSimpleDollar.com

Free Stuff Monday

April 30, 2012 in Links with 0 Comments

This weeks giveaway is Roger Fields new book, Jumping the Track.  It’s the story of how an obscure pastor created a national production that reaches tens of thousands.  Beyond goal-setting, this is a first person account of the courage to abruptly change life’s direction multiple times. It chronicles Roger Fields’ unique journey with the ups and downs of doing things in an unconventional way.

This book will walk you through all sorts of crazy and great things, for example:

  • Abandon long-term goal setting
  • How abrupt changes can energize your life
  • Are you letting grasshopper brain paralyze your progress?
  • The secret of the Tishbite
  • Failure: Why you need it and how it will help you
  • 5 tracks you can jump
  • Coon hunting in Kansas
  • and the Kidz Blitz story!

Continue Reading…

Orange Session: Andy Stanley

April 27, 2012 in Ministry with 0 Comments

Friday Morning we heard from Andy Stanley on that “One Thing” we should be communicating to our church staff. As a leader of staff, I’ve listened to Andy teach on this for years. To say a message like this resonates with me, is a egregious understatement. Love, love, love this truth dedicated to the leaders of our church.

Not So Among You

One Thing that drives healthy staff culture. // and it works in Your family too.

Mark 10:32-37, 41 // Jesus is asked by the disciples for more favor.

42-43 || not so with you.  //  Whoever wants to be great (and it’s ok to want to be great), must become a servant and slave of all.

45 || Even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Healthy and Productive staff cultures are defined by Mutual Submission.

Mutual Submission: I’m here to facilitate your success wherever you and I are on the org chart. Our jobs are different, but we are both essential to the success of the organization.

  • Everyone is equally essential.

The question mutual submission asks: “How can I help?”

Problematic:

  • The lie of “Annointing”
  • The triangle setup on org chart will never see Mutual Submission.

Our leadership style is dictated by this : Even the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. 

Anointing is not emphasized in NT, it’s all service and serving.

Are the reserved parking spots necessary, really?

  • Do for one what you wish you could do for anyone.
    • The myth that if we do for one we have to do everyone. We don’t!
    • Jesus often only healed the one out of a crowd of many.
  • Systematic top-down method of service.
    • How can I leverage what I’m good at to facilitate the success of others?
  • Create and maintain a sustainable pace.
    • Lack of sustainable pace kills service for others.
  • Celebrate and reward mutual submission.
    • Look for ways to foster this on your team.
    • What’s rewarded is repeated.
      • What’s punished is avoided.
  • Confront your EGO.
    • If you view your staff as only being there to facilitate your success.
    • If your gonna lead this way, then at least admit it to them.
  • Drop the term loyalty from your vocabulary.
    • Not a fruit of the spirit.
    • Anyone who demands loyalty, has a loyalty problem.
      • Jesus just says, “Follow me.” yet always reminded people they could leave when they wanted.

How can I help?

Inviting yourself into their world instead of asking them to serve your world. 

How I react to this glorification determines the path I’ll be on.

God looks at Eternity and asked, “How can I help?”

 

Single Minded, Christ Centered, Biblically Anchored, World Changing Children

April 26, 2012 in Ministry with 0 Comments

This morning for the Orange Conference Opening Thursday session, we were able to hear from Craig Groeschel about parenting.  For most of us in Children’s ministry or parenting, we are all very familiar with the idea behind Deuteronomy 6.  What made Craigs talk so unique is that he shared his own personal family values and things he does as a father to raise his kids to be game changers.  It was a really, really great call to action for all the parents in the room.

So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:18 ESV)

What is parenting success?

THE GOAL:

Unleash single-minded, Christ-centered, biblically-anchored, world changing children.

Deut. 6:4-9 – Moses’ call to parents.

  1. Must enlist supporting voices. || 
    • Parents will always be the most important voice, but cannot be the only voice.
    • Paul was a supporting voice for Timothy.
    • One of most important things we can do is build up leaders to impart to others.
  1. Raise the expectations. ||
    • Calling is radical and supernatural.
    • ALL our heart, soul, strength.
    • We will rarely ever get more than we ask for, unless we raise the expectations.
    • 1 Cor 13:11 / when I became a man, I left childish things behind.
  1. Keep it Real. ||
    • Make God commonplace in our homes.
    • Pray for things beyond our own home.
    • God is not “a part” of our lives. He is our everything.
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