If your pastor walked into your place of business, where he holds no title or experience, and critiqued your work on a weekly basis, how would you view your pastor?
If your pastor held meetings about you and your intentions behind your back, how would you view your pastor?
If your pastor expected you to call him and visit him on a regular basis, or else he would walk out of your life and find another church to pastor, how would you view your pastor?
If your pastor gave you the same measure of grace you give him, how would you view your pastor?
I am concerned that we, the sheep of God's pasture, have made the blessing of being a shepherd unnecessarily difficult. So many of the demands levied within the church against the pastor are found *nowhere* in God's expectations of His under-shepherds (1 Peter 5).
Let's get back to having Scriptural expectations of our pastors.
Be very careful with how you treat your pastor. Let him work under the grace of his God and his calling, not under the yoke of individualistic expectations and ultimatums.
Grace and peace, friends.
3 Ways to Make Your Week More Productive
My oldest son is a decent soccer player... and the team he is on is fantastic!
The reason is his coach. This guy teaches, loves and leads those boys in ways I have learned from.
During a parent meeting early in the season I heard him say multiple times that he has a "system" he uses coaching. Each practice had a predetermined purpose. If a child missed practice, they missed that element and were left out.
Being a nerd for systems and processes that work, this made me happy. Processes bring purpose to every moment, even 15 and 16 year old soccer.
Today I want to share with you a system I use for one area of my life: Time Management.
Honestly, I hate using the word "management" in conjunction with time. I don't have enough time to manage, I need it to be maximized! This process will set your week on fire and you will accomplish more than you thought you could.
Here are 3 ways to make your week more productive.
1. Plan your week on Sunday night
Too often we roll into Monday with no plan. Planning ahead squeezes every ounce of potential out of your time.
One way I determine if a leader is responsible or flippant is how they respond when I ask, "How does your calendar look?"
Effective people plan.
Every Sunday I take 15-30 minutes to think through my week ahead. In short, I identify my 3 major accomplishments for the week. And I write them down in a convenient Goal Planner I bought from Ramsey Solutions.
Once I add tasks and actions to this, I have a workable plan.
2. Kill your "to do" list
I hate to-do lists. Some of it is personality, but I believe to-do lists impede productivity.
Without focus, to-do lists give the illusion of effectiveness. To-do lists do not necessarily produce results, but they always create busyness.
Instead of endless lists that pile up, I calendar what needs to be done. Often a to-do list exists outside of your calendar, so combine the two.
Schedule appointments with yourself to execute what needs doing and stick to that plan. Productivity doesn't happen when you create boxes to check but appointments to keep.
3. Give each day a purpose
Having a unique theme for each day keeps the week fresh for me and guards from boredom.
Every day has its own flavor and focus. This brings that extra 10% of intensity to your week in measured doses.
Here is how I attack the week from a thematic standpoint:
Momentum Monday
Kick off the week by moving something. I have a goal of advancing 3 things down the field each week.
On Monday I get them started by having conversations or emailing details to those who need to be in the know.
Since I have a Board I work under, I need to make sure I am creating momentum around the things they care about as well.
This means a couple of things:
First, I cannot have all 3 of my weekly objectives be things that I want. Get used to that, or go start something so you can do everything you want.
Second, I float multiple things out to them on Monday, see what sticks, and chase that. It keeps me in touch with what they have placed energy around as opposed to guessing what they want.
Tackle Tuesday
Tuesday challenges my grit. Tuesday is when I do the tough work needed to make things happen.
Since progress does not occur without resistance, I tackle that on Tuesday. Difficult conversations, meetings that grind through details and pulling away alone to write a process all take place on Tuesday.
In church work Mondays are often bad days to expose holes in weekend services. Your team is tired. The issues are still fresh on Monday.
Let them breathe.
Tackle those issues on Tuesday. If they can't handle it then it means they're being emotional and they'll get over that.
Another reason I focus this type of work onto one day?
If I am constantly in everyone's crawl about things I earn the reputation of being a jerk. Measure how often you are pushing against everything or people will see you as combative and argumentative. Leaders can be this at times, but not all the time.
Work on it Wednesday
You cannot spend every day executing and working in the weeds. For your church or organization to improve, you need focused time working "on it" instead of "in it."
Create space to rise above the details and think about bigger picture things. Since this is a discipline for me, especially during busy times, I dedicate a day to have it shaping every meeting or conversation I have.
Ask questions about processes, big picture goals, push people out of being lost in details, and refocus people on "the why" behind what you are doing.
Thank You Thursday
I am terrible at slowing down enough to cultivate gratitude in myself or others. It is a weakness of mine. Therefore, I give it a day.
The higher you rise in leadership the more "thank you's" you need to say. On Thursday I schedule zero meetings so I am free to walk around our offices, sit down with people, find out what they're doing and tell them they are awesome. All of the thank you notes I write happen on Thursday.
Keep a running list of people who do good things all week and express your gratitude on Thursday.
Finish strong Friday
Our team is off on Friday. We do not work.
That is my focus and how I finish strong on Fridays: I do nothing.
Rest matters to leadership. It is the fuel to keep you going for the long haul. Things I do on Fridays are work out, read non-ministry books, listen to podcasts, sit in the deck with my dogs, or fall asleep in front of the TV. I finish strong by resting.
Your turn
Adopt this system or one similar to make the most of your week.
Do not wait on a perfect process, adopt one today and work it until it works for you. Embrace the day.
Whether somebody bounces back or not has to do with one question...
I've often been asked the question: What is the difference between people who thrive and people who decline over a long period of time? It’s not that they don’t get knocked down; it’s that they bounce back up.
Every successful person I can think of has had to come back from discouraging circumstances. That’s true of people I know personally and those I read about in the Bible.
As a matter of fact, every single person in the Bible is a comeback story from something.
Check out this list and see if you can find yourself:
Joseph endured mistreatment from a dysfunctional family. I bet there isn’t anyone who doesn’t have some relative the others try not to sit next to at Christmas dinner.
David bounced back from several devastating failures: moral, leadership, career, and even worse. Have any past failures? A great comeback is possible!
Elijah suffered personal criticism. I speak to hundreds of people every weekend. Usually, people each week write in or come up to say something encouraging. I remember very little of that. But I can tell you every critical comment. Why do we remember the things we ought to forget, and forget the things we ought to remember?
Nehemiah was discouraged with harsh political, legal, and social circumstances at the highest levels. He had wall-to-wall problems—literally.
John Mark was rejected by a high-ranking Christian leader. I know people for whom one negative comment from an authority figure—be it a teacher, a pastor, or a coach—has marked them for life.
Peter was disappointed with his inability to withstand pressure and also disappointed with himself. Sound familiar? My number one source of discouragement is, unfortunately, myself.
Jesus was let down by people of all types—friends, relatives, religious leaders. At His hour of greatest need, He takes three guys and says, “I need your support.” When He comes back, they are fast asleep.
In almost every case, whether somebody bounces back or not has to do with one question: “Does that person have hope?” Hope looks at what can be instead of what is. Hope looks at the future rather than just the past. Hope believes in future possibility rather than resigning to current reality. People bounce back when they have hope.
Life Church's Core Values
Values are important in any organization as they articulate the kind of organization we dream of becoming.
Putting into words the culture you are seeking to model into existence is hard work.
During my recent doctoral studies, I've been refreshing Life Church's Core Values for the journey ahead.
For what it's worth, here are our Core Values, Version 2.0...
We Are United Under One Vision
To reach the people no one else is reaching, we will do the things no one else is doing.
We will do anything short of sin to reach people far from God.
We will unapologetically and aggressively defend our unity and vision.
Every Person Matters
All people are image-bearers of God and are wonderfully made.
Because every person matters, relationships are not disposable.
We will always choose conversation over condemnation.
We will always seek to maintain the relationship over winning the argument.
We choose honesty over hypocrisy and gospel over gossip.
We Strive for Integrity, Transparency & Accountability
We do not gossip or spread rumors. No insider politics here.
Full of honor and integrity, we will choose to do the right thing even when it hurts.
Our position is to out-love, out-serve, and out-give those who misunderstand us.
Because we have nothing to hide, we value humble transparency in all areas, including finances.
Everyone is accountable to someone at Life Church.
Found People Find People
We will put more effort into reaching the Lost than keeping the Found.
We will never allow this lifeboat to become a yacht club.
We will spare no expense because the just-one-more is worth it.
We will celebrate every story because every person matters.
Saved People Serve People
“... just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..." (Jesus in Matthew 20:28)
Becoming more like Jesus means we focus on serving others.
When we take the spotlight off ourselves and place it on other people, it will result in improving our marriages, making a difference in our workplaces and discovering our spiritual gifts.
We are never more like Christ than when we see Sunday mornings as our mission field.
Growing People Change
Jesus accepts us as we are, but He loves us too much to let us stay that way.
Over time, the Lord changes us from the inside out.
Colossians 3:9-10 reminds us that we have "taken off the old self" and "put on the new self."
Once we know Jesus, we can’t go back to the people we were before.
As we listen to Jesus and do what He says, our desires change.
We begin to think and act and love as He did.
I Cannot Out-Give God
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jesus in John 3:16)
It is a spiritual impossibility for us to outgive God, because He has already given us everything.
Everything belongs to God and we are simply managers of God's stuff.
When we give, we’re giving God back a small portion of what He’s already given us.
Jesus is Our Only Celebrity
We celebrate the contributions of God's servants to our spiritual education and formation,
but we look to Jesus above all others and put our hope in Him alone.
Movements Move
We are not Atari, we are Apple.
We believe in humor over hammer.
We will always maintain a posture of humility and learning new methods for reaching people far from God.
We will always narrow the focus in all we do. We think steps, not programs.
Want to learn more? Check out Life Church’s Next Steps Class online!
3 Steps to Becoming a Better Servant-Leader
The heart behind leadership is serving others. It’s never about the title, it’s about the towel:
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give His life a ransom for many.”(Jesus in Mark 10:45)
For what it’s worth, here are 3 steps I’ve discovered toward becoming a better servant-leader.
Choose Trust
Believe the best about others, rather than assuming the worst. When in doubt, lead with the most generous explanation for someone’s behavior.
“Love never stops believing the best about others.” (1 Corinthians 13:7, TPT)
2. Stay Curious Longer
Everyone you meet in life has expertise. Some of the best mentors and friends are known as much by the quality of their questions as the answers they give. Don’t be interesting, be interested.
“Do you not understand these things?” (Jesus in John 3:10)
3. Take the Low Place
Push others into the spotlight. Ask how you can serve others, rather than seeking to be served.
“For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.” (Jesus in Luke 19:10, MSG)
LET ME TELL YOU WHO WE'RE NOT
One of the smartest things you can do in leadership is to find people, heroes, and role models that are ahead of where you want to be and emulate them. But as we take notes on who we are or who we want to be, we must do the same with who we’re not.
Here are 10 things to consider not allowing within your leadership:
1. WE’RE NOT BIG TIME
It is often so easy to get caught up in things like positions, titles, etc. Leadership is not about us and it never will be.
The grass isn’t greener on the other side - the “big time” is where you’re at. The biggest platform I get the honor to step onto is ZOE’s.
WE ARE leaders that have a pure, humble, and simple devotion to Jesus.
2. WE’RE NOT INTO OURSELVES, WE ARE INTO OTHERS
Leaders are people-obsessed. A leader's words about others reveals whether or not they are about people or about themselves.
Everyone’s favorite topic to talk about is themselves. People could go on and on about their life and what they are going through. However, a leader can’t lead others if they only talk about themselves.
WE ARE leaders who ask questions about others, want to learn about people, and want to hear about how they’re doing.
3. WE’RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE EASY WAY OUT
A minimum effort will always produce medium results.
I’m not saying you can’t work smart. I love things like Postmates that make my life easier. I have nothing against convenience; there is no sense in making things harder than they need to be.
WE ARE leaders who do everything for Jesus and give our best.
4. WE’RE NOT TAKING OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY
My dad used to always say, “Everybody is laughing at you - join them.”
I take my calling from God seriously. I take the church seriously. I take my family seriously. But I also live within the tension of seriousness and fun. I take things seriously in an appropriate measure and live with levity and joy.
WE ARE living with an appropriate measure of taking our call seriously while not taking ourselves too seriously.
5. WE’RE NOT TRYING TO BE ANYONE ELSE
We all have people who inspire us. We all have people we want to be like. But we’re working to be OURSELVES.
Don’t be a copy! Be the contrast. Be you!
WE ARE secure and confident in who we are!
6. WE’RE NOT TRYING TO BE DISCOVERED
In the church, you don’t need to try to be discovered. So many times we see people trying so hard to make a name for themselves and get the attention of others. This isn’t what leadership is about!
Narcissistic leaders drain the value out of an organization because they make everything about them and their agenda and not about the team and the organization.
WE ARE only concerned with building His kingdom!
7. WE’RE NOT BAD AT GETTING BACK TO PEOPLE
Not getting back to people (something as simple as not replying to a text) could open up a wound of abandonment. We don’t always know people’s situations. Not replying to a text may cut deeper than we think.
If you’re bad at getting back to people, you create a narrative of mistrust about you.
If you have offended someone by not replying, don’t make excuses. It’s important to just simply just apologize.
WE ARE good at getting back to people.
8. WE’RE NOT MASTERS OF MANIPULATION
There’s a difference between encouraging people towards something and the act of manipulation: motive.
We ought to always be checking our motives and intentions - are we encouraging people towards reaching their full potential or to do something that we want them to do?
WE ARE leaders that have pure hearts and have people’s best interests in mind!
9. WE’RE NOT USERS OF PEOPLE...OR LEADERS THAT LEVERAGE
We value people, we don’t use them.
We have to be careful. We can often use people to accomplish a vision or goal and not care about them in the process. Sometimes we can completely neglect to lead them, build them up, invest in them, etc.
WE ARE leaders that add value to people, we don’t use them!
10. WE’RE NOT LIVING IN DYSFUNCTION
The classic saying goes: “What you are willing to tolerate, you are willing to live with.” We have to be careful and diligent as to what we are okay to live with.
We need to have a desire to grow. We want accountability. These types of measures are how we have a strong life and strong leadership.
WE ARE striving to live a healthy life.
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GREAT CHURCH CAMPUS LEADER
What it takes to be a GREAT Campus Leader
BIG IDEA: Campus Leaders have Hustle + Intensity about the Total Guest Experience
Hustle = Self-Led
CHASES Jesus on their own with passion
INITIATIVE - Does not need constant motivation
Jon would rather REIGN IN a STALLION
than MOTIVATE a MULE!Secure as a Son of the House (Old Testament Idea)
- Son of the House > Hired Hand
- As the House spreads out, the Sons have to protect the UNITY of the House
- Heart of an Heir; Understands their role in the House
- What we can do TOGETHER is GREATER than what we can do APART!
- A Son is not focused on their title or accolades.
- A Son understands their inheritance is in the future.
- A Son works HARDER because they are a Son, not a Hired Hand
- Hired Hands wants a paycheck; Sons sacrifice for what’s best for the House.
- Sons have the right HEART AttitudeCampus Leaders are not trying to build their OWN thing because they are HEIRS to the WHOLE thing!
2. Hustle + Intensity = Able to Gather More People to the Cause
Sons draw MORE people into the House; Employees draw people to themselves.
Charisma -- You gotta be likeable + Plant yourself where the Guests are!
Become Intensely Hyper about what Guests FEEL when they arrive.
We want every Guest to feel like a million bucks!
You must be the SPARK that inspires your teams to love + serve Guests!
Law of the Lid = YOU are the Lid of your campus. If you are only a 7, expect your volunteers to rise to 5’s or 6’s.
Humor Over Hammer -- Leverage a fun personality to connect with Guests and in High Touch during the weekdays. People are attracted to fun-loving people!
Make The Ask -- Many people are just waiting for YOU to DIRECTLY and CLEARLY ask them to join in!
3. Hustle to Empower People
You can have Control or Growth, but you can’t have BOTH.
Give away ministry -- Ephesians 4:12: “Equip the Lifers for ministry!”
It takes security to let go -- Success is having MORE volunteers on the team!
Make sure your new team members FEEL equipped -- double-check/over-communicate training resources and that YOU are cheering for them!
Empowered people have OWNERSHIP and are ALL IN!
Empowered people meet new friends and develop relationships. Every first-time guest wants to feel known, first by YOU and then by OTHERS.
Guests need 7 new friends in 6 months in order to STAY at your campus.
4. Reproduce Yourself
You are a Paul, recruit a Timothy (Ready Now) and a Titus (Ready in 6 Months).
Developing Leaders
Listen, nothing is going to work in your church if EVERYTHING has to go through you.
Like sands sifting through an hourglass, you will become the middle squeeze that slows everything down.
In Numbers 11, Moses grew frustrated in leadership. He even started to see his people as a BURDEN instead of a BLESSING!
If that's you, it's time to develop more leaders:
Carve out strategic time to take out an emerging leader for coffee and pour into them.
Film a quick 2 minute video on one big idea and post it in a private Facebook Group for your invite-only leaders.
Remember that when I do a job for others, I take a job from others!
If you're waiting around for "the right people" to appear in your church, well, keep waiting.
Because the nasty little secret is that "the right people" are actually FOUND and DEVELOPED!
You can do it, I can help.
Hit me up at https://ChurchGrowth.Network and see what God can do through you!