Archive for Leadership
Values that MATTER!!
Posted by: | CommentsBefore we launched the Dialogue Church I thought I knew what our values would be. But you can’t really just predict your values or say what you want your values to be. Values are something that get revealed over time as you are tested. Real values are what are leftover after you have been abandoned, beaten, abused, ridiculed, mistreated and YOU ARE STILL STANDING FOR THESE THINGS! Values are what you are willing to fight for and die for, not just think are cute and cool ideas.
Here is one value that I know we won’t turn our backs on: HONOR.
We want to honor up, when we honor up we honor all the way up to the Lord Jesus Christ. We want to honor God, God’s Word, God’s man (the Pastor), leaders, guests, and with our finances! Honor is something you give. Sniff out dishonor in this church: gossip, criticism in the wrong direction, division, rebellion, sin, selfishness, apathy toward the vision, lack of energy around the mission. Don’t let anyone talk trash about your pastor, his family, or his staff team. Don’t let anyone think its ok to give God less than their best!
Here is another value: EXCELLENCE
Excellence matters. Because what we do matters. What we do represents the Lord Jesus Christ and for all of eternity what we do for Christ will last. Let’s make it count. Excellence honors God and attracts the unchurched! Excellence in the little things will lead to excellence in the bigger things. If you are faithful with a little, you will be given more to manage and use for God’s purposes! Everything matters, do it will excellence. All that you do, do to the glory of God, do to the best of your ability and keep improving! Excellence is doing the best you can with what you have. Be excellent! And require excellence from those on your team; it is the best way to honor them!
Here is another: EVANGELISM
I don’t really care that this word seems to be old hat or old school. The definition is “leading unchurched people to become hardcore followers of Jesus Christ.” We won’t ever get away from reaching out to the unchurched. We will never get so mature that we don’t need to focus on the one lost sheep (Luke 15). We will never stop trying new approaches or different ways of communicating the gospel to those who are far from God. Oh yeah, and we won’t ever stop ticking off the people who just want church to be “ALL ABOUT ME.” We will do whatever it takes to reach as many people as we can with the good news of Jesus Christ!
How about this one: THE GOSPEL
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. I realize this is a belief, but its also a value. We won’t ever get so deep that we don’t talk about the gospel every single weekend. We won’t ever get so big that we don’t bring it back to the gospel every single weekend. We won’t ever get so New in our methodology that we don’t celebrate the old old story. We won’t ever get to polished that we don’t talk about the old rugged cross every single weekend. It’s all about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Period!
One more: PREACHING
Since the time Jesus came walking on the earth, to now, the church has evolved but one thing that has remained is the simplicity of preaching. Speaking the word of God into people’s lives. There is nothing more catalytic to making life changing decisions than clear biblical preaching. Preaching is biblical teaching + spiritual leadership. You need both to be an effective preacher. Preaching is about proclaiming God’s Word, not my personal opinions. “Thy word not my word, changes lives.” We are called to declare the gospel not decorate it. I don’t know exactly why this is, but God has chosen to use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. God has chosen to use the simplicity of preaching to make known His Word and to change lives! Elevate the man of God in order to elevate the Word of God!
Leadership from the Boston Bruins
Posted by: | CommentsPastor AnthonyMilas.net recently wrote an insightful post about leadership from the Boston Bruins. I thought I would share it here:
1. DON’T CRITICIZE – Vancouver’s goalie criticized Boston’s goalie on a missed save, suggesting he would have made it. The very next game the BRUINS scored 3 goals on him and he was YANKED from the game, oops! Don’t get caught up in criticism, focus on bringing your A game each and every time you play!
2. PROTECT EACH OTHER – I love how the BRUINS have each others’ backs! If you mess with one Bruin, you’re gonna find a bunch of guys standing by the side of their fellow team mate! UNITY MATTERS! Protect the vision and guard against division!
3. EVERY MINUTE MATTERS – Unfortunately as I watch the BRUINS it seems that there are times where they lack in intensity and focus, and it has cost them, (ha-ha I’m not being critical, it’s an observation). What it shows me is that there can never be a time where we just go through the motions, because there is an opposing team, looking to beat us! MINSTER HARD OR GO HOME!
4. CELEBRATE – I love watching the BRUINS celebrate after each goal. We should celebrate the GREAT THINGS JESUS IS DOING and CELEBRATE BIG! Celebrating not only fires up the team, it fires up the entire stadium, CELEBRATING is CONTAGIOUS!
5. KNOW YOUR ROLE – It is critical that every BRUIN know their role and position and then function accordingly. When they do there is harmony and balance, and the results speak for themselves. As leaders we must know our roles, and strive to bring HARMONY and BALANCE to the team!
Leadership Convictions
Posted by: | CommentsGreat blog post from Pastor Perry Noble…www.perrynoble.com
#1 – It is spiritual injustice and abuse when a leader cares more about WHAT his staff does than WHO they are becoming.
#2 – The best way to GET loyalty from your staff is to BE LOYAL to them. (And please understand that loyalty does not mean that everyone always agrees with everything you do and say! Loyal people will often ask great questions in the context of the right environment in order to better understand the decision and the heart behind it.)
#3 – The thought that “you cannot be friends with the people on your staff” is inconsistant with Scripture. It seems the Apostles were friends. And I could make a good case that the Apostle Paul was great friends with the people he did ministry with.
#4 – If the Bible is living and active, if Jesus is alive and if the Holy Spirit is as powerful as Scripture says He is then it is inconsistant for us to expect nothing to happen in our church services!
#5 – If a leader knows everything that is going on in his church…then there isn’t much going on in his church!
#6 – The biggest barrier that some church leaders face is that they spend so much time loving the Bride of Christ that they neglect their own bride and kids at home!
#7 – I cannot preach confession and repentance of sin if I am not practicing it!
#8 – Integrity is essential for success in life and ministry.
#9 – If you are making decisions that impact people on your staff without their input OR their ability to ask legitimate questions regarding the decisions that were made then it is eventually going to go bad for you.
#10 – It is insanity to assume that people can read your mind…expectations must be clearly defined and accurate feedback must be given often.
BONUS: Leadership is as easy as listening to God and then doing what He says!
