Johnny@TheBOD.tv

Leadership: Past, Present, Future

 
PAST:  Remember to celebrate where you’ve been.  It’s so easy to move ahead and fail to pause long enough to soak in the wins.  It’s a journey enjoy the ride.

PRESENT:  Be where you are.   Live in the moment.  I’ve spent way too much of my life planning to live when this or that happened…  I imagined there was a magical threshold I would cross with a big sign that read “YOU HAVE ARRIVED”.  The reality is, NOW is the best time of your life.  Live it with everything you have.  Be there, not only physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually as well.

FUTURE:  Keep an eye on the horizon.  It’s your job.  Those traveling with you deserve it.  They are giving you the most important resource they have… TIME… and that word falls short because ultimately they are investing a chunk of their one and only LIFE in your vision.  It’s on you to study the maps, chart the course and see into the future.  Most aren’t called to see what doesn’t exist.  It’s on you.  You owe it those minding the ship to point in the right direction and make adjustments when needed or hand off the controls. 

We all lead at some level.  Maybe it’s your family, friends, department, a fortune 500 company, or … a church.   Although the stakes are higher for some, the principles are the same.   Live well and lead well.  DON’T BLINK!       

It's the people...

Group Magazine did a "Cool Church" survey, asking teenagers to rate factors that influence their commitment to church. The things most frequently rated "very important" were:

• A welcoming atmosphere where you can be yourself (73%)
• Quality relationships with other teenagers (70%)

What did teenagers rate as least important?

• A fast-paced, high-tech, entertaining ministry approach

Found this from Church Volunteer Central this morning.  Ministry is about people.  Nothing else matters if you don't get that right.  Evangelism is done through people loving others enough to invest their lives in others.  It has very little to do with cool... facilities, technology and entertainment.  Impacting churches of the future will be real and raw, focused on people not the institution.  Others will die a slow painful death.  A couple of key points "where you can be yourself" and "quality relationships".  What does that look like to you?

The Servant's Entrance

"The fastest way to the throne will always be through the servant's entrance." W. Cordiero

I don't even know how to begin.  So... I'll shoot it straight.  It's Biblical truth.  It's been proven throughout history.  It's tough for young men to get.  But... here it is... you don't start at the top.  It begins with with a towell not a throne.  The scripture to support the principle are too numerous to list.  It's at the very foundation of what Jesus taught.... "I came to serve not be served..."  Want to do amazing things?  Want the world to know just how much you love Jesus?  Want him to use you to change the world?  Pick up a towell and wash someone's feet... again and again and again... just about the time you think you've paid your dues... you'll just be getting started.  In the process maybe... just maybe... God will have transformed you enough to use you... to serve someone... DON'T BLINK.

LUKE 14 ⁸"When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Culture of Change.

Bobby Gruenewald on SWERVE:  What is needed in the Church today is not change. The Church needs a culture of change.  

I love that phrase.  "...culture of change..."  planting a church requires that we live in it.  I will do everything I can to nurture it as we move forward. 

Relevant Church

Craig postedyesterday Church's working to be relevant and maybe going down the wrong path.  What do I think relevant is?

Relevant is about relationship.  First with Christ then with others.  Life in community as it was in the beginning.  Attractional efforts should be supported with equal diligence to help people connect in relationships that revolve around a growing relationship with Christ.  Fresh, fun, energetic, life-giving experiences are relevant when shared with others beyond the superficial connections our culture is trying to substitute for the real thing.  The relevant church will love people from selfish to selfless living.  Sunday morning is just a door to life... the good life.  

 

Higher Standard

On my mind.  Seems that God is really working in me on this so... I feel the need to share it with those who lead.  Leading isn't just about the pastor... ifyou lead from the platform, work in the Kidzone, lead a Lifegroup, serve students..... whatever God has called (KALEO) you to....  please understand we are not playing church.  It's war.  God takes this very seriously and so should we.  As a teacher or leader in the church we are called to more...  some day we will give an account.  Don't miss the line in Vince's blog below "church leaders should have an authority that comes out of their character and their relationship with God".  As a follower of Christ you are an ambassador for The King.  Are you pursuing holiness?  Are you representing The Kingdom with integrity?  You're either helping people take the next step closer to Jesus or you're giving them a reason to move the other direction...  some are called to more, some are just beginning the journey... everything is covered in love and grace... free to live... free from the bondage of sin... free... now you know... DON"T BLINK!

This is on Vince's mind as well.  In a post this week he writes:

One thing you notice if you study church history is many issues swing back and forth like a pendulum. So, for instance, for awhile people focus on the holiness of God, then on the intimacy of God, then back to the holiness of God... The truth is usually somewhere inbetween, or both. But it's more uncomfortable to be inbetween or to hold two views that seem to be in tension.

So right now the big thing for church leaders is authenticity. "Let's not pretend we're perfect. In fact, let's share our flaws and let people know we're just as messed up as them." And I'm not saying that authenticity is wrong, but I am saying it's just one side.

The other side I see in today's reading, James 3, especially verse 1, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." We also see it when Paul tells people to follow him as He follows Christ. (Not, "Don't follow me, I'm just a screwed up person like everyone else.") The Bible shows us that church leaders should have an authority that comes out of their character and their relationship with God.

So is it authenticity, or authority? It's both.

 

Big Boy Pants...

How do I say this.... Satan is at work, yeah that's it.  It's become obvious that resistance is on the rise as we approach launch day.  Lots of good things happening with a constant battering of roadblocks.  Let it be known, I've my big boy pants on, we will press on, we will thrive, we will bring God his due glory.  God is orchestrating something remarkable and we are along for the ride. 

This post by Jeff Kapusta today reminds me that we are not alone.  Thanks to him, and thanks to God for a good day and another day closer to launch.  Put on your Big Boy Pants guys... we are on the verge of something remarkable. 

Mad Church Disease....

I met Anne Jackson on a recent visit to LifeChurch.tv.  Her blog can be found at Flowerdust.net.  Anyway she was running around the halls of LifeChurch with Terry Storch, co-author of The Blogging Church.  If you haven't yet, get it, read it, and get with the program.  Anne is working on a new project that I thought very interesting.  Check it out and take the survey.  Aren't you sick and tired of tired, beaten-up, worn-out, frustrated church staff and volunteers.  Join the fight against Mad Church Disease! Rest assured TheBOD.tv will.

Less is More....

There are certain phrases that, if you are around me much, you will probably get tired of hearing.  This is one of those phrases.  "Less is more."  We've all heard it but I'm not sure we really get it.  I tend to say it and fifteen minutes later I'm making decisions that better support the phrase, "more is more".  I think my greatest weakness is maintenance.  I just don't like it.  I'd rather be creating, designing, starting.... well you get the picture.  The problem is.... The Gospel is very simple.  We try to add to it.  We try to start new programs, new ministries, new schemes, new..... whatever to be more effective when in fact the guys who get it done are the guys who keep it simple.  Do very few things, do the right things, and to them very well.  TheBOD will be built on this foundation.  We will be tempted to start lots of other "good" things but we will say NO.  Why?  Why can't we do it all?  Because we would get so busy doing that we wouldn't have time to be.  We wouldn't have time to  be the Body.  Before we realized it, we'd be like every other run-of-the-mill organization.  Doing some good things along the way but failing to do what we are called to do. 

So how do we FOCUS?  We say no A LOT!  We turn down lots of "great opportunities" and "good things"  for THE THING.  Difficult? You bet.  Critical?  Crucial.  I believe it's the difference between reflecting God's great glory and stealing His glory for our own.  My first two years of college I had the opportunity to travel to several national junior college livestock competitions.  Livestock, I know, get your snicker out.  OK, let's move on.  The day of the contest usually started at 5:00 am and the results given about 12 hours later.  After judging 12 groupings of animals in the morning and giving 8 sets of "reasons" (oral explanations) to a judge in the afternoon, from memory, from a group of 4 animals that you had to place in order and take notes on during a 10 minute window.  Grueling doesn't begin to describe the day.  Anyway, one of the easiest mistakes to make was to over-analyze things.  Some of the easiest classes would get blown because you would start trying to make it hard.  Try to out-guess the judge and talk yourself into a bad decision.  This was where I first heard the phrase; KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid).  I think more than ever before this phrase takes on great meaning for me.  We will keep it simple because I truly believe it is the way to the heart of God.  Less is more when you are on the road to something remarkable..... 

Church Planting

What an amazing process.  It's like being on a roller coaster and half the time it feels like we're off the tracks.  Things are really shaping up.  I'm thinking we can be ready to install sound and video in the next two weeks.  The children's area is almost trimmed and looks awesome.  I tend to get carried away once I get started.  I'll post pics as soon as we get it finished.  We ran into a small problem.  the slide is about 6 inches too tall for the ceiling.... OK we'll cut it off and move on.... I'll let you know how that goes.  It seems God is at work in the lives of lots of people around us.  Lots of buzz and it seems that musicians are being drawn.  Still haven't hooked the guy I want but I think we are getting closer.  I can't wait to get started.  I think we'll have a service in June, even if it's me, Jake, and Gray on the djembe.  Pray that God pour out supernatural wisdom on me as I lead.  Grace....