Deep Thinking Questions

This morning I am being interviewed by Lynn Masters, a student at MACU in the Masters of Leadership Degree.  I have the opportunity to assist Lynn in her process as a mentor.  However, as often is the case the student is challenging the mentor.  I am excited about the soon to be announced project that Lynn will be doing on behalf of IL Ministries as well as fulfillment of the degree.

Lynn sent me the interview questions before our Skype meeting.  I wanted to share the questions because they were excellent questions for leadership teams or pastoral staffs to use as they talk about mission and vision.  I hope they spur some challenge in your ministry.  The questions helped me to do some deep thinking.  I was reminded that without God in the equation of successful ministry I would be found so lacking.

Enjoy - and thanks Lynn!

•  Explain how your personal spiritual journey prepared you for the leadership position you hold today. (e.g. when you became a Christian, educational background, etc.)

• What leadership qualities in those who mentored stands out in your mind as having influenced your own personal leadership style?

• Explain how you endeavor to model the way by clarifying values and affirming shared values in your present position as State Minister (not sure what your official title is )

• How are you are endeavoring to inspire a shared vision among leaders in our state?

• Explain this vision and how you enlist others by appealing to share aspirations.

• What has been the most challenging change you have encountered since assuming your position? 

• What risks did you take when you began implementing needed changes in the way things had been done previously?

• How are you enabling others to act on the shared vision through fostering collaborations within our state?

•  Can you explain how you plan to strengthen other leaders to be self determined and to build competence within the pastors of our state?

•  Do you have a plan in place to recognize and celebrate the contributions of those who excel in modeling the shared vision for our state?  In other words, how do you encourage the heart of those whom you lead?

Why some churches never give in

I’m reading “How The Mighty Fall” by Jim Collins.  He talks about stages of decline in great companies.  As I am reading this historical study of great companies that are no longer around.  I am struck by the comparison of when churches lose their greatness.  Allow me to use Jim Collin’s idea and simplify his wording.

Stage One: Pride.  Great churches begin their fall by thinking, “we are more holy” or “we have a greater vision” or “nothing is gonna change about the way we do things”.  I have heard every one of these comments and worse.  It appears that many churches that are in decline have a sense of pride about it.  Thinking that they will bounce back.  Almost thankful they have fewer people because they don't have as many problems.  Some even think that if they had a different pastor (silver bullet) that would solve their problems.  While it is possible that pastors can bottleneck a church it is very seldom the pastor’s sole fault that the church is in decline. 

I have talked to pastors and they are looking for a silver bullet too.  A new program, a new worship leader, a new facility AND THEN we would turn around.  I stand in awe of how a new church can begin in a city and people get saved, baptized and discipled when three blocks away sits a dead declining church.  What is more amazing to me is that the dead church has a sense of pride about being in decline. 

Pride that they have not ‘watered the gospel’ down to nothing. Pride that they are not about to build Six Flags Over Jesus. Pride that they have uncomfortable pews while those young kids want chairs and drums and coffee in the sanctuary.

I am not saying that pews and the ‘no coffee’ rule will put your church in decline!  But that type of pride will send you into a spiral and you may never recover.  But hey, at least the carpet won't be stained. I have sat with five groups of leaders in different churches as they voted to close their church.  It is sad and disheartening no matter how you try and spin it.  They all have similar things they say and they all have similar things they have done.  That’s another article!

Questions to think about:

• 1)   Are we growing, plateaued, or declining?
• 2)   What keeps you from being a great church?
• 3)   What are the excuses you have heard that keeps your church from reaching the lost?
• 4)   What are signs of humility in your church?
• 5)   What are signs of pride in your church?

Take yourself less seriously

I live in a world that is performance driven.  Most of the pressure I have in my life would ease up if I would allow them.  I know the pressure is not coming from God.  I don’t think pressure is the tool of choice to mold and shape us that God prefers.  I’m confident that God will use pressurized situations. God will use busy schedules or God will use seasons of absent Sabbaths to reach us.  However, God also could just as easy use a rainy day like today or a crisp fall day like yesterday to speak to us. 

God wants to work ‘in’ you more than He wants to work ‘through’ you.  What does that say to performance driven people?  At the end of the day it means the question I need to ask is “God, what are you doing in my life – what are you wanting to chip at, bless or talk about?”  Honestly, it’s often, “God, I sure worked hard today for you, I earned the check today, Father!  I sure honored you by the encouragement I shared with that pastor."

Then I remember – God is interested in what He’s doing in me not through me.  Could it be that the most productive time I spend with God is early in the morning with a cup of coffee and my Bible?  Maybe it’s not the conference call or counseling time?  Perhaps it’s not a meeting that I led well but the time in the car following the meeting while I’m alone with God praying or listening to “great things He has taught us, great things He has done and great our rejoicing through Jesus, God’s Son. Praise the Lord!”

I need to take myself less seriously and take God more seriously.

Spiritual Abuse

Abuse angers me.  Abuse of finances.  Abuse of children. Abuse of driving.  It's easy to spot abuse in others.  I can tend to flip my nose up and say something like, "I'm glad I don't spend my money like that."  "I would never drive that ridiculously." Who hasn't shed a tear when the advertisement about pet abuse hits our tv screen?  Abuse of children pulls on all of our hearts.  

Spiritual abuse - we don't hear too much on that subject.  I have observed it and have been guilty of heaping a dose of spiritual abuse on people from time to time - with good intentions of course - but it's still spiritual abuse.  Whether is exaggerating stories, shaming people into submission, using a text from scripture to slap people around, guilting people into showing up, or manipulating a situation to get results - I've done it.  I'm not proud of it and the results are empty. I guard against it.  Actually, one of the reasons I can spot it is because I am conscious of the evil behind spiritual abuse.  I guard against behaving like a pharisee - extreme righteousness.  Extreme righteousness is when holiness and righteousness is done in your strength.  Holiness in our strength drives the desire to make people like you; not Jesus.  I remind myself often that I am clay - talking to other clay about what the potter wants to do with us.  I am clay.

I read a blog this morning on 10 Ways to Spot Spiritual Abuse. www.marydemuth.com.  Check the article out but here's two that I see all too often:

Create a culture of fear and shame. Often, there is no grace for someone who fails to live up to the church’s or ministry’s expectation. And if someone steps outside of the often-unspoken rules, leaders shame them into compliance. Can’t admit failure but often searches out failure in others and uses that knowledge to hold others in fear and captivity. They often quote Scriptures about not touching God’s anointed or bringing accusations against an elder. Yet they often confront sin in others, particularly ones who bring up legitimate biblical issues. Or they have their circle of influence take on this task, silencing critics

Hold to outward performance but rejects authentic spirituality. Places burdens on followers to act a certain way, dress an acceptable way, and have an acceptable lifestyle.

What do you think? Do you think this is an issue? Struggle with this? How do you guard against it? Is discipleship or mentoring possible without a little spiritual abuse?

7 Lessons About Fundraising

"7 Lessons My Father Taught Me About Fundraising" by Dr. Barry Corey

This was a great article for Church Boards and Pastors.  Here are the main points.

1) Write letters.
2) Model the gift of caring.
3) Recognize people's spirit over their status.
4) Pray for the miraculous.
5) Keep an eternal perspective.
6) Have an abiding zeal - your zeal for your vision is like an enticing aroma that does not fade.
7) Pray for favor, not favors!

It's Church Budget Time

George Bullard recently blogged about church budgets and it got me thinking about addressing this issue specifically for churches in Illinois. I get this question quite often; "how much should be budgeted for salaries?  how much for facilities?  what about mission?  

Here are a few bench marks that I think are pretty fair to keep the church engaged in the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment.  

70% - Facilities and Personnel

30% - Mission and Ministry

There are times that this will be out of balance.  There were several years that I would plan on being out of balance in order to build momentum, create outreach, and specific movements toward vision.  However, my goal was to always be within that realm.

I would begin with Mission and Ministry when doing budget.  To me they were non negotiable.  Personnel was not left to the last.  Please don't leave personnel 'to give them what's left over'.  If you have to make up for a tight budget start with the facilities.  Why would a group of loving followers of Christ in a church family budget for new carpet and air conditioners while leaving staff in the dust for a raise?  The Bible calls us to show pastors double honor.   I have seen churches put facilities over personnel too many times.  Let's start a movement to stop this.  

What about cutting staff, salary, benefits?  There are times that it happens and it's necessary.  Most of the time it's just the easiest thing to do.  Here is the only reason I can think of cutting staff or benefits.... when the mission and vision is impeded and people are giving until it hurts. 

How much should pastors be making?  Check out www.cogpension.org / There are many great resources on this web site.  

One Mind - One Purpose

“Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another and working together with one mind and purpose.” – Philippians 2:2

Does this mean that will think and act alike? It wouldn’t be consistent with the rest of scripture.  We certainly must agree on the main issues of the Christian faith.  We might disagree on what those main issues are.  There are many minor matters that will bring a great deal of difference of opinion.  I dare not begin to list them - that would go against this text.

Uniformity and unity are not the same things. I believe you can have unity and we can have different opinions.  Uniformity comes from the word uniform.  It’s the action to get everyone looking alike so that nobody steps out line.  It’s a way to control behavior.  Uniformity is intimidating.  It can be awe inspiring.

Unity is to be like-minded or to have the mind of Christ.  Unity is to see things as Christ would see them and respond as He would respond. To agree wholeheartedly and love one another means to have a love that did not count the cost.  Have you ever had a friend that didn’t count the cost of being your friend?  If yes, you’ve been blessed!

NLT says, “working together with one mind and purpose”. I love to use this text when talking to leaders and churches about vision.  Working together with one mind and purpose is to move in harmony toward the vision of where God is leading.  It is to be in  unity as to show the mind of Christ is directing our every move. 

In terms of mission, vision, and values this text speaks to having an understanding of where Christ is leading and we pull together to get there; and we are having a great time doing it!

Reflections On Pastor Appreciation Month!

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. If I could accomplish one thing this month it would be to help churches see the value of this celebration.  I pastored a church for over 20 years that honored my wife and me every October.  There were years that it was embarrassing how gracious they were. The words that were expressed in cards or even spoken to us that month would make us want to be better servants!  Gifts... (and yes I reported the income to the IRS) I was blessed.

I have had pastors ask me, “how did you get Shorewood to do that?” I didn't get them to do it but I can think of two responses.  

I have learned a few things being out of the Pastoral Ministry these last two years.  One of the things is this; I get the impression that a lot of shepherds don’t like their sheep.  The sheep have bitten them, the sheep stink, and they are messy. Much of the time, the sheep are not treated kindly. It seems to me that appreciation received happens because you give it first.

Anyone angry yet?  Let me push it a little further.  When was the last time you told the congregation that you loved them and you appreciated them?  When was the last time you celebrated the volunteers or gave appreciation to the worship team?  Churches that respond to Pastor Appreciation Month are usually led by pastors that are strong lovers of people!  Pastors, lead the church in honoring one another.  This is a line we stole from Willow Creek when we honored teachers, volunteers, youth workers, children…. “we hold you in high regard.” Then the church would bust out in applause.

You might say (if you are a pastor) I do that all the time – and we don’t even get a card!  I am sorry. Truly I am. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:7 that we are to honor those who preach and lead.  I am truly sorry that the congregation doesn’t do that.  They are standing in the way of God hugely blessing them.  I mean that – Shorewood would receive a huge blessing out of blessing me.  That is totally biblical by the way.  They would laugh, scheme, plan, and sneak around for weeks.  All the time, I would know exactly what they were doing. The first thing is this: Create a culture of Appreciation.

Now to the sheep.  Read Hebrews 13:7, “Appreciate your leaders who give you the Word!”  Do it and do it well.  Honoring your pastor will encourage them and bless them.  It will make sleepless nights and long weeks seem less disturbing.  You will help them realize that what they do matters.

I had a person approach me in Shorewood and say, “I don’t get appreciated at my job, after all you get a paycheck.”  Actually he is correct.  The church doesn’t owe the pastor appreciation unless of course they want to obey the Word.

Anyone reading this that is not a pastor: lead this in your church.  Do it.  You will be blessed and it will bless your pastor.

I now serve in a different role.  There isn’t a month to “hug the State Guy!”  I’m perfectly fine with that and don’t expect it.  Pastors are doing the heavy lifting and I have the privilege of loving and supporting them.  Last week, Lisa and I were talking about this very subject and I was remembering gifts during the month of October. Shorewood was really awesome at this folks!  One year, dinner was brought to our house every night – 30 days of supper at home. That had never happened and it hasn't since them.  We actually got tired of cleaning dishes and couldn’t wait to go to Chili’s.

As we talked about those days – it still blessed us. 

Let me wrap this up in a simple package…

Pastors, lead the revolution by creating an atmosphere of appreciation.  Not for the sake of getting blessed but for the sake of obedience to scripture.

Everybody else, lead the revolution of honoring your pastor every October. Get it in the Culture and DNA of your church.  Talk to someone today.  Think big and then back down if you have to.  Don’t start small and hope it grows into an all expense paid vacation to Florida. 

One more thing, Shorewood always honored our two daughters as well.  The girls would receive gift cards and money too and the church would always give them a note that said something like this, “thank you for sharing your mom and dad with us. We appreciate your sacrifice too.”

That was better than what Lisa and I received.  I would love to hear comments but be nice.