Results May Vary

February 10, 2010 Leave a comment

A recent event invitation I received on Facebook brought me back to an annual decision that has to be made among a college ministry leadership team.  Here’s the deal:  the ministry holds their large weekly gathering on the same night of the week a big Christian concert comes to town once a year.  What to do, what to do . . .

I’ve seen and heard of how this scenario will play out with various solutions.  The option I can picture being presented the most is to hold a shorter version of the weekly gathering, and go from there to the concert.  There’s also going on with business as usual and giving people the choice of what they want to do, or just calling off the gathering and meeting at the concert.  This year, the last choice prevailed in what has the potential of being a weighted decision-making process.

Seeing an invitation to join the ministry at the concert almost two years after graduating college brought back memories for me of the times I’ve been involved in the discussion on what to do on that particular night of the year.  Honestly, there’s no wrong answer among the options. 

What a learning and growing experience this is for the ministry’s student leadership team each year!   It presents them with the opportunity to work together in coming to a consensus and moving forward with it.  This year, the consensus was to hold off the gathering and everyone go to the concert.  The details I read also showed me thought was put into what should be done for the people who can’t or don’t want to pay the admission.  It was a great consensus that will leave very few to no people who would normally go to the gathering out in the cold (great job, team!).

Next year, the decision may be different.  What happened this year may or may not be taken into consideration.  The important thing is the team will once again work together on a solution, even though the results may vary.

The idea of having teams is to be a team.  Everyone in the team has something to bring to the table.  Every detail goes into the finished product.  Hardly anything remains set in stone, but that’s not the point.  A team should move forward with what it agrees is the best solution.  When you’re working as a team, you can take on anything.   There may be challenges to your decisions, but if you’re a team, you’re ready!

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Furniture Store and Place of Worship

January 27, 2010 Leave a comment

I remember the first time I drove past the side of an IKEA on my way to Charlotte, NC.  I saw a big, blue building with yellow letters on it, but I didn’t know much about it.  Days later, I heard a friend get excited about going there on a Charlotte trip she was taking.  It seems like I’ve heard about IKEA regularly since then; even seeing it in the movie (500) Days of Summer. 

IKEA, you have my attention. 

None of this made me really want to consider going.  After all, it’s a bunch of furniture, and that’s not my idea of a trip destination.  That was until I read this post on my Bible study leader’s blog last week.  The post speaks of how exciting of a shopping experience IKEA is; even comparing it to Disney. 

The night of my next Bible study, I asked what was so special about IKEA.  I was then presented with all the wonders of going there.  When you walk in, you’re given supplies to help you shop.  There is a level that is nothing but showrooms–literal “rooms” simulating apartments, dorms, houses, etc.–and a second level where you do your actual shopping.  There’s a restaurant, and since IKEA is Swedish, so is the food.  I was told you can spend hours there.  The furniture is sleek and contemporary, and the price ranges are pretty affordable.  As if this didn’t do the trick, I was then handed an IKEA catalog to get a little taste for myself. 

I want to go to IKEA now.

What I ultimately walked away with are thoughts on how I to share about my church with someone in a way that produces the same result as IKEA being shared with me.  What do I say or do when telling someone about my church?  Like IKEA, do people want to hear how big and modern it is?  Should I tell them we brew fresh Guatemalan coffee; that when they walk in, they will be handed items to help them connect to the worship service? 

While all of these things are part of creating a positive and memorable reaction upon arrival, I’m not sure that’s what people want to hear about when you’re sharing about your church.  After all, they could just go to IKEA for most of what’s mentioned above. 

People who are considering going to your church are looking for answers, and not a free donut.  Tell them about what your church has meant to you.  Share your story.  Tell them about the lives you’ve seen changed.  Share with them the things God is doing in your church.  Help them become hopeful that where you worship is a place they may get their answers.  Then feed them a donut and hand them a program once they’re there.  Pray for them, excitedly share about where you go, and lead them to a place that may leave them saying, “I want to go to church Sunday.”

Take these things I’ve mentioned, and then go all “IKEA” with them.

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New Leader? Prepare to Screw Up

October 7, 2009 2 Comments

Last Thursday night’s episode of The Office where Jim began his position as co-manager was brilliant to the point of personal.  It hit home to me because I saw a lot of what happened to him as a reminder of my year in a position of leadership in college.  For those who missed it, Jim went from being a favored colleague to the sales staff to a manager struggling between direction and maintaining good morale overnight.  If you’ve recently become a leader, prepare for this to happen to you, and prepare to screw up.

I often think of my year as a student leader of a campus ministry as one of the most difficult, most challenging, and most beneficial years of my life.  The year leading up to my presidency in this ministry was totally awesome.  I got along great with just about everyone who came through the doors.  I took on a position as Communications Leader and continued to grow into that role really well, having fun doing it.  I was also drastically maturing as a disciple, and life was just good.  The year ended with me answering God’s call to become President the following year.  That’s when things began to change.

I was excited about what the next school year would bring.  I have a visionary mind, and there were a lot of ideas floating around in it; a lot of things I knew would work because, after all, they’re visions.  Right?  This was about to the best year ever.  Right?  Well, it would’ve been had I done more letting go and worked with the team of awesome people God had given me.  Instead, my downfall as President was that I always wanted the final say to be MY final say.  Not healthy at all!  In retrospect, the previous year sure would’ve been horrible had I not gotten to pitch in ideas to the President at the time.  Yikes!

I can’t pinpoint one thing about that year and call it the root of all my screw-ups.  However, a main factor was the self-induced pressure I was putting on myself to be the best leader possible.  I wanted to stay on top and sound like I knew the best way to go at all times.  When I became President, I didn’t remain a member of the team . . . I somehow became a guy who felt he had to prove something, and someone whose ideas should take precedence always.  At the risk of sounding corny here, I will say that “president” does not equal “precedence.”  We’re all in this together.

Hopefully Jim will find his way in upcoming episodes of The Office.  More importantly than a written TV show, hopefully you will find yours with those you are leading.  Yes, prepare to screw up, but don’t give up examining yourself and growing from your mistakes.  God is there with you every step of the way.

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A Conseqence of Getting It

September 28, 2009 Leave a comment

As we follow Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit, one of the greatest things that happens in our journeys is when we “get” something.  This “something” could be an insight to start doing things differently.  When it’s different from unbelievers, we may be encouraged in our convictions by our believing friends.  When we start doing things differently from our fellow believers, though, praise isn’t as easy to come by.

Have you ever found yourself with a fresh perspective after studying the Bible, listening to a song or sermon, or spending time in prayer, that no longer looks like what the believers in your life are doing?  We’ve all been there, and it’s tough to move foward after that.  You may become so excited about a vision you have on how to apply God’s truth to your life, and you can’t wait to share it with others in hopes they will be on board, too.  But, you may often find that God has not brought them to where you are yet.

Before I go on, it’s important to know we are all created equal, and the Holy Spirit–who dwells in every follower of Jesus Christ–works in each of us differently.  His counselling and direction does not halt our equality.  However, He may bring you to a higher place in some areas for your life before He brings those around you there. 

I find this is a hard place to be; especially when I am desiring to have community with other believers, and want all of us to grow together.  What seems to happen, though, is God has brought me to a place where I am separated from anyone else and looking back at those I was walking beside, flagging them to catch up. 

It can also be hard to watch a truth unfold in your life in such an incredible and transforming way and see your friends still caught in the same dead end patterns that aren’t getting them any further.  This is a consequence of getting it.

So, then, how do you have community with other believers when you feel like you’re ahead of the game?  Well, for one, you’re not ahead, but something has changed in your life for purposes God has for you.  The best way to cast that vision to others is to continue to live in communion with God and light the path for others to follow.  This also means not to quench the Holy Spirit and go back to the same place you were for the sake of conformity.

Also, realize the believing people in your life are being transformed in other areas.  Try to find the path they are lighting for you … you’re going to need it.

When we are alone, may we not give up on others, but continue to show them the way by living out what we were meant to do.

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Ministry, Ministering and Focus

March 11, 2009 Leave a comment

I love me some ministry.  Seriously, I can see myself working for a church in a communications and/or leadership position one day.  These passions were ignited in college with my involvement with Baptist Collegiate Ministries, and even though I’m not as actively engaged in these things, they haven’t gone anywhere 10 months later.

There’s something about using my talents, skills, abilities and most of all, gifts to spread the news of Jesus Christ that lights me up inside.  However, with so many of my strengths lying in ministry, there lies weaknesses as well.

It’s easy for me to get wrapped up in what I’m doing; so much so that the purpose gets lost in translation sometimes.  I strive for excellence in everything from events to email blasts, and can easily make those things my god if I’m not careful. 

My primary focus should not be on ministry, but rather on ministering.  After all, isn’t that why a ministry exists?  I feel incredibly blessed being able to serve God through communication, but that has to stop somewhere and turn into serving Him through serving others.  So much of what I do is to reach people, but what matters even more is what I do when I make contact.

How are you doing with using your ministry to minister?

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Verbal Gratitude for Quiet Deeds

February 11, 2009 Leave a comment

For the one thing to many things you do…

To change people’s lives,

To make a difference in the world,

For the money you give,

The work you did,

The behind-the-scenes things you do for your church,

Many of which only you and God will know about,

The one thing to many things that go unnoticed,

Unappreciated,

Lacking gratitude…

Thank You.

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The L-Factor

January 22, 2009 Leave a comment

This morning, I was clearing out my email and came across several messages that have accumulated in the past couple of weeks from the leaders of a Crown class I am in.  From reminders to feedback requests to resources, they kept my classmates and I up to speed.  Because of their leadership, I know who to turn to with my inquiries or for guidance.

We were designed to be led, and whether we know it or not, we are are all leaders in some fashion.  A lot of people will say they are followers and not leaders, but that is only half-true.  We are both.  People are always looking to us for an example or a word of advice or a prayer request, or anything else they may need.  Even when we are not in some designated role of leadership, we are still leading.

Take some time throughout your day to evaluate where you are leading.  If there is an obvious answer, such as being the head of something, then look deeper.  Go further than “where” you are leading and see “who” you are leading–be it temporarily or regularly.  See who is coming to you for advice or voicing their concerns to you.  Who wants you to hear their prayer requests?  Whose life are you being invited to make an impact in?

Leadership is a major responsibility, and it is one we all share.

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