Friday, June 28, 2013

4 Things Pastors And Church Leaders Do To Successfully Navigate Change

 

4 Things Pastors And Church Leaders Do To Successfully Navigate Change

No one likes change but a baby.  Change takes us out of our comfort zone.  It causes us to stretch and grow.  Change creates environments that are unpredictable.  And few things resist change more than local churches.
However, successful pastors and church leaders know the methods churches use must constantly change.  So how do we successfully navigate people during necessary changing times?
For the best resource I have read on churches needing to change, read 40 Leadership Quotes From Leading Change Without Losing It.
Also, Lisa Bettany, former figure skater and co-creator of the Camera+ app, was interviewed in the July/August edition of Fast Company magazine.  As Lisa discussed the app’s development, it became clear she was an expert on the subject of change.
The following are four lessons we learn about change from Lisa’s interview.  When Lisa says “app”, you think “church”.
  • Keep Things Simple – As pastors and church leaders, we often have a default mode of complexity.  Change should bring simplicity to ministry rather than complexity.  Lisa says, “As a photographer, you think you need lots of knobs and endless things to adjust each image.  But we realized people just want to capture moments and share them.”
  • Meet The Needs Of Others – Christian leaders’ primary motivations for change should always be to reach more people for Christ and better meet the needs of those they serve.  What are the issues they are dealing with?  What are their concerns?  What questions are they asking?  Lisa said, “If you want to break through, think about what people need.”
  • Create Things That Are New And Improved – Your community probably doesn’t need another church.  It most likely needs a different type or BETTER church.  Lisa goes on, “If you’re creating a utility tool, then it has to either push the boundaries of what other apps are doing or introduce something brand new.  Or it’s something that’s just better than everything else.”
  • Deliver Ministry With Ruthless Excellence – Pastors and church leaders must be ruthless about delivering ministry with excellence.  Visitors no longer accept sub par performance in any area of their lives, especially church.  Lisa concludes, “Create something that works – and works without bugs.”  As Camera+ was developing its app, Lisa discovered “it looked cool, like an actual camera, but that extra step (intermediate screen) annoyed people.”
Keep Things Simple, Meet The Needs Of Others By Creating Things That Are New And Improved, and then Deliver Ministry With Ruthless Excellence.

28 Things To Look For When Acquiring Top Talent

 

28 Things To Look For When Acquiring Top Talent

Are you hoping to hire top talent for your church or organization?  Is your organization looking to go to the next level?  Are there problems that you are hoping to find solutions for?
The solution to any problem is a person.  The reason is because the only thing that appreciates is people.  As a result, churches and organizations know few things are as vital to future success as the acquisition of top talent.
That is why I am so excited to bring you these leadership lessons from the 2013 NBA Draft on acquiring top talent.
Before you read the following, you should also visit the leadership lessons from April’s NFL Draft.  Click here for 32 Things Organizations Look For When Selecting A Leader.
  • Greatness - “If there is greatness in you, now is the time to find it.” – Magic Johnson
  • Overcoming Adversity – “For the top half of the draft it’s about overcoming adversity.” – Jalen Rose
  • Talent – “He is the most talented player in this draft.  Now there are questions about his assertiveness.” – Jay Bilas on Ben McLemore
  • Relentless/Finds A Way – “He is the kind of player you can go to war with.” – Bill Simmons on Victor Oladipo
  • Helps Build Your Identity – “The draft is about finding players to help Orlando find a new identity.” – Orlando Magic GM Rob Hennigan
  • Makes An Impact – “There are no impact players in this draft but we are looking for a player who can make an immediate impact.  We are also looking for someone to compliment John Wall.” – Washington Wizards GM Ernie Grunfield
  • Success – “Oladipo is the one player in this draft who will not fail.” – Bilas
  • Long-Term Potential – “The next 10 years matter, not the next 10 weeks.” – ESPN analyst Tom Penn
  • Size Matters – “You cannot have enough active big guys.” – Rose
  • Options – “If Oklahoma City would have kept James Hardin they could have made a run at the title and then traded the Godfather for the first pick.” – Simmons
  • Patience – “He’s still young.  Give him time to develop and he is the most talented player in the draft.” – Bilas on McLemore
  • Partnerships – “Whose going to be your partner in a bad draft?” – Bilas
  • Trust Your Preparation – “I thought it was a bizarre pick.” – Simmons on Cleveland’s pick of Anthony Bennett as the #1 pick in the draft.
  • Hard Work – “Victor Oladipo is a worker.” – Bilas
  • Improves Culture – “He (Oladipo) improves their culture right away.  It will be a culture of work.  He will shame his teammates into working harder.” – Bilas
  • Willing To Improve – “All young players need to improve.” – Rose
  • Versatility – “Otto Porter Jr. is the most versatile person in this draft…He is the most complete player at both ends of the court.” – Bilas
  • Low Maintenance – “He is not only low-maintenance.  He is no maintenance.” – Bilas
  • Self-Confidence – “2nd and 3rd pick in the draft were not in the Top 100 high school players as Juniors.” – Bilas
  • Familiarity – “People start looking for reasons to not like people they continually see.  They get bored.” – Simmons
  • Luck – Nerlens Noels falling to New Orleans at the 7th pick to pair with Anthony Davis is a tremendous blessing for this franchise.
  • Personality – “The only question about him is his personality.” – Bilas on McLemore
  • Willing To Earn Respect – “Veterans will never call him all of that.  Get ready to be called KC.” – Rose on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
  • Proper Fit – “It’s not who picks you but are you going to get to play your game.” – Rose
  • Prudence - “New GMs don’t usually swing for the fences.” – Simmons
  • Appreciation – “I’m surprised the 76ers would give up on Jrue Holiday like that.  An All-Star point guard.” – Rose
  • Alpha Male - “Point guard is an alpha-dog position and I’m not sure he’s an alpha-dog.” – Simmons on Michael Carter-Williams
  • Do What It Takes To Acquire Top Talent – “Houston and Dallas are in an arms race to get Dwight Howard.” – Simmons

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

7 Reasons You Are Not Attracting Or Retaining Leaders

7 Reasons You Are Not Attracting Or Retaining Leaders

5 Turkeys Huddled Together
5 Turkeys Huddled Together
“Turkeys travel in packs.  You have to find eagles one at a time.” – John Maxwell
Earlier today I was driving to the office and noticed five turkeys along the road huddled together.   I pulled over and took the above picture to illustrate a leadership truth.  It is difficult to attract and retain leaders.  John is right when he says you find them one at a time.  On the other hand, it is easy to find turkeys.  They are everywhere.
As a leader, you are either an eagle magnet or a turkey magnet.  Let me explain.
If you are having difficulty attracting or retaining leaders, the problem may be found in one or more of the following seven reasons:
  • Lack Of Vision – Leaders are attracted to vision.  More specifically, they are attracted to BIG vision.  For a leader to leave where they are and follow you, you must point them to a brighter tomorrow.
  • Lack Of Accomplishment – Leaders, by definition, are going somewhere and doing something.  They will not be reduced to a level of mediocrity by environments of maintenance.
  • Lack Of Generosity – Yes, financial compensation is very important.  Leaders have options so don’t be cheap.  However, organizational generosity is important as well.  Are you serving the poor?  Are you involved in your community?  Do you treat those on your team generously?  Does your church or organization have a culture of generosity?
  • Lack Of Effort – Leaders are in high demand.  You must make the effort to go and get them.  They are not just going to show up at your door.  More importantly, you must work even harder to keep them.
  • Lack Of Gratefulness – Excellence can seem average when it is all you have.  Do not take your leaders and high performers for granted.  Someone else is always telling them they look pretty.
  • Lack Of Trust – Leaders will not follow those who have a history of broken promises.
  • Lack Of Opportunity – Leaders want to lead.  They want to leave their mark, create, risk, mobilize people and resources, and take the organization to a higher level.  What is interesting is that opportunity finds leaders.  Make sure you have opportunities for the leaders within your church or organization.
  • Lack Of Relationships – Leaders want to accomplish great things in the context of community.  Leaders want to advance mission and vision with people they like.
  • Lack Of Proven History – Leaders are pioneers and risk-takers, but they also like predictable environments.  Team president Pat Riley being a proven winner was a primary reason why LeBron James went to the Miami Heat.  If a leader lacks the confidence you can take them, the church, or the organization to the next level, they will seek greener pastures elsewhere.  Think of it this way – on a scale of 1 to 10, a 9 leader will only work for a 6 leader or organization for so long.
  • Lack Of Emotional Health – Leaders with options will not thrust themselves into dysfunctional environments.
So, are you an eagle magnet or a turkey magnet?  If you are surrounded by turkeys, do you have the courage to make the necessary changes needed to begin attracting eagles?

Monday, June 24, 2013

10 Lessons On Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders

10 Lessons On Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders

Greenhouse
Greenhouse
Fellowship Bible Church has a Sunday evening ministry it calls Greenhouse.  This ministry was created by our Pastor of Worship and Arts Tim Beard.  Greenhouse places special emphasis on developing leaders and ministry to “Go And Grow”.
This ministry provides the perfect incubator for the next generation of Christian leaders to improve their platform skills, work on their craft, develop their gifts, make mistakes, and allow God to grow their ministry before launching them to their next assignment, hopefully a much larger platform or church plant.
Tim affectionately refers to the incredibly talented worship band and vocalists as “The Minions”.  These college-age artists have embraced this term as has our entire church.  Tonight, The Minions recorded their first live worship cd.  See the picture above.
As I experienced the worship set and spoke with Tim afterwards, I gleaned 10 Lessons On Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders.  I am glad to share them with you.
  • The Most Important Thing In Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders Is To Point Them To God – Tim opened the evening by telling all in attendance that this was not about a cd but rather to place our focus on God.
  • Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders Takes Intentionality - Next Generation Ministry must be a primary focus.  Tim has dedicated the majority of his last year of ministry to developing Greenhouse and the Minions.
  • To Invest In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders You Must Be In It For The Long Haul – Young Christian leaders are developed in crock pots, not microwaves.  They also have a deep desire for authentic, long-lasting relationships.
  • Allow For Mistakes When Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders - Young Christian leaders make plenty of mistakes.  I certainly did (and still do).  It takes people like Tim who stay with them through the good-and-bad to one day proudly watch God do great things through their lives.
  • Teach The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders About Structure And Orderliness – Between songs the musicians would all tune their instruments. Tim said, “God likes things in tune.”  That statement is true with our lives as well.
  • Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders Takes A Team – It takes a churchwide commitment to serving the next generation.  Tim is also helped by a number of talented people including Dennis and Verna Law.
  • Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders Requires You To Help Make Their Dreams Come True – I have been moved over the last year watching Tim create multiple opportunities for the Minions to meet other artists and perform.
  • Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders Requires Financial Investment – It was announced that this Wednesday evening one of the young ladies will be doing a benefit concert to help pay for her college.  The entire team of Minions and others are donating their time and efforts to help her put on this fundraiser.  They are attached to her heart.
  • Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders Requires Hard Work – Tim and The Minions have put in countless hours to be able to minister with the excellence they do.
  • Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders Requires You One Day Giving Up Your Spot – Tim said, “Our staff is always trying to replace themselves.”  For all of us in Christian leadership, there will come a day that we must step aside and allow the next generation to take the baton.  Have you prepared for that day?
When I read this list of 10 Lessons On Investing In The Next Generation Of Christian Leaders, few people do it as well as Tim Beard.  
Thank you Tim.  Oh yeah, there is a young girl in high school named Anna who might make a good Minion one day!  I’m just saying…

Sunday, June 23, 2013

The Top 10 Leadership Posts I Read The Week Of June 17th

The Top 10 Leadership Posts I Read The Week Of June 17th

The following are the Top 10 Leadership Posts I Read The Week Of June 17th.  This is a great collection of practical tips and ideas that will make any Christian leader better.
Check them out and tell me what you think.
That is my Top 10 for the week.  What other great posts did you read?

15 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders Who Excel Under Pressure

15 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders Who Excel Under Pressure

As a leader are you currently feeling overwhelming pressure?  Have life’s demands become too much for you to handle?  Are you constantly looking for solutions or even temporary relief from the issues you face?
These feelings are a periodic reality in the life of a leader.  No one is immune.
The two most exciting words in pro sports are “Game 7″.  For athletes, there is not a more pressure-packed environment than these  do-or-die games.  Tonight, the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs will compete in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.  How the players handle the pressure will greatly determine who wins the championship.
The following are comments from the game’s analyst prior to the game.  Their insights revealed 15 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders Who Excel Under Pressure.   
  • To Excel Under Pressure Rely On Your Teammates- “There is not one player but (Tony) Parker and (Manu) Ginobilli have to play more efficiently.” – Jeff Van Gundy
  • To Excel Under Pressure Focus On Your Job - “The magnitude of the game is higher.  The stakes are higher…Just focusing on the job at hand.” – LeBron James
  • To Excel Under Pressure Sense And Seize Opportunity – “That’s what I’m here for, to win championships.  And we have a great opportunity tonight.” – James
  • To Excel Under Pressure Be Flexible - ”The game will dictate what happens on the floor.” – James
  • To Excel Under Pressure Remain Consistent - ”Preparation stays the same.” – Dwyane Wade
  • To Excel Under Pressure Do Your Job Well - ”There is no tomorrow…We want to play the game well.” – Wade
  • To Excel Under Pressure Be Ready To Perform - ”The Spurs can win the championship tonight if they are ready mentally and physically.” – Magic Johnson
  • To Excel Under Pressure Don’t Try To Be A Hero - “You concentrate on your film.  What mistakes you can correct to help your team win?  You concentrate on your role.  Play your game.  Don’t try to be a hero tonight.” – Johnson
  • To Excel Under Pressure Realize Mistakes Will Be Made - ”Game 7 of the finals are tense.  They’re sloppy…You start weeding guys out.” – Bill Simmons
  • To Excel Under Pressure Surround Yourself With Your Top Producers – “It’s about what they do when they’re out there on the floor…Who delivers while their in the game.” – Johnson
  • To Excel Under Pressure Stay In Your Comfort Zone  - “Role players play better at home.” – Jalen Rose
  • To Excel Under Pressure Do What Only You Can Do - ”You go with who got you here.  Dwyane Wade has been a Finals MVP.  Dwyane Wade won a championship before LeBron James got here…No one on that team can do what Dwyane Wade can do.” – Johnson
  • To Excel Under Pressure Keep It Simple - “Coaches are being minimized while people are coming in with metrics…This is suicide.  This is stupid…You put your best players on the floor.” – Michael Wilbon
  • To Excel Under Pressure Realize What You Can’t Do - ”Role players can only help you in Game 7s.  Superstars win championships.” – Johnson
  • To Excel Under Pressure Leaders Must Set The Tone - ”Trust your instincts.  Use your basketball I.Q…You must set the tone.” – Van Gundy on James
I do believe James will set the tone.  I predict a Heat victory but very, very close 98-94.  Your thoughts?

16 Qualities The Very Best Leaders Possess

16 Qualities The Very Best Leaders Possess

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lMTm-nfLGgc

Apex Leaders are the very best at what they do.  They have transcended their industry and have become iconic figures in their areas of discipline.  Often times, because of skill and personality they are required to take their organizations on their back and personally lead their teams to success.
Tuesday evening we were witnesses to one such performance by Miami Heat forward and Apex Leader, LeBron James.  With the NBA championship hanging in balance, James took over the game in the fourth quarter and overtime scoring 18 points.  In a virtuoso performance, he literally willed his team to victory.
After watching the game, I went back into my files to find two older articles on James.  As I read the comments provided, I realized they provided a wonderful profile of the 16 Qualities The Very Best Leaders Possess.
How many of these 16 qualities you have as a leader:
USA Today – May 6th
  • Confidence – “LeBron is playing with such a confidence and an aura about him.  I absolutely love it.” – Karl Malone
  • Humbleness – “Just to see my name mentioned with those guys (previous MVPs), it’s just very humbling.  It’s an honor.”
  • Dreams – James honors the NBA’s past and is a historian of the game.  ”It was important to me, because I wanted to be part of this (the NBA) as a kid.  It was a dream of mine.”
  • Continual Improvement – “His continued improvement is a testimony to his desire to be the best he could be,” says Kareen Abdul-Jabbar.  James goes on to add, “I’ve got room for improvement.  I will be a better player next year.  I will.  I will continue to improve.”  Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel went on, “It’s shocking to be the best player in the world and continue to improve.”
Sports Illustrated – June 3rd
  • Rely On Systems Not Silver Bullets – “We went from plugging him into a system to molding a system around him.” – Unnamed Heat coach
  • Focus On Others – “You don’t have to make any adjustments as a shooter when he passes you the ball; all you have to do is catch and shoot.” – Mark Jackson
  • Hard Decisions – “As point guard and leader of a team, there are times when you have to stay away from passing the ball to some guys.” – Jackson
  • Intelligence – “While impressive, none of this means James is now an elite shooter.  Rather, what he has become is a much smarter shooter.” – Chris Ballard
  • Hard Work – To improve his shooting, James was “occasionally coming to the arena 24 hours early to join (Ray) Allen in his famed shooting routine.” – Ballard
  • Maturity – “James was smart enough or mature enough or well-coached enough to realize that a wide-open three is a second-best shot, behind a layup.” – Ballard
  • Options – “It (playing power forward) gives him another point of penetration, and now you’ve got to account for him being that much closer to the basket.” – Ian Thomsen
  • Wisdom – “Your game evolves because Father Time catches up with you.” – Thomsen
  • Skill – “You put your best players out there regardless of size, and if you have good, skilled players, whatever you give up (in size), you will get back.” – Bill Walton
  • Freedom – “One thing all the great centers had in common was mobility.” – Walton
  • Competitiveness – LeBron has “a willingness to fight for the ball underneath the basket.” – Walton
  • Creativity – The center is all about movement, creativity, imagination, the vibrant, explosive game.” – Walton
I am picking the Heat in Game 7, 98-94.  What is your prediction?

A Missing Link In Christian Leadership

A Missing Link In Christian Leadership

June 19, 2013 - Americans love to talk about leadership—just look at the national dialogue sparked by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In or the ongoing dialogue within churches about leading and disciple-making.
“Leadership” a keyword attached to global summits, best-sellers and viral blog posts—so much so that its cultural prominence has ingrained leadership in the minds of many Christians—for better or for worse—as the ultimate mark of a mature faith.
According to a recent survey of Christian adults conducted by the Barna Group, more than half of Christians in this country identify themselves as leaders (58%). And yet, more than eight in 10 (82%) of the same survey participants indicated that they believe the United States is facing a leadership crisis because there aren’t enough leaders. What’s more, the leadership qualities participants identified in themselves do not line up with the leadership qualities they expect in others.
So where is the disconnect happening? Where is this crisis coming from if so many Christians already see themselves as leaders? What is the missing link?
Joseph Cavanaugh, president of Ephesians 4 Leadership and author of The Language of Blessing, traces it back to a lack of self-awareness. Our team talked with him about this cultural problem, how it contributes to a warped sense of calling, and why the first step to leading others well is to gain a realistic understanding of ourselves.
Barna Group: American Christians love the idea of personal calling. They are also influenced by the idea of the American dream. And yet, as our recent study shows, the majority of American Christians (66%) feel there is a critical gap between their calling and their daily occupation. How can we discern between a Western, individualistic sense of calling and a biblical understanding of calling?
Joseph Cavanaugh: Western individualism is primarily focused on fulfilling wants and desires. Biblical individualism is about what we have been given for the benefit of others. It is about fulfilling our unique function, contribution and calling.
King David beautifully articulates in many of his psalms how intimate God’s love is for each of us as individuals. Centuries later, in his letters to the Corinthians and to the Romans, Paul emphasizes the great diversity of gifts and functions that exist in the body of Christ. He also points out that each individual’s contribution is indispensable and vital for the benefit of the whole body. A final reality communicated in the parable of the talents and again in the book of Revelation is that each of us will stand before the Lord and give an account of what we did with what we were so generously given—an individual experience.
Healthy self-esteem is simply proper care for ourselves—physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. A self-esteem that comes from knowing we are loved by God and created with purpose allows us to get on with loving and serving others.
Barna Group: What are the sociological effects of misunderstanding self-esteem?
Cavanaugh: Studies indicate that the outcome of high self-esteem is not what one might hope. High self-esteem does not increase grades in school, nor does it prevent drug use or premarital sexual activity. In fact, many career criminals have very high self-esteem.
There has also been some very interesting research on the concept of fragile self-esteem. This is often the byproduct of permissive parenting and the educational system’s attempt at raising children’s self-esteem by eliminating grade and performance awards. The children come to believe they can accomplish whatever they desire. Of course, when they enter the real world, they experience a very rude awakening. But rather than realize they are unrealistic about their own capabilities, they blame the boss, co-workers, anyone but themselves.
Barna Group: So, high self-esteem can backfire?
Cavanaugh: The high self-esteem movement has been, in general, an abysmal failure. I also think parents’ attempts to raise self-reliant children have failed. This is another form of Western individualism that is just as dysfunctional, but one promoted in many Christian circles. The reality is that we were not created to be self-reliant. Self-responsible, yes. Self-reliant, no. We were all created to be interdependent. We are designed by God to serve one another with all that we have been uniquely gifted through grace.
Barna Group: How would you describe the relationship between self-awareness and success—both in terms of one’s career and faith?
Cavanaugh: Research consistently shows self-awareness as a foundational quality of career success. Leaders who lack self-awareness, on the other hand, are a disaster for those they lead.
In regard to faith, I believe that self-awareness is equally important. People who are spiritually self-aware have a non-anxious presence—they are completely at peace with who God has created and called them to be. They are deeply grateful to God for his gifts and calling in their lives, all the while fully realizing that these are gifts—neither earned nor deserved, but given freely for the benefit of others.
Barna Group: Our research shows that only about one third of Christians (34%) feel called to their current occupation. And among younger Christians, this number is even greater—about 44% feel a disconnect between their perceived calling on their lives and their current employment. How can people living in this tension repair this divide?
Cavanaugh: An overly simple response is that these younger Christians have never been equipped to live out who God has created and called then to be. They often lack this integral self-awareness. Fortunately, this can be learned.
The majority of young Christians I work with have no idea who they really are, let alone their gifts or life calling. It is an exhilarating journey as they discover they have been created in Jesus as a unique expression of God’s workmanship, and that the Father has prepared good works and a calling for them to walk in.
Barna Group: Can you explain your concept of the “Cycle of False Identity”? How can a person break this cycle?
Cavanaugh: The cycle of false identity begins with being in a family where the parents are not very self-aware, and there are unfounded expectations placed on the children. When the children fail to meet those unfounded expectations the parents begin to judge them in their failure. The more we try to meet these unfounded expectations, the more we begin to lose our authentic sense of self. We can begin to feel like we are somehow defective—we are not good enough, smart enough, hardworking enough. Our whole sense of identity becomes distorted.
The process of breaking the cycle of false identity is an equipping process. The Greek word for equipping means to restore, to complete, to perfect. Restoring a person back to God’s original design is a critical part of breaking the cycle. We want to create a cycle of authentic identity. This begins with creating self-awareness by helping each person rediscover their gifts and talents. And as they receive those gifts and talents with a grateful heart, it produces true humility, which produces authenticity—and from the authenticity, love and service arise and their light begins to shine.
---
Learn more about the new Barna Book from Joseph Cavanaugh The Language of Blessing.
About Barna Group
Barna Group (which includes its research division, the Barna Research Group) is a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization under the umbrella of the Issachar Companies. It conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries. Located in Ventura, California, Barna Group has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each update on the latest research findings from Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website (www.barna.org). Additional research-based resources are also available through this website.
© Barna Group, 2013.

13 Habits Of Highly Friendly Churches

13 Habits Of Highly Friendly Churches

Brian with Ike Reighard
Brian with Ike Reighard
Father’s Day was very special.  My family was planning to attend the 11:15 AM service with my wife’s parents at North Metro Church where they attend.  However, located just six miles to the east of North Metro is Piedmont Church of Marietta, GA.
Led by the incomparable Ike Reighard, Piedmont is one of my favorite churches in America.  Ike has been a dear friend for 15 years and is always a privilege to reconnect with.
On Saturday, Associate Pastor Marlon Longacre (another dear friend for 15 years) advertised an event called DadFest on his Facebook page.  In response to churches traditionally beating up on dads on Father’s Day for all we are doing wrong, DadFest celebrated all the positive contributions we bring.
DadFest included a classic car show, inflatables for the children, health screenings, hamburgers and hot dogs, and they even gave away Green Egg b-b-q equipment.
My family attended Piedmont at 9:30 AM where we celebrated DadFest prior to arriving at North Metro in time for their 11:15 AM service.  We called this our Church Road Trip. 
That evening we reviewed our day and the consensus was that Piedmont was the friendliest church we had attended in a long time.  As I began to unpack the reasons why, it became clear Piedmont Church taught me 13 Habits Of Highly Friendly Churches.  Allow me to share my learnings with you.
  1. Highly Friendly Churches Have Highly Friendly Senior Pastors – The people are always a picture of the leader.  In church environments, the congregation will always model its senior pastor.  So goes the leader, so go the people.
  2. Brian with Marlon Longacre
    Brian with Marlon Longacre
    Highly Friendly Churches Have Highly Friendly Staffs – Led by Longacre, Donna Monroe, and Roger Christian, the Piedmont staff exhibited incredible kindness.
  3. Highly Friendly Churches Leverage Social Media – Facebook works.  Marlon’s Facebook promotions prompted me to attend.  Having a social media strategy shows people you care about engaging them where they are.
  4. Highly Friendly Churches Make Great First Impressions – As I drove onto the property, I noticed dozens of large American flags impressively adorning the property.
  5. Highly Friendly Churches Create Comfortable Environments - If your church is looking to remodel its lobby and sanctuary, I highly recommend you visit Piedmont Church in Marietta for ideas.  With its log cabin feel, it is the warmest, most beautiful lobby I have seen.
  6. Highly Friendly Churches Passionately Serve Their Local Communities – The previous week, 50+ Piedmont youth performed over 25 service projects in their community.  Today alone, the church served lunch to 80+ hair salon employees whose business is located directly across its street.  On Sunday, June 30th, the local high school ROTC Color Guard will be part of a historic military uniform display in honor of Independence Day.
  7. Highly Friendly Churches Care About Those Attending Their Church – Health screenings were available to all in attendance.
  8. Highly Friendly Churches Are Multi-Ethnic And Multi-Generational – The platform featured African-Americans, Latinos, Caucasians, men, women, seasoned, and young.  Highly Friendly churches build bridges with those who look differently than they do.
  9. Highly Friendly Churches Use Humor – Church should be fun.  Few people have the natural humor of Ike.
  10. Highly Friendly Churches Have Volunteers Who Are Glad To Be There – Once again, the people are a picture of the leader.
  11. Highly Friendly Churches Care About The Things You Care About – If you care about the things I care about, I will care about the things you care about.  Ike, Donna, and Marlon were very, very kind to my daughter.  They knew the key to my heart.
  12. Highly Friendly Churches Are Passionate About Getting Better – Marlon called me the next day and discussed Piedmont’s plans for improving and delivering even better ministry.
  13. Highly Friendly Churches Make You Glad You Were There – The next Church Road Trip my family takes will include a return visit to Piedmont.
If you live in Marietta or Kennesaw, GA and looking for a church home, I can’t recommend Piedmont Church enough.  If you visit, you will discover one of the friendliest churches you could possibly find.

18 Leadership Quotes From U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose And Runner-Up Phil Mickelson

18 Leadership Quotes From U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose And Runner-Up Phil Mickelson

“The object of golf is not just to win. It is to play like a gentleman, and win.” - Phil Mickelson
Congratulations to Justin Rose for winning this week’s U.S. Open.  Despite not shooting par, he outlasted the rest of the field including Phil Mickelson to win his first major.  The following are his delightful comments immediately after winning the event.
  • Responsibility – “Today is Father’s Day…Many of us come from great men and have a responsibility to show what a great man could be.”
  • Honor – “I couldn’t help to look up at the heavens and think my dad Ken had something to do with it.”
  • Encouragement – “Took a lot of encouragement from Adam Scott and watched how he played in major championships.”
  • Reality – “This is my moment.  I’ve seen that Ben Hogan photo a million times and suddenly it was me.”
  • Connection – “Philadelphia has been my town.”
  • Class And Dignity – “Phil Mickelson, rightly so a fan favorite.  And with this being Father’s Day, he deserves a shout out this week for how he handled his daughter’s graduation.”
Despite starting the day with the tournament lead, Phil Mickelson finished the U.S. Open in second place.  After five previous Open runner-ups, he is no stranger to disappointment.  One of golf’s top performers since turning pro in 1992, I was struck the candor he showed shortly after the event.
If you are a leader currently dealing with missed expectations, Phil’s comments will resonate with you:
  • Judgment – “I had come so close to get some balls to get in the hole, but I couldn’t get them in the hole…I don’t know what I would have done differently.”
  • Patience – “I felt like I was fairly patient throughout the day.”
  • Pain – “Heartbreak.  This is tough to swallow…I felt like this was as good an opportunity as you could ask for.  It hurts.”
Previously, the following were three leadership quotes from Mickelson’s interview with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi on Saturday:
  • Opportunity – “It been a very difficult task but it’s also been a fun task because we’ve had opportunities where we can be aggressive.”
  • Struggle – “The hard holes are playing really hard which I love.”
  • Previous Success – “I’m paying some of the best golf I’ve ever played.  Also, my record after leading after 54 holes is pretty strong.  I will focus on that and pull from the past victories I’ve had and the things I’ve done to manage my time between rounds.”
In the addition to the comments above, the following are six additional leadership quotes from Mickelson available on the internet.  In light of today’s developments, I am struck by the initial statement.
Phil Mickelson is one of golf’s great winners and a true gentlemen.  I really feel bad for him.

11 Examples Of Jesus and 20 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Superman: Man Of Steel

11 Examples Of Jesus and 20 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Superman: Man Of Steel

To start the Father’s Day weekend, I saw Superman: Man Of Steel with my family.  I loved it!  In addition to the incredible action, there were multiple references to Jesus and Christianity throughout the film.  Here are just a few:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OAVuKPFKrNo
  • Kal-El coming to earth as a baby.
  • Clark Kent living amongst the people in anonymity and reluctant to reveal his true identity and power.
  • A place of solitude to meet with his non-earthly father.
  • Giving people an ideal to live by.
  • Showing continual grace and forgiveness.
  • Being rejected by those he came to serve.
  • Willingly allowing himself to be taken captive by humans.
  • An enemy of his father coming to kill him at age 33.
  • Superman giving himself up to the enemy to save humanity.
  • Going deep into the earth, then rising again and destroying the enemy.
  • Similar to the cross, having a symbol (the S) that gives people hope.
The illustration breaks down though when comparing Superman any further to Jesus.  Nothing compares with Jesus.  As my wife said, “Comparing Superman to Jesus is like comparing a grain of sand to all the beaches on earth.”
Still it is a great movie.  What struck me most about the film was the directionality, influence, and impact Superman’s Kryton and earthly fathers had in shaping his worldview.  It was a reminder this Father’s Day weekend of the incredible influence we, as fathers, have.
The following are 20 leadership quotes and lessons we learn from Superman: Man Of Steel:
  1. Leaders Are Attracted To Success - This project featured an incredible cast of actors that included Russell Crowe, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Amy Adams, Richard Schiff, and Laurence Fishburne.
  2. “Endless debates lead to nothing.” – This was spoken by General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, as Jor-El, played by Crowe, attempted to dissuade him from a political coup.  Remember this during your next leadership meeting.
  3. “The world’s too big mom.” – A young Clark.  His mom replies, “Then make it small.” – Leaders accomplish great things through incremental progress.
  4. The Potential Of Unique and Gifted Children – Normal is overrated.  A boyhood Clark had difficulty fitting in.  Perhaps your child does as well.  If so, they may simply be poised for future greatness.
  5. “There is more at stake here than just our lives.  It is the lives around us.” – Jonathan Kent, Clark’s father.  Leaders are aware of their responsibility to those in their sphere of influence.
  6. “People are afraid of what they don’t understand.” - Jonathan Kent
  7. “You’re the answer to are we alone in the universe?” – Jonathan Kent.  The answer to every problem is a person.
  8. “I believe you were sent here for a reason.  And even if you take the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is.” – Jonathan Kent.  A great father provides direction and intentionality for their children.
  9. “Hope. The potential of every person can be a force for good.” – Leaders provide solutions and are dealers of hope.
  10. The Responsibility Of Service – Superman leads by example in that for many people helping others is not an option.  It is simply part of our identity.
  11. Fathers Must Be Willing To Give Their Lives For Their Family – Jonathan Kent gave his life protecting his son’s identity and others in general.
  12. “You have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be.  Because that man, good character of bad, is going to change the world.” – Jonathan Kent.  Great fathers give their children a BIG vision for their lives.  Subsequently, a child’s performance is often directly proportionate to their father’s confidence in them.
  13. “Zod can’t be trusted.  I’m not sure the people of Earth can either.” – Superman. Great leaders evaluate reality.
  14. “Sometimes you have to take a leap of father.  The trust comes later.” – Trust can take a lifetime to earn but can be lost at a moment in time.
  15. “You can’t control me but I’m not your enemy.” – Superman.  As a leader, you can’t control others if you can’t control yourself.
  16. “A good death is its own reward.” – Leaders must make finishing well a priority.
  17. “This man is not our enemy.” – It is our actions, not our words, that change people’s minds.
  18. “I exist to only protect Krypton.  This is why I was born.” – General Zod.  Passion can be quite destructive when misguided.
  19. “I grew up in Kansas.  I’m as American as it gets.” – Superman.  Great leaders never forget their past.
  20. “What do you want to do when you’re not saving the world?” – Great leaders always have options.
That is what I gleaned from the movie.  What did you think after seeing it?

The Top 10 Leadership Posts (And Bloggers) I Read The Week Of June 10th

The Top 10 Leadership Posts (And Bloggers) I Read The Week Of June 10th

If you could only visit 10 Christian websites per day, and it had to be the same 10 every day, which 10 would you pick?  That is the subject of my Top 10 Leadership Posts I Read The Week Of June 10th.
These are my favorite 10 Christian blogs.  You will see from the work below that they are absolutely incredible thinkers and writers.  Each site has very creative subject matter and is fun, yet informative, to read.  If you don’t subscribe to each blog, do so today.
  1. 11 Guidelines for Multisite Central Staff When Visiting Campuses by Rich Birch at www.unseminary.com
  2. Top Signs Your Church Producer Has Too Much Influence by Scott Cochrane
  3. Three Things Kids Need to See In Their Parents by Brandon A. Cox
  4. Pastor, 5 Signs You Are In Danger And 5 Ways To Guard Your Heart by Derwin Gray
  5. A Challenge to Young Leaders by Brad Lomenick.
  6. What You Can Learn About Customer Loyalty from In-N-Out Burger by Michael Lukaszewski
  7. Is It Missions If It’s 45 Minutes From Home? (Yes) by Tony Morgan
  8. 12 Cultural Trends Church Leaders Can’t Ignore (But Might) by Carey Nieuwhof
  9. Willow Creek Launches $11M Care Center by Brian Orme at www.ChurchLeaders.com
  10. A Healthy Church Staff by Scott Williams
  11. OK I have to put one more in here – Unmeasured Results DON’T MATTER by Todd Rhoades.  The work he and Matt Steen do is incredible.
You may have noticed there were no female bloggers on this list.  Ladies, don’t be offended.  I can only have 11.  You would definitely be well-represented in the 12-20 group.  For the record though, to see a list of 10 great female bloggers, click here.
What other great bloggers do you follow?
Slide1

Friday, June 14, 2013

A New Way For Churches To Measure The Value Of A Human Life


A New Way For Churches To Measure The Value Of A Human Life

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having dinner with the CEO of Cogun Church Builders Scott Couchenour.  In addition to running an organization whose purpose is provide the greatest value of service possible in creating shelter for worship and ministry, Scott also runs the website ServingStrong which helps pastors deal with issues related to burnout.  He and his family have been friends for years.
During our conversation, he said, “Brian, we want to change as many lives per square foot as possible.”  I love that phrase.
Every successful church has a ministry plan, a facility plan, and a funding plan.  If your facilities can no longer support the ministry God has called you to do, you have two options –expand to reach more people or not.
Some of the most frustrating conversations I have had involved facilities.  It becomes an exhausting exercise in self-control when I am forced to participate in these type of debates:
  • debt or paying cash
  • sanctuary, children’s building or Family Life Center
  • anything regarding furnishings
Facilities by their very nature are dividing.  For example, some like blue carpet while others like red.
I guess someone has to have these conversations but not me.  My focus is on the reality that expanded facilities allow larger numbers of people to hear the life changing message of Jesus Christ.  That is why Scott’s comment resonated with me.
Cost per square foot easy to calculate.  But how many lives will be changed in the new facility?  Understanding this requires some extra effort with a facility other than a sanctuary.  Then divide that number by the square footage and ask – Does the value and number of lives changed per square foot outweigh the cost per square foot?”
I want to know how many lives can be changed per square foot in our church.  That is the real measurement of value.
My dad died last year, most likely without Christ.  I often wonder what it would have been like having a church building under construction near his home which captured his attention.  Once completed, he might have visited one Sunday morning to find out what was going on inside.  And unbeknownst to him, my dad just might have been ambushed with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
How much would that square footage have been worth?  How much was that human life worth?
Think about that next time a discussion about the need for expanded facilities arises at your church.
Finally, if your church needs to build or renovate, I can’t recommend Scott and the team at Cogun enough.  In my opinion, they are the finest church builders you can find because they understand how to best connect ministry and changed lives to facilities.  Give them a call at 800-258-5540.  You will be glad you did.

7 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders Under The Age Of 30


7 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders Under The Age Of 30

Andy Stanley once said, “Very few if any great ideas ever come from people over the age of 45.”  As a 47-year-old man, that was a sobering yet challenging statement.  What Andy said, however, made me pay special attention to young leaders and what they were thinking and saying.
In the June edition of Inc magazine, 30 highly successful leaders under the age of 30 are profiled.  The following are 7 leadership quotes and habits selected from that group which you can learn from regardless of your age.
  1. Anticipation – “Fashion gives you enough advance warning that by the time the style gets there, we as buyers can already be buying those things.” – Chelsea Sloan, co-founder of Uptown Cheapskate
  2. Automation – “A phone can be so much more than just a communications device.  It can be your personal fitness trainer and your nutritionist.” – Julia Hu of Lark Technologies
  3. Efficiency – Justin Rosenstein and Dustin Moskovitz, co-founders of Asana, estimate office workers spend 60% to 90% of their time doing “work about work”.  This would include phone calls, emails, etc…  They feel the closer that number could come to zero, “we could potentially double the effectiveness of humanity.”
  4. Focus – “My dad always tells me, ‘Son, you can’t boil the ocean.’ As much as I want to boil that ocean, I think it’s better to do one thing really well than a bunch of things mediocre,” – Eric Fortenberry of OrgSync
  5. Production - ”We focus on bottom-line numbers, we have the oldest blog, we have the book. We’re still doing the stuff we did right when we started.” - Shama Kabani, whom Inc calls The Queen Of Social Media.  She runs Marketing Zen Group and is the author ofThe Zen Of Social Media Marketing.
  6. Production To Scale - ”My concept used to be that to make more money I needed more product. “That’s not a total fallacy, but it’s not a linear relationship. The key is figuring out what footage people really want, and using that knowledge to sell fewer clips more times.” – Joel Holland (@VideoBlocks) who sells stock video footage through his company Video Blocks
  7. Going Virtual – “One of my biggest concerns initially was that he didn’t have a headquarters.  Now I’m able to look at this organization and know that it’s 100 percent virtual and it’s absolutely amazing how efficiently it runs. The back-end infrastructure is really impressive. There’s not a person who sees it that isn’t impressed.” - Kevin Bromber, general manager and executive vice president for Avanques
Anticipation, Automation, Efficiency, Focus, Production, Production to Scale, and Going Virtual.  These are 7 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders Under The Age Of 30.  If you practice these 7 habits, you should be successful as well.

2 Examples Of Being In The World But Not Of It


2 Examples Of Being In The World But Not Of It

Being in the world but not of it.  This is a command for all Christians but how is that practically lived out.  There seems to be much confusion so I recently asked some friends for their thoughts on the topic.
They felt God has called us to go into the world.  He wants us to look at people the way Jesus would and then act accordingly.
When looking back at my most popular posts of May 2013, I get the sense that we were able to do just that, at least from a social media perspective.  This is an overtly Christian website but I do have interests in other areas.  I just see them through a Christian filter and as it turns out, so do the readers.
The top two posts this month were from the entertainment industry –  21 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Iron Man 3 and 50 Qualities Of A Successful Leader From Mark Cuban, Daymond John And Members Of Shark Tank.  We were actually in the world but not of it.
I think this could be a trend as I am expecting a large number of readers for Man Of Steel and World War Z during June.
The following is a complete list of The Top 10 Most Read Posts Of May 2013 as determined by you the readers:
  1. 21 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Iron Man 3
  2. 50 Qualities Of A Successful Leader From Mark Cuban, Daymond John And Members Of Shark Tank
  3. 15 Multi-Ethnic Pastors That Caucasian Pastors And Christian Leaders Should Listen To
  4. 15 Small Changes That Will Make A HUGE Difference In Your Life
  5. 13 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders
  6. 7 Things I Learned from Watching Andy Stanley Teach Junior High Students
  7. The Top 10 Leadership Posts I Read The Week Of May 13th
  8. 27 Leadership Lessons And Quotes From Andy Stanley – Live Notes From Chick-Fil-A Leadercast
  9. 14 Habits Of Highly Successful Leaders Who Change The World
  10. 7 Things One Pastor Did To Increase Church Giving 25% In One Year
Here are five additional favorites that did not make the Top 10.  I hope you enjoy them the second time around.
  1. 13 Habits Highly Effective Leaders Can Learn From Jesus - Jesus didn’t make the Top 10!  C’mon people!
  2. 7 Things You Can Do To Become A Champion When You Keep Coming In 2nd Place
  3. 3 Things Creative Leaders Must Create To Become A Creative Leader
  4. There Are Man Eating Sharks In Every Ocean But The Leader Swims Anyway
  5. 16 Leadership Lessons From A Week At Infusionsoft – One Of The World’s Fastest Growing And Most Innovative Companies