Pastor: Get a Pastor

You are a pastor. You preach and teach, care and console. You manage and maneuver, love and lead. You pour yourself out. You “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you” (1 Peter 5:2, ESV).
You also need a pastor.
Every pastor needs a pastor. Every pastor needs someone who does the things the pastor is doing for others—encourage, equip, coach, console, support, love and lead. Unfortunately, very few pastors have that kind of relationship, which helps to explain why so many burn out or drop out—and why many others say they would leave the ministry if they thought they could.
Few denominations and church staff systems allow or encourage the establishment and maintenance of a pastor-to-a-pastor relationship. Unless you’re in a very rare situation, the chances are good that you will have to take the initiative and do the work of filling that need in your life. But it is a need, make no mistake. It is not an option, if you plan to not just survive but also thrive in ministry.
So what can you do? Where do you go? Here are a few suggestions to help you do what (of course) you encourage your flock to do—have a caring, capable pastor in your life to lead, teach, encourage and equip you:

• Approach someone you already know. Someone who is already in your circle of relationships. It may be a retired pastor or someone in an entirely different field. It shouldn’t be someone in your church but could be someone you’ve crossed paths with. Someone who impressed you, maybe. Or someone who reached out to you. If such a person comes to mind, consider asking him or her to meet regularly with you, perhaps just as a sounding board at first. Let the relationship develop from there.
• Consult a spiritual director. Spiritual direction may be a new concept for you, but it can be a transforming experience to have someone to meet with regularly who will listen—not only to you but also to the Holy Spirit—and offer sensitive wisdom and guidance. My friend Kasey is a fine example of this kind of ministry. Christian spiritual directors in your area can be found through Spiritual Directors International.
• Find a good Christian counselor. Years ago, my church planting coach would ask me and my co-pastor every time we met, “Do you have a shrink yet?” He clearly considered it not only important but also urgent. So I started meeting regularly with a counselor, and boy was I glad I did. A good Christian counselor can often be like a pastor to a pastor; mine was to me. If the first person you consult isn’t quite a “match,” don’t give up. Keep trying. Ask others for recommendations or start here.
• Use available resources. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of an actual, on-site, flesh-and-blood person to pour into you as you are pouring into others. But in rare circumstances, that may not be possible for you. If that is the case, make sure to utilize all available resources, such as:
  • “Thriving Pastor,” the ministry to pastors of Focus on the Family. They also provide a Facebook page, Twitter account and pastoral care line (844-4PASTOR).
  • Podcasts. I have been fed and encouraged over the years by the podcasts of various pastors—some that provide encouragement specifically to those in ministry, and others, like Erwin McManus or James MacDonald, that podcast sermons or Bible studies. Here is a helpful listing.
  • Retreats. I’ve posted previously on this blog about retreat centers and getaways that are offered specifically for pastors (here). While some hosts at such places leave you alone, others make themselves available for those who want to talk. Such encounters may lead to a more enduring relationship, magnifying the benefit of the retreat.

These are just a few ideas. But please believe me when I say you need a pastor. What’s good for the sheep is good for the shepherd. It will strengthen you and your ministry, making you even more of an example to the flock.

5 Illusions That Will Lead You Straight Into an Affair

By Mark Atteberry

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Heed these dire warnings before falling off the cliff of a sexual sin.

NOTE: This article is an excerpt from The Solomon Seduction: What You Can Learn From the Wisest Fool in the Bible by Pastor Mark Atteberry.
King Solomon is known for many things, but let’s not kid ourselves; it’s the women that blow our minds.
The man had a mindboggling 700 wives and 300 concubines. I’m pretty sure that no one who reads this article is ever going to have a thousand wives and mistresses, but many will be tangled up in an illicit romantic relationship, or at least heading in that direction.
Consider these five illusions and take them as a dire warning. They are at the heart of every church leader’s descent into sexual sin.

Illusion #1: That which seems harmless is actually dangerous.

What seems harmless?
Flirting.
Married people do it all the time, sometimes with body language, sometimes with seemingly casual, yet not-so-innocent touches, sometimes with suggestive comments and sometimes with just a look.
Challenge a flirtatious person and you’ll likely be laughed out of the room. And yet, every illicit sexual affair in the history of the world started with flirting.
I can’t think of anything a person can do that has more danger wrapped up in it than flirting with someone who is “off limits.”

Illusion #2: That which seems perfect is deeply flawed.

What seems perfect?
The other woman, of course.

Your wife rolls her eyes at your jokes, while the other woman practically falls down laughing.

Your wife obsesses over the kids and the bills and the laundry, while the other woman is only interested in you.

Your wife wears frumpy clothes, while the other woman is always dressed to the nines and smells like a field of lilacs.

But it’s all an illusion.
If the other woman was really perfect, she wouldn’t be having an affair with a married man.
Plus the fact that she, too, has bills and laundry and bad breath and frumpy clothes and a temper and a lot of other things she’s being careful to hide from you.

Illusion #3: That which excites you actually deadens you.

What excites you?
Your fantasies.
The biggest part of an illicit relationship is played out between your ears. This is especially true in the flirting stage. Before the sneaking around and the sex begin, your mind is a tornado of possibilities. A suggestive comment is made, and suddenly your heart kicks up about 10 beats per minute as you ponder all sorts of delicious scenarios.
I’ve heard men in the middle of this experience say, “I’ve never felt more alive!”
The truth is, they’ve never been more dead.
Proverbs 21:16 says it best: “The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.”
You’ll be dead to the truth about the relationship.

Dead to the reality of your spiritual condition.

Dead to the trouble you’re making for yourself.

Dead to the damage you’re doing to your loved ones.

Dead to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Not surprisingly, I hear a lot of repentant adulterers talk about their past affairs in terms that sound as though they could be talking about death:

“I went brain dead.”

“I lost touch with reality.”

“I was really out of it.”

Illusion #4: That which seems to justify your actions actually condemns you.

What seems to justify your actions?
A laundry list of rationalizations.
I can’t count the times I’ve sat and listened to men try to explain why their actions should be viewed differently than your run-of-the-mill cheater.

“My wife doesn’t understand me.”

“I tried for years to be a good husband.”

“My wife just isn’t the same person I married.”

I am always amazed at the passion with which people say these ridiculous things. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising.
People who know they’re wrong are typically desperate to make things appear different than they really are, and if you don’t have truth on your side, it makes sense to go for emotion.

Illusion #5: That which seems easy is hard.

What seems easy?
Quitting.
A man who is being drawn into a questionable relationship tells himself that everything is OK because he can quit anytime he wants. “If I see that things are getting out of control, I’ll just pull the plug,” he tells himself.
But when lines are crossed and forbidden territory is entered, he finds quitting to be quite complicated.
In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul said, “Run from sexual sin!” Amazingly, the answer to one of the most life-destroying sins known to man is so simple it can be stated in four little words, the longest of which has only six letters.
We’re not talking brain surgery here.
Run. From. Sexual. Sin.
Don’t think about it, study it, debate it, analyze it, research it, seek counsel about it or even pray about it. Just run from it!
Because what you think you’re seeing is an illusion.

Free Sermon Series Package: “From this Day Forward”

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15 Differences Between How Successful And Unsuccessful People Think

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.” – Henry Ford

Henry Ford has a keen understanding of what all successful leaders know – The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is how they think.  The ability to think effectively is vital to someone’s success.
But are there a set of skills, or approaches, which will signal if you are a successful thinker or not?  The answer is undoubtably “YES”!
For an understanding of two different types of thinkers who achieved two completely different outcomes, we have to look no farther than the legendary story of David and Goliath found in 1 Samuel 17.
As you review the story, we find two different types of thinkers.  And we also find 15 Differences Between How Successful People And Unsuccessful People Think.  As you read the differences below, it is no wonder David won so easily.

1. Goliath Thought Complexity.  David Thought Simplicity. – v. 5-7 says, “He (Goliath) had a bronze helmet..armed with a coat of mail (weighing 5,000 shekels of bronze…bronze armor on his legs…a bronze javelin..spear..a shield bearer went in from of him.”  In contrast, David had a staff, five smooth stones, a shepherd’s bag and the name of the Lord of hosts.”
2. Goliath Thought Lower Ground.  David Thought Higher Ground. – Leaders should never give up the high ground.  In v. 8 Goliath says, “Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down (into the Valley of Elah) to me.”
3. Goliath Thought Assumptively.  David Thought Creatively. – In v. 10 Goliath said, “give me a man, that we may fight together.”  Goliath was an infantry man.  He was a foot soldier and assumed he would be fighting another infantry man (fight together).  Little did he know David had another plan.  He would fight him as a projectile warrior, specifically known as a slinger.  Because of their ability to sling stones with the force of a handgun, infantry men were sitting targets for projectile warriors.
4. Goliath Thought About Creating Fear And Insecurity.  David Thought About Creating Courage And Confidence. – v. 11 records “Saul and all Israel” were “dismayed and greatly afraid.”  After Goliath was killed by David, v. 52 says, “Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron.”
5. Goliath Thought His Experience Was Enough.  David Thought His Anointing Was Enough. –  Remember this principle when you are hiring church staff.  Prioritize anointing over experience.  v. 4 describes Goliath as the Philistine champion. He had a great resume.  In contrast, David famously said in v. 26, “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
6. King Saul And David’s Brothers Saw Goliath And Though Chaos.  David Saw Goliath And Thought Opportunity. – David made note that the individual who killed Goliath would receive great riches, a wife, and freedom from taxes.
7. David’s Brothers Thought About Creating Obstacles For Success.  David Thought No Obstacle To Success Was Too Great. – In v. 28, David’s brother Eliab said, “Why did you come down here?…I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down here to see the battle.”  David responded in v. 32 to King Saul, “your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
8. King Saul Did Not Trust David’s Preparation.  David Trusted His Preparation. – In v. 36, David advised Saul, “Your servant has killed both lion and bear.”
9. King Saul And David’s Brothers Thought Passively.  David Thought About Proactively Engaging The Issue. – In v. 32 David proclaimed, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
10. King Saul Thought David Needed Traditional Solutions.  David Thought He Needed New Solutions. – In v. 38 Saul attempted to clothe David in his armor, infantry armor.  He was sending David into harm’s way fighting on Goliath’s terms.  In v. 39, David removed Saul’s clothing.
11. King Saul Did Not Think About Options.  David Thought About Options, Margin And Contingencies. – Fortunately for Saul, David arrived because it appears he had no other options.  In v. 40, David took five smooth stones.  He would only need one.
12. Goliath Did Not Stand Alone.  David Stood Alone. – In v. 41, “the man who bore the shield went before him (Goliath).”
13. Goliath Did Not Think Much Of David’s Youth And Potential.  Smart Leaders Value Youth And Their Potential. – In v. 42, it says Goliath, “disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking.”
14. Goliath Did Not Think He Needed To Take Care Of His Health.  Smart Leaders Take Care Of Their Health. – David entered battle with a single stick – a staff.  In v. 43, Goliath wondered why David would come to him with “sticks.” Add this to having to be led on the battlefield and Goliath likely had vision problems.  He would also never see the stone coming at his head.  His health greatly aided his demise.
15. Goliath’s Leadership Resulted In Fear.  David’s Leadership Resulted In Courage. – Your leadership is marked by your courage.  It is courage that people follow.  After Goliath’s death, v. 51 notes the Philistines fled.  In the next verse, the men of Judah and Israel went after them.

As you go through this checklist, does your thinking foreshadow you being successful or unsuccessful leader?

Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1869 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2015 Global Leadership Summit, That Church, REACT and Catalyst Conferences.  If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader.  Enjoy!!!

10 Thoughts From Monty Williams’ Eulogy Of His Late Wife Ingrid

Last week, 44-year-old Ingrid Williams, the wife of Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Monte Williams, was tragically killed in a head-on collision when another vehicle crossed the center line.  The funeral was held on Thursday, February 18th.
Coach Williams gave a powerful, inspirational and moving tribute to his late wife which is shown above.  As you watch the video, you will be be amazed at the incredible grace of God in his life and the perspective a relationship with Jesus provides.
His message of forgiveness has inspired and challenged an entire nation.  Tragedy will visit all of us at some point.  May we have the same perspective, strength and faith in Christ as Coach Williams.
Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his five children and extended family, and per his request, the Donaldson family.
The following are 10 Thoughts From Monty Williams’ Eulogy Of His Late Wife Ingrid.  His thoughts and lessons learned are listed below.

1. Tragedy Is Unspeakably Hard – “This is hard for my family but this will work out.”
2. God Somehow Works Everything Out – “It will work out because God causes all things to work out.”
3. We Must Find The Strength To Move Forward – “You can’t quit.”
4. We All Need Jesus Christ – “What we need is the Lord and that’s what my wife tried to exhibit every single day.”
5. It Helps During Times Of Tragedy To Pray For Others – “Everybody’s praying for me and my family, which is right.  But let us not forget that there were two people in this situation. And that family needs prayer as well.  And we have no ill will towards that family.”
6. There Is No More Powerful Message Than The Message Of Forgiveness – “We cannot serve the Lord if we do not have a heart of forgiveness.”
7. God Loves Us – “My wife is in Heaven.  God loves us.  God is love.”
8. For The Christian To Be Absent From The Body Is To Be Present With The Lord – “We didn’t lose her.  When you lose something you can’t find it.  I know exactly where my wife is.”
9. There Is Great Pain And Loss In Tragedy – “I’ll miss holding her hand.  I’ll miss talking with my wife…I just enjoyed being with my wife.  I enjoyed being with my family.”
10. What Is Important Is Jesus Christ And His Work On The Cross –  “God is important.  What Christ did on the cross is important.”

Once again, our sincerest prayers go out to the Williams and Donaldson families during their time of loss.

Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1869 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2015 Global Leadership Summit, That Church, REACT and Catalyst Conferences.  If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader.  Enjoy!!!

How To Lead A Church During A Financial Crisis

When the financial markets collapsed in the summer of 2008, communities all across our nation were hit hard.  Many were devastated.  One such community was Dalton, GA located just south of the Georgia-Tennessee state line.
Dalton is the carpet and flooring capital of the world.  When new construction and building renovations basically came to a halt, this city became of the epicenters of the 2008 economic collapse.
Matt Evans, a lifelong Daltonian and Lead Pastor of Rock Bridge Community Church, was now forced to lead in this new reality.  God has since used this church in a powerful way to bring hope and healing to this once-devastated community.  Despite being in a rural setting, Rock Bridge now runs over 5,000 in weekend attendance with four campuses.
Our team at INJOY Stewardship Solutions recently sat down to talk with Pastor Matt to discuss how to lead a church during a financial crisis along with a number of other items including how to  grow a multi-site church, disciple financial leaders, and lead in a rural setting.
You can view this amazing interview this Thursday, February 25th at 2:00 PM EST for FREE by clicking HERE.  The webinar is entitled “How To Grow A Multi-Site Church” but contains content all church leaders can learn from.  You will be a better pastor and church leader after learing from Pastor Matt.
To give you a small taste of what you can expect, the following are 14 truths from Pastor Matt about Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis:

1. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Does Not Mean There Are Not Opportunities To Advance The Gospel – “There’s opportunities in every setting for the Gospel to be presented that’s contextualized and people can understand it.”
2. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Does Not Change God’s Original Plan – “God has ordained giving to fund the Kingdom.”
3. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Allows For Creativity – Creativity often flows from scarcity.  “Our only tradition is the Bible.”
4. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Is Often Confusing – “As a lifelong Daltonian I’d never seen our town as at a loss and I don’t know we’re out of it yet.”
5. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Changes The Context In How You Deliver Ministry – “The context has changed.  We were the millionaire capital of the world when I grew up and we’re either the second or 10th poorest metropolitan area today depending on how you measure.”
6. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Requires You Create Financial Margin – “We took precautionary measures in our budget with regard to savings.”
7. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Requires You Shrink Your Budget – “(We would ask), ‘Do we have to do that right now’ and just shrunk down a little bit.
8. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Requires MINISTERING To Your Financial Leaders – “We knew certain people had lost significant assets.”
9. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Means Offering People Hope – “The middle class in Dalton was, I don’t want to say wiped out, but it was significantly reduced.”
10. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Means Touching Poverty On A Daily Basis – “Poverty escalated.  All our schools are 80% or higher free and reduced lunches.”
11. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Requires You To Help People Transition – “Unemployment went into double-digits.”
12. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Means Having A New Reality – “From my conversations with business people I don’t think we’re out of the recession.”
13. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Changes Your Posture In Demonstrating The Gospel – “We realized we could not live in a community with this level of poverty and not change our posture to demonstrate the Gospel and demonstrate the Kingdom.”
14. Leading A Church During A Financial Crisis Changes Your Focus Of Ministry – “It changed our focus to being more engaged in local outreach or local missions.”

As you can see, you don’t want to miss any of Matt’s insights.  Click HERE or on the image to the left to sign up today.

5 Tests of a Leader

5 Tests of a Leader

Some storms brew on the horizon. We can see them coming and we have time to maneuver. Other storms just drop out of the sky suddenly like a raging tornado, wreaking havoc on anything in its path. The storms of the heart are no different.

But make no mistake about it. So much of leadership rises and falls on our ability to pass these repeated tests of the soul. I wish they were just once in a lifetime, but they are daily and they last until our frail ending of life.

You might recall me making the case that all great leaders “manage me and manage others” in simultaneous concert. The great leaders direct energy toward their own development and growth, not just driving outcomes in others.

Here are a few common, but dangerous, storms that can wreak havoc in the heart of a leader. Every time we pass the test, our moral authority goes up. Every time we fail, our composite leader score is weakened.

Greed –The temptation to have and hold more and more stuff that I don’t really need.

Louisa May Alcott captured the dangers of greed well, writing, “It does seem that the more one gets the more one wants.”

If we have money, we want more of it. If we have authority at work, we want more of it. If we’ve been to 10 countries, we want to visit 20.

To weather this storm, we must open our hands and move to a posture of giving. We must remember that we are only stewards of our possessions, and we must release what we own and want and have. Instead of clutching more tightly to the stuff that is or could be ours, we must choose to do the opposite. In one word … we need to Give.  

Where can you give this week? What can you give away?

Lust –The temptation to wander with emotional and physical activity outside of my covenant with God and/or my spouse.

The young man Joseph, in the book of Genesis, was 30 and unmarried. He had a remarkable riches-to-rags-to-riches story and a lot of authority as chief of staff for a major figure in ancient Egypt. The only thing he didn’t have was a woman, and then his boss’s wife came calling. Joseph didn’t hesitate for an instant. He ran.

When fighting the squall of lust we must imitate Joseph’s decisiveness and hit the road. We will NEVER be successful coddling lust in our lap. Proverbs says it will burn us every time (Proverbs 6:27). Instead of thinking we can defeat lust or manage our level of involvement, we must choose to do the opposite. Avoid lingering in conversations or browsing the Internet. Invite trusted friends to ask tough questions in this area. In one word … we need to Flee.

Where do you need to flee today?

Revenge –The temptation to settle the score or balance the injustice done to me.

Are you very good at forgiving and moving on? I am usually pretty good unless it has to do with something that has happened to me or those I care for. Get the irony?

You’ve no doubt heard of Malala Yousafzai, the young woman who was shot in the head by the Taliban for her efforts to promote the rights of young girls to attend school. Following her miraculous recovery, she became a global icon for women’s rights and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. While she seems to inspire everywhere she goes, I was particularly struck by a quote from her regarding forgiveness. Speaking about the very people that tried to kill her, she said, “I do not want revenge on the Taliban, I want education for sons and daughters of the Taliban.” Not only did she not seek retribution, she hoped for good.

Revenge is the tornado that starts spinning in us when an injustice has been done to us and we can’t move on. We must learn to not retaliate, to not strike back. We must allow God the right of way to settle wrongs done to us. Instead of lashing out or scheming to get even, we must choose to do the opposite. In one word … we need to Forgive.

Who do you need to forgive this week?    

Independence –The temptation to fly solo. The feeling that no one can really identify with my world and that I am all by myself to sort out and navigate life.

In the early years of the Christian church, hundreds of devout believers flocked to the desert. In an attempt to lead a holy life, far from the temptations of the Roman world, they consciously separated themselves from that world. While this often led to sincere devotion and even spiritual insight, it also necessarily excluded community. Speaking to the latter concern, one of the early fathers of the Church, Basil of Caesarea, wrote, “When we live our lives in isolation, what we have is unavailable and what we lack is unprocurable.”

Put simply, we need community. We need it for our own good, and for the good of others.

We must fight unhealthy independence. There is a healthy independence and an unhealthy independence. Unhealthy independence thinks no one can possibly equal our pain, that I alone am the answer to all my dilemmas and if it is going to be … it’s up to me (always). In other words, I am alone with no equal, peer, or community.

To fight this hurricane we must risk leaning in toward others with transparency and vulnerability. Instead of pulling away, we must find a handful of individuals with whom we can be authentic and with whom we can reveal our hearts and minds. In one word … we need to Engage.  

Are you suffering from unhealthy independence?

Pride –The temptation to think that I am the sole source of success, significance, and security. It is the mindset that the world revolves around me.

Jerry Bridges, in his book Respectable Sins, says that it is “our pride of an independent spirit that makes us unteachable and unsubmissive.” Ouch. He hit storms #4 and #5 in less than one sentence.

To battle this storm, we must acknowledge that we are not the sole cause of our success, and we must learn to lift others up as a key part of our success. In short, we must give credit where credit is due. Instead of sliding into self-focus and arranging all of life around ourselves, we must choose the opposite. In one word … we need to Share.

Where do you need to share credit?

I call these five items “storms” or “tests.”  Tim Keller calls them “Counterfeit Gods” and in his book of the same name, he adds the subtitle: “When the Empty Promises of Love, Money and Power Let You Down.” (You can read a review here: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/reviews/19906-counterfeit-gods-by-tim-keller)

And these counterfeit gods will let you down. I’ve seen it in my own life and in the lives of friends, acquaintances, clients, and business associates. Over and over again, someone thinks he can handle the storm, but instead he gets pummeled.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The five tests mentioned above all require the same winning strategy. Notice that success with any of these storms requires an atypical, anti-gravitational response.

When a whitewater rafter is caught in a suck hole on the backside of a rock, he must act counterintuitively. To survive he must remove his life vest and allow the rushing foaming water to thrust him to the river bottom. He must go against his natural inclinations. Only then can he get a firm footing to shoot through the death loop all the way to the surface. Any other move will render the swimmer dead.

Likewise, when you face a storm of the heart, you must do the opposite of what will almost certainly feel natural. When tempted with greed, we must give. When tempted with pride, we must share. And so on. Until our frail ending of life.

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CAM Launches Podcast! Episode # 2 - Expanding Your Leadership Capacity

One of my favorite ways to learn is to listen to podcasts! I've listened to Michael Hyatt, Tim Ferriss, Pat Flynn, Andy Stanley, Freakonomics, and many more.

Welcome to our new CAM podcast series. We hope to bring you the depth of Christian Coaching in this new format. Our podcasts are about 30 minutes long, and you can listen to these whenever you are on the go. I usually listen when I run or drive or now sometimes even in the shower.

Now you can listen to what we hope will be the best podcast on Christian Coaching available.

In our 2nd podcast, you will hear me speak to a group of leaders about how to expand their leadership capacity. I expound on three ways: Shift Expertise, Shift Responsibility, Shift Success.

You can listen to the podcast at our website or by subscribing to Itunes.

Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes

Blessings,

Brian

Ronnie Floyd: The Church Must Take the Lead Against Racism

Esther Laurie

Dr. Ronnie Floyd has been a pastor for over 38 years. Currently, he is the senior pastor at Cross Church and the president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Floyd seeks global advancement of the Gospel and is passionate about preparing pastors for life and ministry. Dr. Floyd shared with us some profound thoughts on how the church can lead through the issue of racism.

“I’ve not lost hope for our country. Quite honestly I have quite a bit of hope at the present time, because I see not only in the Southern Baptist Churches, but I see thousands of churches who are becoming desperate, and I see even secular people are becoming desperate. Something’s not right. They know something’s not right. They haven’t found an answer yet. They’re hoping for an answer. They’re looking for an answer.

“Well listen, we ought to be pointing them to the ultimate answer, and that is the church needs to wake up, and we need to see in this country an unprecedented move of God, another Great Awakening, and another Great Spiritual Awakening. I would say another thing that we really, really strongly encourage externally is the whole element of reaching across the ethnicities and the races.”

Dr. Floyd continued, “We had a national conversation about racial unity in America. The whole country, as you well know, we’re walking through some tumultuous days over race issues, and we would have never thought that. The church has got to lead this issue. The answer is in the church, and the last place in the world where there should ever be any element of racism ought to be in the church of Jesus Christ.

“We have all been saved from that. We are set free from any of that. And I’ll tell you, I’ve called it like it is, and I believe we need to call it like it is. Racism is evil, it is not of God. There is nothing about it of God. It is opposite of the Gospel. It is opposite of the love of Jesus Christ. It is opposite of everything Jesus stood for, and the church needs to lead the way, reaching our arms around people. We need to personify what Heaven’s going to look like. We know what Heaven’s going to look like, every tribe, every people, every language. Praise God.”

What Every Leader Should Learn from Wheaton’s Faith Crisis

Carrie Kintz

Update: This morning, both Wheaton College president Philip Ryken and professor Larycia Hawkins held a joint press conference to address the announcement that Hawkins and the college were parting ways. 

 

Ryken praised Hawkins Christlike attitude through the process and expressed regret for “the brokenness we have experienced in our relationship and the suffering” the proceedings created. He also indicated that the board of trustees will be examining the processes by which they handle situations like what occurred with professor Hawkins. 

 

Professor Hawkins also spoke and encouraged the college and Christians to reflect on where we are during this season of Lent. She also encouraged Wheaton students to continue to practice embodied solidarity and thanked those who supported her through the process.

Like with most things in today’s world, it all started with a Facebook post.
On December 10, Larycia Hawkins, professor of political science at Wheaton College, shared that she would be wearing a hijab during the Advent season to show solidarity with Muslim women. In the course of her explanation, she mentioned that she had received pushback for doing so.
This pushback centered around Hawkins’ claim that she believes Muslims and Christians worship the same God. Calling them ‘people of the book,” Hawkins said that she agreed with Pope Francis when he said, “Muslims and Christians worship the same God.”
The comment created a fervor of comments, discussion, and arguments. A few days after writing the post, Professor Hawkins was placed on administrative leave as Wheaton’s administration reviewed the statement.
In the days following her leave, Professor Hawkins was asked to re-submit a testimony of faith to the administration – through a colleague, not through Wheaton College Provost Stan Jones. Professor Hawkins submitted her statement of faith, to the apparent dissatisfaction of the administration, who asked for a meeting to discuss the statement further. Hawkins declined.
She was suspended. Wheaton announced they intended to fire her and bring her before the Board of Trustees. And then they seemed to change their minds. There was an apology from Stan Jones and it appeared Hawkins was going to stay at Wheaton. 
Then early this week, it was announced that Professor Hawkins and Wheaton had decided to part ways.
The series of events caused students to stage sit-ins. Seventy-eight Wheaton professors petitioned the administration to keep Hawkins at the school. They cited her post and said that after close examination, they found no theological problems or inconsistencies between her statements and Wheaton’s statement of faith.
National media took notice of the uproar. Evangelical leaders Russell Moore to Franklin Graham commented on the situation. Some stood in solidarity with the professor. Others took her to task over her views.
The argument has not only brought Wheaton College into the national spotlight, but it has also served to expose further the struggle at the center of American Evangelical Christianity. The issue of the sameness of God between Christianity and Islam seems to be wrought with confusion. Believers struggle to communicate what they believe about who they worship and how he is different from Islam and even Judaism to an extent.
Even Stan Jones, the provost at Wheaton College, couldn’t coherently lay out what the college’s statement of faith, outlined when it came to Hawkins’ position. His statement, shared on The Wheaton Record’s Facebook page, went so far as to say that Wheaton itself has no explicit position on whether or not Christians and Muslims worship the same God. But, he added:

“But, we do firmly take a position on the Christian understanding of God as a Trinitarian Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we also take a firm position on the nature of the second person of the Trinity as fully God and fully human. Further, we believe that the God-man, Jesus Christ, died on the cross and rose from the death. This immediately puts those who affirm our statement of faith into a complex relationship with Islamic faith.”

There have been charges of gender and racial profiling, and maligning Hawkins because she is single. No matter what you believe theologically, it is evident that the college has been inconsistent in dealing with issues such as these from various professors in the past, which is troubling.
But because these issues are theological, indeed at the core of the Christian faith, we should pause and consider Professor Hawkins’ statements, and those of Stan Jones, in light of Scripture.
While the God of Abraham seems to be the catalyst for which Christianity and Islam were founded – the principle disagreement comes down to the person of Jesus Christ and the Trinity. At their very cores – these two religions differ in the plainest and simplest descriptions of who God is.
Christians believe that God is three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one. This statement alone is at the plainest of odds with the belief in Islam that God is one. Islam sees the view of the Trinity as shirk – or polytheism, strictly forbidden in the Quran.
What should concern anyone who would claim to be a follower of Jesus how widely this has exposed the deep divides among those who would claim His name. Such arguments and debates over the divine nature that contradict the claims of Scripture, and the Gospel of Jesus should be a cause for concern.
We must take Jesus’ command to watch and let no one lead us astray seriously. We must test these things against the word of God, heeding John’s words:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” (1 John 4:1-3)

I can appreciate the spirit in which Professor Hawkins was trying to show solidarity with Muslim women who are often maligned, ridiculed, abused and forgotten in societies. And I also appreciate her efforts to show a Christ-like attitude as she has walked through an incredibly difficult professional situation in the light of media and religious commentary.
And I do not want to ignore the work that God is doing in Muslim countries, how people are meeting Jesus and converting to Christianity. That work is intense and difficult. We need to continue to pray for our brothers and sisters who minister the gospel so faithfully in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
However, I would caution Professor Hawkins, myself or anyone else who would attempt to fuse two faiths together who are diametrically opposed to the other. Peace and reconciliation cannot happen when one side capitulates its very foundation. As we seek to minister to our Muslim neighbors, we cannot surrender to the temptation to make the gospel more palatable or create common ground on something that isn’t true.
We must proclaim that the Lord, He is God. That He has brought redemption, forgiveness of sins and reconciliation through Jesus Christ, His Son and that we are born again, taught the truth & transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit. These truths have been around longer than our church fathers. Longer than David. Longer than Abraham.
They are the truths and people upon the whole world was created and in whom all end. The Triune God is not and cannot be a bargaining chip at the table of solidarity.

10 Things Leaders Should Be Thinking

Leaders are readers.  They are continual learners and have a thirst for knowledge.  Leaders know what makes you successful today will not keep you successful tomorrow.  They must keep growing.  Successful leaders are always in the humble posture of a learner.
One of the things I enjoy reading the most is Sports Illustrated.  With writers like Tom Verducci, Lee Jenkins and Peter King, they provide absolutely incredible content.  And just in case you are wondering, when you subscribe you can forego the swimsuit edition for an extra copy on the backend.  I’m just saying…
Periodically, several issues pile up and my wife has decided, actually mandated, it is time for them to go.  When this happens, I do a leadership flush.  A leadership flush is simply taking the best leadership principles from the soon-to-be discarded magazines and passing those insights along to you.
Therefore, the following are 10 Things Leaders Should Be Thinking I gleaned from previous copies of Sports Illustrated:
February 8th

• Leaders Should Not Be Thinking About Reinventing The Wheel – “That’s what good coaches do.  Let’s face it, nobody is inventing anything new anymore.  We just beg, borrow and steal – or regurgitate something.” – New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo
• Leaders Should Be Thinking About Doing Things With Excellence – “We didn’t do anything special, we just did it really well.” – former Miami Dolphins guard Bob Kuechenberg

February 1st

• Leaders Should Be Thinking About Changing What No Longer Works – “As we got older some of our abilities leave us.  We can’t run as fast, can’t jump as far.  But we don’t forget what it is that we know how to do.” – Shannon Sharpe
• Leaders Should Be Thinking About Building Depth And A Strong Bench – “(There have) been a lot of different people stepping up at different times – starters, nonstarters becoming starters.  Everybody did their part.” – Peyton Manning
• Leaders Should Be Thinking About How To Leverage Failure – “In the end, everything I went through, it forced me to perfect my craft, made me a better player.  And it brought me here.” – Caroline Panthers safety Kurt Colemen after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles
• Leaders Should Be Thinking More About Character Than Competency – “We got smart guys with unbelievable character.” – Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula

November 16th

• Leaders Should Be Thinking About What’s Next – “Am I happy where the program is?  You better believe it.  Very, very happy.  Am I satisfied?  Not even close.  I want to get to the top.  I want to be the best.  But I want to do it the right way and to enjoy the whole deal.” – Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney
• Leaders Should Think About Being Consistent – “The Coach Swinney y’all see is the Coach Swinney we see pretty much all the time.” – tailback Wayne Gallman
• Leaders Should Be Thinking About Delivering When It Matters Most – “Eddie George told me the Heisman ain’t won in October.  It’s won in November.” – Ohio State running back Ezekial Elliott
• Leaders Should Think About What It Really Means To Be A Leader – “I will not allow someone who is an excessive drinker to be a leader on this team.” – Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer

What are you thinking about?

Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1869 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2015 Global Leadership Summit, That Church, REACT and Catalyst Conferences.  If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader.  Enjoy!!!

Video #2: Debunking the Biggest Missional Myth of Busyness

You’ve been waiting patiently for video #2 in the free training series, right? 
Or were you like some of my friends who emailed me stuff like:
“Caesar, that first video rocked me!...where is the second video?!”  :-)
First of all, wow! What a response to the first video training. It is awesome to see so many people excited about what I have shared and many already taking big action (that’s what it’s all about...no sense learning something and doing nothing, right?).
This video #2 is SUPER important because it is going to take a lot of pressure off your head, heart and life and help bring the joy back into mission and discipleship. 

Debunking the Biggest Missional Myth of Busyness

In today’s video you’re going to learn two important things:

First, you’ll learn to identify the common rhythms of life that you are already living in, that once you see them, can be easily and naturally filled up with mission. 

Then, you’ll see that it’s not a matter of adding more to your already crazy busy life, it’s about living with new intentionality and with “new eyes”.

In light of this, Holly recently wrote me saying,

      “I have found Caesar’s approach to missional living so refreshing and inspiring. His authenticity and no nonsense approach to God’s Word and plan for our lives has helped my husband and I as we venture down this faith building journey. Thank you for keeping it real Caesar!“

Thanks Holly! 

Go ahead and dive into the second video now.

I will see you in the comments section below the video.
–Caesar

PS: The 3rd video is coming hot off the presses and coming very, very soon, so watch your inbox. In it I will also have a pretty exciting announcement just for you.

3 Healthy Boundaries Every Leader Needs with Critics

by Charles Stone

At last year’s Willow Creek Leadership Summit, I heard Sheila Heen speak. She co-authored the book Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback with Douglas Stone. The session was so good I purchased the book. Wow. What an eye-opener. It’s chocked full of great insight and I highly recommend it. One particularly helpful section dealt with healthy boundaries every leader needs with critics when we don’t want or need their criticism. The authors suggest three ways to respond that I’ve summarized below.

Three boundaries every leader needs when the critics come calling.

The authors’ basic premise is that we need feedback and how we respond determines how well the feedback helps us. But sometimes we simply don’t need or want the feedback and criticism others offer us.

Sometimes we simply don’t need criticism from others.

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Here’s how to respond with grace, tact, and clarity.

1. I am open to your feedback but may or may not heed it.
   • In this case, you do run the risk of the other person feeling rejected. If you are seeking their advice, request it in such a way to minimize that risk. For example, if you are considering some new ways to do mens’ ministry in your church, you might ask a key church leader, “I’m asking several men about some new ideas for mens’ ministry. Any ideas you care to share?” In this way you are communicating that you are listening to several different people, not just one which can take the edge off you not taking his suggestions.
2. I can’t receive your feedback now.
   • In this case, at the moment you are not open to feedback on an issue. Let’s say you’re a pastor and really struggled with your Sunday sermon and you’re bummed out about it. Someone comes up to you at the end of the service and says, “Can I give you some feedback to your message?” If you can’t receive it at the moment, communicate that. Simply say something like, “I appreciate your willingness to give me feedback, but I just don’t have the emotional energy to hear it now. Thanks.”
3. I don’t want your feedback on this.
   • This is the most strident boundary response. If this person does gives feedback it could severely damage your relationship or further damage a tenuous one. Let’s say you have a chronic critic in your church who won’t let an issue die and they keep badgering you. In this case when they come to you again it may be appropriate to say, “We’ve talked about this many times and we don’t agree. Please don’t bring it up again.”

Communicating in these ways isn’t easy, but necessary at times to keep healthy boundaries. In my research for my third book People Pleasing Pastors: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Approval Motivated Leadership, I discovered that a good percentage of pastors find it difficult to draw these kinds of boundaries.
If it’s tough for you, face your fears and try one of these boundaries next week with a critic.
What has helped you keep boundaries with your critics?
Related posts:

• Should you Get Closer to Your Critics?
• 5 Ways to Keep Critics at Bay

Muslims vs. True Indwelt Christians

The Rothschild Connection Why I Am Writing This Series

In a world that has separated evil into subcategories such as radical Muslims, religious extremists, peace-loving Muslims, radical Christianity, orthodox Jews, ISIS, universal faith, ISIL, Islam, Sunni, and Shia - what is a person to believe? I will tell you what is forcing the common culture of our day to believe and accept the embracing of "The Soft Side of Satan." All of what I will share with you, in this writing project, will be based on a war that has been going on between two brothers for thousands of years - that of Ishmael and Isaac.

By Dr. Stephen R. Phinney

ROTHSCHILDS START TWO WORLD WARS

 

1871 

An American General named Albert Pike, who had been enticed into the Illuminati by Guissepe Mazzini, completes his military blueprint for three world wars and various revolutions throughout the world, culminating into moving this great conspiracy into its final stage.

 

General Pike's Proposal:

1. The First World War is to be fought for the purpose of destroying the Tsar in Russia, as promised by Nathan Mayer Rothschild in 1815. The Tsar is to be replaced with Communism, which is to be used to attack religions, predominantly Christianity. The differences between the British and German Empires are to be used to forment this war.
2. The Second World War is to be used to forment the controversy between fascism and political Zionism, with the slaughter of Jews in Germany - a lynchpin in bringing hatred against the German people. This is designed to destroy fascism (which the Rothschilds created) and to increase the power of political Zionism. This war is also designed to increase the power of Communism to the level equaling that of united Christendom. 
3. The third world war is to be played out by stirring up hatred of the Muslim world, for the purposes of playing the Islamic world and the political Zionists against one another. While this is going on, the remaining nations would be forced to fight themselves into a state of mental, physical, spiritual, and economic exhaustion.

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Author's Special Warning: Read More

The Wit And Wisdom Of Andy Stanley, Carey Nieuwhof And Other Orange Conference Speakers

The one conference I recommend to pastors and church leaders above all others is the ReThink Leadership event this April 27th and 28th in Atlanta, GA.  Led by Carey Nieuwhof, ReThink is part of the the three-day Orange Conference held the 27th through the 29th.  Click HERE or on the image above to sign up.
These three days better equip pastors for the real issues you face on a daily basis than any event I attend on an annual basis.  To give you a preview of what you can expect, the following are 60 quotes from previous Orange events.  If applied, they will make you a better leader and give you a taste of what you can expect.
The following is The Wit And Wisdom Of Andy Stanley, Carey Nieuwhof And Other Orange Conference Speakers:
Andy Stanley

1. Me and Sandra are thoroughly satisfied customers as parents of kids who came through this (Orange) model.
2. What is this generation of students worth? It’s worth everything.
3. What breaks my heart is in the United States hundreds of thousands wake up on a Sunday and church never crosses their mind.
4. God uses broken-hearted leaders.
5. Leaders make things better and that requires change.
6. “I know what I would like people to line up and thank me for at the end of my life.” – Sandra Stanley
7. We believe the church should be the safest place on the planet for middle school students to talk about anything.
8. Sometimes our theology and model gets confused.
9. How you handle something during a group will determine if you are allowed to handle it after a group.
10. We want to love his (our son’s) first name more than our last name.

Carey Nieuwhof

1. If you look at where the church is going, change is going to be on the agenda.
2. I will be letting a younger generation make more and more calls as I move into my 50s.  They have a better pulse on today’s culture.
3. Many churches have frozen into a particular year.  Some are in the 50’s.  Some are in the 60’s.  Some contemporary churches are frozen in the 90’s.  They aren’t contemporary anymore.
4. Only the most selfish people say “I don’t care about the rest of the world.  They can go to hell.”
5. Most Christians pray for a changed outcome and then pray against any drama necessary to bring the outcome about.
6. When your church is small you have to be out all the time and cast vision so you don’t have to be out all the time.
7. Solitude is a gift from God. Isolation is of the enemy.
8. If you’re a leader and you’re over 40 you’re going to have to work to stay relevant and you’re going to have to work to stay around young leaders.
9. The most effective strategies to reach the next generation will likely not come from the current generation.
10. You either put your focus on the people you want to reach or the people you want to keep.

Perry Noble

1. Parent only care about three things when they bring their  kids to church.  Clean.  Safe.  Fun.
2. I hear people say, “Fun ain’t the goal.”  Well, Heaven is going to suck for you.
3. My wife’s ministry in the church is to me.  She can do things for me no one else in the church can do for me.
4. Opportunity does not equal obligation.
5. Deep in most church settings means confusing.  A non-Christian has never asked me about going deep.
6. We’re willing to answer the questions people are asking.  Nobody coming to your church Sunday cares about Calvinism.
7. Every church planter you meet wants to tell you why their town is the worst place to plant a church.
8. It’s O.K. if you disagree with the way I do ministry.  There’s two type of questions – Clarification, Condemnation.  You can take the questions on Condemnation and stick them where the sun don’t shine.
9. You’re tweeting your burger but I’m tweeting someone coming to Jesus.
10. If you’re doing church right, you offend someone every week.

Jeff Henderson

1. There are boys in our church and community who have no idea what a positive male Christian role model looks like.
2. If you want to feel like a celebrity, go to NewSpring and turn on your flashers as a first-time guest.
3. Job security is tied to killing ministry.  When someone says, “Something isn’t working.  I want to kill it.”  That’s good leadership.  They are more interested in the vision than the ministry.  That’s the person I want to keep.
4. I would much rather have that conversation (a lesbian couple) than someone who thinks the music is too loud.
5. When the staff is looking at me and we’ve got to have an answer, I have to say sometimes, “I don’t know” and we still move ahead.
6. Our roles are very public. People get to see you and I fail and you have to be comfortable with that.
7. Ministry makes it much more difficult to connect with God.
8. I’ve even found myself evaluating weddings.
9. There is a connection between your physical disciplines and your spiritual disciplines.
10. You are driving home to your most important ministry.

Derwin Gray

1. I am the epitome of the America Dream.  But that dream can’t fill the hole in my soul.
2. In the NFL character was secondary to gifting.  In the church I’m afraid we do the same thing.
3. What type of culture have we created that being humble as a pastor is rare?
4. I love systems.  I love processes.  But I love making me into His image more.
5. We have so many resources in ministry we may get good at ministry and the Holy Spirit may not even be there.
6. The Holy Spirit does not come if the music gets louder.
7. I hope you have someone in your life who is not impressed with you…Worship ain’t designed for man.
8. Everybody’s angry about the Donald Sterling guy but every weekend in America Sunday is the most segregated time in America.
9. Transformation Church is not a church for cool people but all people.
10. We can define ourselves in ministry by outward success.  How do you treat the janitor?

Mark Batterson

1. It’s not about numbers.  It’s not about statistics.  When you hear that one story of that one person’s life who has been transferred by the grace of God, that’s what keeps you going.
2. I want to be famous to my kids.
3. My definition of success – When those you know you best respect you most.
4. Number your gratitudes.  #1 is my sin is nailed to the cross.  We still live as if Jesus is nailed to the cross.  He’s not.  My sin is nailed to the cross.
5. The Mark I am right now is not the Mark that needs to lead this church two years from now.
6. I love the Word of God.  One of my biggest regrets over the last 18 years is I didn’t spend enough time in His Word apart from preparing sermons.
7. Leaders are readers.  A book is worth about two years worth of life experience.
8. I remembering preaching to 12 people when I was in college…I remember the church having seven pews.  What visionary built this church?..But I’d (still) stay up to 2 or 3 in the morning because I needed a word from God.
9. I’d rather have one God idea than 1000 good ideas.
10. The one thing you can’t delegate is prayer.

As you can see, this is why I recommend this conference to all pastors and church leaders.  Click HERE for more information and sign up today!

Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1869 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2015 Global Leadership Summit, That Church, REACT and Catalyst Conferences.  If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader.  Enjoy!!!

How To Position Yourself As An Authority (Without Fancy Degrees and Years of Experience)

Let’s say you’re thinking of making a career pivot, but you’re worried no one will take you seriously. You’re not sure how to gain credibility and position yourself as an authority, especially since you’ll be in a new line of work.
The good news: it’s possible to do this ethically.
The bad news is that it’s like getting into shape: you’ll need 1. time and 2. discipline.
If you’ve decided you’re going to succeed … that you will not flake out … and will not be one of the masses who talks a big game but fails to follow through…
This article is for you.
The above statements may sound harsh, but if you truly intend to make a successful pivot, it will require your best effort, energy, and sheer willpower over time.
It will demand your very best, even when returns seem slow-coming. Your endurance will be tested. Your limits will be pushed. And it’s these very things that will set you apart as a success, so you might as well know what you’re getting yourself into now.
Here’s what to do.

Stop Reinforcing What You Do For 90 Days.

Example: Say you’re currently working as an IT tech, troubleshooting computer systems and spending a good portion of your day facepalming at the incredibly stupid questions lobbed your way. Maybe your day goes like this:

• Customer: “I received the software update you sent, but I’m still getting the same error message.”
• You: “Did you install the update?”
• Customer: “No. Oh, am I supposed to install it to get it to work?”

Clients from hell …

It’s conversations like this that make you want to storm out of the office (forever) and launch your own business as a coach.
You figure you’re pretty good at seeing the big picture, locating choke-points, and dealing with problems. You might be able to help people navigate this stuff in their lives directly, instead of their computers.
But it’s a Monday. You haven’t taken a vacation in year, and you just can’t take it anymore. You want to vent on Facebook, Twitter, ClientsFromHell.net, or just burn the world. Don’t.
Instead, realize that at this point there are 3 versions of you:

1. The Present You
2. The Public You
3. The Pending You

The Present You, the Public You, and the Pending You Will War With Each Other During Your Pivot.

This example involves the Present You and the Public You. Everyone knows you’re in IT already; you’ve been doing it for years. The link between the Present You and the Public You is very strong.
Your first order of business is to erode the link between the Present You and Public You.
That means no more rants on Facebook about idiotic clients, or pictures of you at an IT conference. Go dark, for at least 90 days.
I’m not saying you should quit you job — you probably need the income, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But you must maintain the discipline to refrain from further reinforcing the bond between your Present You and your Public You.
When someone asks you, “Are you still with the IT firm?” you answer (as long as this isn’t your boss) “Yes, but I actually received my coaching certification recently and started taking coaching clients.” Always pitch your conversations forward.

Pitch the Pending You For 90 Days.

Now that you’ve put Present You into solitary confinement for 90 days, it’s time to start pitching the Pending You, which is who you will be after your pivot. That means you’re going to say and share content that conveys 1. where you future interests lie and 2. positions you as an authority in that field.
The first is easy. If you’re going to be a coach, real estate agent, or online marketer, all you need to do is share content on Facebook. Share blog posts and videos (from others) that are aligned with your Pending You.
The second is a bit tricky, so let me phrase it like this: Would you pay $3000 in coaching fees to someone 1. whose Facebook page resembles yours, 2. does not have a high quality website, and 3. does not come across as someone you would want to emulate in life?
If not, that’s an issue. If you wouldn’t buy from yourself, good luck convincing others to buy from you. It’s not just about a fancy website or great posts — it’s about personal perception. Do people perceive you as:

• smart?
• strategic?
• knowledgable?
• diligent?
• trustworthy?
• connected?
• savvy?
• professional?

Perception is the name of the game. Quick test: scroll back through your last 30 days worth of posts on your Facebook page.
Do those posts convey the message that you are a smart, forward-focused person that can truly help others discover clarity in life? Are they filled with inspiring insights, helpful articles, and top-notch book recommendations?
Or are they filled with … pictures of your food, status updates about your favorite sports team, and posts like this:

These posts aren’t “bad” — they’re just not right in helping you make a successful pivot. (Once you’re established in your new line of work, you can go back to posting whatever you want.)
Remember, your second order of business is to establish and strengthen the link between the Pending You and Public You.

Remember Steve Carrell? Look How He’s Reinventing Himself.

I was never an avid watcher of The Office. I’m more a Game Of Thrones / House of Cards / Sopranos guy that finds morally problematic characters and situations interesting.
But I am familiar with Steve Carrell and his successful career in comedy. The interesting thing about him nowadays is how many serious roles he’s taking in films.
Steve Carrell is, before our very eyes, reinventing the perception of himself as an actor to the general public. Look at this side-by-side from him in The Office vs. the very serious movie, The Foxcatcher:

It’s more than just the makeup. It’s the kind of roles he’s accepting. It’s unlikely his agent would allow him to sign on to comedies while he’s trying to establish himself in dramatic films. He has a long body of work in comedy, and it will take awhile to change the public’s perception of him.
That’s exactly what’s happening with you. Be like Steve Carrell.
Once you do that for a few weeks, you’ll feel a bit confined. That’s ok — those are growing pains. Part of growth in a career pivot is developing the discipline to stay “on brand.” I’ve used Facebook a lot in this article because that’s often the place most people are LEAST disciplined with their brand.
If you’ve got the above steps down, you’re probably asking, “Ok, I’m starting to get this personal branding thing, but how do I accelerate the process?”

The Final Step is to Professionalize the Pending You So That It Becomes the Public You.

The easiest way to do that is to establish a platform online with a blog, containing these basic elements. I call this the MVP, or Minimum Viable Platform.

1. self-hosted blog / website (here’s how to do that)
2. an about page sharing your story (here’s how to write that)
3. a services page that showcases your offerings and three (3) testimonials
4. 3 blog posts
5. an incentive for people to sign up for your email list

All This Conveys: Consistency, Commitment, and Competence.

If I see you posting about personal development on Facebook for 90 days, finally get curious and check out a blog post you share, and it turns out your blog is a ghost town, you’ll lose credibility.
I’m going to think, “Hmm, I guess Joe doesn’t really have it all figured out yet. No way I’m paying him $3,000 to coach me. He can’t even get his business website up and running. This is not a guy I’d want to emulate.”
Those 90 days of discipline will have gone down the drain.
To launch professionally, compile 3 testimonials and 3 blog posts. That conveys consistency. People will know they aren’t the first to visit your site, or to work with you. You’re giving them the gift of going second, and the blog posts will also showcase your competence.

Need An Overview? Grab My Brand You Blueprint, Free.

Kudos if you’ve read this far. The above steps sound simple, and they are. But like most simple things (like working out) they’re hard to follow through on because they require time and discipline.
To give you a big picture view, I’ve put together a simple framework I call The Brand You Blueprint: 7 Steps To Building A Profitable Personal Brand. If this resonates with you, just click the picture and enter your email.