Lead Well

So many times we get so wrapped up in doing the work of the ministry we lose focus on what really matters.  Courtesy: Getty Images Jesus. I don't know about you but my days are filled with all this noise about how to make things better. How to improve, how to make an impact greater for the kingdom. Sometimes, I get so wrapped up in improving I forget the reason why. Jesus. If we're not leading people to Jesus then what are we doing? Jesus told us before he ascended to heaven that we are to go out into all the world and make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Whatever our ministry's focus or vision or mission it all boils down to this one command. It's not to have the largest group. The smartest, the most educated, the most connected kids. It's to make followers of Jesus. I, for one am resolving today to keep this as the center of my focus. Jesus. He's the reason I worry, I work long h

Ever had trouble setting goals and keeping them?  You're not the only one.  Here are some quick steps you can take to meet those goals you know you can. Courtesy Getty Images I love goals.  I've been setting and completing them for as long as I can remember.  I find I have a hard time completing any task without setting a goal.  I thought everyone was like this, but when I asked my team to create goals for their departments they were lost.  They had no idea even where to start.  So here 5 easy steps to setting and keeping your goals. Begin with the end in mind If you've ever read Steven Covey's book " The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ," you know this is one of them.  We all need to use a little imagination and envision what our desired outcome will be before we begin any task.  For example, as a new year's resolution, I set as a goal to run a 10k race.  The days spent on the treadmill and out on the road were long and sometimes grueling.  

Sabbath. It's a funny word.  Unfortunately, this word is buried deep in the Christianese lexicon, and not many people actually practice this very important spiritual discipline. When I was in my third year of Master's Commission, I was given a lot of responsibility and found myself with a very large workload.  So much so, that I stopped taking a day off.  Monday, which was supposed to be my off day, was filled with planning, writing, and studying.  I had cut all the fun out of my life to get the job done. I loved it for the first few months, but after after 3 months of consistently working 16 hour days, I broke.  I couldn't do it anymore.  Something had to give. I just didn't know what.  Thankfully God knew exactly what I needed. While driving back home to Georgia for Thanksgiving, I listened to Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell .  I got to the chapter called Tassels.  I wept for the next 3 hours.  I realized I had been sinning for months.  I had neglected the fourth co

Big projects.  It seems that I live my professional life from one big project to the next.  Each new event or change is another big project.  I love it. However many people don't.  They get overwhelmed by the daunting tasks.  They get so nervous about the monumental project that they never begin or they get so wrapped up in all the little details that they quit halfway through.  I've faced both of these extremes, but sometimes you just have to get things done.  You have to grit your teeth, buckle down and get dirty. Here are some of the things I've learned that help me complete those big projects. 1. Set a deadline.   I don't know about you, but if I don't have a set time to complete a task, it may never get done.  We need to set a reasonable timeline to accomplish our goals.  Some projects can be done in a few minutes, others a few years.  Either way think about how long you will need to accomplish the goal and set a time limit.  You'll be surprised at

from gettyimages.com A few Sundays ago, we gave the Gospel message along with an opportunity to become a Christian.  We had 9 children raise their hands to signify they were ready to accept Christ.  I am so excited that God moved, and we had so many come to Christ.  Let me caution you, however.  All of these salvations were in second service.  I didn’t have a single one in first.  In fact, I didn’t even offer because I knew they weren’t paying attention.  I justified this misstep by saying that they were all saved anyway.  They already know the story of Jesus crucifixion.  They were bored.  All of these may be true, but may I offer another reason?  I wasn’t ready.  I spent my pre-service time socializing. I didn’t double check my tech.  I didn’t show my sound person what she needed to do.  I didn’t even go over what I was talking about that morning.  The last time I even looked at it was the Thursday before.  As a result, I had to break up the flow of the service to loa

courtesy getty images Fasting.  It's hard.  Let's face it, we know that it is something we should be doing.  We know that Jesus fasted. He did a marathon fast of 40 days and nights with no food or water! Nevertheless, I think most of us are scared. "What if I get hungry?  Will I be able to think straight? Will I be undernourished?  I have to fast for how long?  I can't eat what?" We come up with a million excuses. "I have too much to do today to fast. But I'm really hungry. I have no will power.  I can't lie to the people around me.  I don't have a place to do it.  I just don't see the need." How do I know all this?  I've said it all to myself.  It's a hard discipline, but a wise man once said, "if it's not hard, then is it worth doing?"  Or as it says in Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for th

Over the past couple of weeks, I've had to deal with some pretty tough questions and attempt to be the spiritual guide in confusing and devastating times.  The first, my senior pastor died of brain cancer two weeks ago, and the second, a three year old girl was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. About 16 months ago my senior pastor was diagnosed with brain cancer and during a biopsy had a stroke which left him paralyzed on his left side for the rest of his life.  As a pastor on staff, I had to stand strong for the congregation and present a united front with the rest of the staff.  For over a year we desperately prayed for God to do a miracle, but unfortunately, God chose to heal him in the next life in heaven. Three days after his funeral, I received a text message that one of our church member's three year old granddaughter has brain cancer that cannot be taken out with surgery and most likely will not be able to receive radiation treatments because it could turn her

Today's #trust30 post asks what I would say to myself 5 years ago and what I would like to say to my future self 5 years from now. To myself 5 years ago I would say it gets better.  I was burnt out and worn out from a long grueling year, one of the hardest of my life.  I would also tell myself to continue to focus on learning and relationships because you never know when the next season of your life begins.  It could all change with a phone call.  Lastly I would say go for it.  Don't hold back and take the opportunities in front of you.  You never know what God has in store. To myself 5 years from now I would say to keep your priorities straight and in the right order.  There will be much more going on in my life in 5 years and a lot more opportunities.  Remember to spend time with everyone you love because you never know when they will be gone.  Also love your wife and do something nice for her.  She deserves it. It's weird to talk to your future self.  I have so man