Lead Well

Goal-setting.  It seems like such a simple concept, but how many of us do it regularly and successfully?  Our bosses talk about sales goals and making our quota.  Our teachers in high school and college talk about it like we already have them laid out, and TV is always talking about our financial goals before we call their company. For some, goal-setting is second nature, for others they know it should be done. and still others, it's a foreign concept.  So whether you've been setting goals all your life or you have no idea how,  here are five easy steps for you to set goals and actually meet them. Your goal must be specific and must be measurable.  When I ran my half marathon, I had to set a clear goal.  It wasn't enough for me to say, "I'm going to go running to get into shape."  I had to say, "I'm going to run a 13.1 mile race by finishing the race and not coming in last."  When we set goals, it is far too easy to be vague. For inst...

Our church is growing. This past week I was talking to our children’s ministry leaders. We have to make adjustments to prepare and better serve our young ones. With new attendees, come new challenges and new opportunities for people to serve. The great part about being a part of a great team is that you get to be on the ground floor of helping someone take their next steps to serving in a loving and caring community of believers. The Team gets most excited when a person accepts Christ on Sunday morning, is baptized, attends Growth Track, joins a Lifegroup and finally joins the Team. It is our ultimate win. Moving a new attendee through this process is not the job of the staff, although they do play a part. It’s is all of our jobs. We are all in this together. Over this past month, I have given you tools and shown you how Jesus recruited his disciples. You can read more about that here , here , and here . If we recruit like Jesus did, imagine the effectiveness we could...

I recently had a conversation with one of our ministry leaders that had someone that wanted to serve on our volunteer team called the Dream Team. Unfortunately, this person has a sin issue that is in direct conflict with the leadership honor code that every volunteer must sign. It is easy to turn this person away and wash our hands of the issue. It’s harder to confront them and provide help for their issue. We all have issues in our life that need to be dealt with. When some accept Christ they are immediately freed from an addiction and never crave that thing again. It is awesome when God performs this miracle. However, most of us don’t have this experience. Paul gives specific instructions to the Colossians on this very point Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived....

I’ve talked to a lot of people about volunteers and finding help to accomplish the work of the ministry. A lot of times, I hear that no one wants to work. No one has time. There are just not enough people. Then the inevitable happens. Someone makes a suggestion as to what can be done to get more volunteers. They say things like: “We should make a bulletin announcement.’ “We need a verbal announcements during regular service.” “We just need to require people to help.” “If the Pastor would just say something. we would get a lot of people.” “Let’s go tell them it’s their duty, then they’ll help!” Very few people say this one. ”I know someone that will be perfect for this job. I’m going to go tell them about it and invite them to help!” Unfortunately the statements made in one through five rarely, if ever work. Sure you might get one that shows up for a week or two then leaves. They hardly ever stick. The only recruitment method that really works is the personal one o...

It’s an old idea that unfortunately the church has embraced for far too long. The pastor’s are the ones who do the work of the ministry. It started out innocently enough. One hundred years ago, the pastors and priests went to school and learned all about the Bible. They taught the word as opposed to doing regular work such as farming, banking, and other businesses. One pastor served the whole town and many believed in God as a matter of culture and tradition. Over time, more and more congregation members began to look to the pastors to do all the ministry. They have to do all the visitation, all the outreaches, all the teaching, all the evangelizing. After all, they’re trained and called to do it. However if we look to the Scriptures, we find the writers of the New Testament giving us a completely different narrative. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who...

Ever feel overwhelmed?  You wake up in the morning and you just don't want to get out of bed?  Feel like you're drowning under the workload? courtesy gettyimages.com We all feel this way at some point in out lives.  Let me tell you the time I felt like this most recently.  My wife had gone out of town for the weekend to spend time with her family.  I told her not to worry about Sunday morning that everything was under control.  I wasn't lying; I just had no idea what lay ahead. This particular morning was one of the busiest Sunday mornings ever.  We had new lifegroup sign-ups in both services,which I had to be a part of, we were giving away new volunteer t-shirts, which weren't set up yet, I was supposed to start a new fifth and sixth grade leadership team that night, Two of my small group leaders were absent so I had to fill in for one of them, small groups had a craft that morning that had a lot of pieces and none of it was ready for childre...

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...