THREE TOP PRIORITIES FOR EVERY LEADER

A great and timely reminder by Dave Kraft

I hear the same refrain everywhere I go: “I’m so busy, tired, exhausted, running on empty. I don’t think I can handle this any more. I don’t think I can keep this up much longer. Everything seems to be a top priority. I don’t know where to start!”

In the name of simplicity, let me share three top priorities for every leader. If you are one of the fortunate ones who has an agreed-upon ministry or job description, there is a good chance these are not currently on that description, but should be if you are to lead the way that Jesus intends for you to lead.

1. Regularly Listening To God

If you are like me, there are many voices–other people in my life and some inside my own head–telling me to do this or that, be here or there, help this person or that person. Of all the voices that I need to listen and respond to, first is that of God himself. I need, with his grace, to live and lead for an audience of one.

“…and the sheep listen -to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…” John 10:3 (NIV)

“The Lord came and stood there, calling as at other times, ‘Samuel, Samuel.’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 (NIV)

“Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” Jeremiah 42:3 (NIV)

“Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” Proverbs 3:6 (The Message)

Whatever your “spiritual disciplines” are, make them a consistent, regular part of your daily and weekly rhythms. Cut down on all the other noises around you so you can tune into what he is saying to you and live in responsive obedience.

2. Constantly Developing Leaders

Poor leaders do it all by themselves, good leaders invest in others to help them. If you are following a God-given, God-size vision, you would be a fool to try and do it by yourself. You would also cheat others out of using their God-given talents by doing it all yourself. All leaders, regardless of their roles and responsibilities, need to be constantly pouring into the next generation of leaders so that:

1. You can focus on your unique contribution
2. Others can maximize the total contribution that can be made
3. Organizational morale will be high

I have never been involved with a church or Christian organization that had enough leaders.  Maybe one exists out there somewhere, but I have never encountered it or read about it. Most everyone is looking for new leaders. This mandates being proactive, intentional, deliberate and prayerful in deciding whom to select, developing those you select and  then deploying them in ministry. You will want to have both a philosophy and a pathway for leadership development. It will not happen accidentally. Every leader needs to be prayerfully looking around and focusing on a few future leaders.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV)

“But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.” Exodus 18:21 (NIV)

3. Pacing Yourself

Years ago I would ask leaders how they were doing and I would hear: “I’m super busy.” Today when I ask, I hear: “I’m super tired.” Pacing is critical to longevity in leadership. We need to remember that we are in a marathon–not a 100 meter sprint. By his grace, discovering and maintaining a healthy balance between ministry, personal and family is paramount. Learning how to practice Sabbath as a principle– not just a day–may save your life. Having times of intense engagement, intermingled with deliberate times of disengagement, will keep you physically, emotionally and mentally healthy.

“You chart the path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment, you know where I am.” Psalm 138: 3 (The Living Bible)

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.” Matthew 11:28 (The Message)

“Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance. Without the right quantity, quality, focus and force of energy, we are compromised in any activity we undertake.”

“Performance, health and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy. Leaders are the stewards of organizational energy—in companies, organizations and even in families. They inspire or demoralize others first by how effectively they manage their own energy and next by how well they mobilize, focus, invest and renew the collective energy of those they lead.”  – The Power of Full Engagement” by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

Please make these three your top priorities so you can be a “Leader Who Lasts.”

• Listen regularly to God
• Constantly develop other leaders
• Intentionally pace yourself

5 CRUCIAL ATTITUDE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHURCHES THAT GROW AND CHURCHES THAT DON’T

A great post by Carey Neiuwhof....Challanging!

So…what’s the difference between a growing church and a declining church?

Well, there are many, but one of the biggest differences I see is the attitudeof the leaders.

The leaders of growing churches almost always share a common attitude.

So do the leaders of declining churches.

And the attitude has a huge influence over the results each church sees.

Attitude may or may not be everything, but it’s close.

Here are 5 attitude differences I see again and again in growing churches and declining churches.

1. WE CAN V. WE CAN’T

Perhaps the biggest differences I see between growing churches and declining churches is the attitude around what’s possible.

Growing churches believe they can.

Declining churches believe they can’t.

They’re both right.

One of my all-time favourite quotes is Henry Ford’s “Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re right.”  He’s correct.

Growing churches make a way when there’s no way, which seems to be what God specializes in if you read the Bible.

When you sit around your leadership table, do you come up with 20 ways to make it happen, or 20 reasons why it won’t work? That tells you far more about your church than you probably want it to.

Growing churches believe they can. It’s that simple. And even if they’re wrong, at least they tried. The mission is important enough to take significant risk.

2. THEM V. US

Declining churches focus on themselves.

Growing churches focus on the people they’re trying to reach.

If your leadership table conversations are all about the needs and wants of your members, it’s a sign that your church is insider focused.

The mission of the church is to reach the world. Growing churches not only know that; they live it.

Besides, who likes to hang out with selfish people?

And ironically, selfish people almost always end up in a very surprising place: alone. Because a life devoted to self ultimately leaves you alone. That’s also true for selfish churches.

If you’re becoming smaller and smaller, is it because you’re selfish

3. PRINCIPLES V. PREFERENCES

Declining churches focus on their member’s preferences.

Todd didn’t like the music. 

Allison thinks we’re not deep enough. 

Bill wants to start a new program.

And so the leaders respond, trying to please everybody.

In reality, declining churches bend to the preferences of its members.

Growing churches don’t.

Instead, they focus on the principles (even strategies) that will help them reach new people.

Is your leadership team principle-driven or preference-driven? There’s a world of difference between the two

4. PROACTIVE V. REACTIVE

This is a close cousin of points 2 and 3 above, but the difference is deadly or life-giving depending on where you land.

Growing churches are proactive. They choose their agenda and immediately get on issues that can impact their future.

Declining churches are reactive, letting members determine the agenda and reacting to problems as they arise.

In fact, most declining churches are so busy reacting to problems other people raise that they never get around to charting a course for the future.

If you never get around to charting a course for the future, you will have no future.

Growing churches have a strong bias for setting their own agendas, not in the selfish sense, but in a way that determined leaders see what the mission requires and decide to deal with it.

The leaders in a growing church simply refuse to yield to the agenda of others that would take them off mission.

And as a result, they are far more effective.

5. NOW V. EVENTUALLY

Growing churches act. And they act now.

Declining churches don’t.

Declining churches don’t actually say they won’t act, they’ll just say they’ll get to it ‘eventually’, or someday, or ‘when the time is right’—which means never.

By contrast, as I outlined here, great leaders and great teams banish the word ‘someday’ and other words from their vocabulary.

If you want to be effective, you act.

If you want to be ineffective, you don’t.

Talk without action has little value. And too many church leaders specialize in talk.

In addition, too many church teams meet for the sake of meeting.

If you can’t remember the last time you made a major decision that changed the course of your church, your leaders are wasting their time.

If you talk about the same issues meeting after meeting with no resolution, you’re not leading, you’re spinning your wheels.

Does that mean you have to act on everything? Well, yes and no.

If you’re not going to act, strike the item off the agenda and move on.

If you are going to act, act. Now.

Just make a decision and move on with it. Don’t get stuck in the no man’s land of believing the lie that talking about things solves things.

As my friend Casey Graham says, action produces traction. So act.