Category Archives: Leadership

Mar 14 2011

Monday Mind Dump – Spring Break Edition

Spring break is here and it is 30 something degrees outside.  I thought the whole idea of Spring break was to get a break from winter. Anyways, I will have to make the best of this week.  In spite of the freezing temperatures I am fired up about what God is going to do North of Kansas City in the community of Smithville in the Spring and Summer of 2011.  Things are about to get hot!!

I want to first start off by thanking everyone who has worked so hard over the past few months at North Lake to get us where we are at today.  We couldn’t have done it without you.  God brought together people from all walks of life, and created a force to be reckoned with.

With all of that being said, here is what is running through my mind… Continue reading →

Mar 8 2011

Mission Impossible – Living for Something Greater than Yourself!

I constantly tell myself that “I want to live for something greater than myself”; however at the same time I find myself questioning my abilities.  Because of this, at times I feel like a failure, but when I look at things from God’s perspective I realize that I am 100% inadequate for the mission that He has in store for my life, but God on the other hand is fully capable.

The one thing I desire so desperately Continue reading →

Mar 3 2011

The Church Death Grip – Holding on to the Insignificant

For centuries churches have had their rituals, and sacred practices, and for many of them that is what fuels their very being.  What once was created to worship God eventually becomes an idol (God)  in which takes precedence over the true purpose of the church.

Many times when we talk about holding on to insignificant practices we tend to reference traditional churches, but I started thinking about all the methodologies of many of the  churches that are proclaiming to be cutting edge.  Continue reading →

Dec 7 2010

Transform Your Church By Transforming Your Leadership Part 3

Initiative

You have to take the initiative to be initiative. You rarely ever have a natural desire to be initiative.

Most hidden passage of scripture for Church Leadership: Galatians 2:1-10

  • It is time to Move (after 14 years), Initiate God given vision. v.1
  • Bring others with you (Barnabas and Titus) v.1
  • Go because of Vision/Revelation v.2
  • Proclaim the Gospel/God’s Vision v.2
  • There will always be false brothers/believers/followers/staff v.4 – Purpose is to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ.  Try to catch you slipping up, and enslave you to
  • Never give in to false brothers, not even for a moment, so that the truth of the Gospel will be promoted. v.5
  • You cannot be partial even to those who seem to be (LEADERS) influential. (What they were makes no difference to me; God show no partiality)  Theses people add nothing to you, your ministry, and your vision. v.6
  • Feed the Vision, Grow the Vision, Share the Vision, Communicate the Vision, Initiate the Vision.
  • When you are faithful to God’s vision, He will put pillars (faithful men) in your life to support you. v.9
  • Remember the purpose of your vision. v.10
  • It is time to initiate your God given vision!!

Key things you should be initiating: Continue reading →

Nov 16 2010

Transform Your Church By Transforming Your Leadership Part 2

I spent another awesome day hanging with the BNC crew, and I learned so much.  Here are just a few of my notes. Enjoy!

Worship

Worship begins with you – the pastor.

The hardest thing for a pastor to ever do, is let go.

Two things you can’t let go of:

  • You cannot let go of the Vision aspect of Worship.
  • You can’t delegate the weekend experience. (Sunday Worship)

Every other aspect of worship needs to be delegated.

All aspect of ministry need to be intertwined within the worship experience.

Leadership doesn’t happen because your over them, but because you are kin to them.

You will not have worship if You don’t know that your called to this: 1 Tim 3:1-

  1. Bishop – Overseer  (Pastor is a gift, not a calling, but the Bishop is someone who is called.) v.1
  2. Above Reproach v.2
  3. Husband of One Wife (Man) v.2  Your marriage is a mirror of your salvation.
  4. Temperate (Be the person that carries the energy in your church – the “leader lift”) v.2
  5. Self-Controlled – Self-Denial v.2
  6. Respectable (look sharp, hygiene, presence, etc.)  A respectable person is a respecter of persons. v.2
  7. Hospitable (Your door needs to be open.  Keep your house clean and presentable to others.  Make sure you have people in your house.) (Be apart of your peoples lives. Example. Show up at a ball game.) v.2
  8. Able to Teach (Able to shuck the corn.  You have to bring it every Sunday – blistering hot!) v.2
  9. Not a drunkard (Stay away from it completely) v.3
  10. Not violent / Not quarrelsome, but gentle v.3
  11. Not a lover of money v.3
  12. He must manage his household well. (Parenting/Pastoring your home) v.3

 

Me w/Shannon O'Dell

Practical Application of Worship in Your Church

 

Stay true to your non-negotiables.  Don’t adapt to every fray and fringe.

1.) Weekend Worship Experience

  • It has to be fresh!!
  • Be who you are, and let it pour out of you.
  • Worship Environment/Elements – Sensations = Sight, Sense, Smell, Sound, Savior

2.) Kids and Students

3.) Volunteers

  • Celebrate your volunteers

4.) Community Groups

Sometimes you have to eliminate good stuff in order to experience the great.

Things to Consider Before the Worship Experience:

Nov 15 2010

Keys to Staying Focused

I had the wonderful privileged to participate in the Brand New Church staff meeting tonight, and man I gained some valuable insight on staying focused.  Check it out: “Keys to Staying Focused”

1.) Hunger

Be hungry for great things.

Hunger is renewable.

2.) Hydrate

Blessed is the man who hungers and thirst for righteousness.

Hydrate yourself with the living water Jesus Christ, drink it up.

Have some great worship tunes around you that will help fill you up.

3.) Leader Lift

Leaders be the lift.

Lift up your leaders/volunteers.

If you don’t lift up your leaders, you will lose your leaders.

2 Cor. 5 – Your life is plain to God, and I hope your conscience is plain to you.

If you are casual towards sin, ditch it. God’s heart breaks over sin.

4.) Guard your heart from road blocks.

Road block examples:

  • Selfishness
  • Laziness
  • Marriage problems
  • Fear
  • Wanting to be Liked – man’s approval
  • Lack of Confidence – doubt
  • Time management – unbalanced priorities
  • Other people – too social
  • Finances – Poor money management
  • Lack of development – How are you developing yourself as a leader? You have to feed yourself.

Heb. 2:1 – We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

5.) Develop a series of questions that you daily/weekly/monthly ask yourself that will challenge you.

  • What do I have to do today?
  • Am I ready? Saturday is too late.  You should be ready for Sunday a week in advance.
  • Am I prayed up?
  • What is my life telling me?
  • Where am I headed?
  • Am I packing a white flag?  You can’t surrender to the world.  Burn the white flags.
  • (Monthly) Am I truly called?  If you are truly called you will jump the chasm of Hell to reach the other side to see a lost soul saved.
  • etc…

Take a day retreat from all media. (phone/email/internet/text/etc.)  You have to prepare it.

6.) Surround yourself with people who inspire you.